Chapter 147: 146. Fork in the Road

MrProper

I made it, barely! This one might be a little rough around the edges, but it's here! And I'm almost done with the next one. Should be out soon! Blackouts in the cold winter suck...but they got nothing on me!

One year ago

"Haaah! Haaah! Cough!"

[Rei. You've been in your lab for almost an hour. It's clearly not working. Why don't we get real here and-]

"One more time! Yōton1Lava Style!"

SPEW! SIZZLE!

"...Aaahhh!"

[-face reality. Only a single lava blast, and not a very big one. Completely no good, then it's as we've feared. Your Yōton is clearly declining]

"U-Urgh!"

W-Why?! Wh-What's happening to me?! After all that training with Dodai, plus my control, it should be far greater than this! If I increase the power output, I'll gain a bigger result, but that defeats the whole point!

"Damn it...what is wrong with me?!"

[You should know, given what you've been told about your body in the past]

"I've told you already, I didn't use Kissh-um...my weird Yin-Yang power on Summoning Island. In the first place, how could Yin-Yang temporarily awaken a Kekkei Genkai2Bloodline Limit?"

[Whatta ya mean how? How could it not? It's friggin Yin-Yang Style, aka. the big daddy of all nature transformations? All natures branch off from this, plus "Rei" had the genetic potential for Lava Style thanks to his heritage]

Big daddy? This thing is so weird...and lame

"Again, I didn't use that power-!"

[Consciously]

"Are you suggesting it activated on its own?"

...No way. That's...impossible?

[Would it really be the first time your power has taken control? Remember what I said happened the first time your Ōtsutsuki cells awakened? The words that came out of your mouth when "Neo-Rei" used Suiton3Water Styleand Katon4Fire Style]

"This fire...this water...is disgusting. I never fully understood that"

[At that time, "Rei's" genetic material had dominated the body, and the Ōtsutsuki cells HATED it]

Even at a cellular level, they abhor "inferior" human dna and chakra huh?

"I'm surprised how petty my alien DNA is..."

[From then on, they began eliminating "Rei's" cells, the rate increasing every time you use that power. Making you more and more Ōtsutsuki. Do you understand now?]

"Hmm..."

"Lava" and "Earth" came from Rei's DNA...activated by Kisshōten5Auspicious Heavens, which can act on its own. During my fight with Etoro, it decided the best way for me to survive was Yōton? I...guess it makes sense? It was the only way to combat him with the limited chakra I had left

"Rei's" ancestors migrated from Kaenzan6The Flaming Mountainsto Ishigakure7Hidden Rock Village,which is right next to Iwagakure8Hidden Stone Village, the nation with the highest amount of Yōton users

It stands to reason he'd have at least one ancestor with that power who'd pass on his or her genes. Kisshōten must've activated the dormant, recessive cells within this body at a critical moment...

...

...

...

That's insane! Not just the fact it can do that...but it knew HOW to do that! On it's own!

"I'm starting to feel like a driver with no hands on the steering wheel. My alien DNA doesn't like the resurgence of Rei's chakra, and is once again eliminating it"

[Hence your Yōton's decline. Your alien DNA is seeking out these reactivated "Yōton" genes and replacing them]

Holy shit...does that mean what I think it-?!

"Notitia! Rei's power, despite it now disappearing again, temporarily brought some of his chakra back by activating the last of his remaining cells...does that mean we were-?!"

[Yes]

"Seriously?!"

[This whole time...we've assumed wrongly, your unique power has a different origin from your Ōtsutsuki DNA. Which begs the question...how in the hell did you acquire Yin-Yang Style? The most powerful element]

"..."

[Whether you believe me or not, I wasn't the one who sent you here. My existence began when you arrived, with one directive implanted within, guiding you]

"!"

[Considering Yin-Yang's nature governs creation & destruction, it's possible that I was created with this power. It also stands to reason whatever entity created me, used the same power to send you here. Perhaps...some of said power latched onto you when it happened?]

"U-Uhhhh"

[With the Doton you raised under Rei's power fading, Yōton has followed in suit. However, the other two should be fine considering you nutured them with alien chakra instead of Rei's. And it's not like this is the first its happened, remember?]

"Yeah..."

The first time I went berserk, it consumed the chakra I nurtured, Rei's chakra. Afterwards, I had to retrain my water and fire elements, though it didn't take very long. Hell, it was even easier...better

So the same process is happening once again, but since Isshiki never had Earth or Lava Style, they're going away for now

Every time this body undergoes a change, a cycle of breaking down and rebuilding...

Why does that sound familiar?

[Don't worry, once you've acquired the Kekkei Mora9Bloodline Encompassingfrom Kaguya, you'll have dominion over all. Forget Lava, you'll possess all elements!]

"That IS our planned endgame" 

I'm not worried about it, most elements are useless towards many antagonists after all. Plenty who can either nullify or absorb Jutsu start popping up like crazy towards the end

[Bonus, since your body is more akin to Isshiki, your Inton10Yin/Shadow Styleand physical strength have grown again. Maybe more of his powers will begin manifesting as well?]

I wonder if they already have...

