Chapter 179: Preparing To Bully The Lonely Old Man On The Moon
Late at night, serene and profound.
A crescent moon hung high, its cold silver glow sprinkling over the ancient and solemn clan territory of the Hyuga Clan, plating the layered eaves and solemn courtyard with a layer of hazy frost.
Most people in the village had long sunk into sleep, and even the chakra fluctuations of the Anbu Ninja responsible for nighttime alert appeared regular and subdued under the perception of Kagura Shingan.
However, at the edge of the barrier outside the village, in the shadows of a dense forest far from the clamor, two auras utterly out of place with the entire Konoha, even the entire earth, descended silently like stones dropped into a lake.
No spatial fluctuations, no chakra explosions—they simply appeared there abruptly, as if they had always belonged to that void.
Otsutsuki Toneri and his father, Otsutsuki Sakuya.
Both wore moon-white, archaic wide-sleeved kimonos, the fabric flowing with a strange luster neither silk nor hemp under the moonlight.
Sakuya’s tall frame carried a nearly withered and silent aura, his face covered by half a bizarre mask made of pale white bone, revealing only his tightly closed eyes and the cold, hard line of his jaw.
The young Toneri also had his eyes closed, his white hair like snow, his features exquisitely like a lifeless porcelain doll, his skin presenting an unnatural pallor under the dim moonlight.
Their “sight” did not rely on physical eyes, but on a mental perception originating from their bloodline, transcending common sense—the mind’s eye.
“Father, is this the place?” Toneri’s voice was ethereal, carrying a child’s tenderness yet a calmness beyond his years.
“Mm.” Sakuya’s voice was hoarse and aged, like dry leaves rubbing: “A thousand years of exile, a thousand years of vigilance… finally stepping foot again on this land once guarded by our ancestors. Unfortunately, our eyes have returned to the stars.”
He slightly tilted his head back, as if “looking” at the bright moon hanging in the sky, his tone carrying indescribable complex emotions—reminiscence, responsibility, and a trace of barely perceptible greed.
Invisible mental perception spread like mercury spilling to the ground, silently washing over Konoha, precisely covering the domain belonging to the Hyuga.
In the world of the mind’s eye, colors faded, leaving only countless chakra light points flickering and flowing like stars.
The Hyuga Ninja guarding the clan territory, the sleeping clan members, even the unique chakra patterns of the Caged Bird curse mark carrying restraint and pain.
All were crystal clear in their perception.
Sakuya’s “gaze” lingered for a long time on two exceptionally bright and pure chakra sources deep in the clan territory.
One slightly larger, warm and gentle like warm jade in early spring; one smaller, yet even more pure and flawless, like a newborn star.
“Hyuga… heh, that is the bloodline branch our ancestors left in the human world.” Sakuya’s tone carried a condescending coldness and a barely perceptible disdain.
“Guarding a pair of degraded eyes, similarly trapped in the laughable shackles of main family and branch family, crowing proudly in a birdcage named ‘protection.'” The contempt in his words was like a cold blade edge.
“Their bloodline has long been impure and corrupted, bound by worldly rules and laughable curse marks. However…” His voice paused, carrying a trace of surprise and delight.
“This generation has actually produced two hidden gems. That girl named Hinata Hyuga, her bloodline purity far surpasses the current main family. Even more rare is that infant girl still in swaddling clothes, Hanabi Hyuga—her eyes are so pure as to be nearly perfect, like uncarved raw jade.”
Toneri’s mind stirred slightly.
His “mind’s eye” involuntarily focused on that warm and gentle chakra source.
Mental perception outlined a blurry yet clear silhouette: a girl with short deep blue hair, sleeping quietly in her room, her breathing even and long.
Her sleeping face was serene, her brows and eyes carrying a natural gentleness and kindness, as if able to soothe all the malice in the world.
A strange feeling never before experienced quietly took root in Toneri’s young heart, like a small flower blooming in cold lunar soil.
He subconsciously memorized that name, Hinata Hyuga.
“Toneri.” Sakuya’s low voice interrupted Toneri’s thoughts, carrying an unquestionable majesty and a heaviness like a dying entrustment.
“My time… is not much left. When you come of age and your power is sufficient to wield the Giant Tenseigan, you must descend here and marry Hinata Hyuga. Her bloodline will help you produce stronger offspring, continuing the glory of our Otsutsuki Hamura lineage. As for that pure infant girl Hanabi…” Sakuya’s voice suddenly turned ice-cold and cruel.
