The ground shattered completely under the force of a single strike. The full-body Susano'o wielded a power that its third stage never had.
Floating in the sky, Isshiki's golden eye gleamed. His small body, which seemed insignificant compared to the massive Susano'o, unleashed enough power to rival it.
He raised one hand to block Susano'o's slash, while his other fist punched forward. A massive, condensed fist formed in the air and slammed into Susano'o with full force.
Cracks spread across Susano'o's body, but the adult Sasuke remained indifferent. His expression was calm, and his Tomoe Rinnegan locked onto Isshiki.
Their clash lasted only an instant. On the surface, it looked like Isshiki had the upper hand by cracking Susano'o. But both of them knew that Susano'o was just a formation of chakra—if Sasuke could maintain his chakra flow, even if it was destroyed, it would only take a moment to reform.
But that wasn't the real issue here.
With one Byakugan and one golden eye, Isshiki gazed at Sasuke with an emotionless expression.
"You don't look like someone who's trying to kill me."
"Oh?" Sasuke's voice was calm but not distant—it even carried a hint of amusement. "I definitely want to kill you. I'm sure of that."
"Then why are your attacks so weak? You're holding back despite having that overwhelming power." Isshiki's tone was flat.
Adult Sasuke let out a light laugh. "Because I know better than anyone that I can't kill you."
Isshiki narrowed his eyes.
Sasuke continued, "Among the Otsutsuki clan members I know, you're one of the strongest. Besides Kaguya, no one comes close to you. But if we're talking about survival skills, you're undoubtedly number one."
Isshiki seemed a little irritated. "Kaguya? You think I'm weaker than that woman?"
Sasuke mocking his ability to stay alive didn't bother him. After so many years in the ninja world, he was used to such things. But being considered weaker than Kaguya—that was something he could never accept, not even after thousands of years.
Sasuke seemed to read Isshiki's thoughts. As he repaired his Susano'o, he spoke again. "Kaguya's combat instincts and experience aren't as good as yours. You're much harder to deal with than her. But that's all—you're just harder to deal with. Kaguya…"
"She can easily destroy an entire world. And she cannot be killed. Her power is far beyond yours."
Sasuke meant every word.
If Kaguya and Isshiki fought head-on, Sasuke believed Isshiki would win—but only if Kaguya could actually be killed.
The reality was that Kaguya's strength had already surpassed what this world and even the Otsutsuki clan could comprehend. Even without recovering all of her chakra, she had already reached an immortal state.
If Kaguya fully regained her chakra, even she wouldn't know how powerful she would become.
Isshiki could overpower Kaguya for a year, two years, or even a hundred years. But what about a thousand years? Ten thousand? And Kaguya wasn't stupid. She was just a bit naïve, but as a member of the Otsutsuki, her ability to learn was just as strong as anyone else's.
In reality, it wouldn't even take a year. The battle between her and Isshiki would likely be decided in less than a month—just like Hamura and Hagoromo, who were once weaker than her but still managed to seal her away.
At this point, Sasuke looked up at the sky of the icy dimension, a hint of nostalgia in his expression.
"Back then, Naruto, Kurama, and I sealed Kaguya in her own dimension. Even though the three of us had reached that level—even though I had Otsutsuki power—none of us could find a way to kill her. We had no choice but to seal her."
"You might be strong. In the future, I've seen you at your peak. But your strength is different from Kaguya's."
"That woman… is unbeatable in this world."
Isshiki listened quietly. When Sasuke finished speaking, he finally responded in a calm voice, "Are you trying to intimidate me? Sealing away a foolish woman?"
"No. I'm just telling you—I can't kill you." Sasuke spoke seriously. "Even though you're on the brink of death, I don't believe someone more troublesome than Kaguya would die so easily."
In terms of how difficult someone was to deal with, the top spot in Sasuke's mind belonged to Uchiha Madara. The second was Isshiki.
He had fought Isshiki countless times in the future, and even when he gained the upper hand, Isshiki always found a way to escape—or even turn the tables completely.
There was even a time when Isshiki was on the verge of death at Sasuke's hands. But in the end, he still survived using the Kāma seal.
"The only way I can think of is to erase your soul—to wipe your Kāma from existence the moment your body dies."
As Sasuke spoke, his Rinnegan began to change. A faint purple glow flickered in his eyes.
The black patterns of the Rinnegan deepened into a rich purple, as if his entire eye had been swallowed by the color.
"Sage Mode." Isshiki spoke plainly. "That's all? If you know you can't kill me, why go all out? To weaken me, so I won't return in the future?"
"No. What I want is to make sure you won't be able to move for a while."
Black bar-like markings spread from Sasuke's left shoulder, glowing faintly with a strange purple light. They crawled up his face like tattoos.
In an instant, Sasuke's left eye transformed into a golden Tomoe Rinnegan.
A white, bone-like horn grew from the left side of his forehead, curving upward until it stood like a devil's single horn.
"As long as you're still around, when Kaguya comes back in the future, you'll definitely be plotting something in the shadows. And the reason I came back… is to make sure you can't do anything during that time."
With one eye glowing purple and the other gold, Sasuke's left side was covered in black markings that emitted a strange light, forming intricate patterns.
At that moment, Sasuke's aura surged, and the killing intent in his eyes flared up again.
"Isshiki, I don't know why you didn't tell Urashiki about this, but no matter what, this Otsutsuki power in my hands—I'll make sure you get a taste of it."
"Karma, huh?" Isshiki snorted.
Just as Sasuke's Karma mark was completed, black patterns spread from Isshiki's chin, forming two symmetrical streaks on his face. A massive horn grew from his forehead.
Karma, second stage.
The battle resumed!
—
Sasuke blocked Urashiki's attack, but his body trembled under the immense pressure. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his towering Susano'o crumbled in an instant.
Urashiki sneered at Sasuke, reaching out without hesitation to grab him by the neck and lift him into the air. His blood-red Rinnegan gleamed with killing intent.
"If I kill you here, then you'll never appear in the future."
"Sasuke!" Naruto dashed forward, but Urashiki swung his fishing rod, forcing him back.
Holding Sasuke in his left hand, Urashiki pointed the rod at Naruto and Kurama with his right.
"Oh dear, you'd better not move. I can't guarantee whether this lower lifeform will survive if you do."
Naruto and Kurama froze in place.
Clenching his teeth, Naruto's eyes turned red.
"You bastard!"
"Heh heh heh~" Urashiki laughed heartily. "It's my victory, you lowly creatures!"
But the moment Urashiki started laughing, Sasuke—still held in his grasp—suddenly smirked. Blood dripped from his lips as he let out a cold chuckle.
"Without Isshiki… without the ability to rewind time with your blue Rinnegan… even if you're fast at opening space-time portals—"
"You'll never be faster than the Flying Thunder God!"
A golden glow flashed under the sunlight, standing out against its cold, sun-opposing aura.
Just as Urashiki's laughter echoed, that light had already appeared before him.
"Rasengan!"
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