Isshiki Otsutsuki looked at the golden light barrier rising around him. This was the sealing barrier prepared in advance by Minato Namikaze, infused with high-density Sage Chakra. It resembled a giant birdcage, completely sealing off the space within a hundred meters.
"You think a barrier of this level can trap me?"
Jigen roared, black markings spreading frantically across his body. This was the Karma overdrawing the final life force of this physical vessel.
He raised his black rod, attempting to pierce the barrier.
However, the moment he acted, a bone-chilling cold descended from above.
The sky went dark.
Jigen looked up sharply.
What blocked the moonlight was not dark clouds, but a mouth.
A gargantuan mouth of an exaggerated size, covered in eerie purple sage patterns.
Gamakon's form expanded to its absolute limit in that moment. It was not just simple giantization like a summoned beast; it was the revelation of his true form as a Sage Beast King.
Purple sage energy, like physical tentacles, blocked off all space for Jigen to evade.
"Little snack, stop struggling."
Gamakon's voice seemed to come from all directions, carrying a playful rumble. "I've reserved a VIP booth for you in my stomach."
"Damn inferior creature!"
A flash of resolve crossed Jigen's eyes. His body instantly shrank, attempting to use Sukunahikona to reduce himself to a microscopic level and escape through a gap in the barrier or the soil underground.
As long as he became small enough, nothing could stop him.
But he had miscalculated.
Gamakon did not use his teeth to bite. Instead, he took a deep breath.
"Heavenly Devour."
Two simple words, yet they triggered a spatial collapse.
Jigen discovered to his horror that the surrounding air, light, and even gravity were converging toward that bottomless, massive mouth.
Because his mass had lightened due to shrinking, he was even less able to resist this terrifying suction.
"No! This is impossible! What kind of jutsu is this?!"
Jigen's voice was torn to shreds in the storm.
The spatial ninjutsu he took such pride in was useless against this pure sage power.
The mouth did not lead to an esophagus, but to a separate dimension outside the Shinobi World.
This was the Sumeru Sealing Gamakon had refined in his abdomen, modeled after a small world, after condensing his Sage Energy Core.
"Aaaaaah—!"
With one final, shrill scream, the figure that had terrified Kaguya for a thousand years was sucked into that purple, abyssal maw like a speck of dust, leaving no suspense.
*Gulp.*
Gamakon closed his mouth, his Adam's apple bobbing.
The sage energy within the barrier dissipated. Gamakon quickly shrank back to his original palm-sized form and hopped back onto Minato Namikaze's shoulder.
He reached out a claw to pat his belly and let out a burp.
"Burp—"
"The texture is terrible," Gamakon smacked his lips, looking disgusted. "It's like expired chicken that's been in the freezer for three years, with a muddy aftertaste."
A deathly silence blanketed the entire forest.
Jiraiya's mouth hung wide open; his jaw nearly hit the ground.
Orochimaru's vertical pupils constricted to needlepoints. He stared fixedly at Gamakon's white belly, as if trying to see through the skin to its internal structure.
And the one with the strongest reaction was Kaguya Otsutsuki.
She floated in mid-air, her eyes wide and round. Her originally cold and proud expression was now replaced by pure shock.
'Is it over?'
'That Isshiki... the one with powerful ocular jutsu who once drove me into a corner... was he just eaten?'
'Just what kind of creature is this toad?'
Kaguya slowly descended to the ground, her bare feet stepping onto the withered leaves without making a sound.
She did not dare approach Gamakon. Standing several meters away, the veins around her Byakugan pulsed as her gaze locked onto Gamakon's stomach.
"Is he... dead?"
Kaguya's voice trembled slightly, seeking confirmation with a hint of disbelief.
"He's not completely dead, but it's close enough."
Gamakon lazily picked his ear. "My stomach contains its own space, isolated from the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Inside, he can neither absorb chakra nor use spatial ninjutsu. He can only be slowly digested by my sage energy."
