Chapter 364: The Centipede's Demise, the Time of Parting Arrives
As the Six Paths Susanoo Collapse Orb was blasted outward by Uchiha Akira, the very air along its trajectory was instantly sucked dry. A visible vacuum tunnel tore through the atmosphere, shrieking with displaced pressure as it carved a path of absolute destruction.
Mukade's colossal puppet body was still thrashing, his mechanical jaws roaring furiously as he desperately attempted to siphon the ambient power of the Dragon Vein to forge a defensive shield.
He was too late. The Collapse Orb had already arrived.
A terrifying, unnatural suction force erupted from the dark sphere. The surrounding matter—shattered stone, twisted metal, and even the ethereal purple chakra of the Dragon Vein coursing through Mukade's artificial veins—was violently wrenched backward, spiraling into the gravitational anomaly.
"What is this?!" Mukade shrieked, his voice distorting as his wooden chassis splintered under the crushing pressure. "I am a god! I am immortal!"
The giant puppet desperately stretched out its sole remaining arm, the mechanical claws scraping against the bedrock in a futile bid to anchor itself against the pull.
It was entirely in vain.
A violent implosion collapsed inward, followed immediately by a blinding, silent flash of pure destructive light. When the harsh glare faded, the arrogant giant puppet, along with Mukade himself, had been completely erased from the world. Not even ash remained.
"Is it... over?" a trembling voice whispered from the huddled masses.
For a heartbeat, there was only the sound of settling dust and howling wind. Then, a deafening cheer erupted, crashing over the ruins like a tidal wave.
"We're saved!"
"That monster is dead! He's really dead!"
"We're finally free!"
The tattered, starving citizens of Roran threw their arms around one another. They collapsed to their knees in the rubble, weeping openly, the sheer, overwhelming joy of survival shattering whatever composure they had left.
Standing atop a jagged outcropping of ruined masonry, Sara watched her people. Tears carved clean tracks down her soot-stained cheeks. Roran was a graveyard of shattered towers and broken streets, but her people were breathing. As long as they survived, the city could be rebuilt.
Wiping her face with the back of her sleeve, the red-haired queen hurried over to Uchiha Akira. She dropped into a deep, trembling bow.
"Uchiha... sir," Sara began, her voice thick with unshed tears, yet ringing with absolute gratitude. "Thank you. If it weren't for you, Roran would truly be finished."
Akira stared down at the bowing girl. His dark eyes were cold, calculating, completely unmoved by the emotional display.
"There is no need for thanks," Akira stated, his voice flat and commanding. "I told you before. Since the matter is concluded, then..."
He took a slow, deliberate step forward, his imposing shadow falling over the young queen.
"It is time to fulfill your promise."
Sara froze. She slowly raised her head, her tear-filled eyes blinking in bewilderment. "Pro... promise?"
"The Dragon Vein," Akira said, his tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation. "And these people of Roran."
All the color drained from Sara's face. She had desperately hoped that his previous demands were merely casual remarks, or perhaps a standard shinobi tactic to ensure Roran's political submission. But meeting his dark, unyielding gaze, the chilling reality set in. He meant every single word.
"Teacher!"
Heavenly Might Naruto jogged over, scratching the back of his blonde head with a sheepish grin. "Isn't that a bit too direct? They just barely escaped getting squashed. At least let them catch their breath for a minute."
Akira didn't speak. He simply shifted his gaze, leveling a single, freezing glare at his subordinate.
Heavenly Might Naruto's grin vanished instantly. His jaw snapped shut, and he quickly shuffled two steps to the side, standing at strict attention. He didn't dare utter another syllable.
A short distance away, the canon Uzumaki Naruto was waving his arms frantically, shouting at Minato Namikaze.
"Dad! Look at that guy!" Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Akira. "Even though he saved everyone, his attitude is totally infuriating! Who acts like that after saving a whole city?!"
Minato offered a wry, helpless smile, gently placing a hand on his son's shoulder to calm him down. "Naruto, that Uchiha's way of doing things... is quite unique."
The Fourth Hokage looked past his son, his blue eyes studying Akira with a mixture of awe and deep caution. He shook his head slightly. If Uchiha Akira truly decided to force the issue, every single shinobi and civilian present combined wouldn't be enough to make him break a sweat.
"Enough," Akira commanded, cutting through the ambient whispers of the crowd. He didn't even glance at the Konoha shinobi. His focus remained locked on Sara.
"You have exactly half an hour to prepare your people. When that time is up, I am taking everything."
Without waiting for her response, Akira turned on his heel and walked toward a quiet section of the ruins. He crossed his arms, closed his eyes, and began to rest.
His mind worked rapidly. The survivors of Roran, combined with the staggering, near-infinite chakra of the Dragon Vein—once he fully absorbed all of it into the Tianyu Dimension, his personal spatial domain would undergo a massive, qualitative evolution. This was the true prize of his temporal journey.
The allotted thirty minutes slipped by in a blink.
