Chapter 9
Erza lay motionless, her breathing shallow, her body wracked with pain as Cobra's venom coursed through her veins. Her vision blurred, the battlefield spinning around her, but she could still make out the fierce clash above.
Natsu and Cobra clashed in midair, a chaotic whirlwind of fire and poison. Happy clung tightly to Natsu's back, his wings straining against the weight of the battle. Cobra, perched atop Cubellios, weaved through the air effortlessly, his smug grin never faltering.
"Tch! Is that all you got, fire-breath?" Cobra sneered, dodging another flaming strike. "You're too damn loud—I can hear your every move before you even make it!"
Natsu growled, gritting his teeth as he barely evaded a venom-coated strike. His fists burned white-hot, but Cobra was just a step ahead, his movements sharper, his attacks relentless. The battle was turning, and it wasn't in Natsu's favor.
On the ground, Erza struggled, her body refusing to move. She clenched her jaw, frustration mounting—until a new scent drifted through the air.
Soft footsteps. A presence warm yet strong.
A gentle hand pressed against her wound, cool magic seeping into her skin. The pain, the burning—it didn't fade completely, but it dulled, her body relaxing slightly.
"Wendy…" Erza murmured weakly, barely turning her head.
The young Sky Dragon Slayer knelt beside her, her face set in fierce determination. "Hold on, Erza. I'll heal you." Her hands glowed with sky-blue magic as she channeled her healing arts, fighting to cleanse the poison before it could spread any further.
The battle above raged on, but with Wendy's arrival, the tide of the fight had begun to shift.
Wendy placed a firm hand on Erza's shoulder as the knight struggled to rise. "You need to rest," she insisted, her voice unwavering. "Your body is still recovering from the poison. Leave this to us."
Erza hesitated, frustration flickering in her eyes, but she could feel the weakness in her limbs. She knew Wendy was right. Reluctantly, she nodded, allowing the young Dragon Slayer to step forward and join the fight.
High above, Natsu and Cobra continued their brutal aerial clash. Cobra twisted and weaved on Cubellios, narrowly dodging each fiery strike, his smirk never fading. "You're wasting your time, Salamander," he taunted, easily reading Natsu's movements. "I can hear the rhythm of your flames… the beat of your anger."
But then, a shift. A change in the air.
Wendy's hands trembled as she gathered powerful streams of wind into her fingertips, compressing them with precise control. Taking a deep breath, she locked onto her target.
"Sky Dragon's Homing Talons!"
From each of her ten fingers, thin yet devastatingly sharp bullets of air launched toward Cobra. They twisted through the air unnaturally, homing in on him no matter how he moved. Cobra's enhanced senses alerted him, but that was the trap—these weren't just attacks.
They were distractions.
"What—?!" Cobra snarled as the first gust barely grazed him, then another curved toward his blind spot. His concentration wavered for a split second, his sixth sense thrown off by the erratic air currents.
And in that moment—Natsu struck.
Seizing the opening, Natsu's flames roared to life. His instincts took over, his body moving on pure battle instinct as he chained together a devastating sequence of attacks.
"Fire Dragon's Claw!" His foot slammed into Cobra's chest, sending him reeling.
"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" A twin swipe of flames struck from both sides, pinning Cobra in midair.
"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" His flaming punch connected squarely, sending Cobra hurtling toward the ground like a comet.
But Natsu wasn't done.
He inhaled deeply, flames surging within him. His body flickered with an intense glow as he dove after Cobra, fire trailing from his form like a meteor.
"Fire Dragon's Brilliant Flame!"
With a furious roar, Natsu unleashed a massive blast of fire, engulfing Cobra in an explosion that shook the entire battlefield. The poison Dragon Slayer crashed into the ground, unmoving, his body charred and smoking.
For a moment, silence.
Then, Cubellios let out a distressed hiss, slithering toward Cobra's limp form. The battle was over.
Natsu landed with a heavy breath, steam rising from his body as he grinned toward Wendy. "Nice job, Wendy! That wind trick really messed him up."
