Chapter 228: Obito's Doom, Itachi: Now It's Your Turn

To deal with Yishi, Yuzhi has actually always had a very complete plan.

After all, he knows exactly where Yishi's strengths lie, and also knows where this guy's weaknesses are.

Don't be fooled by his seemingly dimwitted performance in the original work, such as stubbornly charging even though he knows Naruto's particle mode is formidable.

He could have fully used the Great Black Heaven ability to lock himself inside an alternate dimension; after all, the Ten-Tails remains intact there, and he could enter just the same.

But in fact his situation was already precarious; his time was running out, and if he didn't accelerate, he would truly be dragged to death by Cixi.

Moreover, he probably doesn't even understand exactly how the particle mode works.

Although the Nine-Tails split off from the Ten-Tails, as independent entities their development paths differ, and Yishi likely hasn't seen through this technique even after some time.

Of course, even if he saw through it, it would probably be of no use; after all, Yishi cannot expend (his power) nor dare to, and who knows whether he or Naruto can endure longer?

Besides that, another possible reason is that Yishi also upholds the pride of the Otsutsuki.

As an Otsutsuki, and a fully revived being with complete power, he could not choose to avoid fighting Naruto, whom he once beat soundly.

Under these premises, this caused Yishi's tragedy in the original work, turning him from the final boss into a being comparable to Orochimaru as a 'newbie village gatekeeper'.

And Yishi's current situation is similar, even more tragic than in the original.

When he met a vivid, energetic Otsutsuki like Yuzhi, he naturally didn't want to miss the chance, but Yuzhi's strength truly exceeded his expectations.

He wants to leave, but cannot.

Yuzhi's strength is also unexpectedly fierce; if he tries to run, Yuzhi will certainly catch up!

He wants to fight, yet he dares not fully unleash.

Because Yuzhi's forced 'delay' has already made his body hard to bear, repeatedly this directly puts him in a dilemma.

Seeing all this, Yuzhi made a decision—to accelerate the battle!

"I've consumed enough to reach this point, and indeed I must accelerate now."

Yuzhi thought, the Ninja Sword in his hand had boldly swung, and at the instant the sword was swung, his eyes suddenly erupted with a strange power!

The power of space-time flowed incessantly at this moment, and a strange fluctuation and rhythm silently blossomed upon his blade.

Dealing with Yishi, dealing with someone like Yishi, is truly not easy, but coincidentally, Yuzhi has just the unique method.

"Although my mastery is imperfect and I still need to train, I might now be able to maximize this power, let alone..."

Yuzhi's gaze fixed, using this power against a strong opponent like Yishi—could that not also be a form of training?

"Hmm?"

At the moment Yuzhi swung his sword, Yishi's complexion changed instantly.

The surging Time Power rapidly spread and covered his surroundings; being tugged by time, he instantly grasped Yuzhi's intent!

"Despicable villain!"

Yuzhi's thought and action are very simple: this guy intends to wear him down with the power of time, to take away his remaining life.

The power of time is not rare for Yishi; Otsutsuki, due to the Divine Tree, obtain all sorts of bizarre abilities, time being one of them.

Pu Shi that guy can wield Time Power, though Yishi considers his use of that power utterly foolish.

But it cannot be denied that once this power is mastered and controlled, it is unquestionably an unmatched super power!

"That guy also has Time Power?"

While pondering, Yishi felt as if time itself was cut off at that instant, and the void seemed to shatter completely.

The temporal rhythm, once like a gentle stream, suddenly turned into a raging sea at that moment, surging straight toward Yishi.

Amid such a storm, Yishi felt as if he became a lone boat, his form twisting at that instant!

"Damn, the space is sealed?"

Yet when he quickly steadied his emotions to escape, he was startled to find the surrounding space locked!

The power of space is certainly not unfamiliar to Otsutsuki; any qualified Otsutsuki can basically wield some degree of Space Power.

Whether it's the bloodline net's 'Yomotsu Hirasaka', or the various abilities evolved from Divine Tree fruit, it's the same.

Yishi can also use similar powers, and the spatial seal clearly suppresses his comparable abilities!

Even though this cannot completely block his use of Space Power, it can slow the speed at which he uses it to save himself.

This is a full-on heavy punch aimed at Yishi's weak point, giving him no chance at all!

