Izuna flies over the clouds and spots the intruder. 

"I was expecting you to appear," Izuna remarks as he confronts the figure.

"Jigen… or should I say… Isshiki Otsutsuki!"

Izuna calmly observes the person in front of him. During their last meeting, Jigen's face was covered slightly, obscuring his features. Jigen also scrutinizes Izuna.

The Jigen in front of him is a fairly tall man with a light complexion. He sports a shaved head and a long mohawk of black hair tied in a long ponytail style reaching his lower back. He has pronounced eye ridges void of brows, a broad nose, and large black eyes. There is a diamond-shaped Kāma mark on his chin and a Roman numeral "Ⅳ" tattooed below his left eye.

He also wears black nail polish on his fingernails and toenails, five red earrings on the top of each ear, and an additional one at the bottom of each ear.

He dons a flowing white robe with black vertical lines on the sleeves and coattails and his personal crest on the back. The robe is loosely fastened at the waist with a tasseled belt, worn with a matching red hair tie, collar, waistband, bracers, and pants, all decorated with red pearl studs and simple sandals.

"YOU… WHO ARE YOU?!" Jigen slowly phrases these words.

Even he, an Otsutsuki, is unable to sense the energy of the being in front of him. There are only two possibilities for this to happen. The person he is confronting has an extremely powerful concealment divine technique, or the person is much stronger than him.

"Looks like your memory doesn't serve you well." Izuna removes the veil concealing his energy.

"So, it's you!" Slight surprise appears on Jigen's face. He recalls this shinobi from five years ago.

"I didn't expect a dying man to change his fate and recover."

Isshiki activates the Dojutsu in his right eye. A dharma wheel with eight spokes appears in his right eye. He uses the visual prowess of his unique eye to observe Izuna's life force. Izuna's body exudes a dense, flame-like life force aura.

"Hmm… your abilities seem to have improved a little. Even the Ten-tail's Jinchuriki wasn't able to sense my presence, but you spotted me in an instant. That, I have to give it to you."

"Should I feel happy for your praise?" Izuna tilts his head with a slight smile on his face.

 "Even though you have long betrayed your clan, you still have designs on the Ten Tail seedling and the chakra fruit. Do you also want to escape the fate of being consumed by others like your ancestor, Shibai Otsutsuki?" Izuna's lips curl up in a smile.

"That name!" Jigen's eyes narrow and a threatening aura escapes from his body.

"How do you know about him?" He demands.

His aura and chakra heavily press into Izuna's body, attempting to suppress him to his will.

"Did that traitor Amado reveal it to you? No, that shouldn't be! Even he didn't have access to such a level of information. So, tell me how?" Isshiki glares at Izuna.

"Now… now… why don't you calm down and have a conversation like a civilized person?" Izuna waves his hand.

Hmm…

Isshiki suppresses his emotions and regains his composure.

"So, you plan to interfere in my plan again?"

"What if I am?"

Snap…

Izuna snaps his finger. The next second, their surroundings instantly change.

A red sky replaces the blue sky with faint black gas clouds.

"This is… Space Time Shinjutsu!"

Isshiki stares at his surroundings in surprise.

"Our conversation might get heated. So, I chose a suitable venue."

Isshiki's expression turns serious. He enters in a combat stance, ready to intercept Izuna. Izuna, instead, leisurely stands in his place.

"Looks like our roles have reversed from the previous time."

"YOU! How are you so strong?" Isshiki scans Izuna's chakra with his Byakugan.

However, a thin film of barrier blocks his senses.

"I don't like peeping toms." Izuna grins.

"Also, I don't have any intention of fighting you. I just want to talk with you." Izuna ignores Isshiki's tense expression and continues.

"A few millennia ago, a prodigal figure appeared in the Otsutsuki clan. He was of royal blood, with abilities far surpassing his peers and other family members. His name was Shibai Otsutsuki."

Izuna pauses and glances at Isshiki. Isshiki glares at Izuna with clenched fists.

"Shibai was a valiant man with ambitions. He fought and won several battles against the members of the Astral demon clan. His heroic deeds even attracted the attention of the Otsutsuki clan leader. Seeing his achievements, the Otsutsuki clan leader entrusted a very important mission to him." Izuna glances at Isshiki with a smile.

