"Hahahahaha!!!"
Suddenly, beside Hashirama, Madara burst into loud laughter.
He had completely absorbed the power of the God Tree fruit. Feeling the vast power surging through his body, his heart was filled with excitement.
At the same time, his gaze shifted toward Naruto.
Naruto noticed Madara's look immediately. Sensing the intense fighting spirit radiating from him, Naruto merely smiled faintly.
The sudden surge in power had given Madara tremendous confidence.
At that moment, Naruto released a trace of his aura.
It lasted only an instant.
Most people barely noticed it.
But Madara felt it clearly.
In the moment Naruto's aura appeared, Madara felt as if the heavens and earth were collapsing around him. Endless pressure crashed down on him like a tidal wave.
His body instantly became drenched in sweat.
Madara gritted his teeth and resisted with all his strength.
Then, just as suddenly as it appeared—
The pressure vanished.
Madara looked up.
All he saw was Naruto giving him a small nod.
Madara immediately forced a wry smile.
The brief exchange had made one thing painfully clear.
The gap between him and Naruto was still enormous.
Naruto understood Madara's nature very well. Someone like Madara would never willingly submit to another.
But Naruto welcomed this change.
After all, the Ninja World did not belong to Naruto alone.
It needed more powerful individuals.
Watching the scene, the people around them struggled to hold back their laughter.
Madara was usually so domineering.
Yet perhaps only Naruto could make someone like Madara suffer such a quiet defeat.
Madara himself felt somewhat depressed.
He had not expected that even after stepping into the Demigod realm, Naruto could still overwhelm him so easily.
"What was that just now?"
Madara asked, clearly curious about what Naruto had displayed.
Naruto replied calmly.
"That's something that comes with reaching a higher realm. You're still far from that level."
"When you reach it, you'll understand."
In truth, Naruto had just used a trace of the power of laws.
This ability normally belonged only to experts at the Demigod Eight Revolutions realm.
At that level, one could already grasp fragments of the universe's mysteries and mobilize the most fundamental Chakra Great Dao of the universe.
Although Naruto himself had not yet reached the Eight Revolutions, his understanding of various laws was already comparable to those who had.
The only difference between them was energy.
As Naruto's cultivation continued to rise, he had also grown increasingly wary of the legendary True God powerhouses.
Even now, he was already extremely powerful.
He could mobilize fragments of the universe's fundamental laws, travel through space freely, and even create small worlds with ease.
Yet for a True God, perhaps even the entire universe would merely be a playground.
According to the information left behind by Future Sasuke, no True God had appeared for nearly ten thousand years.
However, their existence was beyond doubt.
Perhaps once someone reached that level, ordinary matters in the universe were no longer worth their attention.
Madara sighed helplessly.
The sudden boost in strength had caused his confidence to swell, but Naruto's brief display had instantly deflated it.
He had only just stepped into the Demigod realm.
Naruto, on the other hand, had already traveled far within it.
"You… are really hopeless," Madara muttered with a sigh.
He had finally abandoned the idea of catching up to Naruto.
There were simply gaps between people.
Still, that didn't mean he would stop improving.
At the very least—
He had to surpass Hashirama.
Feeling the nearly identical aura beside him, Madara turned toward Senju Hashirama.
"Hashirama," he said with renewed fighting spirit, "we haven't sparred in a long time."
"Let me see your current power."
Hashirama stared at Madara in confusion.
Hadn't they fought just yesterday?
Why was Madara suddenly acting as if it had been ages?
For a brief moment, Hashirama felt a chill run down his spine.
Could it be…
The one who fought him yesterday wasn't actually Madara?
Of course, Hashirama quickly realized what Madara meant.
He knew Madara's personality too well.
The others nearby were also curious about the strength the two had gained and watched with great interest.
Hashirama clenched his fists.
"I also want to test my current power."
He could feel the immense energy flowing through his body.
It was filled with endless vitality—
And profound mystery.
The Demigod realm had already stepped into the scope of the Divine Domain. At this level, a person's very lifeform underwent a tremendous evolution.
The God Tree fruit they had consumed was an extremely precious treasure even within the Ōtsutsuki Clan. Normally, such a fruit required ten thousand years of nourishment before it could fully mature.
In other words, the power of the Tailed Beasts had already evolved far beyond what it once was. Otherwise, even draining several Tailed Beasts would only shorten the maturation time by at most a single year.
Just as Hashirama and Madara were eager to test their newfound power, Naruto's eyes suddenly narrowed as he looked into the distance.
"Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves."
A voice echoed from the void.
Moments later, two figures appeared.
Yushento.
Why had he come here?
The Ninja World was protected by a massive barrier formation, but its defensive power was currently limited to those below the Demigod realm.
For Demigod-level powerhouses, such formations were difficult to block effectively.
At this level, one could freely manipulate space.
Just a moment ago, Yushento had still been outside the Ninja World. In the next instant, he was already standing before them.
Naruto frowned slightly.
"Why are you here? Is something wrong?"
The two sides were currently allies, and Naruto knew the Shinigami Clan would not cause trouble for the Ninja World now.
Yushento floated in the air, holding a divine staff. Radiant divine light surrounded him.
Behind him stood Yakumo, her expression solemn, like a devoted attendant.
"I came with good news," Yushento said slowly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips.
"You should be very pleased to hear it."
"My clan has decided to buy you ten years."
"In those ten years, the Ōtsutsuki Clan will not send any major forces."
"But once those ten years pass… stronger enemies will arrive."
"So prepare yourselves."
He paused briefly.
"Oh, and this is for you."
With that, Yushento tossed an object toward Naruto.
Naruto caught it with one hand.
Upon closer inspection, it was a pearl the size of a fist, faintly glowing with mysterious energy.
Just as Yushento was about to turn and leave, Naruto suddenly called out.
"Wait."
"Do you know who will descend upon the Ninja World next?"
Yushento paused mid-step.
A solemn expression appeared on his face.
After a brief silence, he answered with a single sentence:
"The Supreme General of the Ōtsutsuki Clan."
"An existence at the peak of the Demigod Eight Revolutions."
Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
Demigod Eight Revolutions…
No wonder, in Future Sasuke's information, that enemy could only be resisted because of Sasuke's immortality.
So he had already reached that level.
A being at the peak of Demigod Eight Revolutions truly possessed the power to kill him.
Without immortality, Sasuke would have had no chance against the opponent.
Moreover, according to Sasuke's description, he had eventually been sealed.
Naruto frowned slightly.
With Naruto's current mastery of Fūinjutsu, what kind of seal could possibly restrain him?
His sealing abilities were already comparable to—perhaps even stronger than—those Demigod experts who specialized in sealing arts.
Ordinary sealing techniques simply could not bind him.
And yet… he had still been sealed.
Naruto sighed softly.
It seemed that one could never underestimate those ancient peak races that had traveled the universe for countless years.
(End of Chapter)
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