Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

This wasn't the first time Kirito had ventured into space.

Back at the end of the Fourth Ninja World War, he had flown into the sky alone during some free time, rushing into the vastness of space and experiencing the sensation of crossing the universe—just as the Otsutsuki clan often did.

But beyond the novelty of experiencing weightlessness for the first time and the awe of the universe's endless expanse, all that remained was boredom and loneliness.

Even watching a meteor explode—a spectacle awe-inspiring on Earth—became mundane in space. Without an atmosphere, there was no sound, no dramatic aftershocks, only fragments scattering silently.

The sheer vastness and silence of the cosmos had a way of making one feel insignificant and utterly alone.

Floating beside Kirito in the void was Little Leopard, who faced the swarm of tens of thousands of meteorites ahead and opened its massive jaws.

Hum. A terrifying energy condensed silently within its maw, radiating a crimson glow that sent shivers down the spine.

Phew! The beam of energy shot forth like a sword, slicing through the rolling meteorites. In an instant, countless meteors exploded into bright fireworks, scattering fragments across the void.

The massive meteor cluster had been reduced to small fragments, each no larger than a palm. Kirito knew that such small debris would burn up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, leaving no harm behind.

Satisfied, Kirito let the fragments pass him, descending toward Earth. He trusted Little Leopard to handle the next wave of meteorites while he reclined in the weightlessness of space, pulling out a small notebook. Pencil in hand, he began jotting down melodies that flitted through his mind.

He had heard that Naruto and Hinata had gone to the moon to rescue Hanabi. This meant Naruto and Hinata were close to achieving their happy ending, and Kirito would finally get to attend the wedding he had dreamed of in his past life.

As the first person in the ninja world to begin preparing a wedding gift for Naruto, Kirito had enrolled in a music training class a year ago. He planned to compose a special piece of music as his congratulatory gift.

To expedite the process, he had even used the Human Path ability on himself via a shadow clone, extracting memories of melodies buried deep within his subconscious.

"If the souls I once extracted with the Human Path knew I was using it like this, they'd die a second time from regret," Kirito mused.

Despite the oppressive silence of space, Kirito found it surprisingly conducive to composing. Nothing disturbed his thoughts, and no one interrupted him.

Smiling at the thought, he extended a hand and pulled a meteorite many times his size toward him. He grasped it firmly, then spun gracefully in the void before hurling the massive rock toward the uninhabited desert below.

Rumble! The meteor roared as it plunged through the atmosphere, destined to crash harmlessly in the wilderness.

"To make money, you have to play the game a little..."

This plan had been Kakashi's idea.

Kakashi knew the daimyos well. If Kirito flawlessly destroyed all the meteorites, the daimyos—devoid of any "user experience"—might underestimate the threat and start haggling over payment.

To remind them of the danger, Kirito had to let a few meteors fall in remote areas. However, finding this method tedious, Kirito had opted to personally throw the meteorites, covering his actions with illusions to maintain discretion.

Boom!

Suddenly, the calm surface of the moon erupted in a massive explosion. Two figures, one golden and one green, clashed violently on its cratered surface. The moon, already pockmarked, was further scarred by their fierce battle.

"Tenseigan…" Kirito's Byakugan glowed brighter as he focused on the green figure.

During his previous visit to the moon, Kirito had secretly absorbed the power of the Giant Tenseigan using the ability of the Preta Path, unlocking his own Tenseigan.

However, the Tenseigan's power was of little practical use to him now. Its primary value lay in satisfying his hobby of collecting rare abilities.

Boom!

Just as Kirito thought Naruto and Toneri were about to settle their battle, the moon suddenly began accelerating toward Earth.

"What the... What kind of plot twist is this?"

Observing carefully, Kirito saw that Toneri had deliberately shifted the moon's trajectory, likely in an attempt to unnerve Naruto and gain an advantage.

"This won't do."

As the moon barreled toward him, Kirito extended his hand, channeling the power of his Tenseigan to suppress Toneri's chakra and force the moon to halt.

If the moon came too close to Earth, it would fragment under gravitational forces, unleashing more meteorites and increasing Kirito's workload. Worse, the moon itself could shatter and vanish.

Out of both professional obligation and personal sentiment, Kirito couldn't let that happen.

Boom!

The sudden stop sent shockwaves across the moon, collapsing its surface and leaving Naruto and Toneri dazed. Fortunately, the moon's desolate environment minimized collateral damage.

As the dust settled and confusion reigned, Kirito's voice echoed across the lunar battlefield:

"Stop messing with the moon, or I won't hesitate to create a new one with Chibaku Tensei."

"Who are you? How can you control the moon?!" Toneri shouted, his voice laced with desperation as he realized someone had thwarted his plans.

Naruto, recognizing the voice, smirked. "This is perfect. Now I don't have to hold back."

With Kirito assisting from afar, Naruto no longer felt constrained.

"Damn it! How is this possible? I am the one who inherited my ancestor's will!" Toneri screamed. But no matter how much he poured his Tenseigan's power into controlling the moon, it refused to budge.

Frustrated, Toneri turned his full attention back to Naruto, determined to win their battle.

"Alright, back to work," Kirito said to himself, satisfied that things were progressing smoothly.

As Little Leopard opened its mouth to target another wave of meteorites, Kirito returned to his notebook, humming softly:

"…from heart to body, from body to heart…"

(End of this chapter)