Inside Konoha's medical ward, pale green healing chakra flowed around them. Tsunade personally worked to restore the disrupted chakra pathways of Su Ye, Sasuke, and Naruto, beads of sweat gathering on her forehead. The three slumped on their beds, still dizzy from chakra depletion. Su Ye was in the worst shape: after forcibly activating the power of their fusion, his Rinne Sharingan was bloodshot.
"You three brats really don't care if you live or die." Tsunade set down the chakra tube, her voice reproachful but full of concern. "Chakra fusion goes against the fundamental rules of a ninja's constitution. If your bloodlines hadn't each contained the power of the Rinnegan, the Uchiha Fire Seed, and a Tailed Beast's source chakra, you would've exploded by now."
Sage Fukasaku squatted on the windowsill, smoke curling from his pipe. "Still, this fusion wasn't without its gains. That beam of light just now not only closed the spatial rift, but also purified the Void energy lingering around Konoha. I can feel that the spatial barrier of the Shinobi World has grown a little stronger because of it."
Su Ye rubbed his brow and held out the Prophecy Crystal for everyone to see. The leader of the Void Realm appeared in it once more. The dark golden rune on his fingertip was identical to the markings on the scroll in the Uchiha forbidden grounds. "The key is this rune. Sasuke, based on what you found in the forbidden grounds, can we confirm a connection between the Uchiha ancestors and the Void Realm?"
Sasuke nodded and took a yellowed ancient Uchiha text from inside his clothes. The golden Power of the Fire Seed flowed into the scroll, and the blurry writing gradually became clear. "The text says that the Uchiha ancestor 'Zhibo' once stumbled into the Void Realm. To return to the Shinobi World, he struck a deal with the Void Realm's first leader: he exchanged half the power of his bloodline for the ability to travel through space. Later, when Zhibo returned to the Shinobi World, he used that rune to create a seal and prevent creatures from the Void Realm from following him."
Naruto abruptly sat up, Nine-Tails Chakra spilling out without him realizing it. "So the leader of the Void Realm might have Uchiha blood?"
"And that's not all." Su Ye's Rinne Sharingan suddenly lit up, its pale purple glow falling over the ancient text. "Look here." A line of small characters appeared on the previously blank last page: "When bloodlines resonate, the seal releases itself; when the three colors unite, the gate to the realm reopens." Su Ye ran his finger over the words. "The 'three colors' must mean the power of the Rinnegan, the Power of the Fire Seed, and the power of the Tailed Beasts. Our chakra fusion just now must have weakened the seal."
Just then, the medical ward door burst open. Uchiha Obito appeared in the doorway, his expression more grave than they had ever seen. "Su Ye, Sasuke, come with me to the Uchiha ancestral grounds. The stele in the forbidden grounds suddenly lit up, and new writing appeared on it."
The three immediately got up and followed Obito to the Uchiha ancestral grounds. The place had long since lost its former prosperity. Among the broken walls and rubble, only the stele in the forbidden grounds gave off a faint golden glow. The new runes on it echoed those in the Prophecy Crystal, forming a faint spatial ripple.
Sasuke stepped forward and channeled the Power of the Fire Seed into the stele. It shook violently, and the runes gathered in the air to form a three-dimensional image. In it, a man dressed in a black robe was fighting creatures from the Void Realm. His eyes were both Mangekyō Sharingan and marked with the pattern of the Rinnegan.
"This is..." Su Ye's pupils contracted.
"It's Zhibo," Obito said hoarsely. "The first head of the Uchiha Clan." The image continued. Zhibo embedded a rune into empty space, and the entrance to the Void Realm gradually closed. But just then, his body began to turn transparent, half of it swallowed by Void power. "If my descendants face a threat from the Void Realm, they must use the resonance of three-colored chakra to awaken the stele's protective power. Remember: don't let the leader of the Void Realm obtain the complete Uchiha bloodline."
The image faded, and the runes on the stele became a golden stream of light that entered Sasuke's body. Sasuke grunted as his Mangekyō Sharingan resonated with the golden Power of the Fire Seed. A pattern identical to Zhibo's appeared in his eyes.
"It looks like Sasuke is the key to awakening the protective power," Su Ye said.
Obito nodded and took a black Mangekyō Sharingan from inside his clothes. "This is Shisui's eye. On the night of the massacre, I took it from Root. When the stele lit up just now, this eye resonated with it too. Maybe we can use Shisui's eye to learn more about the Void Realm leader's plans."
