The Ruins of Izumo Country.
Dust that never dispersed hung permanently in the atmosphere, blocking out sunlight. The entire land was shrouded in dimness and oppression.
On a barren plain encircled by naked stone cliffs, a withered God Tree stood alone.
At the top of the dead tree, beneath a shriveled bud, on a thick extending branch, Momoshiki sat with his right leg crossed over his left knee. His left fist propped up his cheek as his golden Byakugan gazed toward where the spatial gate had vanished—where Akira and Boruto now stood.
"You even brought that little burden with you?"
Akira smiled meaningfully.
"Are you sure he's a burden?"
The Rinnegan on Momoshiki's forehead narrowed slightly.
Right… I've seen him drag Kinshiki back from time itself.
Even if that kid were blasted into nothingness, you could reconstruct him with your eyes.
Hah.
He really can't be called a burden.
Because distracting you by attacking him was never an option to begin with.
"Fine." Momoshiki curled his lips into a domineering smile. He stomped down, snapped the branch beneath his feet, grabbed it mid-fall, and hurled it straight at Akira!
Boom!
The branch tore through the air, setting off a sonic boom!
—Divine Erasure!
Slash!
Akira's gaze sharpened, and the branch instantly disintegrated into gray-brown particles of light.
He said without turning around, "Boruto, find yourself a good viewing spot. That mountain behind you looks perfect."
"Yes, sir!"
Boruto nodded obediently, turned, and dashed away. He leapt and climbed up the mountain, then spun around and squatted down, hands on his knees, staring intently at the black-robed figure standing on the battlefield.
Madara looked down at the small figure in front of him.
"So this kid Boruto is the vessel Akira prepared for Momoshiki."
"Of course," Obito replied, glancing at Boruto's hair.
Minato-sensei's blond genes really took root.
In Akira's future illusion, Boruto seemed to become a couple with Sasuke's daughter, Sarada.
By then, Minato-sensei's genes would infiltrate the Uchiha bloodline too.
Just thinking about it made his scalp tingle.
But then again… if Rin and I had a child, whose hair would they inherit?
Boom!
The thunderous roar from below snapped Obito out of his thoughts.
"Hah!"
After landing, Momoshiki shouted and slammed both palms into the ground.
—Inukai Takeru no Mikoto!
Boom!
Nine enormous dog heads formed from earth-style chakra burst from the ground. Their bodies coiled and merged as they descended from above Momoshiki's head, opening molten jaws spewing fire chakra, swallowing toward Akira!
"Oh?"
Scorching wind brushed across Akira's face. He gazed up calmly, as if enjoying a spring breeze.
So after getting stronger, even my old ultimate moves come so easily.
Momoshiki sneered.
"With this scale and number, try erasing it all with Divine Erasure!"
"I could," Akira replied, clasping his hands and forming the Snake seal.
"But there's no need."
There was a technique he had been meaning to test.
—Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!
Boom!
Nine giant trees erupted from the ground before Akira, growing wildly and twisting into dragon forms. They surged through underground veins, leapt upward in succession, and coiled around the stone dogs, biting down on their throats!
Sizzle!
Scorching magma burst from the ruptured necks, melting the wooden fangs and cascading down the massive dragon bodies.
But these wood dragons were no ordinary trees.
They were infused with vast Yang chakra and life force, forming living wood spirits.
They wouldn't melt so easily—at least not from Inukai Takeru no Mikoto's magma.
Their bodies, coated in burning crust, tightened around the stone dogs, restraining them completely.
Boom!
A white figure burst forward violently, smashing a huge breach through the barrier formed by dragons and stone heads!
Flying alongside Momoshiki were hundreds of massive glowing crimson weapons—axes, blades, spears, hooks, and halberds.
It was the ultimate technique of Takemikazuchi's Armament—
Heavenly Feather Arrow!
With Momoshiki's current power, the scale was six times greater than when Kinshiki had used it.
Madara crossed his arms and sighed into the wind.
"Judging by the numbers, he's really going all out. Looks like Akira's Divine Erasure scared him badly."
His hands resting on his shoulders twitched, itching for action.
This Momoshiki is tempting…
But this time, I'll let Akira enjoy it alone.
In an instant—
Momoshiki surged forward together with Heavenly Feather Arrow!
Countless glowing weapons transformed into a raging storm, instantly flooding Akira's vision!
