Naruto: Tales of Ashihara
The Shinden Saga – Arc 4: The Otsutsuki War
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Chapter 149 – Moon Buster Canon
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Up on the moon, in the sapphire castle of the Shinden, Sakitsuki Otsutsuki is sitting alone in an isolated chamber. This is where she was first sent by Tokubei when he came to find her in Kiri. And this is where she has stayed since then. Unmotivated to seek any interaction or purpose on this small planet, she sat there and kept observing Earth with her Byakugan. So she is aware of all that happened in Kiri after she vanished.
Here alone, she receives a visit she didn't expect. The Ryu Shinsen, Yamitsuki Otsutsuki, walks into this room unforeseen. In panic, she hurries to stand up and bow to her ruler but the Dragon Sage stops her with a simple hand gesture, allowing her to stay seated. He calmly joins her and crosses his legs to sit without a word. After a short awkward silence, he speaks words that she never thought he would.
"How do you feel, Sakitsuki?" asks the god of nature. "Are you fine, disappointed, sad.. only the last two?"
Saki doesn't answer, but doesn't look away either. She stays face to face with the Ryu Shinsen in silence, trying to decipher this unusual behavior.
"Would you rather be on Earth than here?" he adds, still with a calm and compassionate voice, almost a fatherly attitude.
Sakitsuki's face trembles, confused about if she should rather frown and squint her eyes, or widen them in surprise. That Yamitsuki comes to visit her like this is strange. That he is the first to speak and the one to ask questions is even weirder. But that he asks such mindful things is what troubles her most. What happened during her absence that made the great Dragon Sage act like he could actually care less?
Yamitsuki guesses her thoughts, reading from her feelings and facial expression. He closes his eyes, sits straight, and decides to take on an attitude more alike to how she knows him.
"How much more time will it take for the sight of your Sanmeigan to return?" he questions, now asking about only what could be of interest to the Shinden or him.
Feeling oddly at peace, free of any pressure despite this crushing presence, Sakitsuki doesn't feel the need nor the will to stay defensive. And so she shows the answer to that question in all honesty. She slowly closes her eyelids and, as she does so, pulls all the light within this universe to her pupils, making all this layer of creation go dark for a split instant. When she opens her eyes again, to Yamitsuki's surprise, she has the so precious all-seeing Dojutsu of which she is the only user ever known.
"I see…" the god of knowledge says, still calm, with no anger or judgment. "You kept it hidden. You held it back and made its reawakening obey only to your will. This is impressive."
Sakitsuki stays quiet, this time only because she doesn't feel the need or request to speak. She can feel that, now that she revealed her Dojutsu, the Dragon Sage is carefully choosing his next question. What will he ask about first? What is it, in the whole universe, that he is most eager to learn about?
"So tell me, golden-eyed child, where is Naruto?" asks the sovereign, to the young goddess' quiet astonishment. Is the sovereign of all things, the one above all that lives, the king of gods, showing interest for another person that isn't his beloved Naobi or a fellow celestial?
"He… is training in the territory of the giant toads…" she explains, breaking her silence to serve her purpose. "Oh, no sorry. I don't think the original is at that place. It's just thousands of clones, doing the same thing."
"Tajuu Kage Bunshin, hm…" Yamitsuki comments aloud. "It seems to be his forever favorite jutsu. Does he seek to make the best out of it?… So, Sakitsuki, if these are only clones, where is the original?"
Before she answers this question, she looks over the Ryu Shinsen's shoulder, seconds before the god of winter, Tokubei Otsutsuki walks in to discuss his latest mission with the sovereign. Yamitsuki, having felt his fellow Shinden arrive, discreetly raises a finger, telling Saki to stay quiet about his question for now.
"So, as you see, this is one of my 3 missions accomplished." Tokubei says to the Dragon Sage while staring insistently at Sakitsuki. "I must have figured out what my second mission was as well."
Yamitsuki slightly turns around to see the masked god come by his side, and then looks at Saki again, insistingly as well, knowing what this other mission was supposed to be.
"I felt the stigmata on the Minamoto. It is Hyakki." Tokubei says, to which Saki sighs, already aware of what he found. The god of winter adds "I also felt something oddly familiar in him. What was it?"
After hearing this remark, Yamitsuki gently lays the tip of a claw on Sakitsuki's forehead and uses the hidden jutsu of another Shinden.
