"Mom, Dad! No…!"
Himawari woke up screaming from a nightmare again, a recurring torment she had endured often.
But this time, upon waking, she found herself not in the village but carried in one arm by a terrifying figure, moving swiftly through a forest.
"O-Ōtsutsuki Sa-Sasuke! Y-you…"
Himawari trembled in fear, nearly fainting again. For a 10-year-old, a final boss like Ōtsutsuki Sasuke was far too terrifying.
Sasuke's clone glanced at Himawari, preparing to cast a genjutsu to put her back to sleep for a while.
But at that moment, a figure suddenly emerged from a tree trunk ahead.
Kabuto, in Organic Sage Mode, had blocked the clone's path.
The clone was forced to stop abruptly.
Impressive.
He had split into four shadow clones, each carrying an identical Himawari to escape, yet Kabuto had directly found the real Himawari and precisely intercepted his path.
Kabuto's speed wasn't as fast as Isshiki's, but overtaking Isshiki first proved he wasn't fooled by the other clones and immediately identified the real Himawari.
"Headmaster Kabuto, please, save me, save me!"
Himawari pleaded through tears. She had never been close to Kabuto due to his somewhat frightening appearance.
But the Kabuto who appeared now, compared to Ōtsutsuki Sasuke, was as gentle and sweet as an angel!
"How did you know this Himawari is the real one?"
"Transformation techniques can mimic appearances, but they can't replicate a human's unique scent. These chemical molecules are easily dissolved and analyzed under my tongue, allowing me to identify the real body."
Kabuto flicked his forked tongue. This little trick could fool Ōtsutsuki, but not a scientist like him.
"Are you trying to stop me?"
Sasuke asked Kabuto coldly.
If it were the real Sasuke, he'd have charged through—sparing Kabuto's life was already giving him face. But as a clone with limited chakra, even a slight injury could make him dissipate.
Though Kabuto wasn't his match, he could still threaten the clone. A single Senpō: Hakugeki no Jutsu was a natural counter to him.
Even a perfect Susano'o couldn't block long-range vibration attacks.
If the clone dissipated, Himawari would be unprotected.
"Shikamaru said you're not Ōtsutsuki?"
Kabuto didn't attack recklessly; he only wanted the truth from Sasuke. His instincts also told him Sasuke seemed more human than Code.
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke. Sarada is my daughter. Your Hokage Code is the enemy who stole the Hokage's identity."
"Really? How can you prove it?"
"Remove the snake cornea in your eyes, and I can use genjutsu to show you the whole truth."
"You even know about that? But why does it sound like a trap? I don't want to be controlled by your genjutsu…"
Kabuto was cautious. With Konoha likely destroyed by Kaguya, as the last hope, he couldn't risk his real body.
But he quickly devised a backup plan.
"But a clone can."
Kabuto created a clone and removed its cornea, preparing to let it receive Sasuke's genjutsu. Even if the clone was controlled, he could make it explode, minimizing risk to himself.
The clone's memories could transfer to his real body, so he didn't worry about Sasuke controlling him through genjutsu.
Sasuke's clone acted swiftly, activating Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan genjutsu, implanting information into Kabuto's clone's memories.
Kabuto detonated his clone, transferring all memories back to his real body.
His real body trembled, and his gaze toward Sasuke shifted dramatically.
Honestly, the truth that the enemy had altered the world's memories with Omnipotence was shocking, but on reflection, it aligned with reality.
It explained the persistent inconsistencies they'd felt.
"You're really Uchiha Sasuke? Is this all true?"
"Stop talking! Hurry and go—Isshiki will catch up soon!"
Sasuke's clone urged, accelerating their retreat.
Kabuto no longer blocked him and hurriedly followed, asking as they moved:
"Can this Omnipotence keep altering memories?"
"Yes."
"How long can I remember?"
"Not clear. Maybe minutes, maybe hours, but no more than a day."
"Your real body is still in the village—are you prepared to sacrifice yourself?"
"Yes…"
"What's your next move?"
"Find Orochimaru, hand Himawari and the Rinnegan to him. As long as he and the Rinnegan are safe, there's still a chance to turn things around."
"Lord Orochimaru? Wasn't he killed by Isshiki?"
"Do you think Orochimaru would die?"
"Of course not."
"Find Kawaki—he has Orochimaru's curse seal and can revive him."
"I see…"
Kabuto grasped Sasuke's plan and had no objections—it was indeed the only solution now.
They continued speeding up their retreat.
But in less than half a minute, the clone's expression changed.
"He's catching up!"
"Isshiki?"
"Yes!"
"So fast?"
"There's probably no one faster than him in this world!"
"It seems we can't escape."
"Kabuto, I entrust Himawari and the Rinnegan to you. I'll distract him!"
Sasuke's clone didn't hesitate. Continuing to flee with Kabuto wouldn't outrun Isshiki.
