"S-So… You… You're planning to protect… Earth… this way?"
Toneri spread his hands helplessly.
"Depends on the situation. When I can no longer suppress the cracks, I'll take action. Sigh… these adults are so annoying. Can't they wait until it's absolutely necessary before deciding the method? Now it's just me alone… it's exhausting, alright!"
"Earlier, you mentioned spatial cracks. What do you mean by that?" Obito asked, suspicious.
Toneri replied, "They're spatial cracks. I can take you to see them, but don't touch anything. If you get pulled in, everything will be completely exposed."
"Let's go," Kita said.
Toneri shook his head. "I haven't finished eating yet. Wait until I do."
Despite the dangerous ideas he spoke of, he was still a child from the looks of it.
Obito half-believed him, half skeptical. The truth was terrifying, but when they actually arrived at the so-called sealed field, the sight stunned them.
The space of the artificial sun was massive—roughly fifty meters in diameter—with countless iron stairs, allowing movement up and down freely.
What drew the eye most was a huge void, like a mosaic. Strong suction emanated from it, like a massive chasm. Standing in front of the dark, mysterious mass made a person feel as small as an ant. Around this enormous tear—no, crack—were countless tiny, fragmented mosaic strips.
"This is it. Our ancestors linked the Moon to your world. Every chakra fluctuation from your world transmits here. As long as this place remains stable, it hides your presence. Occasionally leaks occur, but I can fix them."
Toneri's palm glowed with a yellow chakra orb, covering a tiny crack. Moments later, the orb merged into the crack, which then vanished without a trace.
"There's another one here," he said, turning to a corner. Using another chakra orb, he sealed it, then stood precisely beside them.
"That is the Tenseigan," he said, pointing at a sphere facing the massive crack. If it were an eye, it would be exaggerated—truly enormous, rivaling the space crack itself.
"I'm temporarily suppressing the leaked aura of this crack with the Tenseigan. Its main purpose is to mislead others so they can't find this place. But it's not a permanent solution. They'll notice eventually."
"C-Couldn't… it… be sealed?" Kita asked, pointing at the crack.
Toneri shook his head. "No, we tried. It can't be repaired. Let me think… Ah, right. My father said this has always existed. Our ancestors created this space around here. Back then, there was only a tiny gap." He pinched his fingers to show a minuscule space.
"Since then, it gradually grew, probably before the Gedo Statue was stolen. Suddenly it became huge. During your battles, it's usually fine—at most, small cracks appear."
He pointed to a tiny crack before them, pinching it and crushing it in his hand.
"But when you use the Tailed Beasts… it's trouble. They aren't native to this world. They resonate. When you move them, the others react. So please… don't fight using Tailed Beasts too much."
Being lectured by a twelve-year-old was an experience Obito could barely process, emotions all tangled.
…
Once the spatial crack expands beyond concealment, Toneri would use the Tenseigan to destroy Earth. In doing so, the Ōtsutsuki's lingering chakra marks, like Tailed Beast chakra, would vanish completely. Afterwards, using the Tenseigan, the environment could be restored, humans would repopulate, and a new world would rise—a rebirth built on destruction.
This long-hidden location was ideal for cultivating power-boosting pills, the same fruits Kaguya Ōtsutsuki consumed a thousand years ago. At that time, as a "planter," she secretly ate the fruit against orders, dispersing her chakra—an unforgivable act. To counter eventual retribution, millions of White Zetsu were cultivated. Yet, before enemies arrived, Toneri's predecessors had sealed it all away. The melancholy of such a fate was too much for Kita to contemplate.
From the Ōtsutsuki perspective, ruthless humans were beyond salvation. Destruction was inevitable. That's why the Moon branch painstakingly hid everything. In Toneri's words: "Annoying as it is, I'm still part human. Despite the Ōtsutsuki name, I'm a human-alien hybrid. I should side with humanity."
Truly heroic—Toneri and all those who died choosing their methods.
Kita bowed deeply to the countless gravestones in the shrine, and Obito did the same. Even in such a hellish place, people fought to protect life. Worthiness was no longer a question.
"We've spent years destroying Ōtsutsuki relics, thinking the marks were within, only to realize it was pointless," Obito said, disappointed. So much effort, all in vain. These days had almost reshaped his worldview entirely.
Toneri waved his hands quickly. "No, no. Destroying it is best. I heard about what you did to Kaguya's consciousness—amazing! Our clan didn't even know. Thanks to you, it's gone. If Infinite Tsukuyomi had worked, I'd be doomed."
Obito's face flushed with guilt. He had intended to use the Infinite Tsukuyomi, but hadn't expected this outcome.
"N-No… isn't there a permanent solution?" Kita asked, most concerned about this.
Toneri shrugged innocently. "I don't know. This is the only method. But it's okay—even if you play with the Tailed Beasts, it'll hold a few more years. I don't want to destroy the world below. The Tenseigan can restore it, but it's exhausting. So you must find the Gedo Statue. If it's recovered, things will get easier!"
Toneri clenched his fist with a fiery expression. Obito felt a pang of guilt. Before he could speak, Kita stammered:
"S-Sorry… the Gedo Statue… it… it's… already destroyed."
"Eh?! Impossible!" Toneri's mouth dropped open, then fell flat. "Well… that's okay. The Ten-Tails won't revive."
"You… you wanted to… revive the Ten-Tails?" Kita asked cautiously. Toneri shook his head.
"No, no. Our clan's duty isn't just hiding you. We also guard the Gedo Statue. My father losing it troubled him deeply. I want to find it for him, but if it's broken, there's nothing I can do."
Kita nodded. "S-Sorry."
"Eh, North-nee, no need to apologize. It wasn't you who stole it."
"I… I will… assist you."
Toneri's face lit up. He grabbed Kita's arm excitedly. "Really? North-nee, you'll stay?"
Kita felt no guilt for tricking the twelve-year-old. She gently ruffled his soft, white curls. "Temporarily… I won't… there are still things below."
"Then… when will you come back?" Toneri tugged at her sleeve, reluctant to let go. Obito sighed. Only Toneri remained alone on this vast Moon.
"Don't worry. We'll come. These matters aren't resolved yet."
A being with the intent to destroy cannot be ignored. Whether from goodwill or not, this small boy possessed world-ending power. Attacks from the Moon were unstoppable for humans, just like the Ōtsutsuki.
…
"You're not returning the Gedo Statue?" After teleporting back, they were almost instantly in their original world—the cave from before. Kita activated her genjutsu and nodded.
"Mm… that belongs to Nagato… we… won't return it. T-Tailed Beasts… are… still useful."
Between the world and Akatsuki's goals, Kita chose the latter.
"How will we deal with the Ōtsutsuki then?"
"I-I don't know, but… there… will be a way."
She spoke slowly, sitting on a massive rock. Her hand shook as she took three dark green pills consecutively. After a while, her hand stopped trembling and her complexion returned to a healthy glow.
"You alright?"
"Y-Yeah… fine," she said, standing up. "Let's go."
"Orochimaru's base?"
Shaking her head slightly, she said, "Demon Country."
"Want to rest?"
Kita shook her head, waving the remaining pills. "Still… many left."
Obito sighed, gripping her shoulder. In the next moment, they vanished into thin air.
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