Ohoma Gatsuhi
With Yasona's power, he suppresses her ability to hear anything. He continues the conversation without moving his lips, to prevent her from reading on them, while Tokubei speaks under his mask, which even her golden sight can't bypass.
"It was the Daitengu, right?" Tokubei adds, now certain to be unheard. "He doesn't only have its power, but in some way, he has its soul. Or at least a part of it."
Sakitsuki makes a surprised yet innocent face when she notices her missing hearing. Did the Dragon Sage do that out of lack of trust for her, or does he simply need to discuss something she better not hear about? In wonder, she sits in silence and waits to be addressed again.
"Tokubei, did anyone ever tell you about Ohirume Otsutsuki?" Yamitsuki asks a question seemingly unrelated, but with the intention to bring about a connection.
"… Maybe Yasona did." Tokubei thinks about it. "Wasn't she her mistress? In the age of Kaguya's mother?"
"Ohirume was the goddess of darkness. The goddess of stars. The most brilliant, most intelligent person to have lived in the last million years." Yamitsuki praises a past comrade. "I believe her plan to take down the Queen Mother, which we followed and fulfilled, was only a mere step in a larger scheme. I now realize just how much of a visionary she was."
"Why are you telling me this?" Tokubei asks, unsure to understand the connection.
"I may have read through her true noble intentions…" the Dragon Sage adds. "If I am not mistaken, Takeshi Minamoto plays a frustratingly essential role in this. This is why, Tokubei, you should prevent the death of this man at all cost."
"So I shouldn't kill him to prevent Hyakki's return, and neither should I let the Tenshin do it?" the masked man questions. "That poor boy certainly prefers death anyway… But may I know why? How could a human who is just 20 years old have any role in the plan of someone who died 12 centuries ago?"
"This, I will not tell you. I do not trust you enough to share this idea with you." Yamitsuki frankly replies, which Tokubei understands and accepts. The god of nature then moves on to another matter. "What about your last mission then? Have you fought Sasuke Uchiha?"
"I did…" Tokubei says before sitting down with apparent embarrassment in his gesture. After an awkward silence, he admits the outcome to his sovereign. "You were right, Yamitsuki-sama. He became disturbingly powerful, and in so little time… I should have kept up. I didn't expect him to have risen to such a level."
"So, do you admit defeat? Do you recognize the dignity of the Uchiha and leave your grudge aside?" Yamitsuki asks, to quietly mess with the masked man and get a certain reaction.
"Certainly not." Tokubei exclaims. "I still intend to kill him and punish him for his path. No matter how powerful he became, it doesn't redeem his betrayal of the Uchiha's will."
"Understood… Be careful, however. You have been mostly filter-less with him. He could unveil your true self."
Tokubei gasps, startled by the fact that the Dragon Sage would dare to mention this so simply. After a short gaze at Saki who shows no reaction, he feels safe to speak and answers.
"As long as he doesn't shatter the secret… I'd be more pleased than embarrassed with Sasuke knowing. It could help him understand just how awful he has become."
In the middle of his sentence, without him noticing, Naobi Otsutsuki appeared in the room behind the god of winter and heard only what seemed like the end of a mysterious conversation. Unbothered, she barges in the discussion.
"What secret is there to hide from him?" she says, which startles Tokubei. "Why do you still care so much about the life choices of Indra's avatars? It's been over a thousand years."
Tokubei doesn't reply. He just abruptly stands up, glad that she didn't hear more of his conversation with the Ryu Shinsen, and that she doesn't seem to question it further. Yamitsuki looks up to the goddess of creation levitating in the room, stands up as well, and undoes the Jujutsu he laid on Sakitsuki.
"We will resume this exchange later, Tokubei." he declares. The masked god complies, but doesn't leave the room. He stays there, to see what Naobi came to do or claim.
The goddess of creation, clueless about the mysteries veiled by the Dragon Sage and his acolyte, doesn't question Tokubei's words further. Instead, she rapidly greets Yamitsuki before immediately setting her feet down to warmly hug Sakitsuki. The golden-eyed one is surprised by this lack of anger and discipline, but welcomes this affection.
After a few seconds, Naobi steps back, still holding Saki by the shoulders, and stares into her eyes.
"So the Sanmeigan returned." she proudly says. "Impressive… Only 2 years. This is far less than the last time you used Uro Haki, the 3rd wisdom."
