A Close Call

The ground suddenly began to shake violently, like an earthquake. Rocks shattered, debris flew everywhere, and dust filled the air. The earth transformed into a sea of paper, sinking like a swamp.

The intense shaking made it hard for Kaguya to stand. She quickly leaped into the air. However, Konan had anticipated this, and with her hand seals, countless paper sheets appeared in the sky, descending upon Kaguya like a torrential downpour. The papers swayed in the wind, and in an instant, Kaguya was engulfed in a sea of paper.

These countless paper sheets were all explosive tags, totaling six hundred billion and capable of exploding continuously for ten minutes. This was the same technique Konan used against Obito in the original series.

At that moment, a black portal appeared before Kaguya, seemingly connecting to another space. It was her space-time technique, Yomotsu Hirasaka. She intended to use it to escape.

"Trying to escape?" Madara Uchiha's eyes snapped open, revealing his crimson Sharingan. "Die with me." At some point, Madara had taken Obito Uchiha's Sharingan.

"Kamui!"

The space before Kaguya twisted, and the dark portal trembled and finally shattered into countless fragments.

Kamui disrupted her Yomotsu Hirasaka.

At that moment, the explosive tags ignited, and a series of violent explosions began, blooming like dazzling fireworks.

"Boom, boom, boom!"

Deafening explosions erupted one after another, flames soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed. The shockwaves from the explosions swept out, reducing everything around to dust. The battlefield was shrouded in smoke and flames.

"Hashirama," Madara Uchiha watched the approaching explosion with a slight smile, something he hadn't felt in a long time. Closing his eyes, he murmured softly, "This isn't for you."

With those words, he was consumed by the flames.

When the explosions ceased, the landscape had completely changed, with the ground lowered by over ten meters due to the blast. The land was a desolate, barren wasteland as far as the eye could see. Mountains, forests, and rivers had vanished, leaving only a scorched and pitted earth, still emitting wisps of smoke.

As the smoke cleared, Kaguya's figure was revealed. Due to Madara's interference, she hadn't managed to escape into her space and had endured the relentless explosions.

Her clothes were in tatters, with her shoulders exposed, and her sakura-embroidered short kimono was charred beyond recognition, contrasting starkly with her flawless white skin. Her shoes and socks had been incinerated in the explosions, leaving her bare feet exposed.

However, she didn't seem to be severely injured, not even bearing a single scratch. The cost, though, was immense, as nearly all her chakra had been depleted.

Kaguya's face was flushed, her eyes unfocused. Her lips parted as she panted softly, sweat beading on her forehead and trickling down her cheeks. Even her silver hair was damp, and her hands pressed against her chest rose and fell as her stamina had drastically declined.

"Now!" shouted Black Zetsu from a distance, her eyes bright with determination.

Konan was panting heavily, her stamina nearly exhausted. Dance of the Shikigami: Paper Person of God Technique had consumed more chakra than she had anticipated, nearly depleting her reserves in an instant. If not for sheer willpower, she would have already collapsed.

Hearing Black ZetsuLoli's voice, she hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and grabbing the kunai, rushing toward Kaguya.

Konan reached Kaguya and raised her arm holding the kunai, ready to place it against Kaguya's chest.

At that moment, Kaguya, clutching her chest, suddenly stood up, a flash of cold light flickering in her clear eyes.

Konan felt a tremendous force, and her body was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground. Her stamina was already depleted, and now she was gravely injured, unable to move.

She struggled to push herself up with her arms, watching Kaguya not far away. Biting her lip, she tried to stand but found her body too weak, pushed to its limits. Finally, she collapsed onto the ground, unconscious. Scarlet blood trickled from her lips, forming a dark red stain on the earth.

Meanwhile, Kaguya seemed to be enduring some pain, crouching on the ground with her head in her hands, sweat streaming down her face. However, as time passed, a strange white light began to envelop her. Initially faint, it soon grew denser, swirling around her like mist.

In the white space, Kaguya was at a disadvantage under the silver-haired girl's assault. The white light had already spread across her body, reaching her chest, and the intense pain had numbed her.

This couldn't continue. If the white light spread across her entire body, she would be beyond saving.

As she faced the silver-haired girl, who resembled her so closely, Kaguya felt a surge of anger. She released the girl's arm, causing the white light to spread even faster. As surprise flickered across the girl's cold face, Kaguya reached out and grabbed her chest.

Black Zetsu immediately sensed danger. Although she didn't fully understand the light's significance, she recognized the aura—it was her mother's, the Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's. She remembered it clearly and knew it was unmistakable.

Her heart was filled with anxiety. If this continued, her mother wouldn't hold out much longer, and she couldn't allow that to happen, even if it meant sacrificing her life.

Black Zetsu bit her lip hard and dashed forward. Although she might lose herself due to the God Tree's power...

Suddenly, a figure flashed past her. Black Zetsu didn't see it clearly, but then she noticed that the kunai in her hand was gone. Alarmed, she wanted to give chase, but when she saw the figure clearly, she was stunned.

The figure had a face like white jade and the appearance of a morning flower, with fluffy cat ears. Her hair was smooth and glossy, adorned with a pink bow. She wore a black gothic dress, the delicate pleats fluttering in the wind. Although she looked young, just over ten years old, her figure was surprisingly mature, with a graceful and well-defined curve.

She was a cat-eared loli.