Chapter 128 (Patreon)

Two massive waves of chakra burst from Naruto and Sasuke, shaking the forest around them.

Sasuke’s chakra was cold and ominous, filled with a darkness that seemed to swallow everything around him.

Naruto’s chakra was completely different.

It was warm, powerful, and overflowing with life.

Even the wound on Naruto’s hand, caused by blocking the Kubikiribōchō, began to heal.

“What is this?!” Zabuza’s eyes widened.

He could not move.

The pressure coming from those two alone was enough to hold him in place.

These two brats... They were hiding something!

No. He had to get out of there.

If he stayed any longer, he would die.

Realizing that his life was in danger, Zabuza immediately prepared to retreat.

“What is going on?” Kakashi muttered from the tree in the distance.

Naruto and Sasuke’s chakra had suddenly grown far stronger than before.

It had already surpassed his own.

No... this was beyond the level of an ordinary jōnin.

Did they already possess chakra on the level of a Kage?

“I told you not to underestimate my students,” Yujiro said with a faint smile.

It had finally happened.

Indra’s chakra and Asura’s chakra had awakened.

As expected, their power would only appear when Naruto and Sasuke were truly facing death.

Yujiro had chased them down during training before, putting both of them in dangerous situations.

But their opponent had been Yujiro.

No matter how frightened they became, they still knew that he would not kill them.

Zabuza was different.

He had truly intended to cut them down.

If Indra’s and Asura’s chakra had not awakened just now, Naruto and Sasuke would already be dead.

“Simulate acquisition!”

Yujiro activated his ability and began acquiring both types of chakra.

Two seconds later, the system responded.

[Ding! Indra’s chakra acquired!]

[Uchiha bloodline not detected. Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan cannot be awakened at this time.]

[Ding! Asura’s chakra acquired!]

[Wood Release detected. Wood Release has been strengthened!]

[Ding! The powers of Asura and Indra have both been detected. Rinnegan cannot be awakened at this time.]

Yujiro felt the changes inside his body.

His strength had doubled once again.

At the same time, the darkness hidden inside him had also grown stronger.

After unlocking the Fourth Stage of the Limiter, normal training was no longer enough for him to advance.

He would have to face that darkness and defeat it himself.

Only then would the Limiter advance from Fourth Stage: Initial to Fourth Stage: Intermediate.

The difference between the two was enormous.

Once he reached the intermediate stage, Yujiro would be able to freely alter his body at the genetic level.

He could turn his body into that of an Uchiha.

With the powers of Asura and Indra already inside him, he would then be able to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.

Whoosh!

Yujiro dropped down directly in front of Zabuza.

“And where do you think you’re going?”

Zabuza stopped immediately.

Standing before him was a man dressed entirely in black, with a black blade resting across his shoulder.

Zabuza knew that face.

Every shinobi did.

He was a legend of Konohagakure.

No, his name was known throughout the entire shinobi world.

Yujiro.

The man feared as the “One-Sword Shura.”

Cold sweat ran down Zabuza’s face as a chill shot up his spine.

Why was Yujiro here?!

This was supposed to be a simple assassination mission!

Zabuza swallowed and remained completely still.

It was not because he could not move.

He simply did not dare to.

Every instinct in his body warned him that the moment he took another step, he would die.

Yujiro ignored him and walked past, heading toward Naruto and Sasuke.

“Haa...”

Zabuza slowly released the breath he had been holding.

“One more thing, Zabuza.”

Yujiro’s voice came from behind him.

“Those two genin you just tried to kill are my students.”

Zabuza went rigid.

Clang!

The Kubikiribōchō slipped from his hand and struck the ground.

All the strength had left his fingers. The sword he had carried for years suddenly felt too heavy to hold.

What had he just done?

He had tried to kill the students of the “One-Sword Shura.”

Zabuza did not even dare to look back.

He knew Yujiro could kill him before he managed to turn his head.

Yujiro continued walking until he reached Naruto and Sasuke.

Neither of them had been able to withstand the chakra that had suddenly awakened inside them. Both had already lost consciousness.

At that moment, an old voice echoed inside Yujiro’s mind.

“So... it happened after all.”

Yujiro had never heard that voice before.

Even so, he immediately knew who it belonged to.

The Sage of Six Paths.

With a thought, Yujiro entered the golden mindscape he shared with Kurama.

Kurama rose to his feet, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

A figure slowly appeared before them.

He wore white robes, with nine black Truth-Seeking Balls floating behind him.

A Six Paths shakujō rested in his hand.

“Old Man Six Paths...” Kurama said quietly.

“Kurama.”

The Sage of Six Paths opened his eyes, revealing his purple Rinnegan.

Yujiro studied him with interest.

Unfortunately, this was not Hagoromo himself. It was only the chakra he had left behind.

That meant Yujiro could not use Simulation to acquire his abilities.

Hagoromo stared at Yujiro for a long time.

His expression slowly became serious.

“Who are you?”

He was not asking for Yujiro’s name.

He wanted to know what Yujiro really was.

“Who I am doesn’t matter.”

Yujiro smiled.

“Soon, even the gods won’t be able to stand in my way.”

Yujiro did not lower his gaze.

Even if the man standing before him was the Sage of Six Paths, there was no reason for Yujiro to fear him.

Hagoromo had spread chakra throughout the world.

What followed was a thousand years of war.

Yujiro did not blame him for that.

No one could predict what the future would bring.

But if Yujiro wanted to end war for good, there was only one thing he needed.

Power.

Enough power that no one would dare oppose him.

Enough power to make the entire world fear him.

Enough power that nothing could stand in his way.

Enough power to force everyone to surrender.

“Even the gods won’t be able to stand in your way...”

Hagoromo was shaken by those words.

If anyone else had said them, he would have dismissed them as empty boasting.

But as he looked at Yujiro, he could not do that.

For some reason, he believed him.

Even Hagoromo had never dared to say that he would surpass the gods.

He took a slow breath before speaking again.

“Even the gods...” Hagoromo murmured.

“You really are stronger than I am.”