Su Ye took Shisui's eye and activated his Rinne Sharingan. Pale purple chakra flowed into the eye, bringing forth a blurry fragment of memory. Shisui was in a Root laboratory, being threatened by a man in a dark golden robe. The man wore a Uchiha mask. "Just hand over the Void power inside you, and I'll spare the Uchiha Clan." Shisui sneered. "You think I'd believe your lies?" The man raised his hand and sent a wisp of black mist into Shisui's body. "Then don't blame me for taking it by force."
The memory faded, and Su Ye's expression grew grave. "The leader of the Void Realm not only took part in the massacre all those years ago, but also extracted Void power from Shisui. He might already possess part of the Uchiha bloodline."
Naruto clenched his fists, Nine-Tails Chakra surging. "I don't care who he is. If he dares hurt anyone from Konoha, I won't let him get away with it!"
Just then, a violent tremor came from outside Konoha. An Anbu Ninja hurried over. "Lord Su Ye, Lord Sasuke, a large number of spatial rifts have appeared on the Land of Lightning border. Countless Demon Eater Lords are attacking the allied forces' defensive line."
The four immediately headed for the Land of Lightning border. The sight that greeted them was alarming: the Raikage and Kumogakure's ninjas were fighting the Demon Eater Lords. Even Killer B's Eight-Tails Tailed Beast Bomb inflicted only minor damage on them.
"These Demon Eater Lords are stronger than the ones we faced before!" the Raikage roared. His Lightning Style: Lariat slammed into one, only to bounce off the dark golden scales covering its body.
Su Ye activated his Rinne Sharingan and analyzed the Demon Eater Lords' weaknesses. "Their scales contain Void power. Ordinary ninjutsu can't pierce them. Sasuke, try using your Power of the Fire Seed."
Sasuke nodded. A golden flaming sword took shape in his hand, and he slashed at a Demon Eater Lord's scales. Golden flames spread across them at once. The Demon Eater Lord let out a scream as its scales began to melt. "It works!"
Naruto immediately entered Nine-Tails Mode. Golden Tailed Beast Chakra gathered into a massive fist, which crashed into the Demon Eater Lord's wound. Its body was smashed to pieces, dissolving into a wisp of black mist.
"Let's coordinate our attacks!" Su Ye shouted. He used Samsara: Banshō Ten'in to pull a large number of Demon Eater Lords together. Sasuke's golden flaming sword, Naruto's Tailed Beast Bomb, the Raikage's Lightning Release, and Killer B's Eight-Tails Tailed Beast Bomb all struck the creatures at once.
But there were simply too many Demon Eater Lords. They poured out of the spatial rifts in wave after wave. Allied soldiers kept falling, and the Land of Lightning's defensive line was on the verge of collapse.
"This won't work," Obito said. "As long as the spatial rifts stay open, the Demon Eater Lords will keep coming. Su Ye, can you activate chakra fusion again?"
Su Ye shook his head. "The fusion just now pushed our bodies to their limits. We can't do it again so soon. Besides, there are too many spatial rifts this time. Even if we activate the power of fusion, we won't be able to close them all at once."
Just as everyone was falling into despair, the golden light inside Sasuke suddenly brightened. His Mangekyō Sharingan resonated with Shisui's eye, and a golden beam shot from it, striking the nearest spatial rift. The rift closed instantly. The Demon Eater Lords nearby lost their source of power and fell to the ground one after another.
"What is this...?" Sasuke stared at his eye in surprise.
A look of understanding flashed in Obito's eyes. "It's the protective power inside the stele. Sasuke, try channeling your power into Shisui's eye. You might be able to close all the spatial rifts through it."
Sasuke nodded and poured the Power of the Fire Seed into Shisui's eye. It shone brilliantly, and a vast golden barrier expanded outward from Sasuke. Everywhere it passed, the spatial rifts closed, and the Demon Eater Lords' bodies gradually turned transparent.
"We did it!" Naruto cheered.
But just then, a terrifying aura came from the direction of the Void Realm. A dark golden beam shot into the sky and formed a gigantic figure. The figure wore a Uchiha mask, and a crimson light gleamed in its eyes. "Uchiha brat, you think this will stop me?"
"The leader of the Void Realm!" Su Ye's pupils contracted.
