"Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei!"
Under the terrified gazes of two Otsutsuki members, all their abilities were sealed and their bodies were gradually pulled upwards. When they reached the edge of the barrier's upper limit, a giant sphere of rock floated in the center.
Naruto and Sasuke descended once more, recklessly continuing their assault on the other Otsutsuki members.
They did not choose to use "Six Paths: Chibaku Tensei" on Otsutsuki Shibai, as there were too many uncertain factors. If it failed or if Otsutsuki Shibai broke free, it would be a complete waste of time.
And now, time was what they lacked the most.
"Insects!"
Otsutsuki Shibai extended his palm towards the distant ninja forces, and a monstrous tornado mixed with lightning instantly appeared within the Time Barrier.
He only feared the River of Time; he was not trapped within the Time Barrier. His strength was not diminished in the slightest. In fact, by devouring several Otsutsuki, he had reached the pinnacle of power in this universe.
*Squelch!*
Without a sound, ninja after ninja was swallowed and torn apart by the tornado. Blooms of blood erupted within the Time Barrier. Facing Otsutsuki Shibai, ordinary ninja had no resistance, dying in large numbers with a single move.
*Buzz!*
The power of time reappeared, pausing the lightning tornado, and the fallen ninja showed signs of revival. However, this was interrupted by a roar.
"Don't waste chakra, this is what they left for you!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed his tears. Most of the dead were Leaf ninja, his old subordinates. But he knew that the person who couldn't afford to waste chakra the most right now was Lin Yu. Only if he held on could they hope to win.
On the other side, Ay and Onoki understood this principle, but only Hiruzen Sarutobi was qualified to say it.
Lin Yu sighed softly, dispelled the power of time, and focused all his energy on Otsutsuki Shibai again, preventing him from being able to divert too much attention to attacking.
The old Sarutobi was right. Only he could currently restrain Shibai, or rather, only the River of Time posed a threat to Shibai.
Where many ninja had died, specks of light merged into the Time Barrier, making it more secure. This was their final gift.
Otsutsuki Shibai, seeing more power of time surging towards him, let out a cold snort from his star-strewn, ethereal face. He immediately changed his strategy and reached for an Otsutsuki executive member nearby.
"Still trying this trick? Do you think I'm blind?"
The power of time permeated, and Shibai's outstretched giant hand retracted as if time were flowing backward. But Shibai did not seem surprised. A booming voice echoed in the ears of every Otsutsuki member: "Merge with me, and you will all become Otsutsuki gods!"
Some Otsutsuki executives looked troubled. Although the Otsutsuki clan had a strict hierarchy, they were all beings with the potential to become gods. Perhaps in thousands or tens of thousands of years, they too would be on the same level as Otsutsuki Shibai.
However, some ordinary Otsutsuki did not think this way. In their implanted minds, being able to merge into a part of an executive was an honor.
To merge with an Otsutsuki god was an opportunity that came once in ten thousand years. Immediately, several Otsutsuki members abandoned their opponents and quickly gravitated towards Shibai.
"Are these people idiots?"
Lin Yu thought of Otsutsuki Kinshiki and inwardly cursed. He immediately extended the power of time, but it was too late. An Otsutsuki member was devoured by Shibai, and his aura increased again. With a punch, he repelled the surrounding temporal energy, causing the Lin Yu outside to retreat a few steps, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.
Chakra was still not enough, or rather, the power gap had widened.
After devouring six Otsutsuki members, an incredibly intimidating aura erupted from Shibai, like an invisible wave of energy that blew away the ninjas within the Time Barrier. With a stomp, he shattered the temporal energy in front of him and arrived before an executive, extending his palm towards him.
"No, you can't do this, you can't!"
"Ah!!!"
Otsutsuki Shibai ignored the executive's pleading expression and coldly devoured him. It wasn't just humans; in his eyes, these Otsutsuki were also inferior beings, merely food for him.
The ninja world's forces were blown away, and the Time Barrier consequently became fragmented. Everything seemed to have reached an irreversible point.
Lin Yu's hair was disheveled, his head bowed, constantly thinking, but everything he could think of was rejected.
What... what else had he overlooked?
Lin Yu was almost possessed, his eyes bloodshot.
Suddenly, a pair of warm, soft hands wrapped around his neck, and her fair forehead touched his. Kushina said gently, "I don't want to see you like this, Lin Yu."
"Kushina, I'm sorry, I..."
"Hey, brat, do you think this ninja world belongs to you alone? That you have to bear all the responsibility? Don't be ridiculous!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, Ay, Onoki, and Mei Terumi stood at the forefront of the crowd.
Minato Namikaze turned back with a sunny smile: "This ninja world is not protected by Senior Lin Yu alone."
Onoki said, "As Kage, we must forge ahead."
