Chapter 76: Power Beyond the Ninja World

The Earth Release: Planet Smash sealing technique is different—it’s a skill with considerable duration; at the very least, if Naruto Nagato truly spared no cost, he could sustain it for five minutes.

Even when facing Naruto Uzumaki in the future, when Naruto unleashed the Nine-Tails and burst straight out of the Earth Release: Planet Smash, the duration of that process, while perhaps not reaching five minutes, came terrifyingly close to its limit.

At that time, Naruto Nagato was already at his last gasp, having manipulated the Six Paths Puppet to fight the entire Hidden Leaf Village alone.

Now it’s different—he has only one Deva Path Pain, and the enemy is only Luo Fu; the Earth Release: Planet Smash’s duration will likely be even longer, possibly exceeding five minutes.

If Naruto Nagato truly sustains the Earth Release: Planet Smash beyond five minutes, Luo Fu will be in grave trouble.

He himself might survive by sacrificing everything to activate the newly imprinted Izanagi, escaping the seal of the Earth Release: Planet Smash.

But he cannot protect Ye Cang and Konan.

Just as Luo Fu silently prayed that the Deva Path Pain’s Earth Release: Planet Smash would not exceed his Kamui intangibility duration—

A soft moan came from his side.

The unconscious Konan had, within this brief time, completed her bloodline transformation.

After regaining consciousness, before Konan could even comprehend what unimaginable changes had occurred from ingesting Luo Fu’s blood, she was instantly drawn to the Earth Release: Planet Smash created by Naruto Nagato.

For within this short span, a colossal celestial body had formed in the sky, blotting out the heavens, and this planet continued absorbing matter from the earth, growing ever larger.

“This is…” After glancing at Luo Fu and Ye Cang, Konan quickly spotted the grotesque face of the Deva Path Pain, still in the midst of casting the technique.

“Minato!” Her heart leapt with joy, but she immediately realized—Minato had already died earlier, pierced by Naruto Nagato’s kunai while saving her.

The Minato before her was merely a byproduct of Naruto Nagato’s completed Deva Path Puppet.

Thinking of Naruto Nagato’s current state, Konan panicked and shouted: “Nagato, stop! Your body can’t withstand this technique!”

Hearing Konan’s familiar voice, the Deva Path Pain’s movements abruptly halted.

“Konan? Itachi…”

With the chakra emanating from the Deva Path Pain gone, the massive celestial body above instantly plummeted toward the ground under gravity.

BOOM!!

At the instant the earth collided with the newly formed sphere, Luo Fu seized the opportunity and used Kamui-space teleportation to evade the epicenter of the impact.

The colossal collision shook the ground so violently that nearly half of the Land of Rain felt the tremors.

Luo Fu, having escaped via Kamui-space, did not return; instead, under Konan’s guidance, he and Ye Cang went directly to Naruto Nagato’s true body.

Seeing Naruto Nagato, his vitality shattered, weak and drenched in cold sweat, Konan urgently asked: “Nagato, how are Itachi?”

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me,” Naruto Nagato whispered. “Konan, how are Itachi?”

“I…” Only then did Konan realize in shock that she had merely ingested a few drops of Luo Fu’s blood, yet the changes within her body were utterly astonishing.

Not only had her chakra volume multiplied several times over, but more crucially, her chakra seemed to have shattered some mysterious, intangible barrier, becoming incredibly agile.

Konan even felt confident that she could now perform many ninjutsu without hand seals—just clapping her hands would suffice, especially since she had developed her own Paper Release secret technique.

Secret techniques typically require minimal hand seals.

For example, the Ino-Shika-Cho techniques mostly require only one seal to activate.

Konan’s Paper Release was even simpler—some techniques required no sealing process at all; now, with her chakra rendered agile, activating these secret techniques felt as effortless as a single thought.

“I… I’m what…?” Konan stared in disbelief at her own body, then instinctively turned to Luo Fu beside her: “What did Itachi do to me?”

Although Naruto Nagato had been worn down by his Rinnegan, his Uzumaki clan’s sensory ability—perhaps due to the Rinnegan itself—had become even sharper.

He too could sense just how extraordinary Konan’s transformation was.

The sudden surge of her chakra volume alone startled Naruto Nagato—Konan’s current chakra far exceeded even his own Uzumaki clan’s reserves.

After all, the Uzumaki clan was famed throughout the ninja world for their immense chakra.

“I merely offered Itachi a trivial bit of help!” Luo Fu evasively replied.

If only Konan were present here—or even if Naruto Nagato were added—Luo Fu wouldn’t mind explaining what had occurred after consuming his blood.

