GOD OF SHINOBI
CHAPTER 12:
UNTO FINALITY
He stood motionless, his sharp gaze sweeping across his surroundings.
Yet, there was nothing—nothing but an endless expanse of white.
The air was still, eerily silent, as if the very concept of sound had been stripped away from this realm.
Then, a voice broke through the void.
"It has been a while, hasn't it, Naruto Uzumaki?"
The words were simple, but their presence alone sent a wave of unease through him. His body tensed, eyes narrowing toward the source. The white space rippled, shifting like liquid light, altering itself, taking form. The void bent and twisted until, at last, the world had shape.
A jagged cliff emerged from the emptiness, its edges crumbling into the abyss below. At the precipice, a lone figure sat, draped in a flowing black cloak. His back faced Naruto, unmoving, as if waiting.
"You are..." Naruto trailed off, wariness lacing his tone.
A strange glow pulsed through the white expanse, casting an unnatural hue upon the scene. As he stepped forward, each footfall echoed faintly, despite the absence of any solid ground. His every movement was cautious, measured, like a predator approaching an unknown threat.
Neither spoke for a moment, until the cloaked man chuckled softly.
"How much do you remember?"
Naruto halted mid-step, his breath hitching. He closed his eyes, forcing himself to focus.
His memories... They had been nothing but scattered fragments when he first awakened in this world.
But now, they were returning, clear as daylight.
He remembered his childhood.
The struggles.
The victories.
The Great Shinobi War.
Then—nothing.
A sudden stop, as if the story of his life had been severed.
The bleak memories came forth, recalling a name, a foe that was beyond his strength.
Otsutsuki... Jigen?
Yes.
The battle against Jigen.
He could recall it vividly—the clash of fists, the overwhelming power, Sasuke fighting by his side.
Then, distortion.
His mind failed him beyond that point.
From that moment on, he saw only darkness.
"I..." Naruto hesitated, uncertainty clouding his expression before he exhaled sharply. "I can't remember anything beyond the day I battled a man named Jigen."
"I see."
There was no surprise in the man's voice, only amusement.
Naruto frowned. "What did you see?"
The cloaked figure chuckled again; his voice laced with something unreadable.
"We are gods. Our eyes see beyond the mortal gaze..."
Naruto clenched his fists.
Then why even bother asking me that question?
He wanted to retort, but something told him to hold back.
"I'm just a human," The shinobi muttered instead, his tone firm.
A god was invincible.
A god did not age.
Nor could they be slain.
This being beside him fit that description perfectly unlike himself.
Recognition flickered in Naruto's eyes as his gaze fell upon the white mask resting on the man's lap. A mask he had seen before.
"It's been a while, Shinigami," Naruto said at last.
The Shinigami chuckled was hollow, his amusement deepening.
"I like this version of you," he mused. "So pure, so forgiving... This is who you should have been, Child of Prophecy."
Naruto felt the weight in his words, the disdain barely concealed.
The Shinigami had never shown emotion before.
Until now.
"Do you hate me?" Naruto asked quietly.
"I hate many things," the deity replied, his voice calm. "But you... the current you... I should never harbor such emotions."
The current him...?
A chill ran down Naruto's spine.
There's no doubt about it.
Something had happened in the past—something dark, something where he had played a role.
Had he strayed from his path?
Had he… fallen from his own principles?
The Shinigami closed his eyes, his expression unreadable.
Here, in this realm, he looked nothing like the monstrous being he did in the mortal world. Instead, he bore a striking resemblance to a man—handsome, with wild orange hair. His gaze, however, was hollow, as if peering through the very fabric of existence itself.
Then, in a slow, fluid motion, he stood.
With a single movement of his hand, the white expanse trembled. The world shifted once more. The void peeled back, unravelling like a tapestry, revealing a tunnel stretching infinitely into the unknown.
A path with no end.
Shall we take a walk?" The reaper asked, waiting for the Shinobi's reply.
Naruto looked at him, then shifted his gaze toward the tunnel before glancing back.
The dire situation outside this realm weighed on his mind. The image of Havria flashed before him.
She was waiting for him.
He needed to return to her side.
"I shouldn't waste my time here. I have people waiting for me… depending on me. The world needs me… I need to go back."
"An hour here equals two minutes outside. Right now, we still have time."
Time...
That word again.
"You will have time on your side."
Naruto's eyes flickered toward him.
"What if I refuse?"
The figure before him didn't hesitate.
Power flared—a suffocating, malignant force—as black miasma slithered from his form like living snake, coiling and writhing in the air, it slithered on him, choking him with its presence.
Naruto's breath hitched.
His vision warped, twisting at the edges. Darkness seeped into his bones, crawling beneath his skin like a festering disease. His knees locked, his body frozen as if unseen hands gripped his limbs, holding him captive.
The Shinigami's once-kind expression shattered—his face turning cold.
Hollow.
Merciless.
Then, the visions began.
They slammed into him with the force of a thousand blades.
Hundreds… No, thousands.
A tide of agony and carnage.
Naruto choked on his breath as he watched another version of himself die—again and again.
Each time was different, yet the pain was the same.
He saw his body ripped apart, shredded like paper beneath monstrous claws. His blood splattered in thick, arterial bursts, painting the ground in crimson pools.
Burning.
He felt his flesh melt away, the scent of charred skin clogging his throat. The flames licked hungrily at his bones, turning them brittle, reducing him to nothing but ash.
Drowning.
His lungs filled with liquid darkness, thick and putrid, dragging him into an abyss where no light reached. He clawed at his throat, gasping, choking, screaming— but the void swallowed his cries whole.
Torn limb from limb.
Fangs gored into his stomach, spilling his entrails onto the dirt. His screams echoed, raw and broken, as his severed arms twitched uselessly beside him.
Impaled. Crushed. Devoured.
Every death was different.
Yet the conclusion was always the same.
The Shinigami stood, unmoving, watching.
His expression betrayed nothing—no sympathy, no remorse. Only the weight of inevitability.
"Then this will be your demise, and the infinite cycle will end with her as the victor. Is that what you wish, Shinobi? To see everyone's efforts reduced to dust?"
Naruto tensed, feeling the killing intent receded, eyes narrowing at the Shinigami.
"This is the only way, Naruto Uzumaki."
A choice.
Yet, at the same time, it wasn't a choice at all.
It was a path he was forced to take.
This was the only way.
To face the truth.
Whatever lay ahead... would at least provide answers to his confusion.
The Shinigami studied him closely, seeing hesitation flicker in the Shinobi's eyes—until, at last, his expression settled. He exhaled, his gaze shifting toward the edge of the tunnel.
"Let's go then."
There was no longer hesitation in his voice.
The Shinigami's lips twitched, forming a faint smile against his cold features before he turned and took the lead.
Naruto followed right behind him.
Surprisingly, the silence between them wasn't unbearable.
Nor was it awkward.
Instead, he felt... calm.
The Shinigami hadn't spoken a word since they began walking, moving as though without a clear destination.
How long had they been on this path?
All around them stretched an endless canvas of white.
Then, abruptly, the Shinigami spoke.
"This is the only way, My Lord."
Naruto barely had time to react before the Reaper spun into action.
In the blink of an eye, he was shoved into the air. His breath hitched. A sharp pain exploded through his body.
The Shinigami's scythe sliced through him—yet it did not cut flesh. Instead, the weapon passed through, latching onto something deeper.
His soul.
Naruto felt himself being pulled from his mortal shell.
His astral form was flung into the air—before the Shinigami struck him with a forceful palm, sending him plummeting downward.
The world spun. Colours shifted.
His eyes widened.