Danzou silently took two steps forward, standing beside Hiruzen Sarutobi. He looked deeply at his old comrade. A black sealing pattern was visible on his garment, blown open by the wind – it was the Reaper Death Seal.
"Kid Onoki, by seniority, you're not the oldest here."
Madara Uchiha pushed aside Onoki, passing him by, and stood at the front with Hashirama Senju.
"Hashirama, if you're scared, you can hide behind me later."
"Madara, perhaps after this, we can finally sit down and have a good drink."
"Perhaps."
The two of them laughed heartily, then turned into two rainbows, charging straight at Otsutsuki Shibai. This time, there was no turning back!
"Let's go, monkey."
Tobirama Senju glared disdainfully at Izuna Uchiha, who pouted in return. Then, the two of them charged into the barrier together.
"Teacher..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Danzou beside him, nodded to Minato Namikaze, and followed Tobirama Senju like a nimble monkey.
Minato Namikaze looked back at the exhausted Leaf ninja and shouted, "Leaf ninja, follow in the footsteps of the previous Hokages, charge with me!"
"Hmph!"
Jiraiya, Kakashi Hatake, Asuma Sarutobi, the three great clans of Ino-Shika-Cho, and the younger generation like Naruto and Sasuke roared, following Minato Namikaze back into the barrier.
Danzou followed closely behind Hiruzen Sarutobi. Before leaving, he said to the Fourth Raikage, "It's understandable for the Cloud village's little ladies to be slow."
"Damn it! It must have been Sarutobi's idea, this old man is furious!"
The Fourth Raikage's muscles bulged, his face darker than a pig's liver. He had compared their Cloud village's fierce men to little ladies! This was absolutely unacceptable!
"Damn it, charge for me, and push these weaklings from the Leaf to the back!"
Onoki sighed and waved his Stone ninja into the barrier. While he liked to sit back and reap the rewards, the current situation was clearly not one where he could be a spectator. Moreover, their Stone Village was not weaker than anyone else!
Gaara stood at the head of the Sand ninja force, with Kimimaro, Toneri, and the Hozuki brothers from the Eternal Organization also present.
"Gaara, we'll do whatever you say." Temari and Kankuro stood behind Gaara, always supporting their family's choices.
"The Sand Village will not lag behind, and I will not disgrace the Eternal Organization."
With that, Shira and Kimimaro shook their heads and smiled, charging into the barrier with Gaara.
Watching her companions enter the barrier, Haku, who was among the Mist village forces, showed some anxiety, her gaze constantly shifting to the seductive woman in the front, Mei Terumi.
Mei Terumi bit her red lips, her beautiful eyes flickering. Biting her teeth, she turned back and glared at Lin Yu, saying fiercely, "You owe me a wedding, remember that!"
"Mist Village, follow me!"
"Mei Terumi..."
Lin Yu reached out to stop her, but opened his mouth and said nothing.
"Don't blame us, Lin Yu. This was something we decided long ago."
Kushina, buried in Lin Yu's neck, sniffed and said petulantly, "We agreed that I, the main wife, would go first. That woman Mei Terumi, humph!"
"Kushina..."
Kushina raised a fair, slender finger to Lin Yu's lips, then rubbed his cheek. Suddenly, she chuckled,
"Lin Yu, you'll find me, right? You must find me!"
Crystal tears slid down Kushina's face. A look of determination appeared in her eyes. She resolutely released Lin Yu's hand and charged into the barrier.
"No..."
A white figure flashed before Lin Yu's eyes. A soft warmth imprinted on his lips. Kaguya's departing voice echoed, "This Empress will protect her, but if you dare to forget me, this Empress will surely take you as a male concubine in the next life and train you day and night!"
"Kaguya..."
From behind, a gentle woman stepped forward, tidying Lin Yu's clothes with such a soft, practiced motion.
Mikoto said softly, "Don't blame yourself, Lin Yu. This was our collective decision. You've already done very well."
Mikoto's eyes curved into a smile. "Lin Yu, do you remember what you told me before? Now I can stand by your side and fight alongside you, no longer having to worry."
Lin Yu's lips were dry and cracked. A pair of crimson, bewitching Mangekyo Sharingan were reflected in his eyes, but he wished Mikoto would never awaken her Sharingan and remain her beautiful chef forever.
Konan walked over and gently hugged Lin Yu, not saying much, leaving behind a pure white paper flower.
Tsunade gave Lin Yu a rough punch, then buried him in her broad chest, saying softly, "I know my luck is terrible, but I don't believe I'll always lose. Lin Yu, you must win!"
Yugao Uzuki, Kayo Fuwa, Yugao Moon, Pakura, Samui... they all hugged Lin Yu, leaving their farewells, and followed closely behind Kushina. They were not vases; they were also ninja.
Shion and Hinata, with tears glistening in their large eyes, could not bear to part. The two girls held hands and whispered in Lin Yu's ear, "If, just if... when Brother Lin Yu finds us again, we can be together..." The two girls held hands and quickly entered the Time Barrier.