But the moment he arrived at Naruto Nagato’s hideout, Luo Fu realized just how deeply Uchiha Madara, Black Zetsu, and Uchiha Obito valued Naruto Nagato.

Clearly, on Naruto Nagato’s body, Luo Fu detected dozens of Spore Techniques—latent, unreleased, some even penetrating deep into his internal organs through the black rods piercing his back and reaching his vital organs.

In essence, despite Naruto Nagato possessing the Rinnegan, if Zetsu activated the spores, those dozens would instantly drain his chakra and transform into White Zetsu clones.

These spores had invaded Naruto Nagato’s body to such an extent that they could override his own will and manipulate his body entirely.

This was likely Uchiha Madara’s plan—to one day control Naruto Nagato’s body and forcibly use his Rinnegan’s Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect.

Though these spores had not yet been activated, and even Naruto Nagato himself remained unaware.

But Luo Fu knew these spores functioned like listening devices and cameras, faithfully transmitting everything Naruto Nagato experienced to Uchiha Obito and Black Zetsu.

Explaining to Konan the changes caused by absorbing his blood while Naruto Nagato was present would be tantamount to exposing all his secrets to the Otsutsuki clan.

Kaguya Otsutsuki, the goddess with power but little combat wisdom, was one thing.

But the real concern was the Sage of Six Paths—the old hidden one.

Even if Luo Fu hadn’t sensed it yet, he was certain the Sage of Six Paths was monitoring this place through some unknown means.

Black Zetsu and Uchiha Obito used these White Zetsu spores to observe every move Naruto Nagato made.

And the Sage of Six Paths could not possibly ignore the second Rinnegan in the ninja world—after Luo Fu himself.

Though before coming to the Land of Rain, Luo Fu had guessed Naruto Nagato’s condition was dire.

But he hadn’t expected him to be this broken.

Unfortunately, Luo Fu was barely capable of self-preservation—he could never foolishly expose his secrets before Naruto Nagato.

Whether it was these spores or the Sage of Six Paths’ unknown methods, revealing anything to Naruto Nagato meant letting the hidden figures behind the scenes know everything.

Thus, he could only give vague answers to Konan.

Both Naruto Nagato and Konan sensed Luo Fu’s insincerity.

But the one who had gained the benefit was Konan.

Though Luo Fu’s origins were mysterious and his intentions unknown, there was no denying that his killing of the Samehada Half-Sage had truly avenged the nearly annihilated Akatsuki.

With this debt, and since Konan and Naruto Nagato had not yet fully twisted and darkened into their future selves—willing to sacrifice anything for their ideals—the two who had grown up together hesitated briefly, then chose to drop further questioning.

“I don’t know what Itachi did to Konan, but her power has indeed grown immensely,” Naruto Nagato coughed, his voice weaker than before. “But if your goal is the Rinnegan, I’ll have no choice but to kill Itachi. I need the Rinnegan to fulfill Minato’s dream. If…”

He paused, casting a reluctant glance at Konan. “If Itachi can wait, after I die, I’ll give Itachi these eyes. But Itachi must promise me—Itachi’ll protect Konan!”

Before Konan could urgently object, Naruto Nagato continued: “Itachi’ve seen it—my body can no longer support the true power of the Rinnegan.”

“Nagato, no, it won’t happen!” Konan cried out desperately, then turned helplessly to Luo Fu, unaware that since absorbing his blood, she had begun, unconsciously, to trust him more and more.

This dependence was especially evident right after she awoke from her transformation.

Remember, Konan had directly brought Luo Fu and Ye Cang to Naruto Nagato’s side.

Aside from Black Zetsu and Uchiha Madara, Naruto Nagato had never truly met anyone else in person—even in the future Akatsuki.

Perhaps Naruto Nagato sensed this, which is why he proposed exchanging the Rinnegan for Luo Fu’s promise to protect Konan.

And Konan still didn’t understand the nature of her own transformation.

Upon hearing Naruto Nagato’s proposal, she immediately pleaded helplessly to Luo Fu: “If Itachi can make me undergo such a transformation, Itachi must have a way to save Nagato, right? Please, please, save him!”

“Konan!” Naruto Nagato’s expression darkened, sharply stopping her.

What sustained Naruto Nagato now wasn’t anything else—he didn’t even care much for his own body.

His only hope was to fulfill Minato’s wish before he died.

In a way, Minato had died by Naruto Nagato’s own hand—a profound psychological blow to both of them.

From that moment, they had both become abnormal.