"Pfft… Haha…"

Suddenly, Izuna burst out in laughter.

"I am sure you know what kind of mission he was entrusted with?" Izuna stares into Isshiki's eyes.

"After all, aren't you also completing a similar mission?"

Isshiki's expression turns ugly at these words.

"So, Shibai accepted this 'very important' mission. He invaded countless civilizations. Over several millennia, Shibai repeatedly resurrected himself using Kāma, during which he ate many Chakra Fruits. His power rose steadily, and he awakened several powers. Then the fated day came…"

Izuna's voice turns oppressive.

"… the day of harvest. Unbeknownst to Shibai, the Clan Leader of the Otsutsuki clan also cultivated him to be an offering. And all these chakra fruits he ate were his nutrition. This is the ultimate of every Otsutsuki clan member, isn't it? Once the Otsutsuki clan leader harvests them, they will die for good and not even the Kama could resurrect them. Ain't I right, Mister Isshiki Otsutsuki." Izuna has a mocking expression on his face.

"The Otsutsuki clan members consider themselves as the most supreme being, while other civilizations and worlds are their gardens, their food source. However, who would've known that they themselves were food on someone else table?"

"How do you know this secret?" Isshiki asks in a chilling tone.

"Hehe… there are many other secrets of the Otsutsuki clan that I know. But there is no need for you to learn them. So, where were we… Ah yes! About Shibai Otsutsuki's growing power…" Izuna continues his story.

"Shibai's rate of growth was far beyond the expectations of the Otsutsuki clan leader. In his pursuit of power, Shibai sacrificed countless worlds. He was indifferent to the countless sacrificed living beings he brutally massacred so the Chakra Fruits would come to fruition. In just a few millennia, his power rapidly grew close to the Otsutsuki clan leader. After eating so many chakra fruits and rebirths and gaining godlike powers, Shibai also came to be aware of the schemes in the dark."

Izuna extends his hands and produces two chakra fruits. One of them is dark red while the other fruit is light red. Instead of continuing his story, he turns to Isshiki and asks him.

"What do you think is the difference between these two, other than their color?"

Isshiki's expression turns ugly, but he doesn't open his mouth.

"You don't want to speak, then let me answer it for you!"

A faint purple flame appears in Izuna's right hand. The flame envelops the dark red chakra fruit.

A few seconds later, black smoke escapes from the dark red chakra fruit and turns into a malevolent figure. Before the malevolent figure could take its shape, Izuna waves his hand and seals it away.

He performs a similar action to the light red chakra fruit, but nothing happens. No black smoke escapes from the light red chakra fruit.

"So, did you notice the difference? I am sure you did!"

"Why are you telling me all of this?" Isshiki glares at Izuna.

"Well, because this explanation is for the readers." Izuna chuckles.

"Besides, dead people can't keep a secret and I still have some use for your body."

"YOU!"

Isshiki immediately launches an attack on Izuna.

"Daikokuten,"

Isshiki activates the ability of his right eye and launches a series of massive black receiver rods toward Izuna.

Izuna draws the katana on his waist and swings it a few times.

Clang… clang… clang…

With a metallic noise, the black receiver rods fall to the ground into pieces.

Bang… bang… bang…

Several massive black disruption cubes fall from the sky. These cubes have several Fuinjutsu inscriptions on them that disrupt the energy in the surroundings, making the use of any technique ineffective.

Izuna clenches his fist and punches the cube, falling directly on top of him.

Bang…

The cube is sent flying by his punch with several cracks on its surface.

"What a waste of such a precious material?" Izuna clicks his tongue.

These disruption cubes are made of an extremely rare metal in the universe called Astralith ore and possess extraordinary abilities. Isshiki's usage of them is too crass, as he is basically using these cubes as weights to smash his enemies.

"You know, there is more to the story of Shibai Otsutsuki than that…"

While dodging Isshiki's attacks, Izuna continues the story of Shibai Otsutsuki.

********************************

A/N:- The fated battle between Izuna and Madara is here. Join my pat reon at:

www.pa treon.com/ForgottenLife

to read it in advance.