Chapter 298: Riku Truth-Seeking Ball

A single chakra arrow created a crater dozens of meters wide.

Riku was a little surprised—Shinrai had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan despite still having only three tomoe. That alone was already stronger than how Riku himself had originally awakened his Mangekyō. Though Riku had activated his directly, Shinrai’s innate power clearly exceeded his own at the time.

Even so, when Riku obtained the Uchiha bloodline and the Mangekyō Sharingan, his ocular power hadn’t been as strong as Shinrai’s. After all, Shinrai had inherited Riku’s strongest chakra right from the start. Naturally, he was able to manifest a complete Susanoo even with just the three tomoe.

At the same time, Tsukiko had activated her own Mangekyō Sharingan, and her Susanoo wielded a long blade. Shinrai’s Susanoo was golden, while Tsukiko’s shimmered in a purple-gold hue.

Both of them wielded the power of the Six Paths.

Their assault was ferocious.

Riku watched with mild astonishment. “These kids are impressive. They’ve managed to unlock full Susanoo at such a young age.”

He still had the feeling that Shinrai and Tsukiko were artificial beings created from his cells—similar to how Yamato was grown from the cells of the First Hokage.

Tsunade, standing beside Riku, commented, “With your blood, how could they not be powerful?”

Riku didn’t respond. If they truly were created from his cells, then saying they carried his blood wouldn’t be incorrect.

Despite their power, their Susanoo attacks weren’t dealing any real damage to Ōtsutsuki Urashiki—though they did manage to pressure and embarrass him.

From beside Tsunade, Riku watched Urashiki desperately evade the barrage.

He smiled faintly. “Unlucky guy. If he’d shown up later, it might’ve been better for him.”

Urashiki was being forced to dodge nonstop under the dual assault of Shinrai and Tsukiko’s Susanoo.

But his speed was overwhelming. The giant Susanoo constructs couldn’t keep up.

Just as Urashiki prepared to use his fishing rod to absorb chakra from Shinrai and Tsukiko, a flash of lightning exploded around Riku—instantly severing the fishing line.

Urashiki’s eyes narrowed as he turned to Riku. He realized that unless he eliminated Riku first, he couldn’t absorb chakra from any of the other Jinchūriki. Riku was the single greatest threat to him in this world.

Immediately, Urashiki activated his golden Rinnegan.

A glowing portal materialized in front of him. As he stepped through, his body transformed—becoming more bird-like, resembling a crane.

Riku frowned. Once Urashiki entered this transformation, his power spiked drastically.

Now he possessed the full power of the Six Paths.

He held a black staff formed from Yin-Yang Release in his hand. In this state, his chakra, speed, and strength were all drastically amplified.

In the blink of an eye, Urashiki appeared in front of Sasuke and launched a rapid flurry of punches. The air around them trembled from the sheer force—his strength nearly rivaled Guy when opening the Seventh Gate. It didn’t reach the level of the Eighth Gate, but it came dangerously close.

Sasuke’s eyes could follow Urashiki’s movements, but his body couldn’t react in time. After a few blocks, he was sent flying—his body now covered in injuries.

Then, Urashiki hurled his black staff like a spear, pinning Sasuke down.

The staff suppressed Sasuke’s chakra. Already low on reserves, he was now completely helpless.

Next came Jiraiya. He hadn’t had time to enter Sage Mode and was overwhelmed instantly. Within seconds, he too was nailed down by a black staff.

Then it was Shinrai, Tsukiko, and Boruto.

None of them were able to stand against Urashiki.

This was the true power of the Ōtsutsuki clan—undiluted and merciless.

Urashiki wasn’t swayed by Boruto’s presence or potential. His attacks were relentless.

Boruto, Shinrai, and Tsukiko had inherited Riku’s abilities, but their age and inexperience held them back.

As Urashiki prepared to strike Tsunade, Riku’s eyes narrowed.

In a flash, he appeared in front of her—black staff already in hand.

Clang!

Their weapons collided, releasing a burst of black lightning and creating a violent ripple in space-time.

Behind Riku, Tsunade activated the Strength of a Hundred Seal.

“Strength of a Hundred: Release!”

Her forehead mark glowed, and her monstrous strength surged. Charging forward from behind Riku, she slammed her fist into Urashiki’s face.

Boom!

Empowered by her Hundred Healings chakra, Tsunade’s blow launched Urashiki dozens of meters into the air.

Just as he recovered midair, Riku appeared in front of him, stabbing the black staff toward his torso.

But at that instant, Urashiki’s golden Rinnegan shifted into a blue one, and he transformed into a paper crane, vanishing before the staff could pierce him.

He reappeared behind Tsunade, blade raised to strike.

But Riku moved just as fast—reappearing behind her with a Truth-Seeking Ball, instantly transforming it into a shield.

The moment Urashiki’s black staff struck it, the weapon disintegrated into nothing.

That was the terrifying nature of the Truth-Seeking Balls—they erased anything they touched unless the target had Sage Chakra or the power of the Six Paths.

Urashiki didn’t seem angry. Instead, he laughed.

“So I finally forced you to use Rinnegan abilities.”

But Riku’s current form wasn’t using Rinnegan.

The Six Paths Sage Mode didn’t rely on the Rinnegan to access Truth-Seeking Balls. As long as one possessed chakra from the Nine Tailed Beasts and the ultimate form of Nature Transformation combining Yin-Yang and all five elements, they could manifest it.

Tsunade didn’t give Urashiki time to gloat. She followed up with another blow, sending him flying again.

He tried to stabilize in midair—but Sakura, now empowered with the Strength of a Hundred and the Byakugō no Jutsu, struck him with a crushing punch.

Boom!

A crater formed as he slammed into the earth, blood spraying from his mouth despite his reinforced body.

Sakura stood tall, eyes sharp. “Did you really think you could ignore me?”

As Urashiki reeled from the blow, Riku appeared before him and began weaving hand signs.

“Sage Art: Space-Time Cage!”

At the same time, his Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan activated beneath the barrier’s protection. Chakra and pupil power surged.

A flood of intricate runes began forming around Urashiki—dense, glowing symbols weaving themselves into a massive prison.

He was trapped inside a cage of ancient runes, each pulsing with the combined might of Sage Chakra and the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan.

Urashiki’s escape options were rapidly running out.