Chapter 139: Descendant of the Otsutsuki Clan

In a very short span of time, puppets had completely surrounded Uchiha Li and Itachi.

The sudden emergence of the puppet army left Itachi no room to continue his conversation with Uchiha Li. Uchiha Li, however, gazed at the surrounding puppets with little change in his expression. From the moment he and Itachi arrived on the moon, he knew they would inevitably be discovered by the descendants of the Otsutsuki. After all, this was their domain; as long as they left even the slightest trace, exposure was unavoidable.

What Uchiha Li had not expected was that, rather than the descendants of the Otsutsuki, it was Otsutsuki Hamura who had found him first. After speaking in riddles and seemingly confirming something, Hamura had let him go.

"There is no way out, Teacher. Shall we strike?" Itachi spoke up. "If we identify a direction to break through, there should still be a chance."

Uchiha Li shook his head and said calmly, "Don't be hasty. Breaking through now would be useless."

As long as they remained on the moon, they would inevitably be tracked down again, so a breakout was pointless. Nor was breaking through what Uchiha Li wanted. Since the puppets were not yet attacking, he was in no rush to leave. Thinking this, Uchiha Li stepped forward and called out loudly, "I say, aren't you going to show yourselves?"

Tilting his head, he chuckled, "Or do you truly believe a mere group of puppets can deal with me?"

The provocative words caused the atmosphere to grow tense instantly. The puppets, which had previously only encircled them, turned their heads in unison to stare fixedly at Uchiha Li, as if waiting for a command. A moment later, all the puppets moved, launching a coordinated attack.

"As I thought, these fellows are so bound by their 'ancestral legacy' that there is simply no room for negotiation." Uchiha Li shook his head slightly, his expression gradually chilling. He had not come all this way to the moon just to retreat in disgrace.

Without any concern for conserving his ocular power, he activated his Mangekyo Sharingan and began weaving hand signs simultaneously.

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

As chakra gathered in his throat, he unleashed a massive sea of fire toward the front. The flames spread over a vast area, instantly engulfing the puppet army. Compared to other ninjutsu, Fire Style was renowned for its destructive power, and the Majestic Destroyer Flame, in particular, was exceptional for its overwhelming range. While the ninjutsu was only B-rank, its effectiveness depended entirely on the user.

A powerhouse like Uchiha Madara could use a single Majestic Destroyer Flame to force over twenty members of the Allied Shinobi Forces to combine their efforts in a Water Wall just to barely block it. Uchiha Li, ever since his understanding of Fire Style had inexplicably deepened, possessed a similarly terrifying mastery of the element. Though he was unsure of the exact gap between himself and Madara, the power he displayed was extraordinary.

In an instant, the puppets in the front row were engulfed by the sea of fire, melting almost immediately. In the rear, the puppet army finally reacted. They began to spin in unison, generating currents of air that formed circular defensive barriers, attempting to resist Uchiha Li’s onslaught.

"Those techniques..." Itachi, standing not far behind Uchiha Li, voiced his confusion. He had heard his father, Uchiha Fugaku, speak of a powerful defensive ninjutsu belonging to the Hyuga clan in the village called "Rotation." Though he had never seen it with his own eyes, what he was witnessing now seemed identical to his father's description.

Itachi’s gaze shifted to Uchiha Li. His teacher was becoming increasingly enigmatic, hiding countless secrets; he surely knew the answer.

Sensing Itachi’s gaze, Uchiha Li smiled. "You guessed correctly. The principle behind these puppets' technique is indeed similar to the Hyuga's Rotation." Since he had already brought it up, Uchiha Li elaborated: "In fact, the Hyuga and this lineage on the moon are both descendants of Lord Hamura, which is why you sensed the familiarity."

"I see." Itachi nodded, feeling somewhat numb. He no longer felt shock or any other emotion. Having experienced so much in such a short time, he would believe anything Uchiha Li said now.

While Uchiha Li and Itachi chatted, a group of people on a distant hill sensed everything happening on the battlefield through their keen perception.

"Damnable! How can that brat's strength be so terrifying?"
"Our puppet army is completely unable to handle him. If this continues, it will only waste the clan's lifeblood."
"We must intervene ourselves. These two managed to breach the 'Lunar Lake'—we must find out exactly what is going on!"

They argued back and forth, unable to reach a decision. In the center of the group, an elderly man holding a child coughed softly and said, "Look after Toneri. I will handle this myself."

As he spoke, Otsutsuki Morimasa handed the child to those beside him. "Yes, Elder Morimasa!" The others carefully took hold of Toneri, shielding him. As the clan's last newborn, Toneri was their only hope for the future. Furthermore, at only three years old, he had already displayed astonishing potential within the Otsutsuki bloodline, which left them ecstatic.

Seeing that Toneri was secure, Otsutsuki Morimasa, accompanied by several guards, began to advance toward the battlefield.

By now, the puppet army was in disarray under Uchiha Li’s Majestic Destroyer Flame. A vast number of puppets had been reduced to ash, while the rest were left in a semi-molten state, unable to continue fighting. Uchiha Li looked on, unsurprised. From the beginning, he had never believed mere puppets could pose him any significant trouble. At his current level of cultivation, bolstered by the Hashirama cells, human-wave tactics were nothing more than cannon fodder.

"Finally, you couldn't help yourselves?" Seeing the descendants of the Otsutsuki finally reveal themselves, Uchiha Li waited quietly.

As Uchiha Li observed them, Elder Otsutsuki Morimasa was observing him in return. This was the youth who, single-handedly and in such a short time, had utterly destroyed the puppets the clan had spent so much effort to create. When Morimasa locked eyes with Uchiha Li, he suddenly froze.

Having lived on the moon, they had never ceased observing the ninja world, and over the years, the clan's records had become quite extensive. Uchiha Li’s eyes were detailed in those records. Such eyes were possessed by the descendants of their ancestor’s brother!

"Bearer of the Mangekyo, what is your name?" Otsutsuki Morimasa did not attack immediately, but asked instead. Although the records existed, they were from many years ago. In the ancient scrolls, the clan had documented a powerful Uchiha warrior.

His name was Uchiha Madara.