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Boom!
A shockwave, raw and violent, ripped through the void.
Riiip—
Like torn cloth, the invisible, divine chains of "Ōmato-no" binding Qianyu's soul were shredded into nothingness.
"How… how is this possible?! He broke free of the Ōmato-no's restraints?!"
Moments later, Isshiki and Shibai Ōtsutsuki descended into the space, following Kaguya.
Qianyu had been on death's door just moments ago. Now, he was revitalized, radiating terrifying new power. At the sight, Isshiki's pupils contracted violently, and horror dawned on his face.
"And this energy…!!"
At the level of power Qianyu and Shibai operated at, a 20% increase represented a leap in realms. A 100% increase? That was an entirely new dimension. A level that could make even a "god" tremble.
In Isshiki's perception, Qianyu's energy skyrocketed like a rocket, surpassing Shibai Ōtsutsuki in a blink. And it was still climbing!
Squelch.
As his physical transformation completed, a vertical slit split open on Qianyu's forehead. From it emerged a golden Rinnegan, identical to Shibai's. It fixed its indifferent gaze on the terrified Isshiki.
"No—!!"
Isshiki Ōtsutsuki let out a despairing wail. He felt a mysterious force erasing his very existence, and he could do nothing.
Pop.
The next instant, Isshiki vanished like a popped soap bubble. Gone without a trace. As if he never was.
One look. That was all it took to erase a being like Isshiki. Such was Qianyu's current power.
"Qianyu-sama… is so strong now."
Behind him, Kaguya stared at his towering back, her lips slightly parted. A fanatical light gleamed in her beautiful eyes.
Adoration of the strong was carved into the bones of every Ōtsutsuki. Just as Isshiki had worshipped Shibai, she was now infinitely grateful she had chosen to serve Qianyu.
'Such pure chakra… it feels like it's undergone a qualitative change… Gulp. I can't wait to taste what Qianyu-sama's chakra feels like now~~'
"Your turn, Ōtsutsuki Shibai."
Having casually crushed Isshiki, Qianyu turned his cold gaze to Shibai. Deep within his eyes, a raging fire burned. He had been forced to endure the pain of parting from his "parents" once more, all thanks to this being before him.
"It is you! It really is you!" For some reason, upon seeing Qianyu's current form and sensing that mysterious power within him, the ever-aloof, god-like Shibai Ōtsutsuki suddenly became agitated. He glared at Qianyu, anger lacing his voice. "Was all of this your design from the very beginning?!"
"Then what am I?! A sacrificial offering prepared in advance to pave your way to godhood?!"
BOOM!
As Shibai raged, the entire space convulsed violently. An indescribable power rippled out indiscriminately in all directions.
Swish.
Qianyu raised a hand, shielding Kaguya from the effect. Otherwise, the mere backlash of Shibai's furious shouts would have been enough to erase her.
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Qianyu shot Shibai a sidelong glance. He raised a finger, his voice cold as he pronounced judgment. "The last person who tried to weave my destiny is already dead. Now, you join him."
With double the power now flowing through him, Shibai's so-called "Divine Arts" were utterly ineffective. In a sense, perhaps he was the "God" now.
…
Elsewhere, Another World.
"Hah… the array is fully lit. It should be successful… right?"
Uchiha Madara stared at the brilliantly glowing ritual array before him, muttering uncertainly.
Wary that Qianyu might have some last-resort technique that could harm him even in a soul state, he had adjusted the summoning formula. He'd set the arrival point for Qianyu's soul in a different location. Because of this, he couldn't be 100% sure.
"So that's it. You were trying to forcibly summon my soul here…"
Just as Madara hesitated, debating whether to go check the preset location, a familiar voice sounded from behind him.
"Q-Qianyu?!"
Madara jolted, spinning around. His eyes met the golden Rinnegan on Qianyu's forehead. A chill shot straight to the top of his skull.
'Damn it! What kind of monster is this kid? Why is he stronger again already?!'
Madara couldn't even bring himself to look directly at Qianyu now. He gritted his teeth, slightly averting his gaze.
However much he hated to admit it, the pressure radiating from Qianyu was terrifying. For the first time in his life, Madara felt… fear.
And needless to say, his plan had undoubtedly failed.
