"Damn it! Damn it!"
"How can this guy run so fast?"
"What kind of ability is that?"
Isshiki chased Kawaki, roaring in anger.
In less than a minute, he'd pursued Kawaki for dozens of kilometers!
Each time he nearly caught up, Kawaki activated that strange ability, turning into green smoke, sinking into the ground, and instantly reappearing thousands of meters away…
It kept Isshiki from catching him.
Though Isshiki's speed was astonishing, facing Kawaki's constant 'teleportation' and direction changes, he was helpless.
It was like playing whack-a-mole.
When you see the mole pop up, from reacting to swinging the hammer, no matter how fast, it takes a moment.
When Isshiki pushed his extreme speed to catch Kawaki, his opponent would cleverly dive underground like a mole and quickly reappear elsewhere.
Isshiki knew Kawaki was deliberately luring him to buy time for Eida and the others.
But he didn't care. Or rather, compared to Eida, Kawaki—the perfect vessel—was far more important!
As long as he got Kawaki, Eida was nearly meaningless.
After a perfect resurrection, Isshiki, with his long lifespan, could wipe out all humans just by waiting.
Would he fear two androids?
As for Kawaki, though he could keep running like a mole, Isshiki knew he couldn't escape his grasp forever.
No ability is limitless—the stronger it is, the greater its cost, and Kawaki's small body couldn't sustain it.
When Kawaki ran out of chakra, he'd be a turtle in a jar.
And so it went.
The chase and escape lasted nearly two minutes…
Kawaki had fled over a hundred kilometers, a speed that was remarkable.
If calculated, he could cover thousands of kilometers in a few dozen minutes, from Konoha to Sunagakure, a speed a hundred times that of an average ninja…
Of course, this was thanks to Shukuchi and Kawaki burning through his chakra recklessly.
But as Isshiki predicted, with such insane consumption, Kawaki's chakra gradually depleted. After one final flash, he appeared a thousand meters away, then collapsed from exhaustion…
Not because he couldn't run, but because he had no chakra left.
*BOOM!*
Isshiki arrived at extreme speed, his velocity—dozens of times the speed of sound—tore the atmosphere into tangible waves, shattering and piercing it, leaving arcs of electric trails in the air…
*PU-CHI!*
Isshiki landed before Kawaki, four black rods instantly piercing and locking his body, then lifting him with one hand.
He began carving a black Kama, sneering mockingly.
"My good son! Why aren't you running anymore?"
Finally catching Kawaki's real body, Isshiki's entire being cheered, as if he'd taken a stimulant.
"Tch!"
Kawaki struggled to catch his breath and spat in Isshiki's face.
"You—!"
Isshiki's fury surged, veins bulging, barely restraining himself from strangling this rebellious child.
But he quickly suppressed his anger, resuming his haughty, elegant demeanor. As the victor, he didn't need to fuss over a powerless loser's outburst.
"You've only been running for so long, and you've already picked up such bad habits!"
"If only you could be as filial as Code—wouldn't that be nice?"
"But no matter. A father can always forgive a little rebellion. Soon, I'll correct these bad habits…"
Isshiki's eyes gleamed with excitement, eager to 'enjoy' this rebellious Kawaki.
"Tch! My father isn't trash like you. Someone beaten by Uncle Sasuke like a dog dares call himself a father?!!!"
Kawaki cursed mercilessly.
Just harsh words, maximum satisfaction.
Trash like Isshiki dared call himself a father? Dared compare to the Seventh Hokage?
At those words, Isshiki's face turned blue, his burning rage reigniting, shattering his barely maintained patience and elegance.
He tightened his grip on Kawaki's neck, roaring ferociously:
"You beast, still daring to mention Uchiha Sasuke!"
"He's as good as dead!"
"And you, daring to seek death to save those ninjas and androids. So foolish!"
"If you'd stuck with Daemon, I'd have had a hard time attacking."
"But don't worry—after I resurrect perfectly in your body, I'll torture and kill them one by one."
"Oh, yes! That Seventh Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto—you seem to value him, don't you?"
"I'll use your body to destroy Uzumaki Naruto bit by bit!"