“Her eyes will be the key, the final piece to truly awaken your Tenseigan, control the power of the stars, and fulfill our ancestor’s long-cherished wish to purify the earth! At that time, take her eyes and transplant them into yourself!”
Sakuya’s tone revealed a morbid fanaticism; for that legendary dojutsu, familial bonds and morality could all be sacrificed.
“Yes, Father.” Toneri’s face showed no change in expression, merely nodding slightly.
That budding fondness seemed so insignificant before the cold mission and his father’s powerful will, easily suppressed deep into the bottom of his heart.
The father and son, like ghosts under the moon, conversed in low voices in the dense forest, planning a cold and cruel future for the Hyuga sisters.
They prided themselves as higher beings, overlooking the “filth” on the earth, yet utterly unaware that beneath the vast starry sky above their heads, atop an unnamed mountain peak dozens of kilometers away, another pair of invisible “eyes” was locking onto them like the most precise radar!
Menma’s shadow clone sat cross-legged on the cold mountain rock, eyes tightly closed, like a sculpture merged into the night.
The perception of Kagura Shingan, vast enough to cover the entire Konoha and its surrounding broad area, like radar, clearly fed back every move of the Otsutsuki father and son, every subtle change in their chakra.
Their position, their conversation, even Sakuya’s decaying and withered vitality, were precisely captured, analyzed, and recorded by the shadow clone.
When Sakuya and Toneri’s figures silently merged into the night, not through high-speed movement but with their chakra reactions instantly becoming extremely faint and rapidly receding, the shadow clone immediately opened his eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation, he shot forth like an arrow off the string, following the faint chakra trajectory locked by Kagura Shingan—nearly dissipated—maintaining a safe distance of about fifty kilometers, silently speeding over the continuous mountains and forests.
The tracking lasted several hours, crossing vast forests and rugged peaks.
Finally, that faint chakra signal completely vanished deep in a pristine forest rarely visited by humans near the border of the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass.
The disappearance point pointed to a massive waterfall thundering into a deep pool.
The shadow clone hovered above the waterfall, Kagura Shingan like invisible tendrils meticulously scanning the moist rock wall behind the waterfall, the turbulent water flow, the bottomless pool water, and every inch of the surrounding land.
Finally, deep in a rock crevice behind the waterfall curtain, cleverly concealed by vines and moss, he captured a trace of extremely subtle spatial fluctuation residue, and an aura distinct from nature energy—cold and ancient.
The shadow clone pierced the water curtain, silently landing on the slippery platform behind the crevice.
Ahead was a natural cave entrance eroded by water flow.
Inside the cave was pitch black, with only a faint, eerie green glow emanating from the depths, as if from the earth’s core.
He alertly entered the cave.
The cave walls were slippery, the dripping water sounds especially clear in the silence.
After advancing dozens of meters, the space suddenly opened up.
A massive underground cavern appeared before his eyes.
In the center of the cavern was a pool of spring water emitting a soft eerie green glow.
The spring water was not ordinary groundwater; the glow came from deep at the bottom, as if connected to a light source from another world.
Even more striking, at the exact center of the cavern’s arched dome, on naturally formed rock, was conspicuously engraved a massive “A” character emitting faint white light.
“As expected, here, just as described in the movie.” The shadow clone recalled the fragmented information about the movie in his memory.
This was the passage entrance to the Moon!
The shadow clone’s gaze was grave.
He did not rashly approach that eerie spring water and rune, but quickly retreated to the cave entrance.
He took a specially made kunai from his ninja tool pouch, its blade engraved with extremely complex Flying Thunder God Technique jutsu formula, then deeply thrust the kunai into a crevice of solid rock at the cave mouth, ensuring it was secure and concealed.
After doing all this, the shadow clone took one last look at the glowing depths of the cave, confirming the coordinate mark was accurate.
Then, he decisively dispelled his own existence.
At the same moment, in Konohagakure, inside Menma’s training room.
The cross-legged main body Menma suddenly opened his eyes.
The massive information brought back by the shadow clone—the Otsutsuki father and son’s cold conversation, Toneri’s subtle fondness for Hinata, Sakuya’s cruel plan, the cave’s location, that spring water emitting eerie blue glow, and the heart-chilling “A” rune on the dome.
Surged into his mind like a tidal wave.
In Menma’s eyes, icy killing intent flashed and vanished, replaced by deep scheming.
Kid, you have a death wish!
“Otsutsuki Toneri’s father should only be elite jonin strength; after all, a dying man, and Toneri is just a seven- or eight-year-old child; but that Giant Tenseigan must be guarded against.” Menma pondered.