She smiled, though exhaustion was evident on her face. "I just did what I could do."
Natsu turned back to Cobra, his expression hardening. This fight was only one part of the war—Oración Seis wasn't finished yet.
Morning came slowly, golden light filtering through the trees of Worth Woodsea, casting long shadows over the makeshift camp. The air was cool and fresh, yet traces of battle still lingered—charred wood, disturbed earth, and the faint scent of lingering magic.
The first thing Naruto saw when he opened his eyes was Erza Scarlet standing before him. She was silent at first, arms crossed, her scarlet hair swaying slightly in the breeze. Even through her usual composed expression, exhaustion weighed on her—battle-worn, armor scuffed, but still unshaken.
His gaze drifted past her, taking in his surroundings. The wounded members of the allied guilds lay scattered across the clearing, some still unconscious, others sitting in quiet conversation, their bodies wrapped in bandages. A little further off, Wendy moved carefully among them, hands glowing faintly with healing magic. Even as she worked, her movements were sluggish, a clear sign of how much magic she had spent.
Nearby, Carla lay curled up, her small frame rising and falling in the rhythm of deep sleep. Even in rest, tension lingered on her face, as if she were still caught in the echoes of battle.
It took Naruto a moment to register what all of this meant.
The battle with Oración Seis was over.
His fingers curled against the rough ground beneath him. How long had he been out?
"The fight ended yesterday."
Erza's voice was steady, but fatigue laced her tone.
"You've been unconscious for half the day."
Naruto exhaled sharply. That long?
As if sensing his thoughts, Erza sat beside him, keeping her posture upright. "The others are still resting, but we need to stay alert. There may still be one last fight ahead."
Naruto's brows furrowed, but Erza continued, recounting what had transpired in his absence.
"We managed to defeat five of the Oración Seis," she began, glancing toward Wendy, who had finally settled beside Carla, completely drained.
"If it weren't for her, we would've lost," Erza admitted, her voice softening. "She was the turning point. She helped Natsu take down Cobra."
Naruto blinked, then let out a quiet chuckle. Wendy really has come a long way.
From Erza's account, after the allied guilds were separated, each group had faced an individual member of Oración Seis:
Natsu, Happy, and Erza fought Cobra, a battle that could have ended in disaster if Wendy hadn't arrived to support them.
Gray, Lyon, and Sherry clashed with Racer, their teamwork finally overcoming his speed.
Lucy and the Trimens fought Angel, managing to outmaneuver her celestial spirits and secure victory.
Ichiya and Jura battled Midnight, with Jura's overwhelming strength breaking through the illusionist's reality-warping magic.
What surprised Naruto most was Erza's mention of Wendy and Carla.
They had fought Hoteye, one of the six. Carla had struggled, but Wendy arrived just in time to shift the tide. Together, they had managed to defeat him—before Wendy was pulled away once again, heading toward where she was needed most.
"When she arrived in our battle, we were barely holding on," Erza admitted. "Her magic didn't just heal me—it disrupted Cobra's abilities. He could hear everything, but he never accounted for someone who could control the wind itself."
Naruto nodded, absorbing everything.
His eyes flickered across the camp once more, searching for one person in particular.
"…Where's Jura? Lyon and Sherry?"
"They left early this morning," Erza said. "They're escorting the five captured members of Oración Seis. Jura was the best option to ensure they wouldn't escape."
Naruto frowned slightly. That means one of our strongest fighters is gone.
And yet, despite five of the six being defeated…
One still remained.
Erza met his gaze, her expression unreadable.
"We aren't done yet," she said quietly.
Naruto clenched his fists and pushed himself up, ignoring the dull ache in his limbs.
Somewhere out there, waiting in the shadows—was Brain.
The true leader of Oración Seis.
And he was still standing.
Hours Earlier…
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting elongated shadows across Worth Woodsea, an eerie stillness settled over the battlefield. The allied guilds, exhausted yet victorious, took a moment to catch their breath, unaware that the true menace had yet to reveal itself.