The only way was to entrust Himawari to Kabuto, letting him find Kawaki and the others to regroup.
Kabuto wouldn't harm Himawari.
"Alright!"
Kabuto took Himawari and, amid her panic, opened his mouth wide, swallowing the terrified girl. Then he quickly retreated to the left-front.
Meanwhile, Sasuke's clone used a Substitution Technique, creating another Himawari, and fled to the right-front.
Ten seconds later.
The clone had only escaped a few thousand meters when the pursuer arrived at high speed.
Isshiki's speed was too fast—the shockwave from his flight alone destroyed much of the forest.
In just over two minutes, he'd chased tens of thousands of meters, eliminating two of Sasuke's other clones.
This was the third clone he'd caught.
Without Six Paths chakra, even the real Sasuke wasn't Isshiki's match in one strike, let alone fragile clones.
"Uchiha Sasuke, I've caught you!"
Isshiki laughed wildly, grabbing the clone, but it and Himawari exploded into white mist.
"Another fake?"
"AAAAAAHHH!"
Furious, Isshiki turned to chase another direction.
As long as they didn't escape a certain range, Isshiki could sense the target's chakra—he'd never let Sasuke escape!
Even if it was just a clone!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Kabuto, with Himawari, fled at high speed.
From afar, he sensed the chakra aura of Sasuke's clone to the right vanish suddenly, followed by a massive earthquake and shockwave, showing Isshiki's terror.
Fortunately, the enemy was likely chasing Sasuke's fourth clone.
He still had time to escape.
Soon, Kabuto fled another ten kilometers, passing through a vast forest.
But ahead, he suddenly sensed several chakra auras.
In Sage Mode, Kabuto's sensory abilities were exceptional, and he instantly recognized their identities.
*WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!* *WHOOSH!*
Edo Tensei Itachi, Edo Tensei Shisui, Kakashi, Kawaki, Sarada, Sumire, Eida, and Daemon appeared in his view.
"Headmaster Kabuto!!!"
"Kakashi-kun, and Itachi-kun…"
Both sides met.
Kabuto spat out Himawari.
Himawari, nearly fainting, saw Sarada, Sumire, and the others, immediately hugging them, sobbing.
Kabuto: "I escaped from the village. Uchiha Sasuke and Himawari, he…"
"No need to explain—we know the situation."
Itachi cut off Kabuto's explanation. With Eida's Senrigan, they knew almost everything.
They knew Sasuke's clone was retreating with Himawari and the Rinnegan, handing them to Kabuto.
They'd relied on Eida's location to come pick him up.
As for Konoha, Boruto, and Sasuke… they couldn't help. Even if Kawaki was determined to save Boruto, Itachi and Kakashi stopped him.
The priority was saving Himawari, securing Sasuke's Rinnegan, and preserving the last hope to turn things around.
During this, Eida tirelessly used her Senrigan, providing accurate information.
She'd seen Isshiki prepare to destroy the world with the moon and Kaguya devour humans and ninjas.
How could Eida support those crazy Ōtsutsuki?
She and Daemon weren't tired of living.
"Where's Isshiki now?"
"Over a hundred kilometers behind to the right, still chasing Sasuke's last clone."
"This distance—we're out of his sensory range, right?"
"Should be."
"Don't be careless. We must retreat immediately. Only by leaving the Land of Fire are we truly safe." Edo Tensei Itachi cautioned.
"But Boruto…"
Kawaki couldn't forget Boruto.
Besides Naruto, Boruto was the only one he loved—he couldn't let go!
"Kaguya and Momoshiki are in Konoha, plus the terrifying Isshiki—how can you save Boruto?"
"But…"
"Momoshiki won't let Boruto die. There'll be a chance to take him back later!"
"Alright…"
Kawaki sighed resignedly. If he couldn't win, he couldn't win—saving someone didn't mean suicide.
As long as Boruto didn't die, there'd be a chance to reclaim him later!
After reaching a preliminary agreement, the group retreated northwest, preparing to meet Amado and others leading the Kara Organization.
But just as they prepared to flee, a black-red space-time gate suddenly opened above, and Isshiki swiftly flew out.
"Isshiki!!!"
"Impossible!"
"Damn it!"
"What!"
Isshiki's sudden appearance shocked everyone.
A deathly crisis erupted in their hearts, like suffocating drowning, choking them instantly.
Even Eida couldn't comprehend it.
Seconds ago, Isshiki was chasing Sasuke's last clone a hundred kilometers away—how could he track this location and open a teleportation gate instantly?
Did he have Senrigan too?
Impossible!
It made no sense!
"Hahaha! I've finally found you!"
Isshiki floated in the air, scanning below, seeing Kawaki, Eida, and everyone, flashing a sinister, triumphant grin.
