Chapter 289

"Yes, just like that, exactly like that!"

In the mental space, Isshiki's eyes shone brightly as a surge of chakra and spiritual energy flooded into Naruto's body.

At the same time, as chakra and spiritual energy spread throughout Naruto's body, they were also subtly eroding his soul, gradually transforming him into Isshiki's likeness.

Naruto was unaware of all this.

No, perhaps Naruto was aware, but he could no longer stop. Under the influence of the Karma mark, Naruto had begun to lose his sense of self. His behavior and even the essence of his soul were aligning more and more with Isshiki.

Boom!

A black and red cube descended, blocking the view and simultaneously sealing off everyone's sensory perception, making them both deaf and blind.

At this moment, Naruto's body shrank to an almost invisible size, targeting Kimimaro for his attack.

Bang.

Ripples spread out as an invisible barrier blocked Naruto's seemingly inevitable attack. It was once again Shisui.

However, Naruto wasn't worried. The stronger a jutsu is, the more chakra it consumes. Similarly, the stronger a dōjutsu, the greater its toll. Shisui could only use it a few times before exhausting his body.

Just as Naruto anticipated, Shisui's condition visibly declined, fatigue evident on his face.

The powerful defensive dōjutsu, Kokuzō, was too taxing.

Understanding this, Naruto was in no hurry. He would drag this out, waiting until Shisui could no longer use Kokuzō. At that point, Naruto would take down Madara and the others, one by one.

Likewise, Madara and the others knew the longer this dragged on, the smaller their chances of victory. As a result, they increased both the frequency and power of their attacks.

In an instant, the sky roared as wind and clouds surged. The earth crumbled and fractured, with magma boiling in the fissures and mushroom clouds of black smoke rising, creating a pure apocalyptic scene.

Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei!

Madara, driven to his limits, used the power of the Six Paths alongside his Rinnegan techniques, recreating the same jutsu that Hagoromo and Hamura had once used to seal Kaguya.

There was no denying its power. For Madara to create it single-handedly, it was undoubtedly the pinnacle of his abilities.

For the first time since entering the third stage of the Karma mark, Naruto found himself at a disadvantage. One wrong move, and he could become the second moon in the sky above the ninja world.

"Naruto, leave it to me."

Isshiki seized this moment to exploit the situation, or perhaps it was more fitting to say he showed his true intentions.

Naruto shook his head, wanting to refuse, but the voice from Isshiki deep within resonated as if it was Naruto's deepest desire.

He longed to hand everything over to Isshiki. He also longed to become Isshiki and even felt that he was Isshiki.

"No, I can handle it myself."

Relying on the strength of his soul, along with the chakra of Asura's reincarnation, Naruto steadied his mind and firmly refused Isshiki.

Isshiki, who was just one step away from his resurrection, remained patient. Seeing his probing attempts fail, he refrained from taking any further rash actions.

Since Naruto wanted to try on his own, Isshiki was content to let him do so. After all, Naruto was still using Isshiki's power. One way or another, Naruto could not escape Isshiki's grasp.

Rumble.

The powerful gravitational pull, combined with the sealing power of the Six Paths, continuously drew in and sealed the earth's crust. Naturally, Naruto was also caught within.

As he leaped to dodge the massive stones rising from below, while simultaneously resisting the immense gravitational and sealing forces from above, Naruto's mind raced to devise his next strategy.

Naruto was different from Kaguya a thousand years ago.

He hadn't been severely wounded, his strength remained intact, and he still had the power to resist and even fight back. In contrast, Kaguya had battled for months, her body near exhaustion, leaving her with no option but to be sealed when facing Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei.

So, if Naruto could find the weakness of Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei, he could escape and even counterattack against Madara and the others.

Suddenly, an idea struck Naruto.

The gravitational and sealing power of Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei was strong, but that was also its weakness. By accelerating with enough force in the direction of the pull, it would be possible to shatter the core of Chibaku Tensei and cause it to collapse.

Having formulated a plan, Naruto quickly put it into action.

Six Paths: Rasenshuriken!

Everything was coming full circle. The Rasengan, developed by Minato, had now been refined by Naruto.

Thanks to Isshiki's influence, Naruto's Rasengan technique had become even more powerful. The Six Paths: Rasenshuriken he unleashed, assisted by the divine art Shōmen Kugan, expanded over tenfold in size.

While it didn't blot out the sun, the Rasenshuriken, as large as two football fields, soaring into the sky with the gravitational pull, was a sight to behold.

"Stop him!"

Even before Madara could shout, Itachi had already sprung into action. He, too, possessed the Rinnegan, though his dōjutsu was currently unsuitable for this situation.

Nearby, Obito's eyes wept blood as he used his wide-range vortex-like space distortion to envelop the Rasenshuriken.

But Naruto wasn't idle either, defending himself against Itachi and staying vigilant against Obito's Kamui.

Divine Art: Daikokuten!

Black and red spatial distortions pressed against the vortex created by Obito's Kamui, overwhelming it instantly.

"No!"

Obito fell to one knee, clutching his eyes as blood streamed through his fingers, reminiscent of a severed artery.

"His power is stronger than mine. His spatial abilities far surpass mine. I can't hold him!"

Without Kamui's interference, the two football-field-sized Rasenshuriken flew unimpeded towards the core of Chibaku Tensei high in the sky.

At the same time, Itachi appeared beside Naruto. His Rinnegan rippled, using his Rinnegan dōjutsu.

Tenmei Onna!

A force of inescapable time power engulfed Naruto, dragging him into a dimension under Itachi's control.

Without wasting words, Itachi accelerated the flow of time within this space. The force of time's passing immediately affected Naruto.

