章 10: Chapter 10: The Shadows of the Otsutsuki
The moon hung low over the forest, casting pale silver light through the gaps in the canopy. Zaky stirred awake under the sprawling tree where he had made camp, the cool night air brushing against his skin. As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he felt an uneasy heaviness settle over him—like a presence, cold and ancient, pressing against the edges of his awareness.
He wasn't alone.
For a moment, he lay still, heart pounding, listening to the forest around him. Nothing seemed out of place—the wind stirred the leaves, distant insects chirped, and the stream trickled lazily in the distance. But the weight in the air wasn't something he could hear. It was inside him, deep in his mind, as if his very soul carried a shadow that refused to leave.
The Otsutsuki bloodline...
Zaky sat up slowly, careful not to wake Chibi, who was curled beside him. The little creature twitched in its sleep, letting out a faint chirp, but stayed bundled up in a ball of fur.
The unsettling presence gnawed at Zaky's senses, a subtle reminder of what he was becoming—or perhaps, what he had always been since the moment he woke in this body. The Otsutsuki weren't just powerful beings. They were predators—invaders who traveled between worlds, devouring planets for sustenance and leaving ruin in their wake.
It hit him all at once: This is the blood I carry now.
He glanced down at his pale hands, flexing his fingers. Even though he hadn't yet unlocked the full potential of Urashiki's abilities, the power that pulsed beneath his skin felt alien. Dangerous. It was as if the essence of the Otsutsuki clan was stirring within him, whispering dark promises in a language he didn't understand.
The night felt colder, sharper. Zaky wrapped his cloak tighter around his shoulders, trying to steady his breathing. He hadn't asked to become this, to carry the legacy of a cosmic parasite—but there was no escaping it now.
"If this power is mine, I have to learn to control it."
He shut his eyes, concentrating on that strange pulse of energy deep within. The more he tried to focus, the clearer it became—like an ancient echo calling out from the void. But this time, it wasn't just the hum of his temporal abilities. It was something else. Something older, darker.
A flicker of memory brushed against his mind—a vision of other Otsutsuki.
Kaguya, cold and ruthless, her presence like a looming storm.
Momoshiki, hungry and arrogant, always reaching for more power.
Kinshiki, a silent brute, loyal only to strength.
And now, Urashiki, the persona he inhabited, known for his sly cunning and greed. Each of these figures loomed in the shadows of Zaky's consciousness, like fragments of a nightmare waiting to be pieced together.
The visions left a bitter taste in Zaky's mouth. He felt the weight of the Otsutsuki legacy pressing down on him—not just as a burden, but as a demand. Power wasn't just a tool for survival. It was a hunger that needed to be fed. And the Otsutsuki didn't stop at survival; they consumed until there was nothing left.
Could he resist that hunger? Or would it devour him, just as it had consumed the others?
The Villain System chimed softly in his mind, as if answering his unspoken thoughts.
"Reminder: Embrace the villain within. Progress toward power requires sacrifice."
Zaky stared into the darkness around him, his heart heavy. The system was nudging him forward, encouraging him to give in—to shed his old ideals and step fully into the role of a villain.
Chibi stirred beside him, yawning and blinking sleepily up at him. Its innocent eyes met his, and for a moment, Zaky felt grounded. The little creature was a reminder that, even in this strange new world, not everything was lost. But he couldn't let that comfort distract him.
"Come on, Chibi," he whispered, gently nudging the creature awake. "We've got work to do."
They needed to move before dawn. The Hidden Leaf Village lay ahead, and if Zaky wanted to survive—if he wanted to complete the mission—he needed to get stronger.
Chibi hopped to its feet, chirping enthusiastically, as if eager to accompany him on whatever dark path lay ahead. Zaky gave the little creature a fond smile, grateful for its loyalty, even if he wasn't sure he deserved it.
As they walked deeper into the forest, Zaky's thoughts returned to the visions of the Otsutsuki. He couldn't ignore the question that had been gnawing at him since the moment he woke in Urashiki's body: How much of me is still Zaky? And how much of me is becoming Urashiki?
The lines were starting to blur. Every time he used his abilities, every time he embraced the dark path laid out by the Villain System, he felt a little less like the person he had been in his past life.
But maybe that was the point. Maybe the person he used to be—the anime fan, the office worker, the dreamer—had no place in this world.
He had a chance now, a chance to be more than just a background character in someone else's story. He could carve out a new identity, one built on power and survival. But to do that, he would have to stop clinging to who he used to be.
As they walked, the forest opened up to reveal a wide, open plain bathed in moonlight. In the distance, Zaky could see the faint outlines of mountains—silent and foreboding against the night sky. Somewhere beyond those mountains lay the Hidden Leaf Village.
He stopped at the edge of the clearing, gazing out at the distant peaks. A strange sense of determination settled over him—a cold, resolute clarity.
He wasn't just walking toward the village. He was walking toward a new future, one where power would be his to wield.
The Villain System chimed again, its message brief but clear.
"Villain Path Alignment: +3."
Zaky clenched his fists, feeling the pulse of energy stir once more within him. He knew now that the path ahead wouldn't be easy. But he also knew that he couldn't afford to hesitate. Not anymore.
The shadows of the Otsutsuki loomed over him, their legacy a constant reminder of the power he carried. And for the first time since his arrival, Zaky felt ready to step into that shadow—ready to become whatever he needed to be to survive.
He gave one last glance toward the distant mountains, then turned to Chibi with a grim smile.
"Let's go," he said softly. "We've got a legacy to build."
And with that, Zaky and Chibi set off into the night, the shadows of the Otsutsuki following close behind.
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