Deep within one of Oración Seis's hidden caverns—the same chamber where Jellal Fernandes had once been imprisoned—a sinister energy stirred.
A low, menacing chuckle echoed through the darkness, growing into a full-bodied, manic laughter that shattered the silence. Then, without warning, the cavern's debris erupted outward, stone and dust scattering like shattered glass.
And from the chaos, he emerged.
Brain stood at the center of the destruction, but something was different. His calm, calculated demeanor was gone, replaced by a wild, unhinged expression. His eyes burned with madness, his lips twisting into a deranged grin.
"At last…" he hissed, his voice dripping with malice. His hands stretched outward as if welcoming something unseen.
"The shackles are broken."
A tremor rippled through the air. A presence darker, more oppressive than before began to take hold.
"Let the era of annihilation commence."
Zero had awakened.
For half the day he was unconscious his body fought for balance.
Naruto stood in a daze, as if waking from a deep slumber within his mindscape—the vast plane where Kurama once lay dormant. He looked up, his gaze drawn to the two sources of light in the endless sky. Two radiant spheres hovered above, like celestial bodies suspended in eternity. One pulsed with nature energy and ethernano, while the other radiated his chakra, its glow far stronger than before.
It had grown.
Ever since reforging the Eight Trigrams Seal—now simply named as modified Trigrams Seal—his progress had skyrocketed, surpassing anything he had achieved in months. Yet, despite these leaps forward, he was still far from true self-sufficiency.
As he stared at the two spheres, lost in thought, something stirred in the back of his mind. Nirvana.
The name hadn't meant much to him earlier, but now, the word rang familiar—like an echo from a distant past.
Then it hit him.
Roubaul.
"Cait Shelter is... an illusion."
Roubaul's voice was calm, yet heavy with unspoken weight. He paused, letting the words settle. "I created this guild to give Wendy and Carla a home."
Naruto's eyes widened, but he remained silent, sensing there was more.
"Long ago, I was part of the Nirvit tribe—the creators of Nirvana magic." His gaze drifted, distant, as if staring through time itself. "But our arrogance... our misuse of that power led to our downfall."
A sigh left the old man's lips, carrying centuries of regret. "To atone, I used what remained of my strength to conjure this guild, its members, the village—everything you see."
Naruto glanced around. The guild members he had once thought real—every smile, every voice—were nothing more than illusions. And yet, they had felt so alive.
"Wendy was just a child," Roubaul continued, his voice tinged with sorrow. "Alone. Frightened. I couldn't bear to tell her the truth... that she was the only human here."
Naruto clenched his fists. He understood now.
"You wanted to give her a family."
"Yes." Roubaul's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "But now... with your arrival, perhaps it's time she learned the truth. That she found a real home among real people."
Naruto's breath hitched as realization struck.
"Old man!"
He bolted upright.
Roubaul—he might have the answers he needed.
However, before Naruto could take action and head to Cait Shelter, a massive rumbling shook the entirety of Worth Woodsea. The ground trembled beneath his feet, trees swayed violently, and the very air seemed to vibrate with an ominous energy.
Something was coming.
"Let's move!" the blonde declared, towards the center of the rumbling.
Simultaneously, at the periphery of the battlefield, Jellal Fernandes stood, his teal hair catching the dimming light. His face was a canvas of confusion, memories fragmented and elusive since his revival by Wendy Marvell. Yet, amidst the haze, one term echoed with undeniable clarity: Nirvana.
"Nirvana..." he murmured, the word laden with a significance he couldn't fully grasp. Instinctively, he clenched his fist, flashes of ancient knowledge surfacing—visions of a formidable magic capable of inverting the very essence of light and darkness. An unwavering conviction took root within him.
"This magic... should not exist."
A sharp pain throbbed in his temples, but his resolve remained steadfast. Channeling his magic, he began to trace the intricate sigils of the Square of Self-Destruction, a technique embedded deep within his subconscious.