"I'll make you feel it…"
Isshiki laughed maniacally, already imagining how, after a perfect resurrection, he'd torture all the ninjas Kawaki knew to death to vent this humiliation!
"You—!"
Kawaki's eyes reddened, wanting to skin Isshiki alive.
But his hate-filled eyes suddenly saw something, showing unexpected astonishment.
"What, still hoping someone will save you? Whoever comes, I'll kill…"
Isshiki's arrogant declaration stopped as he sensed a spatial ripple behind him.
*WHOOSH!*
A golden light shot out, heading straight for Isshiki.
"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki!"
Naruto roared, his killing intent purer than ever.
"Ugh ugh ugh…"
Kawaki, choked, couldn't speak, but his eyes shone with joy as bright as the morning sun.
"Uzumaki Naruto?!!!"
Isshiki was shocked, realizing Naruto's sudden appearance.
He knew Naruto, sealed in a vessel, had been freed, but since he hadn't appeared recently, Isshiki thought he was hiding somewhere healing.
He didn't expect him to appear here, far stronger!
*WHOOSH!*
The golden light of Naruto in Six Paths Mode crashed into the stunned Isshiki.
In a panic, Isshiki only managed to block with his left hand.
*BOOM!*
The collision's terrifying force twisted and groaned space, snapping Isshiki's hastily raised left hand, the remaining force flinging him far.
Naruto's punch, without complex ninjutsu, was pure strength and numbers!
Though both had Six Paths chakra, Naruto and Sasuke's enhancements differed. Six Paths Sasuke focused on dōjutsu, while Six Paths Naruto emphasized taijutsu and ninjutsu.
Like Kaguya's Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack, which could shatter Six Paths Sasuke's perfect Susano'o, Six Paths Naruto could withstand it directly.
With massive Six Paths chakra support, Naruto's raw numbers matched Isshiki's!
Isshiki flew like a bullet, toppling hundreds of trees, leaving a horrific trench in the ground!
*WHOOSH!*
Isshiki struggled to fly, his left hand bent ninety degrees grotesquely, the intense pain making his face more savage.
Though his wounds gradually healed under Kama's influence, it proved Naruto's Six Paths Mode strength.
What shocked Isshiki more was that Naruto could harm him with pure taijutsu?
"Idiot!"
How was that possible?!!!
How did he suddenly get so strong?
Like Uchiha Sasuke before…
Seeing the Truth-Seeking Balls behind Naruto, Isshiki's heart trembled, recalling Six Paths Sasuke's terror.
"Isshiki! Hand over Kawaki!"
Naruto roared, charging again.
Seeing that cold, murderous gaze, Isshiki couldn't help but shiver.
Kawaki vanished, stored in Isshiki's Daikokuten dimension to avoid accidental death.
As his resurrection hope, Isshiki cared more about Kawaki's life than Naruto—at least until he re-carved the Kama, Kawaki had to live!
He didn't understand why Naruto in Six Paths Mode was suddenly so strong—like he'd eaten chakra pills or swallowed a God Tree fruit.
But Isshiki knew.
With Kawaki in hand, he had resurrection hope and no need to linger with this Six Paths Naruto.
If Naruto was like Six Paths Sasuke, landing a few big moves and shattering his body, there'd be no chance to resurrect!
*WHOOSH!*
Unwilling to fight, Isshiki vanished, activating Sukunahikona dōjutsu to shrink himself, planning to escape Naruto's sight and flee the battlefield.
But Six Paths Naruto wasn't the weak Seventh Hokage anymore. Though he couldn't see the shrunken Isshiki, he could lock onto him with Six Paths power.
Raising his hand, he controlled a Truth-Seeking Ball, firing it at the shrunken Isshiki.
Isshiki, shocked, returned to normal size, swinging a fist to knock the Truth-Seeking Ball away.
But simultaneously, most of his right hand's flesh vanished, decomposed by forced contact with the Truth-Seeking Ball.
Numbers are numbers, mechanics are mechanics.
Without Six Paths Yin-Yang and Five Elements power, even Isshiki's body would disintegrate upon touching a Truth-Seeking Ball.
If he'd stayed shrunken, one touch might've disintegrated most of his body!
This forced Isshiki to hurriedly return to normal size.
