Sakurashiki's strength had reached the mid-level of the Six Paths class.
He was slightly stronger than Ryosuke before he had awakened the Rinnegan.
But now?
Compared to Ryosuke's current power, he was far too weak.
Even without using the Three-Tomoe Rinne-Sharingan, Ryosuke stood at the peak of the Six Paths level.
And Ōtsutsuki Sakurashiki?
He was at least two levels behind and no match for him.
The half-shattered body of Otsutsuki Sakurashiki rapidly regenerated.
With a furious roar, he charged forward. Lightning crackled from his hands, surging with even greater power.
At the same time, his blue Rinnegan flared, releasing an intense wave of pupil power.
A shimmering blue membrane emerged, wrapping around his entire body like an armor.
Ryosuke remained unfazed. He countered the charging Sakurashiki with a right hook.
But the moment their fists collided, Ryosuke sensed something odd.
The blue membrane absorbed the force of his punch, nullifying its impact.
Sakurashiki stood unharmed.
"Interesting! Is this your pupil technique?"
Ryosuke mused, kicking him several hundred meters away.
"Hmph! Under my Technique, your physical attacks are useless!" Sakurashiki declared proudly.
It could absorb physical energy.
At the Six Paths level, conventional ninjutsu became ineffective.
Even Six Paths Senjutsu inflicted minimal damage—especially against enemies capable of absorbing chakra.
For instance—
Ryosuke's Absorption could absorb any energy-based technique and reflect it back with double the power.
Against that ability, energy attacks became a death sentence.
For Ōtsutsuki Sakurashiki, this meant he couldn't rely on his chakra-based powers.
His only viable option was taijutsu.
Luckily, the Ōtsutsuki clan had a deep mastery of physical combat.
Even their branch members possessed exceptional taijutsu capabilities and Sakurashiki was no exception.
Bu Ōtsutsuki Sakurashiki was no Isshiki.
He lacked the skill that made Ishiki even stronger than Kaguya at her peak.
Without it, his taijutsu, while impressive, was inferior.
If not for Ryosuke's absorption, Sakurashiki wouldn't even have resorted to taijutsu in the first place.
Still Sakurashiki had one ace up his sleeve.
His pupil technique creates a protective membrane that absorbs physical attacks.
And for now, it gave him a chance against Ryosuke. But there was one thing Sakurashiki had overlooked.
He couldn't use Senjutsu chakra-based techniques but Ryosuke could.
"Sage Mode."
A brilliant golden chakra ignited around Ryosuke. Flames surged, lifting his hair as a storm of energy erupted.
Boom!
A shockwave radiated outward, shaking the battlefield.
Sakurashiki instinctively stepped back. His confidence was shaken by Ryosuke's new form.
In the distance
Kawashiki, who had been observing the battle, smiled playfully.
"Oh~! More tricks, huh? This human is interesting."
"I hope he can entertain me a bit longer."
Ryosuke, now fully empowered by Sage Mode, extended his hand.
A black sphere formed in his palm. It was encircled by glowing white rings, crackling with unimaginable energy.
"Sage Art: Super Rasenringu!"
With a swift motion, Ryosuke hurled the massive spiraling sphere.
Sakurashiki's eyes widened in shock. He crossed his arms, preparing to absorb the incoming attack just like before.
But the moment the sphere connected—
Rumble!!!
A blazing white sun erupted. The explosion consumed everything in its path, vaporizing the landscape.
Even with his Sealing Technique, Sakurashiki's body was ripped apart by the sheer force.
When the light faded, a massive crater, that was 50 kilometers wide was seen.
The intense heat melted the surrounding snow and ice. A cloud of steam rose into the sky.
But Ryosuke still wasn't finished.
"Sage Art: Lightning Release: Kirin!"
Ryosuke raised his hand.
A brilliant lightning dragon crackled to life, roaring as it descended toward a figure below.
Kawashiki merely smirked and opened his palm.
A small black hole appeared, effortlessly swallowing the Kirin whole.
"Humans… try your own power against me!" Kawashiki's voice echoed ominously.
The real battle had only just begun.
The massive Kirin roared as it tore through the sky, escaping from Kawashiki's grasp.
Its target?
Ryosuke, who was floating several kilometers away.
"Absorb!"
