Uchiha Gen cut through the water like a fish, completely unaffected by the moon formed from the Six Paths Chibaku Tensei. Neither the crushing pressure nor the thick layers of rock slowed him as he pushed deeper.
Before long, he reached the moon's core. A figure was trapped inside the compressed stone, pinned so tightly she couldn't even move a finger, let alone open her eyes.
Gen extended a finger. A surge of deep, powerful force rippled outward, pushing the stone layers away from Kaguya until a spherical space nearly three zhang wide opened around her. He stopped there, he could have widened it further, but it wasn't necessary.
Kaguya's body floated weightlessly in the cleared space, suspended in place.
Sensing a weakening in the seal and the presence of another being, her long-dormant senses stirred. Her eyelids trembled and slowly rose.
There was a moment of confusion before she shifted upright, her voice low and cautious as she asked, "Who are you?"
Her skin was pale, her long blue-white hair drifting around her. She had delicate features, no eyebrows, horns protruding from her head, and long, sharp nails. Black tomoe patterned her white robes. Her eyes were pure Byakugan, and the closed slit on her forehead hid her unopened true Rinne Sharingan.
Uchiha Gen stepped calmly out of the rock, floating before her with an easy smile. "In terms of bloodline, I'm the descendant of your eldest son, more than a thousand years later. In terms of identity, I'm the First Emperor of the Daien Empire, the ruler of today's Ninja World."
Kaguya ignored the second part entirely. Her gaze moved over him carefully.
"The descendant of Hagoromo… that rebellious child's son?" She narrowed her eyes. "Yes… you carry traces of Hagoromo's blood. And mine."
"How did you get here? What is your purpose?"
Gen chuckled. "How I got here? By my own strength. Otherwise, when you regained consciousness, you would've attacked me. As for my purpose…"
He smiled more broadly. "Fortunately, you didn't attack, or I wouldn't be here to save you."
Kaguya showed no excitement at all. Her face stayed blank, distant. Her sons had sealed her in this darkness for over a millennium. Except for her third son, born of her own will, she trusted no one.
Gen's voice softened slightly. "Right now, I'm the only one who can get you out. If I leave you here, you'll stay trapped until your lifespan ends."
He flicked his sleeve. A black mass shot out toward her.
Her expression tightened. Instinct told her to strike, but she held back and caught the object.
"Mother!"
Black Zetsu's trembling voice spilled out, both joyous and ashamed. "I failed you… I fell into his hands…"
Kaguya's expression wavered. Her lips parted, then closed again. She repeated that silent hesitation several times before letting out a faint sigh.
"…So be it."
She tucked Black Zetsu into her sleeve. If Gen wasn't her final hope, Black Zetsu wouldn't have escaped punishment so easily. Losing that last thread of hope might have pushed her into madness.
"Can you truly save me?" she asked, still expressionless.
"Of course. And besides, you don't have any other options," Gen replied, confidence unwavering.
"What do you want?"
"I want you to become my empress."
Kaguya blinked. "What is an empress?"
"Have you heard of a daimyo's wife?" Gen answered lightly. "My Daien Empire has unified the entire world you once ruled. A world like this deserves an empress with both noble birth and strength to match."
Kaguya's power after consuming the God Tree fruit had once been overwhelming, even among her own clan. Her current sealed state and the loss of the Ten-Tails meant she was nowhere near her peak, but her potential was still the highest in this world.
"As long as you agree," Gen said, "I'll save you."
"Very well," Kaguya answered without hesitation. "I agree."
"Then let's go."
Gen offered his hand with an easy smile.
Her brows creased slightly. "Is it truly that simple?"
"It is."
"You won't impose any restrictions?"
Her unease only deepened. Gen's lack of trickery confused her.
He shrugged. "If I don't explain, you won't feel at ease."
His tone sharpened slightly. "If you accept peacefully and remain my empress, everything will be fine. But if you pull anything behind my back, like gathering Tailed Beasts, don't blame me for being ruthless. Your sons could only seal you… but I can kill you."
He continued calmly, "If you stay by my side, I'll protect you. I'll eliminate Isshiki and anyone else the clan sends."
Kaguya fell silent for a long time.
Then, in a flat voice, she said, "If your strength can truly protect me, then there is no harm in becoming your empress."
Gen smiled. "You'll see soon enough."
"Let's go, my empress."
This time, she hesitated only a moment before placing her hand in his. Her touch was cool and smooth like polished jade.
With a thought, he wrapped her in a deep, primal force.
Kaguya's eyes widened. "This is…?"
"This is the fundamental Earth-style origin power of the Ninja World," Gen explained. "I call it the Rule of Earth's Origin. This moon was created from the soil and stone of the world below. Even separated, it's still under my control."
Holding her hand, he drove forward, slipping through the dense rock as if it were water. Kaguya moved with him, shock turning into barely contained excitement as the stone yielded around them.
She could finally see light again.
Before long, they burst out of the moon and into open space, streaking toward the Ninja World like twin rays of light.
About half an hour later, they descended back into the world below, and another profound force wrapped around her.
"What is this?" she asked.
"To mask your aura with the world's own. Otherwise your two sons would sense you immediately and come to seal you again."
"Even in their weakened soul states, and even though you're not at your peak, there's no need to deal with them right away."
Kaguya studied him, a quiet shift in her eyes. A warmth flickered, subtle and brief.
Then it vanished. "Are you unable to defeat them?"
"Of course not," Gen replied calmly. "They aren't my opponents anymore. But I don't want them discovering you too fast. We have other priorities."
"What priorities?"
"Eliminating Isshiki. According to my investigation, he isn't dead, just hiding in this world."
He extended a hand. "Give me a strand of your hair."
His plan was simple: use the aura of the Otsutsuki as a catalyst for the Eye of Heavenly Dao to locate Isshiki and erase him.
There were only four true Otsutsuki in this world. The Sage of Six Paths and his brother hardly counted as orthodox members.
With Kaguya beside him, finding Isshiki would be easy.
And at the same time… it was a quiet way of showing her exactly who she was following.