In a separate dimension.
A man with the Roman numeral VI carved into his face stared coldly at the massive Ten-Tails before him.
If Amado Sanzu were here, he would have recognized him immediately.
This man was Code, the person he had been desperately searching for.
"Roar!"
The Ten-Tails roared furiously, its ten tails thrashing wildly through the air.
Watching it, Code muttered, "Are you angry too?"
"Of course you are... Lord Isshiki was killed by a lowly human. That is absolutely unforgivable."
"But do not worry. I will avenge Lord Isshiki."
"So hurry and grow. Become a part of my evolution into a perfect Ōtsutsuki."
As soon as Code finished speaking, both of his hands transformed into sharp claws and raked viciously across the Ten-Tails' body.
The next moment, enormous claw-shaped markings spread over the Ten-Tails' body and began tightening inward.
The Ten-Tails let out a pained roar, but it could not break free from the restraints Isshiki Ōtsutsuki had left on it.
After a moment, the claw marks finally stopped contracting.
Seeing this, an unhappy look crossed Code's face.
He glanced down at his hands and muttered, "I should have known Amado would betray the organization. I never should have let him place limiters on me."
Without those limiters, he would have already completed the Ten-Tails' transformation.
Code sat on the ground, boredly staring up at the pitch-black sky.
At this rate, it would take less than a year to finish modifying the Ten-Tails.
Once that happened, he could use the Ten-Tails' power to shatter the limiters on his body in one fell swoop.
With his own power combined with the Ten-Tails, he would become a true Ōtsutsuki.
Then he would kill Uchiha Yuzuru and absorb all the life energy of the shinobi world. No one in this world would ever be able to threaten him again.
He would fulfill the promise he had made to Lord Isshiki, devouring everything step by step until he took Isshiki's place and evolved into an unrivaled "god"!
Just as Code was idly lost in thought, a man's voice suddenly sounded beside him.
"So this is the separate dimension Isshiki Ōtsutsuki left behind?"
"I finally found it. A second Ten-Tails!"
Code jolted to his feet and immediately leaped backward.
Only after putting enough distance between them did he finally look at the man who had appeared beside him without warning.
"Uchiha... Yuzuru?!"
After recognizing him, Code swallowed nervously, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.
Although he had always regarded Yuzuru as his primary target, he clearly understood that he was no match for him right now.
Even Lord Isshiki had died at his hands after reincarnating through Jigen's body.
'Damn it, why is he here?'
'When did he arrive? Why did I not sense him at all...?'
Yuzuru had not even spared him a glance from beginning to end, and Code's nerves were stretched to their limit.
After thinking for several seconds, he decided to strike first.
"Claw Attack!"
Code's hands turned into claws as he slashed through the air at Yuzuru.
Clang!
A pitch-black barrier appeared before Yuzuru, effortlessly blocking Code's attack.
"Damn it, it did nothing!"
Seeing his attack so easily stopped, Code's heart sank.
His claw attack came from the power of Shibai Ōtsutsuki. It was a form of Shinjutsu.
Even the Ten-Tails would suffer wounds that could not heal if it were struck by that attack.
Yet Yuzuru had blocked it so casually.
Code immediately realized that they were not even on the same level.
At that moment, Yuzuru waved a hand and shattered the seal restraining the Ten-Tails.
To Code's surprise, the Ten-Tails did not go berserk and attack them as he had expected.
Instead, it lowered itself to the ground like a docile lamb.
"The Ten-Tails can feel fear?"
Sensing its emotions, Code became even more wary of Yuzuru.
The Ten-Tails had an extremely violent nature.
Even when facing Isshiki, it had displayed a clear desire to attack.
Yet before Yuzuru, it had become so obedient...
That abnormal behavior only reinforced Code's decision.
'I have to run!'
Without hesitating further, Code attempted to escape through one of his Claw Marks.
But in the next second, he froze.
No matter how he circulated the power within his body, he could not sense any of the Claw Marks he had placed in the outside world.
"How can this be...?"
Code muttered in disbelief.
After activating his Shinjutsu, he could mix his chakra with the iron in his blood to create belt-like objects resembling claw marks.
Through those Claw Marks, he could achieve an effect similar to spatial movement.
But now, he could not sense a single Claw Mark he had left outside.
He had been able to sense them just moments ago...
With that thought, Code suddenly turned his gaze toward Yuzuru.
"Was it... you?"
"Sealing space is a power even Lord Isshiki never possessed. How can you possibly do something like that?!"
Hearing Code's panicked outburst, Yuzuru, who had been observing the Ten-Tails, finally turned to look at him.
The instant he did, a pair of deep, pitch-black eyes entered Code's vision.
They looked ordinary, yet seemed to contain an endless sea of stars.
At last, Yuzuru spoke.
"Why do you think that because Isshiki Ōtsutsuki could not do something, I cannot do it either?"
Code snapped, "Because you are only a human! What gives you the right?!"
"What gives me the right?"
Yuzuru gave a soft snort and slowly said, "Anything Isshiki Ōtsutsuki can do, I can do. Anything Isshiki Ōtsutsuki cannot do, I can still do."
"Above heaven and below earth, I alone am supreme."
"That is what it means to be an Emperor. Is that clear enough?"
After saying that, Yuzuru spoke softly.
"Sage Art: Kirin!"
As though his words had become law, heavy black clouds immediately gathered above Code.
Within them, a terrifying thunder beast extended its enormous head, opening its jaws as deafening thunder erupted from its throat.
"Gulp..."
"This power is completely different from the intelligence we gathered before."
"I... I have been trying to fight a monster like this all along?"
Before Code could finish speaking, the Kirin thunder beast descended from the heavens in an instant.
Boom!
With a thunderous explosion, Code's body was reduced to ash and vanished from the spot.