Screams tore through the space around him.
Each time he blinked, the scenery changed.
He fell through reality itself.
The first vision—The Elemental Nations in ruins.
A battle raged; death scattered across the war-torn land. Shinobi struggled against a foe unlike any in history—stronger than any living warrior.
There was no sign of him. No trace of Sasuke.
They were alone.
Naruto clenched his eyes shut, his mind reeling from the horror.
When he opened them again—he saw Teyvat.
A vast landscape stretched before him, filled with dragon-like creatures soaring through the sky. Humans lived in harmony, ruled by The Sovereigns, who maintained balance through their sacred systems.
But then—darkness.
He saw remnants of shattered moons loomed in the heavens, their ruins scattered like forgotten relics.
Darkness seeped across the skies.
And at the centre of it all—the First Descender.
Her hands shackled the world in her grip.
The Sovereigns had lost their Order.
The world bent to her will.
At that moment, time seemed to halt.
Then, without warning—darkness engulfed him.
A suffocating force crashed over him, forcing him to shut his eyes.
When he opened them again—
His breath caught in his throat.
Colossal beings.
Towering entities, each varied in form and size, waged war across the cosmos.
Stars collapsed.
A wall was forged across the universe.
Gods fell—replaced by new deities.
Their paths overlapped.
Chaos and creation intertwined.
And then—order was restored once more.
His descent and screams stretched into what felt like eternity—an endless plunge through the void.
Then, suddenly, he felt it.
A ripple.
A shift in the fabric of reality itself.
Everything around him lurched, accelerating at an incomprehensible speed. Colors blurred together, streaks of light and darkness intertwining in a chaotic dance. His vision flickered, his eyes darting left and right as space warped around him.
And then—silence.
He was no longer falling.
Naruto found himself standing before a colossal tree, one that existed in a state between the physical and the ethereal. Its massive, gnarled branches stretched toward the heavens, veins of pulsing blue light threading through its bark like living circuits.
Wisps of energy drifted through the air—not mere light, but knowledge itself.
They flowed through the tree like an endless river of memories, whispers of the past, voices of those long gone.
Standing before it, Naruto felt something pull at his very soul—an unseen force, an echo of forgotten dreams. A sorrow so vast and ancient that it pressed against his chest, sinking into his bones.
A sorrow of those who had once lived… but now existed only as fragments of memory in this unfathomable entity.
And then—he saw her.
She stood across from him, frozen in place. For a moment, it seemed as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
Her breath hitched.
Then, slowly, her expression softened adoration blooming in her eyes, shimmering like distant stars.
Naruto felt the air leave his lungs.
She was beautiful.
Unreal.
A face he had known once before, yet at the same time, one that felt just out of reach—familiar, yet distant. Like a memory blurred by time, slipping through his fingers the moment he tried to grasp it.
And then—she smiled.
A gentle, fragile thing.
He saw the way her lips twitched before curving into that soft, radiant smile, one that could have brought warmth to the coldest of nights.
She reached for him—delicate fingers extending across the space between them, trembling ever so slightly.
Before he could react, she pulled him close.
Her arms wrapped around him, firm yet impossibly gentle, pressing him against her. Holding him as if she never wanted to let go.
Her scent—soft, floral, and warm, like a summer breeze—washed over him.
Naruto froze.
The warmth of her body seeped into his skin, melting the ice that had settled in his chest for what felt like an eternity.
Her voice came next—low, sweet, dripping like honey into his ears.
"I missed you…"
The words were like a whisper from a dream, fragile and aching.
Then, her voice wavered.
"…But you shouldn't be here."
A pause.
She clutched him tighter.
"…It's not your time yet."
Naruto's brows furrowed.
His time?
He tried to speak, but the weight in his throat stopped him.
Instead, he looked up at her, confusion flickering in his eyes.
That was when he felt it—a single tear against his skin.
Then another.
And another.
She was crying.
Hot, silent tears spilled from her eyes, dampening his shoulder. Her body trembled, yet her grip on him remained unyielding—as if she feared that if she let go, he would disappear forever.
Naruto's heart clenched.
She moved her lips, whispering something so soft, so fragile, that no sound reached his ears.
But he didn't need to hear it.
He could feel it.
He could see it in the way her eyes glistened, in the way her hands trembled as they clung to him.
And he knew.
I love you.
The words echoed in his soul, even in the silence.
And for the first time in a long time—Naruto wished he could stay.
But then—darkness came.
It crept in like a slow, suffocating tide, swallowing everything in its path.
Her warmth faded.
Her arms loosened.
And before he could grasp her again—before he could even whisper her name—she was gone.
Vanishing into the void.
A choked breath escaped him, but no sound followed.
Then, the darkness devoured his vision once more, its cold embrace dragging him into the abyss.
His scream never left his throat.
And just like that—he was falling again.
But this time…
There was no relief.
Only an unbearable emptiness where her warmth had once been.
"Where am I?" he asked, his voice hoarse. He expected the Shinigami to answer—to pierce through the silence.
But there was nothing.
Only an unbearable stillness.
And then—a voice shattered the void.
"I finally found you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto's breath hitched. His body tensed.
That voice...!
Was this a memory? A lingering remnant of the past?
But… when had this happened?
What exactly was going on here?
He couldn't see anything. The world remained dark. All he could do was listen.
The voice belonged to a man—a familiar one. Yet, no matter how hard Naruto tried to recall, his memories remained fragmented.
There was no response to the voice.
Only silence.
Then, the man's gruff, weary tone broke through the void once more.
"The Otsutsuki dared to destroy the world we loved. The Elemental Nations lie in ruins… There was no other way. That is why I came. I made a deal with her.
But I have no right to interfere with the mortal world.
I can only be a light—a guide for the living.
That is why I sought you out.
I trust you will use this power for good… and save the world one last time."
Naruto's mind reeled.
A deal with her?
Could it be...Otsutsuki Kaguya?
Saving the world… one last time?
The weight of those words pressed against him, suffocating.
Then, the voice spoke again, its tone grave.
"Tell me, child… to what extent are you willing to go to end this war once and for all?"
At that moment, a piercing light ripped through the darkness.
And then—he saw it.
His old self.
Standing motionless.
A figure frozen in time, trapped in a dimension where time itself refused to flow.
Beside him stood Hinata Uzumaki.
Naruto's breath caught in his throat.
The memories came rushing back.
And the moment he remembered—his lips twitched.
Before he could comprehend what was happening, he felt it—his soul being pulled, merging with his past self.
He was no longer an observer.
He was inside his old body.
The weight of exhaustion clung to his limbs. His eyelids felt impossibly heavy.
He struggled—forcing them open.
Across from him, the Sage of Six Paths stood waiting.
Naruto barely had time to process it before he heard his own voice—the voice of his past self—answer the question.
"Everything."
His voice was filled with something dark.
Something venomous.
And in that instant—he remembered exactly why.
His son was dead.
The child he had adopted—Kawaki—had betrayed him.
He had been trapped inside this void.
He remembered them all.
Even Kurama's death.
Naruto clenched his fists, his nails biting into his palms.
This hatred—the current him despised it.
"This… isn't me."
His thoughts rang hollow as he watched his past self extend a hand, accepting Hagoromo's offer.
The moment their hands touched, golden light exploded, filling his entire vision.
Before it swallowed him whole, he heard the Sage's final warning.
"Go! Fulfil your end of the deal. Use that power wisely… never let it consume you."
Then—silence.
Once more, only the void remained.
A voice whispered, distant and haunting.
"This was your origin. Your first step toward godhood."
Naruto exhaled, the weight of the past pressing against him like a curse.
