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Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Totsuka Blade vs. Will of the Heart

"Congratulations, Hyuga Gakuya. You've successfully pissed me off!"

Sasuke raised his head, glaring at Gakuya with burning fury.

"Oh? That doesn't sound good."

Gakuya's face was laced with mockery—no trace of fear in his expression, only playful amusement.

"The time's up. Let's end this farce."

He closed his eyes. When he opened them again, they were golden—his Tenseigan had returned.

Sasuke's expression darkened. Gakuya's Tenseigan powers had fully recovered—already? So fast?

But Gakuya didn't rush to attack. Instead, he kept poking at Sasuke's nerves.

"So? How does it feel to be rejected by your own family? What went through your mind after hearing Itachi's words?"

"Shut your damn mouth!" Sasuke roared, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

As he spoke, one of his Truth-Seeking Orbs elongated, twisting into a spiraling blade like a strand of DNA.

This was the Totsuka Blade—one of the Sage of Six Paths' divine tools. The wielder's will infused the blade, turning it into a manifestation of their conviction.

The stronger one's resolve, the more powerful the sword became.

Gripping the spiraling spear tightly, Sasuke's voice rang out, icy and firm:

"This blade embodies my will. It will pierce through anything that stands in my way! My conviction is unshakable—nothing can stop me!"

But Gakuya just scoffed.

"Heh... really? Funny, I'm getting the sense your desire to destroy the world isn't nearly as strong as my will to protect it."

Of course, Gakuya's words were hollow. His so-called "will to protect" was a lie. What he truly sought was to surpass the world itself.

As he spoke, Gakuya activated Tenseigan Chakra Mode. His body blazed with golden chakra, and nine Truth-Seeking Orbs floated behind him.

He opened his hand—and a spear identical to Sasuke's materialized. A second Totsuka Blade.

Sasuke's glare sharpened.

"Then let's see whose will is stronger!"

Without waiting, he lunged, the Totsuka Blade slicing through the air toward Gakuya.

Gakuya didn't back down. He met Sasuke head-on, Totsuka Blade in hand. The moment their weapons collided, a blinding light burst forth, followed by a massive shockwave.

The ground beneath them shattered, sand and stone blasted skyward. Even space itself seemed to twist from the sheer force of their clash.

...

At the same time, flickering illusions filled their minds—fragments of phantom memories. This was the Totsuka Blade's trial: it struck at the weakest points of a wielder's heart.

In Gakuya's mind, an alternate timeline unfolded.

In that world, his parents weren't forced to die by the Hyuga Main House. He was accepted, welcomed, and ultimately became a regular Chūnin. He married a girl from the branch family. They had a sweet daughter. He lived a peaceful life.

Gakuya smiled faintly as the scene played out in his head—but he dismissed it just as quickly.

That wasn't him. He would never settle for being a caged bird, a prisoner of fate. That life might've been someone else's dream, but it wasn't his.

Rather than weaken his resolve, the illusion only made his will burn stronger. His grip on the Totsuka Blade tightened, and its power surged.

...

On the other side, Sasuke's inner world was in turmoil.

His heart was like a sea whipped by a violent storm. He never imagined even Itachi—his own brother—wouldn't stand by him.

For a fleeting moment, his eyes wavered with confusion and pain. The path he once believed in so completely... now had a crack.

"Why, brother? Why aren't you with me?"

He screamed within, the question tearing at his soul.

His hand trembled. The iron will that once filled him now flickered like a candle in the wind.

"Was I... wrong?"

The thought passed through his mind—and hit like a hammer blow.

But before it could take root, hatred reignited, trying to drown out the doubt.

"No... I'm not wrong. They're all the ones who deserve to die. My brother just doesn't understand yet!"

Sasuke clenched his teeth, desperate to convince himself.

Still... that tiny seed of doubt had already been planted. It sprouted quietly, deep in his heart—bringing with it chaos and pain.

His inner conflict reflected in his blade. The Totsuka Blade in Sasuke's hand began to crack—fractures spreading like veins across its surface.

Gakuya saw his chance.

With a roar, he swung his Totsuka Blade in a wide arc.

The strike cleaved across Sasuke's chest and abdomen, opening a deep, bloody gash.

Chakra—representing the Nine Tailed Beasts—spilled out.

...

The moment the attack landed, Gakuya too collapsed to one knee. His golden chakra flickered out as he exited Tenseigan Chakra Mode, drained of energy.

Then—Naruto moved.

From within his body, golden chakra tails emerged, lashing outward to seize the spilled chakra of the Nine Beasts.

At the same time, Killer Bee leapt forward and grabbed hold of the Eight-Tails' chakra.

All across the battlefield, Allied Shinobi surged forward, grabbing onto Naruto's chakra and beginning a massive tug-of-war against Sasuke.

...

Inside the spiritual plane, Naruto reached Sasuke.

And there, with sheer force of will—he talked no jutsu'd him.

He spoke not only to his mind, but to his heart.

Little by little, Sasuke's resistance faded.

United, the three—Naruto, Bee, and Gakuya—gradually pulled the Nine Beasts' chakra free from Sasuke's body.

One by one, the Tailed Beasts reappeared on the battlefield. Sasuke, no longer the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, plummeted from the sky like a puppet with its strings cut.

...

At that moment—several figures launched toward the falling Uchiha.

The reanimated shinobi—except for the Senju brothers, Hashirama and Tobirama—all surged upward, their eyes blank, their faces expressionless, like mindless puppets.

The shift happened too fast. Only Gakuya reacted in time.

Orochimaru had used his cursed seals to hijack control over the reanimated shinobi.

Only the Senju brothers remained unaffected—empowered by Gakuya, they could resist Edo Tensei's control entirely.

...

At the same time, two shadows appeared—one on the ground, one from above.

Below, Black Zetsu lurked in secret, ready to strike.

From the sky—Uchiha Madara descended like a dark god, diving toward Sasuke with murderous intent.

They had the same goal: Sasuke's Rinnegan.

Orochimaru needed it to become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki.

Madara needed Sasuke alive—to cast the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu and return to life as the Ten-Tails' host.

Only then would he take back his Rinnegan.

"It's Orochimaru—he tampered with the seals! Stop them!"

Gakuya's voice snapped the Allied Forces into action. They moved at once to intercept the swarming Edo Tensei shinobi.

Like broken dolls, the reanimated ninja lunged wildly at Sasuke's falling body, their target clear—his Rinnegan.

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with greed.

Through the cursed seals, he exerted control, commanding the undead army.

His ambition burned brighter than ever.

He would take the Rinnegan... and become the next Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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