Shadow Island — within the sealed spiritual barrier.
A vast amount of spiritual power continuously overflowed from Yuki Yoru's body. The pitch-black spiritual power completely sealed off the surrounding space barrier, isolating everything.
Inside the barrier, brilliant chakra radiance burst forth from within Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto. Between the two of them stood Uchiha Hikari, her entire body bathed in their vast chakra, glowing with a crimson light.
The chakras of Asura and Indra—were overwhelming.
As the direct sons of the Sage of Six Paths, their chakra was without question of Six Paths level. Moreover, both had inherited their father's strength perfectly, split into Yin and Yang. The result was that their combined might surpassed even that of today's Six Paths Obito!
In fact, from a certain perspective, merely uniting these two forces could restore the former strength of the Sage of Six Paths himself.
Of course, only the former Sage of Six Paths.
But that alone was already more than enough.
Under the control of Uchiha Hikari, the power of Eight Thousand Spears was driven to its very limit, drawing out bit by bit the reincarnation power hidden deep within Naruto and Sasuke.
Ordinarily, Hikari's own strength would never have been enough. Even with the terrifying potency of Eight Thousand Spears—which in the original story could seize control over Naruto—its limit was precisely that: control.
After all, the reincarnation power of Asura and Indra was the masterpiece of the Sage of Six Paths. According to the chakra's tendency, which is the absolute control of high-intensity chakra over low-intensity chakra, it was impossible for Hikari, as an Indra descendant, to shake this power.
But everything changed after receiving Yoru's gift. By mastering spiritual power, becoming a Quincy, and awakening her own unique Schrift, this ultimate weapon of the Uchiha clan now possessed strength enough to shake even the majesty of her ancestor!
Within the barrier, as Hikari continuously invoked the ocular power of Eight Thousand Spears, torrents of chakra were being extracted without pause. The sight that followed was nothing short of spectacular—staggering to behold.
Chakra flooded the air in such vast amounts that it condensed into substance. From the two black spiritual crystals, tides of chakra overflowed like crashing waves, making the very air within the barrier suffocatingly heavy.
"…This…"
Kushina Uzumaki's eyes widened in shock as she stared at the overwhelming tide of chakra, dense enough to seem tangible.
As a member of the Uzumaki clan, the chakra level in her body was already extremely high. Coupled with the power of the Nine-Tails from back then, there were very few existences in this world that Kushina could call 'vast chakra'.
But at this moment, the chakra aura overflowing from both Naruto and Sasuke's bodies shocked Kushina to the extreme. The scattered fragments alone were already more than her peak!
Compared to the seemingly endless and inexhaustible chakra tides in front of her, the Uzumaki clan, the Nine-Tails, and so on were nothing. They didn't even have the qualifications to be compared!
This was the charm of the Six Paths' realm!
The Six Paths' realm was a breakthrough of the species' limit. It was the threshold between mortal and immortal. As long as one stepped into it, it was an evolution and transformation of their life level.
Under this level of power, even a Tailed Beast was insignificant compared to the two Six Paths level chakra sources that had been passed down for a thousand years. They were not on the same energy level at all.
Even Yoru could not help but narrow his eyes, faintly shaken.
The intensity of these two chakras was so immense that not only did they eclipse the Tailed Beasts, but even the chakra sources he had once encountered—such as the Star, the subterranean energy of the Land of Snow, or even the Dragon Vein—could not compare in the slightest.
The dense chakra overflowed endlessly, making the air within the barrier ever more oppressive. The two black spiritual power crystals began to tremble violently, as though straining under unbearable pressure.
"Yoru… these things might not be able to…" Kushina spoke with unease. She could feel with perfect clarity the state of the two crystals—the sense that they were reaching their limit, on the verge of shattering, grew stronger by the second.
Meanwhile, the chakra flowing from Naruto and Sasuke seemed infinite, inexhaustible, impossible to draw out fully.
At this rate, the inevitable outcome could only be the crystals breaking apart.
And if that happened, the entire process would be gravely affected. Should Naruto's life be endangered as a result…
"No. They can."