He lowered his gaze, his fingers curling at his sides.
"Shinigami..." the Shinobi murmured.
The entity did not respond.
He simply watched.
And Naruto understood.
His past life—
It was a curse.
And it was what he feared the most.
He feared that he was nothing but a disappointment.
A failure.
Deep down, he could already sense where this was heading.
Everything—everything—had happened because of his very existence.
The Shinigami stood in silence, watching the man before him. He saw the conflict in the shinobi eyes, the heavy burden of doubt that clouded his every thought.
And the Shinigami understood it.
This version of him—the one standing before him now—was the purest he had ever encountered. The rawest form of determination and doubt, intertwined in one conflicted soul.
"But this is the only way for you to defeat her," the Shinigami's voice cut through the heavy silence, his eyes narrowing in a way that made it clear he wasn't just speaking to fill the void. He was speaking with intent. "You need to regain everything—let this be your first step toward breaking this endless cycle."
Naruto gritted his teeth, his mind racing.
Istaroth's words echoed in his head.
Havria's belief in him.
The overwhelming weight of it all, the expectations, the path he was forced to walk. He had no choice but to carry this burden forward, no matter how much it tore at him.
"But why me...?" His voice cracked slightly, and for a moment, it almost sounded like a plea. "Why do I have to carry all these burdens alone? Why can't someone else…?"
The Shinigami's gaze never wavered. He simply stared at Naruto, his voice steady and cold.
"Because this is your destiny, Naruto Uzumaki." The words were heavy, final. "This is your path toward Finality."
Finality.
The word echoed in Naruto's mind, but he didn't dare ask any more questions. At this point, he knew there was no use in asking. He had already known the truth—it didn't matter.
This was the only path.
The one he had to walk.
The one that would inevitably lead him to its end, no matter the cost.
"Fine," Naruto said, his voice thick with determination. "Let's go. Show me everything. I'll carry this burden from this moment on… and I'll end this cycle once and for all."
His words—his unwavering resolve—struck something deep within the Shinigami. The dim, flickering golden light that surrounded them suddenly grew brighter, stronger, as if responding to the fire that ignited in Naruto's heart.
It was as though the sun itself had risen, casting its golden glow over everything in its path.
The Shinigami's lips curled into a smile, almost imperceptibly.
This was it.
The moment he had long awaited had finally arrived.
Istaroth…
That damned Descender.
Her gamble had finally paid off, and now the consequences would unfold.
But even as the Shinigami thought of her, his attention shifted back to Naruto, the man whose fate had now been sealed.
"I won't ask you to understand my feelings for him, my desire to save him," the voice—soft, almost lost in the weight of it all—echoed through the quiet void. "If this is the price that must be paid, then I'll accept it. I'll die on this path if I have to. But until then, listen to me, and believe in me."
The words trembled with love, with a quiet, sorrowful certainty.
"I will carry his sins, because… after all… I love him. Truly."
"What's going on?" Ei asked.
The battle had been quiet since then. Walking towards the clone, the Shinobi looked at her with a serious expression.
"We need to stop that." The clone replied, pointing with his index finger at the man-made satellite hovering above the ruined city of Inazuma.
Her gaze narrowed as she glared at Darkness. The latter seemed to notice her glare. As if retaliating, Ei saw Darkness thrust her hand toward them, a smirk etched on the Sovereign's face.
For a moment, nothing happened, until the barrier trembled, lightning crackling between them. The barrier, however, remained unfazed by her attack.
"We need to do something." Ei alerted the Shinobi.
The latter, however, frowned and shook his head.
"You can't. You're weak."
Weak? Her? Of all people?
Ei clenched her jaw, feeling anger surge within her, until a voice calmed her down.
Calm down, sister." Makoto's voice chimed in, gentle yet firm, as she stepped to Ei's side. A curt smile played on her lips, though her eyes were filled with concern as they briefly flicked toward Ei. She glanced down at her own hand, which was clenched tightly into a fist, the knuckles pale with the force.
Despite the circumstances, she could feel the weight of their shared weakness. They were recovering, and even if they jumped in, the most they could muster would only be ten percent of their strength.
"He's right," Makoto continued, her voice soft but laced with a hard truth. "You're weak... No, we're weak. There's nothing we can do but watch."
The words hit Ei like a cold gust of wind.
Her hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the heavy frustration building within her. Every fibre of her being screamed to act, to fight, but the truth of their powerlessness kept holding her back. She could feel it—her strength wasn't what it used to be. And even with Makoto's words, they both knew it wasn't enough.
Makoto's eyes softened for a brief moment before she looked away, the weight of their situation sinking in.
Even so. Ei clenched her hands.
"I refuse to stand still and do nothing."
Makoto sighed, to which Naruto hummed.
The Shogunate hummed in thought, then looked at the Shinobi and asked, "Tell me, Naruto... what exactly is going on?"
"That technique is called Planetary Devastation. The caster uses it to immobilize you. In the worst-case scenario... that would be my original end."
Makoto tensed, and Ei tightened her fists.
"Let me enter and stop her."
"And have a pointless death under my watch?" Naruto retorted, refusing to listen to her command. He reasoned with her, but the latter refused to back down. A bickering unfolded between the two, as Makoto stood behind them, speechless.
For a moment, neither side seemed to back down until they felt a shift in the air.
Makoto seemed to notice it first.
"This feeling..." The Shogunate frowned, feeling a sense of dread, glancing at the sky before looking at the Shinobi.
"That damn Heavenly Principle…" Naruto sighed, staring at the sky in annoyance.
Ei, however, was unaware of what was going on.
"Listen up. The barrier will be destroyed within five minutes. Before that happens, let me provide you with power."
"What...?" Ei frowned, confused by the sudden change in instruction.
"Didn't you wish for this, Raiden Ei?"
When he asked that question, her heart accelerated. She looked at him, then at Makoto, before she nodded.
"Fine. Besides... it's time for some revenge."
Power.
She couldn't understand how this human had gathered such strength.
She was curious, and at the same time, afraid.
Afraid of letting him down.
"Come closer."
Ei nodded, following his instructions—one step, two steps, three—until she stood by his side, her back arched, leaning toward him.
"Not that close."
Ei blushed, seething from embarrassment, while Naruto smirked.
Before she could retreat, he pulled her hand, and she gasped, her eyes widening. Power rushed inside her. She could feel her strength recovering, his power intertwining with hers, boosting her far beyond what she imagined.
She could feel it.
The golden energy burned inside her, resting in her coils, settling down.
"W-what is this?"
The clone smiled.
"Chakra."
Makoto's eyes widened.
"To think he can share his power with others with just a simple touch... Who exactly is he?"
"Makoto."
"Yes?"
"Yours too."
"Huh?"
"I want you to protect everyone while Ei engages the Sovereign. After all, I won't be able to back you up after this."
Before they could ask what he meant by that, a thunderous growl reverberated across the heavens, an ominous rumble that seemed to shake the very foundation of the world. The pressure in the air was suffocating, gravity itself felt heavy, holding them in place as if to remind them of the impending doom.
The sky above them cracked open, splitting like a wound that refused to heal. Ruins—broken remnants of what once was—hovered in the heavens, their jagged edges gleaming like shards of an ancient, forgotten power. Then, a singular nail, impossibly large and sharp, descended from the tear in the sky, cutting through the atmosphere with a speed and force that could not be imagined. It plummeted toward Inazuma, bringing the city into a deep, unyielding slumber.
The Earth itself trembled as the nail made contact, shattering upon impact.
A shockwave rippled outward, ripping apart everything in its path.
