SWNOVELXO Chapter 176: Chapter 176
Tsunade, this is the swimming crab I found. Take a look at it first. When I get back, I'll make a plate of fried crab meat for myself. I think it'll be delicious."
Uchiha Shin's voice rang clearly in Tsunade's mind.
The moment she realized it was Uchiha Shin, her expression darkened.
She had just fought a brutal battle against him, barely managing to hold her ground, and now he had the audacity to send her a crab? Was this some kind of twisted joke? A summoning beast, no less? What was he playing at?
"I have to admit, it's really fat," she muttered to herself, despite her irritation.
Her gaze lingered on the enormous crab. Her stomach rumbled slightly, and she felt her mouth water. No matter how annoyed she was, there was no denying that the crab looked delicious.
Kanako, who stood beside her, ran a hand along the frozen shell, clearly impressed.
"Such a big crab… it must have been sent by the boss."
Tsunade sighed, glancing at her. "Kanako, you really know Shin."
As the two of them discussed how best to prepare the crab, Uchiha Shin had already left the cave and stepped into the open world.
The sight before him was breathtaking.
A vast expanse of blue ocean stretched endlessly, meeting the sky in a seamless horizon. The artificial sun above radiated warmth, bathing everything in golden light. In the distance, what appeared to be an island floated in the sky. But Shin quickly realized that it wasn't an island at all—it was a trick of perspective caused by the curvature of the sea.
"Kagura's Mind's Eye... Fully expanded!"
With a deep breath, he focused his mind, spreading his sensory perception across the land.
In an instant, everything within a radius of thousands of kilometers became clear to him. Every chakra signature, every fluctuation in power—nothing escaped his awareness.
"Strong," he muttered to himself. "Very strong. At least Chunin-level at a minimum."
By analyzing the density of the signatures, he could tell that they were organized into a hierarchy, much like the Hyuga Clan. There was a clear divide between the main family and the branch family, and they did not live together.
Then, something caught his attention.
A group of people possessing powerful ocular abilities—far stronger than even the most elite members of the Hyuga—were gathered in a ritual. He focused on their actions and quickly understood what they were doing.
They were performing a sacrificial ceremony, extracting their own Byakugan and offering them up to create something far more powerful—a Tenseigan.
Unlike the Tenseigan described in ancient texts, this one radiated an even more terrifying energy.
Just as he honed in further, the forming Tenseigan emitted a violent pulse.
A defensive reaction.
Shin staggered slightly as his mental probe was abruptly cut off.
"Did they detect me?"
He paused for a moment, then shook his head.
"No… this isn't a person noticing me. It's the Tenseigan itself. It's reacting to my presence."
Despite the setback, his lips curled into an eager grin.
That much raw ocular energy… It would be a shame not to take it for himself.
If he could absorb the power of the Tenseigan, he might achieve a transformation unlike anything seen before. His own Rinnegan, already enhanced by six tomoe, would ascend to an entirely new level.
"The Tenseigan isn't fully formed yet. If I strike at the right moment, I can take it."
With that, he suppressed his chakra presence and began moving stealthily, determined to observe his prey before making a move.
Meanwhile, deep within the hidden domain of the branch family, Otsutsuki Seitaro stood before the forming Tenseigan, his expression grim.
Something had disturbed the ritual.
"Clan Leader? What happened?" one of the elders asked nervously.
The entire area fell silent, every branch family member watching him with apprehension.
Their faction had long split from the Otsutsuki main branch due to ideological differences. They had diverged in their interpretation of their ancestor's last words.
The war-mongering Uchiha Shin had only solidified their beliefs. To the branch family, the cycle of war that had plagued the world created by the Sage of Six Paths was proof of its failure.
The main branch, however, clung to the old ways, choosing to remain passive and uninvolved, endlessly guarding the moon and its secrets.
But the branch family had grown tired of waiting.
Lacking the natural evolution necessary to awaken the Tenseigan, they had resorted to an alternative method—brutal, but effective. By sacrificing countless Byakugan, they were forcing the birth of an artificial Tenseigan.
Now, in the final stages of its formation, an unknown intruder had caused an unexpected reaction.
Seitaro narrowed his eyes.
"Someone from the outside world sensed the Tenseigan, triggering its autonomous defense mechanism."
Gasps filled the chamber.
"Could it be the main branch?" someone whispered in fear.
If the main family discovered what they were doing, they would not hesitate to annihilate them before the Tenseigan reached completion.
Seitaro, however, shook his head.
"No. They would have acted by now if they knew. The main branch are fools. This is something else."
His gaze darkened as he considered the situation further.
"The spirit beast guarding the Earth tunnel has been slain. Someone from the surface has infiltrated our domain."
A moment of silence followed before someone scoffed.
"A human from Earth? That's nothing to worry about."
"Indeed," another chimed in. "If it's just one of those pathetic ground-dwellers, they'll be easy to kill."
Others murmured in agreement, dismissing the intruder as a minor inconvenience.
Seitaro, however, was not so quick to relax.
"Do not underestimate them," he warned. "Whoever this is managed to kill our guardian beast, which means they are far from ordinary."
His sharp gaze swept across the gathered warriors.
"We are at a critical moment. The formation of the Tenseigan is nearing its final stage. This intruder is an unpredictable factor we cannot afford."
His tone hardened as he issued his command.
"Send our remaining warriors to hunt them down. Eliminate them before they can interfere."
A chorus of voices responded in unison.
"Yes, my lord!"
Without hesitation, the branch family dispatched three of their most elite warriors to intercept the intruder.
Two were high-ranking Jonin, their combat experience unparalleled.
The third was of Kage-level strength, one of the few remaining warriors who had not sacrificed his Byakugan in the ritual.
Though their numbers had dwindled due to their sacrifices, these three were still among the deadliest fighters in their clan.
And now, they had one goal:
To hunt and kill Uchiha Shin before he could lay his hands on the Tenseigan
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