Chapter 249: Hidden Agendas
The lunar teams from the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth surveyed their surroundings for a while before deciding to stick together and explore the area collaboratively.
Ōtsutsuki Shinichi was no weakling—he was incredibly powerful, surpassing even the Five Kage in the evaluations of various nations. Based on this, it was clear that the strength on the moon wouldn't be weak, so they couldn't underestimate this place.
As they cautiously explored, the sensory ninja in the group reported, "Within the range of my sensing, there are no humans, only some puppets!"
The leading ninjas from both countries exchanged glances, each feeling a bit relieved.
For years, Ōtsutsuki Shinichi had been the only one from the moon roaming the Shinobi world, and no other individuals from the moon had ever been sent to assist him. This had long puzzled the nations.
Some speculated that there was internal conflict on the moon, much like the power struggles in the Shinobi world, which prevented them from sending others to help Shinichi.
Others guessed that the population on the moon was sparse and that there weren't many strong individuals.
It seemed now that the latter was likely.
This was good news—if the people on the moon hadn't fully occupied it like the humans had in the Shinobi world, the exploration mission would proceed more smoothly.
As the leader of the Land of Fire's exploration team, Minato, dressed in ANBU attire, breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to steer the group away from the puppets following the sensory ninja's warning, a communication device buzzed in his ear.
It was a message from the Land of Lightning.
"We've arrived at our position…"
After understanding the Land of Lightning's team location from the communication, Minato looked across to see the leader of the Land of Earth, Kitsuchi, also ending a call and looking back at him.
Clearly, Kitsuchi had received the same message from the Land of Lightning.
"Let's go. We should meet up with them."
The two leaders quickly reached an agreement and headed toward the Land of Lightning's team.
On the way, a group of ninjas darted through the trees, swiftly bypassing the puppets without finding any signs of living people, further confirming their belief in the sparse population of the moon's inhabitants.
A ninja trailing behind Kitsuchi quietly moved up to him and said in a low voice, "Lord Kitsuchi, aren't we being overly cautious? If we've already concluded that the moon's Ōtsutsuki clan has a sparse population, do we really need to explore together?"
Kitsuchi glanced at his "colleague." "Although the moon's Ōtsutsuki clan may have few people, the power and secrets they possess far surpass our imagination. They are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' brother… or rather, the offspring of gods. We can't let our guard down!"
Despite his words, Kitsuchi wasn't afraid.
After all, could the moon's Ōtsutsuki clan possibly be more terrifying than Hyuga Fuji, who could summon meteors?
Having witnessed the pinnacle battle two years ago, Kitsuchi felt he had transcended fear.
There was nothing left to fear!
"But…"
"No buts. You've been in this world long enough to rely on the power of Dust Release to protect yourself, but don't underestimate others. This world isn't that simple."
Kitsuchi's voice deepened as he cautioned, "Everything must be approached with caution."
"…Understood."
The ninja stopped persuading and quietly followed the team, moving closer to the Land of Lightning's group.
…
"Shinobi from the world below have come."
In the moon's core, an elder of the Ōtsutsuki clan looked at the three people around him and sighed inwardly.
These were the last few remnants of the Ōtsutsuki clan on the moon.
"Eight people in total, their purpose unknown."
"Do the nations of the Shinobi world see us as nothing?"
One of the women in the trio snorted coldly. "They know of our existence, yet they act so disrespectfully. Our ancestors were right—this world created by the Sage of Six Paths has already failed."
"This discussion is long over. Reshaping the Shinobi world has always been our ultimate goal," the elder said with a weary shake of his head. "The current issue is Hyuga Fuji and the Gedo Statue. We all know Shinichi's plan. He needs our cooperation."
"So, do we just let these bugs run rampant in our home?" A middle-aged man in the group frowned.
To him, the teams sent by the Shinobi world were just a bunch of insects he could crush with a flick of his hand. He didn't consider them a threat, but from the elder's tone, it seemed he didn't want to eliminate them outright.
"These people have special monitoring equipment. If we display too much strength, it will alert the Akatsuki, which would be detrimental to our plans. For now, we'll appear weak and let them live a little longer."
The elder's eyes sharpened, and his tone deepened, "I've already informed Shinichi. The passage has been opened. If all goes well, the Akatsuki will handle these nuisances for us."
"Shinichi will return…"
At this, the female Ōtsutsuki's expression softened, and she smiled. "Good. Toneri misses him too."
…
"So the nations' movements were all for the moon. If it weren't for your presence, Shinichi, we would have been kept in the dark."
Amidst the bitter winter, Obito followed Ōtsutsuki Shinichi through the icy wilderness, heading toward the outskirts of Konoha. Along the way, Obito asked with interest, "I wonder what's so special about the moon's scenery to make all the nations go to such lengths?"
"Stop probing me!"
Ōtsutsuki Shinichi showed visible irritation at Obito's inquiry. "If you still want to come to the moon with me, then shut up."
Hearing this, Obito shrugged and fell silent.
He was indeed curious about the Ōtsutsuki clan. As descendants of the Sage of Six Paths' brother, what kind of trump cards did they hold? Obito had yet to find out.
Currently, it appeared that Shinichi was working for the Akatsuki only because they shared a common enemy. Once that enemy was gone, they would become adversaries.
If he could use this opportunity to gauge the strength of the Ōtsutsuki on the moon, it would be a precautionary measure for the future.
The journey continued in silence, with Obito refraining from further questions, and Shinichi showing no intention of speaking.
It wasn't until they reached a particular cave that Shinichi stopped. "We're here."
This place was on the edge of the Land of Fire, near the Konoha Village. The area was surrounded by dense forests, and at the forest's heart, a wide river meandered, accompanied by a magnificent waterfall whose waters cascaded down with a deafening roar.
"This is the passage to the moon?"
Obito squinted slightly, mentally noting the surroundings.
Ōtsutsuki Shinichi didn't linger for long and leaped into the cave without hesitation.
Obito didn't hesitate either, following right after him.
After falling for several hundred meters, they finally reached the bottom, where a lake glowing with a soft green light appeared before them.
'A green lake? It seems to have traces of chakra. Yunu would be interested in this, wouldn't she?'
Obito's eyes narrowed as he discreetly took out a scroll and filled a large barrel with the lake water.
He was still aiming to gain higher privileges in the Tsukuyomi world, so building good relations with Yunu was necessary.
Seeing his actions, Shinichi didn't stop him but merely reminded:
"Once inside, don't touch the green bubbles, or you'll be pulled into a genjutsu. At the lowest level, there's also a crab summoning beast that guards the cave."
He didn't hide any information about this place, as these were trivial obstacles. If Obito misjudged the moon's Ōtsutsuki based on this, it would only benefit their future plans to destroy the Shinobi world.
(End of chapter)
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