"Isshiki and Kaguya came to this planet?"
Kitagawa Minamoto's words left Momoshiki and Kinshiki stunned. This topic seemed to have drifted far off course. If they remembered correctly, this likely occurred over a thousand years ago.
"What are you talking about? What exactly are you trying to do?"
Compared to Momoshiki and Kinshiki's confusion, Kaguya, hidden within Kitagawa Minamoto's body, was visibly unsettled. Facing two Ōtsutsuki directly filled her with fear, and she was desperately trying to suppress her aura from leaking out. She was genuinely worried that these two would notice something amiss, which would spell disaster!
Originally, she had estimated that Kitagawa Minamoto would act only when the opportunity presented itself, launching a surprise attack much like she had done in the past. But this guy brazenly approached the two of them head-on. Was he insane?
"And why does he possess the power of the Divine Tree? That clone is clearly constructed from the Divine Tree—there's no doubt about it!"
Kaguya realized that her understanding of Kitagawa Minamoto might have been far too shallow.
"Indeed, many things trace back to them," Ignoring Kaguya's turmoil, Kitagawa Minamoto maintained a smile as he looked at the two individuals before him. "Ever since they came to this world, everything changed. Haven't you noticed that there's something odd about this planet?"
"This planet..." Kinshiki, being relatively straightforward, had indeed noticed certain anomalies. "The planet's energy seems slightly off. While it feels more hollow, its energy is also gradually recovering."
"Are you saying that Isshiki and Kaguya already completed the Divine Tree's planting back then?" Momoshiki furrowed his brow, his eyes filled with doubt. "And this planet is special enough to allow for another planting? Or is there some other reason?"
"Exactly. This planet is indeed unique, but that's not the key to why their chakra vanished." Kitagawa Minamoto smiled, but Kaguya was on the verge of losing her composure. What was this guy trying to do?
Unfortunately, no matter what she said, Kitagawa Minamoto wouldn't listen, and he continued speaking.
"The key lies in something Isshiki did, which also caused Kaguya's disappearance."
"Something Isshiki did?" Momoshiki and Kinshiki were taken aback. What exactly had Isshiki done?
Kaguya froze. What was this nonsense? Hadn't Isshiki been ambushed and split in two by her? How did this turn into her disappearance?
"Indeed, he did something very dangerous," Kitagawa Minamoto nodded firmly, his expression growing more serious. "And after that, he also went into hiding. However, what he did inspired me, and I gained invaluable insights from Urashiki."
"Inspired? Urashiki?" Kinshiki grew increasingly confused. He didn't fully understand what this fellow clan member was talking about, but he sensed it was significant.
Kaguya remained silent, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty.
"What exactly did he do?" Momoshiki raised an eyebrow, his smile becoming more sinister. "And when Isshiki and Urashiki's chakra erupted, you were present. So, what did you do?"
"You're quite perceptive, Senior." Kitagawa Minamoto nodded appreciatively, then smiled as he replied. "Indeed, it was Isshiki's inspiration that allowed me to verify something through Urashiki, revealing a certain secret."
"Then, what is this secret..." Momoshiki's gaze locked onto Kitagawa Minamoto, while Kaguya's curiosity was piqued.
"This secret is..." Kitagawa Minamoto's smile faded slightly. In an instant, Truth-Seeking Orbs appeared in his hand. With a flash, he was behind Kinshiki, and the Truth-Seeking Orbs had transformed into a golden lightsaber!
The next moment, the golden blade swung down directly at Kinshiki—
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
Outside the building, Naruto faced Kakuzu and Hidan. Without hesitation, he used the Shadow Clone Technique. Naruto had intelligence on these two, and he roughly knew how to deal with them.
"You bastard! I'm going to kill you!" With a furious shout, Naruto's golden figure flickered, appearing beside Kakuzu and Hidan like a flash of light. Not only that, there were three Narutos surrounding them from every direction. Each Naruto held a rapidly spinning Rasengan, which they pressed directly toward their targets!
"What a lunatic!" Though Kakuzu wasn't afraid—being resurrected via Impure World Reincarnation—the sheer intensity of the attack made his scalp tingle.
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
"Hey, I just asked a question—was this really necessary?" Hidan, slightly bewildered, swung his massive scythe rapidly.
As their attacks collided with Naruto's clones, several Shadow Clones dissipated into white smoke. But Naruto didn't seem to care; everything was proceeding as planned. Though Hidan's words had irritated him, his combat intelligence remained sharp.
"Rasengan!"
In the next instant, Naruto appeared like a phantom before Hidan, his rapidly spinning Rasengan slamming into Hidan's abdomen. Simultaneously, another Naruto appeared beside Kakuzu, his Rasengan aimed directly at him.