Makoto stood frozen, her body rooted to the spot as she watched the destruction unfold, her heart heavy with the helplessness of it all. Ei, equally stunned, was unable to tear her eyes away from the scene.
The clones, caught in the full force of the blast, were consumed by the shockwave, their bodies obliterated in an instant, leaving behind nothing but plumes of smoke and ash.
Ten Minutes Ago
Celestia
The Heavenly Principles sat upon her throne, her posture regal but her eyes sharp with focus, narrowing as the battle raged on. She watched with a twisted sense of excitement, her blood quickening with every movement of the shinobi.
The odds were stacked against him—he was outnumbered and outpowered—but he stood his ground. She found herself secretly cheering for him, although she was careful not to show it, her gaze intense and unwavering as she observed the unfolding chaos.
But the silence that followed, the stillness that blanketed the world like a suffocating veil, irritated her to the core. Her gaze shifted to the man-made satellite hovering ominously above Inazuma, its surface a strange black miasma, impenetrable and disorienting.
Minutes passed, and despite her best efforts to see beyond it, there was nothing—only the suffocating darkness of the satellite's shadow.
"This won't do," The Heavenly Principles muttered to herself, frustration seeping into her voice. She could feel it—the power of the Sovereign was beyond anything she had ever encountered. The very air around her felt cold and unfamiliar in its presence, starkly contrasting with the warmth of the shinobi's power. The difference was palpable, as if the world itself could feel the Sovereign's overwhelming energy creeping into every corner of existence.
From her throne, Asmoday seethed, her hands tightening into fists as she grappled with the decision to intervene. The silence in the air, the weight of her hesitation, was almost maddening.
"Why hesitate when you promised Istaroth you would be by her side?" a cold voice spoke, sending a shiver down Asmoday's spine. Her eyes flared as she glared at the source of the voice—a figure she knew all too well.
"Ronova," Asmoday spat, the anger in her voice barely contained. "Get your real body here."
Ronova's smile, though unseen, was almost tangible. It oozed amusement, a calm contrast to Asmoday's storm.
"Unfortunately," Ronova replied, her voice dripping with mockery, "I cannot do that."
Asmoday raised an eyebrow, her annoyance growing with every word. "Oh? That's right... because of how pathetic you are." She smirked, hoping to get a rise out of her sister, but was met only with silence.
"No," Ronova continued, her tone suddenly serious, "I'm currently watching something far more interesting."
Asmoday's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"
"The origin of this world… and what he truly is."
Naruto Uzumaki?
"What are you talking about?" The Heavenly Principles demanded, her curiosity piqued despite her growing frustration.
Ronova only chuckled softly, the sound eerie and cryptic. She smiled in a way that Asmoday could feel, a knowing expression that made her skin crawl.
"You're the strongest after all," Ronova mused, her voice now tinged with annoyance. "So do as you please, but it's annoying and unfair to think you can intervene, but... I get scolded for it."
"How the hell did a human steal a god's power?" Asmoday hissed, unable to contain her disbelief.
"..." Ronova said nothing for a long moment, only letting the silence stretch uncomfortably before she responded.
"I'm not kidding, sister. He really stole my power," Ronova's voice was almost playful, but it carried an ominous weight that left Asmoday with a lingering unease.
Before she could say anything more, Ronova's voice returned, but this time it was laced with finality. "Ten minutes. Then, do whatever you want to Inazuma."
Asmoday's eyes narrowed in frustration, but she knew better than to argue. "Fine, and make it quick."
Without another word, Ronova's presence faded, leaving Asmoday to stare at the nothingness before her.
She looked down at her hand, her fingers splayed out in front of her. Her power surged within her, dark and furious. She channelled it, focusing every ounce of energy into her palm. The sky would split, she thought. The world would fall. The nail would destroy all corruption, restoring the leyline of this world to its true order.
She waited.
Time moved forward, its relentless passage only amplifying the tension in her chest.
One minute passed.
Then five.
And when ten minutes had passed, she motioned her hand downward, the Celestia pillar responding with deadly precision. It began to descend, its arrival heralding the destruction that was sure to follow.
The twin Goddesses of Inazuma stood frozen, their eyes widening as the colossal nail descended from the heavens, smashing through their barrier with terrifying ease. The ground beneath them quaked as the unrelenting force of the impact sent shockwaves through the air, causing the sky itself to tremble. They could feel the nail's overwhelming power, sealing their elemental energy in an instant, locking them in place. It was a force beyond their comprehension.
Yet, something felt off.
His chakra remains.
Naruto's clones, once standing resolute, vanished in puffs of smoke, their energy drained completely. Their bodies faded away like the last traces of a fleeting dream, leaving nothing but the bitter taste of failure.
The twin goddesses exchanged a look, their eyes reflecting the weight of the decision that had to be made.
"I will protect everyone… You buy me some time, Ei." Makoto's voice was steady, but the gravity of her words was undeniable.
"Don't die, sister," Ei responded, her voice low, filled with concern and an underlying fear that made her heart tighten. She knew the risks they were both facing, and the thought of losing Makoto left a hollow ache in her chest.
Makoto smiled, though there was no lightness in it. "That should be the least of your worries, no?"
With a final glance at her sister, Ei's gaze was full of silent emotions she could not express. She had seen Makoto's death before, and that vision had haunted her more than she cared to admit. Yet, she did not speak of it.
Makoto turned and walked away.
Raiden Ei stood still, her mind racing as she sorted through her thoughts. The weapon that had once been her pride—the very blade she had used to strike down her own sibling—had been destroyed. That moment, that painful betrayal, haunted her.
"Unforgivable," Ei whispered under her breath, her fists tightening. The anger coursing through her veins was a fierce fire, threatening to overwhelm her. But she knew better. A mind clouded with rage would only lead to her undoing. She took a deep breath, letting the storm inside her settle, then released the tension from her shoulders. Her feet crackled with electricity as she bolted forward, disappearing into the battlefield with the speed and intensity of a thunderstorm.
Makoto watched her sister vanish, a silent prayer in her heart. She stood outside the hut, observing the violent clash unfolding, her gaze following Ei's purple lightning as it tore through the battlefield. The speed, the grace—it was as if the storm itself had taken human form. She knew that her sister would fight with all she had, but the battle before them was far from over.
"Saiguu," Makoto spoke, her voice calm but serious, her mind focused.
"I understand, Lady Makoto." The kitsune's voice was soft, but it held a quiet confidence.
Makoto motioned her hand, and Saiguu stepped forward, presenting four talismans. "The Tenshukaku might be in ruins, but the shelter should remain intact. Place one talisman at each point of the shelter. Then burn the last one. It will take you back here along with every Inazuman."
Makoto nodded, understanding the weight of the task. But just as she prepared to move, she felt a small hand wrap around her leg, pulling her attention downward.
"Makoto…" Yae Miko's voice trembled with concern. There was a flicker of fear in her eyes as she glanced at Saiguu and then back at Makoto. Sayuri, still resting, seemed to be unaware of the looming danger.
Makoto smiled softly and knelt, gently brushing her hand through Miko's soft pink hair. The simple gesture was a reassurance that she had not lost hope. "Don't worry, Miko. I promised you…" she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of a promise made long ago. "We will succeed."
Miko didn't seem fully convinced but nodded to ease their God.
"Wouldn't sending me be the better option?"
Makoto's gaze shifted to the Oni who had approached her—Chiyo, her beautiful yet powerful figure radiating anxiety. The look in her eyes mirrored Miko's concern, and Makoto could see the unspoken worry there.
