"Kitagawa Minamoto?"
Not only Madara Uchiha, but everyone else also noticed Kitagawa Minamoto's arrival.
Obito Uchiha furrowed his brows, clearly surprised by Minamoto's presence here. Yet, for some reason, he felt a surge of excitement in his heart. He wasn't expecting Minamoto to win, nor did he believe anyone could defeat Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki before the Ten-Tails was summoned.
"Kitagawa Minamoto is indeed strong, even capable of using Yin-Yang Release, but..."
In Obito's view, Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki was far beyond Minamoto's reach. He was more eager to see Minamoto become another "victim." After all, Obito himself had suffered a crushing defeat, and he couldn't help but wish for Minamoto to experience the same fate.
"He's here?"
Meanwhile, Black Zetsu, hidden underground, was also observing the events above. Seeing Minamoto approach, even he was taken aback, his expression quickly turning grim.
"Is he planning to confront Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki? Have the ninja villages finally lost their patience?"
Black Zetsu actually thought this was long overdue. Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki had been targeting Jinchūriki and Tailed Beasts relentlessly, and action should have been taken much earlier. Especially after Black Zetsu hinted at certain things while working on the "Senju Relics," the ninja villages couldn't possibly ignore the significance of the surname "Ōtsutsuki."
"At least... thank goodness."
Black Zetsu finally breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Minamoto steadily approach Momoshiki. He quietly moved toward Madara's direction.
"Let him experience Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki's power firsthand. That way, things might get easier for us."
Within Obito's consciousness, Isshiki Ōtsutsuki frowned deeply as he observed Minamoto.
"That guy... something feels off."
Even though they were separated by space, Isshiki instinctively sensed something unusual about the figure walking toward Momoshiki.
"Why does he give off the feeling of the Divine Tree? Damn this spatial barrier—it's preventing me from fully perceiving him."
Isshiki's sensitivity was extraordinary, but Kamui's Dimension had already detached from the planet itself. Otherwise, Nagato wouldn't have recovered after being struck by the Rasengan: Uzumaki Spiral. The spatial barrier prevented Isshiki from seeing the full picture.
While Isshiki was pondering, Minamoto's Divine Tree clone had already reached Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki. The two locked eyes, and unexpectedly, an awkward silence fell between them.
Such awkwardness caused both to momentarily fall silent.
"I never expected the ninja world to have someone like you."
After a long pause, Minamoto's original body broke the silence.
"I originally thought this world was dull and insane, with everyone aimless like sheep. But I never imagined there would be someone like you."
"I don't quite understand what you mean."
The Divine Tree clone, having already communicated internally with Minamoto, spoke with a "solemn" expression.
"But you, constantly harassing the ninja world, and targeting the Tailed Beasts—what exactly is your goal?"
"I'm merely reclaiming what belongs to 'me.'"
Minamoto lightly shook his head, his tone tinged with interest.
"You're different from those lower beings, but it seems you don't understand the truth of this world either."
What truth? Nonsense!
Isshiki, hidden within Obito's consciousness, couldn't hold back his disdain. His fellow clansman's so-called "truth" was nothing more than an excuse to eliminate and devour him. And yet, Momoshiki had the audacity to shamelessly spout such words?
Still, Isshiki didn't dare act recklessly. Without fully releasing his Kāma, he would only be courting death. Besides, his curiosity about Minamoto was growing.
"To pique the interest of my clansman... could it be..."
The Divine Tree clone, however, shook his head, his gaze appearing "alert and solemn."
"I don't care about your so-called truth. All I know is that you're too dangerous for this world."
"So, you want to fight me?"
Minamoto's tone remained filled with interest, his curiosity evident.
"Or are you pursuing some notion of righteous victory?"
As he spoke, Minamoto's aura subtly shifted, and the Divine Tree clone immediately activated Yin-Yang Release. A black short blade appeared in his hand, and Sage Mode was triggered almost instantly!
"Remember this."
Minamoto spoke again, his gaze shifting to the motionless Obito nearby.
"History is nothing but the repeated writing of 'victor's justice.' If I win..."
Buzz—
In an instant, Minamoto swung the Truth-Seeking Orb-formed blade! The immense power caused the earth to boil and tremble, and a massive canyon-like chasm was carved out with a single stroke!
The direction of the strike wasn't aimed at the Divine Tree clone, but at Obito's position. Minamoto's voice rang out at that moment.
"...then I am 'justice.'"
Obito knew he wouldn't be harmed, but the overwhelming force still made his heart tremble involuntarily. He felt inexplicably confused about the situation, but Isshiki within his consciousness narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Those words... are meant for me as well!"
Buzz—
As Minamoto swung his blade, the Divine Tree clone charged forward. The Yin-Yang Release short blade slashed instantly, but Minamoto seemed to anticipate it, countering with a swift strike of his own.
