Bang, bang, bang...
Countless clones appeared around Shishou, densely packed and numbering in the thousands.
In the next second, all the Shishou clones scattered in all directions, a mass of moving figures.
Since the enemy had chosen close combat, Shishou naturally opted for the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, which was highly suitable for close-quarters fighting. Whether to buy time or to attack opportunistically, it was a very advantageous technique.
Moreover, Shishou had just granted his clones access to the insect breeding space. This meant that if any of his clones managed to touch Ōtsutsuki Jinin, they could use the Phosphorescent Parasite Worms to subdue him!
"Damn it, he's trying to stall."
Ōtsutsuki Jinin cursed angrily as he looked at the scene before him.
The countless Shishou clones made it impossible for him to identify the real one.
While the clones occupied Ōtsutsuki Jinin, several of Shishou's other clones hid inside the Great Slug Sage, continuously absorbing the Senjutsu chakra she was providing.
According to Shishou's calculations, to make his Susanoo, infused with Senjutsu energy, completely defend against the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, he needed an enormous amount of Senjutsu chakra—so much that it would consume half of the Great Slug Sage's Senjutsu chakra.
Thus, Shishou needed to spend some time using the Phosphorescent Parasite Worms to absorb and channel the Senjutsu chakra from the Great Slug Sage.
This was his backup plan.
"Father, I'll help you!"
"Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!"
Before long, having cleared all of Shishou's Flying Thunder God marks, Ōtsutsuki Toneri returned and joined the battle to destroy Shishou's clones.
"He's really being a nuisance..."
Seeing Shishou using shadow clones to buy time, the Great Slug Sage shook her head. However, facing someone who had Six Paths power and possessed Truth-Seeking Orbs, she understood why Shishou was doing this.
The Great Slug Sage then began splitting into more clones to help Shishou confuse the enemy.
Soon, the lunar surface was densely populated with blue-and-white slugs and Shishou's clones. Sometimes the clones would turn into slugs, and sometimes the slugs would turn into clones.
Adding to the confusion, these clones could also use the Flying Thunder God technique, putting tremendous pressure on Ōtsutsuki Jinin and Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
"This won't work," Ōtsutsuki Jinin frowned and soared into the sky, reaching an altitude of a thousand meters.
"Is Father planning to use meteors?" Ōtsutsuki Toneri asked, following Jinin.
"Yes, help me."
"I understand."
The father and son duo extended their hands toward a few small asteroids, one to two kilometers in diameter, floating in space.
Planetary Devastation!
In no time, under their control, the asteroids hurtled toward the lunar surface, targeting the area swarming with Shishou's clones.
With all the Flying Thunder God marks cleared from other locations, they aimed to use this large-scale technique to completely wipe out the troublesome clones.
Boom, boom, boom!!!
Seven or eight asteroids, under the control of the Ōtsutsuki duo, crashed within a radius of several dozen kilometers around Shishou and the Great Slug Sage, causing tremendous explosions and shockwaves.
Meanwhile, one of Shishou's clones quietly approached the Hamura Shrine outside the Moon. In the original story, the Hamura Shrine housed a giant Tenseigan, from which Ōtsutsuki Toneri and Jinin likely derived their Tenseigan chakra.
In other words, if Shishou could control this giant Tenseigan, he could cut off the duo's Tenseigan Chakra Mode.
Without the ability to produce Truth-Seeking Orbs, Shishou could easily handle them.
To defeat a Six Paths-level opponent, one must be at the Six Paths level.
Thus, when Shishou saw Ōtsutsuki Jinin activate the Tenseigan Chakra Mode and shatter the lunar surface, he immediately left the Moon's interior for the surface.
Then, in the moment when Ōtsutsuki Jinin couldn't catch up, he quietly sent out several clones to find the Hamura Shrine.
Leaving a Flying Thunder God mark at the shrine's entrance, the clone vanished in a puff of white smoke.
Swish!
In a flash, Shishou's real body appeared at the mark.
Outside the shrine doors, Shishou released Phosphorescent Parasite Worms from his fingertips, sending them through the door cracks to form a worm clone inside.
Using the clone to inspect the shrine's interior and finding nothing unusual, Shishou disappeared from his spot and entered the shrine.
Before long, he saw the giant yellow Tenseigan at the center of the shrine.
"According to the original story, this Tenseigan should be formed from the Byakugan of the Moon's Ōtsutsuki branch family."
"In other words, if I use the Phosphorescent Parasite Worms to consume this giant Tenseigan, I can not only cut off the Ōtsutsuki father and son's Tenseigan Chakra Mode but also feed the energy back to Hyuga Rimei to awaken her special Byakugan into a Tenseigan."
"Alternatively, I could use it to awaken the Ōtsutsuki bloodline in myself, then transplant Hyuga Rimei's Byakugan to awaken my own Tenseigan."
"But wouldn't that be a waste? After all, this is a giant Tenseigan, much stronger than an ordinary one..."
Standing before the giant yellow Tenseigan, Shishou hesitated.
"Alright, let's hide this giant Tenseigan first, cut off the Ōtsutsuki father and son's Tenseigan Chakra Mode, and take them down."
"We can deal with the rest later."
With this thought, Shishou left two clones behind and disappeared again.
If touched by someone without Hamura's bloodline, this giant Tenseigan would drain all their chakra. In the original story, it was Hinata who gave Naruto some chakra, allowing him to destroy it.
Thus, Shishou needed to bring back Hyuga Rimei to help him move the giant Tenseigan using the Flying Thunder God technique.
...
In the ninja world, at the Fire Source City residence.
Uchiha Mikoto, Hyuga Rimei, and others stood in the courtyard, each holding a telescope, observing the shadowy parts of the Moon.
Due to the great distance, they could only see small flickering lights on the Moon's shadowy side, but they were still engrossed.
"If only we could see Shishou's battle with our own eyes."
"The last time Shishou fought the leader of the Akatsuki in the Valley of Death, I still remember it vividly."
Holding her telescope, Pakura looked at the Moon in the night sky with a face full of regret.
Although she had reached Kage-level strength with Shishou's help, having seen broader horizons, she naturally found new goals to strive for.
Super Kage-level strength was the minimum requirement Shishou had for the women around him.
Pakura knew this well, so she had been training diligently to meet that standard...
Shishou appeared beside Mikoto, Pakura, and the others, curious as he saw each of them holding a telescope.
"What are you all looking at?"
**********
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