Still maintaining the barrier, Yuki Yoru smiled faintly, his voice calm yet firm:
"They can perfectly withstand the chakras of Indra and Asura. Absolutely. There's no need for worry."
"But—"
Kushina tried to protest further, but suddenly, the crystals—moments ago trembling violently under the crushing flood of chakra, seemingly at the brink of collapse—abruptly stabilized.
Not only that, but even the surging tides of chakra spilling out into the barrier began to be reabsorbed into the crystals themselves.
How could this be possible?!
Such a phenomenon left everyone present utterly dumbfounded.
The crystals, which had appeared ready to shatter just a moment ago, had now not only endured, but seemed capable of continuing to absorb and devour even more!
Kushina and the others were shaken beyond words. Hikari continued silently drawing chakra, while in Yoru's heart, a faint comprehension arose.
As the saying goes: know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Though his main path lay in spiritual power, his understanding of chakra was by no means shallow.
In his view, chakra—though differing in intensity—could fundamentally be divided into three stages:
Kekkei Genkai.
Kekkei Tōta.
Kekkei Mōra.
The final stage, Kekkei Mōra, was precisely what Yoru and his peers sought to study.
Kekkei Mōra meant the unification of all chakra branches back into the primal origin—melding Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Lightning, Yin, and Yang into one. Only then could one step into that realm.
In the original story, only those who had consumed the Chakra Fruit—Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, as well as the pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki such as Urashiki, Isshiki, and Momoshiki—had reached this level.
Later, after fusing with the Ten Tails, the Sage of Six Paths himself, now scheming silently within the Pure Land, also attained this stage.
And now, upon sensing the chakras of Asura and Indra, Yoru gained his insight.
That was—between the so-called Six Paths level and Kekkei Mōra, there was not so much a difference in raw strength, but in understanding, perception, and application.
Compared to the "Six Paths level," Kekkei Mōra was higher, purer, and far more profound.
Those who possessed Kekkei Mōra could utterly transcend the cycle of life and death, attaining true immortality.
And this immortality was not merely the pseudo-reincarnation of the Ōtsutsuki's "Karma" or "Vessel," but immortality at the very origin itself.
Upon reaching Kekkei Mōra, their being would no longer consist of flesh and soul, but become a pure energy form.
It was precisely because of this that Ōtsutsuki Kaguya could remain sealed within the moon for thousands of years awaiting her release… and why Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki, despite long since dead, could still stir restlessly within the Pure Land.
And that very level—was the realm Yoru now sought, the boundary he was about to reach!
Clearly, Asura and Indra had not truly attained the height of Kekkei Mōra, yet because of the Sage of Six Paths' power, they had been granted the attribute of the "Net," giving their souls and chakra the ability of reincarnation.
This comprehension of chakra, for Yuki Yoru—who wielded spiritual power—was of immense benefit.
Once power grew to a certain degree, the dividing lines between forces would become incredibly faint.
Two energies that were utterly distinct and unrelated at the start… would ultimately converge as one and the same.
All laws return to the same source!
Thus, his insight into chakra would eventually transform into understanding of spiritual power, becoming the cornerstone upon which Yuki Yoru would step onto the peak!
"Buzz! Buzz!"
With the black crystals stabilizing, Uchiha Hikari no longer had any worries, continuing to draw out power from within Naruto and Sasuke.
Sasuke's condition remained stable, still unconscious. Naruto's case, however, was far more peculiar.
As more and more energy was extracted, a faint orange-red chakra began to seep out over his body. With its appearance, the very air grew thick with a sinister, blood-reeking, malevolent aura of corruption.
"The Nine-Tails…"
Kushina's expression darkened. She had already made her pact with the Nine-Tails, and yet here it was, daring to interfere with the ritual.
And this was the most crucial moment. If the Nine-Tails caused trouble now…
"Don't worry about it. I think it's the Eight Thousand Spears, not the Nine-Tails' will." Yoru smiled faintly, defending the beast. "Since you've come to terms with it, I believe it has at least that much sense of honor."
"Hmph! So even a soul-devouring monster like you has a shred of fairness!"
The orange-red chakra hovering above Naruto twisted, forming the head of a great fox, which opened its mouth to speak:
"Since I've given you my word, I will not break it. These chakras… are merely because this power is too overwhelming."