"You know, Madara," Qianyu began, not attacking the frozen ninja but speaking in a complex tone. "If not for you, I might never have come to this world."
He had effortlessly consumed Ōtsutsuki Shibai and followed the historical records automatically synchronized by the Karasuki to arrive here. Qianyu instantly understood the purpose of Madara's array, and many pieces of the puzzle clicked into place.
"I never understood how I arrived in the ninja world. Today, I finally figured it out."
"Qianyu, what do you mean by that?" Madara asked, wary and confused by Qianyu's cryptic words.
"You didn't travel to another world, Madara. You confused the Karasuki's time coordinates with its spatial coordinates."
Qianyu looked Madara straight in the eye, enunciating each word clearly. "This is still our ninja world. The ninja world from ten years ago."
Madara froze as if struck by lightning. He stared at Qianyu, dazed. "You mean… I didn't cross space? I just went back in time? But… but you…!"
"I am not from this version of your world. Ten years ago, I had not yet arrived in the ninja world."
Qianyu's next words sent a chill down Madara's spine.
"It seems now, it was precisely because you came to the past, using a trace of my essence as a medium, that you summoned the 'me of the past' from another world into the ninja world. I took over the body of a dying orphan by chance and became who I am today."
Even as he spoke, Qianyu felt a creeping, horrifying realization himself.
A time loop had closed. Fate was fulfilled. But… the Naruto world originally shouldn't have had him in it. Who made this happen?
Just as Naruto was destined to become Hokage no matter the peril, it seemed Qianyu was destined to cross into this world and walk the path to this very point.
'But Naruto is just a pre-written story… Could it be…?!'
The thought made Qianyu's blood run cold. He looked up at the sky, a sudden, paranoid fear gripping him. Were there countless eyes in another world, watching his entire life with curiosity and amusement?
"W-what are you saying?!" Beside him, Madara tried to process Qianyu's words, but his brain felt like it was overheating. He couldn't make heads or tails of it.
He wasn't like Qianyu, who'd read countless mind-bending novels. He couldn't untangle such a complex causal relationship.
"You wanted to erase me completely, but instead, you accidentally created me. Fate truly is… interesting."
Qianyu shook off the disquieting line of thought. He looked at Madara, a hundred emotions swirling within him.
"And not long ago, I was hit by an incredibly powerful genjutsu, teetering on the edge of death. It was likely because you sacrificed a part of my essence that I felt something and managed to break free."
Hearing this, Madara felt utterly defeated. "You mean to say… if I had done nothing, the current you might simply not exist?!"
"..."
Qianyu said nothing, but the answer was clear in his pitying gaze.
After a long silence, Madara threw his head back and laughed wildly. "Hahahahaha! How ironic! Perhaps everything was destined. I, Uchiha Madara, was destined to become your stepping stone."
"Floating and sinking through most of my life… I've finally learned one thing. A man must accept his fate."
Tears streamed down his face as he laughed. He looked at Qianyu, the former arrogance gone, replaced by utter desolation. He closed his eyes.
"The victor is king, the loser a bandit. Kill me, Qianyu. I have nothing to say in my defeat."
"Then, as you wish. My worthy rival… and my creator—Uchiha Madara."
Qianyu gave a slight nod. Though he admired Madara's character, the man had sought his life. Letting him live was out of the question. A matter of principle.
Besides, with his current power, he no longer needed a mere Six Paths-level helper.
Swish.
Qianyu waved his hand. Madara's Six Paths body disintegrated into fine sand, scattering in an unfelt wind. Only his soul and the Karasuki remained, which Qianyu swept into his sleeve to take away, lest they disturb the timeline.
[Ding! This service session has concluded. The Saving Lives System will automatically unbind. Please settle the service fee promptly.]
Just as Qianyu was about to activate the Karasuki to return to the ninja world ten years later, the system popped up with a notification that caught him completely off guard.
"Unbind? Service fee?!"
Qianyu was momentarily speechless.
While his achievements were mostly due to his own efforts, the system had undoubtedly played a supporting role.
After all this time together, he'd grown accustomed to its presence. He'd developed… feelings for it. So… not only was it leaving, but it wanted payment?
What a blow to a dedicated freeloader!
[System: …]
In all its years of service, a host as… unique… as Qianyu was indeed a rare find.
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