Sakitsuki stays silent, having realized the mistake of her mistress. She slightly moves her eyes to gaze at Yamitsuki, who understands the same thing but also chooses silence. Naobi, at the moment, must think that Tokubei was sent to bring her back because her Sanmeigan just returned. In reality, she held the reawakening of her eyes back for nearly a year.
Naobi notices her student's eyes looking in her back, at the Ryu Shinsen. So she lets her hands go and elevates herself slightly above the soil. She turns around to face Yamitsuki as well and, unbothered by Saki's presence, comes to discuss her disappointment and Tokubei's mission.
"My mission of order was to prevent Momoshiki from escaping the judgment of the Tenshin. And so his only way back to life has to be Sasuke Uchiha's stigmata. Yet now, you send Tokubei to kill him? What you're doing now is eliminating Momoshiki forever. You'd be just another criminal for the Tenshin if you do so. Why?"
The masked god of winter and the golden-eyed woman stay quiet and discreet, feeling awkward yet curious about what the Ryu Shinsen has to answer. Yamitsuki, pressured by the silence, sighs and gives his reply.
"It is no crime if not a murder. Momoshiki is dead as of now. If his murderer disappears, it is only a shame for him. In all due honesty, if he were to return, he would just orchestrate yet another vengeance and resume his plans."
"So what?" Naobi interrupts him. "It's not like any of his plans could ever reach us. No matter how much power he harvests, he'll never be a threat to you. As long as you live, neither Momoshiki nor Isshiki, nor anyone else will dare lay a finger on the multiverse's order."
Sakitsuki raises her eyebrows, surprised to hear the name of Hyakki's father mentioned as a potential threat. It's true that he is a chaotic and fearsome being, but to her, he is only like Yasona: a mischievous fellow who's still part of their laws. That Naobi mentions him as such means she considers him as more of an enemy. Yet, Saki dares not to voice these questions. Instead, she stays quiet and listens to the Dragon Sage's answer.
"This is, as you say, as long as I live." Yamitsuki hesitatingly says.
"Stop playing!" Naobi exclaims. "The Ryujin's power makes you a life form superior to any of us. Your kalpa will last longer than 4 of their lifetimes. They'll be long gone before you have to pass on your responsibilities."
To this argument, Yamitsuki doesn't answer. He just insistently stares at Naobi and waits for her to realize what she's missing. In fact, she isn't taking into account the accelerating extinction of their kind that could leave no living successor for the Ryu Shinsen in 10 thousand years. But most importantly, she is only considering the case in which Yamitsuki lives to the end of his kalpa.
Only now, in the terrible stare of her lover, does she see it. The latest actions of Yamitsuki don't reflect the intention of reigning this many more centuries. Is he preparing for the case where his enemies will outlive him? How could that happen? Suddenly it occurs to her, the unrealistic scenario he is foreseeing.
"Don't tell me…" she starts to say, ready to call him out, before being abruptly interrupted..
"Uh? What are they doing?" Sakitsuki inadvertently exclaims to voice her concern about something she is seeing on Earth.
The three Shinden in the room look at her and focus to sense what worries her. They all indeed notice a remarkable gathering of energy somewhere on the ninja continent on Earth. Saki, having visual proof of the event, explains it.
"It's in Kumogakure! They're gonna destroy the moon!"
After hearing this, Yamitsuki boringly looks at Naobi and Tokubei who seem to have a mitigated reaction. They both look agitated, but for the masked man it is out of curiosity, while the goddess of creation is more genuinely worried. They both disappear with their respective space-time jutsu and expect their ruler to come along. Yet before leaving Sakitsuki alone, Yamitsuki asks her two intimate questions.
"Let me guess… Naruto is there as well. Is that right?"
To this, Saki only answers with a light worried nod. The sovereign obviously senses the young one's feelings, and kindly addresses them with his second question.
"This world matters to Takeshi Minamoto. So it matters to you. You would not handle such sudden destruction. Would you?"
Saki once again replies with just a head movement to deny. After this short exchange, Yamitsuki raises a finger to his mouth, to sign her not to speak of this interaction. He then uses Kandakoro to vanish into a wormhole that absorbs and releases him in the sky of the moon, with Naobi and Tokubei.
There, Tokubei is the closest to the Earth. Outside of the moon's atmosphere, he is facing the blue planet and focuses to see their assault coming.
"There it is." he says to himself, as Naobi and Yamitsuki also notice a dense chakra beam traveling through space toward them at tremendous speed. With his hands raised, he channels the power of his right eye through a barrier.
