Chapter 338: Turning the Tables
Uchiha Dali was still trying to use his Observation Haki domain to probe into Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's thoughts.
But just like at the beginning, he still couldn't obtain any trace of the other's inner mind.
That didn't stop him from making judgments though. By closely observing Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's body language, analyzing his eyes, tone, and so on, Uchiha Dali guessed that the man was wary of his Ultra Instinct.
So now he tried to probe for more information.
Uchiha Dali's lips curved slowly upward, amusement in his voice: "Who knows?"
"Anyway, the stronger my opponent, the faster I grow. It's always been like that."
"Otherwise, what do you think allowed me to take down those other Ōtsutsuki?"
At those words, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's gaze instantly darkened.
Realizing he wasn't likely to pry out anything of real value from this kid, his eyes flicked slightly as he said, "Your form is indeed impressive, but it's not without flaws!"
"Right now, I'd wager you've already hit your limit, haven't you? Heh…"
"Don't forget, I am a god! The secrets of your body are crystal clear to me!"
This time it was Uchiha Dali who was taken aback.
His body truly was nearing its limit—that much was undeniable.
Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki was far from an ordinary Ōtsutsuki; his power was far greater than most of his kin.
At this moment, Uchiha Dali couldn't help but feel a chill of dread.
"The biggest problem is my physique can't keep up with the growth of my energy. Without an overwhelmingly tough body, my Armament Haki has long since been exhausted. Taking this guy's attacks head-on under these conditions—of course I can't endure…"
"If only there were some way to quickly enhance my physical body."
Uchiha Dali thought to himself in silence.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki sneered: "Hahahaha! So you do have some self-awareness after all! But… what is this Armament Haki?"
The man had the ability to read others' thoughts.
When Uchiha Dali entered his Ultra Instinct state, he could momentarily screen off his conscious combat thoughts, preventing Kyōshiki from knowing his next move.
But his normal inner thoughts could still be spied upon with ease.
That was always a major headache.
Suddenly, Uchiha Dali's heart stirred, and he thought: "I didn't expect his mind-reading ability to be this strong. Luckily, I've never exposed that secret—otherwise, it'd be troublesome…"
And then, his thoughts naturally conjured an image of a technique called "Demonic Disintegration Divine Art."
This Demonic Disintegration Divine Art was said to massively boost one's power in a short time, somewhat like the Eight Gates Release.
The cost, however, was brutal backlash on the body. Ordinary people couldn't cultivate it, because once they used it, their mortal flesh couldn't withstand the recoil—they'd be killed by it instantly.
But if one evolved into a far greater existence, such drawbacks would cease to matter.
These thoughts surfaced in an instant, then immediately vanished without a trace.
Yet Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's eyes flickered with suspicion. Clearly, he had caught that fleeting thought in Uchiha Dali's mind.
Of course, what he didn't know was that those ideas were deliberately fabricated.
In reality, no such thing as Demonic Disintegration Divine Art existed.
If anything, according to the "technique" Uchiha Dali had just imagined, it wouldn't just kill an ordinary person outright—even an Ōtsutsuki with tremendous vitality would be left in tatters by the backlash.
This was Uchiha Dali's game of turning the tables.
Since Kyōshiki could freely pry into his mind against his will, he would deliberately feed him false information.
If Kyōshiki were foolish enough to attempt this so-called Demonic Disintegration Divine Art, he'd be walking right into a trap.
Now, Uchiha Dali began to showcase his acting talent.
On one hand, he filled his thoughts with all kinds of seemingly plausible but misleading notions; on the other, he carefully watched Kyōshiki's reactions.
Naturally, such little maneuvers couldn't escape Kyōshiki's notice.
Seeing Uchiha Dali's cautious, guarded demeanor, Kyōshiki's doubts only deepened.
He wasn't an idiot—there was no way he'd simply swallow Dali's thoughts at face value.
But at the same time, he couldn't be sure what was real and what wasn't.
So he kept his ability active, continuing to probe into Uchiha Dali's mind.
And right then, Uchiha Dali deliberately spoke aloud, diverting his attention so he wouldn't dwell too much on those "secrets."
"You see through my body nearing its limit. Then why don't you finish me? Could it be that you're nearly spent yourself? Or… is this all you've got?"
As he spoke, he gave Kyōshiki a meaningful look, half-smile, half-smirk.
Sure enough, the words distracted him.
A cold light flashed in Kyōshiki's eyes. "You want to die, and I won't grant it to you?"
"But right now, I'm more interested in this Demonic Disintegration Divine Art of yours. What exactly is it?"
It seemed Kyōshiki wasn't taking the bait.
Instead of trying the move himself, he chose to question Uchiha Dali directly.
The latter, upon hearing this, instantly put on a look of startled disbelief. Staring at him for a moment, Uchiha Dali then gave a wry chuckle: "Do you really think I'd tell you a secret like that? You're a little too naive, aren't you?"
"Right now, are you giving me time to recover, or are you simply out of strength to deal with me?"
"If it's the latter, then I have a win-win proposal."
Again, his words shifted Kyōshiki's focus.
With a cold snort, Kyōshiki said, "I'd like to hear what tricks you have up your sleeve."
"Let's call a truce, the two of us."
"After all, you can't do anything to me, and I can't defeat you. If we keep fighting like this, we might just end up benefitting a third party. Wouldn't it be better to stop here?"
"Three rules: you don't cause trouble in my territory, and I won't come after you. We each mind our own business, go our own way."
Uchiha Dali had pulled out a delaying tactic.
His physique wasn't a skill he could instantly boost with sheer insight.
Under such circumstances, it was unwise to keep clashing head-on. He had to find a way to buy himself more time.