Though it seemed Naruto Uzumaki later easily swayed Nagato with his words, even convincing him to sacrifice himself to revive the Hidden Leaf ninja,

It may not have been voluntary—it may have been Nagato’s last desperate choice.

Don’t forget, Minato’s ideal had once been drastically altered by Jiraiya; originally, Minato’s dream was far from naive—he never believed in the absurd notion that mutual understanding could bring peace.

Don’t forget, Minato’s ideal underwent a major shift because of Jiraiya; originally, Minato’s ideal was far from naive—he never believed the absurd notion that mutual understanding could bring peace.

After Minato’s death, Naruto Nagato reversed course, reviving Minato’s original ideal: using power to bring peace to the ninja world.

But when Naruto Nagato could no longer walk this path—his body and everything else had reached their limits—Naruto Uzumaki, the one who fully inherited Jiraiya’s naive ideal, appeared before him.

Naruto Uzumaki’s demeanor then resembled Minato, twisted by Jiraiya’s influence.

Perhaps this was why Naruto Nagato so easily surrendered to Naruto Uzumaki’s words, sacrificing himself and entrusting his dream to him.

He didn’t truly believe in Naruto Uzumaki—he believed in the overlap between Minato after his transformation and Naruto Uzumaki.

But Luo Fu clearly couldn’t let Naruto Nagato find such resonance.

Luo Fu’s nature didn’t align with Minato’s original state, nor with Jiraiya’s corrupted idealism.

That’s why Naruto Nagato had stipulated that only after fulfilling his ideal—and only if Luo Fu promised to protect Konan—would he give him the Rinnegan.

Naruto Nagato didn’t truly wish to recover, for he had always carried the guilt of killing Minato himself.

This guilt sustained him until the moment he entrusted his dream to Naruto Uzumaki.

He refused to be healed by Luo Fu—he wanted to endure his ravaged body as penance for killing his closest friend.

Only the constant weakness and pain of his body could ease his guilt.

Having stopped Konan from begging Luo Fu, Naruto Nagato spoke with solemn gravity: “I will continue to uphold the Akatsuki’s ideals. After I achieve peace in the ninja world, I will have Konan personally give Itachi these eyes.”

Though the Rinnegan was powerful, Luo Fu had no real desire for it.

After all, with his shared space, he would inevitably acquire countless powers beyond the ninja world’s limits.

More importantly, Luo Fu himself was confident he could awaken his own Rinnegan.

The Rinnegan isn’t like the three-tomoe Sharingan—it can’t be used as a resurrection item. Moreover, this Rinnegan, belonging to Uchiha Madara, already drew too much attention from the ninja world.

Plotting for this Rinnegan offered Luo Fu no real benefit, only drawbacks—it was an unwise move.

Luo Fu was not a man blinded by greed. Though Uchiha bloodline might influence him greatly, the cultivation methods provided by the Outsider Luo Fu allowed him to maintain his inner resolve against nearly all temptations.

“I have no intention of claiming your Rinnegan!” Luo Fu’s words were meant for Naruto Nagato—and also to inform Black Zetsu, Uchiha Obito, and the Sage of Six Paths, who were monitoring Naruto Nagato through spores and unknown means.

"I have no designs on your Rinnegan!" Luo Fu’s words were spoken to Naruto Nagato, but also served to inform Black Zetsu, Obito Uchiha, and the Sage of Six Paths—who had been secretly monitoring Naruto Nagato’s every move through spores and unknown means—of his intent.

Luo Fu glanced at Konan and said, “My goal has always been Konan.”

Naruto Nagato paused, as if suddenly realizing something, then glanced at Ye Cang beside Luo Fu and let out a bitter laugh: “Itachi really aren’t like a ninja at all—Itachi’re more like Jiraiya, except where Jiraiya only talks nonsense, Itachi’re far more direct.”

Mentioning Jiraiya, Naruto Nagato couldn’t help but recall the happy days they three had spent under Jiraiya’s tutelage.

Through their interactions with Jiraiya, Naruto Nagato, Minato, and Konan all knew clearly that Jiraiya was a lecherous coward—full of lust but lacking the courage to act.

In comparison, Luo Fu’s initiative was astonishing—he was the kind who actually acted on his desires.

While Luo Fu and Naruto Nagato were speaking,

in a hidden underground base in the Land of Grass,

Uchiha Obito, who had just replaced his Sharingan with a new three-tomoe one to serve as a consumable for the ultimate genjutsu, Izanagi, immediately heard the full conversation between Naruto Nagato and Luo Fu from the White Zetsu’s mouth.