'Damn those Truth-Seeking Balls are such a hassle!'
Isshiki cursed inwardly. Compared to Sasuke, Naruto, long experienced with Truth-Seeking Balls, was more adept and versatile, understanding their destructive nature better.
No choice.
Isshiki hurriedly opened a space-time gate, preparing to escape.
But the next second, before he could enter, Six Paths Naruto attacked again.
Though Naruto lacked space-time abilities to disrupt the gate, with enough speed, he could still prevent escape!
This time, Isshiki finally felt the terrifying charm of raw numbers.
Naruto's fist, wrapped in a Truth-Seeking Ball, struck Isshiki. Isshiki instantly created black rod defensive spikes, but they shattered against the Truth-Seeking Ball.
The punch hit his abdomen, dissolving a horrific bloody hole.
Terrified, Isshiki activated Daikokuten again.
He summoned a super-hard Daikokuten cube from another dimension, pressing toward Naruto.
Naruto raised his hand, swinging, his Six Paths chakra forming a massive fist, smashing the Daikokuten cube.
Seizing the chance, Isshiki retreated, keeping distance.
Too terrifying!
Six Paths Naruto + Truth-Seeking Balls left Isshiki nearly powerless!
Though Six Paths Sasuke had Truth-Seeking Balls, his physique and strength weren't as strong as Isshiki's, so he couldn't use them in close combat!
But Six Paths Naruto, with his chakra cloak's protection, matched Isshiki's strength and speed, able to fight him in close quarters.
He could even control Truth-Seeking Balls in close combat anytime!
These Truth-Seeking Balls weren't comparable to ordinary black rods.
Nearly equivalent to a weaker version of Kaguya's All-Killing Ash Bones, a slight touch could wound his body, forcing Isshiki, despite near-equal numbers, to avoid close combat!
Isshiki felt utterly outmatched and depressed.
But he knew he couldn't linger with this Six Paths Naruto—if he died from exhaustion, he'd never resurrect!
*BOOM!*
Naruto smashed the Daikokuten, charging Isshiki again.
But he suddenly stopped, hovering in midair, glaring at Isshiki with greater fury.
"Stop!"
"Uzumaki Naruto, move again, and I'll kill Kawaki!"
Isshiki had pulled Kawaki out, gripping his neck, threatening Naruto!
"Wait, don't!"
Naruto's rage and killing intent were forced to halt, stopping his attack, fearing he'd kill Kawaki.
He'd lost too many people—he couldn't lose Kawaki too!
Seeing this, Isshiki was delighted.
As expected, the hostage tactic useless against Uchiha Sasuke worked on the kindhearted Uzumaki Naruto!
Using this gap to activate his space-time ability and escape to another dimension, he'd still be the final victor.
But the next second, his smile froze.
After a brief pause, the killing intent of Six Paths Naruto surged again, even stronger!
Six Paths: Truth-Seeking Ball: Super Big Ball Rasenshuriken!
Naruto activated his ultimate move, sprouting two chakra arms, forming the strongest Six Paths Super Big Ball Rasenshuriken, its power nearly matching Sasuke's Six Paths Indra's Arrow.
*SWISH!* *SWISH!*
Two giant Yin and Yang Super Big Ball Rasenshurikens formed rapidly, Naruto even infusing two Truth-Seeking Balls to boost their power, the aura of destruction alone terrifying Isshiki.
"Wait… what are you doing? Don't you care about his life?"
Isshiki panicked, seeing no sign of compromise in Six Paths Naruto.
"Release Kawaki, or you'll die with him!"
Naruto's eyes were colder and more resolute than ever!
He didn't want to kill Kawaki, but if his hesitation and weakness let Isshiki escape, causing more friends and family to die…
Naruto couldn't accept that!
Hinata, Kakashi, Sarada, Sumire…
The faces of the fallen flashed in Naruto's heart, fueling his killing intent!
Purer!
This time, he wouldn't err with softness!
Seeing this, Isshiki grew more panicked. He didn't know his reckless massacre had provoked Naruto, turning the kindhearted Hokage into an extreme killing intent mode.
In his eyes, all these ninjas were insane!
"Uzumaki Naruto! Damn you &%%￥…"
"You're all crazy!"