— Umoda Flow · Time Stop Domain
Naruto's crimson-charged fist halted one inch before Akira's face.
In that instant—
his entire body froze.
Within the 3.3-meter radius barrier, everything—macro and micro—ceased all motion.
Even…
thought itself stopped.
The limit of the time stop was ten seconds.
Once caught, there was no way to break free.
The only way to counter it—
was to never enter Akira's personal domain in the first place.
If Naruto had known about this ability beforehand, he could have adjusted his tactics—avoiding close-range engagement.
Perhaps…
there might have been a chance.
But now—
it was too late.
To outsiders, the scene looked bizarre.
Akira's domain was invisible to anyone without Eternal Mangekyō-level vision.
To them—
Naruto had simply been paused mid-attack.
"Lord Hokage! Attack!"
"Why aren't you moving!?"
"Is it because you can't bring yourself to kill Uchiha Akira!?"
"He may have defeated Momoshiki, but he has his own agenda!"
"He killed our comrades!"
"Lord Hokage—we request permission to execute Uchiha Akira!!"
Then—
they saw it.
Akira moved.
Naruto did not.
Akira calmly placed his hand on Naruto's chest.
A wave of dread spread through the crowd.
"What are you doing to the Seventh Hokage!?"
Kawaki roared and rushed forward.
But—
someone was faster.
Uchiha Sasuke.
He alone could see the time stop domain clearly.
"Uchiha Akira! Don't hurt Naruto!"
"We can talk this out!"
But sound could not pass through frozen time.
Even if Akira heard—
he wouldn't stop.
You rejected my proposal.
Then we proceed by my rules.
Sasuke's mind raced.
Time is frozen inside that barrier…
Radius about 3.3 meters…
Then attacks from outside should still reach him!
Lightning burst from his hand.
— Chidori: Sharp Spear!
"SHHHK!"
The lightning lance shot forward—
but the moment it touched the boundary—
it stopped.
"?!"
"It won't go through!?"
A barrier of time was harder to break than space itself.
Once Time Stop Domain was activated—
the boundary became an absolute defense.
No external attack could enter.
Just as the name implied—
Sasuke and Akira were now separated by an insurmountable wall.
7 seconds… 6… 5…
Akira counted silently.
His hand remained pressed against Naruto's chest.
He did only one thing—
He rewound Naruto's time—
and Kurama's time—
back to before Baryon Mode was activated.
But—
time stop had higher priority.
The reversal would only take effect after time resumed.
"Three seconds."
Akira formed a hand seal.
— Summoning: Gedo Statue!
"BOOM!"
Five meters behind him—
amidst thick white smoke—
the Gedo Statue descended.
Sasuke's expression changed instantly.
"The Gedo Statue…!?"
He didn't care how Akira obtained it—
or how he gained control.
Only one thought filled his mind—
Naruto is in danger!
He's going to extract Kurama!
That cannot happen!
Sasuke leapt onto the stone Naruto had stood on.
His Eternal Mangekyō flared—
ready to charge—
"THUD!"
Mid-air—
his body froze.
Like something had grabbed him from behind.
"Th-this…?"
His eye glanced back—
and finally saw it.
Cold sweat poured down his face.
"Limbo…!"
Madara appeared.
No longer hidden.
His cold hand touched Sasuke's face—
a faint trace of gentleness mixed with disappointment.
"Sasuke…"
"You haven't improved."
"Madara!!"
"SHHH!"
Time resumed.
The crimson aura vanished as if it never existed.
Naruto and Kurama both trembled.
"What just happened!?"
In their perception—
they were about to land the decisive blow.
But in the blink of an eye—
Naruto was now lifted into the air by Akira.
And Baryon Mode—
was gone.
"What did you do to the Seventh Hokage!?"
Kawaki roared, charging in with golden chakra cloak blazing.
That cloak—
had been personally given to him by Naruto before the battle.
And Naruto had protected him so well—
he hadn't even used it up yet.
Akira didn't even look at him.
With one motion—
he ripped the cloak off Kawaki's body.
Then—
— Shinra Tensei!
Kawaki was blasted away.
Before becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki—
Akira didn't want to fully provoke Isshiki.
But just now—
he had already tampered slightly with Kawaki's Karma using Danmetsu Enti.
Naruto struggled.
"Damn it!"
Akira said calmly:
"Don't bother trying Baryon Mode again."
"As long as my left hand holds you—"
"You cannot establish the causality required for it."
He glanced at the golden chakra swirling in his right hand.
"But this… makes things easier."
Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra was special—
unlike Gyūki's.
Extraction required certain conditions.
Now—
Akira's right hand, wrapped in golden chakra—
pierced directly into Naruto's abdomen.
"GURGLE—!"
Like yeast activating dough—
it forcibly stimulated Naruto's depleted Nine-Tails chakra.
A golden fox head emerged once more.
"CLANK…!"
Behind Akira—
the Gedo Statue opened its massive jaws.
Chains gathered in its throat—
ready to shoot out.
Once those chains connected—
Kurama would be doomed.
"CRACKLE!"
Suddenly—
purple lightning tore through the air.
"!"
"If Naruto can't resist—"
"It must be because Akira is holding him!"
"Force him to let go—and we still have a chance!"
Hatake Kakashi arrived.
Calm.
Precise.
Decisive.
— Purple Lightning!
Akira didn't even glance at him.
Not because he couldn't defend—
but because he didn't need to.
Because he knew—
someone else would intervene.
"WHOOOM!"
A black vortex appeared.
Kakashi froze for a split second—
then pushed forward with lightning.
"CLACK!"
The vortex stabilized.
A hand emerged—
grabbing Kakashi's wrist mid-strike.
"Y-you are…!?"
Kakashi's eyes widened.
The man raised his head.
Under gray, weathered hair—
those eyes.
Filled with restrained tears.
"You no longer have the Sharingan…"
"Yet your attack surpasses Raikiri."
"It seems what I once thought was a gift…"
"became a shackle instead."
"Just like how I was once bound by the Will of Fire."
He looked at Kakashi.
Softly.
"Don't you think so…"
"…Kakashi?"
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