Gakido
When the beam strikes, it is reduced and entirely absorbed by the god of winter. While Tokubei is containing this first strike, Naobi analyzes it carefully. The impressive speed of this attack seems to be due to the presence of not only a majority of Raiton in it, but also the pure Koton, light as chakra. The only human she knows with this Kekkei Genkai is Takeshi Minamoto, but she doubts that he'd take part in such a plan, knowing that Saki is here on the moon as well.
Behind her, Yamitsuki is more concerned about another aspect of this beam's energy. It contains none of the 7th Hokage's unique chakra. By using the Byakugan's power copied with Okuninushi, he looks at where this attack came from and confirms his doubt. There he sees the army of Kumo and 2 artificial cannons. One weapon has just been used, and the other just finished loading in the energy of the one he was looking for.
"A second shot is coming." he warns his fellows.
"Pointless. I'll erase it all the same." Tokubei confidently says, getting in position to absorb one more beam.
"I advise you to step back, Tokubei." the Ryu Shinsen warns him. "This second strike is being made with the energy of the yellow fox. It cannot be absorbed."
"Hmm…" Naobi prepares to comment as she sees the army preparing with her Dojutsu. "He's taking his time on purpose. He's giving us time to leave."
"How gentle of him." Tokubei says after lowering his arms and turning around, ready to get away.
"Clever… He only intends to get us away from his world." Naobi thinks aloud, before asking what to do to the sovereign. "Should we transport everyone back to Ashihara?"
"To Ashihara? Why not to Earth? Wouldn't that be funny?" Tokubei suggests with a provoking tone.
"No. We will not move. We will not disturb our fellows." Yamitsuki answers as he levitates closer to Earth on his own, to his fellows' surprise. "There is no need to run away."
Naobi and Tokubei look at each other worriedly. They know that even the Ryu Shinsen can't absorb the Hokage's energy. So how does he intend to stop it? Sure of himself, Yamitsuki activates his Ryujin Kata and elevates his body and senses to an unmatched level. He stands still as he feels the beam come to him at light speed again, and focuses on the majority of mystic energy in it, coming from Naruto.
Kala
Right as the beam reaches him, he uses the jutsu known on Earth as Jikanteido to completely stop time and move aside, out of range. Standing there next to the frozen beam, he analyzes its structure and memorizes it with his Sharingan. In a careful effort, he manages to bend the flowing mass of energy and inadvertently makes time go again.
Naobi and Tokubei who could respectively sense and see him in the pause, now watch agape at their ruler redirecting the chakra beam to deflect it, sending it off into space, far away from Earth and the Moon, toward the nearest planet in the system, Mars.
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At the moment, in the plains outside of Kumo, Naruto Uzumaki is standing side by side with the Raikage. All the ninjas gathered are looking up and waiting to see the moon explode in the night sky. Naruto, however, can very clearly sense their second beam flying through space in a different direction, and oddly accelerating. Did they really miss both strikes?
Killer B hops off the seat from which he was operating the second machine and joins the Raikage. Around Naruto, the ninjas of Kumo go at ease. Even though they all figured out that both their attempts missed, they don't expect to try again, as they know their chakra was only a diversion for the Hokage's in this. Naruto admits it, but has to acknowledge that at least the energy of the Koton user was essential to ensure the speed of these beams.
At rest, he steps forward and looks at the crowd of ninjas preparing to leave or joining in groups to chat. Among them, he's confused by a detail. Many of them have exactly the same face. Not only face actually. They are the same person. Curious about this, which obviously looks like a variant of Kage Bunshin, he asks the ninja standing next to him.
"Hey, what's up with all these girls having the same face?"
"Huh?" the ninja confusingly stares around to make sure the Hokage is speaking to him, and answers with enthusiasm. "It's just Narui, Lord Hokage. She's using a jutsu called Bunretsu Bunshin. It's like a simplification of fission as clones. Each clone has an equal part of Narui's chakra and they are all connected through her one mind."
"Multiple clones, but one mind?" Naruto wonders aloud.
"It's certainly much simpler but it's similar to the Gudodama in some way." Kurama comments, to give inspiration to his host. "Her mind is in charge of extensions of her body in the shape of clones. She's just not actually extending her spirit."
"Yeah… I see." the jinchuriki answers. "So what if… I did both at once? A clone of both my mind and body? I think I see what you meant now."
Kurama doesn't answer and lets his host figure it out by himself. Naruto is however brought back to reality by the voice of the ninja next to him, willing to express his gratitude.
