Bab 275: Chapter 275
[RUSH TIME TILL THE END OF THIS FANFIC!!!]
[100 PS = 1 CHAPTER!]
The bond between Naruto and Sasuke might be seen as destiny, or perhaps inevitability. But this destiny and inevitability had to begin with a confrontation.
Despite the changes in their circumstances, Sasuke didn't experience the tragedy of his clan's massacre, had no need to seek out another master, and received full support and training from the entire Uchiha clan.
One could say that Sasuke was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.
On the other hand, Naruto, due to Jiraiya's influence, still lost his parents at a young age, just as in the original timeline. However, with Kyomu's intervention, Naruto no longer had the Nine-Tails as a trump card, losing the most significant advantage that would allow him to compete with Sasuke.
But in place of the Nine-Tails, there was Isshiki.
Although the Karma seal imprinted on Naruto by Isshiki had more drawbacks than benefits, in terms of sheer power boost, it was clearly much stronger than the Nine-Tails.
As for the outcome of the battle between Naruto and Sasuke, it was truly anyone's guess.
At the same time, as Naruto and Sasuke clashed, the other top young talents of the Land of Dragons also selected their opponents.
However, no matter how they divided themselves, some found it difficult to engage in one-on-one combat.
Neji, Hinata, and Toneri—three top geniuses from the Hyūga clan—along with Lee, who trained under Might Guy, respectively faced off against the last remaining remnants of the Four Great Nations: Kurotsuchi, Suigetsu, Deidara, and Gaara.
As for Shikamaru, Chōji, and Ino, they didn't get a chance to fight individually and had to work together to deal with the Kara organization's outer members, who outnumbered them several times over.
Although the individual combat power of these outer members wasn't particularly strong, their overwhelming numbers put considerable pressure on Shikamaru, Chōji, Ino, and the others, rivaling the challenges faced by Neji and his group.
Additionally, Kimimaro, the human weapon, didn't involve himself in the battles of the younger generation. With his age and strength, he was destined for high-level combat.
His targets were Ao, whose body had been modified by Jigen, and Akatsuchi, the former bodyguard of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, who bore the Karma seal.
Meanwhile, Madara and Itachi, who were overseeing the battlefield, still had no intention of joining the fight. They were waiting for Jigen.
In truth, Madara alone was sufficient. While it couldn't be said that he would defeat Jigen with absolute certainty, it would be difficult for him to be defeated in a short time.
Moreover, there was a chance that Jigen might even lose to Madara.
Jigen was indeed powerful, but his strength relied on the Karma seal bestowed by Isshiki. However, now that Isshiki's focus had shifted to Naruto, the power Jigen could draw from Isshiki through the Karma seal had significantly diminished.
In this situation, Madara was unlikely to lose.
With Itachi as a backup, the two of them were more than enough to deal with Jigen, ensuring the safety of the new generation of the Land of Dragons and allowing them to fight to their heart's content.
In the shadows.
Hagoromo and his younger brother, Hamura, were silently observing the battlefield. The moment Naruto was transported from Kara's base in another dimension to the ninja world, the Asura chakra within him caught Hagoromo's attention.
However, neither Hagoromo nor Hamura could reveal themselves, so they could only watch from the Pure Land.
In the Pure Land, Hamura stared at the chakra projection before him, his expression more solemn than ever.
"Brother, did you notice?"
"Mm." Hagoromo nodded, his face extremely grim. "It's Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. The mark on Naruto's forehead is undoubtedly the Karma seal."
"Can you tell how far the corruption has spread?"
"To determine that, I would need to pull Naruto's soul into the Pure Land. Merely observing from this distance won't reveal much."
Hamura fell silent. The worst-case scenario had indeed occurred.
The Asura chakra within Naruto might not survive. Moreover, Naruto himself would become the vessel for Isshiki's resurrection, and due to the influence of Asura's chakra, Isshiki would be able to regain over ninety percent of his power upon resurrection, making him an incredibly troublesome threat.
"Brother, is there a way to remove the Karma seal from Naruto?" Hamura asked.
Hagoromo shook his head. "The Karma seal can be broken, but I don't know the method, nor does our mother."
