Chapter 182: The Ultimate Troublemaker
Shikai's body was tense, his muscles marked by the stigmata that pulsated weakly, releasing an unstable energy. He stood upright, his gaze fixed on the deep black sky, punctuated by pale lights emanating from distant stars. It was already night, and he had no idea how long the battle had lasted.
"It's still as exhausting to use the stigmata simultaneously," he murmured, more to himself than to Kaguya, who was still unconscious on the ground. "Even with this body, the aftereffects are violent."
He ran a hand over his cracked chest, feeling the dull pain of each active stigma. If he wanted to fight Shibai, he knew he would have to activate all five at once. But the last stigma, the one he had never fully utilized, was far more powerful and draining than the other four combined.
A sigh escaped his lips.
"Will I even survive such an encounter? It doesn't matter. I'll try to use only the four for now. That should be enough..."
Breathing deeply, Shikai concentrated his mind. He slowly activated the Yang chakra, combining it with the Bijū chakra and the surrounding natural energy. His regeneration kicked in, repairing superficial damage, but fatigue still weighed on him.
Several hours passed in heavy silence. Shikai remained standing, immobile, like a statue guarding the horizon. When Kaguya finally opened her eyes, her gaze fell upon him. She observed him, intrigued by his calm yet burdened posture, exuding an intense aura.
Shikai did not move. He continued to stare at the sky, his eyebrows furrowed, as if challenging something invisible.
"Why are you being a coward?" he suddenly exclaimed, breaking the silence. His voice resonated across the ruins of the battlefield. "Come on! It looks like you're scared!"
Kaguya furrowed her eyebrows, perplexed. It seemed he was talking to someone, but there was no one there.
"Who are you talking to?" she asked, her voice hoarse after her long slumber.
Shikai did not respond immediately. He knew exactly who he was addressing. Shibai. Their absence, the Otsutsuki, was strange. Mikoto, Neji, and the others had searched for any trace of their presence, but they had found nothing. This could only mean one thing: Shibai's consciousness had already found a host and, worse still, had awakened the Senrigan.
"The last fragment is with me," Shikai murmured to himself. "If Shibai doesn't attack now, it means he's gathering other fragments or waiting for a massive power boost. Probably... the chakra fruit of the Ōtsutsuki dimension."
He sighed heavily, his shoulders relaxing slightly.
"We must advance our plans," he stated as he walked slowly, as if thinking aloud. "But the shinobi world is not ready. They still need experience to reach their full potential. And I will have to take care of that."
Kaguya, still lying down, watched him closely. This man was not just any Ōtsutsuki. His power was unparalleled, and the jutsu he had used against her... A dark chakra she had never seen before.
It reminded her of an old legend she had heard when she was a slave. A rival clan of the Ōtsutsuki, known as KuraYami, and Dekamoshi, a powerful member of the clan once capable of rivaling the god Shibai himself. Their power, it was said, came from the darkness.
Kaguya narrowed her eyes. This man might have a connection to them, as his physical appearance was quite different from that of an Otsutsuki. And then, he didn't seem to want to enslave her, or else she would already be imprisoned in another dimension.
Shikai finally turned his gaze towards her, a light and almost mocking smile on his lips.
"Oh, you're awake?"
"What do you want from me?" Kaguya asked, wary.
Shikai remained silent for a moment before making a simple gesture with his hand. A garment appeared on Kaguya's naked body, covering her skin elegantly.
"That's better."
He fixed his gaze on her for a few minutes, his piercing eyes seeming to probe her soul. Then, in a calm but unwaveringly intense voice, he declared:
"I've spent thousands of years preparing..."
Kaguya blinked, surprised and confused.
"Users of the perfect sage mode, perfect Jinchūriki. Users of space-time techniques, holders of the best Kekkei Genkai combinations, with the best weapons. I've created the most powerful genjutsu user, the fastest shinobi, the most powerful in this world. I've created the ultimate Senju. The ultimate Uchiha. The ultimate Uzumaki."
He paused for a moment, his gaze becoming darker.
"All this for one purpose: to take my revenge."
"Take revenge?"
"I only need one piece in my puzzle to destroy the Ōtsutsuki clan. To rip out Shibai Otsutsuki's heart."
Silence fell.
"Me?"
Kaguya stared at him, disbelieving. The man in front of her wanted to kill the most powerful being that existed. And it seemed he wanted her to be his ally.
"Exactly. The ultimate Ōtsutsuki. We share a common hatred. Don't we?"
Hatred of the Otsutsuki clan.
Kaguya slowly sat up, her gaze now filled with interest.
"Who are you?" she asked finally.
Shikai smiled at her, raising both hands.
"Me?" he said with a mischievous glint. "You can call me... *The Ultimate Troublemaker*."
[Name: Shikai Nara-Senju / Dekamoshi Otsutsuki.
Code Name: DarkRai, KageYami, The Ultimate Troublemaker.
Release: Suiton, Raiton, Katon, Doton, Fūton, Yin, Yang, Inyōton.
Jutsu: Hiraishin, Rinha, Rasengan, Soul Chains, RaiKnife, Creation and Renewal Seal, DarkRay, Kage no Sasaki, Suiton: Rank S, Raiton: Rank S, Katon: S, Doton: S, Fūton: S, Yin: Shinjutsu Rank, Yang: Shinjutsu Rank, Medical Jutsu: Rank S, Fuinjutsu: Rank S, Kenjutsu: Rank S, Taijutsu: Rank S, Inyoton: Shinjutsu Rank.
Yang Stigma: Senju: 100% / Uzumaki: 100%.
Yin Stigma: Uchiha: 100% / Yamanaka: 100%.
Moon Stigma: Hyūga: 100%.
Jūbi Stigma: Shukaku: 100% / Matatabi: 100% / Isobu: 100% / Son Gokū: 100% / Kokuō: 100% / Saiken: 100% / Chōmei: 100% / Hachibi: 100% / Kurama: 100%.
Sage Stigma: Toad: 100% / Snake: 100% / Slug: 100%.
Kekkei Genkai: Meiton, Yoton, Mokuton...]