During this brief respite, the two Narutos had formed a surprisingly harmonious dynamic. Despite their initial bickering and constant verbal jabs, the unspoken, intrinsic understanding born from sharing the exact same origin allowed them to click instantly.
"Hey, Dead Last," Heavenly Might Naruto said, slinging an arm casually over the canon Naruto's shoulder. He spoke with the weary, seasoned tone of a veteran imparting wisdom to a rookie. "When you get back to your own time, spend more effort practicing your Rasengan variations. Don't just charge in headfirst like an idiot all day."
He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "And give up on violent girls like Sakura. Seriously, man. Guys like us? We deserve way better."
Uzumaki Naruto blinked, his face scrunching up in utter confusion. "What the heck are you talking about? And who are you calling a violent girl?! Sakura-chan is... she's just lively!"
Heavenly Might Naruto stared at his naive counterpart for a long, pitying moment before letting out a heavy sigh. "He's completely beyond saving."
He patted the younger-looking Naruto on the back. "Whatever. Just remember this: if you want to get stronger, start using your brain more in a fight."
Though Uzumaki Naruto was still thoroughly bewildered by the romantic advice, the sheer, uncharacteristic seriousness in his alternate self's blue eyes made him pause. He subconsciously nodded.
"Got it... but man, you sound like a nagging old woman."
Just then, the soft crunch of footsteps announced Minato's arrival.
The blonde Hokage's expression was complex. He stood in silence for a long moment, his gentle gaze lingering on the two identical, yet vastly different boys. Finally, his eyes settled warmly on his true son.
"Naruto," Minato said, his voice soft and carrying a heavy, unspoken weight. "It's time to part ways. You and Captain Yamato need to return to your own era."
Uzumaki Naruto froze. The vibrant energy that had just animated his face vanished, replaced by a sudden, crushing dread.
"Are we... leaving already?"
Their time together had been agonizingly short, almost entirely consumed by life-or-death combat. Yet, the deep, blood-deep bond they shared made the thought of walking away physically painful. This was his father. His real, living, breathing father, standing right in front of him.
"Can we..." Naruto lowered his head, his sandals scuffing nervously against the cracked stone. His voice cracked. "Can we just stay a little longer?"
Minato's heart ached. He slowly squatted down until he was perfectly eye-level with his son. Reaching out, he gently adjusted the slightly crooked Konoha forehead protector resting on Naruto's brow.
"I'm sorry, Naruto," Minato murmured gently. "Time has strict rules. If you don't go back now, it will cause even greater chaos for the future."
Naruto's bright blue eyes instantly glassed over. He sniffled loudly, his jaw trembling as he fought a losing battle to keep the tears from spilling over his whisker-marked cheeks.
"Then..." Naruto choked out, "Then when I go back... will I still be able to see you?"
A few paces away, Yamato lowered his head and let out a quiet, mournful sigh. The Minato of this timeline was alive and well, but in their era... the Fourth Hokage was nothing more than a face carved into a mountain.
Minato's outstretched hand trembled for a fraction of a second. But he didn't let it show. The sunny, reassuring smile on his face remained as warm and brilliant as ever.
"Of course," Minato said softly. "As long as you remember me, I will always be here." He gently pressed his index finger against the center of Naruto's chest, right over his heart. "In here."
Minato paused, his gaze shifting briefly toward Heavenly Might Naruto, and then toward the resting figure of Uchiha Akira.
"And also..." Minato added, his smile turning slightly mysterious. "In some possibility of the future."
With that, Minato stood up and clapped his hands together, forcing a lighthearted, energetic tone. "Alright! A real man doesn't cry. Get ready to go!"
He turned toward the center of the plaza. His hands blurred through a rapid sequence of hand seals.
"Dragon Vein Seal: Reverse Release!"
A massive, blinding pillar of pure blue light erupted from the center of the ruins, piercing the sky.
"Naruto, hurry and get in!" Yamato urged, stepping toward the temporal gateway.
Uzumaki Naruto dragged his feet, looking back over his shoulder with every single step. Finally, as he stood at the very edge of the glowing pillar, he spun around. He planted his feet, raised his fist, and shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing across the ruined city.
"I will definitely become a Hokage who surpasses you! Absolutely!"
Minato beamed, raising a hand to give his son his iconic, confident thumbs-up. "I believe in you, Naruto."
Naruto wiped his eyes, flashing a watery grin, and turned to step into the light alongside Yamato.
But in that split second, a yellow flash flickered.
Minato's figure materialized directly behind them. His hands had already formed a final, desperate seal.
"To avoid affecting the course of history..." Minato whispered, his voice thick with sorrow. "I'm sorry."
"Memory Erasing Seal: Release!"
Minato's glowing fingertips gently tapped the backs of both Naruto's and Yamato's heads. Instantly, the clarity in their eyes shattered, replaced by a vacant, hazy daze.
Before either could utter a sound, the brilliant light of the Dragon Vein swallowed everything, and their figures vanished entirely into the temporal stream.
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