They landed.
Naruto stared at the man who had once filled him with utter helplessness just two days ago. "Did you notice, Sasuke?"
"Notice what?"
Naruto's gaze sharpened. "That overwhelming pressure… it's gone."
Sasuke's expression dimmed slightly. "…Maybe."
Jigen looked ahead with his single eye, still carrying the calm, refined demeanor of someone above all others. "Hokage, Uchiha… when visiting someone else's home, did you bring a gift?"
"…Sasuke!"
Without another word, Sasuke moved. A black Six Paths Chidori pierced forward, striking from Jigen's blind spot where his left eye was missing!
Jigen's lips curved faintly. Uchiha Sasuke… unwavering killing intent.
Crack!
With a smooth motion, he deflected Sasuke's wrist using his elbow, redirecting the Chidori upward. At the same time, he tilted his head just enough to avoid the fatal strike.
Boom!
The black lightning slammed into the cage behind him, striking the bars that sealed the Ten-Tails.
Jigen grabbed Sasuke's forearm in return. "Black lightning, released from your right palm… Six Paths power, is it? You can actually damage the cage protecting the Ten-Tails. Not bad."
His gaze shifted to Sasuke's bangs, where a new eye lay hidden. "Oh? Even your right eye has awakened a Rinnegan. Shouldn't you thank me for that?"
Sasuke's voice was cold. "The fact that you didn't shrink my Chidori means your body has deteriorated to the point your dynamic vision can't keep up. You might as well die and switch vessels already."
"Heh. Sharp tongue."
Boom!
Naruto's massive Rasengan crashed down from the front.
"That kind of attack is pointless."
Jigen raised his hand, and Karma absorbed the Rasengan instantly.
Boom!
But golden chakra arms erupted from Naruto's shoulders, forming another massive Rasengan in an instant and smashing down again!
"Six Paths power really is unreasonable. But something that obvious doesn't require dynamic vision."
Jigen's eye focused.
—Sukunahikona!
Whoosh!
The Rasengan shrank instantly, losing all its force.
This place isn't suitable for battle.
In the next instant, Jigen decisively opened a space-time portal, pulling both Naruto and Sasuke in with him!
"Sasuke!"
"Doesn't matter. A different battlefield might be better. This place is too cramped."
Whoosh!
The scenery shifted.
A vast plain stretched out, dotted with uneven hills.
It was the same dimension where Naruto and Sasuke had fought Isshiki in the original timeline.
The moment the portal closed, Jigen shrank himself using Sukunahikona.
His presence—and even his chakra—vanished completely from Naruto and Sasuke's senses.
"He disappeared!"
"Sukunahikona," Sasuke explained, "can shrink any non-living object. The only living thing it can shrink… is the user himself."
"I see… He didn't use this ability last time. Not only is he smaller, even his chakra is completely gone."
Sasuke's thoughts raced.
Even his chakra disappears when shrunk… If he attacks suddenly, we won't be able to react.
Better prepare.
Jigen, now reduced to the size of an insect, sat atop a hill, looking down at the cracks spreading across his body.
"Two space-time jumps… two uses of Sukunahikona… This vessel is finished."
"Even if I do nothing… in ten minutes, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki will forcibly resurrect."
He had planned to let Naruto and Sasuke clash with Uchiha Akira and Kaguya, letting both sides weaken each other.
But because Amado leaked the coordinates, he had been forced into the battlefield.
Plans really do fall apart faster than expected.
That damned Amado… once I extract his last bit of value, I'll kill him.
Hokage. Uchiha.
From that brief exchange, I've gauged their strength.
Individually, they've surpassed Jigen.
But they're still nowhere near Isshiki.
Even together, it makes no difference.
The real variable lies in their eyes.
Naruto's abilities—unknown.
Sasuke's right eye—unknown.
They seem to know about my techniques.
They have the information advantage.
So right now… I must make use of this dying body.
While I can still shrink, I'll strike first—eliminate one of them.
Which one…?
Uchiha Sasuke.
His killing intent toward me is absolute.
Sharper mind than the Hokage. More decisive.
And in terms of mechanics, dual Rinnegan are far more dangerous than Mangekyō Sharingan.
Yes… Sasuke is the priority.
Whoosh!
Jigen locked onto Sasuke and launched a sudden attack.
Even in his miniature form, his speed was unchanged.
Sasuke's ear rapidly filled his vision.
A cold killing intent surged in Jigen's eyes.
I'll enter through his ear… and destroy his brain from within!
Bang!
Suddenly, Sasuke's ear moved away at incredible speed.
Before Jigen could react, he slammed into the hillside where Sasuke had been standing.
Blood spilled from his mouth.
"?"
Too fast… He hadn't even understood what happened.
Sasuke covered his right eye slightly. "Naruto. My right eye activated just now. Jigen tried to attack me."
…Damn it.
A passive countermeasure?
What was that just now?
It wasn't repulsion or reflection—there was no warning at all. It just… happened.
No time to think.
That impact just worsened this already failing body.
I can't maintain the shrinking state any longer.
At least now I know Sasuke's right eye has a defensive counter.
Jigen immediately shifted his target to Naruto.
Slash!
Naruto's expression sharpened. His arm swung, dragging a massive golden claw across the air!
"I sensed your killing intent! You Ōtsutsuki are a little different, but once you enter a five-meter radius, I can detect you clearly—even if you're shrunk!"
Boom!
Jigen returned to normal size, crossing his arms to block the heavy blow!
Boom!
His body was sent flying!
Naruto chased immediately, Rasengan forming in his palm as he slammed it down.
"Jigen! I'm ending you here!"
Buzz!
His right Mangekyō eye lit up.
The Rasengan in his hand underwent a strange transformation.
Boom!
Jigen raised both hands to block—
—and realized something was wrong.
"Karma… can't absorb it?"
"Sukunahikona… can't shrink it either?"
Could it be… this isn't chakra at all? Some kind of transformation technique? Sasuke disguised as an attack?
Crack… crack…
His hands began to crumble under the grinding force.
"No… this is undeniably high-density chakra."
"…I see."
"Hokage, Uzumaki Naruto… your eye technique imbues your attacks with a soul. They become something between ninjutsu and living entities."
"No wonder they're immune to Karma absorption… and Sukunahikona."
Boom!
The golden-blue spiral exploded, tearing Jigen's body apart without mercy.
And yet—
A victorious smile formed on his lips.
I failed to kill them… but I've uncovered their abilities.
In shogi terms… this opening is satisfactory for both sides.
Then let's begin.
Boom!
A sacred white barrier of light erupted from Jigen's disintegrating body.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "That presence… it makes my skin crawl."
Naruto gritted his teeth. "Damn it… This is on a completely different level! Compared to this… Jigen was nothing! Like a fresh academy graduate compared to a seasoned jonin!"
The Sage of Six Paths remained silent.
The light faded.
A figure stood in the sky—
Looking down upon them like a god.
"There's no turning back now… not for you… and not for me, Ōtsutsuki Isshiki."
"So… are you ready to be judged?"
Buzz!
Black and gold patterns spread across Isshiki's right eye.
Divine Technique—Kokugan.
—Daikokuten.
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
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