Chapter 295: Isshiki’s Legacy

Chapter 295: Isshiki's Legacy

Seeing Isshiki's form begin to fade, Hyuga Fuji paused for a moment and murmured, "You're just a shadow…"

The Isshiki before him was ultimately not the real body. Limbo shadows, though physical, couldn't generate chakra like a true body—they were akin to shadow clones.

Even though Isshiki had transferred all his chakra and Kāma into this shadow and absorbed the Ten-Tails, the constant combat and passage of time had drastically shortened its lifespan. Now, the shadow couldn't even hold out until the Limbo technique's cooldown ended—it was about to disappear.

The shadow said nothing, silently staring at Hyuga Fuji as it became increasingly transparent before vanishing completely.

The Ten-Tails, which had been absorbed, reappeared, standing motionless and staring blankly at Hyuga Fuji, seemingly confused.

Why was it free again? Where had its master gone?

Before the Ten-Tails could comprehend what had happened, a familiar presence appeared nearby.

Hyuga Fuji sensed it as well and turned to face the newcomer. "I thought you wouldn't appear before me again."

Dragging his heavily injured body, Isshiki's true form approached within ten meters of Hyuga Fuji. His expression was calm, his demeanor once again exuding the composure and dignity of the Otsutsuki Clan. In these final moments of his life, he refused to let his pride as an Otsutsuki be tarnished.

"Your condition is no better than mine…"

Isshiki's gaze fell on Hyuga Fuji's body, which was visibly deteriorating before recovering under the effect of Izanagi. The corner of Isshiki's mouth twitched.

Izanagi paired with the Eight Gates Formation—this combination of forbidden techniques was clearly aimed specifically at him.

Perhaps he should've abandoned his disdain for ninja techniques and studied them more carefully.

But there was no point thinking about that now.

"The Otsutsuki Clan is the strongest race under this starry sky. A thousand years have passed, and soon, the others will arrive. If you struggled so much to defeat me, how will you face what's coming?"

Isshiki looked at Hyuga Fuji steadily. "But with the Kāma I left you, you now have another possibility. The Kāma I implanted in you won't disappear with my death. The information within it has already fused with your chakra. If you choose, you can become a member of the noble Otsutsuki Clan."

The Otsutsuki had both main and branch family members. Many of the branch family members were outsiders converted through Kāma and the Ten-Tails.

Seeing Fuji remain unmoved, his Truth-Seeking Orbs reforming into a golden sword as he stepped closer, Isshiki continued: "With my Kāma, that Ten-Tails now belongs to you. You know its value."

"With the Ten-Tails, you can plant a Divine Tree. After a thousand years, this planet has regained its vitality and can produce another Chakra Fruit. Consuming it would make you the strongest in the ninja world, its ruler."

"Kaguya was a traitor. Delivering her to the main family would be an achievement in itself. Rule the ninja world, become an Otsutsuki, and wait for the arrival of the main family. As my successor, deliver Kaguya to them, and you'll join the Otsutsuki Clan!"

Isshiki's voice took on a seductive tone. "The Otsutsuki elites will come eventually. They're far beyond your ability to resist. If you want to avoid death, your only option is to join us!"

Hyuga Fuji stopped in front of him.

"Tempting a former Hyuga branch family member with this—don't you think it's ridiculous? Why would I break out of one cage just to crawl into another?"

Main family descendants would always be main family, while the offspring of outsiders would forever remain branch family—sacrificial pawns. If Hyuga Fuji became part of the Otsutsuki branch family, his fate would ultimately mirror Kaguya's.

Isshiki understood this, of course. In fact, he hoped Fuji would follow that path. Seeing Fuji see through his intentions, Isshiki chuckled.

"Hahaha, your fate has only two paths. First, use what I've left you to plant the Divine Tree, accumulate power, and walk the path of opposing the Otsutsuki. Second, join us and become a slave serving the main family forever!"

"No matter what, the ants of this ninja world are of no value to you. Plant the Divine Tree, destroy this world with your own hands. Without power, you can protect nothing!"

As he spoke, Isshiki watched Fuji's expression closely. Yet, he found nothing—no despair, no anxiety, no yearning to join the Otsutsuki.

Hyuga Fuji simply raised his sword and swung it down.

The whistle of the blade cutting through the air was accompanied by a single, resolute statement:

"If this world is worthless, then what was it that just defeated you?"

Isshiki's body froze.

Boom!

A torrent of energy surged forth like a tsunami, crashing into Isshiki and swallowing his final, despairing scream.

"You'll regret this, Hyuga Fuji!"

In a golden blaze of energy, Isshiki stared at Fuji as his form crumbled into dust.

With Isshiki's death, the dimensional space tied to his ocular technique began to shake and collapse violently.

Hyuga Fuji turned his attention to the Ten-Tails.

The beast, terrified by Isshiki's demise, looked at Fuji with trepidation. Yet, perhaps due to the Kāma, it neither fled nor attacked.

Just as wielders of the Rinnegan like Hagoromo, Obito, and Madara became Ten-Tails jinchūriki and controlled the beast, Fuji—having inherited Isshiki's Kāma—was now its primary successor.

However, witnessing Fuji kill Isshiki had clearly shaken the creature.

Hyuga Fuji's eyes gleamed as his ocular technique activated, forming a spatial portal beneath the Ten-Tails and sending it away.

At the same time, he created numerous shadow clones to scour the collapsing space for anything of value.

Isshiki had traversed the stars, collecting rare treasures from other planets, many of which he had stored in this dimension. Even the black cubes he'd used as weapons were worth studying.

The earlier conversation with Isshiki had been a deliberate stalling tactic to allow Fuji time to confirm the contents of this space and retrieve as much as possible before it shattered.

Still, the most important item wasn't here.

Recalling Otsutsuki Shibai's corpse, Fuji narrowed his eyes.

Knowing Isshiki's methods, if even the Ten-Tails was here, then Shibai's body must have been moved for experimentation—likely to Iwagakure.

With a final glance at the crumbling dimension, Hyuga Fuji left with his spoils.

…

Bayakushi desperately shook off the powerful enemies pursuing him, diving into the canal in search of Isshiki. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find any trace of either Hyuga Fuji or Isshiki.

He immediately realized they must have gone to another dimension.

Recalling Isshiki's injuries, Bayakushi grew frantic.

At that moment, Isshiki's figure appeared on his left hand, projected by the white Kāma.

"Lord Isshiki, you're safe—"

Bayakushi's relieved words were cut off by Isshiki's somber tone. "I've lost. My soul is about to vanish."

"..."

Bayakushi stared at him in disbelief. "Lord Isshiki, how could an inferior being possibly—"

Isshiki shook his head slightly, his expression grave. "It's the truth. I shouldn't have coveted Hyuga Fuji's body."

Bayakushi's face turned pale, but suppressing his emotions, he asked, "Do you have any final orders, my lord? I will ensure Hyuga Fuji pays for this!"

Isshiki fixed his gaze on Bayakushi and slowly nodded. "The white Kāma cannot become my vessel, but it carries pure power. Combined with the corpse in the lab beneath Iwagakure, it is my legacy. Inherit the will of the Otsutsuki, Bayakushi!"

(End of Chapter)