Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

The battlefield in Konoha was a scene of chaos. The intense battle between Kirito and Ishiki had left the once-thriving village a shadow of its former self. Dust and rubble filled the air, and the ground quaked beneath the blows exchanged by the two combatants.

In the midst of the destruction, Naruto pulled himself out from under a pile of rubble, coughing as he stood. He quickly activated his mental link with Ino.

"Ino, how's the evacuation going? Have the villagers been affected?"

After a moment, Ino's voice came through, steady but urgent. "Shikamaru and the others have evacuated everyone from the immediate area. The battlefield is clear of civilians."

Naruto sighed in relief. "Good. Make sure no one comes near until the fight is over."

"Understood. Be careful, Naruto. The energy coming from the battlefield is... overwhelming."

"Yeah, I've noticed," Naruto replied grimly before cutting the connection and rushing back to the fight.

At the center of the battlefield, Kirito stood poised, his Byakugan glowing as he observed Ishiki. When Ishiki tried to rise from the crater, Kirito moved to strike, but Ishiki raised his arm and activated Daikokuten.

A massive cube expanded from its shrunken form, forcing Kirito back momentarily. Using the distraction, Ishiki shrank his body and quickly darted out of the crater, reappearing above ground.

However, he didn't escape unscathed. His body was bloodied, his horn cracked, and his right eye barely opened from the blood dripping down his face.

Ishiki glared at Kirito, breathing heavily as he spat out blood. "I see now," he muttered. "Your Byakugan's ability is nullifying my Daikokuten. This battlefield is sealed off from space-time techniques. Clever, but it won't save you."

Testing his theory, Ishiki summoned a spatial vortex beside him and attempted to reach inside. Just as before, his hand met an invisible barrier, preventing him from retrieving anything.

Before he could analyze further, Naruto appeared beside him with a Super Rasengan in hand.

"Take this!" Naruto shouted, slamming the giant orb of chakra toward Ishiki.

Ishiki reacted instantly, shrinking the Rasengan before delivering a brutal knee strike to Naruto's stomach. The impact forced a pained grunt from Naruto, and Ishiki wasted no time impaling Naruto with several black rods.

Ishiki grabbed Naruto by the neck and slammed him against the invisible barrier of the spatial seal. Blood dripped from his own wounds, but his gaze was sharp and calculating as he turned his attention to Kirito.

"You," Ishiki began, his voice strained but steady. "Why are you helping these ants? You know as well as I do that they're nothing but fodder for the Divine Tree."

Kirito's expression remained impassive.

"You're Ōtsutsuki," Ishiki continued. "You should understand our purpose. The Chakra Fruit is the pinnacle of our existence. This world, its people—they are the perfect fertilizer.

"Join me, and we can share the fruit. The Hokage's son is an ideal sacrifice for the Ten Tails. Together, no one in this universe can stop us. I'll even grant you the full support of the Kara Organization."

Naruto, despite his injuries, managed to choke out, "Don't... listen to him—!"

Ishiki tightened his grip on Naruto's throat, cutting him off. "Silence," he hissed. "This is your only chance, Kirito. Don't let sentimentality blind you."

Before Kirito could respond, a blur of lightning struck Ishiki from behind.

"Chidori!"

Sasuke's blade of electricity surged toward Ishiki, but the latter reacted swiftly, throwing Naruto's body in Sasuke's path.

"Naruto!" Sasuke dropped his attack, narrowly avoiding hitting his friend.

Ishiki capitalized on the distraction, turning and delivering a vicious kick that sent Sasuke crashing into the ground below.

"Now then," Ishiki growled, turning back to Kirito. "Your decision—"

He didn't finish his sentence. Kirito was no longer standing where he'd been moments ago.

CRACK!

Pain shot through Ishiki's arm as Kirito appeared behind him, severing the limb at the elbow with a precise strike. Ishiki's scream of rage echoed across the battlefield.

"You dare—!"

Kirito's knee struck Ishiki's side with incredible force, sending him hurtling to the ground. The impact created another massive crater, shaking the area.

Naruto landed beside Kirito, his injuries visibly straining him. Kirito pulled out the black rods impaling Naruto, tossing them aside as Naruto coughed and straightened.

"Thanks," Naruto said, managing a weak smile. "Sorry I got in the way."

"Don't worry about it," Kirito replied. "You and Sasuke handle support. Let me take care of Ishiki."

Naruto nodded. "You've got this. Just don't overdo it."

From the rubble below, Ishiki's enraged voice roared.

"You fools! You'll regret this!"

The surrounding ruins began to vanish one by one, shrinking into nothingness as Ishiki unleashed his frustration. He staggered to his feet, blood dripping from his wounds.

Even in his battered state, the sheer intensity of his chakra was terrifying.

"If I'm going to die," Ishiki growled, his voice shaking with fury, "then I'll take all of you with me!"

(End of Chapter)