"Not you too," Makoto chuckled, attempting to lighten the mood. Her forced laughter, however, went unanswered, and a heavy silence filled the space between them. No one laughed. The tension was thick, suffocating.
The Shogun sighed, a deep breath escaping her lips. "I promise, in Eternity's name, no one will die. Not you, not Ei, not our people… not me either."
Her words hung in the air, yet her companions remained silent, neither offering comfort nor contradiction. There was nothing to say—only the uncertainty of what would come next.
Then, Saiguu spoke, her voice breaking the silence. "Fine. And if you lose, I will take him for myself."
"Naruto?" Makoto gasped, the words catching in her throat. She was startled by the sudden declaration of war, her mind racing. She couldn't fathom the idea of even daring to claim the shinobi for herself, but the kitsune's fierce gaze showed no signs of wavering.
The tension in the air eased just slightly, and Makoto allowed herself a soft laugh, the sound bittersweet. She had learned to accept that life and death were two sides of the same coin. Had it not been for Naruto, she would have fallen long ago—consumed by her own darkness.
"Take care, Saiguu."
Lightning crackled in the air as Ei swung her hand down with precision, her fingers sharp like daggers. The air split as it collided with Darkness, and the ground beneath them shattered, a shockwave travelled across the wasteland but the possessed Raijin merely smirked, her eyes gleaming with an almost cruel amusement.
"Do you not get tired, Ei?" Darkness taunted, her voice like a whip cracking through the tension of the battlefield.
"As long as this heart beats, I won't stop getting back on my feet," Ei retorted, her voice unwavering. She tilted her head, just in time to dodge the incoming fist that would have obliterated her with its force.
Before Darkness could follow, a flash of yellow appeared from above. A Rasengan—swirling with raw energy—came crashing down like a meteor, slamming into the ground where Ei had just been standing.
"All bark, and yet you never use that head of yours," Darkness mocked, the twisted delight evident in her voice.
Ei chuckled, an edge of defiance in her tone. "I'll improvise."
Darkness narrowed her eyes, power swirling within her.
A realization dawned on her, and she let out a soft, almost reverent chuckle. "Chakra... how strange," she mused, glancing upward toward the sky, where the Sky Nail hovered above the ruins of Inazuma. She could feel the energy from it—the endless pull, drawing power like a black hole. "The moment it arrived; I couldn't tap into the Sovereign's power. That must've been the case for you too, Ei. Unless… he stepped in to help."
Ei remained silent, her expression hardening.
Her focus never wavered, though the shadows of doubt crept at the edge of her thoughts. She didn't respond to Darkness's words, but she could feel the truth in them. They were both caught in the pull of something greater than themselves.
Darkness continued, her voice lower now, full of conviction. "We're both needed. You and I… we're the opposite sides of the same coin."
"Please," Ei sneered, her voice dripping with disdain, "unlike you, I don't kill for pleasure."
A laugh escaped Darkness's lips, an eerie sound that cut through the air. "Had you known of your future self… then perhaps you wouldn't talk so much."
Ei narrowed her eyes at that remarked.
Suddenly, Darkness's gaze shifted, her eyes scanning the horizon as if searching for something—or someone. Then, her lips curled into a smirk, a cruel glint in her eyes. "Your little twin's game is getting tiring."
Ei's gaze sharpened. A feeling of cold steel settled in her chest as she heard Darkness's next words, a threat laced in the challenge.
"Let's kill two birds with one stone."
A challenge, not just a threat.
Ei's heart pounded in her chest as the words echoed in her mind, scenes of Makoto dying flashed in her mind, Ei could feel her body tensed, and without a moment's hesitation, she surged forward, chasing the blonde-haired shinobi who had just vanished into the blur of motion.
Her legs propelled her forward like a thunderclap, the sound of crackling lightning following her every movement as she sprinted across the ruins of Inazuma.
Her gaze fixed on the silhouette ahead—too far, yet so close.
The wind screamed in her ears as she leapt over jagged debris and shattered stones, pushing her body past its limits. The ground beneath her feet seemed to shake with every step, her resolve as solid as steel. She could feel the thrum of power coursing through her veins, but there was no time to savour it—this chase was far more important than any fleeting sensation of strength.
With every step, her opponent pulled further ahead, but Ei was relentless.
Lightning crackled around her, each stride carrying her closer to him. He was fast, but so was she. Her breath came in sharp bursts, the storm inside her rising to match the storm she was chasing.
A blur of yellow and white streaked across the field ahead, the blonde-haired man's figure darting through the debris like a streak of light. She pushed harder, her body becoming a vessel for raw energy as she stretched her limits. The distance between them shrank with every passing second, and she could feel the excitement building in her chest—a thrill unlike anything she had experienced before.
Ei closed the gap in an instant, her body crackling with raw energy. Lightning surged in her palm as she thrust her fist forward, sending a spear of crackling electricity straight at Minato. The air sizzled as the lightning extended, slashing through space with unrelenting force.
Minato skidded across the ground, his hand reaching for his holster.
In the blink of an eye, he grabbed the Tri-pronged Kunai, coating it with chakra as he expertly blocked the incoming attack. A sharp clash echoed through the air as the kunai met the lightning, the sound of crackling energy filling the space between them.
Ei's eyes burned with fury, her teeth gritting as she growled low in her throat. She jumped forward, retracting her hand, and the lightning in her palm shifted—loose, fluid, like a leash held tight in her grasp. The storm danced in her control as she moved, engaging the shinobi in close combat.
Her speed was blinding as she closed in on him.
The two clashed with a flurry of strikes, blades meeting elemental energy in a storm of precision and raw strength. Minato was lightning-fast, but Ei was a storm incarnate, dancing through the air with unmatched grace. They moved like shadows, attacking and countering in perfect sync, their bodies a blur as the battlefield shook with their power.
From the distance, Darkness stood, watching with a smirk spreading across her lips as the battle unfolded. The tension was palpable, each movement a deadly game.
Ei narrowed her eyes as Minato grabbed more kunai from his holster and hurled them across the battlefield. Ten sharp blades, cutting through the air toward her. She braced herself, her body coiling with anticipation, preparing for the incoming barrage.
In the blink of an eye, the world flashed. Ei's senses sharpened as she entered full defence mode. Kunai whistled through the air, missing her by mere inches as she sidestepped with incredible precision.
But it wasn't enough.
A flash of yellow, and Minato reappeared beside her. His kunai was almost at her face, but she reacted instantly, twisting her body and dodging just in time.
Before she could catch her breath, Minato vanished once more, faster, more unpredictable.
Ei's eyes darted left, right, up, down—she tracked every movement, every flash of yellow, but no matter how fast she was, Minato was always one step ahead. His strikes were relentless, his speed overwhelming, and her breath came in ragged gasps as she countered each attack.
Her hand crackled with lightning as she parried another blow, the force of the impact vibrating through her body. She stepped forward, her smirk returning, confident in her ability to outmanoeuvred him, watching as he sends a kunai flying at her.
"I win," Ei said with a sly grin, tilting her head to dodged the incoming weapon but before the words could settle in the air, Minato disappeared.
Her heart accelerated as she felt his presence above her.
A flash of yellow, and she barely had time to react before she saw it—a Rasengan, its blue light flaring to life with terrifying intensity. Time seemed to slow as the sphere of chakra swirled before her, threatening to obliterate everything in its path.
You are weak.
Naruto had warned her.
His voice echoed in her mind, a cold whisper that cut through the battle's fury.
Her weakness.
She had been arrogant—always thinking she was invincible. The strongest among them. She was Makoto's blade, the shadow of the Shogunate.
But now… that title felt distant, pointless.
A lie.
She was a fraud.
