As soon as Dekamoshi stepped into this new dimension, a strange sensation overcame him. His power seemed to diminish, as if an invisible force was draining his energy. He tried to use his chakra, but the flow was disrupted, almost non-existent.
"What...?" he murmured, his voice tinged with incredulity.
Before him, nearly a hundred Otsutsuki floated in the sky, their piercing gazes filled with contempt and arrogance. Their massive presence vibrated the air with an oppressive tension.
In the distance, Dekamoshi spotted a divine tree already planted, its roots spreading across a sterile and desiccated land that had been barren for centuries. The air itself felt heavy, almost toxic. He furrowed his brows, realizing something was amiss.
"Why is this place like this? Shouldn't it be an unexplored dimension?" he muttered, his thoughts swirling.
Then, Shibai emerged from the portal, his expression still calm but marked with a mocking smile.
"You know why you're weakened, Dekamoshi?" Shibai began, his voice resonating in the oppressive air. "This dimension was carefully chosen. It is perpetually illuminated by an eternal sun, with not a trace of shadow. And you, born of the darkness, are here like a fish out of water."
Dekamoshi clenched his teeth, feeling the betrayal like a knife twist.
"Why...?" he asked in a hoarse voice, already guessing the answer.
The Otsutsuki around him burst into laughter, their voices overflowing with cruelty.
"Look at this pathetic half-breed!" one of them exclaimed, his pale pupils shining with contempt.
"A filthy mixed-blood like you dares compare yourself to us? You should just die!" spat another.
"You really thought an impure one would have a place among us? You're nothing but trash!"
"Yes, let this waste die!"
The insults flew, becoming more and more virulent, until Shibai raised his hand to impose silence.
"As you can see, Dekamoshi," he said with a cutting coldness, "a true leader must listen to the voice of his people. And here, my people demand your death."
Dekamoshi felt a boiling anger and a deep pain within him. For centuries, he had been loyal, giving his existence to Shibai and the clan. And all of it had been a lie.
"Son of a bitch!" he spat, his eyes burning with uncontrolled rage.
His Rinne Sharingan on his forehead suddenly opened, its twenty-seven tomoe spinning intensely. His two Jōgan eyes illuminated, frantically analyzing the space for an escape.
"Damn it," Dekamoshi swore. "This dimension has been sealed... I can't open a portal."
Shibai shook his head, a condescending smile on his face. "You've lost, Dekamoshi. Be reasonable. Let yourself be devoured by the divine tree. Thanks to you, I will reach the divine level that the clan has coveted for so long."
But Dekamoshi would not back down. Not now. Not after all he had endured.
He raised a trembling hand, manifesting several Truth Orbs, each radiating pure and destructive energy. In a fluid motion, he transformed two of the orbs into sharpened lances, their black tips glowing with dangerous energy.
"Shibai," he growled, his eyes blazing with determination. "You're nothing but a coward. If you want my death, face me yourself. Show me who among us deserves this divinity."
Shibai raised his eyebrows, amused by Dekamoshi's boldness. "Do you take me for a fool? Why should I dirty my hands when so many others are willing to do it for me?"
With a gesture of his hand, the Otsutsuki, as one, advanced towards Dekamoshi.
"Kill him," Shibai ordered in a cold tone.
The Otsutsuki charged, but Dekamoshi, though weakened, would not go down without a fight. He launched his Truth Lances with deadly precision, piercing several enemies in an instant.
"I will not die here!" he roared, his voice resonating like thunder. "Not to satisfy the ambitions of a traitor!"
The Jōgans in his eyes analyzed every movement, every angle, reading emotions and predicting attacks. He summoned chains, using them to immobilize and crush his adversaries.
But they were numerous, and each attack he managed to repel seemed to bring two more.
Shibai, observing the scene from an elevated position, crossed his arms, a mocking smile on his lips.
"Fight as much as you want, Dekamoshi," he said. "But your hatred and arrogance will be your downfall. The Senrigan is not just for show, I have seen your schemes for a long time. It's you who are the traitor."
Dekamoshi, however, did not listen to him. His mind was focused on one thing: survival. For if this dimension did not allow him to flee, he had only one choice: destroy everything.
Dekamoshi, though weakened, took a step forward, his energy lances glowing with a sinister light. The Otsutsuki gathered between him and Shibai, their expressions full of contempt. There was no hesitation in their movements, but Dekamoshi did not care.
He lunged at the first Otsutsuki with terrifying speed, his lances striking in deadly arcs. Every movement was precise, without unnecessary effort, and the enemies were mowed down like wheat under his power.
"More pawns... You're pathetic," he murmured, his face cold and relaxed, like when he used to forge weapons in the forge or on his first mission, he had returned to his most primal state.
A group of Otsutsuki attacked simultaneously, their infernal flames and lightning tearing through the air. But Dekamoshi anticipated their movements with his right Jōgan. He pivoted, the lances swirling in his hands, and reflected their attacks back at them with his left eye, reducing them to ashes.
"You're nothing," he said without a backward glance.
The Otsutsuki tried to surround him, but his teleportation power made any attempt futile. He appeared where they least expected it, hacking through their ranks with relentless brutality.
In a matter of hours, three-quarters of the army lay dead, their mutilated bodies strewn across the ground. Dekamoshi's white robe had turned red with blood, but his expression remained unchanged.
Seeing his men massacred, Shibai finally ordered,
"Fall back! This fight is mine."
Dekamoshi casually wiped the blood from his face, fixing Shibai with a glacial contempt.
"So, you hide behind your underlings to tire me out. You're nothing but a coward, Shibai."
Shibai chuckled before lunging at Dekamoshi, his elongated claws shimmering with destructive energy. Dekamoshi, despite his fatigue, reacted instantly, crossing his lances to block the attack.
The clash of weapons shook the entire dimension. The battle intensified, Shibai using his **Senrigan**, the Eye of Clairvoyance, to anticipate each of Dekamoshi's movements five seconds in advance.
Shibai deftly evaded all of Dekamoshi's attacks, countering with swift and precise strikes. Shibai's claws whistled by several times, but Dekamoshi managed to parry them, his lances swirling like extensions of his own body.
However, he soon realized that direct combat would not be enough. He slightly turned his head, his Rinne Sharingan activating. Three Otsutsuki fell under his control, their movements now guided by his will.
These three warriors joined Dekamoshi, attacking Shibai with perfect coordination. While two of them distracted Shibai, Dekamoshi seized an opening and unleashed a series of vicious attacks, his lances striking with unmatched power.
But Shibai, the true strategist, would not be overwhelmed. Seeing an opening, he dodged a strike from Dekamoshi, propelling himself backward. He then joined his hands, releasing a technique he had been holding in reserve:
*"Shōgo no Doragon!"*