Clang—
The sharp metallic sound reverberated, as if shaking the entire space. The ground beneath them collapsed violently from the impact, and countless fragments of rock were suspended around them, drawn by some mysterious force that prevented them from falling.
"Impressive power. You've indeed embarked on a path of 'evolution.'"
Momoshiki's voice carried a hint of amusement as he spoke leisurely.
"But this level is still insufficient..."
As his words fell, Momoshiki's power surged further. With a nimble movement, he swung his blade once more.
The short distance between them produced a piercing sonic boom! The Divine Tree clone was unyielding, his Yin-Yang Release blade clashing again.
Boom—
A deep rumble echoed, accompanied by shockwaves that spread outward! The already devastated ground beneath them sank further, and cracks extended outward for hundreds of meters in an instant.
"To complete 'evolution,' you must transcend your own limitations, even if it means risking everything to seize it."
Momoshiki's voice remained steady, his blade pressing against the Divine Tree clone's.
"Let me see how far you've come, and whether you can continue down this path."
As his voice resonated, both their Chakras grew increasingly intense and frenzied.
Clang— Clang— Clang—
In the next instant, the sound of clashing blades rang out endlessly! The two transformed into phantoms, their movements creating dozens of afterimages as they fought.
Their duel, though one-on-one, looked like a chaotic battle involving dozens of individuals.
The sounds of sonic booms, shockwaves, and ground shattering echoed continuously, accompanied by distorted space and collapsing mountains in the distance.
Everything around them seemed fragile, disintegrating into dust with even the slightest touch. Their energy bursts even ignited the dry mountain ranges, turning the battlefield into a fiery inferno.
In an instant, their battleground resembled a scene straight out of hell.
"What kind of battle is this?"
From a distance, Jiraiya, Ōnoki, and the others watched the relentless bursts of energy, the flickering figures amidst the mountains, and the destruction of landscapes wherever the two passed. They fell silent, unable to fathom such a fight.
"It seems the only ones capable of confronting Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki are from Konohagakure."
After a while, Ōnoki couldn't help but sigh, but Deidara's face was full of curiosity.
"But what did that guy mean by 'evolution' when talking about Minamoto?"
"I don't know, but Minamoto has always been special."
Jiraiya shook his head, knowing only the Great Toad Sage might have answers. He began forming seals to summon Shima and Fukasaku. Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki was too dangerous, and Jiraiya needed to be prepared.
"If the situation becomes irreversible, I will sacrifice my life to ensure Minamoto escapes!"
"So this is the true power of a predecessor?"
Meanwhile, Sasuke's gaze burned with intensity, his voice murmuring softly. This journey to Iwagakure had left a profound impression on him.
He had thought killing Itachi Uchiha marked significant progress, but now it seemed that compared to Minamoto and others, Itachi was nothing more than a roadside obstacle.
He still had a long way to go.
"Tch, I've already fallen so far behind this guy?"
Naruto's expression was complicated, but he quickly regained his resolve. Having a target to chase was better than being lost! After all, Minamoto had always been his goal to catch up to.
"This is terrifying."
Within Naruto's consciousness, the Fourth Hokage and Kushina fell silent. This level of battle was beyond their comprehension.
"Kitagawa Minamoto... is truly this strong?"
Closer to the battlefield, Obito swallowed hard. Taking advantage of the clash between the two, he absorbed Madara's severed head and Black Zetsu into Kamui's Dimension.
He clenched his fists, his face filled with disbelief and frustration. He couldn't understand why they were so strong! And what did "evolution" mean?
"Indeed, stronger than expected. No wonder he managed to defeat you all so thoroughly."
Holding Madara's head, Black Zetsu was equally stunned, but then sighed.
"But he's probably still no match for Ōtsutsuki Momoshiki. That guy hasn't even gotten serious yet..."
"I'm more curious about what Momoshiki meant by 'evolution.'"
Madara stared into the distance, his heart filled with longing for such a battle. But beyond his desire, his curiosity about Momoshiki's words grew.
"What makes Kitagawa Minamoto so special that even someone so arrogant would take notice?"
"I don't know..."
Black Zetsu shook his head, feeling equally lost. Still, he couldn't help but speculate—had Minamoto, as a descendant of Hamura, already embarked on an extraordinary path?
"'Evolution.' To use that word..."
Isshiki muttered to himself, his gaze turning solemn. In his eyes, Momoshiki was a lunatic pursuing the path of devouring his kin to ascend the "Divine Stairway." Everything Momoshiki did must have a purpose!
And the word "evolution"...
"Could it be...?"
Suddenly, a thought struck Isshiki. Just as he was pondering, a golden brilliance flashed in the distance once more. An even more terrifying power began to erupt.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📚 BOOK COMPLETED ON PATREON!📚
This story has reached its conclusion on my Patreon!
🔥 Full story available now
💎 Exclusive bonus content & early access to new books
👉 Join my Patreon community today!
[✨ patreon.com/GoldenLong]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━