Akira's left Eternal Mangekyō shimmered red, scanning through the crimson matrix.
"Judging by the trajectories… they're all aimed at my head."
He knows I can rewind myself.
If it's not an instant kill, it's meaningless.
So every strike is meant to take my life.
With this number and speed, erasing everything is impossible.
"Good."
This is exactly when Yomotsu Flow's barrier shows its true worth.
Whoosh!
A giant glowing axe spiraled down, slowing abruptly when it reached within a foot of Akira.
Even slowed, it still moved as fast as an elite jōnin's shuriken.
Akira twisted aside.
A blade and a spear arrived simultaneously!
He arched backward to dodge the blade and instantly erased the spear.
Snapping upright, he dodged a flying disc, deflected a halberd, and shattered a massive lance near his head with another Divine Erasure!
With a rhythm both similar and different, he forcibly turned Momoshiki's divine symphony into his own melody.
When the final spear—serving as the rest note—fell to the ground,
The overture ended.
Momoshiki stepped forward with tightly sealed Bagua footwork, forcefully entering the battlefield and opening the main act.
His body flowed like a swimming dragon, evading the flashing edge of Akira's Kusanagi Sword.
His arms bent like drawn bows, fingers like arrows, leaving afterimages as they shot toward Akira's right eye.
Akira dodged to the limit, thoughts racing.
Heavenly Feather Arrow couldn't kill me, so he's switching tactics—trying to destroy my right eye with taijutsu!
Correct.
The strategy is flawless.
He's found two of the three theoretical ways to beat me.
Unfortunately…
I won't play along.
Akira's right eye widened.
—Shinra Tensei!
Boom!
Repulsive force blasted outward like artillery fire!
"I can't retreat! He saw through me! If I back off, getting close again will be impossible!"
Momoshiki united his stance and strength, forcibly pushing forward against Shinra Tensei!
The rebounding force made Akira stumble, but he reacted instantly.
He countered with Slug Sage Palm, blasting Momoshiki away!
Crack!
Slugs erupted from Momoshiki's white cloak, oozing corrosive acid that burned his hardened body.
"Aagh!"
Ignoring the pain, Momoshiki raised his left palm and roared.
—Banshō Ten'in!
Akira, who hadn't stabilized yet, was violently dragged back.
Then—
From the Rinnegan in Momoshiki's palm, the Super Massive Rasengan absorbed from Naruto erupted, swelling into a monstrosity that surpassed a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Still not enough.
Momoshiki had seen Akira erase attacks of similar size.
So he immediately activated Eternal Thought Control and poured his own chakra into it!
Watching the Rasengan continue to expand beyond Divine Erasure's limit, Akira finally showed genuine shock.
Even released techniques can be manipulated?
That means techniques absorbed by Takamimusubi can grow endlessly with his own power.
No limit at all.
So that's it…
In the original timeline, I never realized he had this kind of potential.
No wonder he was worthy of binding with Boruto.
If fully developed, Momoshiki might surpass even Isshiki.
"Otsutsuki Momoshiki," Akira said calmly, "in this domain, no one is stronger than you."
His right eye trembled.
—Yomotsu Flow!
Whoosh!
Time rewound for the designated target.
The meteor-sized Rasengan rapidly shrank—
At the critical point, Akira shattered it with Divine Erasure!
"What!?"
Amid Momoshiki's shock, Akira severed the causality of attraction and halted himself.
His right eye refocused on the space behind him.
—Yomotsu Flow!
Momoshiki was suddenly hurled backward from Akira's focal point—
This time, his back was fully exposed.
Akira's gaze darkened.
And besides… no matter how fast your absorption is, it's useless if you can't react in time.
Crack!
Akira thrust his left palm forward.
Instant Purple Lightning!
It pierced straight through Momoshiki from behind!
"Gahhh!!"
Momoshiki's eyes widened as blood sprayed from his mouth.
Akira held his shoulder and calmly withdrew his hand.
Blood mixed with acidic slug residue dripped from the open wound in Momoshiki's chest.
I avoided the vital point for now.
Next, follow the path I've laid out for you, Momoshiki…
At the instant Momoshiki's power plummeted from the severe injury—
Crack! Crack!
Above the ruined Chūnin Exam arena in Konoha,
The two Chibaku Tensei simultaneously split open with massive fractures.
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