534 Naruto the Flame-Flame Fruit

Izanāgi— the perfect ocular technique developed by the Uchiha clan. By sacrificing a Sharingan, it rewrites reality itself. Once activated, even a "death" reality can be overwritten. The ultimate ninjutsu— or rather, the ultimate genjutsu capable of altering reality.

The Uchiha clan once used this technique to reverse the tide of battle, turning someone's death into a mere dream and bringing them back to life.

Kiyosuke understood this well, so he had Madara use Izanāgi on him, repairing the reality in which he would have died from opening the Gate of Death, converting it into a dream instead. The cost was only a single Rinnegan under Edo Tensei— something Madara didn't care about at all.

But to Isshiki, this technique was fatal.

He had barely survived Kiyosuke's full-force strike, only to realize the opponent wasn't actually dead.

"You… a forbidden Uchiha technique?"

Even with his right eye and brain pierced through, Isshiki didn't die instantly. He refused to accept this outcome.

"That's right— a forbidden Uchiha technique: Izanāgi. Truly a useful jutsu. Though Danzo treating it as a substitute technique back then… a complete waste."

Kiyosuke was speechless at how Danzo had used such a divine technique like a D-rank escape trick.

"Damn you, Uchiha Madara! You're actually helping him?!"

Madara crossed his arms.

"I can't stand the Ōtsutsuki."

To be honest, he quite admired Kiyosuke— the kid was just not normal. His thought process was outrageous and nowhere aligned with his own, but when it came to major decisions, Madara still knew exactly what should be done.

The God Tree could not be planted. It would doom the world.

They had nearly caused a catastrophe once. They would not repeat that mistake.

Kiyosuke twisted Isshiki's head off, blood spraying across him. He stored the Ōtsutsuki's body away and continued,

"Kara must be wiped out. There are still Koji Kashin, Amado, Code, and Boro left. I'll deal with them."

"I'll go with you."

Sasuke stepped forward. Hashirama said,

"We'll leave the rest to you two. Madara, let's head back to Konoha and see what it's become. Then we should return to the Pure Land."

So many years had passed, and Kiyosuke still wouldn't let him or Madara rest.

"You both know the Edo Tensei release seal anyway— just undo it yourselves."

Kiyosuke opened a spatial tunnel.

"You can reach Konoha from here. Naruto, go with them. I'll go with Sasuke."

"Oh— okay. Kiyosuke-san, be careful."

Naruto left with Hashirama and the others.

Kiyosuke suddenly collapsed onto his butt, panting heavily. Sasuke hurried to him and noticed fine wrinkles at the corners of his eyes— his twenty-something appearance shifting toward what a man in his forties should look like.

"I burned through too much chakra… I'm exhausted. My body can't keep up anymore."

Even though Madara prevented him from dying after opening the Gate of Death, the Eight Gates' toll on the body remained. His entire body screamed in pain. He'd just been holding himself together. Madara noticed— but didn't say anything.

Sasuke said nothing, simply stood beside him. As Kiyosuke breathed, his chakra slowly recovered. He stood up.

"Let's go. This time we wipe out Kara entirely. Naruto's too soft— he hesitates with things like this, ends up locking them up instead of finishing them. I won't let them live."

"I understand."

Sasuke nodded. They opened a space vortex and stepped through.

They arrived in a special dimension.

"This place matches the spatial coordinates I found on that airship earlier. It should be Kara's main base," Sasuke said.

"I can sense a massive amount of chakra."

Kiyosuke spoke as they approached a high platform. Five stone tablets towered above them, etched with strange markings. One tablet had been destroyed.

While Sasuke investigated the tablets, Kiyosuke approached an entrance and discovered a Ten-Tails restrained below— impaled by black rods and unable to move.

"I see. A Ten-Tails… Isshiki's."

"Hey, old man— are you an intruder?"

A young man's voice came from behind. Kiyosuke turned around.

A red-brown-haired boy stood there, smiling cheerfully.

One of Kara's members— Code.

"An intruder? Not really. I'm just an innocent passerby who ended up here by accident."

Kiyosuke smiled, but his guard was high. Code had appeared behind him without a sound— not simple at all.

Even Jigen couldn't do that.

"Innocent passerby? Sorry, but could you please go die?"

Code's arm morphed into a sharp claw and plunged toward Kiyosuke's chest.

"Huh?"

Code blinked— there was no sensation of hitting flesh. Kiyosuke had caught his arm.

"Good strength. But your combat experience is lacking. Also— do I really look like an old man to you?"

Code wasn't anxious. He laughed.

"You definitely look like one. Jigen said anyone who comes here must die."

He would flawlessly carry out Jigen's orders. This guy must not be allowed to live.

Boom!

Their battle erupted. Code's taijutsu shocked Kiyosuke— his speed matched, even surpassed his own.

Hey— seriously? He is that strong?

The clash quickly drew Sasuke's attention. Kiyosuke leaped beside him.

"Below us is a Ten-Tails. He's really strong— his body must've been modified. Seriously, why are there so many cyborgs?"

He sighed helplessly— then attacked Sasuke.

In an instant, Sasuke swapped himself with Code. In the next instant, Kiyosuke's hand pierced Code's chest.

Code hadn't even processed what happened. He coughed blood, gripping Kiyosuke's arm tightly.

"How… impossible…?!"

"I told you— your combat experience is far too shallow."

Flames erupted inside Code's organs and veins. He screamed in agony, struggling desperately— but it was useless.

He possessed power surpassing Jigen's, yet was killed because Kiyosuke and Sasuke exploited his lack of battle experience.

Flames consumed him, reducing him to charred ash.

"All right. Next is the Ten-Tails."

"How will you handle it?"

"Can't kill it— but I need chakra."

He extended his hand. Kāma activated. Vast chakra was ripped from the Ten-Tails despite its resistance. As the chakra surged into him, Kiyosuke restored himself to peak condition— and even stored a large amount into the Yin Seal.

"Much better. Let's continue."