"Human Path."
Ryun pressed his hand onto Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's head and immediately began a forceful soul search.
Witnessing this scene, the Akatsuki organization members did not dare to speak and disturb him. They silently dispersed, vigilantly guarding their leader from the surroundings.
A full two hours later, Ryun finally stopped reading the memories. He had already learned many secrets from Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's mind. Now, it was time for him to serve his final value.
"You all, return to the Sound Village now."
Ryun casually issued the order. Without waiting for their response, he grabbed the Ōtsutsuki Isshiki on the ground by himself. His figure flickered and he arrived at the top of the Divine Tree.
After reaching the treetop, Ryun placed both hands on the tree's body. Then, he closed his eyes and began absorbing the few remaining Chakra seeds in the world with full force.
Until late that day, after all the Chakra that could be absorbed was completely absorbed, Ryun finally completely retracted all the Divine Tree roots buried deep underground.
The Divine Tree, having taken back the massive amount of Chakra spread over a thousand years, had its body stretched tall and thick. It had finally managed to eat its fill, so it cooperated quite readily with the retraction of its root system.
Theoretically speaking, the Divine Tree fruit was now mature and could be harvested. However, Ryun was in no hurry to pick this high quality Chakra fruit.
Under his deliberate control, the Divine Tree obediently transformed into the beast form of the Ten-Tails according to his will. That is, the initial beast form Ten-Tails with a mouth as large as a frog's and full of sharp fangs and teeth.
"Roar!"
The Ten-Tails raised its head and let out a furious roar. The entire sky and earth immediately whipped up gusts of fierce wind.
At this moment, the bulge on the Ten-Tails' back faintly revealed a deep blue light wrapped inside. That was the core where the Chakra fruit was nurtured, and it could also be said to be the source of the Ten-Tails' power.
The beast form Ten-Tails, both in height and size, far exceeded its previous state. Its entire height was estimated to be around fifteen hundred meters. If it transformed into its humanoid complete form, it might even reach a terrifying height of over two thousand meters. That single huge, ferocious eye had also changed from its original six tomoe form to a nine tomoe form.
"Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan... It seems you have recovered the power of your former peak."
Looking at the crimson eye of the giant beast beneath his feet, Ryun spoke in a low, grave tone.
Even today, Ryun still could not detect the slightest trace of spiritual consciousness in this peak period Ten-Tails.
The Divine Tree was indeed as described in the original work from the beginning. It had no consciousness, no concept of good or evil, and only possessed the instinct to devour the Ōtsutsuki clan and Chakra.
"This woman Kaguya... is also not the consciousness of the Divine Tree." After examining the memories of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya and Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, Ryun had confirmed this point.
As a spatial vortex appeared, the remaining head of Kaguya appeared in Ryun's hand.
This head could be said to belong to Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and also to Uchiha Madara, because this head contained the soul consciousness of both individuals. Ryun had learned of this situation when he used the Human Path puppet to search the soul.
Previously, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya had used Uchiha Madara's body to resurrect. As the weaker party in terms of soul, Uchiha Madara's consciousness had always been suppressed by Kaguya. Therefore, the face on this head had always been that of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
"Be it Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, or Uchiha Madara, all causes, effects, grudges, and enmities will be completely settled today."
As Ryun spoke, he threw the head in his hand into the sky devouring giant maw beneath his feet.
With the Ten-Tails' jaws snapping shut violently, that head pierced with Truth-Seeking Ball black rods completely disappeared from this world.
The Ten-Tails, having swallowed Kaguya's head, suddenly trembled. Its single crimson eye narrowed slightly, and that ferocious giant mouth gradually twisted into a grin. The beast form Ten-Tails looked as if it was smiling with satisfaction, but this smile looked utterly evil and chilling no matter how one viewed it.
Not long after devouring Kaguya, the beast form Ten-Tails' size increased once more. Its height alone forcibly surged by another three to four hundred meters.
Earlier, it had devoured the Six Paths ocular power and Senjutsu Chakra of Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, and devoured the entire body of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya along with her current head.
At this moment, it had essentially recovered the full power of that high quality Chakra fruit from over a thousand years ago.
"Roar!"
The Ten-Tails let out another earth shattering roar. The excitement within that roar was clearly conveyed to Ryun, its host.
"Shameless creature."
Ryun scolded with a laugh, then ordered the Ten-Tails to open its mouth again. The next moment, he threw the Ōtsutsuki Isshiki in his hand directly outwards.
"Farewell... Ōtsutsuki Isshiki."
Watching the Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, whose body was pierced full of black rods, rapidly fall into the abyssal giant maw, Ryun couldn't help but smile and wave at him. Unfortunately, the eyeless Isshiki could not see Ryun's 'affectionate farewell'.
The ferocious giant mouth full of fangs and sharp teeth snapped shut violently. The Ten-Tails swallowed the third Ōtsutsuki powerhouse, following Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Its body once again surged visibly to the naked eye. Even the bulge on its back instantly erupted with an extremely dazzling deep blue light.
After the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, the beast form Ten-Tails' size reached a shocking two thousand five hundred meters. If it transformed into its humanoid complete form, it was estimated to reach a terrifying height close to three thousand meters.
"The change doesn't feel that great. It still falls within the category of a high quality fruit. That ultimate divine fruit, worthy of consumption only by deities... how exactly is it cultivated?"
Looking at the cluster of deep blue energy core on the Ten-Tails' back, Ryun's brow deeply furrowed.
Now, the quality of this Chakra fruit had just become somewhat better. But judging from the memories of Kaguya and Isshiki, a deep blue fruit was still only a high quality fruit.
Only a fruit that became crimson like a 'Nine Tomoe Rinne Sharingan' was the true ultimate divine fruit.
Originally, he thought that by swallowing Kaguya's head and a complete Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, he could make the already high quality Chakra fruit advance further, transforming into that legendary ultimate divine fruit.
He never expected that after all this effort, having almost harvested all harvestable power and sacrificed all sacrificable Ōtsutsuki to the Divine Tree, it was still not enough to allow the Chakra fruit to complete its final, perfect metamorphosis.
"It seems the only option left is to attempt the final step."
Ryun's eyes darkened. The next moment, he placed his palm on the Ten-Tails' body, and then he even drew the super gigantic Ten-Tails, as large as a mountain range, entirely into his own body.
Taking a glance at the ravaged earth, Ryun's body turned into a vortex and he disappeared from the spot.
If he didn't know about the existence of the ultimate divine fruit, Ryun might have directly consumed this high quality Chakra fruit. But when he learned that a high quality fruit was not the limit of the Divine Tree's nurturing, the ambition hidden deep in his heart swelled uncontrollably.
To face the Ōtsutsuki clan directly, relying solely on one high quality Chakra fruit was insufficient. He needed to use the Divine Tree to nurture an even more powerful fruit.
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