This trip to the Moon was also a chance to gain experience; Hizashi Hyuga definitely had to be brought to see the world, after all, they were all Hamura’s descendants.
Then he might even encounter Hamura’s soul; that old guy didn’t interfere in the living world, not even when the Moon’s Otsutsuki Main Family was wiped out.
But if he could talk with Hamura, get him and the old Six Paths guy not to mess with him, that would do.
“Bring Uchiha Hikari too; she’s the strongest, if Hamura pulls me aside to chat, she alone can suppress Toneri and his father.”
“Uzumaki Kushina… mm, bring her too; the Giant Tenseigan has many sealing jutsu, and those numerous puppets—sealing jutsu might come in handy.”
“With these two gone, Shisui Uchiha definitely can’t be left in the Land of Stars, so bring him; then bring Kimimaro Kaguya too, just right to give Hizashi a little shock.”
White… his strength is still insufficient, so he won’t participate for now.
“Uchiha, Uzumaki, Kaguya, plus Hizashi Hyuga—mm, Konoha’s orthodoxy is with me!”
After confirming the team for this bullying of the Moon’s lonely old man and eight-year-old child, Menma slowly stood up.
The next moment, he vanished from the room.
————————
The same late night.
Deep in the vast mansion complex of the Hyuga Clan, the branch family area shrouded in moonlight was deathly still.
Only the study in branch family head Hizashi Hyuga’s residence still emitted a faint yellow glow.
Hizashi Hyuga sat behind the wide desk, his back habitually straight, yet unable to hide the accumulated heaviness between his brows.
The room was simply furnished, carrying the Hyuga Clan’s characteristic rigor and restraint.
He was pondering over an old clan scroll, the “Caged Bird” curse mark on his forehead glaringly conspicuous in the flickering candlelight, symbolizing enslavement.
The air seemed to condense lightly for an instant.
In the shadowy corner of the study, a person appeared soundlessly.
The signature black robe, cape with the Nine-Face Sūvarṇa pattern flowing with mysterious luster under the lamplight, face covered by that cold, expressionless white three-eyed fox mask.
A restrained yet piercing oppression like a volcano about to erupt instantly filled the entire study, freezing the air.
It also made Hizashi’s heart tighten abruptly, his body instantly tensing, reflexively about to stand.
Ninja World Shura!
The “Shura”‘s coming and going was like a ghost, far beyond Hizashi’s cognitive limits.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the churning shock in his heart, slowly lowering his tense palms.
No unnecessary probing, no useless small talk—Hizashi knew his place.
He lowered his once noble head, kneeling on one knee, his voice carrying a trace of barely perceptible reverence: “Lord Shura, your visit late at night—what are your orders?”
Before absolute power and that faint yet sole hope, he chose the posture of submission.
The figure in the shadows stepped forward, candlelight illuminating the white three-eyed fox mask, outlining the jawline beneath.
Shura’s voice was flat and unwavering, yet clearly piercing the study’s silence: “Tomorrow night at midnight, Valley of the End.”
Hizashi abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with bewilderment.
Menma seemed to see through the doubt in his heart.
He did not immediately explain “where to,” but threw out a thunderbolt-like message: “To meet your Hyuga Clan’s distant relatives.”
“Distant relatives?” Hizashi’s face was filled with shock and confusion.
As a ninja world prestigious clan, the Hyuga Clan naturally had many close ninja clans, like the Kaguya Clan already exterminated in Kirigakure, and the Takarai Clan.
（PS: In this setting, the Takarai Clan is another ninja clan, because a Takarai Clan child appears in Boruto who looks completely different from the exterminated Kaguya Clan, so here the Takarai and Kaguya are set as two different ninja clans.）
But clearly, the Shura referred to was neither the Kaguya Clan nor the Takarai Clan.
After just a moment’s thought, Hizashi recalled the “historical segment” Shura had once shown him.
That ninja clan that once hunted the Hyuga Clan, collecting Hyuga Byakugan!
That mysterious ninja clan he had not found even a trace of in the branch family’s historical records!
This thought exploded in his mind, creating an unprecedented blank and stormy waves!
Shura’s figure still stood in place, the gaze beneath the mask deep as an abyss, quietly watching the incredulous shock on Hizashi’s face.
In the study, only the uneasy flickering of the oil lamp flame remained, along with Hizashi’s suddenly heavy breathing.
“Yes, Lord!” Hizashi Hyuga’s heart also stirred.
Not out of curiosity for that history, but because that giant eyeball would be the key to unlocking their “Caged Bird” curse mark!
It’s the end of the month again; if you have monthly votes, feel free to cast them, thanks.