"I will end this before it begins," he vowed.
Just as the final sigil materialized, a chilling laugh pierced the air.
"Did you truly believe I would allow my own pupil to use my teachings against me?"
Jellal's eyes widened as his spell unraveled before him. A forceful blow sent him reeling, and as he regained his footing, he faced Zero, whose grin exuded wicked amusement.
"How ironic," Zero mused. "You seek to obliterate Nirvana, yet it is through you that its true power shall be unleashed."
The ground beneath them quaked. From the depths of the forest, an ominous black pillar of light surged skyward, tendrils of dark magic spiraling around it. This was Nirvana's initial stage: a formidable force capable of inverting the moral compasses of those ensnared between its light and darkness, turning righteous intentions malevolent and vice versa.
Jellal's heart pounded as he witnessed the ancient city's resurrection—a colossal, mobile structure designed to traverse and sow discord. Memories or not, he recognized the catastrophic potential of such power.
"Behold, Jellal!" Zero proclaimed, his voice a blend of triumph and madness. "Witness as the world succumbs to Nirvana's embrace!"
Summoning his magic, Jellal's body became enveloped in a radiant aura. His past transgressions were inconsequential now; what mattered was the present and the imperative to halt the impending devastation.
"Nirvana will not be your salvation," Jellal declared, his voice resolute. "I will ensure of it."
With a derisive sneer, Zero retorted, "Then come, show me the strength of your conviction."
The atmosphere grew dense with anticipation as the two mages squared off, the fate of countless lives teetering in the balance.
The air between them crackled with power before Zero struck first. A shockwave erupted as he vanished in an instant, reappearing mid-air above Jellal, his hand outstretched.
"Dark Capriccio!"
A spiraling blast of black energy crashed toward Jellal. Reacting on instinct, Jellal thrust his palm forward.
"Heavenly Body Magic: Grand Chariot!"
Beams of light carved through the sky, colliding with Zero's attack in a brilliant explosion that tore through the clearing. Jellal lunged through the smoke, twisting his body in mid-air. "Meteor!" His speed became a blur, vanishing and reappearing around Zero in rapid bursts, striking him with lightning-fast blows.
Zero staggered, his coat whipping from the force, but his grin never faltered. "Predictable."
The ground beneath Jellal ruptured as Dark Gravity surged upward, the sheer force launching him skyward. Before he could recover, Zero blurred into motion, materializing above him with a manic glint in his eyes.
"Dark Rondo!"
A sphere of twisting black energy expanded and then detonated in a massive shockwave. Jellal crashed into the earth, the impact leaving a crater beneath him. He gritted his teeth, pushing himself up as Zero landed gracefully nearby, completely unfazed.
"Why do you fight so hard?" Zero mused, stepping closer. "You of all people should embrace Nirvana."
Jellal's breath came heavy, but he still glared up at the madman. "I will not let this power be used for destruction."
Zero chuckled. "Destruction? No, no, no. Transformation."
Suddenly, the air grew thick. The pulse of Nirvana's magic intensified, and Jellal's mind began to waver. Images flooded his consciousness—shadows of his past creeping in. He saw the faces of those he had wronged, the atrocities he had committed under a twisted ideology.
"You…" a familiar voice whispered. "You hurt so many people."
His hands trembled. His breath hitched.
Zero's grin widened as he sensed the shift. "Yes… that's right. Nirvana exposes the truth. You don't deserve to fight for justice."
The hesitation was enough. Zero struck.
"Dark Gravity!"
Jellal was sent sprawling once more, his body refusing to respond as guilt and doubt clawed at his heart.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Zero taunted, advancing. "The weight of your sins crushing your body, just as it should. And yet… you still dare to act righteous?"
Jellal clenched his fists, but his body wouldn't move as swiftly. Nirvana was sinking its claws into him, dragging him into the past.
Zero raised a hand.
"Disappear."
A final, monstrous surge of darkness swirled around him, ready to engulf Jellal whole.