"However, that guy is an Otsutsuki after all. His life force is as stubborn as a cockroach. He can probably hold out for a few hours."
Hearing this, Kaguya did not relax; instead, she became even more tense.
She squeezed her eyes shut. Her immense perception spread out like a tide, covering the entire Land of Fire and even extending toward more distant continents.
She was searching.
Searching to see if any other Karma existed in this world.
The most terrifying thing about the Otsutsuki clan was not their combat power, but their virus-like reincarnation ability.
As long as a single vessel engraved with Karma existed, Isshiki could return to life at any time.
One minute passed, then two...
Fine beads of cold sweat broke out on Kaguya's forehead.
Minato Namikaze did not disturb her. He stood silently to the side, his kunai still held in a defensive stance, ready to strike at any moment.
Finally, Kaguya opened her eyes.
She exhaled a long breath, and her tense shoulders slumped. It was as if a thousand-year-old burden had been lifted from her.
"There are no more..."
Kaguya murmured to herself. A smile of relief touched the corners of her mouth—a smile that was part sorrowful and part triumphant. "That Jigen was indeed his last vessel."
"The failed experimental subjects have long been destroyed, and as for a new vessel... he had not had the time to finish engraving it."
Upon hearing Kaguya's confirmation, everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.
"In that case."
Orochimaru stepped forward, licking his lips as a thirst for knowledge flickered in his eyes. "Princess Kaguya, I have a question."
Kaguya glanced at him. Before, she would not have deigned to acknowledge such a mortal.
But now, her mood was good.
"Speak," Kaguya said coldly.
"How does one completely kill an Otsutsuki?"
Orochimaru's question went straight to the heart of the matter. "Since they can reincarnate through Karma, does that mean as long as the Karma remains, the soul will not perish? Although we have trapped him now, if we kill him, will his soul drift away to find a next host?"
This was a crucial question.
If physical destruction could not reach the soul, then an Otsutsuki was an immortal phantom.
Kaguya was silent for a moment.
She looked at Gamakon's bulging belly, a flash of ruthlessness in her eyes.
"An Otsutsuki's reincarnation has conditions."
Kaguya explained. "Karma is compressed Otsutsuki data. When the Otsutsuki's physical body dies, the soul resides within the Karma. As the data unfreezes, it gradually takes over the vessel's body, eventually completing the resurrection."
"But..."
Kaguya paused, seemingly weighing whether to reveal this secret.
However, seeing Minato's blue eyes—seemingly gentle yet profound—and that unfathomable toad, she chose to be honest.
"The surest way is to let him resurrect."
"Resurrect?" Jiraiya scratched his head. "Isn't that just letting the tiger back onto the mountain?"
"No."
Kaguya shook her head. "Jigen's body has already collapsed. If Isshiki chooses to force a reincarnation on Jigen, although he will briefly regain his Otsutsuki body, his lifespan will be shortened to just a few days or even a few hours because of the vessel's poor quality."
"As long as we are sure this is his final body, killing him in that state..."
A red light flashed in Kaguya's eyes. "That would be true death. The soul will be annihilated, with no possibility of resurrection."
"I see."
Orochimaru gave a low chuckle. "A cruel yet perfect mechanism."
The group looked at each other.
Now that they knew the way to end Isshiki for good, the rest was simple.
"Let's take Lady Kaguya back first."
Minato broke the silence. He looked at Kaguya. "This is not the place to talk. We need to plan carefully regarding how to deal with other Otsutsuki in the future."
Kaguya nodded.
After confirming that Isshiki had been subdued, her attitude toward this group of Konoha shinobi softened considerably.
At least, these people had demonstrated decent capability.
"I am tired."
Kaguya said flatly. "Prepare a quiet place for me."
"Of course."
After Minato used the Flying Thunder God to send Kaguya back, Orochimaru seemed to sense something. He turned to Minato and said, "Wouldn't it be a shame if that Isshiki Otsutsuki really died?"
The group looked at each other and couldn't help but burst into laughter.