The sky was blanketed by a streak of extreme light, and all things seemed to fall into a deathly silence.
In that moment of absolute stillness, a blade of light tore across the heavens. It was sharp and domineering, erasing everything it passed through without a sound.
This level of power could no longer be described as a mere apocalyptic disaster. It was the power to end the world itself.
Endless mountain ranges melted away. The earth split apart as easily as tofu.
Even space itself grew extremely fragile under the slash.
Through the combined effects of Jōgan chakra, Yin-Yang Release, and senjutsu, Natsuhiko could clearly see the space sliced by the blade becoming violently unstable. A little more force and it would shatter completely.
Natsuhiko stood quietly in place. He looked slightly winded, then shook his head with a faint, bitter smile.
"As expected, using this ability without activating Jōgan chakra mode is still a bit much."
Calling upon Jōgan chakra and fusing it with other powers without entering the mode was taxing for him. Fortunately, his Jōgan chakra mode had already reached the late second stage. Even without activating it, he could still wield these powers smoothly.
However, this method of usage could never compare to the full mode. Natsuhiko had sensed this long ago, but he had not been overly concerned.
His physical constitution was already extremely strong, and his recovery ability far surpassed what it once was. Even though he felt some fatigue and had consumed a large amount of chakra, he had already recovered within just a few breaths.
Such recovery speed was beyond what most could imagine.
After recovering, Natsuhiko's main concern was Jigen's current condition.
His goal had been to render Jigen unable to fight, thereby avoiding Otsutsuki Isshiki's full revival while still obtaining the information he wanted. But after unleashing that slash, he felt his plan might have failed.
No one could take that kind of attack lightly, especially someone whose body was already in such terrible condition as Jigen's. Natsuhiko could not be certain whether the man had survived.
Still, he was no longer overly worried about Jigen. The space around him had returned to a relatively stable state.
With this level of stability, Natsuhiko could once again make full use of his spatial manipulation abilities. If the battle continued, he would definitely activate Jōgan chakra mode, which would elevate his control over space to an entirely new level.
Activating Jōgan chakra mode and not activating it were two completely different states for him—almost like two different dimensions.
Taking a deep breath, Natsuhiko's Jōgan began rapidly searching for Jigen's figure.
Within moments, his gaze locked onto the man lying limply on the ground, unable to struggle.
Jigen looked even worse than Natsuhiko had expected. His body appeared intact on the surface, but his insides had been completely ravaged by the blade.
After years of refinement and the continuous infusion of various powers, Konohanasakuyahime had long since exceeded ordinary understanding. The technique also possessed an ability most could not imagine—locking onto its target.
Locking on was a simple concept in theory, but extremely difficult to achieve in practice. With the Jōgan's super insight, combined with spatial power and high-intensity chakra pressure, Natsuhiko could force his technique to lock onto an enemy.
The current situation was different, however. He had to thank Jigen for what he had done earlier. If the man had not forcibly shattered the spatial restraints, completely locking him down would have been unrealistic. After all, he was an Otsutsuki. Even if the technique managed to lock on through chakra, he could have escaped through space.
But space had been broken, and Natsuhiko's chakra—though inferior in raw quantity—contained Yin-Yang Release, senjutsu, and Jōgan power, all of which could kill him. With that support, Natsuhiko had been able to suppress and lock him down through chakra pressure.
Reality matched his expectations. Jigen had indeed been locked by Natsuhiko's chakra, especially after expending so much during their prolonged fight.
While he had not fully taken the full force of the technique, his condition was still far from simple.
"It seems I've won."
Natsuhiko's eyes flickered. A black spatial portal, not particularly stable, appeared in front of him. Without hesitation, he stepped through.
In an instant, he stood before the fallen Jigen. His expression was both supremely arrogant and utterly indifferent.
"While this outcome isn't particularly surprising to me, you turned out weaker than I expected."
"I admit it. You are indeed very strong."
Jigen slowly raised his head. His voice was weak, yet still carried an air of arrogance.
"Or rather, your 'vessel' was chosen exceptionally well. It has already fused three types of chakra, and your Byakugan has mutated and evolved. The power that descended into this body wasn't weakened… but just how much of your power actually descended?"
A cold smile appeared on his pale face, giving him an eerie appearance.
His meaning was clear. While using Jigen's body, he had not dared to unleash his full power because the vessel was too weak. Natsuhiko's body, on the other hand, was clearly strong enough to withstand far more. That was the key reason for his defeat.
Especially after seeing the silver-haired woman's silhouette, he became even more convinced that Natsuhiko was Kaguya's vessel. Even though the silhouette looked somewhat different from Kaguya, Jigen no longer cared about such minor discrepancies.
He took a deep breath. The cold smile on his pale face twisted into a savage grin.
At the same time, the chakra within his body began operating at full intensity.
"I admit it. I lost the first round. Jigen truly couldn't handle you."
As his words fell, an irreversible force surged forth. Jigen's body underwent a massive transformation.
