"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?!"
Jigen clearly looked unfamiliar with that name. A trace of confusion flashed across his face. He then raised one hand to his chest, bowed politely, and spoke in a calm, gentle tone.
"Benefactor, I do not know who you are referring to by that name."
Naruto smiled faintly.
"Alright, I'm already standing here. Stop pretending. I came specifically for you. Ōtsutsuki Isshiki—come out."
Before Jigen could respond, the woman standing beside him suddenly rose to her feet and shouted angrily,
"How dare you speak so rudely to the Venerable One!"
As soon as she spoke, more than a dozen strong young men among the believers stood up, glaring at Naruto with hostility.
"How dare you disrespect the Venerable! Get out!"
"Yes, get out!"
"Leave at once!"
Shouts erupted one after another, echoing throughout the temple grounds.
The woman raised her hand sharply.
"Enough!"
The crowd instantly fell silent.
She stared at Naruto intently and said coldly,
"You are not from this island."
Naruto nodded openly.
"That's right. Since things have come to this, I'll introduce myself properly."
He straightened slightly and said clearly,
"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I come from Konohagakure, in the Land of Fire."
A wave of shock rippled through the crowd.
"What?!"
"Uzumaki Naruto?!"
"He's Uzumaki Naruto?!"
"Who is that?"
"Are you kidding? He's the great hero of the ninja world!"
Although the island was isolated and surrounded by the sea, fishermen occasionally traveled out to sell their catch, bringing news from the outside world. Moreover, Jigen often sent people out to gather intelligence, so some of the villagers had heard of Naruto's name.
Even the woman beside Jigen looked stunned and subconsciously turned her gaze toward him.
Jigen carefully examined Naruto, his eyes deep and unfathomable. After a moment, he spoke with a trace of emotion.
"So that's how it is… You've changed a great deal compared to before."
Naruto smiled calmly.
"Indeed. I've absorbed the bloodline power of the Ōtsutsuki clan and undergone many changes. Since I'm already here, I believe you know my purpose."
Jigen fell silent.
Naruto's smile faded. His gaze sharpened as he said firmly,
"So, will you surrender on your own… or should I take action?"
Hearing this, Jigen clasped his hands together and smiled faintly.
"Perhaps, benefactor, you are the one who has come to free me."
After speaking, Jigen slowly closed his eyes.
Naruto frowned slightly.
Something felt off.
This didn't feel like the Isshiki he remembered.
In his previous life, Isshiki had been arrogant beyond measure, looking down on Naruto and Sasuke with absolute contempt. Yet the man before him was calm, polite—almost serene.
Still, Naruto didn't linger on it.
Since he was already here, hesitation was meaningless.
Naruto raised his hand.
"Banshō Ten'in!"
With a sharp distortion of force, Jigen's body was violently pulled toward Naruto under the shocked gazes of everyone present. Naruto reached out, ready to seize Jigen's throat and activate his absorption mark—
But in that instant, strange black markings suddenly spread around Jigen's eyes.
"So it really appeared!"
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
A deep buzzing sound filled the air as symmetrical black patterns rapidly extended across Jigen's face. In the next moment, his aura changed completely.
Jigen broke free from the pull of Banshō Ten'in, leapt backward, and landed atop the temple roof. He looked down at Naruto from above, his expression cold and domineering.
Naruto lowered his hand and looked up.
Yes.
This was the gaze he remembered.
"Long time no see, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki," Naruto said calmly.
Isshiki frowned slightly, then let out a cold snort.
"I didn't expect that someone who absorbed Kaguya's power would be able to find this place."
Naruto waved his hand casually.
"You're mistaken about one thing. I really did receive help—otherwise, finding you would've been difficult. By the way, this must be your secret base. You've been planning here for quite some time, haven't you?"
Isshiki sneered.
"Of course. I know you're powerful now, Uzumaki Naruto, but don't forget—this place is something I cultivated for many years."
As he spoke, Isshiki jumped down from the roof and charged straight at Naruto.
Naruto smiled faintly and raised his hand.
"Come. I haven't truly tested myself since absorbing the Ōtsutsuki bloodline."
Bang!
Isshiki threw a punch. Naruto met it with an open palm.
A deep, muffled impact echoed as fist and palm collided.
Naruto's expression remained calm, but inwardly he acknowledged it—Isshiki's taijutsu was just as terrifying as he remembered.
Once upon a time, Isshiki had shattered Sasuke's complete Susanoo with a single kick. His physical combat ability was even more frightening than Might Guy's Eight Gates.
But this was no longer the Naruto of the past.
Naruto now possessed the complete power of the Ten-Tails, had absorbed Kaguya's chakra, and inherited Toneri's Ōtsutsuki bloodline. His physical strength and chakra reserves were on an entirely different level.
Blocking Isshiki's attack posed no problem at all.
"Very good. Again!"
Naruto grabbed Isshiki's arm, twisted his body, and hurled him straight into the sky.
The shockwave from their clash blasted outward, scattering the surrounding believers like leaves in a storm. Many were thrown violently aside—some were gravely injured, and a few likely died on the spot. The woman who had been standing beside Jigen was slammed into a temple wall, coughing blood as she collapsed.
Naruto frowned slightly.
He didn't want innocent people to be dragged into this battle.
That was precisely why he had thrown Isshiki into the air.
Without giving Isshiki time to recover, Naruto activated the Nine-Tails' chakra. Massive chakra arms burst forth from behind him and shot upward like spears, reaching for the sky.
Although all the Tailed Beasts' power now resided within Naruto, he was still most accustomed to manipulating Kurama's chakra in combat.
Isshiki dodged rapidly in midair, weaving left and right.
Naruto snorted coldly and leapt from the ground. The Six Paths Sage Staff materialized in his hand. He raised it high and swung down with overwhelming force.
Isshiki's pupils contracted.
Black markings spread across his body as his arm transformed. A black chakra rod formed in his hand just as Naruto's staff came crashing down.
Clang!
The collision rang out like a thunderclap. The immense impact forced Isshiki to grit his teeth.
Naruto's eyes gleamed coldly.
"Not enough. Today, I'm far beyond what you can handle. Die!"
The power of the Six Paths Staff surged again.
With a violent crack, Isshiki's black rod shattered. His body was smashed downward, slamming into the ground with a deafening boom. A massive crater formed instantly.
Naruto's Rinnegan locked onto him. The Nine-Tails' chakra arms followed relentlessly.
Before Isshiki could even catch his breath—
"Damn it!"
Isshiki thrust his hand skyward. Several black chakra rods shot up at once, piercing through the attacking chakra arms.
Naruto snorted coldly. He had seen this trick before—in his previous life.
Seizing the brief opening, Isshiki leapt out of the crater.
But the moment he moved, a black sphere streaked toward him at terrifying speed.
Isshiki's eyes widened in shock. He had no time to evade.
The black sphere pierced straight through his body.
"Gah—!"
Isshiki spat out a mouthful of blood, clutching his chest as he staggered backward.
The black sphere floated back to Naruto and stopped before him. The blood on its surface was instantly absorbed.
Naruto's eyes lit up with excitement.
"So this is it… The true power of the Ōtsutsuki."
The Truth-Seeking Orbs appeared behind him, slowly rotating.
Naruto stood there, holding the Six Paths Sage Staff, chakra roaring like a god incarnate.
At this moment—
Uzumaki Naruto was undeniably the strongest being on Earth.
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