Chapter 303: Behemoth
In the bounded galaxy,
A star emitting faint white fluorescence halted in Ryosuke's field of vision.
Once grand and immeasurable, now the moon fit entirely within his perception, like a miniature sphere suspended in his mind.
Everything about this planet had already taken shape in Ryosuke's consciousness.
"That's how I grew up."
Growth—visible, tangible.
Ryosuke clenched his fists. His current progress had already surpassed his former self—Boros.
Back then, it had taken him more than a hundred years to gain the power to destroy even a small celestial body.
Now, after only a dozen years of effort, he had achieved the same result.
It was true what they said—those who plant trees, enjoy the shade.
If not for Boros's painstakingly built talent, this rate of growth might've been impossible.
"Then the next step is to surpass Boros… and maybe awaken more of my past-life memories."
Thinking this, Ryosuke's clenched fists tightened further.
A pale white glow of Tenseigan chakra began to envelop him. In an instant, it spread across his entire body.
An endless current of power surged outward—this time completely different from when he previously entered Tenseigan Chakra mode.
Now, his chakra, body, and soul were in perfect sync, exuding a sense of fullness—solid and commanding.
As his vessel grew stronger, the quality of his chakra evolved naturally.
"This is… the first true star-shattering."
He inhaled deeply, though his expression remained far from calm.
Sure, he had simulated this scenario—shattering the moon—at least ten times in the foreseeable future.
And in Boros's memory, there were countless instances of celestial destruction.
But this? This was real.
Taking this step would mean leaving behind the confines of his native planet—crossing the boundary into true universal dominion.
Ryosuke's heart stirred with excitement.
In Boros's world, this was the standard.
Only those capable of destroying stars had the right to be called universal overlords.
And now, he had reached that threshold.
He no longer depended on stars for survival. He recalled movies and shows from his past life—and even further back—and realized how rare such power truly was.
Yet now, he stood among those few.
Heroism swelled in his chest.
In his palm, a light yellow orb the size of a glass bead slowly expanded, transforming into a divine weapon—something akin to a lightsaber—firmly grasped in his hand.
"Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explodes!"
As he swung the blade, it fractured into countless points of rising light, illuminating the sky to the size of the moon itself.
Back when his body was weak, this technique was difficult to wield and control.
But now? It was as effortless as moving his own limbs.
BOOM!
The moment the starlight struck the moon's surface, a thunderous sound echoed through this strange dimension—as if the world itself was reopening.
What followed was chaos: elemental instability, spatial tremors, and fragmentation.
Fragments of the moon turned into radiant streaks, descending toward the small celestial body Ryosuke had created.
As they pierced the atmosphere, gravity accelerated their descent—transforming them into a rain of meteorites.
Black Zetsu, who had been silently observing, suddenly burrowed underground in fear.
Countless meteorites rained down, shattering mountains and rivers, leaving behind massive craters.
Even with his near-immortality granted by Kaguya Otsutsuki, Black Zetsu doubted his survival under such force.
He was torn inside.
On one hand, he wanted to curse Ryosuke for not warning him about the cataclysmic noise.
On the other, he eagerly awaited his mother's resurrection from the moon.
Weighing both feelings, he bitterly concluded—he should have stayed in the Ninja World.
He wasn't cut out for this kind of welcoming ceremony.
Meanwhile, Ryosuke stood before the moon, unmoved by the surrounding chaos.
Massive debris, spatial distortions, roaring energy—all passed him harmlessly.
His divine body was now untouchable.
The entire dimension shook violently, nearing collapse.
But Ryosuke paid it no mind.
He simply watched as the lightsaber's glow penetrated deeper.
The moon's fragile surface disintegrated instantly into dust, revealing pitch-black soil beneath.
But here, the blade paused.
This was the core of the Six Paths-level Chibaku Tensei—the prison sealing Kaguya Otsutsuki's body.
"Ancestor, prepare yourself."
His voice thundered like a divine command.
Ryosuke tightened his grip. Tenseigan chakra flooded into the massive lightsaber, amplifying the Golden Wheel's power again and again.
The upper half of his clothing shredded, revealing a powerful, sculpted physique.
He raised the weapon high once more.
As his head tilted skyward, his body expanded—not bloated, but majestic.
Inside his mountainous muscles, it felt like countless beasts roared in unison.
His frame stabilized, glowing with a radiant white fluorescence—like a galaxy pulsing beneath his skin.
His tenketsu's lit up, guiding the flow of Tenseigan chakra, which refined itself mid-transit before surging into the blade.
"Cut!"
Ryosuke's eyes remained unnervingly calm despite the storm within and around him.
With that single command, the blade's light cleaved the earth once more.
A conscious sealing force rose from the moon's core, channeling itself into the black soil before the lightsaber could land.
But it was useless.
Despite all its preparations, the hardened soil split effortlessly—like slicing tofu.
The brilliant light penetrated, merging deeper into the moon.
What was once a formidable seal now crumbled like paper, consumed by the raging light.
BOOM!
Another deafening explosion split the moon in two like a ripe watermelon.
The dark soil within, now unsealed, lost its density—crumbling into fine dust.
As the moon collapsed entirely, time and space ruptured even more violently.
Below, the small celestial body was already in ruins.
Its core teetered on the verge of eruption—a final consequence of the moon's destruction.
However, Ryosuke didn't look at the stars below. His gaze remained fixed on the spot where the moon had just exploded.
At the core, where devastation had reigned moments earlier, stood only a white-haired woman, silent and still.
"It's time to wake up, old woman."
The lightsaber in his hand reverted to a glass-bead-like Tenseigan and floated around his body. Ryosuke drifted forward until he stood face-to-face with the white-haired woman.
