Chapter 389: The Two Factions of the Ōtsutsuki
Kyōshiki's response was completely unexpected.
Without hesitation, he replied to Àoshiki, "All the energy will go to you, Àoshiki."
"What did you say?"
Àoshiki thought he had misheard.
Or perhaps Kyōshiki had misspoken.
Was he really saying he would hand over all the spoils of battle to him?
That kind of generous deal didn't sound like something his younger brother would ever agree to.
But Kyōshiki, with a straight face, said seriously, "You didn't mishear me, and I didn't misspeak. I meant exactly what I said."
"As long as we can join forces and defeat Uchiha Dali, all of his energy will be yours alone. You're my elder brother, so I'll let you evolve first."
"Once you evolve to the next level, no one will compete with me for the Chakra Fruit, and I'll soon be able to evolve as well."
Kyōshiki's words were spoken with such sincerity that even Àoshiki couldn't tell whether he was being honest or not.
After staring at him for a long moment, Àoshiki finally nodded. "Then I'll thank you for that, my good brother."
When he finished speaking, the two of them exchanged a long look, then simultaneously turned their eyes toward Uchiha Dali.
"Well then, it's time for a long-awaited collaboration," Àoshiki said with a wicked grin.
"Are you two done talking?"
Seeing them turn his way, Uchiha Dali smiled faintly and shrugged.
"Ah, so you heard everything? Looks like the two of us are partners now," Àoshiki said, staring at him with a sneer.
"Yeah, I heard," Uchiha Dali replied calmly. "Your choice was a wise one—because no matter who wins between you two, your final opponent will still be me."
"But your decision, Kyōshiki, was not exactly rational. Still, it doesn't matter."
"Before we start, there's something I need to clarify."
Uchiha Dali made his request before the fight began.
Kyōshiki asked, "What do you want to know? If it's something I know, I'll tell you."
After all, they had spent some time together before.
So Kyōshiki was still relatively friendly toward him—at least far more so than his brother Àoshiki.
Uchiha Dali turned his gaze to Àoshiki. "You mentioned 'them' earlier. Tell me—who are those people?"
"Oh? Even now, you're still concerned about that?" Àoshiki chuckled coldly. "Fine, I'll tell you. It's not like you can do anything about it anyway."
He glanced at his younger brother, then explained, "When I said 'they,' I meant the other Ōtsutsuki."
"Hm?"
"The other Ōtsutsuki?"
Uchiha Dali frowned slightly and looked around.
Then his eyes fell on Kyōshiki.
On their way here, Kyōshiki had already explained a few things to him.
This so-called Ōtsutsuki Sacred Land was actually the resting place of many Ōtsutsuki who had been buried after sacrificing themselves—a vast, collective tomb.
At the time, Uchiha Dali hadn't had the chance to ask in detail, but from Kyōshiki's words, it was clear that most of the Ōtsutsuki were already dead.
So now, hearing Àoshiki imply that there were still surviving members of the clan naturally piqued his curiosity.
Kyōshiki immediately caught the meaning in Uchiha Dali's eyes and nodded. "In the past, the Ōtsutsuki Clan was one of the most powerful races in the entire universe."
"Our members were spread across nearly every galaxy."
"But later, something happened within our clan. To make it simple, it was a conflict of interest."
"That's right," Àoshiki added, "those conflicts of interest led to feuds—just like the one between me and my brother Kyōshiki."
"Our kin have always fought and killed each other for energy. Even blood brothers were no exception."
After listening to their explanation, Uchiha Dali nodded in understanding.
Even brothers could turn against each other when it came to power great enough to make gods.
But he didn't speak—he could tell they weren't finished.
Sure enough, Àoshiki continued, "Those fights grew worse over time, eventually escalating into a massive war between different factions of the Ōtsutsuki."
"That war caused countless Ōtsutsuki deaths. It wasn't until one man stood up that the carnage finally ended."
"That man was Ōtsutsuki Shibai—the god of our clan."
"Although Shibai ended the war, he never truly resolved the root of our clan's conflict. After he ascended to a higher dimension, the remaining Ōtsutsuki naturally split into two major factions based on those past rivalries…"
After listening to the brothers' account, Uchiha Dali finally understood the situation.
The Ōtsutsuki Clan was now divided into two main factions.
One was called Tenshi, and the other Manshi.
The two factions' members were fundamentally the same—they merely represented the interests of different powerful figures.
The Tenshi faction was led by a man named Ōtsutsuki Tenshi.
The Manshi faction was ruled by another man named Ōtsutsuki Manshi.
Both factions shared the same goal: to endlessly plunder energy across the universe in order to further their evolution.
Interestingly, Àoshiki and Kyōshiki belonged to neither faction.
They rejected both sides' ideologies and planned to form their own.
However, very few Ōtsutsuki followed them, and their faction remained small.
Moreover, the brothers themselves were constantly at odds, making cooperation impossible. So, while their personal power rivaled that of Tenshi and Manshi, their reputation and influence were far weaker.
"Even though we're all Ōtsutsuki, those from different factions—or with personal ambition—often attack each other on sight, sometimes even stabbing each other in the back."
"We're no exception—and neither are you, Uchiha Dali."
"Your recent actions have undoubtedly drawn the attention of both the Tenshi and Manshi factions. Sooner or later, they'll come for you."
"No matter how strong you are, you can't possibly stand against both factions. In other words, you're doomed."
"So before that happens, why not hand over your energy to me? I'll avenge you afterward, Uchiha Dali."
Àoshiki licked his lips and grinned darkly.
His burning gaze locked on Uchiha Dali—who simply nodded, calm as ever. "Thanks for the explanation."
"Now then… let's see who comes out on top."