Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 503 The Fallen Light

A giant star, shining with constant light, burns quietly in the boundless darkness. It is hot and selfless, and its blessings are equally bestowed upon both rubble and intact planets.

In a vast expanse of rubble, two beams of light chase each other. The ripples created by their collision clear a void in the rubble, containing numerous "cracks" that take a long time to heal. These "cracks" are embedded in the empty darkness, abysses beyond the reach of even starlight. They are like greedy monsters, rapidly consuming enough energy to heal and restore the darkness to its former smoothness.

"What are you doing? The universe is in grave danger right now, and I'm not your enemy!"

The voice rang directly in his mind again, but this time, it had lost its indifference and composure.

He suddenly understood why he couldn't make a sound. Just like on the moon, once they left the protection of the small world, everyone had to use chakra to protect their bodies to avoid suffocating, and they also had to rely on lip-reading to communicate. He was no longer under the protection of planets and atmospheres, but was traveling freely through the universe. But why, this time, did he not feel any discomfort in his body?

However, none of that mattered; all he could see was the fleeing light.

"No." After hearing that voice several times, he instinctively unlocked the ability to transmit information across the universe. He said, "You are Otsutsuki, you are light, the enemy who will destroy the world, my enemy!"

Another violent collision followed, causing him excruciating pain, yet it didn't hinder his pursuit. The light flickered for a moment, even slowing its speed. Perhaps the attack had finally hurt its opponent, for it suddenly stopped, but the brightness abruptly increased, and a distorted, squeezing sensation enveloped everything he could feel. He instinctively pulled himself together to resist the pressure, and the two forces barely managed to hold their own.

"I am merely freeing them from their bodies, thereby achieving immortality of the soul. Look closely at yourself; aren't you exactly what they longed to become?"

Liberation? Immortality? The form I most yearn to become?

What on earth is that guy saying? Taking a life can be called liberation? And isn't he Naruto?

"Besides, I only wiped out the living beings on Earth. The reason your planet was destroyed was because of 'your' birth."

These words lifted the veil of mystery, unleashing countless voices from his mind. Most were desperate cries, yet even in the midst of agony, he remained absolutely lucid. As destruction descended, countless people used their short lives to utter their final, poignant lament. When the barrier between life and death was utterly shattered, the power of the undead tore a planet apart!

He was born in response to the wishes of the people, and he will fight to fulfill those wishes throughout his life, regardless of whether he has a place to return to.

All his memories became clear in an instant, but he didn't even have the right to cry. Instead, he truly managed to suppress his light and return to human form, even though his inner self no longer resembled a "human" in the slightest.

"Alas, a civilization is insignificant compared to the universe. You are the savior I foresaw long ago, and we have been waiting for you for a long time." Seeing that he seemed to have stabilized, the light gradually faded and transformed into a humanoid figure with obvious Otsutsuki characteristics, but... it was only a very poor humanoid figure, with strange horns and eyes all over its body like tree rings that were not in line with human aesthetics.

His mind was clearer than ever before, and he extracted a great deal of information from just a few words.

The creature before him called itself Otsutsuki Shibai, a name previously mentioned by Isshiki's subordinates. Shibai was the legendary Otsutsuki god; Isshiki found his corpse on Earth, unsure whether he was dead or had transcended. It now appeared he had "transcended." Isshiki's subordinates extracted many Otsutsuki genes from Shibai's body, using them to create several androids possessing "divine arts." Some of these beings abandoned darkness for light, some were two-faced, and some were purely evil, bringing countless sufferings to his world and later provoking an attack from the Otsutsuki clan.

Is the art of predicting the future "Ten Directions"? This guy was initially amazed that he was the first successful case, but he's already slapped the label of savior on me so quickly?

Why did the universe have to be destroyed?

Shibai stopped at a distance that wasn't too close or too far, and seeing that he didn't intend to move, she had no choice but to explain, "This is a complicated matter..."

"Then let's get to the point."

"...The universe is being invaded by alien races. These alien races possess powers completely opposite to ours, and anyone or anything that comes into contact with them may be assimilated into their ranks."

A suppressed emotion flashed through his mind, and a power that contradicted his own nature yet perfectly merged with it surged forth along with the intense emotion. He couldn't help but burn, and with the violent reaction of his core, a pattern different from the spatial fluctuations he was most familiar with exploded and spread, instantly sweeping across the location of Shibaju.

All of Shibai's eyes were shining, but that light, like a fixed pose in a painting, came to a complete halt along with his own body.

It only took him a moment to bridge the distance between them. Without hesitation, he extended his hand, covered in a black "glove," and cleaved through the obstacles to reach the core of the Shibai. A mere touch wasn't enough; he increased his output, leaving a black dot in the flawless light.

Those weren't mere surface-level black spots; they were an invasion that penetrated to the core, piercing through the entire soul. Then, he withdrew his hand, finally revealing a faint smile, and asked:

"Like this?"

Shibai was finally freed from his restraints and instantly darted away, avoiding him as if he were a plague demon. But he didn't care, because he saw that the black spot was growing rapidly. A "god" who couldn't protect himself would eventually fall into the form of a "demon".

Now, he has more important things to do.

The starlight still shines on his homeland, even though only a shattered ruin remains. He floats among the rubble, howling and crying out in the most primal way, but the universe cannot hear his voice. Civilizations that fail to break free from their mother planet will not be remembered by anyone, except him, even if they perish.

Then, he dispersed his form and embraced every piece of debris in the area. Under the guidance of "God," they reassembled and reformed, transforming into a planet full of scorched earth.