283. What Did You Put In My Face?

As Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime furrowed her brows, scanning her surroundings, a black shadow quietly spread above her head.

From the void emerged a delicate black fist, striking down with lightning speed.

A sneak attack.

“Smack!”

The satisfying impact of her punch surprised Kaguya Otsusuki, who was hidden in the Shadow Realm.
“Huh?”

This descendant with awakened Tenseigan… is this weak?

However, just as Kaguya Otsusuki marveled at her seemingly easy success, she realized with a jolt that her fist had been firmly trapped by an overwhelming force of attraction. Instinctively, she exerted more strength, but her hand remained immobile.

“Hmph, the same trick as that thief… So, you must be his clone.”

Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime’s icy voice rang out from below. Kaguya Otsusuki peeked out of the shadow realm, only to discover that her punch hadn’t landed on Tsukihime at all. Instead, it was tightly restrained by the latter’s tangible chakra cloak. The force binding her was none other than the gravitational manipulation—a signature ability of the Tenseigan.

“Tsk.”

Kaguya Otsusuki clicked her tongue in frustration. As the progenitor of ocular powers, she was well aware of the Ōtsutsuki clan’s mastery over gravity and repulsion techniques. Still, she had never imagined that she would one day fall victim to this very ability she had once dismissed.

As a consciousness clone birthed through Otsusuki, Kaguya hadn’t brought the full strength of her original body. Apart from her essence, she had only the abilities granted by this ocular construct, leaving her arsenal rather limited.

The situation was clear: a Mangekyō-level construct like her was no match for a fully awakened Tenseigan.

Still, doing nothing was not an option. She was a goddess of the moon, after all, and could not afford to lose face.

Resolute, Kaguya Otsusuki emerged from the shadow realm completely. Her exotic ebony-skinned foot swung down from an unexpected angle, aiming for Tsukihime’s cold, delicate face.

“Oh?”

Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime’s lips parted slightly in surprise. She hadn’t expected the clone to still have the strength to counterattack. Watching the slender, powerful leg hurtling toward her, her serene gaze sharpened as space itself twisted around her.

Though the kick might not injure her, it would undoubtedly compromise her elegance.

[Repulsion.]

“Boom!”

Kaguya Otsusuki was instantly flung backward by a mysterious force, carving a dark arc through the air before landing awkwardly in front of Uchiha Gin.

Her expressionless face darkened with a trace of anger for the first time, though her back was to Uchiha Gin, preventing him from noticing the subtle change.

“Ugh!”

Just as Kaguya Otsusuki prepared to get serious, Uchiha Gin stepped forward, extending a hand in front of her.

“?”

Caught off guard, Kaguya Otsusuki's eyes turned oddly curious. What was this curly-haired boy trying to do? Was he… flirting with her?

“You’ve really mastered the Tenseigan’s abilities, haven’t you?”

Unaware of her suspicions, Uchiha Gin spoke casually, genuinely concerned that Otsusuki wouldn’t gain the upper hand against Tsukihime’s Tenseigan. He didn’t want his painstakingly nurtured “belt” to end up as scrap after being battered by this Ōtsutsuki girl.

“Don’t think a few compliments will get you out of this,” Tsukihime said icily.

In Tenseigan mode, her entire demeanor exuded a divine grace that was even more compelling than before, inspiring awe and reverence. Her aquamarine eyes fixed on Uchiha Gin with a subtle tinge of jealousy she couldn’t quite explain.

“You’re best friends with Akemi, so by extension, you’re practically my sister-in-law. We’re all family here. Let’s not resort to violence every time we meet,” Uchiha Gin said, scratching his head awkwardly under Tsukihime’s sharp gaze. He and Ōtsutsuki Akemi shared a bond deeper than friendship, and he couldn’t afford to upset Akemi by injuring her “sister.”

“I’ll go easy,” Tsukihime replied coldly, clearly unwilling to let the matter slide. Having recently mastered all the abilities of the Tenseigan, she was determined to prove her dominance over Uchiha Gin and establish herself as the rightful heir of the Ōtsutsuki.

