Sizzle…!
Izanagi, a forbidden Uchiha technique that rewrites reality can turn even death into an illusion, making any fatal event nothing more than a fleeting dream.
Obito managed to escape Kotoamatsukami, but the cursed wound from the Death God's blood, inflicted before he activated Izanagi, remained!
Naruto calmly put his mask back on.
"You got away. Now, for the next ten minutes, you're invincible. So… what will it be? Want to settle this in a final fight?"
He added coolly,
"But the wound in your chest isn't something you can ignore. You may not feel pain or bleed while Izanagi is active, but once time's up… all that damage will hit you at once. It could kill you. Honestly, you should head back and treat it now."
Bang!
Tobi landed beside Obito.
Obito stared at Naruto. "You planned everything, even the fact that I'd use Izanagi. But why not have Hidan strike a vital point and finish me off?"
Naruto smiled faintly.
"I don't see you as an enemy, just an opponent. One day, we might even fight side by side… against the real enemy."
Obito fell silent.
The real enemy…?
In his mind, he muttered, This rotten, broken world… that's my enemy.
"Even if you win today, Naruto… I won't give up on my future."
He placed his hand on Tobi's shoulder and activated Kamui.
Just before they vanished, Obito caught a glimpse of Naruto's lips mouthing four silent words, and froze.
After Obito disappeared, Konan stepped forward.
"In the memory you shared with me," she asked softly, "was he using that eye technique to escape… my Paper God Technique?"
Naruto said, "Yes. Izanagi can only be used by someone with three tomoe sharingan. It's a forbidden eye technique and it comes at the cost of going blind in the eye used."
"Obito is cautious. He prepared the Sharingan in his left eye specifically for Izanagi. With it, he becomes invincible for ten minutes, no matter what happens, he can't die."
Konan nodded. "I see… Ten minutes. That's also the time limit of my Paper God technique…"
She thought silently: If 600 billion tags weren't enough… then maybe one trillion will be.
Naruto looked at the spot where Obito had vanished and sighed inwardly.
Obito… he's just like me. In another life, I was alone too, stuck in the dark. If things had gone differently, I might have become him...
Konan asked quietly, "Are you ready to go after Sasuke?"
Naruto sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. "Yeah. Just let me re-enter Sage Mode first."
…..
Obito and Tobi had retreated. Their plan had failed.
To preserve their forces, even the White Zetsu units attacking Konoha began to withdraw.
"They're trying to run away!!"
"We can't let them go! They killed so many of our comrades!!"
Fueled by anger and grief, the Konoha ninjas wanted to chase them down.
But Nara Shikaku raised his voice:
"Let them go!"
Everyone froze. "Mr. Shikaku?!"
Shikaku looked around at the exhausted and wounded shinobi, at the chaos and pain all around. He heard the rumbling of destruction in the distance and said firmly,
"There are too many of them. If we keep fighting, more of us will die. And more importantly…"
He paused, then said in a deeper voice,
"We have more urgent priorities, treat the wounded. Protect the village."
The crowd fell silent. Slowly, they understood.
They swallowed their anger and began to work together.
...
In the center of Konoha Village, Sasuke's Complete Susanoo stood tall like a god of war, unleashing destruction upon the village base.
The dark purple armor radiated hatred, an echo of the rage burning in Sasuke's heart.
"Hahahahaha!! Fall before this power! Tremble, despair, and die like insects!!"
"What you did to the Uchiha clan, this is your retribution!!"
Sasuke's laughter echoed from the top of Susanoo's forehead.
Swish!
The massive sword swung down, splitting earth and shattering stone!
"Ahhhh!!!"
Cries of pain and terror rang out as ninjas fled in panic.
"Sasuke, stop!! Please!!!"
Sakura ran to Susanoo's feet, tears streaming down her face.
Sasuke glanced down coldly. "Sakura… what's the point of begging now?"
Still sobbing, Sakura opened her arms wide. "If you want to destroy the village, then step over my dead body first!"
Sasuke's voice was icy. "Then I will."
Susanoo raised its enormous foot and brought it down, right toward Sakura!
Caught in its shadow, Sakura closed her eyes in despair.
Sasuke-kun is no longer the person I knew... and neither is Naruto. I'm tired of all this... Maybe it's better to end it here...
Swish!
A figure flashed by and pulled Sakura away just in time!
Boom!!!
Susanoo's foot crushed the ground.
Sakura opened her eyes, stunned. "Kakashi-sensei?! Why did you save me?!"
Kakashi replied firmly, "Don't ever throw your life away like that, Sakura!"
She trembled. "But I don't have any reason to live anymore...!"
Kakashi looked her in the eyes. "Don't say something so childish. Look around you, look at your comrades."
Sakura slowly lifted her head.
Even the Genin and Chūnin were shouting, throwing kunai with explosive tags at Susanoo, using whatever jutsu they had, even if it seemed useless.
Shikamaru, Neji, Hinata, Shino, Kiba, Tenten, Lee… even Ino, who once loved Sasuke, all of Sakura's classmates were fighting in their own way, giving it everything they had.
Even Akimichi Chōza and his son Chōji used their clan's secret technique, Butterfly Transformation, growing into towering giants and fighting desperately against Susanoo's overwhelming power!
Sakura watched, stunned.
"…What have I been doing all this time? I've only cried and waited. I always relied on Naruto… I forgot that I'm a ninja too."
Kakashi said gently, "Then go. Do what only you can do."
Sakura wiped her tears and stood tall. "Right… I'm Haruno Sakura! I'm a kunoichi of Konoha and Lady Tsunade's apprentice!"
Kakashi's gaze shifted to the rampaging Susanoo.
"The destruction now is no less than the Nine-Tails attack from sixteen years ago. Sasuke… you've truly gained incredible power."
"That Chakra giant… with its perfect defense and overwhelming offense… only someone like the First Hokage could take it head-on. But right now, there's no one in the village that strong…"
He looked upward, his eyes tracking a streak of light above.
"…But if it's just about reaching Sasuke himself, maybe there's still a way."
Boom!!
Chōza, in his giant butterfly form, was sent flying and smashed into a building. Bloodied but unbroken, he slammed his fist into the ground.
"Damn it… something like that can't be beaten by normal strength!"
Kakashi stepped forward. "Chōza, I have an idea and I'll need your help."
Chōza turned to him, stunned.
"…Are you serious, Kakashi? If this fails, you might not make it back alive…"
Kakashi said firmly, "But this is one of the only chances we have!"
"I got it...!"
Akimichi Chōza grabbed Kakashi with his massive hands. After gathering his strength, he hurled Kakashi straight toward the top of Susanoo!
From below, Karin shouted, "Sasuke! Sky, four o'clock!!"
Sasuke turned his head.
He heard the roar of wind, then lightning. Kakashi was flying through the air, Raikiri blazing in his hand!
Sasuke scoffed, "Kakashi? At this point, you really think Raikiri can stop this? You're just throwing your life away. I thought you were weak but smart… Looks like I gave you too much credit."
Szzzz!
Suddenly, Kakashi's left eye shifted into a Mangekyō Sharingan.
As he closed in, his eye locked onto Susanoo's forehead.
—Kamui!
Crack!
A sharp split appeared on Susanoo's forehead.
"What?!" Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.
And in the very next second, Kakashi's Raikiri has already rushed forward...
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
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