Without hesitation, Ryosuke activated the same technique, effortlessly absorbing the incoming beast.
Then, he thrust his palm forward.
"Kirin!"
A larger and more powerful Kirin emerged from his hand, surging toward Kawashiki.
Kawashiki narrowed his eyes.
"Are you playing Matryoshka with me?"
Irritated, his golden Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan flared at the center of his forehead.
A beam of golden energy shot out—
Instantly erasing the incoming Kirin as if it had never existed.
What kind of ability is that?
Ryosuke, still hovering midair, observed the phenomenon with a mix of curiosity and caution.
He already knew Kawashiki was no ordinary opponent.
Like other Ōtsutsuki clan members—
He had devoured the fruit of the God Tree, making him incredibly powerful.
Perhaps even stronger than Kaguya at her peak.
But unlike Kaguya, Kawashiki had extensive combat experience and wielded his abilities with terrifying efficiency.
Ryosuke sensed that in terms of raw power, Kawashiki was equal to him.
But those golden beams?
What exactly did they do?
Were they disintegrating chakra?
Or breaking it down at a fundamental level?
One thing was certain.
They weren't space-related.
With his mastery of spatial techniques, Ryosuke would have sensed any change in space immediately.
Kawashiki's voice cut through the tense atmosphere.
"Human, you're strong and you possess powers similar to the Ōtsutsuki clan. If I'm right, you're not from this planet, are you?"
His tone was playful, almost amused.
It was as if the battle itself was merely a form of entertainment.
He didn't even seem to care that Ryosuke had obliterated his subordinate, Sakurashiki.
But that wasn't surprising. The Ōtsutsuki clan was known for their ruthlessness.
They would consume their own kind without hesitation.
So, why would they mourn a fallen comrade?
Ryosuke smirked and said, "You're right. I'm not from this planet."
Golden chakra flames swirled around him, giving him a divine aura.
If not for Kawashiki's distinctive Ōtsutsuki appearance, an outsider might mistake this scene for a battle from Dragon Ball.
Kawashiki chuckled and said, "I knew it. No lifeform from such a low-level planet could possess your power."
Then, with a tone of mock generosity, he continued, "Since you've killed my subordinate, I'll give you a chance. Join me and I'll even grant you the Ōtsutsuki name."
What?
For a moment, Ryosuke couldn't help but laugh.
Did this guy seriously think he'd accept such an insulting offer?
And that self-important look on Kawashiki's face reminded Ryosuke of how he used to recruit subordinates.
Except, when he did it, it was an honor.
This?
This was just arrogance.
"Sorry! I'm pretty happy with my current name." Ryosuke's tone grew cold.
"Becoming your lackey isn't exactly on my to-do list."
Kawashiki's brow furrowed and he said, "You dare refuse me?"
He seemed genuinely shocked. It seemed like no one had ever dared to say no to him.
Ryosuke rolled his eyes and said, "Yeah, and I'm saying it loud and clear. I'm not interested."
Kawashiki sighed in disappointment and said, "A shame! No one refuses me, human."
Without another word, his body vanished into a black portal.
Yomotsu Hirasaka!
Ryosuke recognized the technique instantly.
The ability to manipulate space and teleport through dimensions.
At the same time, he sensed a spatial fluctuation behind him.
He's attacking from behind!
Kawashiki emerged from the portal.
Golden blades of energy extended from his fingertips, which were sharp enough to cut through dimensions themselves.
The five glowing beams sliced through the air, aiming directly at the back of Ryosuke's head.
But—
Swish!
Ryosuke's figure vanished into a crimson portal and he reappeared behind Kawashiki in an instant.
His Yomotsu Hirasaka was faster and Kawashiki lacked Ryosuke's refined spatial perception.
Without giving his opponent a chance to react—
Boom!
Ryosuke's punch connected, sending Kawashiki flying across the battlefield.
But Ryosuke didn't stop.
Swish!
He teleported again, appearing above Kawashiki to deliver a follow-up blow.
But this time, Kawashiki was ready.
With a twist, he countered with a devastating punch.
Their fists collided, shaking the atmosphere with a thunderous boom.
Kawashiki's eyes narrowed and he said, "I didn't expect you to know Yomotsu Hirasaka."
Ryosuke smirked and said, "That's not all I can do."
And with that, he disappeared again.
The battle was far from over.