Hamura was silent once again. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "Brother, if things reach the worst possible outcome, what about Naruto…"
"We must trust Naruto," Hagoromo said, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "And Kyomu also promised us. I choose to believe in him."
"I still don't trust Kyomu," Hamura replied, his expression cold. He shared his thoughts with his brother, "If the situation forces us to intervene, I believe we should release our mother from her seal."
"No!" Hagoromo immediately refused. "Releasing our mother might remove the Karma seal from Naruto, but what happens after that? The ninja world would be destroyed, and all our efforts would be in vain."
Hamura sighed. He and his brother were now at an impasse, and the only way out was to trust in Kyomu's earlier promise.
"Then we'll wait and see," Hamura said, his opinion diverging from his brother's. "But if things reach the worst point, I will choose to release our mother."
Hagoromo stared deeply at his brother but said nothing, turning his attention back to the chakra projection before them.
"Pathetic."
Kimimaro hovered in mid-air, coldly observing Akatsuchi in the deep pit below. On the other side of the pit stood Ao, who was slightly out of breath.
Although Ao had regained a second wind due to the modifications to his body, Jigen wasn't exactly a master of such techniques. His modifications were effective but far from perfect, and Ao's body still experienced fatigue, making him far from a pure machine.
"Kimimaro has grown strong," Madara commented lightly, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I won't be too bored in the capital from now on. Kimimaro can keep me on my toes."
Standing beside Madara, Itachi remained silent. Kimimaro's current strength was such that he wasn't just a sparring partner for Madara; if they fought to the death, there was a chance that Madara might actually lose.
With the Tenseigan, Sage Body, and All-Killing Ash Bones combined, Kimimaro's combat power was terrifying.
"Haa!"
With his chest caved in and blood dripping from his mouth, Akatsuchi let out a roar, rapidly forming hand seals. When he finished, he clasped his hands together with force.
Rumble.
The earth shook and rose as two massive, solid hemispheres emerged from the ground, trapping Kimimaro in the middle. The hemispheres quickly closed in, attempting to crush him into pulp.
Earth Release: Mountain Soil Technique!
However, the Mountain Soil Technique used by Akatsuchi was different from that mastered by Kurotsuchi. The two solid hemispherical rocks were blackish-brown in color, a product of the Karma seal's influence.
As a result, the Mountain Soil Technique was more powerful, faster to activate, and significantly more durable, with chakra-infused walls that Kimimaro's Tenseigan couldn't absorb.
"So this is the Karma seal…"
Kimimaro didn't move, allowing the two rock hemispheres to close in on him.
Throughout the entire process, Kimimaro's gaze remained fixed on Akatsuchi, as if he was testing the latter's limits.
Boom!
Finally, the two solid rock hemispheres closed together, fitting perfectly without a gap. If nothing unexpected happened… but of course, something unexpected did happen.
There was no dazzling light, no explosive boom, and no widespread shockwave. The moment the two solid rock spheres closed together, it was as if they had weathered thousands of years in an instant, crumbling and decaying like tofu, no longer the unbreakable structures they had been before.
"Oh?"
Through the Karma seal imprinted on his followers, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, observing from another dimension, had taken note of most of the information from the battle.
"All-Killing Ash Bones, such a familiar power." Muttering to himself, Isshiki's expression turned icy cold. "Kaguya, this is all your doing!"
As his voice dripped with anger, Isshiki involuntarily glanced down at his own chest.
Over a thousand years ago, Kaguya had ambushed him with the All-Killing Ash Bones. Although his power exceeded Kaguya's, he could only serve as a sacrifice for the God Tree's seed, becoming nourishment for it, all thanks to Kaguya's betrayal.
Crunch.
Clenching his fist, Isshiki sensed the danger emanating from Kimimaro. "Jigen."
At his call, Jigen, who had been waiting nearby, immediately prostrated himself. "My master, your command?"
Isshiki pointed at the chakra projection showing Kimimaro. "I grant you the power to unlock the third form of the Karma seal. Eliminate that woman's cursed bloodline."
"Yes… my master."
Jigen hesitated for a moment but ultimately accepted the deadly task Isshiki had given him.
