"Vacuum Strike!"
A long-range Gentle Fist technique resembling the Eight Trigrams Air Palm was unleashed from Otsutsuki Toneri’s hands.
However, its power was countless times greater than the Eight Trigrams Air Palm of the Hyuga clan.
Driven by an overwhelming concentration of chakra, the compressed force transformed into a gigantic fist and came crashing toward Renji.
"As expected... this is the true combat technique of the Otsutsuki clan."
To be honest, the techniques of the Hyuga clan were rather lackluster.
But fighting against a true member of the Otsutsuki clan was an entirely different matter.
Although both clans were descendants of Otsutsuki Hamura, the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths, it seemed that the Otsutsuki who had settled on the Moon were the ones who had truly inherited Hamura’s teachings.
As for the Hyuga clan that remained on Earth, either the most original methods of cultivation had been lost during the process of transmission, or they had simply been learning an incomplete version from the very beginning.
"Still, with this level of power, I might actually take you seriously if Otsutsuki Hamura himself came here. But with your pathetic abilities, forget it."
Renji suddenly drew the Zanpakuto from his waist.
Roaring flames erupted and swallowed everything within the range of the Byakugan’s vision.
Naturally, that included the compressed fist force rushing toward Renji.
In an instant, the flames completely overwhelmed it and sent the attack flying back toward its source.
"Dad!"
Otsutsuki Toneri cried out in alarm.
Despite being blind, Toneri possessed sensory abilities comparable to those of Senju Tobirama, allowing him to perceive his surroundings without relying on sight.
"In-Yō: Palm Rotation!"
The ancient version of the Palm Rotation inherited from the ancient era of the Ninja Sect, formed from intertwined black and white chakra, also erupted with defensive power far beyond that of the original technique.
It actually managed to withstand the assault of Ryujin Jakka for a short period of time.
"How long can that thing hold out?"
Renji smiled faintly.
He gathered the flames around the blade and swung it outward.
Endless flames formed a massive sphere of fire, far larger than the Palm Rotation, completely enclosing the black-and-white rotation without leaving a single opening.
"Flame Prison City!"
Very soon, Otsutsuki Masato’s heart-wrenching screams came from inside the sphere of flames.
"Dad!!!"
Otsutsuki Toneri screamed in horror.
Bang!
Before he could react any further, a foot kicked him hard to the ground.
Just like Kakashi had once stepped on Sasuke’s head during their practical training, Renji likewise planted his foot firmly on the head of this arrogant little brat.
"Mr. Renji!"
Hinata hurried over, still breathing slightly heavily, with several beads of sweat on her forehead.
This was the first time she had personally witnessed Renji fighting in a real battle.
He was... far, far too strong...
"As for this brat, I really can’t think of a reason to let him live."
Renji glanced at Otsutsuki Toneri, who was desperately struggling beneath his foot.
The moment he thought about how this brat was just like his father—another idiot who spent all day thinking about destroying the world for no reason—he felt that keeping him alive would only bring disaster.
Not to mention that this brat had already developed possessive thoughts toward Hinata.
Renji simply could not summon even the slightest trace of sympathy for him.
"Damn it! Let me go!"
Toneri turned his head and shouted angrily.
"Don’t worry. I’ll make it quick."
Renji pressed the tip of his blade against the back of Toneri’s neck.
The next instant, without the slightest hesitation, he thrust it inward.
But just as the blade of the Zanpakuto was about to pierce through Toneri’s neck, Renji and Hinata suddenly felt the world around them spin.
The scene before their eyes seemed to twist and whirl as though they were being dragged through a space-time tunnel.
Yet the entire process lasted less than the blink of an eye.
"This... where are we...?"
Hinata looked around curiously.
"A sealing space?"
Renji instinctively spoke.
Indeed, this place was extremely similar to the sealing space within Kushina’s inner world where the Nine-Tails was sealed.
However, there were no Tailed Beasts here, nor was there anything resembling a sealing formation.
The vast, empty world contained nothing except a thin layer of water beneath their feet.
"That brat called Toneri doesn’t have the ability to use a jutsu of this level to drag me into a mental world. More precisely, there aren’t many people in this world who can."
Renji turned his head toward the empty spiritual realm and smiled.
His tone remained completely calm as he spoke.
"I’m also quite proficient in mental attacks. Destroying this world wouldn’t be difficult at all. Want to experience it?"
"You cowardly little mouse."
"I’ll count to three."
Renji raised his right index finger.
"..."
The next second, he raised his middle finger.
"Two..."
Another second passed.
Just as Renji slightly opened his mouth to utter the final number...
"There’s no need to be so impatient, young one."
At that final moment, an ancient and powerful voice came from behind them.
"I am the guardian of the age of the Ninja Sect. My name is Otsutsuki Hamura..."
Hinata suddenly turned her head.
The sight of the old man before her caused her little face to fill with astonishment once again.
Just like the father and son they had encountered moments ago, his entire body was pale.
His skin, hair, and even eyes were all white.
Wait...
His eyes?
Hinata carefully observed him.
She discovered that although this old man’s apparent age was at least eighty years old, his eye sockets were not filled with the pure white eyes possessed by herself and the Otsutsuki father and son.
Instead, within the white of his Byakugan-like eyes was another mysterious, deep-blue color.
"You brothers really do like playing the same tricks."
Compared to Hinata, Renji remained remarkably calm.
In fact, from the instant he had been dragged into this spiritual world, he had already vaguely guessed what had happened.
As well as who the true master of this place was.
"Otsutsuki Hamura."
Renji slowly turned around and faced the old man sitting cross-legged in midair behind him.
Their eyes met.
"O-Otsutsuki Hamura?"
Hinata’s small mouth fell slightly open.
The name sounded vaguely familiar.
She had seen it mentioned in the ancient records of the Hyuga clan.
"Are you residing within this brat’s spiritual world?"
Renji’s eyes contained not the slightest trace of reverence. Instead, there was a hint of indifferent disdain.
"You and your brother have clearly been dead for several thousand years. How are you still able to exist?"
Near the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, the Sage of Six Paths and his brother—two old corpses who should have been dead for thousands of years—had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and handed out power-ups.
They directly elevated Naruto and Sasuke from the Super Kage level to the Six Paths level.
In the span of only three days during the Fourth Great Ninja War, those two had completed an absurd leap from Kage level to Super Kage level and then to Six Paths level.
The sheer rate of their power increase was enough to make countless transmigrators feel ashamed of themselves.
"...Young one, you seem to have some prejudice against the actions of my brother and me. However, there was a reason why the two of us left our chakra behind in this world. It was to..."
After a brief silence, Otsutsuki Hamura—or rather, Hamura’s chakra—spoke once again.
But Renji impatiently interrupted him.
"Enough, enough, enough. Stop wasting time."
"I have absolutely no interest in what you two old corpses are trying to accomplish."
"I’m only curious about how the hell you managed to remain un-dead for several thousand years."