Behind his spiral mask, Obito’s scarred face twisted in fury: “Damn it! This damned Luo Fu is utterly deserving of death—he already has Ye Cang from the Sand Village, and now he’s eyeing Konan too! I knew he was no good. Luckily, he didn’t go after Rin.”

Though inwardly resentful of Luo Fu’s enviable luck with women, Obito nonetheless breathed a deep sigh of relief.

After all, Luo Fu’s willingness to abandon the Rinnegan for a woman was truly beneath Obito’s contempt.

Yet even as he looked down on him, Obito also lowered his estimation of Luo Fu’s threat level.

Of course, this reduced threat level was merely Obito’s subjective judgment—it didn’t mean his hatred for Luo Fu had vanished.

Given his assessment that Luo Fu posed little threat to his plan, Obito could temporarily set aside revenge against Luo Fu for now.

But this temporary reprieve would inevitably end—the day he picked it back up.

When that day came depended entirely on how his plan progressed.

Ultimately, a man who would abandon the Rinnegan—a treasure beyond price—for a woman was not worth Obito’s attention.

Though Obito himself had been manipulated by Madara Uchiha over Hanako Rin, in his heart, his bond with Rin was true love, while Luo Fu was merely lustful.

A man who couldn’t even uphold the ninja three prohibitions—no alcohol, no luxury, no lust—even if he temporarily gained great power through his Uchiha bloodline’s Sharingan, would pose little obstacle to Obito’s plan.

In fact, Obito was confident that, when needed, he could exploit Luo Fu’s lustful weakness and turn him into a useful tool.

Not only Obito in the underground base, but also the Sage of Six Paths, within the Pure Land, upon hearing that Luo Fu had abandoned the Rinnegan for a woman, naturally dismissed him as no threat.

Even the Sage of Six Paths overlooked the oddity of Luo Fu’s chakra.

But this was understandable—Luo Fu, fully aware of his own condition, knew well that he and the Sage of Six Paths were destined enemies in the great Dao, with no possibility of peace.

But the Sage of Six Paths did not yet know this.

Though chakra dominated the ninja world, there were still many strange and unusual abilities beyond it.

Take Princess Shion, for example—she wielded natural energy and unique taijutsu, and due to the uniqueness of her power, she too lay outside the Sage of Six Paths’s control.

Clearly, the Sage of Six Paths assumed Luo Fu had stumbled upon some peculiar fortune and gained power independent of the chakra system.

It was no surprise he thought this—being the son of Kaguya Otsutsuki, the Sage of Six Paths and his brother knew perfectly well where chakra originated.

Its source was none other than the goddess Mō no Kami, Kaguya Otsutsuki, who planted the God Tree and consumed its fruit. To master another chakra system, another God Tree would have to appear.

And clearly, Luo Fu had no such conditions.

Not only the Sage of Six Paths, but even the Otsutsuki clan’s main family or the Otsutsuki God himself would never imagine that somewhere in the multiverse, a being like Luo Fu existed—someone who could share power, bloodline, and even memories through a special shared space.

Luo Fu deliberately showed interest in Konan, even pretending he’d abandon the Rinnegan for her, aiming to appear weak—or, like Zhang Chulan, to conceal his true strength by deliberately portraying himself as base and unworthy.

But who could have guessed that this very deception was itself a method for Luo Fu to strengthen himself?

Remember, though Luo Fu had no God Tree, his Uchiha bloodline fused with the Demon Slayer bloodline had undergone a mysterious transformation—Luo Fu himself had become a kind of unique God Tree.

He could not absorb natural energy and convert it into chakra.

But he could, through the method of a snake swallowing an elephant, increase the proportion of his chakra within this world, turn the tables, and usurp the throne.

Isn’t the Uchiha bloodline itself an incomplete remnant of the Otsutsuki clan?

Possessing this bloodline, Luo Fu was like a minor shareholder in Kaguya Otsutsuki’s lineage—he sought, while appearing weak, to quietly seize more equity.

Ultimately, to achieve absolute control.

Of course, when Luo Fu’s proportion of power reached a certain threshold, the Sage of Six Paths would inevitably notice—and that would be the moment Luo Fu stepped fully into the spotlight.

His true trump card was not chakra, but the system he forged by fusing the Demon Slayer lineage and his other selves from the shared space.

To Naruto Nagato’s nearly mocking remark, Luo Fu merely smiled slightly: “A man like me makes Itachi more willing to entrust Konan to me, doesn’t he?”

Naruto Nagato fell silent for a moment, sighing softly: “Itachi’re right. Compared to Minato and me, Konan might find true happiness by your side.”

(End of Chapter)