The power of the Karma seal was not easy to control, especially the third form, which required one to burn through their life force to access its power.
Jigen was a monk from a thousand years ago who had lived this long only because of Isshiki. But a long life didn't mean Jigen's body was strong; otherwise, Isshiki would have used his body to resurrect long ago.
Given the weakness of his body, Jigen couldn't fully handle Isshiki's power when unlocking the third form of the Karma seal. He could only experience three minutes of peak power by burning through his life force, with no chance of survival afterward.
Once activated, Jigen couldn't deactivate the seal, and he would die within three minutes.
Noticing Jigen's hesitation, Isshiki resorted to the same deceitful promises he had used a thousand years ago. "You bear my Karma seal. Your death is merely a step toward your next resurrection.
My servant, I will not abandon you. I will allow you to transform into a true Ōtsutsuki and accompany me as we traverse the stars, eternally by my side."
"Thank you, master!"
Jigen's voice trembled with excitement. He had longed for this promise from Isshiki, and now that his wish had been granted, he had no reason not to give it his all.
Dismissing Jigen, Isshiki continued to watch the chakra projection before him, where Kimimaro had just delivered a killing blow to Akatsuchi.
In truth, it wasn't much of a killing blow; it was more like using a sledgehammer to kill a fly.
"What?!"
Akatsuchi's eyes bulged in disbelief. The two closed rock spheres had completely weathered away, crumbling into dust that scattered in the wind.
Amid the swirling dust, a white bone spear shot out, streaking like a ray of light before impaling Akatsuchi through the chest, pinning him to the ground at an angle.
The disbelief in Akatsuchi's eyes slowly faded as he tried to lift his hand to pull out the bone spear embedded in his chest. But before he could exert any force, his right arm froze in place.
A decaying, ashen hue spread from the wound across his body, turning Akatsuchi into a stone-like statue.
Crack.
Starting from the wound, cracks spread rapidly across Akatsuchi's entire body, and the light in his eyes was extinguished.
A sudden breeze blew through, causing Akatsuchi's body to disintegrate into dust from the chest up, scattering into the wind and disappearing from the world without a trace.
"Uncle Akatsuchi!"
Kurotsuchi, who was entangled with Neji, cried out in fury. Her eyes turned bloodshot as her sclera filled with crimson, giving her a terrifying appearance.
"Uncle Akatsuchi!"
Right behind her was Naruto, who had received much care from Akatsuchi. Many of the Earth Release techniques Naruto had mastered were taught by Akatsuchi, who had even personally instructed Naruto in Onoki's signature technique, Dust Release.
Now, with Akatsuchi reduced to nothing by a single bone spear from Kimimaro, gone without even a chance for farewell, Naruto was left helpless, unable to do anything.
The emotional turmoil Naruto felt was unimaginable.
That was his family!
"You dare to get distracted in battle?"
Sasuke's voice was cold, and his actions were even more ruthless. With a flash of his Kusanagi sword, he left a deep, bone-revealing slash across Naruto's chest.
Spurt.
Blood sprayed as Naruto gritted his teeth, regaining his focus and stepping back, glaring daggers at Sasuke.
"You… are unforgivable!"
Naruto roared, and the Karma seal imprinted on his forehead suddenly expanded, spreading across his face like a dark pattern, resembling the markings of Sage Mode on Hashirama.
In an instant, the black markings covered Naruto's face, replacing his usual goofy expression with one of cold, murderous intent.
"Hahaha, hahahaha!"
In the alternate dimension of Kara's base, Isshiki laughed wildly, overflowing with joy. "Rage, hatred, emotional turmoil—these are the best catalysts for you to use my power, and the first step in claiming your body!"
Boom! Waves of energy erupted, forcing Sasuke to shield his face with his hand as his expression shifted for the first time.
"This power…"
Sasuke could sense the extraordinary nature of the Karma seal on Naruto. Compared to the others like Mabui, Naruto's power boost from activating the Karma seal was worlds apart.
Focusing his mind, Sasuke quickly regained his composure. As he blinked, his eyes changed, with one, two, three tomoe appearing in his black irises.
Three Tomoe Sharingan, activated!
(End of Chapter)
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone