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Listening to the teasing words of his elders, Sasuke's forehead kept twitching with irritation. He was both embarrassed and furious, desperately wanting to turn around and roar at them.
But to maintain his composed image in front of his teammates, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and pretend he hadn't heard anything.
Meanwhile, Karin's heart was a mix of sweetness and fury.
What made her happy was that Sasuke's elders seemed to regard her as a potential future wife for him.
Just thinking about it made her blush, pink bubbles practically floating around her.
However…
The moment she recalled those same elders joking about Sasuke marrying multiple wives, her temper flared. She barely restrained herself from lashing out.
Hmph! If it weren't for the fact that you're Sasuke's elders… I'd beat you all up!!
Karin adjusted her glasses in a self-deceiving manner, then couldn't help but sneak a glance at Sasuke's reaction.
"We're here!!"
The unbearably tense Sasuke spotted the faint light streaming down from the cave's exit not far ahead and suddenly felt relieved.
"I'll check it out!"
He dashed forward like a gust of wind, leaping out of the cave's exit without hesitation.
Emerging from the cave, Sasuke found himself in a dense, shadowy forest. The sound of waves echoed in the distance, and a soft, artificial "sun" hung in the blue sky.
Soon, the others followed, jumping out of the cave one after another, surveying their surroundings.
"This… is the moon?" Suigetsu muttered in disbelief. "It looks no different from the shinobi world… And that thing up there—a sun?"
"No, that's not a sun," Neji said, activating his Byakugan. "It's a large, artificially constructed device."
"There's even a castle inside it!!" Ruka also activated his Byakugan.
"Good." Madara smirked. "Seems our target is right there."
"There's also an abandoned village over there." Neji shifted his gaze downward, spotting the ruins by the seaside.
"Let's check that out first." Kaito gestured for Neji to lead the way, then glanced up at the sky. "As for the castle above, we'll deal with it later."
"Understood."
Neji took the lead, guiding everyone toward the abandoned village by the shore.
They soon arrived, weaving through the broken walls and collapsed structures.
"It seems this was once inhabited by the descendants of Hagoromo's brother," Kaito observed, studying the ruins around them.
"There!"
Neji suddenly froze, his Byakugan locking onto something.
"What is it?" Kaito turned to him.
"It's… an underground cemetery." Neji's expression grew distant as he unconsciously stepped onto a narrow path.
"Follow him."
Noticing Neji's strange demeanor, Sasuke immediately went after him, the others close behind.
Neji swiftly navigated the desolate path, stopping before a stone door embedded in a rocky cliff.
With a heavy groan, the sealed door slowly opened before him.
"Neji!!"
Sasuke called out, but Neji didn't react, stepping into the darkness beyond the door.
"Tch!"
Electricity crackled around Sasuke as he accelerated, rushing in after him.
"Hey! Neji! Sasuke!"
The impatient Suigetsu and Karin also sprinted through the stone door.
"Ah, that kid Sasuke, really…" Kaito sighed, continuing at his leisurely pace. "Completely ignoring the plan we discussed earlier."
"It's fine." Hikaku shrugged. "Young people are bound to be impulsive."
"Let them suffer a little. It'll do them good." Izuna smirked coldly.
Only Madara remained silent, his sharp eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the door.
"K-Kaito-sama…" Hinata spoke up hesitantly.
Kaito turned to her. "What is it?"
"Will… will they be okay?" Hinata frowned worriedly. "Neji-nii-san seemed… off just now…"
"They'll be fine."
Kaito gave her a reassuring smile before walking toward the stone door.
"If you're worried, let's go down and take a look."
"Yes."
As they stepped inside, Kaito ignited a blue spiritual flame in his palm, illuminating the surroundings.
Descending the stone steps, the space gradually expanded.
Kaito flicked his wrist, sending the flame into the air, where it split into multiple glowing orbs, casting dim light across the vast underground cemetery.
Countless tombstones stood in dense rows, stretching endlessly.
The sound of fighting echoed from ahead. Following the noise, they saw Neji aggressively attacking Sasuke and Suigetsu, who were struggling to defend themselves without hurting him.
As the group approached, Neji forcefully pushed Sasuke and Suigetsu back, his gaze sweeping over them.
"Shinobi of the earth…" A hoarse, ancient voice emerged from Neji's mouth. "This is no place for you."
"Hagoromo?"
Recognizing the voice, Kaito stepped forward, studying Neji closely.
"You know my name?" Neji—or rather, the presence controlling him—scrutinized Kaito in return. "How? Did the summoning beasts tell you?"
"No. You're not Hagoromo."
In a flash, Kaito appeared before Neji and lightly tapped his palm against his chest.
"Exorcism!"
A burst of spiritual light erupted as a translucent figure was forcibly ejected from Neji's body.
Kaito caught the collapsing Neji, then looked up at the floating specter of "Hagoromo."
"Or rather, you're not the complete Hagoromo," Kaito said, smirking. "You're merely a fragment of chakra he left behind."
"You seem to know much."
"Hagoromo" stared down at him imperiously.
"Indeed." Kaito tossed Neji toward Sasuke. "It seems the real Hagoromo hasn't returned here in a long time?"
"Hagoromo" remained silent.
"Then… can you tell me what happened on the moon?" Kaito pressed. "This place is in ruins, and I doubt many remain in that artificial sun's castle."
"I have nothing to say to you."
"Hagoromo" refused to divulge anything, but his gaze suddenly shifted to Hinata in the distance.
"Princess of the Byakugan." He drifted toward her, slowly extending a hand. "Such pure eyes… truly rare."
"P-Princess?" Hinata instinctively stepped back.
"A pity…"
Just as his hand was about to reach her, glowing blue seals suddenly lit up across his translucent form, freezing his movements.
"Yes, a pity."
Kaito flicked out a talisman, which stuck to "Hagoromo's" back. His figure grew fainter and fainter until he vanished entirely.
Kaito caught the returning talisman between two fingers.
"A pity the real Hagoromo isn't here."