In the end, even Daikokuten's barrage of rods failed to break through the layered defense formed by the Soul-imbued Truth-Seeking Orbs.
For Isshiki, this meant something extremely troubling.
His strongest abilities were ineffective against Naruto and Sasuke.
If he still had his original body, it wouldn't matter. He could simply drag things out, slowly wearing down the chakra sustaining their abilities.
But with Karma-triggered forced resurrection, his lifespan was reduced to only two or three days.
From the moment he revived, the Karma on Kawaki's hand had vanished as well.
He had to find Kawaki quickly and implant a new Karma.
Kawaki was in Konoha's new base. Getting there wasn't difficult.
But Sasuke now possessed dual Rinnegan, and his space-time abilities were effortless—he could chase him instantly.
In the end, he couldn't escape these two.
"Damn it!"
Isshiki lunged down from the sky, charging straight at Naruto.
If Sasuke's right eye truly manipulated vectors, then there was no immediate way to counter it.
But Naruto's ability… in the end, it could be overcome with overwhelming force!
If he could unleash an attack powerful enough to crush those abnormal Truth-Seeking Orbs in an instant—he could break through and kill him!
His Kokugan locked on.
—Daijaten!
Dozens of massive black-and-red cubes descended from the sky, crushing down with terrifying force!
"Whoosh!"
Layers of Truth-Seeking Orbs stacked together, forming a massive shield overhead!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The cubes carried overwhelming weight. Under the stacked pressure, cracks rapidly spread across the defense.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Two newly formed Soul Orbs barely managed to block the rods aimed directly at Naruto's eyes.
Naruto's face turned pale. "They're breaking too fast! I can't keep up!"
Isshiki closed in instantly, his simple, brutal punch shattering the remaining barrier as he drove straight toward Naruto's face!
"This is bad… the defense is collapsing!"
—Amenotejikara!
At the last possible moment—
Sasuke swapped places with Naruto!
—Amenotejikara: Vector Reversal!
Crack!
Isshiki's punch was reflected, slamming into his own face and sending him flying!
Boom!
The overhead shield collapsed under the cubes, which rained down chaotically. The leading ones were reflected, crashing into those behind them and scattering across the ground.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Naruto pushed his left eye to its limit, frantically creating more Truth-Seeking Orbs, then using his right eye to imbue them with souls.
Only this gave him any sense of safety against Isshiki.
The Sage couldn't help but feel a sting of pain.
Whether it was Sasuke's cooldown-free vector reversal or Naruto's Rinnegan-level Futsunomitama, all of it consumed his power directly.
That power could recover—but it would take a long time.
Every bit used here meant less strength against Kaguya and Uchiha Akira.
Sasuke thought calmly: Using Isshiki to stall isn't wrong—but this is a matter of principle.
We must kill him. As fast as possible.
"Naruto—give those cubes a soul!"
"That won't work! Those are his attacks!"
"They're not made of his chakra. They're external objects stored through Daikokuten!"
Naruto's eyes widened. "If that's true… then it might work!"
The Sage frowned internally. Those cubes were external objects, yes—but they also contained Yin-Yang properties. Imbuing them would consume even more Six Paths power.
Still… he said nothing.
"Whoosh!"
Naruto's right eye swept across the cubes. Once imbued with souls, they transformed—
Into Soul Daijaten!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The cubes rose into the air, spinning above Naruto before crashing down toward Isshiki at his command!
Isshiki's eyes widened in shock. He had just stepped back—
Only to be instantly swapped back into position by Sasuke!
Crash! Boom! Smash!
A relentless barrage struck him!
"Did we get him!?" Naruto asked.
"No… he's probably shrunk again. Can you still sense him?"
Naruto shook his head. "No. When he got close earlier, I didn't feel any hostility. That ability doesn't work on a true Ōtsutsuki."
"But if he gets close… my Soul Orbs will react instantly."
Isshiki, now shrunken, moved at incredible speed around them.
Then—
Something shocking happened.
The Soul Daijaten cubes that had fallen earlier suddenly rose again—
And began tracking him!
"The cubes themselves suppress perception… but after being given souls, they can detect me even in my shrunken state!?"
Naruto blinked—then immediately understood.
"So they're tracking him!"
He instantly followed their movement, launching enlarged Truth-Seeking Orbs along their trajectory!
A wide-range attack—
But it missed.
Naruto immediately prepared another.
Isshiki analyzed calmly: Naruto's attacks based on cube tracking have a delay. They can't match my speed.
But if Sasuke used that information… it would be different.
Still—
Sasuke's offensive ability is limited. Everything he throws can be shrunk.
He knows that, which is why he isn't attacking recklessly.
Naruto has weaker defense—but by giving life to techniques and objects, he can create attacks that are lethal to me.
"…Heh."
If these two abilities were combined into one person… there would only be one outcome today.
And one more thing—
Naruto has no space-time ability.
So—
"Whoosh!"
Dodging another attack—
Isshiki suddenly canceled Sukunahikona.