No!
Her violet eyes then turned golden, as the chakra inside her reacted with her emotion, she could feel them surged through her body, her pupils flickering with intense light.
I'm not weak.
With a guttural growl, Ei's body crackled with energy as the space around her began to warp. She swung her hand through the air with all her might. The force of her strike split the very fabric of reality as a clean cut threaded through the sky, sending a shockwave that shattered the heavens themselves.
Ei stood tall, her breath ragged, her gaze locked onto Minato.
She saw the smile on his face, but it faltered as his body began to tear apart. His form cracked, and the wounds didn't heal; instead, they spread, lightning crackling through his form and consuming him.
However, she heard an explosion in the distant.
The explosion was deafening.
Ei's eyes widened in horror as the shockwave reached her, knocking her back, a massive ethereal golden fox with black markings appeared in the distance, its massive form shimmering with lightning. The beast's eyes glowed with malice, and bolts of electric energy arced from its fur, creating a storm of power that lit up the battlefield.
The fox's form twisted, and it plunged toward the Earth, its movements like a blur of golden fury. A single swipe from its claw broke the sound barrier, sending shockwaves across the land.
Raiden Makoto stood in the centre of it all, her heart racing, her body battered but unbroken. The air was thick with the scent of ozone, the storm still raging as she gazed at the golden fox.
Her lips widening into a smirk.
"Well…this is unexpected." Makoto muttered, looking down at the burning talisman, her worried turned into relief. "At least my people are safe…I can now focus on this."
In the distant, Ei stood frozen, she was perplexed.
Darkness chuckled, clapping her hands in appreciation.
"That was impressive, Ei." The Sovereign praised, yet she was mocking her, Ei stood there with her eyes glaring at the Sovereign.
"You…!"
"Killing two birds with one stone, didn't I tell you that, Ei?"
Ei's fists clenched, clearing the dust on her shoulder, she looked at Darkness.
She believed in her sister.
That was all she could focus on now.
There was no room for doubt.
"I will kill you," Ei promised, her voice steady and full of cold, unyielding resolve.
"Kill me?" Darkness laughed bitterly; her eyes filled with venom. "You can't even save your own people, and you dare threaten me? Big words for someone who usurped my orders."
Ei's eyes flashed with fury.
"Then let's get this over with," she snarled, and in an instant, her power erupted beneath her feet, sending a shockwave of raw lightning energy through the ground.
Darkness smirked, amused, as a fissure opened behind Ei. Kaguya appeared, her deadly Ash Bone technique extending toward Ei's head like a snake's strike.
But Ei's instincts were razor-sharp. She ducked, narrowly avoiding the fatal blow. Her body tensed as she quickly raised her arm to block an incoming punch from Momoshiki. The force of his strike grazed her arm, but she absorbed it, refusing to be pushed back.
In the blink of an eye, the three of them moved in unison, dancing through the battlefield with terrifying grace. Their attacks came fast and furious—each one a blur of motion, each blow designed to destroy. Ei's eyes darted, scanning the battlefield as she weaved and dodged.
She was a force unto herself.
Kaguya's hands slammed into the earth with a deafening crack, and the very ground trembled. Bones erupted from the earth like spears, shooting toward Ei with a deadly purpose.
But Ei's reflexes were as sharp as her lightning.
She moved like a blur, slicing through the bone spikes with a precise slash of condensed lightning energy, cutting through them like they were nothing more than brittle wood.
Kaguya leapt back, narrowly avoiding the strike, and a shockwave blasted outward, rattling the ruins of Inazuma.
Ei took a deep breath, her eyes never leaving her enemies. In one fluid motion, she dodged an incoming kick from Momoshiki, and her heel connected with his face, sending him soaring through the air.
"Big Rasengan!" Momoshiki called, his voice a growl of anger.
Two massive orbs of chakra exploded from his hands, hurtling toward Ei like twin meteors.
Ei stood her ground, her eyes narrowed in concentration. The air around her flickered with electricity as she raised her hand, lightning swirling around her like a protective shield.
The two Rasengan collided with her barrier with a thunderous crash, the force of the impact shaking the earth beneath her feet. The ground cracked, and the air howled with the intensity of their power, but Ei stood unwavering. Her body shook from the pressure, but she didn't budge.
Momoshiki and Kaguya stood across from her, exchanging glances. For a moment, they were silent, their cold eyes meeting each other's in shared understanding.
Ei's gaze shifted to Darkness, who had disappeared into the shadows with her soldiers.
The air shifted around her.
Ei's stance was ready, her muscles coiled with anticipation. The three of them moved as one, dancing across the battlefield with deadly intent.
Chakra and elemental power imploded in the air around them, a maelstrom of energy and violence.
Her power surged, bowing to her command, like a tempest bound to her will.
"Let's end this," Ei said, her voice steady and filled with resolve.
"Let's," Darkness responded, a wicked smile spreading across her face.
The ground beneath Ei cracked and splintered as she leaped away from the destructive force of the attack. In midair, she collided with the other Otsutsuki, her eyes narrowing as she saw him charge an energy sphere, swirling with power at the tip of his index finger. The attack shot toward her with a sonic roar, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Ei's instincts kicked in.
With a swift motion, she thrust her hand forward, catching the incoming energy sphere. The moment her fingers made contact, the energy detonated with a violent explosion, smoke billowing around her like a storm cloud. The force of the blast sent shockwaves through her body, but she remained standing, unfazed.
"How bizarre... This power..." Ei muttered under her breath, her eyes glowing a fierce purple as a smirk tugged at her lips. She flicked her wrist, her voice laced with confidence. "I can do this all day. Come at me!"
Darkness grinned widened.
Kaguya activated her Byakugan, veins bulging around her eyes, her vision becoming more focus, and precise and Momoshiki punched his palm, his excitement parallel to Kaguya's calm. Darkness standing behind them, overseeing the fight.
The air was thick with tension as the battlefield became a blur of movements. Lightning arced across the ground, crackling with energy, while torrents of water surged up from the earth, creating violent waves that lashed against the terrain. Fiery explosions burst from the cracks in the ground, sending flames soaring into the sky, consuming everything in their path.
Ei was a force of nature, her body moving like the wind as she danced through the battlefield. Her movements were fluid and precise, every step calculated, every attack a flash of raw power. Lightning swept across the battlefield at her command, flickering in every direction, twisting through the chaos with mesmerizing colours.
She clashed with her enemies—fists swinging, legs colliding, elemental power surging forth with each strike. Her body was a blur, her focus unyielding as she kept up with the onslaught of attacks. Chakra was flowing, not just through her own being, but infused into the very air around her, bending to her will. It wasn't her elemental power, but it moved as though it was.
To protect, she thought, I will do whatever it takes to stop Darkness.
Ei roared, the sound of her voice mixing with the crackling of the storm. She raised her hands high, the lightning above her gathering into a colossal form. With a mighty thrust, a massive purple lightning dragon descended from the sky, its jaws opening wide as it ripped through the earth, its power shattering the land beneath her feet. The explosion of energy left the battlefield shaking, the very air vibrating from the impact.
But even in the chaos, there was no decisive victory.
Ei stood firm, the battlefield littered with craters and remnants of shattered earth, but none of her opponents had fallen. It was three against one, and yet, the battle raged on.
For a fleeting moment, Ei felt a spark of confidence, thinking they might have the upper hand. But then, a massive dome of black energy erupted from where Makoto had been, and the air was filled with the roar of golden flames. The materialized fox head above them was shattered slightly, but Makoto stood tall, bloodied but resolute.