White light enveloped him completely. Within that radiance, he slowly stood up once more, and his voice changed.
"Then… what about me?"
---
"Brother, it looks like the situation isn't good."
In the Pure Land, two figures dressed in white sat together. The vast Pure Land was pitch black, with only a single beam of light illuminating the area where they rested.
Within that light stood a small thatched hut. Though it appeared simple, the chakra constantly flowing through it proved it was anything but ordinary.
This was the dwelling of Otsutsuki Hagoromo and Otsutsuki Hamura. They had left the shinobi world long ago. In their hearts, they had always viewed themselves as ordinary humans.
Humans could not live forever. Birth, aging, sickness, and death were the natural cycle of the world. They had always respected nature as the foundation of all things and would never easily break its laws.
Moreover, staying in the Pure Land allowed them to avoid drawing unwanted attention through sudden bursts of chakra. It also gave the shinobi world the chance to develop its own vitality without their protection.
Although they acknowledged that their decision had been cruel, cruelty sometimes had its reasons. At least being cruel now was better than allowing complete extinction in the future.
However, these past ten-odd years had not been pleasant for them. An anomaly had appeared in the shinobi world.
This anomaly's soul did not belong to this world. His strength grew at an unimaginable speed, and his way of doing things was troublesome.
His arrival had shattered the originally fixed timeline. Because of him, this stagnant world had gained a trace of new vitality.
Losing foresight and control over the future was frustrating, but judging by the anomaly's performance so far, the world seemed to be moving in a better direction.
What frustrated them most was that the blood flowing in this anomaly's veins belonged to their descendants.
The anomaly they were referring to was, of course, Natsuhiko.
When Natsuhiko first appeared, they had considered taking certain actions, but those thoughts had ultimately been extinguished.
Just as Hamura had told Natsuhiko, they were people who believed in nature. If Natsuhiko's appearance was nature's choice, then they would not interfere to break that natural order.
They had also hoped the shinobi world would become more vibrant. But now, that vitality had grown far too excessive.
Natsuhiko's actions had brought genuine peace to many regions. Yet because his strength had become so exaggerated, he had drawn an Otsutsuki to the shinobi world ahead of schedule—and even more unbelievably, he had killed that Otsutsuki.
This development exceeded their expectations, but it also brought them a measure of relief. It proved that the shinobi world's thousand years of tempering had produced significant results.
After that, Natsuhiko had calmed down somewhat. However, that calm was only on the surface. His outstanding display of power had attracted far too much attention—including from Otsutsuki Isshiki, the one their mother had once offered as a sacrifice to the God Tree, who had miraculously survived.
Isshiki had noticed Natsuhiko—or rather, had been drawn by his power—and had come to Konoha to investigate what had happened.
Both brothers found the situation extremely troublesome. And just as they had feared, events unfolded exactly as they expected.
Natsuhiko had keenly discovered Isshiki. The moment the man tried to leave Konoha, Natsuhiko had made his move.
That terrifying battle had sent chills through their hearts. It was a scene no one wished to witness.
What was most suffocating, however, was that Natsuhiko had forced Otsutsuki Isshiki to actively revive.
They knew exactly how great a price that revival carried. Jigen's body was far too weak. Reviving in it meant Isshiki would not have long to live.
Now that he had revived, he not only had to fight a battle but would also need to quickly find a suitable body to serve as a new Karma vessel afterward.
It was easy to imagine how miserable and unfortunate his situation would become.
But that misery was for later. His current combat strength could only be described as terrifying.
After all, this man was not like Otsutsuki Urashiki. No matter how one looked at it, he was not the type to be careless. He would only display his power with greater madness and caution.
"This time is truly troublesome."
Hagoromo let out a long sigh. His mood was clearly not good.
"This kid clearly didn't take your words to heart. Otherwise, he wouldn't have done something this reckless. Or perhaps you should have told him more last time."
"Brother, are you blaming me now?"
Hamura's expression shifted slightly before he smiled again.
"Some things probably should have been explained more clearly back then. Actually, I think the kid understood. He simply chose not to fully cooperate."
Hagoromo sighed once more. In truth, he thought the same. Someone as intelligent as Natsuhiko could not have failed to understand.
He was an exceptionally skilled shinobi with outstanding intelligence analysis abilities. It was very likely that the moment they began speaking, he had already guessed most of the truth. How could such a person remain indifferent after learning the truth?
In the end, it was probably this kid's personal will that led him to make his own decision. After all, someone who knew the truth could not remain completely numb.
Especially this kid, who was almost destined to stand at the same height as them.
"It seems that after this matter ends, I need to have a proper talk with him."
Hagoromo fell silent for a moment before finally voicing his thoughts.
"Oh? After everything ends?"
Hamura chuckled, as if teasing him.
"Brother, you're that confident this child can deal with an enemy like Otsutsuki Isshiki?"
"I believe in him."
