"Collect."
Naruto's calm yet commanding voice echoed, and several items descended from the sky.
He extended his hand, and the artifacts fell neatly into his grasp—the Three Lives Stone, the Book of Life and Death, and most importantly… the Reincarnation Mark.
Naruto examined them quietly. As long as he refined the Reincarnation Mark, he would gain control over nearly all the authority of the Land of Reincarnation. As its original creator, he could already command a portion of it—but fully integrating the Mark would elevate him beyond even that.
And now, he finally understood why his future self had chosen not to inherit this realm.
Becoming the Master of Reincarnation held a straight, unobstructed path toward true godhood…
Yet Naruto sensed, deep in his soul, that the title was also a cage.
"But it's enough."
He smiled faintly. Power surged through his body—his strength had grown at least tenfold. A mysterious energy infused his chakra, something far beyond Natural Energy…
something akin to divine power.
When the transformation settled, the Pure Land itself had undergone a cataclysmic rebirth. It was no longer the tranquil afterlife it once was.
Now, it resembled the Underworld—a fully realized Reincarnation Realm.
The Sage of Six Paths looked around, stunned.
If his old Pure Land had been a small, humble hut…
This new realm was a massive, towering palace.
And then Naruto turned to the uninvited guest.
Yakumo swallowed hard. The oppressive aura rolling off Naruto felt like it was crushing his very bones. His heart trembled violently.
Why did I come here…?
Is this even an enemy I can fight?
Those two idiots—when I get back, I'll crush them…
But the moment his eyes fell upon the Reincarnation Mark in Naruto's hand, a primal hunger rose inside him.
He snapped to his senses at once.
This was Naruto's territory—no, his dominion. And the pressure emanating from him… only Yakumo's grandfather could compare.
If I'm sensing this correctly… he's only in his twenties.
The Death God Clan could sense life aura with terrifying accuracy. Yakumo knew he wasn't mistaken.
A youth barely past twenty…
A powerhouse who had already stepped halfway into godhood.
Impossible.
Unbelievable.
Terrifying.
If he had faced the previous Naruto, he might have resisted—Naruto's overwhelming trump cards could have made the battle close.
But now?
The gap between a Sage and a Half-God wasn't a step.
It was an abyss.
Naruto's gaze shifted toward Yakumo.
Yakumo froze, panic surging up his spine.
His massive, intimidating appearance was deceiving—inside, he was more timid than most academy students.
Naruto released the restraints around him and Madara.
Madara gritted his teeth—still proud, still stubborn—but the power Naruto displayed left him tense and silent.
The moment Yakumo felt his body loosen, he let out a pitiful scream and dropped to his knees right in front of Naruto.
"Godfather, I was blind! Please forgive me!"
Naruto blinked.
A massive, two-meter-tall giant kneeling at his feet was not part of anything he had anticipated.
He had prepared for threats, resistance, an attempted escape—anything.
But this?
If Yakumo knew what Naruto was thinking, he would probably respond:
"What's integrity worth? The reason I survived this long—and became a powerhouse even among False Gods—is because I abandoned it when necessary.
"When death is staring you in the face, you don't fight for pride.
You kneel, surrender, and call backup later."
Years wandering the universe had taught him one truth:
People who clung to pride died early.
People who bent survived.
Especially when slamming into an immovable wall.
Never act invincible.
Never assume your background protects you.
Never challenge someone who can casually kill you.
If you can win—fight.
If you can't—run.
If you can't run—kneel.
Yakumo almost teared up thinking of his father, who died fighting the Ōtsutsuki Clan. Maybe, if he had abandoned his pride, he might still be alive.
And upon arrival, Yakumo had instantly sensed several individuals here who carried the aura of Otsutsuki heritage. The old man was pure-blooded Otsutsuki. The others were… planet-born half-breeds.
Madara and Hashirama exchanged glances.
Is this the same arrogant Death God Clan warrior from earlier?
Even the Six Paths Sage looked speechless.
In his life, he had met proud members of the Death God Clan—arrogant and fierce, even those weaker than Yakumo's previous level.
But this difference in attitude…
How could two people from the same clan be so vastly different?
Naruto could only rub his forehead.
Acquiring such a large "son" out of nowhere…
He could already imagine Hinata making him kneel on a washboard when he got home.
"You may leave. Tell your people this—if they dare to set foot in the Ninja World, this will be their fate."
Naruto flicked his wrist, and a bolt of lightning cracked open the void itself.
Yakumo instantly felt the terrifying power inside it—power he absolutely could not withstand.
His expression twisted miserably.
"Thank you, Godfather… your son will take his leave!"
Without daring to delay even a heartbeat, Yakumo activated his spatial ability and attempted to escape.
But after several attempts, his face went pale—
the spatial barrier was solid, immovable.
He had entered easily, but returning… was nearly impossible.
With tears welling at the corners of his eyes, he looked back at Naruto, trembling.
Naruto waved casually.
The barrier dissolved, and Yakumo vanished at once—
without a single backward glance.
After he disappeared, the group stared at Naruto in confusion.
"Naruto, why did you let him go?"
Sasuke frowned, unable to understand.
Hashirama added, equally puzzled,
"The Death God Clan will be one of the forces invading the Ninja World in the future. Sparing him is… hard to fathom."
For someone who cherished peace, Hashirama still knew that some enemies could not be handled with mercy.
Naruto met Sasuke's agitated gaze.
"He's not someone we need to fear."
According to the information given by Future Sasuke, Yakumo in that timeline had not been this timid. Back then, Naruto's strength had not yet reached the Half-God realm, and Yakumo had only retreated after using a concealed Half-God–level technique.
But with the authority of Reincarnation in hand—and divine power coursing through him—Naruto could see the situation much more clearly.
"Let me explain."
"In the future, we know this much:
The Death God Clan desires control over Reincarnation…
But the Ōtsutsuki Clan is the true mastermind behind the large-scale invasion of the Ninja World."
"I've been thinking: since the Death God Clan wants administrative roles within the Land of Reincarnation… why not give them some?"
He continued calmly, yet the strategy behind his words made even Madara and the Sage of Six Paths freeze.
"For us, who hold the highest authority over Reincarnation, those lower administrative seats don't matter. But for them, they're invaluable."
"And more importantly—"
he looked at Sasuke,
"—we can turn potential enemies into allies, uniting the Death God Clan with us to confront the Ōtsutsuki."
"With the Reincarnation Mark in my hands, their influence in the Underworld will be bound by the Son of Heaven's authority—meaning Sasuke will be able to restrict their actions."
"We also can't fill all the positions within the Land of Reincarnation ourselves. If the Death God Clan participates, not only will they help us refine and perfect the system, but they'll also be placed under Sasuke's supervision."
"It's like hiring extra workers," Naruto concluded. "When I reforged Reincarnation, I made sure to embed mechanisms that greatly strengthened the Son of Heaven's administrative power."
As Naruto finished speaking, everyone finally understood—and their confusion shifted into admiration for the depth of his foresight.
(End of Chapter)
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