"Damn! Damn! Damn!"

Yishi let out a roar, his entire chakra surged wildly, his eyes kept flickering, and the ferocious power continuously condensed in his gaze.

Only, accompanied by the incessant high‑pitched rumbling of chakra and the power spreading outward, everything began to wither slowly.

All things fell silent; space‑time's near‑light speed poured madly at that moment, and the strange power invisibly devoured Yishi.

No matter how fiercely he struggled, he could not stop any of this.

His body began to wither, like a flower constantly wilting!

His once robust body grew old, and the already scarce life force was drained completely at that instant.

The aura of death and decay continuously emanated from him, even within the hidden space.

His fading life essence did not truly disperse; instead, it bizarrely entered Yuzhi's body!

"Is this also within the realm of passive absorption?"

Yuzhi, who was maximally controlling Time Power, suddenly looked inexplicably pale, even though he only absorbed a tiny fraction.

But this is Otsutsuki's life essence; even with severe loss, its quality is astonishingly high!

One can only say, truly worthy of Otsutsuki, truly a 'higher lifeform' in the real sense of this world!

"Ah!"

Yet just as Yuzhi was happily absorbing, Yishi's withered body let out a roar.

His eyes glowed, and the space around him finally broke free!

A black stone tablet instantly blocked before him, forcibly delaying the impact of Time Power, after which the space seemed to undergo a slight upheaval.

Boom—

A violent roar sounded, the black stone tablet was shattered in an instant, yet Yishi did not leave right away.

He half‑knelt in the void, coughing continuously, and after a while he grimly lifted his head.

At this moment, his face was completely aged, looking like an elder who had entered the waning years of a candle‑lit wind.

And his smile, matching his visage, was as terrifying as a demonic Asura!

"Cough, cough. What a powerful eye technique!"

Yishi's voice was hoarse, yet his gaze was fiercely domineering.

"But you can't kill me, you can't kill me now!"

"It's only that you've entered your own eye technique."

Yuzhi indifferently shook his head, and he immediately halted his assault.

From the earlier spatial upheaval, Yuzhi knew Yishi had broken his spatial seal; now Yishi had sent himself into the 'Great Black Sky Space'.

'Great Black Sky Space' is a place that can contain the Ten‑tails; with Yishi hidden there, Yuzhi indeed found it hard to breach.

But that's only difficult; Yuzhi wields Kamui!

In the original work, Obito can use Kamui to search for Sasuke within the world of Kamui, even if he fully occupies it, but Yuzhi is far stronger.

Even without entering the 'Great Black Sky Space', he still has a chance to break through directly!

"Obito, that guy really mastered a divine technique."

While pondering, Yuzhi's Kamui power suddenly flared!

Swoosh—

Yet at that moment, Yishi's figure vanished without a trace—.

Obito, transformed into a Ten‑tails jinchuriki, had in some respects risen to the level of the Otsutsuki.

Hikari knew this well, but compared with the current Obito, Hikari thought this seemed better!

"It seems the spatial power for transference is gone; his true form is fully exposed."

Although it's unclear whether Obito did this deliberately or it's a side effect of his incomplete power boost, it's certainly not a bad thing for Hikari.

The Ten‑tails' chakra is massive, but however massive the chakra, as long as there is a clear target, Hikari won't worry about missing!

"Ah!"

Obito let out a roar; now as a Ten‑tails jinchuriki, the wildly erupting chakra still produced terrifying effects.

Space showed signs of instability under his frantic actions, yet Hikari's expression did not change; the boiling dragon‑vein chakra had fully erupted.

"Die!"

Amid the booming chakra eruption, Obito struck first!

A Seeking Jewel behind him instantly shot toward Hikari; the pitch‑black Seeking Jewel seemed able to pierce spatial barriers, arriving at Hikari's front in the blink of an eye.

However, Hikari seemed to have anticipated Obito's move; the chakra prayer beads behind her instantly positioned themselves before her.

Amid the roar, the Seeking Jewel was forcibly kept at bay!

Although the chakra prayer beads were slightly weaker than the Seeking Jewel, they were still formed from the convergence of all‑element chakra.

Moreover, Hikari's control was extremely strong, and she possessed a great number of beads; a single Seeking Jewel could not breach the defense.