Makoto's breath came in ragged gasps, her body sagging from the immense strain. Her vision blurred, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand tall.
"You're strong, human," Makoto panted, her voice barely above a whisper. She had tanked the attack alone, the full force of it crashing into her. Her legs trembled, but her resolve never wavered.
"Naruto... should be done with it already," she continued, her eyes glazing over slightly as the weight of exhaustion hit her. "But... I should at least lessen my sister's burden."
Minato's gaze narrowed, his sharp instincts telling him something was amiss. Before he could react, he felt a surge of lightning—blinding and overwhelming—coiling around him. A hand reached out from the electric storm, pulling him free from its grasp. Lightning crackled along his skin, his vision flickering as he struggled to stay upright.
"She thought she was the only one who could do this," Makoto rasped, her voice still carrying strength as the lightning threads danced around her, like extensions of her very soul.
Minato's eyes widened as he saw her smile—an expression both weary and knowing. "Your son looks exactly like you…I can see where his good looks came from" she chuckled softly.
The words hit Minato like a hammer.
My son…
He repeated that word, again and again.
Almost like a mantra that slowly break the grasp of the darkness that shrouded his thought. He looked at Makoto, his cold expression turned soft, and relaxed. Then he gave her a smile and spoke with serene.
"Then…I will leave the rest to you."
There was no need for a departure between a father and a son…as long as he is alive, and well…as a father, there's nothing he could do but wish for his son welfare.
Makoto eyes widened, her grip tightened, and without another word, she severed his head with a swift motion. Minato's body dissolved into black mud, but the mud squirmed, moving like a sentient mass, rising and writhing toward her.
Makoto, undeterred, destroyed the black mass in a flurry of flames and energy, turning the dark remnants into ash.
She looked toward the heavens, her eyes locking onto the moon above Inazuma, the cold glow illuminating the battlefield.
"May the moon rise over Inazuma... just like in the time of old," she whispered, her voice heavy with the weight of her promise. "And Eternity shall march onward toward Finality."
The storm still raged around them, but for a moment, everything was still. The moon above shone brightly, casting its silver light over the war-torn land, while the final remnants of the battle's fury echoed in the distance.
Makoto took a deep breath, feeling exhausted. She took a step forward, but her vision blurred. Then, she lost her balance and began to fall to the ground. But before she could hit the ground, he appeared and caught her in his arms.
"You did well."
Naruto...?
She wanted to call his name, but she had no energy to do so.
Still, the warmth of his grasp brought her comfort, and she completely succumbed to sleep as he disappeared alongside her.
"Naruto Uzumaki..."
The Shinobi remained silent; his back turned to the Shinigami.
His face was a mask, devoid of emotion, yet there was a calmness in his stance—everything had led to this moment. Power surged around him, pulsating in waves. His fists clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white, energy radiating from his body like a blaze, crackling and sparking.
The Shinigami stood motionless, feeling the raw force whip past him, his eyes betraying the slightest flicker of tension.
The Reaper's gaze lingered on Naruto, observing as his body became engulfed in a golden aura that shifted, first to red, then black, and finally to white. For a brief instant, the power around Naruto flared to its full, overwhelming glory, a beacon of strength and fury.
The Shinigami's expression tightened as he witnessed it.
He could see it—Naruto's potential, the untapped power within him, the overwhelming force that once saved the world.
But now... it was gone.
The brilliance dissipated, leaving nothing but silence and an aching void.
"This power..." Naruto's voice broke through the stillness, his words laced with frustration. His teeth clenched, and his fists tightened as he turned to face the Shinigami. "I thought it was a gift, a blessing. But now... now it feels like a curse."
His words were heavy with grief, the weight of his past actions pressing down on him. His eyes hardened, filled with regret. "I thought I saved the world... only to watch it fall into destruction because of me."
He was grieving. Grieving for the version of himself he had once been.
His inner turmoil was palpable, a storm churning within him.
The Shinigami regarded him with a calm, unwavering stare. "Then... what do you wish to do now?"
Naruto's breath caught in his throat.
The question hung in the air like a knife's edge.
He had been entrusted with so much—by Istaroth, by the Heavenly Principles, by Ronova, and even by the Shade of Life, Nyssa. They had all given their lives to bring him back. They had believed in him, sacrificed everything to ensure his success. How could he squander their faith?
The question struck his core, digging deep into his soul.
"...What do you want me to do?" The Shinobi shot back, his gaze unwavering, eyes locking with the Shinigami's without hesitation.
"GIVE US YOUR ORDER, MY LORD. WE WILL LEND YOU OUR STRENGTH AND END THIS WAR ONCE AND FOR ALL."
The Shinigami's voice reverberated with power, each word sinking into Naruto's bones.
He could feel it—the weight of fate pressing down on him, the responsibility that he had to bear. His destiny had always been to restore balance, to right the wrongs of the world. The Sage of the Six Path had believed in him. Kami had trusted him.
Yet, he had allowed his arrogance and ego to get the better of him.
He had betrayed their trust.
Guilt gnawed at him, a slow burn that threatened to consume him from the inside.
Had he truly failed them?
Was this all his fault?
But then, the anger began to swell, fuelling his resolve.
The anger of losing so much.
Of losing everything.
He couldn't blame his former self—no, he was beyond that now.
This was his moment.
"Then," Naruto said, his voice low but filled with unshakable determination, "I will finish what he started." He turned to face the Shinigami fully, his body radiating a fierce energy. "We shall march toward Finality and end this never-ending cycle."
The Shinigami's eyes widened, and for a brief moment, something stirred within him.
But before he could react, Naruto raised his fist high.
Without hesitation, the Shinigami mirrored his motion. Their fists collided in a powerful, thunderous impact. The force sent shockwaves through the dimension, the power surging and crackling in the air.
Naruto's heart raced as he felt the energy course through him.
For a moment, he felt the weight of all that had come before him—the lives lost, the struggles, the pain—but also the power of those who believed in him.
He smiled.
His body was engulfed in blinding white light as the Shinigami watched him disappear from this dimension, his attention then shifting to something else.
"Bold of you to think I wouldn't notice, Shade," the Shinigami muttered, his voice cold with an edge of annoyance, glaring at the eye watching from above.
Ronova's laughter echoed through the air, full of mockery. "Is that so? Then, what will you do, O' God of Death?"
Her words were a challenge, one she wanted to see him answer.
The God of Old, a being long forgotten by the world, whose name was nothing more than an ancient relic in the annals of history. No one worshiped them anymore. He was a god whose time had passed, a remnant of the past, a symbol of a forgotten era. She had learned of this knowledge from Istaroth.
"You are nothing but an ancient relic of the past." Ronova sneered, underestimating him. "Your authority doesn't even touch me."
The Shinigami chuckled, a deep, haunting sound that sent chills down Ronova's spine. "Is that so?" His voice grew dark, tinged with something ancient, something unyielding. He had always despised the Shades—these strange, descended beings who meddled in matters they didn't understand.
But Ronova... she had intrigued him.
She had dared challenge him.
Now, she would learn the cost of underestimating the God of Death.
Slowly, deliberately, he moved toward her, circling her with a calm, calculating gaze.
She wasn't here, her body is elsewhere, hiding, utilizing her power to watch over the world.
In a faraway place, Ronova stood with her usual confidence, but the Shinigami could see it—there was fear lurking beneath the surface.
A slight flicker of doubts.
Time seemed to freeze between them.
With one fluid motion, the Shinigami reached out toward her, his hand almost ghostly in its approach. Ronova's confidence faltered for just a split second. And then, in a heartbeat, the Shinigami's fingers grazed her soul.