Zero's smirk faltered as his dark energy was abruptly halted, his malevolent spell siphoned away like water into an endless abyss. His eyes narrowed at the figure standing before him—Naruto Uzumaki, palm outstretched, absorbing the force of the attack with an effortless calm.
Naruto clenched his fist, dispersing the remnants of the dark magic. His expression was unreadable, but his blue eyes burned with unwavering resolve. Behind him, Erza and Wendy rushed toward the fallen Jellal.
"Jellal?" Erza called, her voice uncertain yet laced with concern.
"Jellal!" Wendy echoed, her smaller frame kneeling beside him, her hands already glowing with healing magic.
At the sight of his former enemy, Ichiya and the Trimen tensed but said nothing, watching Erza's reaction. Natsu and Happy stood beside them, both weary yet alert.
Naruto exhaled sharply, shaking his head before glancing at Erza. "You guys seem to know him." He then gestured toward Jellal before turning his gaze back to Zero. "Go." His voice was firm, carrying the weight of authority.
Erza hesitated, her hand tightening around the hilt of her sword. "Naruto—"
"I have some things to talk about with this guy," Naruto cut her off, his expression hardening. He locked eyes with Zero, the tension thick in the air. "You guys handle that thing." He jerked his thumb toward Nirvana, its massive structure humming ominously in the distance.
There was a moment of silence. Then, with a nod, Erza relented.
"Be careful."
With that, she, Wendy, and the others took off toward Nirvana, leaving Naruto standing alone with Zero.
"Don't lose again, Naruto." Carla followed the rest, earning a resigned smirk from Naruto. Before giving a thumbs up as the allied guild ran around towards Nirvana.
Zero's face twisted in fury. "How?! How did you escape the Stygian Lacrima?!"
Naruto tilted his head, eyeing the madman with a raised brow. "Stygian Lacrima?" His mind quickly pieced it together. He must mean that dark crystal prison that Fake Pervy Sage used on me.
A scoff left his lips. "Hmph, you guys really did a number on me." His expression darkened, fists clenching at his sides. "Tell me… how the hell did you even get that kind of vital information on me?" His voice was sharp, demanding.
Though his words were steady, a knot tightened in his stomach. The thought of his late master's face being used against him—it was disgusting. The fake Jiraiya had been nothing more than a tool, a cheap ploy to throw him off balance, but it had worked. And Naruto hated that it had.
Zero, for once, was silent.
So, he doesn't know either? Naruto narrowed his eyes. That meant the Fake Pervy Sage had acted independently—whatever that thing was must've extracted something from him without Zero's direct knowledge.
Zero's lips curled into a smirk, an eerie chuckle escaping him. "Does it really matter how we got what we needed?" His tone was smooth, laced with venom. "You were weak. That's all there is to it."
Naruto's expression remained unreadable, but his piercing blue eyes burned with a silent rage.
Zero continued, stepping forward. "But if you're so curious… perhaps I should enlighten you." He spread his arms wide, as if relishing the moment. "You see, true despair isn't just about losing battles. It's about losing yourself. And that, my dear little leech, is something you will soon come to understand."
Naruto remained still, staring him down. Zero was playing his usual mind games—trying to keep control of the conversation, trying to rattle him.
But Naruto saw through it.
He let out a short, humorless laugh. "Tch. You're bluffing." His voice was sharp, unwavering. "You have no clue how it happened, do you?"
Zero's eye twitched, his smirk faltering for just a fraction of a second.
Naruto pressed forward. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You're just throwing cryptic crap at me, hoping I'll slip up and give you something to work with." He exhaled through his nose, his voice dropping lower. "Too bad for you—I don't play that game."
Zero's grin snapped into a snarl, a dark aura crackling around him.
"You insolent leech—!"
But Naruto only cracked his knuckles, his own energy flaring to meet the threat.
"Alright, then. Enough talk." He rolled his shoulders, shaking off the last remnants of his imprisonment. "Let's finish this."
Zero's face twisted in rage, but Naruto didn't care.