"What?!"
Everything happened too quickly for Hidan to react. He was sent flying, clutching his stomach as he rolled across the ground. Kakuzu fared no better, slamming heavily into the ground, his body visibly cracking open.
Before either could recover, their vision darkened as Naruto's figure reappeared before them.
"What's going on?" Hidan felt his mind buzzing. He couldn't understand why a simple question had enraged the Nine-Tails jinchūriki to this extent.
"When did that guy set up a Flying Thunder God marker?" Kakuzu, however, was more analytical. He realized the situation was becoming troublesome.
The seals were the key to the Flying Thunder God Technique. Having been thoroughly schooled by Kitagawa Minamoto in the past, Kakuzu was well aware of the technique's importance. Kitagawa Minamoto's seals were practically divine, but how had the Nine-Tails jinchūriki managed this?
"Could it be through Shadow Clones?" Though Kakuzu had pinpointed the crux of the matter, he couldn't evade Naruto's attack at this point.
Watching the Rasengan glowing ominously before him, Kakuzu steeled himself. One of his masks split away, gathering chakra rapidly.
Boom—As the Rasengan hit him, Kakuzu was sent flying once again, but his mask had successfully completed its chakra gathering.
"Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work!"
Fierce flames poured out, scorching the earth into charred wasteland. The firestorm swept toward Naruto, forcing him to halt and create distance.
"Tch, that hurt!" Hidan, still recovering from the Rasengan, twisted his grotesquely distorted body back into shape. Thanks to the "Jashin" deity's power, his wounds healed quickly, leaving him fearless of death. Moments later, he was back on his feet, shouting angrily.
"You bastard! I just asked about the weakest among you, and you react like this?"
"Shut up!" Naruto couldn't hold back his anger. He vividly remembered Kitagawa Minamoto's "home visit" and the phrase "Naruto's grades aren't ideal." What followed was a thorough scolding from his mother, both during her resurrection and afterward. It was a mental and physical double blow. Now, Hidan was essentially rubbing salt into the wound. How could he remain calm?!
"I'll kill you, you bastard!" Naruto growled, his eyes fixed on the two before him. At the same time, Kakuzu moved again.
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!" "Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
Kakuzu wasn't entirely sure how Naruto's Flying Thunder God markers worked, so he adopted a more conservative approach. Wide-area attacks and large-scale movements would give him a better chance.
"Hidan, coordinate with me. We need to be careful with this one."
"Tch, I got it." Hidan nodded at Kakuzu's words, though he still found Naruto's reaction puzzling. Nevertheless, he was trying to obtain some of Naruto's blood so he could perform his ritual.
"Ever since I met that Kappa, I've rarely had the chance to use my ritual against Konoha shinobi. Damn it..."
Naruto dodged swiftly, his mind racing. "A regular Rasengan won't be enough to deal with them. Impure World Reincarnation is such a pain."
As he pondered, Kakuzu made his move again. His masks converged, making Naruto raise an eyebrow. "Are they going to use that combined technique Minamoto mentioned? But they're still within my marker range, so..."
Naruto formulated a plan. While evading, he adjusted his breathing, and in the next moment, he entered Sage Mode!
"Be careful, something's changed about him. But—" Kakuzu immediately noticed the shift, yet he continued controlling his masks, deciding to attack first and think later.
"Combination Ninja Art: Flame Wind Raging Waves!"
A sea of flames surged toward Naruto like a tidal wave. But in that instant, Naruto's figure flickered, and he appeared beside Kakuzu and Hidan.
"Now's the time!"
However, this seemed to be within Kakuzu's calculations. The moment Naruto appeared, Hidan sprang into action.
"I'll offer you to Lord Jashin, Nine-Tails brat!" Hidan's massive scythe danced through the air, while Kakuzu's masks gathered chakra together.
"Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!"
Facing this onslaught, Naruto remained surprisingly calm. In his hand appeared a unique Rasengan.
"Let me show you a technique I've just created... Sage Art: Nine-Tails Spiral Shuriken!"
The Nine-Tails' chakra infused into the rapidly spinning shuriken-shaped Rasengan. Naruto released it, his gaze fixed on the two, especially Hidan.
"I'm not the weakest, you bastard!"
"?"
Hidan looked confused, but in the next instant, Naruto's Rasengan collided with their attacks!
At that very moment, a brilliant golden light erupted in the sky.
"You two seem to be at your limit," Sasuke declared, his Susanoo operating at maximum capacity. Around him lay broken puppets, with black flames burning fiercely.