The leader waved a hand, sending countless dark golden spatial blades flying toward them. Su Ye activated his Rinne Sharingan, and pale purple chakra formed a barrier. But the spatial blades were too powerful, and the barrier shattered instantly. Sasuke, Naruto, the Raikage, Killer B, and Obito attacked together. Golden flames, Tailed Beast Bombs, Lightning Release, the Eight-Tails Tailed Beast Bomb, and Kamui intertwined into a powerful web of attacks.
The web collided with the spatial blades with a loud bang. A massive shockwave sent everyone flying, blood spraying from their mouths. The leader slowly descended and landed before them. "All those years ago, Zhibo stole the power of space from me and sealed it away. Now I'll take back everything that belongs to me—and make the entire Shinobi World part of the Void Realm."
He raised his hand, sending a plume of black mist toward Sasuke. "Sasuke, the Uchiha bloodline inside you is the best match for my Void power. If you submit to me, I'll grant you eternal life."
Sasuke gave a cold snort, and his golden flaming sword took shape again. "If you want me to submit, you'll have to beat me first!"
A look of contempt flashed in the leader's eyes. "You insolent brat." He raised his hand, and dark golden chakra formed a giant claw that slammed toward Sasuke. Su Ye and Naruto immediately rushed to support him. The power of the Rinnegan and the power of the Tailed Beasts intertwined to form a barrier. The claw collided with it, and the entire Land of Lightning border shook violently.
Obito activated Kamui and transported the Raikage and Killer B to safety. "Su Ye, Sasuke, Naruto, keep the leader occupied. I'll go close the remaining spatial rifts."
The three nodded and unleashed their strongest attacks at once: Su Ye's Rinne: Chibaku Tensei, Sasuke's Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi, and Naruto's Nine-Tails: Tailed Beast Bomb. The leader sneered as dark golden chakra formed a shield. Their attacks struck it, making ripples spread across its surface, but leaving it completely unharmed.
"Your resistance is futile." The leader raised his hand, firing a dark golden beam at the three. At the last moment, Sage Fukasaku arrived with the toad army from Mount Myoboku. He formed Hand Seals. "Sage Art: Goemon!" Gamabunta, Gamaken, and Gamahiro simultaneously unleashed Fire Release, Water Release, and Wind Release. Their techniques intertwined into a massive attack that collided with the dark golden beam.
"Boom!" A violent explosion engulfed the entire Land of Lightning border in smoke and dust. When the dust cleared, the leader was gone. Only a dark golden rune remained, flickering in the air. "Next time we meet, I'll take Sasuke's bloodline with my own hands."
The rune faded, and everyone let out a sigh of relief. Su Ye looked at the dark golden chakra left on the ground, wariness flashing in his eyes. "He hasn't left. He's just hidden his presence. We need to strengthen the allied forces' defenses as soon as possible, and dig deeper into the secrets of the Uchiha ancestral grounds."
The Raikage nodded. "Kumogakure will give its full support. I've already ordered more Lightning Release barriers to be set up along the borders of every nation. If any spatial rifts appear, we'll sound the alarm immediately."
Killer B patted Naruto on the shoulder. "The Tailed Beasts will be ready to help at any time, too. Next time that guy shows up, we'll beat him for sure."
Obito looked at Shisui's eye in Sasuke's hand. "The stele in the Uchiha ancestral grounds may hide more secrets. Sasuke, the protective power inside you could be the key to fighting the leader of the Void Realm. We need to study the stele further and awaken more of its protective power."
Sasuke nodded. "I'll return to the Uchiha ancestral grounds as soon as possible. But first, we need to unite the allied forces. The next time the leader of the Void Realm attacks, he'll probably bring even greater power."
Su Ye clenched his fist, determination shining in his Rinne Sharingan. "No matter how much power he brings, we won't back down. We'll protect the peace of the Shinobi World."
In the days that followed, the allied forces began making intensive preparations. Su Ye led space-time ninjutsu experts in setting up more spatial anchors along the borders of every nation. Sasuke returned to the Uchiha ancestral grounds to study the protective power within the stele. Naruto patrolled the allied forces' various defensive positions with the Tailed Beasts, learning to coordinate with them. The Raikage and Killer B trained the allied soldiers and improved their combat skills, while Obito used Kamui to gather intelligence on the Void Realm.
A battle that would determine the fate of the Shinobi World was quietly taking shape. And Su Ye, Sasuke, and Naruto were about to face off against the leader of the Void Realm in their final showdown.
Before you continue