"As expected... my own body is far more comfortable."
A deep, slightly content voice came from the woman's lips. Then, on her fair and delicate face, a pair of eyes—white as polished jade—slowly opened.
Simultaneously, the nine-magatama Rinnegan on her forehead awakened, radiating power.
"Thank you, Ryosuke."
Her voice carried a relaxed tone, far more natural than when it had spoken through Uchiha Madara's body. But that comfort came with a subtle edge—less subservient, more composed.
Her eyes locked onto Ryosuke, faint chakra fluctuations rising from her skin.
"Don't peek into my thoughts so casually, Kaguya."
Ryosuke's smile didn't change as he stared her down.
Across from him, Kaguya Otsutsuki's third eye began to glow a deep red.
Time ticked away as their gazes clashed.
A silent battle of will.
Eventually, the nine-magatama Rinnegan on Kaguya's forehead closed. Her body was drenched in cold sweat—an aftereffect of their silent confrontation.
"You're… truly strong."
There was no need for a physical fight.
The outcome had already been decided.
A simple contest of minds had been enough.
Even though she had initiated the exchange, she hadn't gained a single edge.
She couldn't breach his mental defenses. She couldn't see through his heart. She couldn't even glimpse his internal condition.
Yet, Ryosuke had effortlessly struck back. His gaze had cut through her like a blade—laying bare every shift in her body and heart.
And what hurt more was knowing—just before this encounter—this junior hadn't possessed such overwhelming ocular power.
But now? He had surpassed her without effort.
She had lived for thousands of years… and was defeated by someone who hadn't even lived two decades.
"I've wasted my life."
"You don't need to be so pessimistic."
Ryosuke shook his head. He didn't meet her eyes again.
"My case is… special. Don't measure me by common sense."
As he finished speaking, his figure, Kaguya Otsutsuki, and Black Zetsu—still lurking inside the soon-to-detonate celestial body—vanished from the strange spacetime realm in an instant.
Under the silent, star-filled sky, in this pocket of existence, all that remained were floating fragments and a dying star on the brink of destruction...
---
"Huff—"
A pool of black mud slithered to the ground.
Black Zetsu tried to sink into the earth, but before he could act, a glance from Kaguya froze his body.
When he came to, he realized he had returned to the ninja world.
And standing beside him... was his mother.
His eyes lit up with awe.
But before he could speak, Ryosuke cut in.
"I won't be part of your reunion."
He turned away. "From here on, Hyuga's protection in the ninja world is your responsibility."
He didn't use any jutsu to transmit his words—his voice simply faded into the distance until it vanished completely.
Now that Kaguya's matter was settled, Ryosuke could finally turn his attention to something more personal.
His marriage.
Months had passed. Hinata must've already made up her mind by now.
And as the protagonist of this tale… it was time for him to play his part.
A smile tugged at his lips.
But while Ryosuke was preparing for what might be the most important moment of his life, an uninvited guest descended upon the ninja world.
---
Boom—
Within Konoha Village, a towering creature—upright like a bear but far more sinister—crashed down.
Its black armor gleamed dully in the sunlight, concealing the thick hide beneath. Its claws shimmered with a cold luster, sharp enough to rend the sky.
"Roar!"
A savage roar erupted from the beast.
There were no human emotions behind the sound.
Only raw, bestial rage.
This thing wasn't intelligent.
It was a force of destruction.
"Another one from another world."
Figures darted out of Konoha, surrounding the monster in seconds.
At the head was none other than Kakashi Hatake—wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Interdimensional intrusions had become more frequent in recent years.
Although only the Hyuga clan had discovered how to manipulate the space-time gates, major forces were well aware of these alien invaders.
And… of the reason behind Hyuga's overwhelming strength.
"It's massive… use a sealing technique to trap it!"
Kakashi's thoughts flashed to that battle in the Land of Water—the deep-blue titan that had shaken the heavens.
Without hesitation, he barked his orders.
"Don't hold back! Immobilize it first—then seal it!"
Judging by the beast's black armor, conventional attacks would be useless.
"Call for backup! We're not enough to handle this thing!"
He signaled to a Yamanaka nearby to relay the message back to the village.
But before the signal could be sent, the beast let out another roar and charged—ignoring the surrounding shinobi as it barreled toward the village.
"Earth Style!"
At Kakashi's command, several Jonin and Chunin wove hand seals.
Massive walls of earth erupted from the ground, forming a cube that encased the creature.
Nearby, the sealing squad readied their techniques. The moment the beast was contained, they would activate the seal.
But before they could act—
BOOM!
The monster crashed into one of the walls at full speed.
The barrier, constructed from the combined chakra of several elite ninjas, shattered like tofu under a hammer.
"Something's wrong with this one!"
Kakashi's face darkened. The armor wasn't just decoration—it was absurdly durable.
"Raikiri!"
Without pause, he vanished and reappeared near the beast, lightning flashing in his hand.
He aimed directly for the joints, bypassing the armor, and struck.
But the result?
His palm slammed into the creature like it was hitting a stone wall.
The Thunder Release technique—known for piercing defenses—barely left a mark.
"Captain!"
A few shinobi shouted from the back, warning him to retreat.
But Kakashi was already moving, retreating just as the monster's claws swept past where he had been.
His exposed Sharingan tracked the beast's every motion.
And then he noticed—
It wasn't mindlessly rampaging.
It was heading straight for Konoha.
No hesitation. No deviation.
It had a target.
"This thing's aiming for the village!"
He turned to the Yamanaka behind him.
"Send the warning—NOW!"