"Old Man… are you satisfied with how things turned out?" Indra muttered toward the Ancestral Hall. Then his expression hardened as he spoke through gritted teeth.
"However, I, Indra, will never admit defeat so easily. Even if I'm about to die, I will fight Ashura for all eternity until I finally defeat him. Old Man, just watch. I will prove that only absolute power can bring true peace to the world!"
After saying that, he coughed violently and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"So… it's finally time."
Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Indra turned toward Ashura and snorted coldly.
"Ashura, don't look at me like you've already won. Let me tell you something—I, Indra, have not lost. If I couldn't defeat you in this life, then I'll kill you in the next."
Turning toward the center of the Ancestral Hall, Indra formed a simple hand seal.
A Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan pattern instantly appeared on the floor. It split open down the middle, revealing a small oval-shaped socket.
Without the slightest hesitation, Indra gouged out his remaining Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan and placed it into the groove.
The floor slowly sealed itself again, burying the eye beneath it.
Then Indra began weaving an incredibly complicated series of hand seals.
The sequence lasted for several minutes.
When the final seal was completed, brilliant white light erupted from the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan pattern. Boundless ocular power flooded the surroundings.
Standing nearby, Isamu immediately sensed a familiar aura.
His eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly suppressed his excitement.
So this is it…
The foundation of the space-time passage is Indra's Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan.
No wonder I couldn't understand how a space-time tunnel could exist naturally in the Ninja World. This passage can still function a thousand years later… Indra must have used some extraordinary barrier technique!
The realization left Isamu stunned while also making him even more fascinated by the Rinnegan.
"I, Ōtsutsuki Indra, swear upon this Rinnegan that no matter how many times I reincarnate, I will continue fighting Ōtsutsuki Ashura for all eternity until one of us finally dies!"
After making his final oath, Indra drove the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi into the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan seal.
"Ashura… I'll be waiting for you in the underworld. Don't make me wait too long!"
"Hahaha!!!"
Blood mixed with tears streamed from his empty eye sockets.
Still laughing, Indra shattered his own heart meridians with the last of his strength, ending his own life.
He would rather die by his own hand than fall to Ashura.
Instead of lingering for a few more miserable days, he chose the ending he desired.
Even after death, Indra remained standing.
He refused to collapse.
"Ancestor…"
"Aniki…!"
Seeing Indra die, two streams of tears flowed down Ashura's face.
No matter what had happened between them, they were still brothers.
When Ashura had been weak and talentless as a child, every time danger appeared, Indra had stepped forward to protect him.
Whenever his training reached a dead end, it had been Indra who encouraged him, guided him, and helped him improve.
Those memories remained the most precious moments of Ashura's life.
"Rest in peace… Ancestor."
Walking over to Indra, Isamu gently closed his empty eyes.
Then he turned toward Ashura.
"It was because of Ancestor Indra's death that two families born from the same bloodline began a conflict that lasted for a thousand years."
"Countless people died during that endless cycle of hatred."
"My father and the ancestor of your descendants were once the closest of friends. They could have become lifelong comrades."
"But because my uncle died at the hands of your descendants, they became enemies, and my father was driven onto the path of darkness."
"The origin of all that hatred… was this moment."
"Killing your son repaid the debt for my uncle."
"But I cannot simply ignore Ancestor Indra's death."
"So tell me, Ōtsutsuki Ashura…"
"How will you answer for it?"
Isamu narrowed his eyes.
Truthfully, he had never wanted to do anything to Ashura.
But as Indra's descendant, he had to stand up and speak.
Ashura slowly nodded.
"Regarding your father… your uncle… and Indra…"
"I cannot escape responsibility."
"You don't have to kill me."
"I'll give you the answer you're seeking."
"However…"
"Before that, I have one final request."
"Please release the Tailed Beasts from my body and grant them their freedom."
"It is the last wish of a dying man."
With those words, Ashura closed his eyes and spread his arms.
He quietly awaited death.
Normally, extracting the Tailed Beasts would not immediately kill him.
But after exhausting himself in battle, his body could no longer endure such a burden.
The moment the Tailed Beasts were removed, his life would come to an end.
"Very well."
"I'll grant your wish."
"Once this is done…"
"The grudge between my family and the descendants of yours ends here."
Isamu deliberately said my family rather than the descendants of Indra.
He was only speaking for himself.
He had no right to speak on behalf of every Uchiha who had ever lived.
Activating his Rinnegan, Isamu released the temporal seal inside Ashura's body.
One by one, the Nine Tailed Beasts were drawn out.
"Indra… nii-san…"
As the final Tailed Beast left his body, Ashura softly called his brother's name.
A peaceful smile appeared on his face.
Then he slowly closed his eyes forever.
The leader of the Ninja Sect was gone.
"It's finally over…"
Isamu sighed deeply.
The two greatest figures of the era had reached the end of their journey.
After standing in silence for a while, he looked down at the bodies of Indra and Ashura.
The bloodline of the Six Paths truly is extraordinary.
"I'm sorry… Ancestors."
After offering a quiet apology, Isamu's eyes narrowed.
Using the Rinnegan's absorption ability, he drew out everything remaining within the two brothers.
Yin Release…
Yang Release…
Life force…
Every trace of power they still possessed.
He absorbed it all.
Once every last remnant had been drained away, the bodies of Indra and Ashura crumbled into dust, disappearing completely from the world.
Bzzzt!
Bzzzt!
Bzzzt!
An overwhelming surge of energy flooded Isamu's body.
His strength, which had only recovered to about sixty percent, instantly rose beyond its peak.
Not only was he fully restored—
He had become even stronger than before.
"Heh…"
"What an unexpected reward."
"Not only have I recovered completely…"
"I've actually grown stronger."
"Hahaha!"
After laughing for a while, Isamu turned his attention toward the Nine Tailed Beasts.
"They're so small…"
"They're nowhere near as massive as they are a thousand years later."
Looking at the young Tailed Beasts, each only a few dozen meters tall, Isamu kept his promise.
With a wave of his hand, spheres of light enveloped each of them.
The lights shot across the sky, scattering the Nine Tailed Beasts to every corner of the world—
Granting them the freedom they had long deserved.