Opposite him, Sasori and Itachi Uchiha were continuously regenerating their bodies, clearly having taken a beating.
"Damn that guy, damn the Flying Thunder God..." Sasori cursed under his breath. His puppets were largely ineffective against Sasuke, as any attack was blocked by the Susanoo. The only somewhat effective approach was poison, but Sasuke seemed to have inherited Kitagawa Minamoto's "traditional skill"—whenever Sasori used poison, Sasuke would counter with Lightning Release or Fire Release, burning away the toxic gas!
"Sasuke, have you grown this much..." Itachi murmured. He found himself struggling against his brother. On one hand, he didn't want to fight; on the other, all the combat techniques and strategies he excelled at, Sasuke was equally proficient in. Having been trained by both Kitagawa Minamoto and Tobirama Senju, Sasuke's combat prowess was exceptional!
Yet, Sasuke's cold gaze, treating him like a stranger, was heart-wrenching. Itachi would have preferred Sasuke to see him as an enemy rather than regard him with such indifference and dismissal!
"Fighting you two is utterly joyless. So..." As Itachi and Sasori contemplated their next move, Sasuke suddenly spoke. "It's time to end this."
"Arrogant brat—" Sasori struggled to control his emotions, but Sasuke was already channeling more chakra.
"My eyes are reaching their limit, but that doesn't matter..." Sasuke understood his condition. The more he used his eyes, the closer he came to blindness, but that didn't concern him. The village had already provided a solution, and he was patiently waiting. For now, he wanted to see just how far his eyes could take him!
As his eyes pulsed with power, his strength continued to surge, and his visual prowess expanded. His Susanoo grew larger and more imposing!
"This is..."
In the blink of an eye, his Susanoo transformed into a towering armored giant over a hundred meters tall!
Seeing this colossal figure radiating terrifying power, Itachi and Sasori's expressions changed dramatically. Sasuke's eyes dimmed slightly.
"This power..."
Feeling the surging energy within him and the pain from his eyes, Sasuke smiled. Looking down at the now seemingly tiny Itachi and Sasori, he let out a cold laugh.
"Let's see what you can do against this!"
As he spoke, the massive Susanoo drew its sword, slashing down at the two!
At that exact moment, a terrifying force erupted in the sky. A golden light tore through the heavens.
Boom!
Inside the meeting building, violent tremors reverberated throughout. The floor was now covered with white bones, their sharp protrusions looking eerily ominous.
Pain and Kimimaro gazed intently at Kitagawa Minamoto. Though they had only briefly engaged, they realized they couldn't match this man's speed! He was too fast, and his power was overwhelming!
Most frustrating was Obito, who had retreated into his Kamui dimension. He just stood there, doing nothing, leaving the two of them at their wit's end.
"This fool..." Pain hadn't expected Obito to falter at such a critical moment. Wasn't he the one who wanted to launch this attack? How had he ended up like this?
"Looks like it's just the two of you now," Kitagawa Minamoto appeared beside Pain. "Over these years, you seem to have made no progress."
"Damn it!" Pain snapped back to reality. Seeing Kitagawa Minamoto already attacking, he raised his hand without hesitation.
"Almighty Push!"
A powerful repulsive force exploded outward, forcing everyone nearby to retreat. But Kitagawa Minamoto remained unmoved, his fist driving straight toward Pain!
"Damn it..." Pain couldn't dodge, but fortunately, Kimimaro reacted swiftly. His bone spikes shot toward Kitagawa Minamoto.
"Kitagawa Minamoto!" Kimimaro shouted, his chakra surging. "I've been waiting for this day for a long time!"
"Is that so?" Kitagawa Minamoto merely glanced at him, his movements uninterrupted. His fist cut through the air, landing heavily on Pain's stomach. In that instant, he vanished.
Kimimaro's bone spikes missed their target, but Kitagawa Minamoto had already appeared behind him. A purple blade, glowing with an otherworldly light, pierced through Kimimaro's body!
Crack!
With a crisp sound, even the bone membrane protecting him was penetrated!
"You don't seem to have changed much either." A cold voice sounded, and the next moment, Kimimaro was kicked away!
Boom! Boom!
Two dull thuds rang out almost simultaneously as both men were slammed into walls. A shockwave swept through the entire area, affecting even the outside world—countless windows shattered in that moment!
"Damn it..." Though Pain and Kimimaro had taken heavy hits, they quickly rose to their feet. Pain's Rinnegan fixed on Kitagawa Minamoto, while Kimimaro's chakra surged even faster. At that moment, mottled Kāma markings appeared on Kimimaro's body!