“But…”

Seeing Uchiha Gin’s hesitation, she added, “Don’t worry, my medical ninjutsu is excellent. As long as you’re still breathing, I can heal you.”

You’ve completely misunderstood…

“Enough talk. That shadow clone is no match for me. If you have any other tricks, bring them on!”

With her arms crossed, Tsukihime looked down at Uchiha Gin from her lofty position, exuding an air of superiority. At this moment, she was the pinnacle of the Ōtsutsuki clan, the answer of the moon itself.

“Ha~”

This one’s clearly not going to listen to reason.

Sighing, Uchiha Gin turned to the impassive Kaguya, speaking solemnly.
“Kaguya-chan, care to join me for one more round?”

“...”

Though she couldn’t speak, Kaguya Otsusuki hesitated briefly before nodding slowly.

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Kaguya-chan!”

Having spent days tirelessly training Kaguya with his puppet companions, Uchiha Gin had finally reached a critical breakthrough. Just recently, he’d received exciting feedback: Wanyō was ready. He was now officially a man with a “belt”!

However, those puppets did seem a bit worn down… Perhaps he should send them to the moon for maintenance?

“What nonsense are you mumbling?”

Irritated by being ignored, Tsukihime’s voice rose, carrying a hint of anger. She glared at Uchiha Gin, who seemed more concerned about his shadow clone than her.

Suppressing his excitement, Uchiha Gin turned back to face Tsukihime. A faint smile played at his lips as he took a step forward. Striking a strange pose, his expression shifted into one of rare determination.

“The law of victory is already decided!”

As he spoke, his Mangekyō Sharingan began to spin, exuding an ominous and powerful aura that made Tsukihime narrow her eyes warily.

Before she could react, Kaguya stepped forward, her actions synchronized with Gin’s words.

“Henshin!”

In an instant, her ebony form erupted with dazzling light, enveloping Uchiha Gin completely.

“Rabbit! Rider System…”

“Evolution!”

“~~~”

“Are you ready?”

“Rabbit! Rabbit!”

“Evol Rabbit!”

While the blinding light had no effect on Tsukihime, the strange electronic voice emanating from within made her frown in confusion. This language… she had never encountered it before.

“HAHAHAHA!!!”


The strange electronic voice had barely finished when an eerie burst of laughter echoed from the light, as though a long-repressed tension had finally found its release.

“Quit acting mysterious!”

Feeling slightly unnerved by the spectacle, Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime pouted and conjured countless blue chakra orbs, hurling them toward the light.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

The barrage of chakra orbs struck the ground, kicking up a massive cloud of dust. From the sidelines, Ōtsutsuki Biluo stood on tiptoe, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

“It worked… It worked!!!”

But her worry was unnecessary. From the rising dust, a figure began to emerge, and Uchiha Gin’s voice rang out clearly for everyone to hear.

“Is that… armor?”

Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime stared in shock, her small mouth agape as she looked at the strange figure stepping out of the haze.

“No, it’s for battle!”

Emerging from the dust, Uchiha Gin felt an unparalleled sense of satisfaction. Looking down at his body, clad in ornate armor with a belt entirely different in design from Uchiha Igaku's, he trembled with excitement.

Now fully transformed, Uchiha Gin’s body was encased in blue and red armor, with golden exoskeleton-like joints. His face resembled an insect, though instead of antennae, two massive rabbit ears extended upward from his crimson compound eyes.

“How weird.”

Though Uchiha Gin’s new look was startling, Tsukihime quickly regained her composure and muttered her blunt opinion.

Uchiha Gin, however, paid no attention to her words. Casting a Water Mirror Technique, he admired his reflection with a fascinated gaze. After a moment, he reached for the rabbit ears extending from his compound eyes, frowning deeply.

“Why a rabbit?”

For the first time inhabiting a man’s body, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya felt somewhat awkward. Her avatar, had now transformed into the armor covering Uchiha Gin’s body, while her consciousness was trapped within the belt itself.

“What a strange feeling…”

Kaguya realized that she no longer had full control over her body. It seemed the belt was slowly absorbing her essence.