Naruto's youthful appearance quickly aged. In the blink of an eye, he reached middle age, then old age, and in the next moment, he was on the brink of death.

For Naruto, this meant death. But for Isshiki, it was a godsend!

"You can't resist the power of time."

"I know," Naruto's voice had become frail, "So, I'll leave the rest to you."

"I will make good use of your body. Don't worry, I will fulfill everything on your behalf."

With those words, Isshiki's soul fully took control of Naruto's body, while Naruto's own soul was devoured by Isshiki.

Although Naruto's soul wasn't entirely digested yet, it was only a matter of time, hardly a significant concern.

Pfft!

Without warning, Itachi spat out blood as Naruto's aged body suddenly regained vitality.

While Naruto's body was rejuvenating, it was also changing from the inside out. A familiar and formidable aura began to surge.

Bones, flesh, skin, physique, and appearance—every aspect of Naruto's body transformed, using Isshiki as the template, constantly regenerating and solidifying.

In the end, Naruto's body became a mere shell, akin to a cicada shedding its skin. The outer shell fell away, and the newly reborn Isshiki broke free.

Rebirth!

"Hahaha, Itachi, I really should thank you!"

With Isshiki's laughter, the dimension Itachi had created shattered like a mirror. Once again, Itachi was hit hard, his body feeling hollowed out.

"Itachi." Kimimaro quickly rushed to support him. "Are you alright?"

"I'll manage, but I didn't expect…"

Before Itachi could finish, Isshiki launched his first wave of attacks.

A black and red spatial portal opened beside Isshiki, unleashing a torrent of black spears formed from the Six Paths' power, raining down on Itachi and Kimimaro.

In a split second, a figure bathed in lightning dashed in, shielding Itachi and Kimimaro.

The distinctive sword, Yukihime, revealed the identity of the newcomer.

"Kakashi!"

"Step back."

Kakashi calmly instructed, gripping Yukikaze's hilt with both hands and slashing forward.

Lightning Style: Black Hole Slash!

The arc of the slash was not dazzling; it was dark, absorbing all surrounding light, making escape impossible—even sight was drawn in.

This blackness represented the abyss, the ultimate manifestation of Lightning Style.

The incoming Six Paths spears were not met with anything else but a black hole created by the sword's slash.

If light couldn't escape, neither could the much slower Six Paths spears.

They were inevitably pulled into the black hole, accelerated to the speed of light, and torn apart into atomic particles.

However, the black hole created by this slash was short-lived. If it lasted longer, it wouldn't just devour the Six Paths spears; it would consume everyone nearby and the entire planet.

"This power…"

Isshiki's golden, cross-shaped pupils narrowed. "This shouldn't be within the grasp of mere mortals."

Kakashi sheathed his sword across his chest, looking at Isshiki with a commanding gaze. "Who are you to define mortals? You hardly have that authority."

"But you do have the qualifications to stand by my side, to become my retainer, to achieve immortality with me, and to conquer the stars."

Isshiki extended his invitation to Kakashi. "You've reached this level on your own. I truly admire you and am sincere in my offer."

"Heh." Kakashi smirked, shaking his head in mockery. "Isshiki, you really think too highly of yourself. Or maybe, you're just scared?"

"I don't want to destroy you."

"But I definitely want to kill you."

Isshiki cast a final glance at Kakashi, his eyes turning cold. "Then you and your world will fall silent at my hands, becoming fuel for my conquest of the stars!"

Before his words finished, Isshiki vanished. At the same time, a massive rift tore open in the sky, and black and red cubes rained down from the crack.

The area they covered was as vast as the Land of Fire.

"This… is Isshiki's true power?"

Shisui couldn't help but look up, gritting his teeth with determination. "I can hold them back. The rest of you, go support Kakashi!"

Preparing to risk everything, even if it meant sacrificing his life, Shisui was ready to use Kokuzō to create a defensive barrier to withstand the destructive red cubes.

...

"Shisui, you've done enough."

"Your Majesty!" Shisui felt a reassuring hand on his shoulder and turned around in surprise. "You've arrived!"

"Yes, there's no need for you to risk your life. Leave the rest to me."

Kyomu looked up at the rift in the sky, watching the black and red cubes pouring out, a confident smirk on his face.

"Isshiki, is this all you've got? Not very impressive…"

Gripping the hilt of his blade, a sudden flash of light sliced toward the sky.

The blade's light shot up, growing larger against the wind, expanding from hundreds of meters to thousands, then tens of thousands, almost covering the entire sky. The flash was visible even a hundred kilometers away.

"It's His Majesty's blade!"

The apocalyptic scene earlier was truly terrifying. The residents and ninja of the Land of Dragons had been holding their breath, and only when Kyomu unleashed this world-saving slash did the tension in their hearts finally release.

"His Majesty has taken action!"

"Long live His Majesty!"

Under the light of Kyomu's slash, the Land of Dragons erupted in celebration. The apocalyptic rift in the sky seemed like a minor issue now.

From the moment Kyomu began his journey, he had never known defeat. This time was no different. No one doubted him; everyone believed.

"Tch, he always steals the spotlight," Kakashi clicked his tongue, his eyes sharp as he glared at Isshiki. "Now, you'll die, and it'll be a horrible death!"

Isshiki's gaze flickered, but he didn't respond. His eyes darted between Kakashi and the distant Kyomu, feeling an inexplicable sense of unease.

"It's you who will die, along with this world!"

Isshiki roared, summoning a Six Paths black staff, and charged at Kakashi.

Boom!

At the same time, the black and red rift across the sky collided with the light of Kyomu's blade, creating a dazzling white light like a second sun, bathing the entire world in blinding brilliance.

(End of Chapter)