Chapter 131: Lake of the Moon

"While I was carrying out a village mission, I passed by a high mountain and accidentally discovered a strange lake..."

"The lake was originally calm and no different from any other, but suddenly, it began to exhibit strange fluctuations."

"I intended to investigate it briefly and leave, but that was when the accident occurred."

"The water here is highly peculiar; it seems to harbor a form of space-time instability, and now, I am trapped inside."

Shisui’s tone carried a hint of anxiety, yet he remained calm as he described his current predicament. After entering the lake, the passage had seemingly been sealed by an unknown force, leaving him stranded in a bizarre pocket dimension with no way forward or back.

Just as he began to feel a sense of despair, Shisui suddenly recalled a piece of information the Leader had once imparted: as a successor to the Apostles, he could establish a direct connection with Terra through the power of Bakal.

Holding onto a sliver of hope, Shisui began to communicate with Terra in his mind. After a long silence without a response, he had nearly resigned himself to death, only for the Leader to finally answer.

"Since the Leader can communicate with me, he must have a way to save me!"

Based on his previous impressions of Terra and the Leader, Shisui thought this to himself, looking at the projection of Uchiha Ri with a spark of expectation.

"Space-time energy, a strange lake."

Uchiha Ri pondered the information Shisui provided, faint suspicions forming in his mind. There was only one place that could fit such a description. However, the timeline for the events associated with that location was still far off—at least fifteen years away. Yet, Shisui had stumbled upon it by pure chance.

Uchiha Ri contemplated the destination that location led to, his eyes filled with a trace of wariness and gravity. After a moment, he spoke: "I will now attempt to open a Terra portal for you remotely. Be prepared."

Regardless of the circumstances, Shisui was an Apostle successor and had proven himself fully trustworthy. He could not abandon such a talent; he had to rescue him at all costs.

Upon hearing the Leader’s words, Shisui’s face lit up with joy. "Yes, Leader!"

As he spoke, Shisui immediately activated his Dragonization mode to prevent any potential accidents caused by the collision of two different space-time energies.

Uchiha Ri did not hesitate. He pushed his Mangekyo eye power to its limit, pouring it into the statue of Bakal. In an instant, he felt a intense sense of repulsion.

The space-time energy within the lake where Shisui was trapped began to instinctively resist Terra.

"Such astonishing pressure. A pity, though."

Uchiha Ri felt the strain but did not interrupt his output of eye power. The space-time energy radiated by the lake was vast, but it had one flaw: it was currently uncontrolled. In such a state, even though the energy of the Moon Lake was immense, it was like a scattered army. Furthermore, Uchiha Ri was not trying to fully contend with the entire lake, but rather to carve out a small opening. Thus, despite the difficulty, he was barely able to manage it with the aid of the First Hokage’s cells.

Inside the pocket dimension at the bottom of the lake, Shisui felt the strange, distorted space-time fluctuations around him begin to intensify. Knowing the Leader was exerting his power, he steadied his mind and waited.

Before long, a discordant point of light appeared in the space. It expanded rapidly, forming a portal. A hoarse voice echoed through the gateway: "Enter quickly, to avoid any accidents."

"Yes!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Shisui rushed into the portal with the utmost speed.

*Crackle...*

The moment Shisui stepped into the Terra portal, the already unstable gateway shattered instantly. The strange space quickly washed away all traces of Terra’s unique space-time fluctuations.

Back on Terra, Shisui felt a wave of dizziness, and just before he could collapse, he finally felt solid ground beneath his feet. Opening his eyes and looking upon the familiar and awe-inspiring world of Terra, he felt a profound sense of relief. Had it not been for the help of Terra and the Leader, he surely would have been trapped in that bizarre space forever.

He sat on the ground, clutching his chest, trying to ease the nausea and vertigo caused by the space-time collision. Uchiha Ri walked over and asked in a low voice, "How are you?"

Hearing the Leader, Shisui quickly stood up, his expression one of reverence and gratitude. "Leader, I am fine. Thank you for your rescue."

Uchiha Ri waved his hand, creating a chair for Shisui using his authority over Terra's creations.

Gesturing for Shisui to sit, Uchiha Ri continued: "I call the place where you were trapped the 'Moon Lake.' Legend has it that it is a passage connecting to the moon."

"Moon Lake, connected to the moon?"

Shisui was slightly taken aback, then asked, "Leader, is there a mission you need me to complete? Please, just tell me!"

The Leader would not mention this lake without reason. The most likely scenario was that the Moon Lake held something of interest to Terra or the Leader himself. As for a lake connecting to the moon, Shisui would never have believed it before, but after what he had just experienced—and given the Leader’s reliability—he no longer doubted it. If the Leader said it could connect to the moon, it certainly could.

Uchiha Ri nodded slightly at Shisui’s intuitive response. "Indeed. The 'Moon Lake' you stumbled upon might influence the future of Terra, though whether for good or ill, I cannot yet determine."

He paused, then added, "Therefore, I need you to record the exact coordinates and details of the 'Moon Lake' for future use."

The Moon Lake connected to the moon, and it was self-evident what lay upon the moon. The final antagonist of the Naruto world, Uchiha Ri’s ancestor of many generations, Kaguya Otsutsuki, was there! According to his estimates for the resurrection of Terra, neither the Dragon Veins, the Gelel mines, nor even the Tailed Beasts would be sufficient. When the time came, only what the Otsutsuki possessed would suffice. Naturally, the Otsutsuki would not give it up easily, so he would have to take it himself.

Making preparations in advance was a prudent choice.

"Leader, the mission is certainly no problem," Shisui said after thinking for a moment. "But I worry that I may not be able to complete it successfully..." He was not skilled in the arts of space-time and feared he might miss something.

Uchiha Ri replied calmly, "Do not worry. I will send you to Karoso; he will accompany you on this mission." He added, "Karoso possesses the authority of Terra's teleportation, which will be sufficient to complete the task."