Chapter 188: At the End of the Century, the Final Toll
Patching his partial body back together, Urashiki wore a dark scowl as he moved closer to Momoshiki.
He glanced sideways at the ever-composed Uchiha Madara.
How to describe his current mood…?
From the viewpoint of these few Ōtsutsuki, humankind was nothing but fodder for cultivating Chakra Fruits, its world merely a nursery plot.
They regarded Kaguya, defeated by her own descendants, as a disgrace to the clan.
And yet…
A descendant countless generations removed from Kaguya…
…should have been howling in misery before them, railing against fate in vain.
If that failed, they ought to be unleashing every last reserve of power, desperate enough to beat the Ōtsutsuki at any cost!
Why?
Why could these "mere humans" remain so poised?!
Who did they think they were?!
The usually blasé Urashiki, in fact, was the first among the arrogant trio to snap.
"Truly…unpleasant."
Urashiki let out a throaty, rasping laugh.
Crack—
He devoured his own fishing basket in a few bites, then dug out his own eyes and swallowed them!
With the influx of energy, his missing torso swiftly regenerated, his entire body subsumed in golden radiance.
…
"Huh… so you're the first to transform," said Madara, floating in midair, observing the golden aura swirling around Urashiki.
"Madara!"
Hashirama flashed in next to him. "That guy's chakra is skyrocketing! We shouldn't give them time—take them out now!
If they finish transforming and outclass us, what then?"
Madara glanced aside. "How can you say such embarrassing words?"
"Don't you want to see how strong they can get?"
Hashirama surveyed the devastated Land of Rain's terrain, speaking in a grave voice:
"If it won't endanger any more ordinary people, I don't mind.
But if they flee elsewhere, then what?"
…
Momoshiki, who had been hesitating to transform, overheard Hashirama.
He placed his hand upon Kinshiki's head.
Kinshiki willingly formed a small, condensed Chakra Fruit.
"Pitiful lower life forms…
Faced with you trash, why would I ever flee?!
You wretch!!!"
Seeing Momoshiki also begin to transform, Hashirama cast a look at Madara, who remained indifferent, and sighed.
Boom!
He performed a string of seals, dividing into four Wood Clones, each sprinting to a corner of the battlefield.
Boom!!
From four directions, a transparent red flame-like barrier rose.
"The top is yours, Madara," he said.
Madara spat dismissively: "How dull."
Nonetheless, he manipulated a few Truth-Seeking Orbs overhead, forming a giant net above the Four Red Yang Formation.
While they set up this impromptu arena, Urashiki and Momoshiki finished their transformations.
Their rampant chakra burned violet-hot, twisting and warping the space around them.
…
"How laughable," they muttered.
Each wore a golden Rinnegan in the forehead.
Momoshiki raised a hand toward one flaming barrier, unleashing a fearsome black energy sphere.
"Don't be mistaken—I have no plan to run."
"I only want to show that a mere barrier can't hold me!"
Boom!!!
Violent explosions.
Yet the Four Red Yang Formation remained intact.
Momoshiki's face hardened.
"How…?
Just some trifling ninjutsu—!"
Hashirama grinned. "Ōtsutsuki-san, it's Sage ninjutsu.
I wove Sage Chakra into the Four Red Yang, so it's quite stable."
Momoshiki gave a chilling sneer, quickly regaining composure.
"Fine. I'll credit you with that… You monkeys have learned how to wield fire."
…
"All set now?" Madara said, arms crossed, the tomoe spinning in his pale Rinnegan.
"Let's hope you won't make excuses if you lose."
"Tch. You think you're Uchiha Kagami or something?!" Momoshiki snarled.
Boom!!!
Raging chakra boiled within the Four Red Yang Formation as four figures slammed violently into one another in a storm of motion!
---
At a corner of the battlefield:
Shisui stood not far from Obito.
Shisui was the disciple of Minato; Kakashi had taught Obito.
Strictly speaking, they were of the same era.
Shisui eyed Obito curiously.
He had heard tidbits: Obito had lived near him back in childhood.
Noticing Shisui's gaze, Obito growled, "Quit staring, brat!"
Shisui smiled. "No need to be so angry, Kakashi-senpai's student."
…
His remark struck a painful chord for Obito, who glowered in fury.
Whoosh!
When their Mangekyō locked eyes, Shisui sensed a distortion of space.
He only smiled faintly and let unseen illusions tear through the swirl, instantly descending upon Obito at point-blank.
Slash!
Invisible slashes severed Obito's arm!
Tobirama's spirit within Shisui felt a cool satisfaction, like sipping iced water on a hot summer day—
At last… The jutsu named for me has cut down a Uchiha. Marvelous.
"Obito-senpai," Shisui said, reappearing before him, "Your incomplete Mangekyō…why do you dare lock eyes with me?"
"I know a bit about your story. If Kakashi-senpai couldn't dissuade you—"
"I'll take charge of your life from now on."
Divine Concealment—Godly Illusion!
Before Obito could warp away into Kamui, the moment he gazed into Shisui's eyes, his defeat was sealed. His mind sank into a dreamlike Genjutsu realm, ultimately to become Shisui's puppet.
He'd wanted his "ideal world" that the real one never gave him. So be it—in illusions, he would find it.
…
In another corner:
Recovered enough to climb from the waters, Kakuzu glimpsed the fiery carnage in the distance.
He paused for two breaths…
Then submerged himself again.
The surface was too dangerous.
---
Between life and death.
The Sage of Six Paths, seeing how drastically the ninja world had changed, couldn't relax.
All at once, he perceived something behind him.
Slowly emerging from the shadows came a tall, four-armed demon-like figure.
He exuded a cold aura so strong it nearly defied comprehension.
Still, the Sage of Six Paths did not panic.
"Sukuna…" he said quietly.
"Could you tell me…what Kagami truly plans to do?"
That demon with four arms, Two-Faced Sukuna, manifested fully, sitting across from the Sage in this liminal domain.
"Otsutsuki Hagoromo? Or just 'the Sage'? Which should I call you?"
"It doesn't matter…" the Sage replied.
…
"Maybe so…" Sukuna replied, smirking.
"That's also my answer.
Whatever he wants… it doesn't matter.
Because I will kill him.
I absolutely will.
I am the curse he cannot escape.
I despise this world… This is the only time I've actually admired a person, ironically…"
"Help me… Give Uchiha Kagami a…
…magnificent death."
Blackish-red spread around, saturating that space.
Like some terrifying demon opening its bloodthirsty maw.
Dong————
In that nether realm, a bell tolled.
The final hour had come.