After crossing the shimmering "mirror" at the bottom of the freezing pool, the surroundings shifted violently for Shinichi's shadow clone. Unlike the previous liminal space where the water didn't wet the skin, he now found himself submerged in actual, heavy water.
Pressure change?
Sensing the shift, Shinichi looked toward the light filtering through the surface and swam upward with powerful strokes.
Splash!
A column of water erupted in the center of a lake as Shinichi leaped onto the shore, landing steadily. Activating his Byakugan, he looked up. His vision pierced through layers of thick earth to see the crater-scarred, desolate plains of the lunar surface.
The shadow clone had successfully navigated the passage. He was now beneath the crust of the Moon.
The air was fresh, albeit tinged with the heavy scent of damp soil. This was no vacuum; the natural environment here had been terraformed into a habitable zone for humans. But before he could investigate further, a sudden, foul wind whipped through the cavern. A thunderous scuttling echoed from a dark tunnel nearby.
Shinichi turned to see a nightmare: a giant crab, nearly five meters tall, charging toward him.
Only then did he realize that the cavern walls weren't hard rock, but soft, moist mud. This wasn't just a cave; it was a nest. His presence had clearly agitated the master of this domain.
The giant crab swung its massive pincer, aiming to crush the intruder. Though only a clone, Shinichi's form carried a significant portion of his chakra. He wasn't about to be taken down by a mere crustacean.
"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"
With a casual thrust of his palm, a concentrated burst of air pressure tore through the space. It struck the crab squarely in the chest, punching a hole clean through its shell. Yellowish fluid sprayed from the wound as the behemoth collapsed with a dull thud. It twitched once and was still.
Silence returned to the cavern, save for the stench of its remains. Shinichi's clone didn't leave immediately. He waited, testing the atmosphere to ensure there were no hidden toxins or environmental hazards that might harm his main body. Life was finite, and he hadn't met the "Child of Prophecy" yet; he wasn't about to gamble his soul on an unknown atmosphere.
After ten minutes of total stillness, the clone dissolved into a cloud of white smoke.
The memories surged into the real Shinichi's mind. Without further delay, he dove into the freezing pool himself.
He ignored the illusory memories of his childhood that tried to ensnare him within the passage, shattering the Genjutsu instantly with a flare of chakra. Emerging from the water on the other side, he stood in the subterranean grotto.
"I'm actually here... the Moon."
Shinichi looked up. His Byakugan pierced the ceiling, gazing past the soil and into the vast, dark tapestry of space. In the distance hung a brilliant, sapphire sphere—Earth.
A profound sense of unreality washed over him. Even in his previous life, he had only seen this view through digital screens and satellite photos. To see the "Blue Planet" with his own eyes from across the void was an experience that left him breathless.
Is this the perspective of the Otsutsuki? Did the clan of "Interstellar Colonists" become immune to such beauty? Or was a planet this vibrant simply seen as more "succulent food" for their trees?
He shook off the cosmic awe and followed the path the giant crab had taken. Within fifteen minutes, he reached the "exit."
As he stepped out, the world opened up. He stood on a high cliff overlooking a vast, cerulean sea. A brilliant sun hung in the sky, and behind him lay the silent ruins of an ancient city.
The city was built into the mountainside, its weathered stone covered in thick moss. It was a ghost town, devoid of the slightest sound of life. Shinichi leaped down into a courtyard, noting the erosion. These structures were at least a century old. It was a massive metropolis, yet his Byakugan found not a single living soul.
A lost civilization... did I come to the wrong place?
As he explored, he felt a nagging discordance. Wait, the moon has no atmosphere. This sky... that sun...
He focused his vision. The truth revealed itself: this entire region was a massive geode—a city built inside the Moon's hollow interior.
The sun, the clouds, the ocean—all were artificial. They were constructs of immense chakra maintained to simulate Earth's environment.
"What a staggering undertaking..."
Only two figures in legend were capable of such a feat: the Sage of the Six Paths and his brother, Hamura Otsutsuki.
Shinichi looked up at the artificial sun. To his surprise, its surface was shielded by a barrier specifically designed to block the Byakugan. He couldn't see what was inside. But based on the history he knew, he had a strong suspicion: what he was looking for was housed within that "sun."
The Moon's Otsutsuki branch had likely wiped itself out in a civil war between the Main and Branch houses. Unlike the Hyuga on Earth, the Moon's Main House had no "Caged Bird" to control the Branch. When ideologies clashed, a revolution erupted.
The Branch House had sacrificed its own eyes to create the Giant Tenseigan. With its god-like power, they had erased the Main House from existence. But the cost was too high; their population dwindled, and their civilization fell into a terminal decline.
That Tenseigan was likely the "engine" powering this entire artificial world.
Just as Shinichi prepared to move toward the sun, a sphere of light drifted out from the ruins of a dilapidated palace and landed gently in his hand.
A voice, ancient and resonant, echoed directly in his mind.
"Byakugan...""The King—"
The voice was ethereal. Shinichi scanned the area but saw no one. The orb in his hand felt warm, confirming this wasn't an illusion.
"King?" Shinichi muttered.
The light orb floated up, circling him once before flying down a stone path as if leading the way. Shinichi felt a strange, instinctive kinship with the energy radiating from the orb. Without thinking, he followed it.
The orb led him through winding alleys to a crumbling temple. Inside was a staircase leading deep underground. The orb dove into the darkness and vanished.
Shinichi followed. At the bottom, he found himself in a vast, subterranean cemetery. Thousands of small mounds were marked with simple crosses. It was a mass grave.
Suddenly, hundreds of light orbs drifted up from the graves. The world around him dissolved into a grey haze. In place of the cemetery, he saw a sea of blurred figures. He was surrounded by an army of souls, their faces indistinct but their eyes unmistakable—every single one of them possessed the Byakugan.
As Shinichi stood frozen, an old man with small horns protruding from his forehead stepped forward from the crowd. He wore loose robes and was surrounded by floating Truth-Seeking Orbs. His Byakugan stared into Shinichi, as if reading his very soul.
"My name is Otsutsuki Hagoromo," the old man said.
(Note: The entity introduces himself as Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths, though he is traditionally associated with Earth while his brother Hamura went to the Moon. In this context, his presence here is a mystery.)
"Welcome... the King of the Byakugan who carries my bloodline."
Shinichi's pupils contracted. He recognized the figure from legends. "Hagoromo? Forgive me, but I've never heard of you," Shinichi lied smoothly, testing the waters.
The old man didn't seem offended. He chuckled warmly. "If you didn't know my name... how could you have found this place alone?"
"Hyuga Shinichi... I have been watching your actions for a long time."
"You are the one who can truly change this world. You are my most favored successor."
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 60 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.