Chapter 101: Devouring Memory, The Unsealing of Sage Ninjutsu
The sea of consciousness surged as Franklin pondered his countermeasure. The scene from his first transmigration resurfaced, reminding him that the Guardian Sword possessed the power to devour souls and grow stronger.
Uchiha Madara waited with smug confidence, expecting Franklin to compromise of his own accord — the sight made Franklin's heart burn with irritation.
At a thought, the Guardian Sword shot through his meridians and plunged straight into his sea of consciousness. Guided by his will, it charged through the stormy waves within his mind and lunged directly toward Madara.
Sensing the crisis, Madara, who existed within Franklin's consciousness, tried to evade, but the massive hand formed from Franklin's spiritual sea seized him in place. The Guardian Sword pierced toward the golden light shielding his body—
—but at the very instant of contact, it rebounded violently. Franklin's eyes widened, while the brief flicker of alarm in Madara's gaze quickly faded.
"I told you it's useless," Madara said calmly. "Unless your consciousness surpasses mine tenfold, you'll never pierce this golden barrier. Give up. What's wrong with shared consciousness? If one prospers, both prosper; if one perishes, both perish."
The Guardian Sword struck again—and was deflected again. Madara became even more unrestrained.
"Stab as much as you like. I have all the time in the world, but you don't. Time here flows slower than in reality, but it still flows.
"That calamity above your head could fall any second. Once your body's gone, I'll use your lingering soul as a medium and take over that little tailed brat beside you."
Franklin's eyes narrowed. Madara's words struck directly at the core of his will to survive. The hesitation within him vanished, and he ceded control to You Wange.
In the next instant, the Guardian Sword became wreathed in mist. Waves surged through Franklin's spiritual sea as a breathtaking woman with white hair and crimson eyes appeared.
Grasping the Guardian Sword, You Wange swung it down in a single motion. A golden arc of sword light flashed. Madara's eyes widened as the golden light protecting him—and his body—were cleaved cleanly in two.
You Wange smiled faintly, flicked her wrist, and Madara's soul scattered into motes of pure energy, which she absorbed effortlessly.
Then she drifted beside Franklin and gently tapped a finger to the phantom of his forehead.
"Thank you for trusting me, my lord—and for granting me freedom. I could no longer bear staying in the Qi Sea, constantly tormented by the aura of tribulation hovering above me.
"As repayment, here are most of the memories belonging to that man who called himself Uchiha Madara. You'll have to examine the details yourself."
As her words faded, Franklin's vision blurred. Countless fragments of memory flashed through his mind—the founding of Konoha, the Battle at the Valley of the End, the awakening of the Rinnegan, the creation of Black Zetsu, and the Eye of the Moon Plan.
When he opened his eyes again, Franklin looked visibly aged. Filtering out useless memories, he focused on Madara's understanding of ninjutsu and chakra—knowledge of immense value to him.
After fusing with Hashirama's cells, Madara's comprehension of Sage Arts and Sage Chakra aligned perfectly with the nature of spiritual energy. Through this, Franklin finally grasped the essence behind hand seals.
[Sage Ninjutsu (Incomplete) (Forbidden) Unsealed.
Spiritual energy sufficient, mind unobstructed—Sage Arts arise at a single clap.]
Beyond that, Franklin found within Madara's memories the reason he had appeared in this world—the Dimensional Soul Division Technique, one of the missing pages of the Dimensional Tome.
The Madara he encountered wasn't the real one but a spiritual fragment, split from Madara's soul in the final moments of his life after awakening that technique.
The true page of the Dimensional Tome still resided within Madara's main soul, and the Fourth Great Ninja War would be the best opportunity to seize it.
When Franklin regained full control of his body, he saw that the massive thunderball above him had shrunk from tens of meters to barely five. The immense power it radiated filled him with dread.
Fear surged within him—his instincts screamed to run.
As he hesitated, the thunderball slowly began to descend, targeting the trembling Franklin below.
Recalling Madara's memories, Franklin drew a deep breath, pressed his hands together, and released the last of his spiritual energy.
A small wooden dragon formed and shot up toward the thunderball. The moment they collided, the dragon vaporized instantly, vanishing without a trace.
Cold sweat covered Franklin's forehead. If the wooden dragon couldn't withstand it, his body certainly wouldn't.
That wooden dragon was capable—at full power—of binding even Tailed Beasts and absorbing their chakra. Even as a miniature version, it was the strongest technique Franklin could muster.
The thunderball kept pressing down. Franklin had no countermeasures left. He wanted to reach Son Goku, to obtain a Senzu Bean to survive this calamity.
Just as he prepared to act, You Wange's voice echoed through his consciousness.
"Don't move. Not a single step. And don't ask why."
Confusion filled his mind, but she had just saved his life—and their fates were now bound together. He didn't believe she'd harm him.
Still, the thunderball continued to fall. The oppressive might made his body tremble; the ground around him cracked and sank under the pressure.
Panic and fear flooded Franklin's heart. The urge to flee overwhelmed him.
In his dazed state, he seemed to see Lala standing not far away, waving frantically.
"Franklin, run! That thunderball will crush you! I have a device that can help you evade the Heavenly Tribulation's detection!"
Bulma appeared beside Lala, also shouting anxiously for him to run. One familiar figure after another emerged, all calling to him.
Under the suffocating pressure, Franklin's consciousness wavered, his body barely obeying him.
The thunderball was now just fifty meters away. His mind blurred, and instinct took over. Hearing those voices, his body wanted to flee—to reach the familiar faces calling out for him.
But just as he lifted a foot, he stopped. Even through the haze, his will held firm—the first command still echoed within him: Do not move.
He stood unmoving.
The thunderball slowed its descent, drawing ever closer. Franklin's consciousness began to fade under the crushing pressure, as though his soul itself would dissolve into nothingness.
Yet his body remained motionless.
When the thunderball finally reached him, the world exploded in light. Its terrifying energy pinned Franklin to the ground—but his body was unscathed.
Instead, within his sea of consciousness, endless lightning surged. Bolts of thunder raged across the golden sea, trying to vaporize it completely.
But Franklin's spirit was immensely strong. Even after the thunder's power finally dispersed, his sea of consciousness remained as radiant and golden as before.