A crisp cracking sound echoed through the cave.
The once smooth, white sphere now bore an almost imperceptible crack on its surface.
In the next moment, the fissures deepened and multiplied, spreading across the sphere like a dense spiderweb. Soon, the outer shell began to peel away, gradually revealing the figure within—Uchiha Mirai.
Compared to before, his transformation was striking.
A powerful, ancient force radiated from his body, exuding an aura of stability and overwhelming strength.
His jet-black hair had turned a brilliant silver-white, and his skin had become even fairer. The traditional Uchiha clan attire he once wore had vanished, replaced by a flowing white haori.
The collar and back of the haori were adorned with nine black tomoe, a design that complemented the soft purple glow emanating from his Rinnegan. His very presence felt both sacred and commanding.
"So this... is the power of the Six Paths?"
Clenching his fist, Mirai murmured to himself, feeling the surging power coursing through his body.
The metamorphosis of his very existence had elevated his strength to an entirely new level.
Before, he had been strong—undoubtedly so—but he had still remained within the realm of humanity.
Now, he felt like a god.
Omnipotent.
With a single step forward, nine pitch-black Truth-Seeking Orbs materialized behind him, hovering in perfect formation.
A mere thought was enough to shape them into any form he desired.
Mirai willed one of the orbs into a long, jet-black blade and swung it effortlessly.
[Boom!]
The entire mountain trembled violently, and everything in the path of the Truth-Seeking Orb's slash was reduced to dust.
Gazing at the mountain now cleaved in half, Mirai reverted the blade back into the nine orbs, allowing them to float behind him once more.
"The Yin-Yang Release that can erase everything into nothingness..."
"So this is the mark of someone who has ascended to the Six Paths!"
A faint, exhilarated smile tugged at his lips.
Truth-Seeking Orbs, the ultimate product of Yin-Yang Release, were unparalleled in both offense and defense. In terms of defense, no attack—except for those imbued with senjutsu—could even scratch them. In offense, they possessed the terrifying ability to erase anything they touched, a power surpassing even Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta.
Not only could they obliterate an opponent's body, but even their very soul would be damaged in the process.
This was why even reanimated shinobi, brought back by Edo Tensei, could not regenerate if struck by a Truth-Seeking Orb.
For the attack did not merely destroy the body—it erased existence itself.
After taking a moment to familiarize himself with his newfound strength, Mirai waved his hand.
"Water Mirror Technique!"
A reflective surface of water appeared before him.
Observing his own reflection, Mirai quietly let out a sigh of relief.
Though his skin had grown fairer and his hair had turned silver-white, he had not developed the characteristic "horns" of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
With a touch of self-appreciation, Mirai then ascended into the sky and shot toward Iwagakure.
He had unfinished business to attend to.
—
Land of Earth.
Iwagakure.
In a solemn cemetery, Kitsuchi knelt alongside a gathering of Iwa shinobi.
Rows of stone markers stood in front of them, each engraved with the names of fallen warriors.
This was Iwagakure's Hero Memorial.
Every shinobi who had sacrificed their life to protect the village was laid to rest here.
Among the newest markers, the name of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, was etched prominently.
"Kitsuchi-sama, with the Tsuchikage gone, what do we do now?"
"That bastard Mirai killed the Tsuchikage and so many of our comrades! We can't let this go unpunished!"
"That's right! Even if it costs us our lives, we must avenge them!"
Hearing the impassioned voices behind him, Kitsuchi clenched his fists and turned sharply.
His bloodshot eyes carried a weight of authority, his towering frame exuding an undeniable presence.
"Silence! Uchiha Mirai is not someone we can defeat."
"Did you not see the chasm before our village? Continuing to resist will only lead to pointless deaths."
"What we must do... is beg for Uchiha Mirai's forgiveness."
Having faced Mirai firsthand in battle, Kitsuchi had abandoned any delusions of victory.
Instead, a singular thought had taken root in his mind—
Under the rule of a being as powerful as Uchiha Mirai, perhaps the shinobi world could finally know true peace.
The gathered Iwa shinobi stood frozen in shock at his words.
They could hardly believe what they had just heard.
Beg for Uchiha Mirai's forgiveness?
Was this some kind of sick joke?
A group of about thirty elite shinobi—each of them a Jōnin—rose to their feet, their expressions twisting into sneers.
"Kitsuchi, it seems fear has broken you."
"Groveling before the man who killed the Tsuchikage and our comrades? We could never stoop so low."
"You're no match for the Third Tsuchikage. You have no place in this village anymore."
"Leave. Go run to Konohagakure and cower at Mirai's feet. But don't think for a second we'll stop fighting."
Glaring at the defiant shinobi before him, Kitsuchi ground his teeth.
These weren't just ordinary foot soldiers—they were Iwagakure's finest. Jōnin, all of them. And now, they were openly rebelling.
They wanted to seize power.
Realizing their intentions, Kitsuchi suppressed his anger and spoke in a cold voice.
"Fine. I don't need to be Tsuchikage. But under no circumstances should we provoke Uchiha Mirai any further."
"Impossible." The leading shinobi immediately rejected the idea.
If they conceded as Kitsuchi suggested, they would have no justification for taking over the village's leadership.
They needed the banner of vengeance to justify their claim to power.
As for Uchiha Mirai?
That man had disappeared after the last battle. He had to be wounded, possibly even fatally.
Iwagakure still had thousands of shinobi. If they united, what could one man possibly do?
At that moment, a pitch-black portal suddenly appeared in the cemetery.
Stepping through it, clad in his white haori and wielding a silver staff, Uchiha Mirai arrived.
"Kitsuchi. Where is Ōnoki?"
Before Kitsuchi could respond, the rebel shinobi's faces twisted with rage.
"Uchiha Mirai! You dare show yourself here? You won't escape this time!"
Their voices had barely fallen when the Truth-Seeking Orbs behind Mirai shot forward, transforming into razor-sharp blades that pierced through their throats.
The thirty Jōnin clutched at their necks in disbelief as their lives swiftly faded away.
Kitsuchi's eyes widened in shock.
Just now…
What had even happened?!
----------------
I have a new fanfic about a transmigrator reborn as Yagura Karatachi from Kirigakure. It's quite unique in terms of setting, so I highly recommend checking it out! The title is Naruto: Reborn as Yagura Karatachi, or you can find it through my Webnovel profile.
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