chsdbacks Chapter 440 The Otsutsuki Clan
Chapter 440 The Otsutsuki Clan
The branches and leaves of the divine tree swayed gently in the starry breeze, and the golden halo, like a flowing galaxy, bathed the entire starry sky in warmth.
Having just absorbed the chakra of Momoshiki and Kinshiki, the Divine Tree's aura reached its peak. Its colossal form, over 9,500 meters tall, stood amidst the meteorite cluster, its roots deeply embedded in the underground rock layers, drawing upon the remaining energy within.
Uchiha Mitsunori embraced Kaguya Otsutsuki's waist, the two of them hovering quietly beneath the Divine Tree, watching the life force flowing among the branches and leaves. The ferocity of the fierce battle had long since dissipated, leaving only the tranquility that came after weathering the storm.
"Tired?"
Kaguya Otsutsuki shook her head and gently leaned on his shoulder.
"It's fortunate that you're here. If I were alone, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to defeat the combined forces of Momoshiki and Kinshiki."
Uchiha Mitsunori's heart softened, and he tightened his arms to hug her even tighter.
He knew all too well the loneliness Kaguya had endured over the years, the betrayal of her clan, the misunderstanding of the world, and even the fact that her closest relatives had turned against her. The fact that she could now rely on him so completely was the greatest blessing of his life.
"With me here, no one can hurt you again. From the remaining memories of Momoshiki Otsutsuki's soul, I found many secrets of the clan. This so-called 'Otsutsuki God Clan' is rotten to the core."
Kaguya Otsutsuki slowly raised her eyes to look at him, a complex expression flashing in her clear eyes.
That was her people, her former home. Even though she had been betrayed and hunted down by her own kind, and even though she had long since lost all hope, hearing him mention it still stirred her emotions.
She was silent for a moment before nodding gently: "Sanfeng, I believe you. Tell me whatever you want to say."
When it comes to decisions involving ethnicity, she is more willing to trust the man in front of her who is protecting her with his life.
Uchiha Mitsunaga's gaze was directed into the distant depths of the starry sky, as if he could pierce through endless nebulae and darkness to see that planet hidden in a corner of the universe.
What he wants to reveal is the most hidden essence of the Otsutsuki clan, and also the most unbearable truth.
"The Otsutsuki clan today is no longer the powerful force it once was. They were embroiled in a brutal civil war, and some extremists within the clan, in pursuit of the so-called 'final evolution,' even turned their fangs against their own kind. They captured ordinary Otsutsuki clan members indiscriminately and forcibly fed them to the Divine Tree to ripen its fruit."
"This civil war and infighting led to a drastic reduction in the Ōtsutsuki population. According to Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's memories, there are only a few hundred Ōtsutsuki clan members left. Most of them are oppressed members from the lower classes, and there are fewer than ten people who truly hold power and control the direction of the clan."
This number, and the cruel truth behind it, made Kaguya Otsutsuki pause slightly, her breath catching in her throat.
The Otsutsuki clan, which I remember as a high and mighty group that controlled the life and death of countless planets and regarded all things as ants, is now reduced to such a small population.
She lowered her eyes, looking at her fingertips, and a feeling she couldn't quite describe welled up inside her.
After all, that was where she was born, the place she once thought was her "final destination".
Noticing her unusual behavior, Uchiha Mitsunori gently patted her back: "I know you're upset, but there are some truths you need to know."
Kaguya Otsutsuki took a deep breath, the melancholy in her eyes gradually fading: "Mitsumine, I'm fine, please continue."
"Actually, you and I both know that the Otsutsuki clan is not a naturally born 'god race' but just a group of humans with special physical characteristics."
Uchiha Mitsunori's fingers gently stroked her long hair: "Otsutsuki Toneri possessed pure Otsutsuki blood, yet he didn't have horns on his head. There are also the artificial humans Ada and Dimon created using Otsutsuki Shibai's genes; they also look like normal people. This shows that if there is no God Tree chakra in their bodies, then the genes of the Otsutsuki clan and ordinary humans are about the same."
Upon hearing this, Kaguya Otsutsuki fell silent.
She recalled her past. Her parents were high-ranking members of the Otsutsuki clan, and she was bestowed with the chakra of the Divine Tree before she was even born. Later, her parents lost power in an internal power struggle, and she was sent to plant the Divine Tree. Now, more than a thousand years have passed, and the Otsutsuki clan has also declined.
Seeing the sorrow in Kaguya Otsutsuki's eyes, a chilling killing intent flashed in Mitsumine Uchiha's eyes.
"Kaguya, give me some time, and I will execute all the current high-ranking members of the Otsutsuki clan. It was these high-ranking members who not only orchestrated the evil act of feeding their own clan to the Divine Tree, but also, in order to maintain the clan's false 'divine authority,' continuously sent clansmen to travel through the universe to find planets with life to plant the Divine Tree and plunder natural energy."
With a wave of his hand, he transformed into a series of semi-transparent phantoms that slowly spread across the starry sky, outlining a series of shocking scenes.
