Chapter 353: Breakthrough in Desperation
Uchiha Dali could clearly tell that the planet the Shinobi World was on had already been completely destroyed by Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki.
Of course, he also knew that for beings of that level, reviving an entire planet and everything on it was something as easy as lifting a finger.
Even a complete version of the Rinnegan—the most ordinary kind—could create all things.
Not to mention Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki; even he himself could do it.
So, Uchiha Dali kept silent.
Instead, it was Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki who eagerly refuted his younger brother's words.
He chuckled lightly. "Though that planet did receive a bit of punishment from me for their insolence,"
"Since I have the power to destroy it, naturally, I also have the ability to make it live again."
"Now, everything depends on your choice, Uchiha Dali."
When he finished speaking, Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki smiled faintly, waiting for a response.
At the same time, he stayed wary of his younger brother, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki.
His gaze would, from time to time, flick over toward him.
This time, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki didn't speak again, nor did he try to persuade Uchiha Dali.
He knew that a mortal like this one had yet to fully abandon the attachments and emotions within his heart.
That insidious Àoshiki was now using his homeland as leverage.
If he were to continue persuading Uchiha Dali, it would only make him seem like a heartless hypocrite.
He decided to leave it to fate.
He wanted to see whether this kid was truly foolish, and whether he would make an irrational choice.
He simply waited in silence.
After a brief moment, Uchiha Dali finally spoke: "If that planet can't be revived, and no one will ever see the sun again, then there's no reason for you to exist either."
"Are you threatening me? Who do you think you are?"
"Oh? So that can't be used as your weakness, then?"
Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki looked somewhat surprised.
His words were met with an immediate attack from Uchiha Dali.
A torrent of shockwaves came flying at him at a speed invisible to the naked eye.
When Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki saw that Uchiha Dali had made the rational choice—to fight Àoshiki rather than yield—he finally showed a relaxed expression.
"Your despicable tricks end here, Àoshiki!"
"From this moment on, this universe will no longer be ruled by your word!"
As he spoke, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki quickly rejoined the battle. The two once again teamed up to surround and assault Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki.
This time, however, Uchiha Dali had completely made up his mind, and Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's trust in him had reached its peak.
Their coordination in both offense and defense was seamless. That rare, mutual understanding made their combined power multiply.
Soon, Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki once again felt an overwhelming pressure.
His expression grew grim.
He realized that if the situation continued like this, his defeat was only a matter of time.
"Kyōshiki."
"I'll give you one last chance."
"Join me to finish this boy, and afterward, we'll go our separate ways!"
When he failed to win Uchiha Dali over, Àoshiki turned his attention to his brother instead, hoping to make him an ally.
"I see that although this kid's realm hasn't reached ours, the energy he possesses is no weaker than ours."
"If we divide that energy between us, both you and I can evolve to the next stage."
"Wouldn't that be far better than the two of us brothers tearing each other apart, Kyōshiki?"
When Uchiha Dali heard those words, he stayed silent this time.
He had already passed his test—he hadn't been deceived or swayed by Àoshiki's lies or threats.
Now, he wanted to see whether Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki had the wisdom to make the right choice.
Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki snorted coldly. "My mind may not be as cunning as yours, but don't take me for a fool, Àoshiki."
"If both of us evolve to the next level, won't we just become competitors again?"
"When that happens, we'll both need stellar energy to grow stronger. Tell me—would I side with you, or with him?"
"Hmph. You truly live up to being my foolish little brother—you've actually gotten a bit smarter."
Àoshiki sneered coldly, narrowing his eyes.
"In that case, I'll just have to get serious. You've left me no choice."
As soon as the words fell, Ōtsutsuki Àoshiki's aura suddenly surged upward.
In the next instant, five identical copies appeared beside him.
When they saw this, Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki's pupils constricted slightly, and Uchiha Dali's expression grew tense.
"This guy…"
"He can still divide himself?"
Kyōshiki could hardly believe it.
At the same time, he secretly felt a wave of relief.
If he hadn't insisted on bringing Uchiha Dali along to help, and had faced this monster alone, his fate would have been sealed.
"This looks bad…" Uchiha Dali said with a faint, amused smile.
"You seem awfully calm!"
Seeing his expression, Àoshiki gave a cold laugh.
Without even moving, the five clones at his side attacked simultaneously.
Two of them flanked Uchiha Dali, while the remaining three targeted Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki.
Each clone possessed exactly the same strength and abilities as the original.
Even one-on-one, neither Uchiha Dali nor Ōtsutsuki Kyōshiki could necessarily win.
Now, with the enemy holding a numbers advantage, the situation had turned extremely unfavorable for them both.
Just as the two were about to be overwhelmed by the encirclement—
Uchiha Dali suddenly smirked. "Thanks!"
That inexplicable remark left both Àoshiki and Kyōshiki puzzled.
They didn't know that at that very moment, a long-awaited system notification was echoing in Uchiha Dali's mind.
[Ding! You have repeatedly witnessed a superior version of the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique! Your comprehension of the technique has greatly deepened! You have mastered the Advanced Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!]
[Advanced Multiple Shadow Clone Technique: An enhanced form of the original, significantly strengthening the clones' overall power, extending their duration, and doubling the maximum number of clones that can be created at once!]
As the notification echoed in his mind, Uchiha Dali felt a torrent of new information flood in, along with an immense surge of "division cores" suddenly forming within his body.
These division cores weren't cells, nor pure energy. Normally, they remained dormant inside Uchiha Dali's body, bringing him no direct increase in strength.
Only when he used the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique would they truly activate.
Each division core could manifest as a clone just as powerful as his true body.