Of course, he didn't have map-seeing Senrigan.
But he'd long planted another tracking device, like GPS, in Himawari's body.
The Kama seal!
Since becoming Hokage, Isshiki had considered this.
If Boruto could have Momoshiki's Kama, could Himawari, his biological sister, also have one?
Isshiki didn't care about gender—as long as the Kama fully activated after thawing, he could revive perfectly.
So, he'd captured Himawari long ago and secretly experimented.
The results were unfortunate—Himawari wasn't perfect, unable to bear a full black Kama, only a white Kama like Code's.
But a white Kama was still a Kama, allowing Isshiki to track this half-finished vessel anytime.
Though Himawari didn't know, she was already Isshiki's failed vessel.
Seeing Sasuke's clone take Himawari, Isshiki suspected the clone would join Kawaki, Eida, and the others who'd escaped.
With a chance to capture Kawaki and Eida again, Isshiki was eager to try.
This was a key reason he actively proposed the chase.
On one hand, to prevent Momoshiki's escape; on the other, to seize this chance to capture Kawaki and the others!
So he deliberately chased Sasuke's other clones to deceive them.
When Kabuto took Himawari to join Kawaki and stopped at one spot for long, Isshiki knew his plan worked!
He activated his space-time ability, arriving instantly.
"Run!"
Edo Tensei Itachi shouted, charging Isshiki without hesitation.
How Isshiki found them didn't matter.
Everyone there was no match for Isshiki.
The only option was to fight to the death, giving key people a chance to escape!
*BOOM!*
Isshiki vanished in midair. Before Edo Tensei Itachi could activate Susano'o, Isshiki teleported in front, shattering Itachi's upper body with one punch!
At this range, Isshiki's speed surpassed Golden Naruto's.
Even the Sharingan couldn't keep up, let alone defend or resist.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Kabuto activated Summoning, calling the second Manda, preparing to swallow everyone into the snake's mouth and retreat with another Summoning Jutsu.
*BANG!*
As Manda opened its mouth, Isshiki's punch obliterated its head, preventing it from swallowing anyone.
Having been fooled by Summoning Jutsu once, how could he fall for it again?
Manda died, turning into white mist and vanishing.
Isshiki waved his hand, dozens of black rods suddenly enlarged and appeared, falling from the sky, targeting the group!
Edo Tensei Shisui activated Susano'o, blocking all the black rods.
*PLUF!*
The next second, Isshiki's kick shattered Shisui's Susano'o, reducing his Edo Tensei body to dust.
With a feral grin, Isshiki locked onto Kawaki.
Then vanished again, attacking Kawaki.
"Careful!"
Eida shouted, reading Isshiki's intent. But no warning mattered—she instinctively hugged Kawaki beside her!
Daemon lay on his sister Eida's back.
Instantly, the three seemed to become one unit.
*BANG!*
Before Isshiki could grab Kawaki, Daemon's passive Killing Intent Reflection repelled him, his body as if struck by his own high-speed self, flung back.
"Damn this divine technique!"
Facing Daemon's Killing Intent Reflection, Isshiki didn't know where to start. The opponent lay on Eida's back, Eida hugging Kawaki.
The three formed an impenetrable turtle shell, impossible to capture.
But the others weren't so lucky.
Isshiki decided to eliminate everyone else first, then deal with Kawaki and the other two slowly.
"Go now!"
Kakashi activated Raiton: Murasaki Chidori, turning into a purple lightning bolt, attacking Isshiki.
*KRAK!*
Raiton: Murasaki Chidori was sliced by Isshiki's black light, and Kakashi was obliterated by one punch, exploding into a blood mist!
Seizing the chance, Kabuto swallowed Himawari again, activated Doton, and fled underground.
*BOOM!*
Isshiki wouldn't let them escape. His punch, embodying absolute force, struck the ground.
Instantly, the earth groaned, rocks and soil within hundreds of meters exploded!
The hard rock and soil shattered like soft water waves under the immense force.
The massive power flung Kabuto out from the earth, shattering his glasses, nearly killing him with one blow.
"Damn it!"
Sarada, provoked, activated her Mangekyō Sharingan, using Amaterasu Dōjutsu, creating a black hole vortex beside Isshiki, aiming to restrain and crush him with gravity.
*WHOOSH!*
Isshiki vanished from his spot.
The Amaterasu black hole slowed him slightly, but because Sarada was too weak, a Six Paths-level eye might have trapped and crushed him.
Now, it only reduced his speed marginally, insignificant.
"Sarada, careful—"
Sumire's alarmed cry wasn't finished when Sarada beside her exploded into a blood mist, killed by Isshiki's single strike!
"What's the use of being careful? You lowly insects!"
Isshiki flipped his hand, grabbing Sumire's neck, blood-smeared, threatening her with a terrifying, satisfied grin.