Chapter 169.2 : 14th Place!

And so, with the initial fusion,

"Ah~"

As Uchiha Ran contemplated, the Hōgyoku manifested as a peculiar rune upon his brow, reminiscent of the heavenly eye. 

Yet, compared to the real Heavenly eye, the Hōgyoku's eye seemed like a mere droplet in a vast ocean.

But for Uchiha Ran, whose combat prowess has surpassed the limits of the ninja world, Hōgyoku proves to be invaluable, possessing the ability to evolve and aid in the host's evolution.

"Boom!"

A surge emanated from between his eyebrows, and Uchiha Ran sensed a seismic shift within himself.

Strength, resilience, speed, all doubled, and continued to escalate to unprecedented levels.

Yet, the most profound transformation occurred within his soul.

At that moment, he felt his soul solidify, becoming tangible to the extent that even after departing his physical form, he could maintain a corporeal existence, not merely a pseudo-presence conjured by external forces.

This was genuine.

Placed within the Heavenly Flame Continent, his soul would be akin to that of a Dou Di Realm being, transcending mortal limitations and reaching the zenith of earthly authority.

"It's the confines of this world that restrain me," Uchiha Ran realized, perceiving the invisible yet palpable barriers that hemmed him in.

The ninja world proved too confining, too limited.

"To break further boundaries, I must either seize greater opportunities from the Golden List or venture into larger worlds," he contemplated. "Even the mightiest force in the ninja world, the strength of Ōtsutsuki Shibai, only attains the apex of mortality, not immortality."

Uchiha Ran keenly sensed the limitations imposed by this world.

Natural energy, while potent, remained spiritual, not ethereal.

Chakra, though formidable, was mortal and bound by time.

The Dou Qi of the Heavenly Flame Continent, a rudimentary aura.

The absent Origin Qi, the essence of immortality.

"If I were to enter the broader world now, I could ascend immediately to Sovereign (Supreme) State or even Earth Supreme," he mused. "And with Susanoo, I could wield my own unique Celestial Body."

Uchiha Ran possessed a lucid comprehension of his strength, both in realm and combat capability.

In the The Great Ruler world, the Supreme possessed the Celestial Body, the Earth Supreme held dominion over the Heavenly and Earthly Law, and the Heavenly Supreme governed the spiritual realm.

In the Heavenly Flame Continent, while the Sovereign Celestial Body remained elusive, the Earth Supreme wielded the Immortal Body, surpassing the Supreme yet falling short of the Heavenly.

The ninja world and the Heavenly Flame Continent occupied similar echelons of existence. Currently, his physical realm neared the pinnacle of the Supreme, while his soul realm urgently approached the status of Dou Di. As for combat prowess, it exceeded that of an ordinary Dou Di.

With Susanoo, he could manifest a power akin to the Celestial Body and operate at a level surpassing that of a Kage.

Yet, this power came with a price: the gradual deterioration of his eyesight, a partial blindness.

The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan offered a solution, but Susanoo remained fragile. Even with just the strength of five Kages, handling it is no problem.

The Susanoo of the Six Paths level remained an elusive goal.

However, even his current Susanoo paled in comparison to a genuine Celestial Body, forged through the manipulation of celestial forces, unlike his own, reliant solely on personal strength.

And now, empowered by the Hōgyoku and having achieved a breakthrough in soul manipulation, Uchiha Ran sensed his ability to harness natural energy, condensing his Susanoo to a level akin to the Sovereign Celestial Body.

While this Celestial Body shouldn't feasibly reach the ninety-ninth grade, the unique synergy of his left and right eyes endowed it with heightened potency.

Though he hadn't fully attained his peak, he now felt capable of challenging Earthly Supreme and confronting the mightiest foes!

Strength, he realized, was synonymous with qi.

With a dry chuckle, Uchiha Ran lightly touched his forehead, suppressing a smile.

He calmly surveyed the leaderboard of achievers.

There, he noticed another list awaiting his attention.

What surprises might the rewards hold in store for him?

Meanwhile, in the Golden List live broadcast room, the announcer portrayed Orochimaru.

[14th Place: Amber Bottle (one of the ninja tools left by the Sage of Six Paths, capable of sealing anything that responds to its holder.)

Owner: Orochimaru

Weapon Rewards: Infuse with natural energy to control size at will, enhance refining and phagocytosis abilities, augment Genjutsu attacks.

Owner Reward: Intermediate Draw X1

As Orochimaru explained, Konoha rewarded merit with treasures.

The credit for securing the Six Paths ninja gear from the clutches of the Ginkaku and Kinkaku belonged to Orochimaru, Tobirama, and notably, Uchiha Ran.

Thus, following negotiations, Uchiha Ran claimed the golden rope, the seven-star sword, and the red gourd, along with the three Six Paths ninja tools. In exchange, he graciously bestowed the banana fan and the amber bottle upon Tobirama and Orochimaru.

Considering the trio of Six Paths ninja tools as a collective, Uchiha Ran's standing surpassed that of the banana fan and the amber bottle.

Yet, even when viewed separately, three rewards remained.

Whichever yielded the greatest benefit.

Currently, Orochimaru possessed the amber bottle, occupying !4th place of the list in the live broadcast room.

The amber bottle underwent a transformation before the viewers' eyes.

A disc-shaped implement now lay before Orochimaru.

With anticipation, he spun the lottery wheel.

The pointer landed on the inheritance option on its first turn.

Without consulting Uchiha Ran, Orochimaru proceeded.

Driven by covetous desire for every inheritance option, and now finally rewarded, he exclaimed:

"From the Dragon Ball World!"