Chapter 153: Resurrection
The Pure Land's rules wrapped around Yu's soul like billions of burning chains.
For every inch he pushed his adoptive parents' souls outward, a portion of his own spiritual body was torn away.
That pain far exceeded physical torment—it was the agony of his very essence being stripped away piece by piece.
Five hundred thousand horsepower of mental power consumed at unprecedented speed. His originally solid soul had become thin and transparent.
He could clearly sense his connection to the mortal world gradually severing—once soul energy depleted completely, he'd sink forever into this pure white space, becoming nourishment for the Pure Land.
"Not enough..." He gritted his teeth, activating his essence once more.
More soul fragments peeled from his body, transforming into pure energy that poured into Fugaku and Mikoto's soul lights, constructing shields to resist the rule impacts.
Yu's figure grew fainter and fainter under the Pure Land's devouring, like a candle flickering in wind.
Just before his complete dissipation, his hands finally felt real substance—those two warm lights broke through the final barrier, vanishing toward reality's direction.
Success.
The Sage of Six Paths stared at where Yu had vanished, unable to recover for a long while.
Such a scene—even after experiencing a thousand years, he'd never heard of such a thing.
If not for the other's strength being formidable enough to resist the entire Pure Land's erosion, ordinary people would have already become completely lost in this realm of laws, much less bring two souls dormant for years back to the mortal world.
But the price of this success far exceeded ordinary imagination.
Soul-level trauma was nearly impossible to repair—unlike physical injury, this directly touched the essence of a person's existence.
In the chamber, Yu's lashes trembled lightly as he slowly opened his eyes.
His current state was unprecedentedly terrible. His soul resembled shattered glass covered in cracks. Every breath pulled at pain originating from his very essence.
Yet when he gazed at the two ice coffins beside him, his lips curved in a satisfied arc.
He withdrew that pair of Rinnegan.
The instant he released the ice seal, Yu unhesitatingly activated Rinne Tensei.
Life force surged from his body like a broken dam, continuously pouring into his adoptive parents' gradually warming bodies.
Accompanied by their souls' complete return, those two pairs of eyelids closed for years finally began trembling lightly.
Under Yu's near-exhausted gaze, Fugaku and Mikoto slowly opened their eyes.
Fugaku regained consciousness first.
His gaze gradually focused, vision still carrying the haziness of awakening from long sleep.
In dim lighting, he could only make out lying on cold ground beneath him. Years of slumber left his limbs stiff and numb. He supported himself with his elbow, slowly sitting up, instinctively surveying this unfamiliar environment.
Just then, he noticed a figure standing quietly ahead.
A young man with gray-white hair, face pale as paper, frame so gaunt a gust of wind could blow him over. His breath was weak, his entire being radiating the exhaustion of oil running dry.
However, those black eyes gazing intently at him burned brilliantly—though his features showed haggardness, those eyes overflowed with excitement and joy.
Fugaku froze.
This face... vaguely showed familiar contours, yet that premature white hair and overdrawn weakness made him seem so strange.
His lips moved slightly, hesitating. "Are you... Yu?"
Yu caught the hesitation in Fugaku's eyes.
He looked down at his own withered hands, immediately understanding—this overtaxed appearance, no wonder Father couldn't recognize him.
With a slight thought, chakra quietly flowed.
The next second, gray-white hair regained its black luster, gaunt cheeks recovered fullness, skin regaining youthful elasticity and sheen.
In mere moments, that handsome, refined youth stood before Fugaku, as though the previous haggardness had been mere illusion.
He showed Fugaku a familiar gentle smile. "It's me, Father. That earlier appearance was a transformation technique I use when going out. I forgot to release it momentarily."
Fugaku gazed at this handsome, upright young man before him, thoughts still somewhat confused.
His last memory before slumber was his eldest son's snow-white short blade—that cold touch and tearing pain seemed to still linger at his nerve endings.
As he remained dazed, slight movement came from beside him.
Mikoto's lashes trembled lightly, pupils gradually clearing.
Those gentle eyes first gazed blankly at the dim ceiling before instinctively turning toward her husband.
"Fugaku...?"
She called softly, voice still carrying the hoarseness of awakening from sleep. When she supported herself on the ground and slowly sat up, her gaze naturally fell on the youth standing aside.
Yu held his breath, watching Mother's gaze shift from confusion to gradual surprise.
He maintained a proper smile, yet his fingertips unconsciously tightened.
He'd never been this nervous.
Mikoto studied his striking brows and eyes, suddenly widening her eyes slightly. "This child is..."
Her gaze carefully traced Yu's face. Those familiar contours gradually overlapped with a certain figure in memory as she probed, "Is this our little Yu?"
Hearing that long-missed address, Yu's tears finally fell beyond his control.
He stared blankly at Mikoto's gentle features as years of suppressed emotions broke through their dam in this moment.
Those days and nights of solitary training, countless failed experiments, the soul-tearing pain endured in the Pure Land—all sacrifices became worthwhile the instant he heard this address.
He'd finally brought them back from the Pure Land, completely and wholly.
He nodded lightly, voice choking yet carrying relieved laughter. "It's me... Mother."
Fugaku and Mikoto noticed the tears glimmering in Yu's eyes, simultaneously trying to stand. However, bodies asleep too long hadn't yet recovered. Their limbs still carried numbing stiffness.
Both swayed slightly, about to lose balance—
Yu immediately stepped forward, kneeling on one knee as he steadily supported their arms.
"Take it slow."
"We... have plenty of time."
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