Zero's aura pulsed like a violent storm, the sheer force of his presence cracking the ground beneath him. A sinister grin spread across his face, his crimson eyes gleaming with exhilaration.
"You know… of all the insects buzzing around this little alliance of yours," Zero began, his voice carrying a twisted sort of admiration, "you were the only one I truly saw as a threat." His fingers twitched, raw magic surging between them. "That's why I had you sealed. I couldn't let my greatest obstacle run loose, could I?"
Naruto's eyes remained locked onto his opponent, unshaken by the words. He had already figured as much—if anything, this just confirmed it.
Zero's smirk widened. "And now here you are, the Orange Leech standing before me once more. Yes... this is right." His body trembled slightly, not with fear, but with sheer anticipation. "You being the last obstacle in my path… that's exactly the kind of wall that must be destroyed!"
With a single motion, Zero slammed his palm against the ground. A wave of pure destruction erupted outward, obliterating the very earth they stood on. The ground fractured violently, sending chunks of debris flying in every direction.
Naruto reacted instantly, pushing off with his foot and weaving through the collapsing terrain. His movements were sharp, precise—every dodge executed with the finesse of a seasoned warrior.
Zero's laughter rang through the chaos. "DODGE, DODGE, DODGE ALL YOU LIKE!" He raised his hand, a violet glyph forming in the air. "BUT HOW LONG CAN YOU RUN?"
"Dark Rondo!"
A sphere of swirling dark energy shot toward Naruto, spiraling like a drill.
Naruto's foot dug into the cracked earth as he pivoted sharply, sidestepping the incoming projectile. The moment it whizzed past, his form blurred—lunging forward like a predator striking its prey.
Zero barely had time to react before Naruto was already within range. The blonde's fist shot forward, aiming straight for his gut.
THWACK!
Zero's body folded slightly from the impact, the force sending a shockwave rippling outward. Yet, instead of recoiling in pain, he laughed—a deep, crazed laugh.
"Oh, you do hit hard!" Zero grinned, blood trickling down his lip. "But tell me, Orange Leech, what happens when that power of yours is rendered meaningless?"
Before Naruto could react, Zero twisted his fingers into a clawed formation.
"Genesis Zero!"
A flood of ominous light erupted from Zero's outstretched hand, engulfing Naruto in an instant.
For a brief moment, all Naruto could see was white—an endless, suffocating void. He felt his body freeze, his senses dulling as the overwhelming magic tried to consume him.
Then, he felt it—the creeping sensation of despair clawing at the edges of his mind, whispering false truths.
"Give up."
"There is no point."
"You are nothing."
But just as quickly as the darkness crept in, it was ripped away.
Naruto's body pulsed. Not with magic, but with something far more dangerous—his presence.
The moment Zero's spell attempted to consume him, the energy was siphoned away, like ink bleeding into water. His very existence repelled the magic, swallowing it like an endless abyss.
A sharp inhale left Zero's lips as he staggered back, eyes widening slightly.
"...Interesting." His grin faltered for a brief moment, but it quickly returned, twisted with intrigue. "No magic… yet you can devour it? That leech-like nature of yours truly is something else."
Naruto cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders. "Yeah, and it's your problem now."
Without another word, he lunged forward again, fist cocked back.
Zero's excitement flared.
"YES! SHOW ME MORE!"
The longer the battle dragged on, the more Naruto came to understand Zero.
It wasn't just his overwhelming magic or his thirst for destruction—it was his mentality. The way he spoke, the way he regarded his own comrades as nothing more than tools, the way he saw himself above all others… it was eerily familiar.
Naruto had seen it before.
The Otsutsuki.
A race of godlike beings who saw mortals as nothing more than fodder. He remembered their twisted sense of superiority, their complete disregard for life.
And Zero? He carried that same arrogance. That same belief that power alone made him untouchable.
"Lower lifeform" Isshiki's voice came to mind.
Naruto exhaled, his golden toad eyes darkening with resolve.