"Is that all the strength? Truly disappointing."

Hikari's gaze narrowed slightly as she whispered.

"Probably because the metamorphosis just completed, and it relied on external means; the power exists but cannot be wielded, and the life level hasn't reached Yuzhi's."

"But as a training tool it's decent, so now it's my turn!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Hikari seemed to teleport right before Obito, giving the Seeking Jewels no chance to react; her fist already thundered out!

Bang—

A muffled thud sounded; Obito felt a pressure in his chest, and the next instant he saw the surroundings rapidly receding.

"How could it be, how so fast?"

Obito was dazed, and at that moment he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, his throat instantly went sweet.

One punch, and he was actually injured?

He truly couldn't understand what was happening, and he couldn't believe it was real.

Only the constantly pulsating chakra in his chest was healing his wound, also affirming that this was indeed reality!

"How could this be, how could it possibly be?"

He shouted, forcing his stance to steady, and the next moment a Seeking Jewel floated beside him, transforming into a tin staff.

He grasped the tin staff and swung it, muttering continuously.

"Impossible, this is absolutely impossible!"

Awo—

Yet while he muttered to himself, a fierce flame dragon roared from the sky, descending straight toward him.

"Impossible!"

He let out a roar, swung the tin staff hard, and the Seeking Jewel behind him instantly formed a shield in front of him.

Boom—

A piercing boom, accompanied by scorching breath, instantly engulfed Obito, yet the Seeking Jewel's defense remained extremely strong.

Moreover, Obito's attack was strong; the fierce flame dragon had already been shattered, but he couldn't fathom one thing.

Why, having come this far, does it still feel like the first meeting with Hikari over a decade ago?

Where exactly did it go wrong?

"You still haven't made any progress at all."

At this moment, Hikari's figure hovered in midair, calmly looking down at the disheveled Obito and spoke indifferently.

It seems my idea is not wrong at all; people like you are the ones who sit at the bottom of a well and watch the sky.

You think you can jump out of the well, but in reality you are merely someone forever bound within your own space.

I have to say, divine might appearing on you is truly a perfect fit.

Just as her voice fell, Hikari's figure flickered; one second she was in the sky, the next she had bypassed Obito's defense and appeared behind him.

Yin-Yang Release transformed into a Ninja Sword, and the chakra beads instantly poured out; only then did Obito react.

Ah!

Obito also reacted quickly; he swiftly turned his body, and the Truth-Seeking Orbs formed an arc-shaped barrier blocking the corrosion of the chakra beads, but only a moment later his expression changed.

Too slow, not the slightest change from before.

Hikari's voice already sounded behind him, and immediately a dull sound burst forth on his body.

Impossible!

Obito endured the pain and let out a roar; the next instant a powerful repulsion burst forth before him, and this repulsion actually hindered Hikari's advance.

This delay seemed to give Obito an opportunity; he roared and fiercely swung the staff in his hand.

Childish.

Hikari let out a light snort; although her movement was a bit slower, it did not affect her subsequent actions.

Being affected by repulsion or attraction is quite normal, after all, possessing the Rinnegan has reached an extremely high intensity.

Hikari quickly adjusted her mindset; the Rinnegan turned slightly, and she actively adjusted the changes in controlling attraction and repulsion.

Although Obito's strength is better, he just obtained the Rinnegan and only transplanted one, so Hikari had no problem dealing with it.

As she gradually suppressed the effects of those attractions and repulsions, she quickly closed in on Obito, and the Yin-Yang Release Ninja Sword in her hand began to dance swiftly.

Hum—

Hum—

Hum—

One after another, explosive bursting sounds rang out continuously; Hikari directly launched the simplest attack against Obito.

But simple, it is often the most deadly!

Without too many frills, each move summoned the greatest power, each form directly aimed at the most vital point!

In such a 'simple' taijutsu clash, the two of them, like Yuzhi and a single style, all produced flashes of light like lightning.

The shockwave produced by their flying and colliding almost instantly destroyed everything around them again!

The ground continually collapsed; the newly formed mountain ranges from the earlier collapse were destroyed again, as fragile as tofu blocks, unable to withstand any impact.

Huge smoke and dust filled the horizon, and in the sky flames soared and Truth-Seeking Orbs glittered, yet from beginning to end a figure remained pressed down.