"Oh, it's been accelerated?" Kitagawa Minamoto raised an eyebrow, but then turned his attention to Obito with interest. "Has this guy been triggered?"
Looking at the dazed Obito, then at Rin Nohara standing with Kakashi, he found the situation somewhat amusing. But then he recalled something.
"Doesn't Rin know about Obito's situation?"
In his memory, Rin seemed aware of everything Obito had done in the living world. Yet strangely, Sakumo Hatake knew nothing about Kakashi's life despite being in the same limbo.
"Could it be due to the Impure World Reincarnation outbreak, or perhaps the Six Paths Sage's actions?" Kitagawa Minamoto wasn't entirely clear on what had happened, especially with the final Impure World Reincarnation being so bizarre.
"After all, Sakumo Hatake went to the Pure Land after finding peace, so summoning him should be possible. Then..."
Perhaps Kabuto Yakushi hadn't tried? After all, preparing so many reincarnations took time. Having failed in earlier attempts, he might not have considered it when war broke out.
As for Yahiko... perhaps his body fell into Konoha's hands after Pain's defeat, making it inaccessible to Kabuto?
"Is this all you're capable of?" Shaking his head, Kitagawa Minamoto stopped pondering and chuckled. "I'm not even warmed up yet. If this is your limit, you might as well save yourselves the embarrassment."
As he spoke, Kitagawa Minamoto's chakra surged even stronger. In a flash, he appeared before the two again.
"Don't be so arrogant!" Pain and Kimimaro roared, charging forward. In an instant, the three clashed once more, with only Obito standing dumbfounded to the side.
"What's wrong with this guy?" Urashiki asked in disbelief from his position inside Obito.
"He's emanating the Divine Tree's aura. This—"
"Hmph, he's someone Minamoto-shiki has his eye on," Isshiki was in a foul mood, gritting his teeth as he spoke about Obito. "He might be this planet's will incarnate, but one thing's for sure—Minamoto-shiki has targeted him."
"The planet's will incarnate? Targeted by Minamoto-shiki?" Urashiki shuddered, then glanced at Isshiki. You're no different!
But Isshiki had no patience for Urashiki. His fists were clenched in frustration.
"How can he be so useless? How utterly useless!"
Obito's inaction was palpable, and Isshiki could feel his inner turmoil and helplessness. This situation was disastrous for accelerating the Kāma's release!
"It's because of that woman? Damn these inferior beings! Why do you always cause me trouble?" Isshiki truly despised his predicament. He didn't understand why he was so unlucky, while Urashiki seemed to have all the good fortune.
"I need to do something. This can't continue, or else—What?!"
Just as he decided to influence Obito with his chakra, he suddenly sensed something. Not just him, but Urashiki and everyone outside felt it too!
A golden light flashed, instantly shredding the roof above them. Countless debris rained down.
That familiar chakra, that overwhelming power—everyone immediately realized what was happening.
"Minamoto-shiki has arrived!"
And not just him—they all sensed that Minamoto-shiki was engaged in combat with someone.
"Momoshiki and Kinshiki?!" Isshiki's eyes widened, but he felt uneasy. Given Minamoto-shiki's combat prowess, could Momoshiki and Kinshiki truly stand against him?
"They're finally here!" Urashiki's eyes lit up. He secretly glanced at Isshiki, feeling that he was finally safe.
However, the next moment, both their expressions changed.
Boom!
Thunder shook the heavens, and golden light flashed across the sky. Momoshiki and Kinshiki dodged awkwardly, having never expected that "Minamoto-shiki" would attack without warning!
"Are you seeking death, Minamoto-shiki?!" Momoshiki roared in fury. Kinshiki glanced at his severed arm, quickly regenerating it while drawing his weapon.
"I told you, I discovered a secret from Isshiki and Urashiki!" The golden light flickered again as Kitagawa Minamoto charged toward the two. "The most crucial part of this secret involves you!"
Boom!
Chakra collided violently, and Kitagawa Minamoto forcefully repelled Kinshiki. Simultaneously, he spun around, delivering a punch to Momoshiki.
As his fist connected, a visible shockwave compressed between them. The next instant, the shockwave expanded, sending Momoshiki crashing like a meteor into a distant mountain!
Boom!
The mountain that had withstood the earlier impacts was now pulverized, creating a deep crater. A mushroom cloud of dust rose from the site!
"Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion." Kitagawa Minamoto turned, instantly locking onto Kinshiki. His golden lightsaber slashed toward him!
"This power..." The blade seemed to grow sharper and more lethal, its aura making Kinshiki's scalp tingle.
Kinshiki reacted quickly, roaring as his massive frame erupted with suffocating chakra. He raised his giant axe to block Kitagawa Minamoto's attack, but—
Clink!