"Um, by the way, Lord Hokage, it's really an honor to meet you." he says. "My name is Yukai."
Naruto looks at him and confusingly shakes his held out hand to not leave him hanging. It's a young man with a muscular build, long blond hair, and a goatee still growing. He must have changed if he expects the Hokage to recognize him. Kurama, feeling his host's thoughts, helps him.
"It's the kid who fought Izuna in the international chunin exam." the fox says.
"Oh, Yukai!" Naruto exclaims, aloud. "Yes, I see. So you're the Koton user! I remember your fight against my student Izuna. I hope you became as strong as he did!"
"I don't know about that…" Yukai complains while scratching the back of his head. "Izuna's the guy who defeated Oshio Uchiha. It's gonna be easier for him to become Hokage than for me to become Raikage."
"You want to become the next Raikage?" Naruto asks, intrigued. "Well keep it up, kid. You're not the only candidate on the list."
Yukai slowly nods, knowing that the Hokage is obviously talking about Aoki whom he sees staring at them in the crowd, and whom the Hokage probably met many times before already. Reminded of his fight with Izuna, Yukai also remembers the promise he made to this kid. They have to meet again, both as the leaders they envision themselves as.
But for them both, the path seems troubled. Izuna has somewhat given up on this dream. And for Yukai, there are not only rivals, but also enemies that he couldn't defeat. He thinks particularly of White Claw, the mercenary he fought and lost to 2 years ago. He's however saved from his negative thoughts by the Hokage.
"By the way, did we really never meet before?" Naruto asks. "I mean, aside from when I saw you at the chunin exam. Have you ever met me?"
"Um, well yes, but never in person." Yukai answers. "I never introduced myself to you. I just saw you pass by in Kumo, but only as a clone, which isn't really the same as meeting the real you."
This comment leaves Naruto thoughtful. It's true that meeting a clone isn't like meeting the original, despite the fact that almost nobody would be able to make the difference. That is an unconscious flaw that the 2nd Hokage's jutsu always had. Is it possible to achieve a version of Kage Bunshin that creates a perfect, flawless, life form, identical to the maker? Is it actually what Kurama wants him to figure out?
While he thinks of it, he notices an explosion above. A star in the sky suddenly shines bright and catches everyone's attention.
"It's… Mars!" Y, the advisor of the Raikage, guesses.
Confused, the ninjas look at each other, wondering if this was a consequence of their chakra cannon's shots, and if this means planet Mars is actually gone. Naruto can't worry too much about this, as he is startled by something else. He is the only one who senses something similar to the chakra beams fired from these weapons coming toward them.
"Everyone take cover!" he yells as he unleashes his Biju Mode to protect everyone with the 9 tails of Kurama.
A mass of energy strikes and flattens the fox's avatar. While doing his best to resist, Naruto focuses and senses the frightening chakra of the Ryu Shinsen in this. From the shots he stopped, Yamitsuki must have been able to copy the mechanism of the canons with his eyes and send them a similar beam made of his own chakra.
Naruto is unable to stop it, yet it seems like this strike wasn't intended to destroy a planet like theirs. It only obliterates the Hokage's Biju Mode and precisely crushes the two canon weapons in elevation. This however did cause casualties. In the crowd, Naruto sees wounded and passed out ninjas who didn't resist just the pressure of the Dragon Sage's energy.
"Dammit! C, Sana, bring in medical reinforcement!" Darui, standing next to the Hokage, yells.
Naruto leaps away to help Killer B who fell down the structures supporting the canons right before they were destroyed. But he can't focus his attention here much longer. Above them in the sky, he feels the presence of the Ryu Shinsen getting closer. Yamitsuki is coming to them. In panic, with the enemy's promise to destroy this world the next time he lays foot on it still in mind, Naruto hurries to get in his way.
Kage Bunshin
Up in the sky, above the Earth's atmosphere, hundreds of clones of the Hokage appear around Yamitsuki and assault him together. The Dragon Sage defeats all of them with little effort needed, not even using his Ryujin Kata anymore. He only spares one of them that he paralyzes with Daruma, the same jutsu as last time.
"This was a quite hopeless move." he says to the Hokage. "None of these clones could use Gudodama."