Hagoromo nodded. He slightly raised his head, his gaze returning to the spatial projection showing the outside world.
"Even if he isn't a match, I will find a way to make him become Isshiki's opponent—and even eliminate him."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"After all, this kid's importance… is beyond imagination."
---
Natsuhiko frowned as he stared at the radiant light before him.
He had no idea what was happening in the Pure Land. His mind was focused entirely on how to deal with the trouble in front of him.
He truly wanted to interrupt the process, but he knew it could not be stopped.
With his Jōgan, he could see that the technique's activation was irreversible. No matter what he did, it would be futile.
Although he had somewhat anticipated this development, when the man truly revealed his terrifying power to the world, Natsuhiko still felt a sense of dread.
This suffocating level of strength was something he had never encountered before.
Even so, he forced himself to remain calm. As a shinobi, he knew that panicking would only create more problems.
Moreover, he had somewhat foreseen this situation and had kept a trump card in reserve. He also wanted to see where his own limits lay.
"Besides, Hamura has already appeared. Is the Six Paths Sage, Hagoromo, really going to sit back and watch this guy run rampant in the shinobi world?"
Natsuhiko dared to act this way not only because he had confidence in his own strength, but also because he knew certain secrets of the shinobi world.
Hagoromo definitely existed within the shinobi world. If that man truly went mad and caused chaos here, the entire shinobi world would likely be unable to withstand the devastation.
Growth had to come step by step. Just like Naruto and Sasuke in the original timeline, and just like the development of the shinobi world itself.
From the Akatsuki, to Nagato, then to Obito and the mindless Ten-Tails, and finally to Six Paths Obito and Six Paths Madara Uchiha—they had all progressed step by step.
Although Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi had forced everyone else to sit out, it had ultimately created two saviors and brought peace to the shinobi world.
That kind of growth was visible and had achieved Hagoromo's goal. But it had not happened overnight—it had followed a clear path.
Natsuhiko was certain the current shinobi world was not ready. Although he himself had been preparing, that was only him. Others did not share his level of crisis awareness.
Releasing someone like Otsutsuki Isshiki at this time would be catastrophic for the entire shinobi world.
Natsuhiko did not believe the Six Paths Sage would truly stand by and do nothing while such a being ran wild.
With that thought, Natsuhiko took a deep breath. He looked at Jigen—or rather, Otsutsuki Isshiki—and suddenly revealed a faint smile.
"Backed into a corner with no other choice, huh? You don't look very good right now."
Otsutsuki Isshiki's condition was indeed extremely poor. Under the Jōgan's super insight, he had very few secrets left in front of Natsuhiko.
His body was in terrible shape. Even though he had forcibly merged into a complete Otsutsuki, there was still a fatal flaw.
He had gone from a being with near-infinite lifespan to one with a limited lifespan.
Natsuhiko could see that, in his current state, he only had a few months left at most. For an Otsutsuki, this was unimaginable and unacceptable.
Yet the man's strength was equally difficult for Natsuhiko to accept. That vast, suffocating, almost despair-inducing chakra made even Natsuhiko feel uncomfortable.
His physical strength was also absurd. Even though his lifespan was nearly exhausted, at this very moment he was at the peak of his power.
Like a summer flower blooming brilliantly?
Natsuhiko did not know why that phrase suddenly came to mind, but Otsutsuki Isshiki truly embodied it right now. After reaching the peak, he would wither—but at this moment, he was at his absolute peak.
"Indeed. I didn't expect you to force me into this situation."
Isshiki's voice was calm. He clenched his fist as if savoring his own power, then let out a long sigh after a while.
"But I should thank you for letting me experience my own peak ahead of time.
After all, my power can only display its true limit in my own body.
There are still some flaws, but at least I now have time to search for a new 'Karma.'
You really gave me a huge surprise. Someone who was sealed for a thousand years actually improved their combat skills and experience this much.
It seems you've used this body for a very long time. Such skill is something even I can't match.
But if this is all you have, then you no longer have a chance. Under the crushing pressure of absolute power, you have no hope of victory.
Descend completely. It's time we settle our thousand-year grudge."
Natsuhiko felt a chill. He also wished for power to descend, but no one was going to descend upon him.
The Tenseigan's chakra could descend, but for Natsuhiko, that power was only average. After all, he had his own Jōgan and its chakra. While Tenseigan chakra was strong, it was not more suitable for him than his Jōgan chakra.
Regardless, Natsuhiko knew he had to fight this man properly now. Even if no one stood behind him, he had no desire for anyone to descend upon him.
Doing so would make him no different from Jigen.
With that thought, Natsuhiko slowly closed his eyes. In the next instant, the layer of azure chakra covering his body grew even more intense.
Jōgan chakra gathered wildly around him. His figure gradually became blurred under the wrapping chakra, and six black Truth-Seeking Orbs appeared behind him.
He slowly floated into the air. Staring at Otsutsuki Isshiki before him, he finally spoke.
"Against you… this should be enough."