You are reading story Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy at novel35.com

Kisshōten copies and, albeit limited, alters inorganic matter in a dimension where time doesn't flow...

Sukunahikona11Small Man of Renownshrinks/alters inorganic matter...

Daikokuten12Great Black Heavenstores matter in a dimension where time doesn't flow...

Kisshōten is Yin-Yang in nature. Yin-Yang is the most unknown, powerful, and unpredictable...

Have I been instinctively, subconsciously using Isshiki's powers in conjunction with this mysterious nature transformation?

"..."

[What you need to do is focus on speeding up this process]

Wait...what did you say?

"Speeding up? I thought I was to become a so-called Neo-Ōtsutsuki, something superior to both man and alien alike? That was your big pitch"

[Yes, but we can't do that long as your body's resources are still having constant slap fights. Once it's stabilized, your foreign soul will take in all remnants of both Isshiki and Rei, like a sponge. And from it...birth something new]

"Something new being...?"

[Chakra. You'll no longer be using Rei's or Isshiki's chakra for battle, but your own, "Raymond's" chakra. Remember, the sage of six-er...Hagoromo spread chakra to others, and chakra is passed on from generation to generation, from soul to soul]

But my soul didn't originate from this worl-Ohhh...I get it

"Since I'm foreign, I never received such a gift. I never had chakra of my own, I've just been going back and forth from using either Rei's or Isshiki's"

["Back and forth" being the key words. This whole scenario has to end before your growth becomes completely stunted. I'm pretty sure you don't want any more freakouts]

Well, unless it saves my life

[First, we'll have your soul consume the rest of Rei's chakra like ingredients, all the while Isshiki's cells replace the rest of his. Then, we do the same to Isshiki's chakra through-]

"Bodily Activation via Senjutsu13Sage Techniquesat Ryūchidō14Dragon Ground Cave. The natural energy will cause a reaction within the body. Acting as a catalyst for my final evolution"

[Yes, and while you're there...]

"I'll acquire the very same Tensei Jutsu15Reincarnation TechniquesOrochimaru based his Forbidden techniques on, in order to protect my soul against any more incidents"

[Two birds, one stone. Creation of the perFecT being. You worked that out yourself, eh?]

"Did you think I've just been sitting on my ass during this strange journey?"

[...No, wE didn't expect you to]

Like I'd believe you without proof, I've learned to live my life under the proverb "Trust, but verify". There was no way in hell I'd ever do something so dangerous unless I was sure

Still, it's comforting to know this thing was actually telling the truth. Despite it being crazy, reckless, and outright Naruto levels of stupid...this plan might actually work

But...

"I'm in no rush to lose the rest of my human side Notitia. God knows what'll happen to me if all of Isshiki's cells take over. Am I gonna grow a horn or something? Plus, I'm still not ready to enter Ryūchi Cave"

[We did make modifications to ensure your outward appearance wouldn't undergo drastic changes whenever your evolution progressed. You won't grow a horn...probably]

"First of all, what we're doing has never been done before. You can't guarantee jack shit. Second, even if my appearance doesn't change, what about my mental state? Will my personality permanently change? Like whenever I let my...power take control?"

[...I can't answer that]

"Whether you can't or won't is irrelevant, because overall...you don't know! I'm not speeding anything along"

[You can't takE the chance. Your pRogreSS must not sloW dOWn]

Here it is again. Every time I talk about "taking things slow" with my training, Notitia's "other" side starts popping up. Why is this thing in such rush to get me strong? What's it agenda?

[ReI...]

You may not be lying, but you're still hiding things. But moving at my own pace seems to get a reaction, if I keep it up, maybe this thing will slip and I'll learn something new

Something it doesn't want me to know...

"I'll take care of it in time"

♦♦♦

Present time

[That was over a year ago. You're barely human now anyway, why do you hesitate?]

"I'm not, I'm being careful. I died and came to this world, and while I occasionally believe in second chances, never a third. Don't you ever assume anyone gets to gamble with my life but me"

[...]

Eventually, I'll solve this mystery, find out what you're hiding, along with who or whatever sent me here. And make damn well sure I'm sent back

[...Fine. You've clearly made up your mind]

"Glad you get it"

[Then may I ask, what is the plan for the time being?]

"What else? More training. My control has improved now that I'm more alien, it's almost time for the Black Scroll's third lock. I'll also work on my basic elements, losing Yōton doesn't hurt much as I came to this world without any cheats anyway"

[Oh? That's a "glass half full" outlook I didn't expect from a cynic like you. Miserable bastard]

"Again, up yours. Besides, it's not completely gone yet, only when my power activates again and my Ōtsutsuki cells respond in kind. Until then, lava's still in the cards"

Gives me time to come up with an excuse for the others when it finally does go though

[It won't be permanent. Hell, forget Kaguya, it might come back on its own once you evolve]

"..."

[...]

"..."

[...Can't blame a disembodied voice for trying. And it's not like I was lying]

"Whatever, lemme focus. I need to get back to training"

Have to ensure Kisshōten doesn't activate on its own, ever again...

You can find story with these keywords: Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy, Read Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy, Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy novel, Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy book, Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy story, Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy full, Illumination – A Naruto Fantasy Latest Chapter