"Incredible… that's some miracle healing!"
"That old toad from Mount Myoboku really knows his craft."
The White Ape King stared in shock at Wanci's fully restored body, then helped him to his feet.
"How do you feel now?"
Wanci closed his eyes briefly, sensing the smooth flow of Sage chakra within him. Then he snapped his eyes open, energy returning.
"Yeah… I'm back."
He clenched his fist, feeling strength surge through him once more.
At that moment, Isshiki's furious voice echoed from afar.
"Kaguya, how dare you betray me! I'll feed you to the Ten-Tails myself!"
As expected, Isshiki had easily subdued Kaguya. He held her by the throat and walked toward the waiting Ten-Tails, completely focused on her and ignoring Wanci.
"White Ape King, get ready!"
"Got it. Let's go!"
The ape understood instantly.
"Demonic Armament, White Ape King… transform!"
A flash of light.
In an instant, he became the golden staff in Wanci's hand.
Wanci poured all his Sage power into the throw.
The staff shot forward like a streak of lightning.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
At that moment, Isshiki stood before the Ten-Tails, about to throw Kaguya into its jaws. Both his hands were occupied, leaving him no room to respond properly.
Seeing the incoming staff, he dismissed it as a simple weapon.
"Hmph. A cheap trick."
"Shrink."
Isshiki activated his ability, intending to reduce the staff and discard it into his storage dimension.
But as it drew closer, his expression changed.
"Wait… why isn't it shrinking?"
"This isn't a weapon?"
Before he could react, the staff transformed mid-air.
Back into the White Ape King.
"What?!"
Isshiki's eyes widened.
The ape grinned.
"Of course you can't shrink me!"
"And that kick you gave Wanci… I'm returning it!"
He launched a powerful flying kick.
A massive strike that slammed straight into Isshiki's face.
"Ugh!"
In one smooth motion, the ape snatched Kaguya away with one hand and kicked Isshiki straight toward the Ten-Tails.
"No!"
Isshiki roared, fury and disbelief filling his voice.
But the Ten-Tails did not care.
To it, everything was simply chakra.
Fresh or stale, it made no difference.
It devoured him without hesitation.
"White Ape King! That kick was perfect!"
Wanci laughed, watching the scene unfold.
That strike alone could go down in history.
Compared to it, even the legendary Eight Gates kick might not measure up.
That one kick had just rewritten fate itself.
Isshiki was finished.
Completely finished.
Kaguya stepped forward, relief and gratitude on her face.
"Thank you both. I won't forget this."
Wanci smiled as well.
The chakra fruit was finally within reach.
"Crunch… crunch…"
The Ten-Tails let out a satisfied rumble as it began to transform.
The ground shook violently.
From its body, the Divine Tree emerged.
Moments later, a radiant fruit formed upon its branches.
Normally, such a fruit would take centuries to grow.
But with a proper sacrifice, the process accelerated dramatically.
And Isshiki had been more than enough.
A pure Otsutsuki.
Brilliant light filled the bamboo forest as the fruit took shape.
Wanci's eyes lit up with excitement.
There it is.
The chakra fruit.
"Kaguya gestured gracefully."
"This belongs to you."
Wanci turned to her, smiling sincerely.
"Kaguya, I wish you happiness."
"May you find peace… and a life of your own."
"If you ever celebrate something important, don't forget to invite me."
His tone was light, but genuine.
He had always felt that her story was a tragic one.
Used, betrayed, and abandoned.
Kaguya looked at him, her expression softening.
"You're different from the others."
Her voice was gentle, though there was a trace of sadness in her eyes.
Wanci did not hesitate any longer.
He moved instantly, appearing before the Divine Tree and taking the fruit into his hand.
"It's done."
"I finally made it."
Joy surged through him.
He had broken past his limits.
From this moment on, he would possess both immortality and power on the level of the Six Paths.
Everything he had worked for… everything he had risked… had paid off.
"Congrats… I think," the White Ape King said, scratching his head.
Then his gaze shifted.
His pupils shrank.
Something was wrong.
Wanci frowned slightly.
"That's strange… why is my killing intent sense still reacting?"
He brushed it off for the moment.
First, he needed to eat the fruit.
Once he did, everything would be settled.
"Wanci! Look behind you!"
The White Ape King suddenly shouted.
Too late.
A sharp gray bone pierced through Wanci's chest from behind.
It burst out from his front, stained with blood.
His pupils shrank to pinpoints as he slowly turned his head.
Kaguya stood in the distance, calm and expressionless.
Behind him, the White Ape King lay on the ground, exhausted, reaching forward as if he had tried to stop something.
In his hand…
A deadly gray bone.
"White Ape King… you…?"
Wanci's voice trembled with disbelief.
For a moment, his mind went blank.
But then something clicked.
Wait.
That's impossible.
The White Ape King could not use that technique.
Wanci looked at the bone in his chest, then at the ape, then at Kaguya.
Understanding dawned.
So that's it.
She was the one who fired it.
The ape had tried to stop it.
Wanci let out a faint breath, his voice low.
"…Impressive… White Ape King."
"Catching something like that with your bare hands…"
"That's like grabbing a falling blade."
A weak smile formed on his lips.
"When it matters… you really do step up."