Meanwhile, Tsukihime, left to one side, wasn’t about to give him time to reflect. Seeing Uchiha Gin admiring himself in the water mirror, she felt her temper flare. With a wave of her hand, she launched a volley of chakra orbs at him.

“Fine, it must be random,” Gin muttered, snapping out of his thoughts as the chakra orbs hurtled toward him. Waving his hand, he summoned a shadow rift before him, swallowing every single orb.

“Tsukihime, I’ll ask you one last time. Are you sure you want to fight?”

Having calmed down after his successful transformation, Uchiha Gin looked up at the aloof Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime and issued a final warning.

“Shut up and take this—Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion!”

Feeling patronized, Tsukihime’s anger flared. She summoned countless chakra beads and wielded the turbulent Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion, slashing toward Uchiha Gin.

“Fine, bring it on!”

Refusing the challenge of a lady wasn’t a knightly thing to do.

Raising his hand, Uchiha Gin summoned several pitch-black shadows from the void, which shot out in all directions, intercepting her Silver Wheel Reincarnation Explosion. With a piercing sound, the whirlwind in Tsukihime’s hands was completely devoured by the darkness of the Shadow Realm.

“Such a troublesome ability.”

After a few exchanges, Tsukihime, with her keen combat intuition, began to understand the workings of the Shadow Realm.

This spatial ability allowed its user to consume enemy techniques and conceal themselves within an alternate dimension, making them undetectable—even to the Tenseigan. However, as it was a spatial technique, her Tenseigan should be able to counter it.

Realizing this, Tsukihime quickly devised a plan. Without hesitation, she descended rapidly, her delicate fists glowing with blue energy.

“Divine Sky Strike!”

A barely perceptible shockwave erupted toward Uchiha Gin, its speed so intense that the surrounding space began to warp.

“Hand-to-hand combat, huh? Perfect!”

Instead of dodging, Uchiha Gin condensed black energy into his fist and countered with a single punch aimed directly at the incoming Divine Sky Strike.

“Boom!”

The collision of immense forces created a shockwave that rattled the entire room. Precious ornaments fell to the ground, shattering with a cacophony of crashes.

Though the Divine Sky Strike, enhanced by the Tenseigan, approached the level of an ancestral technique, it was effortlessly blocked by Uchiha Gin’s straightforward punch.

The sight left Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, who was inhabiting the armor, momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected Wanyō, the vessel she had created, to display such overwhelming strength.




"Smack!"

Ōtsutsuki Tsukihime wasted no words and closed the distance, engaging Uchiha Gin in close combat. Her graceful fists carried sharp gusts of wind, raining down like a storm.

Uchiha Gin parried each attack skillfully, but with every punch he threw, his frown deepened. As he sidestepped a strike and grabbed the girl's slender arm, the surging chakra cloak around her forced him back before he could even fully register the touch.

“Something’s off—completely off.”

Shaking his hand to dispel the numbness, Uchiha Gin finally pinpointed the issue.

After transforming, it felt as if a limiter had been placed on him—his strength and chakra were suppressed to their normal levels. On top of that, the strange energy emanating from the belt interfered with the natural flow of his chakra pathways.

In short, the belt had a significant drawback.

“Damn.”

Realizing the truth, Uchiha Gin clicked his tongue in frustration, his face showing clear disdain.
It seemed he couldn’t have both style and power at the same time.

“Take this!”

Noticing Uchiha Gin distracted mid-battle, Tsukihime seized the opportunity, her small fists aiming straight for his chest.

“Shadow Rift!”

Unable to dodge in time, Uchiha Gin retreated into the Shadow Realm to evade her attack.

But this was exactly what Tsukihime had planned. With her eyes focused, the power of the Tenseigan's spatial manipulation surged forth. In the blink of an eye, Tsukihime vanished as well.

“So annoying. Could it be that my proficiency with Otsusuki Clone isn’t enough?”

Seated cross-legged in the Shadow Realm, Uchiha Gin relaxed momentarily, contemplating the belt's drawbacks. Lowering his gaze to the strange driver around his waist, he muttered, “Wait, why is there only one?”

Examining the belt carefully for the first time since his excitement, he noticed it had two slots. However, only one slot was occupied by a small bottle with a rabbit insignia, while the other slot was empty.

