Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's plan was certainly solid.
However, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had their own agenda. Their top priority was to seal Kaguya.
"We need to bypass Shigen sohow..."
Naruto eyed Shigen standing firmly in their path and whispered tactics to Sasuke.
"I'll use the fight as a distraction to get close to Kaguya. Sasuke, you use your space-ti jutsu to move with —we seal her first."
"Then we'll handle Shigen afterward."
"Got it."
Sasuke nodded slightly, glancing at the crescent moon seal on his palm.
"If we're just comparing threat levels, Shigen is definitely one notch lower..."
After all...
Shigen didn't seem as overwhelmingly powerful as the Sage of Six Paths claid.
He lacked the Rinnegan or other extraordinary powers, and certainly couldn't cast Infinite Tsukuyomi himself. He did appear easier to deal with than Kaguya.
Sasuke had observed Naruto pushing Shigen back earlier in aerial combat—if not for Shigen's expert Earth Release, Naruto might've already won.
But—
When they actually clashed—
Sasuke realized how wrong he was!
On solid ground...
Shigen's swordplay was utterly terrifying.
His jet-black sword slashed like a storm, his technique far exceeding even Madara Uchiha's. He was a dark whirlwind, cutting through the air.
"How did you beat him earlier?!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth, narrowly dodging one savage arc of the blade.
"Shadow Clones."
Naruto quickly ford several clones and sent them charging toward Shigen.
But this ti—
It didn't work.
With blinding speed, Shigen sliced down the clones in a heartbeat—ten gone in a single breath of movent.
Alone...
He completely suppressed both Naruto and Sasuke.
"Wait..."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, realizing sothing.
"In the air, Shigen couldn't dodge well. On the ground, he's way stronger!"
"..."
Sasuke could only sigh.
Well...
That made so sense.
And at least he himself could fight properly on the ground.
In the air, he was practically helpless.
"Look out!"
As Sasuke parried Shigen's attacks, he suddenly saw Kaguya firing a volley of hair needles at them. He swung his sword to intercept—
Crack!
In that instant—
Shigen's black blade sheared through Sasuke's katana!
"Sasuke!"
Naruto called out, alard.
"I'm fine..."
Sasuke flung the broken blade like a kunai at Shigen—but it was knocked aside effortlessly.
"Sealing Release!"
Sasuke quickly accessed a series of kanji-inscribed seals on his gauntlet, unsealing another ninja sword.
But just then—
Shigen's blade pierced Naruto's shoulder!
Blood sprayed into the air.
If not for the Six Paths power, Naruto would've been obliterated by that blow.
"Naruto!"
"Banshō Ten'in!"
Sasuke extended his palm and used gravitational pull to yank Shigen away from Naruto.
"I'm okay!"
Naruto gritted his teeth.
"Just a scratch. I'll heal fast..."
"But will Sasuke?"
Shigen spoke calmly, even as he was dragged toward Sasuke. He raised his sword—
CLANG!
Another sword shattered!
Shigen's counter-slash not only destroyed Sasuke's newly drawn blade, but also cut his shoulder deeply.
"Now!"
Black Zetsu yelled.
Kaguya hurled another barrage of hair needles.
"Anotejikara!"
Sasuke swapped places with a mark—but Shigen hurled his sword mid-air! It transford into a black rod and slamd through Sasuke's stomach!
"!!!"
Naruto's eyes widened. He summoned a giant chakra hand to catch Sasuke.
"Don't co near !"
Sasuke shouted.
"That rod—it's a Truth-Seeking Orb! It could explode any second..."
If it did—
He'd die instantly—and so might Naruto if he got close.
But that hesitation gave Shigen another opening.
A spatial gate opened beside Naruto—and another black rod struck his shoulder!
"It's over."
Shigen ford a tiger seal.
The two rods lted into black liquid and began to envelop Naruto and Sasuke's bodies.
They were trapped—immobilized.
"Impressive as always, Shigen..."
Black Zetsu cackled, then whispered to Kaguya:
"Mother, what should we do with them now?"
"..."
Kaguya narrowed her eyes and silently raised her sleeve. A pale hand extended—and a spatial portal of Yomotsu Hirasaka quietly opened behind Shigen.
"Lady Kaguya..."
"You're going to kill them now?"
Shigen asked neutrally.
But before he could finish—
A barrage of hair needles shot out from behind—
Slamming into his pressure points!
No one could have expected this.
Kaguya—
Had betrayed Shigen.
At the very mont he helped her eliminate their greatest threat, she struck him from behind.
The shock—
Was total.
Naruto and Sasuke, both barely conscious, stared in stunned disbelief.
"What... the hell?!"
This day had already seen Black Zetsu backstab Madara—
Now Kaguya backstabbed Shigen?
Just when Naruto and Sasuke had lost all hope...
The enemies were infighting again.
"What is happening...?"
Shigen couldn't even lower his head. He could feel his chakra frozen, his pressure points sealed. A glimr of shock, rare in his thousand-year stoicism, flickered in his expression.
"Sorry, Shigen..."
Black Zetsu erged from Kaguya's sleeve, snickering.
"Kaguya was never the goddess you imagined..."
Its gooey form coiled beside Shigen, eyes gleaming.
"You've been walking the wrong path... from the very beginning."
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