Hum—

In the next instant, under tremendous force, a figure was fiercely knocked down from the sky and heavily smashed onto the ground!

Boom—

That piercing roar echoed through heaven and earth, and a huge pit was blasted out of the ground by Obito himself!

Indeed, you are still as always, disappointing.

Obito struggled to his feet; the cross-shaped flames behind him still burned, but he now looked especially disheveled, and at that moment a voice rang through heaven and earth.

Hikari reappeared in the sky, still pure as ever; she looked down on Obito and disdainfully shook her head.

A frog in a well is a frog in a well; a rat in a sewer is a rat in a sewer; no matter how you struggle, you cannot change your fate.

Obito silently gazed at Hikari in the sky; at this moment he truly had no idea how to respond, for he was completely dazed.

Why is this happening, why is this happening

Obito truly could not understand; why, after progressing step by step to this point, he found himself seemingly stuck in place from beginning to end.

How could this happen, how could this happen!

Obito let out a silent scream in his heart; looking at that woman looking down from above, the dead memories began to assail him again.

Several years ago he personally heard Uchiha Haori and this woman discussing the destruction of the world; but when he went to find this woman, he was astonished to discover he had been made a clown.

And now, having become the Ten-Tails jinchuriki, he faces this woman again, and once again he is made a clown.

He is trapped in a vicious circle; no matter how hard he tries or how he climbs upward, he cannot escape this fateful cycle.

Alright, the game should also end.

Hikari's clear, cold voice sounded again; she raised her hand, as if chaotic chakra swiftly gathered, as though she had already prepared to end all this.

Huh?

But just then, two figures suddenly appeared one after another in front of Obito!

Hikari tilted her head, looked ahead, and saw it was actually Madara Uchiha and that black guy; this sight made her raise an eyebrow.

Then she seemed to think of something; the chakra she had been gathering began to slowly dissipate, and at the same time she looked down as if watching a show.

It's really timely that they came, but this is also good; it also counts as allowing Yuzhi's plan to proceed smoothly, just don't know.

Whether all this will proceed smoothly is unknown, and I also don't know if this Obito can endure it.

Although Hikari doesn't have Yuzhi's taste for mischief, after being together with Yuzhi for so many years, she has gradually developed a liking for watching the spectacle.

Moreover, her goal has basically been achieved; she simply had no need to use it.

Because she truly didn't expect Obito to be this weak——

You guys came?

In the huge pit, Obito was still panting continuously, though his panting frequency began to drop; the Ten-Tails' regenerative ability is truly impeccable.

He glanced at Madara Uchiha standing before him, then warily looked up at Hikari who had chosen to cease her attack, and his whole body slightly relaxed.

However, as he relaxed, his gaze toward Hikari secretly gained a hint of fear; he was truly frightened by the beating.

"What on earth did you do?"

Madara Uchiha frowned as he looked at Obito; Obito reaching this point was within his expectations, but he truly hadn't expected that, as a Ten-Tails jinchuriki, he could still be brutally beaten?

This guy's aura at this very moment is so powerful, yet he looks like not a single strong ninja!

Madara Uchiha has thought about this more than once: is his judgment really that poor, otherwise he wouldn't have chosen such a thing?

As for Black Zetsu, he isn't surprised by Obito's situation; after mixing with Obito for so many years, he's seen every odd thing, so it's no longer surprising.

Moreover, his focus isn't on Obito; at this moment he stares blankly at the lofty Hikari.

It's... too similar!

"Don't talk about useless things; Nagato has already gathered chakra, we don't need to waste time!"

Obito knows exactly what Madara is asking; in fact he really doesn't want to meet Madara at all—after all, he has completely shattered Madara's plan.

But he no longer cares; at this point words are useless, and besides he would never care about Madara's thoughts.

He can't beat Hikari; could he also not defeat Madara?

Especially now, he and Madara are destined not to fight; on the contrary, Madara must help him.

Moreover, he has long decided to become the ruler of the world and is already moving toward that goal; worrying about Madara now is meaningless.

"Also, now is not the time to discuss this; we have a more deadly enemy to deal with.

If we can't stop this woman, my life, the Ten-Tails, even your Rinnegan will be taken by her.

Do you want all this to happen, and you also have to adapt to the current situation? I'm the only one fit to create the Moon Eye Project!"