Fumbling with the driver for a while, Uchiha Gin realized the cause of his weakened transformation—it was incomplete.

“But where do I get another one of these?”

As he caressed the rabbit bottle, his brows furrowed deeply.

“Give up already!”

Before he could think further, Uchiha Gin felt a chill on his neck, accompanied by a familiar voice behind him.

“What?!”

Startled, he turned around to see Tsukihime, still in Tenseigan mode, standing behind him.

How had she snuck into the Shadow Realm without triggering any feedback?

“How did you get in here?”

Uchiha Gin swallowed nervously. The Shadow Realm's debuffs were severe. Without his transformation, staying there for even a short time was dangerous. Yet Tsukihime seemed completely unaffected, as if she were the true master of this space.

Unbeknownst to her, the blue-green chakra cloak surrounding Tsukihime was visibly fading.

“I used… hehe, Tenseigan… heh-heh,” she replied, but her speech became erratic, her once clear and calm gaze growing deranged. Her words shifted between crying and laughing as her chakra cloak vanished entirely.

It was obvious—she had been affected by the Shadow Realm’s corruption.

“Oh no…”

Realizing what had happened, Uchiha Gin smacked his armored head in frustration. The hard metal produced a loud clang.
She had managed to hold out briefly due to the Tenseigan, but now she had fallen victim to the realm’s effects.

“I surrender! Let’s get out of here!”

They weren’t mortal enemies, and Uchiha Gin couldn’t just watch her lose her mind. Grabbing her hand, he tried to lead her out.

“Shadow Rift!”

But nothing happened. The Shadow Realm seemed to have broken free from his control. No matter how hard he tried, the exit refused to appear.

“Damn it, this is your fault!”

Turning to glare at the now foolish-looking Tsukihime, Uchiha Gin stomped in frustration. Her use of the Tenseigan to disrupt the realm’s space had destabilized his control entirely.

As he panicked, Tsukihime, now entirely dazed, clung to his neck like a child.

“Snuggle… snuggle…”

Even through the armor, Uchiha Gin could feel her pressing against his back. Two soft, heavy sensations made their presence impossible to ignore.

“Behave, or no candy for you!”

Suppressing the urge to disengage his transformation, Uchiha Gin pushed her aside and began scanning the dark space for a way out.

“Candy! I want candy!”

Crouching on the ground, Tsukihime looked up at him with teary, wide eyes, her innocence and vulnerability catching him off guard.

For the first time, Uchiha Gin found himself looking down at Tsukihime. Normally, she refused to let anyone regard her from above, always maintaining an air of superiority.

“Sit like a good puppy and stay here!”

Patting her head, he watched her eyes narrow in delight as she let out a contented hum. She obediently dropped to all fours, mimicking a dog with a strange, eager expression.

“Too bad I don’t have a camera,” Uchiha Gin muttered.

After waiting for a while with no response from the Shadow Realm, he realized he’d have to find another way out.

“Fine, if I can’t wait it out, I’ll break out!”

Activating the Flying Thunder God Technique, Uchiha Gin surrounded himself with golden lightning, his form flickering in and out of visibility. But he remained in place.

“Flying Thunder God isn’t enough?!”

It seemed the Shadow Realm’s priority far exceeded that of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

“Looks like brute force is my only option.”

Drawing a strange kunai from his bag, Uchiha Gin stared at the blade that had been his companion for years. With his mutated Mangekyō Sharingan glowing blue, he focused on the faint cracks in the realm’s fabric visible to his eye.

Without hesitation, he thrust the kunai into the largest crack.

“Snap!”

A sharp sound echoed as the gray space began collapsing, revealing beams of light from the real world.

“Snuggle, snuggle!”

Before he could celebrate, Tsukihime crawled under him and pressed her face against his waist, rubbing affectionately like a puppy.

“It worked!”

Ignoring her actions, Uchiha Gin tore open the rift and pulled both of them out.

However, before he could relax, Tsukihime’s cold, angry voice rose from below him.

“You pervert! Why did you let that dirty thing touch my face?!”