The golden lightsaber sliced through his red axe, and Kinshiki's face contorted with shock!
"How is this possible?!" Kinshiki had never imagined his axe couldn't withstand even a single strike from Kitagawa Minamoto. In an instant, his weapon shattered!
"Damn it, how can he be so strong?!" Momoshiki had just burst from the ground, witnessing this scene with disbelief.
More terrifying still, the lightsaber didn't stop after breaking the axe. It continued downward, cleaving through Kinshiki's body!
"Aaargh!" Blood sprayed as Kinshiki let out an agonized roar. His massive frame was split in two by Kitagawa Minamoto's single stroke!
"You—" Momoshiki stared in utter disbelief. He had never imagined Kinshiki would have no chance against this man! Not just him, but Kaguya was also stunned. An Ōtsutsuki, just like that... gone?
Even though Kinshiki was merely a guardian, an Ōtsutsuki was still an Ōtsutsuki. Yet Kitagawa Minamoto had dispatched him so effortlessly?
"So he really could defeat Isshiki and Urashiki?" Kaguya's mind was reeling. Kitagawa Minamoto's earlier words had already shaken her, and now this display was even more terrifying.
"Momoshiki is in trouble!" Below, in the mental space shared by Isshiki and Urashiki, their expressions darkened. They knew this man was strong, but the situation was far worse than they'd anticipated!
"So, do you see now, Lord Momoshiki?" Kitagawa Minamoto didn't press his attack, instead smiling at Momoshiki. "This is the path Isshiki showed me—a brand new path!"
"What exactly do you mean?" Momoshiki struggled to control his emotions, though his entire body pulsed with chakra, seemingly ready for a desperate final stand.
"I've already told you. Isshiki killed Kaguya, breaking the constraints and liberating me," Kitagawa Minamoto stood still, his eyes reflecting admiration before he sighed softly. "He made me understand that to reach the highest peak, one cannot be bound by so-called rules. Whether it's the fruit or our own kind, if we must use the fruit, if we must sacrifice..."
He paused briefly, then smiled coldly. "Then why can't I skip that step!"
Skip... that step?
Momoshiki froze. Kaguya, too, was stunned. In that instant, they both understood what he meant!
Kaguya could barely contain herself. Was he serious?
"Skip it, you say?" But compared to Kaguya's agitation, Momoshiki appeared unnervingly calm. "You mean to directly target our own kind?"
"Exactly." Kitagawa Minamoto nodded, smiling as the golden lightsaber formed from Truth-Seeking Orbs gleamed brilliantly. "Evolution requires denying one's limits and the rules that constrain us. Yet you lack even the 'courage to deny.'"
"I deeply admire Lord Isshiki. It was he who broke these constraints, he who showed me new horizons, he who revealed the 'Divine Ascension Stairway' to me."
"Similarly, I'm profoundly grateful to Lord Urashiki. It was he who allowed me to truly step onto the 'Divine Ascension Stairway'!"
"I will carry their will and share the glory of the Divine Ascension Stairway with them. So, Lord Momoshiki, will you join us in this unity of purpose?"
Kitagawa Minamoto's words silenced Kaguya, enraged Isshiki to the point of trembling, and left Urashiki on the verge of collapse. This bastard wasn't just inhuman—he was something else entirely!
"Come on, Momoshiki..." Urashiki was terrified. He glanced at the grim-faced Isshiki, discreetly distancing himself. Then he looked up at Momoshiki, who had become his only hope.
"Brilliant!" To everyone's surprise, Momoshiki began to laugh. He raised his hand, pointing the red Rinnegan in his palm at the two halves of Kinshiki's body on the ground.
"I completely agree with your theory. Indeed, this is the 'Divine Ascension Stairway'!"
"Huh?" Kaguya's eyes widened in shock. Isshiki and Urashiki gasped as Momoshiki's power intensified.
Before Kinshiki could even speak, his bisected body was engulfed in a red light, transforming into a giant peach that flew into Momoshiki's hand.
"You've done what I've long hesitated to do, what I've been contemplating. So..." Momoshiki spoke as he devoured the peach that had been Kinshiki's body.
After consuming it completely, his chakra suddenly surged dramatically. He smiled at Kitagawa Minamoto.
"You can become part of my 'Divine Ascension Stairway' as well!"
With Momoshiki's words, his body began to transform.
Isshiki and Urashiki watched in utter disbelief, never expecting to witness such a scene!
"The Divine Ascension Stairway... it really works..." Isshiki murmured, while Urashiki's eyes filled with terror and shock.
"It's over. Momoshiki has done it too!" ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
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