Chapter 252

High above this planet, a vast valley stretched out across the sky. Numerous ancient buildings stood tall and silent, resembling primitive fortresses from an ancient age.

Inside one of these castles, a man who had been sitting still for a long time slowly opened his eyes and looked toward the distant sky. At that moment, the stillness of the ancient well was disturbed, stirring a ripple in his heart.

At the same time, his eyes turned completely white, and a soft halo began to spread outward. The phenomenon was so striking that those in the other castles immediately sensed something unusual.

"What? The Ancestor has awakened!"

"Heavens! What could have happened that caused the Ancestor to come out of seclusion on his own?!"

"Now that the Ancestor has recovered, this matter must be addressed quickly. If his father is angered, things could spiral out of control!"

Whispers filled the air in every castle. Various discussions erupted quietly as the news spread.

The old man who had been sitting cross-legged slowly stood up. A vast, ancient aura began to emanate from his body—an aura that had remained dormant for an eternity.

He immediately rose from the castle and soared into the sky, without any delay or hindrance, piercing through the atmosphere.

At this moment, outside the planet's atmosphere, Senju Yukika also sensed this powerful aura for the first time. It felt exactly the same as the energy he had encountered in Ōtsutsuki Iron Fortress—it shared the same origin.

For the first time, Senju Yukika understood: this power belonged to one of the three ancestors of the Ōtsutsuki clan. Who else but such a being could detect his presence from beyond the atmosphere?

"A true god-level being… How incredible," Yukika thought to himself.

Although he too had reached this realm, he realized there was still a gap between himself and this elder true god. After all, the three gods of this planet had achieved this level long ago. Over such a vast span of time, they must have gained even more insights and perhaps evolved even more powerful abilities—unknown to him.

Realizing this, Senju Yukika decided to alter his original plan. He instantly retracted his spiritual pressure from blanketing the planet.

The wings on his back folded inward, and the radiance around him dimmed, making him appear no different from an ordinary human being.

Just as this change took place, the ancient true god in the valley was visibly shocked.

By the time he reacted, the mysterious powerful figure outside the atmosphere had already vanished!

The voice of this god echoed throughout the valley:

"In the vast cosmos, god-level beings from various races gather. All clansmen—immediately enter high alert!"

The moment his voice fell, everyone within the valley was stunned.

"A divine being from another world has arrived? My god, is this going to spark an inter-clan war?"

"We don't even know what race or planet this god came from, and even the prime ancestor is treating it seriously?"

"Everyone—prepare yourselves! Activate the Celestial Guardian Array!"

A formation quietly activated—a massive defensive array designed to protect the entire planet.

As it unfolded, a faint cyan membrane began to spread across the surface of the planet. Any external force attempting to breach this barrier would be immediately resisted. Moreover, any intruder would be forcefully marked and tracked—no matter where they were on the planet, the Ōtsutsuki could find them.

It had been countless years since such a defense had been activated. Its reactivation filled every member of the Ōtsutsuki clan with deep unease.

The unknown always stirs fear. What would the arrival of an unknown god-level being from the cosmos bring?

No one had the answer, but the news spread rapidly across the globe. Every Ōtsutsuki settlement knew their tribe faced an unprecedented challenge.

Yet deep within, they remained confident that no god—even from the stars—could easily shake their dominance. After all, their clan boasted three ancestral gods, all of whom had long reached the divine realm. They were not beings the younger generation could hope to match.

Meanwhile, Senju Yukika effortlessly pierced the planet's blue membrane and finally set foot on its surface.

As he landed, he noticed something unusual. A brief flicker of blue light flashed on his palm, then disappeared into his skin.

Yukika immediately realized: he had been marked with some kind of ancient sigil.

·············· Seeking the Truth ···············

It wasn't hard to guess that this mark was meant to expose his location and make any actions he took on this planet more difficult.

But Yukika had just arrived and still didn't know where the three ancestral gods were located—or where their base actually was.

Everything felt uncertain and passive, and Yukika didn't want to be discovered prematurely.

A faint seal appeared above his head, and a golden staff materialized in his palm.

With the immense power of his Buddhist mark, the blue light embedded in his body was forced into hiding. Then, without a sound, it shattered into wisps of smoke and disappeared.

Yukika smirked coldly. "This kind of trickery is clever, but it's nothing before true enlightenment."

......

At the very moment he dissolved the mark, the Ōtsutsuki clan in the valley was stunned again.

"What?! He reversed the defensive mechanism? How is that possible?!"

"Heaven help us, this god must be incredibly powerful—he's even dispelled our ancestral mark!"

"No doubt about it—he's already infiltrated our planet! Spread the word—every region must remain vigilant!"

Inside the clan's central base, orders flew rapidly. The entire planet now seemed like a storm was about to erupt.

At that moment, every tribe member's heart trembled with fear. A divine being had broken through their defense barrier, erased their mark, and could now appear anywhere without warning.

How could they feel at ease?

Meanwhile, Senju Yukika walked across the planet's surface, heading toward an ancient kingdom ahead.

As he entered the territory, he saw a large stone stele that read:

"Kingdom of Lora."

The name reminded him of an ancient civilization on Earth. Yukika glanced at it briefly, then drew his spiritual aura back into his body and continued toward the city.

But just as he was about to approach the city gates, something else caught his attention.

On a nearby hill, a young boy with short red hair lay sprawled in the dirt. His face was covered in ashes, yet he was fiercely engaged in battle against two figures, showing no sign of giving up.