Lin Yu was amused by these two little ones and couldn't hold back his tears, which soon soaked his chest.
"A bunch of ants, here to die?"
Otsutsuki Shibai had already devoured all the Otsutsuki executives, his power even greater than when he first descended, as if he could break through the universe's ceiling at any moment.
He no longer had to worry about the threat of death, for the ethereal River of Time was about to disappear, and the waters transformed by time could no longer create significant waves.
A vast expanse of ninja surrounded Shibai from all sides. In his eyes, this was no different from a swarm of ants provoking a god. He casually conjured an ocean of lightning in the sky, and infinite lightning struck towards everyone.
*Splash!*
A complete Susanoo, blue and wielding twin blades, charged towards Otsutsuki Shibai. The twin blades slashed down.
*Squelch!*
Blood splattered. A palm pierced through his chest. The Susanoo's defense was as fragile as paper in Shibai's eyes.
Otsutsuki Shibai said indifferently, "Are you here to die?"
Madara Uchiha, blood flowing from his mouth, clutched Shibai's arm tightly and grinned ferociously, "I am here to die, but it's to send you to your death!"
Shibai's expression changed slightly. He immediately tried to pull his arm back, but it was too late.
A violent explosion sounded. Shibai shook his arm with a grim expression. There was no trace of a wound, but his position had shifted by half a meter.
This guy actually self-destructed. Otsutsuki Shibai couldn't understand it, but before he could recover, countless tree branches wrapped around him from underground, transforming into a red armored figure.
"Where the leaves dance, fire shall flourish!"
*Boom!*
"Sigh..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed. The First Hokage had stolen his line... Never mind. Danzou followed closely behind.
*Boom, boom, boom!*
Otsutsuki Shibai's expression was ugly. Were these guys out of their minds?
One by one, they came to die, and there was a constant temporal energy affecting him, forcing him to passively endure the impact of the explosions.
Naruto and Sasuke led the charge towards Shibai, followed by Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Itachi, and Shisui, and further behind were the Nine Tailed Beasts.
Kakashi supported Might Guy and said to Obito beside him, "If there were another chance, would you still listen to Master Lin Yu's persuasion, Obito?"
Obito did not reply. He charged directly at Shibai, unhesitating, with no regrets!
Everyone transformed into light, filling the entire Time Barrier. Lin Yu's eyes were red, recalling the bits and pieces of the ninja world, the days spent with everyone. He also learned from Kushina and smiled, "I will find you, I definitely will!"
"Time Barrier: Final Reversal!"
*Clang!*
A sonorous bell chimed within the Time Barrier. The power, condensed from everyone's chakra, lives, and beautiful hopes, caused the River of Time to ripple. The originally ethereal river had solidified slightly.
It was impossible to stop. Time was reversing, space was rewinding. No matter how Otsutsuki Shibai broke through space, his body was always moving towards the River of Time.
The waves of time had already lapped against his body, repeatedly washing away everything about him. His life, his past, his entire existence, were washed away by the River of Time, turning into specks of golden sand that sank to the riverbed.
"I am not reconciled! They were clearly just ants... I am a god... I am not reconciled... Ahhh..."
A white light flashed through the cold, dark void, taking everything with it.
The Time Barrier disappeared, the alien dimension vanished, leaving only a progressively ethereal River of Time flowing nearby, as if everything were just a dream.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo's candle-like figure appeared beside Lin Yu and said softly, "Perhaps the Pure Land can still be reshaped, but they..."
"I will find them, I definitely will."
Lin Yu looked towards the direction of the River of Time, moving his broken body, his gaze incredibly firm.
Otsutsuki Hagoromo floated in place and said softly, "Although I don't know what you intend to do, this path is clearly unstable, and no one can predict what will happen. You are very likely to die."
Lin Yu did not look back, but his voice carried over, "What I promised, I must do. Speak what you mean and do what you say. This is also my ninja way!"
Watching Lin Yu disappear into the River of Time, the river itself trembled twice, becoming even more ethereal. Otsutsuki Hagoromo sighed, his figure gradually dissipating and turning into a wisp of light that surged into the River of Time.
"Although I don't concern myself with the ninja world, I have heard of your reputation for being directionally challenged, Lin Yu. Let this old man guide you."
Within the River of Time, Lin Yu walked aimlessly, allowing the power of time to wash over his body. He didn't know where he was going, but he knew he would find them, he definitely could find them.
After an unknown amount of time, Lin Yu had transformed into a speck of light, and the River of Time only left a shadow, about to disappear.
Just as the river was about to vanish, a bell-like laugh echoed from somewhere. The speck of light trembled twice and, without hesitation, chased after the familiar laughter and plunged into the River of Time.
Everything was not over, merely beginning anew!
(End of Main Story!)