While speaking, Obito's breathing had already ceased; he had recovered considerably, and his gaze fixed on the Hikari above.

But his words made Madara's fist harden slightly: How dare you threaten me?

Madara's eyes grew somewhat dangerous; he now truly felt that Obito was being overly presumptuous.

Of course, he also understood why Obito dared say that—besides the current objective situation, there's also that Rinnegan.

Obito only has one Rinnegan installed; the other eye is clearly guarding against him, but is Madara really the type to be threatened?

"Hmm, you're right; there truly are more important matters now."

Madara's voice turned somewhat cold, as if irritated by Obito.

Obito, however, didn't mind; although he was just beaten up, he now understands his own strength—Madara Uchiha could never trouble him!

Puff—

But the next moment, Obito's whole body froze, because Madara Uchiha actually brazenly struck!

A black long staff pierced Obito's body, instantly sealing all his movements, and Obito felt a dense Yin-Yang Release power on that staff!

"You"

Obito stared in shock at Madara, while Black Zetsu almost immediately cloaked Obito, forcibly seizing control of his body.

"What do you want to say, or what else do you have to say?"

Seeing Obito's shocked expression, Madara's gaze grew even colder, and he pressed the black staff even harder.

"Do you really think you can dominate everything, transcend everything?"

"Me"

Obito couldn't move, and the Yin-Yang Release chakra spread wildly within his body!

If it were just that, it would be tolerable; Yin-Yang Release can wound him, but he's a Ten-Tails jinchuriki, his regenerative ability is unimaginable.

But precisely because he's a Ten-Tails jinchuriki, that's the most lethal!

Madara's attack on him isn't truly to kill him, but to draw out the Ten-Tails inside Obito; as soon as the Ten-Tails is drawn out, Obito will be powerless.

As a jinchuriki, the greatest fear is a bijū rebellion inside; even a Ten-Tails jinchuriki is no exception, especially since Obito forcibly controls the Ten-Tails!

"Everything you have was given by me—power, abilities, even the Mangekyou Sharingan."

Madara's voice was detached and cold; he gripped the black staff tightly, giving Obito no chance to move.

"And you, Obito Uchiha, have always been just my pawn; do you know what happens when a pawn tries to become the player?"

At that moment he had already overstepped, and at that very moment he was utterly abandoned; do you really think you can escape my control, Obito Uchiha?!"

Madara's words struck like lightning, continuously shocking Obito's nerves; he stared at Madara in disbelief, feeling his own power raging.

Now, even speaking becomes difficult; the Ten-Tails' power is wreaking havoc, and Black Zetsu covering him is forcibly seizing control.

He can only watch helplessly, his gaze filled with hatred toward Madara, truly feeling on the brink of collapse!

But he still struggles; a sliver of hope remains—he still holds one of Madara's eyes in his hand!

"Oh, by the way, you hid one of my eyes, didn't you?"

Seeming to have guessed Obito's thoughts, Madara shook his head indifferently and said,

"Stop being presumptuous; I can guess everything you intend to do, even that the eye isn't within your Shin'ei Space.

After all, I've heard Uchiha Haori once entered your Shin'ei Space, and that Kakashi has the same eye as you; you wouldn't dare place the Rinnegan inside it.

I admit you have some cleverness, but it's only minor cleverness; do you think I truly can't find it?"

As soon as the words fell, the ground churned, and a White Zetsu burst from the earth.

He glanced at Madara, then at Obito controlled by Black Zetsu, and laughed,

"Lord Madara, we've found your other eye; although Obito hid it well, it's no trouble for us."

"Very well."

Madara lightly nodded, his gaze once again fixed on Obito, and this time he truly saw a desperate glint in Obito's eyes!

Everything about him was seen through; all his actions seemed meaningless.

Such an ending is truly not what he wanted!

Why did it come to this?

Why did it come to this!

Obito tried to twist his body, to suppress the Ten‑Tails' rampage within him, and he even wanted Hikari to strike now!

However, none of his wishes came true, especially Hikari in the distance, whose leisurely, spectator‑like demeanor was truly just like Yuzhi's.

"Go ahead and act."

Obito was still struggling, but Ban lost interest in continuing the idle talk; he lightly waved his hand and said.