His eye locked on.
—Sealing Cauldron!
Boom!
A massive black lid-like seal descended, trapping Naruto inside!
This seal completely blocked chakra and abilities.
Naruto was effectively neutralized.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The floating cubes fell back to the ground.
Isshiki stood before the sealed Naruto, holding a black staff as he faced Sasuke.
"So… these soul-infused objects also lose autonomy once their user is suppressed."
"Uchiha Sasuke… how long can you maintain that eye? Every second you stand before me consumes your Six Paths power."
Sasuke remained silent.
Naruto… are you ready?
His right eye focused.
Amenotejikara—active mode.
This allowed direct manipulation of vectors through visual targeting.
To Sasuke, arrows appeared—indicating direction.
One appeared on the sealing lid.
—Amenotejikara!
With a flick of his finger—
The massive seal shot upward into the sky!
"What!?"
Before Isshiki could react—
Naruto burst out, wielding a Soul Truth-Seeking Rod, stabbing toward Isshiki's back!
Isshiki turned, seeing everything clearly with his Byakugan, and countered with his staff!
But—
Another arrow appeared on Isshiki's weapon.
—Amenotejikara!
Crack!
The front of the staff snapped instantly—its broken edge stabbing straight into Isshiki's left eye!
If possible, Sasuke would have targeted the Kokugan—but that was too difficult.
Close-range precision mattered.
"Gah!"
At that moment—
Naruto's rod pierced into Isshiki's chest!
Naruto's eyes widened. "It didn't go through!? He blocked it with rods from inside his body!?"
Another arrow appeared—on Isshiki himself.
Forward.
Crack!
His body was forcibly driven forward—the rod burst out through his back!
So this is Sasuke's true ability…
It's not about strength.
It's not about Six Paths power.
It's the combination of their abilities—
That completely nullifies mine!
"RAAAHHH!"
Isshiki roared, tearing himself free and charging Sasuke!
Sasuke couldn't freely switch between passive and active modes yet.
The automatic reflection was gone.
The moment had come.
Sasuke's eye flared—
An arrow appeared around Isshiki's neck.
Crack!
Bones twisted violently!
Isshiki coughed blood, yet still charged forward.
"So even this won't kill an Ōtsutsuki outright…"
Sasuke drew the Ame-no-Nuboko sword, targeting Isshiki's horn.
—Amenotejikara!
Crack!
The horn snapped, stabbing into Isshiki's neck!
Blood sprayed.
Isshiki's eyes turned red with rage.
"Die!"
—Daikokuten!
Whoosh!
As Sasuke drew his blade, the Truth-Seeking Orb sheath moved on its own, forming a shield that blocked the incoming rods!
"So even this… has been given a soul?"
The sword extended—
Piercing straight into Isshiki's heart!
"UGHH!"
Isshiki coughed blood violently.
It can't be shrunk… even this sword has a soul!
And worse—
This wound is critical!
"RAAAHH!"
Isshiki tore himself free, shrank, reset his neck, and fled!
The Soul Daijaten cubes immediately gave chase.
The Sage said calmly, "Isshiki is finished. His lifespan is nearly gone, and he's critically wounded. He won't last more than a few hours."
Sasuke's eyes darkened.
You can't open portals while shrunk.
Naruto's cubes track you.
Even with delays, large-scale attacks will hit eventually.
And your power is already declining.
If it's large enough… you won't be able to shrink it.
Yes.
That move will kill him.
Sasuke's power surged—dark purple chakra erupting across nearly a kilometer.
Six Paths Susanoo!
Isshiki glanced back in shock. "That… is bad!"
Just as the massive chakra began to form—
"Stop, Sasuke!"
The Sage's voice rang out sharply.
"Why!? This is our chance to kill him!"
"He's already finished! There's no need to waste power! Save it for Kaguya!"
Sasuke's expression twisted.
After everything he's done… how can I let him go!?
He forced the Susanoo to form—
But the Sage's voice thundered.
"Stop now, or I will take back your Six Paths power!"
"Don't forget—Naruto can also wield Uchiha power!"
Sasuke clenched his fist until it bled.
…Not yet.
I can't lose this power.
And I won't hand everything over to Naruto.
In the end—
He canceled the Susanoo.
Isshiki saw this—and instead of laughing, grew furious.
"You dare look down on me!?"
"You've angered me completely!"
"I will unleash my final trump card—and reduce everything to ashes!"
A portal opened—
And he vanished.
Naruto collapsed to the ground, laughing weakly.
"We won… Uchiha Akira, did you see that!? We defeated Isshiki!"
"Everything you did was wrong!"
"Just wait… once we recover, we'll attack your hidden village next!"
Neither Naruto nor the Sage realized—
What kind of nightmare awaited them.
Within hours—
They would face Isshiki's most terrifying retaliation.
Crack!
The Ten-Tails' cage shattered—
A massive portal swallowing it whole.
And before Isshiki and the Ten-Tails—
Something appeared.
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