On vibrant blue planets, as the divine tree suddenly rose from the ground, within a mere thousand years, the greenery gradually faded, rivers dried up, mountains crumbled, and countless creatures perished in despair. Ultimately, these life-bearing planets were transformed into lifeless, dead stars. The enormous fruit that grew at the top of the divine tree was taken back to the ancestral land of the Otsutsuki clan by those who came to harvest it, and presented to the higher-ups as nourishment to enhance their strength.
With suppressed rage, Uchiha Mitsunori said in a deep voice, "Every chosen life-bearing planet carries countless vibrant lives. The Divine Tree absorbs not just simple natural energy, but the very life essence of the planet, the vitality of countless beings. Those high-ranking officials have their hands stained with the blood of billions of lives; the blood debts they bear are enough to condemn them to eternal damnation. They enjoy long lifespans built on the blood of countless lives—such people must not be allowed to live!"
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki gazed at the shattered phantoms in the starry sky, her eyes gradually turning cold, and a chilling aura emanated from her body, even freezing the star wind around her.
The reason she was willing to be an enemy of the entire clan back then was because she did not want to see the ninja world repeat the mistakes of other life-bearing planets, and she did not want the creatures of the ninja world to become nourishment for the divine tree.
At this moment, hearing that the actions of those high-ranking officials have never ceased and that countless inhabited planets have suffered this calamity over the years, the last vestige of her sense of belonging to her race completely vanished, leaving only pity for those innocent lives and deep-seated hatred for the cruel acts of those high-ranking officials.
"How...how dare they...?"
Uchiha Mitsunori frowned and sneered, his killing intent intensifying: "What wouldn't they dare to do for power and immortality? In their eyes, every life except themselves is just a stepping stone."
"As for the adult members of the lower-class tribes..."
Uchiha Mitsumine's tone softened slightly, but still showed no pity: "They may not have been the masterminds of the atrocities, but most of them participated in the planting and harvesting of the Divine Tree, or provided assistance to the higher-ups in their atrocities, guarding their captured clansmen, or escorting plundered resources. In my view, they are accomplices, their hands stained with blood as well. Keeping them alive will only be a future threat, so it's better to..."
He didn't continue speaking, but simply pointed to the sacred tree beside him.
As soon as he finished speaking, the divine tree seemed to sense his will. Its branches and leaves trembled slightly, and the golden halo flowed more rapidly, exuding a strong aura of longing.
It was a yearning for chakra and life energy, yet it carried a touch of solemnity, as if carrying out some kind of sacred judgment.
Kaguya Otsutsuki instantly understood his meaning: the ultimate fate of those adult clansmen was to become nourishment for this divine tree, using their chakra and lives to atone for the sins committed by their clan.
She paused for a moment, then nodded slightly, her eyes showing no hesitation: "This is the retribution they deserve."
This may be the cruelest ending, but it is also the fairest punishment.
"However, it doesn't mean we have to exterminate them all."
Uchiha Mitsunori abruptly changed the subject, the killing intent in his eyes fading slightly, replaced by a complex glint.
He raised his hand, and the phantom in the starry sky gradually dissipated, replaced by a scene of children playing.
Those were several young Otsutsuki clan members playing on the grassland of their ancestral star, their eyes pure and without a trace of impurity.
"The sins of the Otsutsuki clan should not be borne by innocent children. Those Otsutsuki children who have not yet come of age have not been assimilated by the clan's corrupt ideology, have had no opportunity to come into contact with the Divine Tree's chakra, and have never participated in any atrocities... At this moment, they are no different from ordinary human children."
As Kaguya Ōtsutsuki gazed at the phantom images of the children, her eyes gradually softened, and the fierceness in her heart dissipated somewhat.
She recalled her childhood, when the tribe, though already showing signs of greed, had not yet reached such a depraved state, and she had once had carefree times.
"By keeping them, firstly, the bloodline of the Otsutsuki clan can be preserved, preventing this ancient clan from being completely annihilated in the universe; secondly, it can be considered as leaving a sliver of redemption for this heavy sin."
Uchiha Mitsunori grasped her hand, feeling its soft texture.
"Once we've dealt with the higher-ups, we can take these children to the ninja world and let them grow up in an environment free from killing and greed, teaching them to distinguish right from wrong. Let them atone for their clan's sins in their own way."
Kaguya Otsutsuki leaned on his shoulder, listening to what the person beside her was saying, pretending not to care.
"Sanfeng, I'll do whatever you say."
Uchiha Mitsunori knew that Kaguya had complex feelings for the Otsutsuki clan, especially after learning that the Otsutsuki clan was essentially just a special kind of human and that their decline stemmed from infighting among themselves. This feeling might have become even more complicated.
"Kaguya, I promise you, if I defeat the Otsutsuki clan in the future, I will properly take care of these surviving children, abandon the corrupt rules of the Otsutsuki clan, and let them grow up in the right way. Moreover, I will increase the population of the Otsutsuki clan, so that this clan can get rid of its decline, and then I will teach them to transform the life-bearing planet to atone for their sins."