The Nine-Tails cast a cautious, almost fearful glance at Uchiha Hikari—whose figure was no larger than Naruto or Sasuke's.
Yet in those crimson eyes it sensed a dojutsu of terrifying depth—an existence whose essence was nearly identical to the power of the Ten Tails itself.
Even it felt fear.
If possible, the Nine-Tails would rather curl up deep within Naruto's seal and never emerge. But the might of the Eight Thousand Spears was too dreadful—while extracting Asura's chakra, it dragged the fox's chakra out along with it.
"You'd best behave yourself!"
Suspicion lacing her voice, Kushina shot the beast a sharp glare, her warning cold.
"Humph, this old man will not—"
The banter between the Nine-Tails and its former jinchūriki had barely begun when the beast suddenly froze, head snapping upward toward the barrier of pitch-black spiritual power.
At the same instant, Yuki Yoru's smile vanished. His expression turned solemn as he looked toward the heavens, torrents of spiritual power gushing from his body to reinforce the barrier.
The others looked bewildered, not yet comprehending what was happening.
But then—
A sudden shockwave of energy exploded, rattling the entire barrier!
BOOM!!!
A cataclysmic force descended from the sky, tearing through the wards above Shadow Island, and came crashing down upon the spiritual barrier.
At once, Miroku, who had been diverting attention elsewhere, seized Hiromi and vanished from sight.
The next moment, a mushroom cloud rose. Blinding white light engulfed all of Shadow Island, and a wave of devastating force swept across everything in its path!
…Only after a long while did the shockwaves subside.
The Shadow Island—once carefully shaped by Yuki Yoru and Miroku into the fourth great holy land of the shinobi world—had been completely leveled by the bombardment.
All that remained was a single jet-black sphere, standing alone at the island's center.
Suddenly, a figure appeared high above the heavens, gazing coldly downward, like an eternal deity overlooking the mortal world.
From the black sphere, a fissure split open, and Yuki Yoru stepped forth, standing in opposition to the figure in the sky.
"Interesting. I thought you would always be curled up in the Pure Land and never come out."
Though Yoru had never seen him before, that chakra—he could not possibly mistake.
Back during the Nine-Tails' calamity, it was this very chakra that had descended from the skies and caught them completely off guard!
Yoru's eyes half-closed, half-open, as though countless pupils spun within their sockets, giving him an eerie, unsettling air.
The figure above did not speak. Instead, he simply raised a hand and clenched the air. In the empty palm, a shakujō staff manifested.
The staff struck the void—instantly unleashing a pillar of pure white chakra that lanced straight down toward Yoru.
Yoru gave a low hum. Brilliant deep-blue spirit particles gathered into an arrow and shot forth to meet the white beam.
But before impact, a blade—keen enough to cleave heaven and earth—whistled through the air, crashing headlong into Yoru's spirit-forged arrow.
A terrifying energy aftershock erupted again, once again lighting up the entire Shadow Island, but Yuki Yoru's body was enveloped by that white light.
The surrounding space distorted visibly. And when the light finally faded, Yoru's expression had grown incomparably grave.
"This is nothing more than a return of courtesy, yet you've lost your composure already. Don't you realize the shinobi world today harbors no shortage of monsters?"
"By acting so rashly, you expose your own flaws… and give them a perfect opening."
Looking at the barren world below, which was completely different from Shadow Island, Yuki Yoru slowly raised his head and looked at the sky that had no sun but was exceptionally bright.
Or rather, the figure that stood in the sky, like the sun and a god.
To forcefully displace him into such a realm… there was no question. Only a Six Paths–level being could wield such power—and not merely an ordinary Six Paths, but something greater still.
Yoru's words fell into the silence, but the figure's reply came cold and emotionless, devoid of even a shred of warmth:
"...You dare to lay your hands on Asura and Indra. You should pay the price!"
"Looks like he's really panicking..."
A smile appeared on the corner of Yoru's mouth. 'You have to hit the snake at its vital point'. Asura and Indra were indeed the core of this old man Six Paths' plan!
In this match, I have the advantage, Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki!