"You, Uzumaki Naruto… you've forced me to go this far!"
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was completely enraged.
Moments earlier, he had been pierced clean through by a Truth-Seeking Orb. If he hadn't forcibly shifted his vital point at the very last instant, this borrowed body would have been utterly destroyed on the spot.
"AAAAAH—!!!"
Isshiki roared in fury. His voice echoed like thunder, and the entire island shook violently as if struck by an earthquake.
At the same time, a massive barrier suddenly unfolded, instantly covering the whole island.
Within that barrier, all vitality began to drain at an alarming rate.
It was as if some unseen force was devouring everything—plants withered, the ground cracked, and the lush island was reduced to desolation in the blink of an eye.
Naruto's pupils shrank slightly.
Of course he knew what technique this was.
This was the method of the Divine Tree—absorbing life force and condensing it into chakra.
So that was it.
In an instant, Naruto understood.
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki had his own Divine Tree.
Using that Divine Tree, he had cultivated a small Ten-Tails. This miniature Ten-Tails had been secretly absorbing the planet's vitality—essentially, the natural energy of the Earth itself.
Jigen had relied on this small Ten-Tails as a chakra source, continuously replenishing himself, nourishing his body, and strengthening Isshiki's manifestation within him.
Boom—boom—boom!
A series of violent tremors tore through the island. The land split apart, and Isshiki's face twisted into a fanatical expression.
"Come forth… Ten-Tails!!!"
"ROOOOOAR—!!!"
The small Ten-Tails let out a deafening roar. Its massive hands burst up from the ground, pushing aside shattered earth as it emerged.
With a heavy crash, it landed upon the ruined island.
Naruto narrowed his eyes, carefully observing the creature.
Compared to Kaguya's Ten-Tails, this one was far smaller—but its chakra was unmistakably of the same origin.
Isshiki leapt onto the Ten-Tails' head and spread his arms wide. Streams of chakra surged from the beast and poured directly into Jigen's body.
In just a few seconds, the wound Naruto had inflicted with the Truth-Seeking Orb healed completely. At the same time, a horn bearing Isshiki's distinctive markings grew from Jigen's head.
"HA—HAHAHAHA!"
Isshiki clenched his fists and stretched his body, laughing maniacally as he looked down at Naruto.
"This body has finally been adjusted to a level that satisfies me!"
For countless years after being betrayed and nearly killed by Kaguya, Isshiki had been forced into hiding. Just stabilizing Jigen's body had taken an enormous amount of time.
Jigen himself was too kind, too compassionate—suppressing him had been a constant headache.
Because Kaguya had wounded him so severely, Isshiki could never fully overwrite Jigen. The two could only coexist.
Jigen knew there was another being inside him. Occasionally, that presence surfaced—especially in moments of danger.
Within the spiritual realm of the body, they had spoken before. Isshiki never revealed his full name or true intentions. He only told Jigen that he needed this body to survive, and in return, he would help Jigen "save all living beings."
Chakra could cure disease.
Chakra could extend life.
Thus, Jigen traveled the world, saving people—until he arrived on this island and built the temple under Isshiki's guidance.
Over the years, he changed identities again and again. The position of abbot was passed down secretly, ensuring no one ever doubted him.
Only when Isshiki felt his Kāma had matured enough did he allow Jigen to walk openly under his true face.
And now—
Before reinforcements from the Ōtsutsuki clan could arrive…
Before the planet could be harvested…
This man who had stolen the power of the Ōtsutsuki stood before him.
"Naruto Uzumaki," Isshiki snarled, "you deserve to die!"
The small Ten-Tails roared in unison.
Naruto snorted coldly.
"You think this little Ten-Tails is enough to fight me?" he said calmly.
"Don't forget, Isshiki—there's a complete Ten-Tails inside my body."
As he spoke, Naruto dismissed the Six Paths Sage Staff, clasped his hands together, and—
His body expanded.
In the blink of an eye, a colossal Ten-Tails manifested before Isshiki.
Isshiki clenched his teeth.
The small Ten-Tails instinctively recoiled, sensing the overwhelming presence before it. Yet it also felt something familiar.
The same power.
Naruto, now transformed, sensed it as well.
So… let's connect them.
Naruto extended his consciousness.
The massive Ten-Tails lunged forward.
"ROOOOAR!!!"
It seized the small Ten-Tails instantly, its massive arms locking around it. Isshiki leapt away at once, his expression changing dramatically.
The small Ten-Tails roared in panic, struggling violently.
Naruto's Ten-Tails bit down hard on its shoulder.
The small Ten-Tails screamed in agony.
"No—stop! STOP!" Isshiki shouted in panic, trying desperately to intervene.
It was useless.
"That's my chakra!" Isshiki roared.
Naruto's Ten-Tails devoured the small Ten-Tails' chakra in massive gulps. Within moments, the creature shrank dramatically, its power drained.
Then, Naruto reverted to human form.
The Six Paths Sage Staff reappeared in his hand. He slammed it into the ground.
Runes spread outward, forming a sealing array that enveloped the weakened Ten-Tails.
"Seal!"
With a sharp command, the small Ten-Tails was dragged directly into Naruto's body, completely severing its connection to Isshiki.
"Isshiki," Naruto said calmly, "thanks for the Ten-Tails."
Isshiki hovered in the air, trembling.
Impossible.
This wasn't how it was supposed to go.
Everything happened too fast.
Naruto knew him.
Knew his methods.
Knew his instincts.
Before Isshiki could process it further, Naruto vanished and reappeared before him, striking decisively.
Isshiki barely raised his head when—
A red fishing line with a hook appeared out of nowhere and stabbed straight into his back.
"What—?!"
The line tightened.
With a sickening sound, a sphere of chakra was forcibly pulled out of Isshiki's body.
Isshiki screamed in disbelief.
Naruto frowned slightly.
Urashiki… what are you doing? Didn't you agree not to interfere?
Still, Isshiki was now extremely weakened.
Naruto activated Banshō Ten'in, gripping Isshiki's throat and lifting him like a helpless chick.
"Hey, Urashiki," Naruto said calmly, "care to explain?"
Urashiki stepped out of another dimension, holding Isshiki's chakra sphere with a grin.
Isshiki's eyes went wide. His body trembled violently.
Naruto sighed.
"Relax. It's not the first time you've been stabbed in the back by your own people. Honestly, I should be the angry one—this guy promised not to touch your chakra."
Isshiki: "..."
Urashiki laughed.
"I only took his chakra, not his original power. According to our agreement, I didn't break it."
Without hesitation, Urashiki absorbed the chakra sphere.
"Consider it my reward for bringing you here."
Isshiki finally understood.
He had been betrayed.
Naruto shook his head lightly.
This was exactly like Urashiki.
His greed surpassed even Momoshiki's.
"Fine," Naruto said calmly. "I won't argue with you."
Naruto focused his Rinnegan.
Isshiki's body froze completely.
"Tch… damn it!" Isshiki cursed.
He was still bound to Jigen's body. Without a Rinnegan of his own, he couldn't resist.
Naruto looked at him coldly.
"Your fate ends here, Isshiki."
The battle was over.
And this time—
There would be no escape.
Dear Readers
For 60 Advance Chapters Join My Patreon
https://www.patreon.com/NF25
-------
Please Support My Patreon