"After all, as a Ten‑Tails jinchuriki, disturbing the Ten‑Tails' power can seal it, but it won't hold for long; seize the moment to eliminate the trouble."

"That's natural, Lord Ban."

Hei Jue nodded, and under Hei Jue's control Obito's hands trembled as they came together.

"Heretical Rinnegan innate technique!"

In an instant, the Rinnegan's eye power activated, and the massive chakra transformed into a wondrous power that reverses life and death.

Chakra streamed continuously toward Ban, while at the same time Obito's own life force was rapidly draining.

Many things in the world are unfair, yet the world itself is fair; death is an equality no one can escape.

Perhaps for someone of the Ōtsutsuki level it differs, but using the Rinnegan innate technique still requires an equivalent expenditure of energy.

At that moment, Obito felt his chakra continuously draining; although it wouldn't endanger his life, it was still a massive drain on him.

After all, Ban is no ordinary being!

"This feeling..."

Feeling the changes occurring on his body, Ban slightly lowered his head and looked; Obito's skin was transforming, becoming pale, tender, and smooth.

It's truly real human skin!

The powers suppressed by Obito's reincarnation were rapidly returning, and the wrinkles on his face from Obito's reincarnation were swiftly fading.

In silence, his entire body underwent metamorphosis; after about ten seconds, everything ended, and the breath of life blossomed from him again.

"Exactly, this feeling—I can feel hot blood coursing through me, this sense of 'being alive'…"

Ban said excitedly, looking at his own hands, feeling the blood surging within him; an unmistakable excitement lit up his face.

This is the feeling, this is the feeling—this is everything he has been chasing!

But soon, Ban's complexion changed; in an instant, his Rinnegan eyes dimmed sharply, then turned into Obito's fragments that fell away quickly, and his eyes gradually became hollow.

"Although I anticipated it, darkness is still detestable."

Ban paid no mind to the change; he casually took the Rinnegan from Bai Jue's hand and swiftly placed it into his own eye socket.

The "hot‑plug" property worked in his hand; even the Rinnegan experienced no mishap, and within moments the blood vessels reconnected.

Then, without hesitation, he reached out toward Obito; within Obito's struggling, desperate gaze, another Rinnegan fell into his hand.

"No, no."

When Ban fitted the other Rinnegan, he suddenly heard Obito emit a hoarse sound, prompting him to gently shake his head.

"There's no such thing as 'no'; you have always been a pawn, always a frog at the bottom of a well, always just a sewer rat—your fate was sealed long ago!"

These words caused Obito's pupils to dilate instantly, for such words had not only been spoken by Yuzhi but also repeatedly echoed by Hikari.

Now, these words unexpectedly emerged from Ban's mouth as well, they

"Go peacefully, oh no, you're not dead yet; after all, no matter how low you are, you've come this far."

Ban placed his hand on Obito's chest, and in an instant his chakra boiled within.

"Then just watch carefully; everything you've done is, in my eyes, utterly boring and utterly repulsive!"

"Six Paths Technique: Ten‑Tails Coffin Seal!"

"Ah!"

A fierce suction emanated from Ban's palm; Obito, having lost his Rinnegan, could barely contain the Ten‑Tails, and under this pull he let out a sudden scream.

In the next instant, the raging Ten‑Tails was ripped out by Ban and immediately sealed within his own body!

Pain continuously swirled around Obito, while beside him Ban felt a false sense of "ultimate transcendence."

The immense power kept flowing into his body, constantly driving a mutation of his strength, and as this power rose, his hair gradually turned white.

Chakra resonated over him, and a white robe already covered his body!

When the final strand of Ten‑Tails power was drawn from Obito's body, Ban completed his transformation, now looking indistinguishable from an Ōtsutsuki.

"Congratulations, Lord Ban."

Hei Jue, standing nearby, looked somewhat startled, but he still forced himself to endure the pressure, lowered his head, and whispered.

"Also, congratulations on your return, Lord Ban."

"Hmm, yes, finally back at last."

Ban clenched his fist, feeling the ever‑boiling power within him, and gently nodded.

This feeling was truly exquisite, moving Ban beyond words.

But soon, his gaze rose again toward the near‑dead Obito, and he suddenly laughed; for some reason, that smile made Hei Jue's heart skip a beat.

"Now, it's your turn."