Before Naruto could even make a move, Isshiki leaped backward like a startled cat, simultaneously activating his divine technique in an instant.
Pillars of stone the size of small mountains came crashing down toward Naruto, also covering the unconscious Amado on the ground.
It seemed the pressure Naruto exerted on Isshiki made him unable to care about his subordinate.
Or perhaps Amado, being just another 'lowly creature', was merely a disposable tool in his eyes.
These stone pillars themselves possessed exaggerated mass, originating from another planet with higher gravity, their density far exceeding most substances in the Ninja World.
Their nature was similar to the black-red cubes of Daikokuten… products of extraterrestrial material science.
Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!
The several stone pillars, like spears hurled by a heavenly god, directly pierced the ground, unleashing terrifying shockwaves across the surroundings.
Yet Isshiki did not relax his vigilance… instead, he continuously scanned with his Byakugan, penetrating the dust and rubble, trying to locate Naruto.
Underground? Or in the sky?
"What are you looking for?"
As that ghost-like voice sounded again, Isshiki fired back with hundreds of black rods in an instant, as if they cost nothing.
"You really have no memory, do you? That move doesn't work on me… and at least let me finish what I was saying."
Naruto, appearing behind Isshiki at some unknown time, held Amado in one hand while effortlessly deflecting every black rod with precision using his other hand.
Oddly, the deflected rods vanished without a trace, as if they had dissipated.
Isshiki seemed to have anticipated his attack's lack of effect.
But he hadn't pinned his hopes on such an attack against Naruto… those rods were merely a means to create distance.
Isshiki executed a perfect cobra maneuver in the air, dodging an attack that didn't even exist.
Only after he had re-established distance did he realize Naruto didn't seem to be pursuing.
"You… what do you want to say?"
Uncertain of his own thoughts, Isshiki suddenly asked.
But most of his attention was focused on the marks covering his body.
Clearly, though unclear how the other had planted these marks, they were undoubtedly the key to his instantaneous movement… likely some kind of spatial beacon.
This was where the twisted nature of Amenotorifune came in.
Originally, the Flying Thunder God Technique was considered the fastest in the Ninja World, but that only referred to the virtually zero time it took the user to reach a marked location.
However, the user had to engrave the mark through physical contact or by throwing a marked tool.
So, strictly speaking, the Flying Thunder God's limit speed was also related to how fast the user could throw a kunai.
But Amenotorifune was far more insidious.
It directly eliminated even this last disadvantage.
What could be faster than 'sight'? If anything, only 'thought'.
Perhaps one day in the future, Naruto could engrave a mark thousands of miles away with just a thought, but for now, he couldn't.
Of course, even so, this technique was indeed too insidious.
Especially the fact that, unless the marked person directly cut off the marked body part, they couldn't remove it in most cases… this was almost the epitome of insidiousness for people in the Ninja World.
—However, for Isshiki, it wasn't unsolvable.
The urgent situation earlier had forced him to sever his arm, but now, having bought some time by talking to research the marks, Isshiki finally understood their nature.
They weren't Ninjutsu, but rather an act similar to a Kama, recording one's own Otsutsuki 'information' onto another's body, which was why his abilities couldn't absorb them.
Fortunately, the amount of information was pathetically small. Besides serving as a beacon, it couldn't parasite the host's body and usurp it like a Kama.
Nor did he have to worry that, upon removing the marked part, the information within might have already penetrate the body.
The solution was equally simple: use the same principle as Kama, overlaying those information with his own.
But… It's easier said than done. Doing this with Jigen in State Two was still very troublesome. It would be much easier with his own body.
'Should I resurrect here?'
Isshiki was reluctant.
Meanwhile, seeing that the other party was finally willing to engage, Naruto showed a friendly smile.
"Judging by your appearance, you must also be from the Otsutsuki Clan. What's your name?"
"…Isshiki."
He didn't want to answer, but Isshiki needed more time to cover the marks one by one.
Naruto sensed this but didn't call him out on it.
Isshiki had researched the principle of the Starfield Mark but hadn't understood that Naruto planted the marks through 'sight'.
Up until now, he still thought Naruto had carved them when he punched him earlier.
Otherwise, he wouldn't be strugglingly covering the information… he would have chosen to resurrect immediately.
"Judging by your situation, this poor guy's body has been completely taken over by you, right?"
"So, you perished on this planet before, correct?"
Naruto tossed the unconscious Amado into a Yomotsu Hirasaka he opened nearby, stroking his chin as he spoke.
He had observed the scene inside the laboratory earlier and could roughly guess that this white-haired man was conducting human experiments under Isshiki's command.
The reason he temporarily saved him was that he didn't know whether Amado was coerced or willing, which was crucial.
Before the guy wake up, Naruto didn't intend to just easily dispose of him.
After dealing with Isshiki, he would use the Amenotorifune mark he had left on Amado to teleport to him.
-Speaking of which, after learning this technique, Naruto liked to leave his marks everywhere he went, like a beast patrolling its territory.
Hearing this, Isshiki was momentarily silent, then didn't bother hiding it.
"Yes. I arrived a thousand years ago."
"So, all our actions have been under your nose? Why didn't you act then?"
Naruto walked forward with a smile, seemingly without any malice.
"Was it because you couldn't move back then… or were you afraid of something?"
Seeing Isshiki's mouth twitch involuntarily, Naruto knew he had hit the mark.
"It was the Sage of Six Paths! No… was it Kaguya?"
Upon hearing Naruto utter Kaguya's name, Isshiki's gaze finally turned completely dark and fierce.
"Hit the nail on the head? So, it was Kaguya who attacked you, forcing you into the 'resurrection' phase?"
Using his ability to sense emotions, combined with some 'future information' obtained from Karin, Naruto roughly deduced what had happened to this guy named Isshiki.
"Hah… did that woman tell you?"
Isshiki's tone finally lost its previous celestial arrogance and took on a hint of humanity.
"No, no. It was actually pretty easy to guess."
Naruto waved his hand, speaking casually.
After all, based on the power levels of the Ninja World, besides himself, the only one who could take down an Otsutsuki was another Otsutsuki.
So, the one Isshiki feared was either Kaguya or her son.
Though he had never met the Sage of Six Paths, Naruto had some estimation of the strength of someone who could seal Kaguya.
"…Let's assume so."
Isshiki chose not to delve deeper into this topic, instead closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.
When he opened them again, his face displayed undisguised anger.
It was the resentment and hatred suppressed for a thousand years.
"That woman! That woman!"
"She was supposed to become nourishment for the [God Tree], allowing me to grow stronger! Allowing the Otsutsuki Clan to grow stronger!"
"But she betrayed her mission! That cowardly woman actually ambushed me, a member of the main family, and ate the Chakra Fruit that rightfully belonged to me!"
"Traitor!"
"Bring that woman out to see me!"
At this moment, Isshiki looked at Naruto as if he were his mortal enemy, mistaking Naruto for Kaguya's vessel.
-Even though he could no longer sense Kaguya's presence in Naruto.
It never occurred to him that a mortal implanted with a Kama could, through external force, expel it.
Of course, Naruto's case was also a circumstance superimposed of multiple unexpected events, and strictly speaking, he wasn't implanted with a Kama… he actively devoured her.
This was an essential difference.