"Power without responsibility is just arrogance." His voice cut through the chaos, sharp as a blade. "I've seen too many fall because they never understood that." He clenched his fists. "If you refuse to change, then I have no choice—I'll show you the weight of humility myself."
Zero's laughter came in short bursts, still wild, but now tinged with something else.
Annoyance.
"You think you can teach me, Orange Leech?" Zero sneered, his aura flaring violently. "You think your words hold meaning to someone like me?" His expression twisted into something deranged, his body trembling with exhilaration. "HAH! DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!"
Zero struck first.
"Ruin Ether!"
A vortex of dark energy exploded outward, spiraling toward Naruto like a spiraling black hole, twisting the very air around it.
But Naruto didn't move.
Instead—he took a step forward.
The vortex collapsed.
Zero's eyes widened as he watched his own spell shrink and dissolve upon contact with Naruto's presence. It was being siphoned—devoured.
Then, before he could react—
"BOOM!"
Naruto blurred out of sight and reappeared within Zero's guard, driving a brutal elbow straight into his ribs.
"CRACK!"
Zero skidded back, feet grinding against the cracked earth, his body hunched slightly from the impact. For the first time since the battle began—his grin faded.
Naruto rotated his shoulder, exhaling steadily.
"You think just because you're strong, that gives you the right to step on everyone else?" His voice was calm, but there was an underlying weight to his words. "Nah. Power isn't about crushing the weak—it's about protecting them."
His stance shifted, his body becoming looser, more controlled.
"If you won't understand that—then I'll strip that arrogance away with my own hands."
Zero straightened, the shock in his gaze quickly morphing back into exhilaration.
The pain meant nothing.
If anything—this was exactly what he wanted.
"Heh… hehahaha… YES! THAT'S IT!" His laughter returned, but this time, it was different. There was something genuine about it. "You truly are something else, Orange Leech!"
His body tensed, raw energy crackling at his fingertips.
"A foe worthy of me!"
Naruto pressed forward, his every movement deliberate, each strike carrying the weight of his resolve.
Zero felt it—his magic, his very essence, draining.
Naruto's presence was suffocating. It wasn't just overwhelming power. It wasn't brute force.
It was control.
Like a predator dismantling its prey, Naruto systematically stripped Zero of his greatest strength—his magic.
The modified Tetragram Seal had already done its work, suppressing his own chakra and limiting his ability to freely wield magic, but Naruto had refined his approach. Using what's available Chakre he was allowed to use, he used Zero's extracted magic, to empower his own.
Even with only a fraction of his chakra available, he wielded it with precision, creating something new as it all spiralled in his right palm.
Zero snarled, lunging forward with a Dark Capriccio, arcs of energy twisting like hungry serpents—but the moment they neared Naruto, they dissipated.
He felt it again—that unbearable drain.
Naruto wasn't just negating his spells. He was absorbing them.
For the first time, Zero's eyes held something other than madness.
It was disbelief.
"You…" he rasped, his breathing heavier, his body growing sluggish. "You're—stealing it from me?"
Naruto didn't answer.
Instead, he raised his palm, blue energy swirling into existence. But this wasn't a normal Rasengan.
It pulsed differently. The air around it crackled, but instead of raw destructive force, there was something else in its nature—an unseen weight, an oppressive force that seemed to wrap around Zero like invisible chains.
Zero gritted his teeth. His instincts screamed at him—this was dangerous. He felt like it wasn't just him that was being attracted but his other half as well
Naruto's voice was calm, but firm.
"If you refuse to let go of your arrogance… then I'll take it from you myself."
The swirling sphere in his hand shifted, runic symbols forming around its core. It wasn't just a mass of energy anymore. It was a seal in motion.
A Spiraling Sealing Sphere.
Rasen Fūin Gan!
Zero's eyes widened as realization hit him.
This wasn't just an attack.
It was meant to bind him.
To strip him of his arrogance.
To be one again.
Blasting his true being— off towards the path of humility..
Chapter End