"Heh... Hahahahaha!"
A mocking laugh interrupted their argument.
Mahito clapped his hands as though he had just watched an entertaining farce.
"What a touching display of friendship." He drew out the words, making no attempt to hide the malice in his voice. "But are you two done arguing yet?"
His malicious gaze fell on Naruto like an icy spike, making him shiver despite himself.
"As agreed, those little pests have had plenty of time to leave." Mahito took a leisurely step forward, an oppressive aura radiating from him.
"Now, how about handing over what belongs to me?"
Naruto and Sasuke reached an understanding almost instantly. One glance was enough. Their long training told each of them what the other intended:
Feign an attack, then split up and jump into the sea. They could use the complex underwater terrain to escape!
But just as their leg muscles tensed and their Chakra was about to erupt—
"Heh! Planning to escape into the water?" A cruel smile spread across Mahito's face. "How naive! Did you think I was just watching you argue?"
Behind his back, his hands had already formed an extraordinarily complex seal.
"Domain Expansion: Self-Embodiment of Perfection!"
In an instant, with Mahito at its center, the colors and rules of the entire world were rewritten!
The natural sea mist vanished beneath a deeper darkness.
The bridge, its railings, the sky, and the sea—all of it disappeared. In their place was a bizarre space that made their souls tremble.
Naruto and Sasuke found themselves trapped somewhere beyond comprehension.
Solid bridge decking no longer lay beneath their feet, only a void of darkness. Countless enormous, twisted structures floated around them, resembling both the folds of a brain and withered tree trunks. They writhed slowly, radiating despair.
Worst of all, countless pale, twisted arms