The touch was gentle, but the power behind it was catastrophic.
Ronova's eyes widened in shock, fear blooming across her features. "Y-you!" Her voice was a rasp, her once steady form flickering like a flame on the verge of being snuffed out. She could feel it—a searing, unrelenting pressure on her soul. The pain was unbearable, unlike anything she had ever known.
Death.
It was not just one death, but millions of them.
She saw them all—felt them, lived them, each death more painful than the last. Her body trembled as if the very essence of her being was being torn apart. She could feel the power unravelling her, her calm facade crumbling under the weight of it.
Her vision blurred.
She was losing herself to the fear.
The pain.
The terror of annihilation.
Then, with a sweeping motion, the Shinigami growled, "Know your place, descender."
Ronova's breath caught in her throat as her body crumpled to the ground.
Blood pooled in her mouth as she coughed violently, her body wracked with uncontrollable shudders. Her entire being was drenched in cold sweat. The overwhelming pain was beyond description. For the first time, Ronova felt something she had never felt before—true pain, the kind that tore at her very soul.
She gritted her teeth, her vision dimming.
The fear clawed at her insides.
Had she known how much it would hurt, she might have shown more compassion to those lives she had so carelessly taken.
Had she known...
But it was too late, and she fell back on her throne, losing her consciousness.
In a faraway place, a place beyond the constraints of time, she sat alone, her figure a silent presence amidst an endless void. The air was still, but she could feel it—the wind. A gentle brush against her skin, the soft caress of something that no longer existed. Her long silver hair fluttered, the strands dancing with a rhythm only the wind could understand. Her eyes, heavy with thought, flickered momentarily, a fleeting sadness flashing across her gaze before her lips curled into a bittersweet smile.
Then, she saw golden particles drifted toward her, like fragments of forgotten memories.
They sank into her skin, merging with her very being. She felt them—visions from the past, mixed with her own, as if time itself had blended, and she was both observer and participant. With every breath, the weight of the memories settled deeper within her.
The plan had been set into motion long ago, so long that its origins seemed to belong to another lifetime. Hundreds of cycles had passed, spiralling into thousands.
And now?
Now they reached more than a million.
The branches of the timeline stretched far, spreading across the infinite expanse like the roots of an ancient tree. If the timeline were the universe, its reach would have touched the very edges, spilling into realms beyond comprehension. From these edges, time began to flow again, but in a direction she had never anticipated.
The bubbles of universes she had created alongside with everyone sacrificed—each one delicate, fragile, woven with her own essence—had been shattered each time he fell.
Over and over again, her power had been tested, her resolve shattered along with the worlds she crafted. And yet, now, amidst the ruins of countless realities, one remained.
One fragile thread, like a single flickering flame in the heart of an endless storm.
It was a gamble, a desperate hope she had placed all her trust in. But despite the countless failures, despite the endless trials, she believed in him. Even across this vast expanse, even with the cruel distance between them, she could still feel it. The warmth of his power—a force that had grown, evolved, matured. It was more than just a flicker now; it was a presence, calm yet unyielding, like the steady pulse of a heartbeat that reverberated across time.
How she longed to be there, to feel the warmth of his presence beside her. To stand with him once more. To fight alongside him as they had in the past.
But she couldn't.
Not anymore. This time she will put her trust on her; Havria.
This was the only way. This was the price of her promise—the promise she had made not just to him, but to herself, to the very fabric of time and space.
She had given up everything.
And yet... she couldn't help but feel the ache of longing. She wanted to be with him, to share in the quiet moments, to simply exist together in a world that no longer made sense. But that was a dream now, one that existed only in the recesses of her heart.
She lifted her hand, her fingers moving delicately as if she were tracing the path of fate itself. She was playing a game against an unseen opponent, one whose moves were unknown, whose intentions remained veiled. Her movements were deliberate, calculated.
A pawn—one so small, so insignificant—moved across the endless board. And as it reached the other side, it transformed. In a flash, it became a queen.
Her smile twisted, not just with triumph, but with something deeper, darker. A smirk of knowing. Of resolve. She had sacrificed everything for this moment. And now, she would see it through.
"Checkmate."
The words echoed in the stillness, a quiet declaration that reverberated through the very fabric of reality.
This was the beginning of the end.
The wheels of fate, once stagnant, began to turn again.
Slowly at first, then with an unstoppable momentum. Time, which had once been frozen in place, surged in the opposite direction, heading toward the uncharted realms of finality. Toward an end beyond existence.
But as she watched the threads of fate unravel before her, the weight of her promise hung heavy on her heart. It was not just the end of time. It was the end of everything she had ever known. And yet... in the deepest corners of her soul, there was a small spark of hope.
Hope that, despite everything, despite the overwhelming odds, he would succeed.
Because he had always been the one who could defy fate.
"Time will always be on your side, my beloved… just as I promised you, millions of years ago."
Her voice was a soft whisper, barely audible over the winds that howled through the void. A faint smile graced her lips, but it was a smile laced with sorrow—an ache deep within that only time itself could understand. Her eyes shimmered, glistening with unshed tears, the weight of memories far too heavy to carry alone. Slowly, blood began to trickle down her lips, staining her pale skin, a stark reminder of the time she had left.
"For a goddess of time… I'm running out of time."
The cruel irony wasn't lost on her.
The one force she had once controlled, the one thing she had mastered, now slipped from her grasp. Time, once her greatest ally, now felt like an enemy she could never outrun. Her heart, heavy with regret, found no solace in the ticking of eternity.
She closed her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to be lost in thought, in the silence of her own mind. Her alternate self-lingered in the back of her consciousness—an echo of the person she once was, the person who had yet to see the full depth of her sacrifice. There was an amusement in the thought, a wry smile that tugged at the corners of her lips. But beneath the amusement, there was something more: envy. A deep, gnawing envy that twisted in her chest.
To see him there. To feel the warmth of his touch once more. To have the chance to speak with him again, to share in those moments she had longed for, and had once taken for granted. How she yearned for those days, when time had felt endless, when the future had been full of promise.
But those days were gone.
Istaroth's smile faltered. Her gaze drifted upward to the sky, which had once been a brilliant canvas of stars and light. Now, it was a barren expanse, dark and foreboding, reflecting the devastation below. The world had succumbed to Calamity—the blade tides that had swept across Teyvat had spread too far, consuming everything in their wake. The once vibrant lands now lay in ruin, their beauty swallowed by the relentless march of destruction.
But even in the face of all this, there was no such thing as too late.
She knew that.
She had to believe it, even if it felt like the last thread of hope she clung to was slipping away. In the end, there would always be time, no matter how fleeting. It was her gift, and her curse. And with every ounce of her being, she would fight to ensure that the promise she made to him would not be broken.
Even if it meant defying time itself.
"Until we meet again, my beloved."
Author Notes:
Hi, sorry for disappearing for a couple of months. With how much the readers have been worrying about me, I feel terrible for ignoring everyone. I really appreciate all the personal messages you've sent to me, and I apologize once more for not responding.
You see, I've been busy the past few months, seeking out jobs left and right, and I lost the motivation to write. But now here I am… although not back just yet, sadly. I have to undergo training for the next three months and might be busy for a while. I don't have an exact date for when I'll be back, but I'll let you know once I'm certain.
This is a chapter; the last one I'll release until I'm done with the training. Wish me luck, and like always, please leave reviews and let me know what you think about this chapter.
For the next chapter, there will be a great battle with Naruto and Ei against Darkness and the Otsutsuki. It will be the conclusion of the arc in Inazuma before we shifted to Liyue then Inazuma. I have the ideas laid out and will get to it when I am free.
