Chapter 331: Holding Back
Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki was like a ghost, silently appearing behind Uchiha Dali.
Several black chakra rods naturally floated before him.
In this pitch-black, unfathomable cosmic space, the rods were practically indistinguishable to the naked eye—an excellent disguise.
Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki launched a sneak attack on Uchiha Dali.
This time, he held back not even the slightest bit.
He was determined to kill Uchiha Dali.
"Weren't you planning to absorb me as your energy supplement? Why so eager to go for the kill?"
Uchiha Dali dodged the fatal strike with a calm smile.
That actually surprised Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki a little.
"So that's it. Your perception is rather unusual."
With just one glance, he saw through Uchiha Dali's ability. He understood immediately that the reason Dali could evade his attack was because he was using some kind of rule-based power to predict the trajectory beforehand.
It bore some similarity to his own divine power.
Uchiha Dali didn't reply.
But deep down, he was quite shaken.
Just one glance, and his opponent had seen through the essence of his Observation ability.
No doubt about it—Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki was truly worthy of being the number one under Ōtsutsuki Shibai.
Uchiha Dali was about to nod in acknowledgment when, all of a sudden, a chime sounded in his mind.
[Ding! You have repeatedly used the power of Heavenly Devour and Refine! Your Heavenly Devour and Refine has evolved! You have comprehended Advanced Heavenly Devour and Refine!]
[Advanced Heavenly Devour and Refine: Based on the original power of the Heavenly Rinnegan, this separately enhanced devour-and-refine ability can refine vast amounts of energy into usable power in the shortest possible time!]
Talk about the perfect timing.
The moment he heard the prompt in his mind, a flood of information rushed in.
Almost effortlessly, Uchiha Dali instantly transformed the violent energy he had previously been suppressing with full concentration into the exact kind of power he needed.
At the same time, the power of Heavenly Might: Seal-less Rebound naturally activated, amplifying that energy.
But just as he was about to launch the rebound against his opponent, a sudden thought struck him.
"With such an enormous mass of energy, if I just use it for a direct attack, judging from this guy's strength, it might still not be enough to threaten him."
"Rather than wasting it, why not just absorb it myself…"
And so he acted.
The moment the thought formed, Uchiha Dali began to absorb the energy—this vast, fully-controlled mass—back into himself.
In an instant, the power quickly merged into his limbs, bones, and organs, becoming a seamless part of his own energy.
Meanwhile, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki was still waiting for Uchiha Dali's counterattack.
He was prepared to use Seal-less Rebound again to reabsorb his opponent's power.
That way, after amplification, the power would completely surpass the limit of what this kid could withstand.
Judging from his earlier performance, there was no way he could fully absorb that rebounded energy.
At that point, there would be only two possible outcomes:
Either he would be torn apart from within by the overwhelming energy, effectively killing himself…
Or, while struggling to suppress the violent power he couldn't devour, he would be cut down by Kyōshiki.
Either way, it was the best possible outcome.
Because, in the end, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki would get what he wanted.
He didn't care whether Uchiha Dali remained intact as a person; all that mattered was the energy.
As long as it existed somewhere in the universe—whether dispersed into space or attached to a planet—he could easily absorb it.
However, what Kyōshiki never expected was that, after waiting and waiting, the terrifying energy within the shield before Uchiha Dali had completely vanished.
"Gone??"
For a moment, Kyōshiki was stunned.
Then he suddenly realized.
"You brat… not bad! To actually think of that!"
Sensing the steadily intensifying aura radiating from Uchiha Dali without restraint, Kyōshiki finally understood.
The reason he hadn't launched his attack was because he had already absorbed that energy into himself.
At this moment, Kyōshiki was forced to regard his opponent with a measure of respect.
At last, he saw it clearly—Uchiha Dali was nothing like the usual foes. This kid never played by the rules.
And unlike the other Ōtsutsuki, he wasn't afraid of him.
Nor was he so easily controlled.
"He must die!"
A fierce killing intent surged within Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki.
Until now, he hadn't fought seriously. He had simply toyed with Uchiha Dali for amusement, like a cat playing with a mouse.
But now, his mindset had changed.
"Mere energy… After I kill this brat, I can slowly devour the energy of other planets as well."
Feeling Dali's hidden potential, convinced that given time this boy might become a threat, Kyōshiki resolved to eliminate him.
In that instant, his aura began to soar, the killing intent radiating from his body entirely different from before.
In just a few seconds, his chakra presence reached its peak—far beyond what it had been earlier.
Feeling the crushing pressure, Uchiha Dali's expression grew grim. He lifted his gaze in shock. "Oh? So you'd been hiding your strength?"
"Aren't you an Ōtsutsuki?" Kyōshiki retorted.
"So what?"
"Every Ōtsutsuki has several different forms. The advanced ones are only awakened in battle. Normally, the base form is more than enough to deal with most enemies."
"So, you should feel both honored and fortunate—you're the first opponent to witness this form of mine."
As soon as Kyōshiki finished speaking, before Uchiha Dali even realized what had happened, a heavy punch landed squarely on his face.
With a loud bang, his body lost balance, his vision swam, and darkness clouded his sight.
Like a shooting star streaking through the night, he was sent hurtling toward a distant star.
Feeling the crushing pressure still coursing through him, Uchiha Dali's heart trembled with shock beyond measure.
"So this… this is his true power??"