After this comment, Yamitsuki gets closer and sadly stares at the clone who struggles to move in vain. In his eyes, Naruto sees what seems like disappointment, but also genuine concern. Behind the Dragon Sage arrives Naobi Otsutsuki who just stays in the distance and listens to the conversation. Seeing her, in the corner of his sight, Yamitsuki comes to make a proposition.
"Maybe, you should consider the offer of Naobi… If so, I would comply and let her proceed." he says, which frustrates Naruto who doesn't want their pity.
"No way! I already refused! I'm not gonna trade my best friend and son for peace." the Hokage exclaims.
"You can add Takeshi Minamoto to this argument." Yamitsuki mentions, just to be fair with the ruler of Earth, for whom it doesn't change anything. "… Tell me, Lord Hokage, how did Naobi present her offer? Did she mention the possibility of first remaking reality to assign the stigmata on these three individuals to other humans?"
"What? Is that possible?" Naruto asks, confused.
"Oh… It actually is." Naobi realizes, as she didn't think of suggesting this. "If I first use Kamimusubi to change the past, and make 3 sacrificial hosts the new bearers of the stigmata, I could spare the lives of Boruto Hyuga, Sasuke Uchiha and Takeshi Minamoto."
"… No! I still can't accept it. It feels wrong!" Naruto exclaims.
Naobi sighs, deceived by the Hokage's stubbornness, but also by her naivete. This suggestion from Yamitsuki is in opposition with what he was telling her minutes ago about his intention to let Momoshiki perish. By doing so, he would have allowed him to return safely. So he must have expected a negative answer from the Hokage. Yet, Yamitsuki now says something even more inconsistent with his previous statements.
"Lord Hokage, I have to let you know that asking for your agreement is only courtesy." he explains. "I may not be as talented with it as Naobi, but thanks to Okuninushi, I am able to use Kami Musubi as well. If I wanted to, I would execute her plan by myself, without you ever knowing or ever realizing."
Naruto, enraged by this possibility, gathers his chakra and, without any movement, creates a dozen clones behind the two Shinden. Just like before, the clones can't do any damage to the Ryu Shinsen and are just effortlessly eliminated.
Meanwhile, Naobi sees the clones behind her with the Sharin–Byakugan and uses Izunome to get in their back while they're all falling forward. Before they can react, she casts an illusion to trap them all and weaken them, and then dashes her staff to destroy all of them in an instant.
"To reject your destiny with such indomitable will can only reflect an unconscious resolve to fulfill mine…" Yamitsuki quietly comments, once again doubting the Hokage's ability to stand his ground against him. "I will give you one last chance, and turn around now."
"I know I'll never be as strong as you! But I'll keep my word, I swear!" Naruto exclaims. "I don't know how, but I'll beat you! You'll see! I'll find a way."
"A way, you say?" Yamitsuki mocks. "I guess this is what you are training for. But whatever way you find, are you not afraid that I simply learn and counter it with Okuninushi?"
"Uh?" Naruto and Kurama exclaims together. They did think of that problem and didn't find a solution, but they didn't expect the Dragon Sage to bring it up to them himself.
"Maybe a clue would be of help in that case." Yamitsuki adds before standing straight before him. "See, Okuninushi allows me to learn any jutsu or move I see, even the mechanism of a machine like those you used just now. However, complex abilities like Kami Musubi or the powers of the Rinnegan took me longer to master. Even to this day, the learning ability of Okuninushi depends on my multi-planar, stereoscopic vision. The sight of not one, but both eyes."
After this very clear explanation of the Dragon Sage's ability, Naruto and Naobi are left speechless. One is processing the information and what it means. The other can't believe that Yamitsuki really gave it away so carelessly. To not let this conversation go longer, The Ryu Shinsen abruptly pushes his foot through the clone and impales him, causing him to disappear and bring all his knowledge back to the original.
Naobi trembles, realizing that this was intentional, as he could have prevented this information from reaching the real Naruto with an illusion or another way but chose to send it forward. Yamitsuki's behavior leaves her confused, speechless. Just when she thought she figured out what game he was playing, she finds out just how wrong she was.
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Near Kumo, Naruto trips and falls, shaken by the information and experience received from his last dispelled clone. Around him, Omoi and B help him up as soon as he falls. Within himself, the Hokage exchanges an unspoken agreement with the nine-tailed fox. They now know exactly what they have to aim for. They have to reach their prime. No matter if they can surpass the Dragon Sage or not. With the information they have, they just need a plan to eliminate him, regardless of the gap between them.
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End of Chapter 149 – Next Chapter: Me in all this?