ALL NOVEL Chapter 98: 98. Beyond The End 2
The air was thick with the residue of battle as Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon stood before the now-stabilized rift. Though the immediate threat of the creature had been neutralized, the rift still pulsed ominously, a reminder that their job was far from over.
"It's not going to hold for long," Sasuke remarked, his eyes flickering with the intensity of his Sharingan. He could feel the pull of energy from the rift, and it was clear that, at any moment, it could destabilize again and allow even more enemies to emerge.
Naruto gritted his teeth, looking at the tear in the sky. "So what's the plan, Anon? We hit it with everything we've got again?"
Anon, calm as always, closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the pulse of the Void energy that rippled from the rift. His connection to the energy allowed him to see the delicate balance within the convergence. " Not exactly. This time, we need precision. The rift is tied to a deeper source, one that's pulling from multiple dimensions at once. If we hit it too hard, we could cause it to spread instead of closing it."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "So we need to sever the connection without collapsing reality."
Anon nodded. " Exactly. We need to strike at the core, where the energy is most concentrated. If we can destabilize that point, the rift should collapse on itself. But it's going to take every ounce of our precision and control."
Naruto's expression grew serious. He'd never been one for the delicate approach, but he understood the gravity of the situation. "Alright, so where's this core? How do we hit it?"
Anon extended his hand toward the rift, and as the air around him shimmered with Void energy, the rift pulsed in response. He could feel the flow of energy within it, tracing its origins back to the core. "It's deep within the rift, but we can reach it. I'll need your help to stabilize the flow of energy while I sever the connection."
Sasuke, ever focused, was already preparing his next move. "Naruto and I will work on keeping the rift stable. You focus on cutting the connection."
Naruto smirked, his energy crackling around him. "No problem. Just tell me where to hit, and we'll get this done."
The Assault on the Rift
With their plan set, the three of them moved into action. Naruto summoned his chakra, forming multiple shadow clones, each one ready to assist in stabilizing the rift. The clones spread out around the perimeter of the rift, creating a barrier of Time-infused chakra that would help slow the expansion of the convergence.
Sasuke, meanwhile, activated his Rinnegan, his eyes glowing with power as he focused on the flow of energy within the rift. Using his Void-infused Chidori, he targeted the weak points in the energy flow, striking with precision to keep the rift from expanding further.
Anon, standing in the center of the battlefield, extended both hands toward the rift. His Void energy pulsed through the air, reaching deep into the heart of the convergence. He could feel the chaotic flow of energy within it, the violent tug-of-war between dimensions. Slowly, carefully, he began to weave the energy of the Void into the rift, stabilizing its edges as he moved toward the core.
The rift pulsed violently in response, and dark tendrils of energy lashed out toward the three of them, as if trying to repel their efforts. But Naruto and Sasuke were ready.
"Here they come!" Naruto shouted as the tendrils moved toward them. His clones reacted instantly, forming Rasengans in unison and launching them at the incoming attacks. The spinning orbs of chakra collided with the dark tendrils, shattering them before they could reach the team.
Sasuke, his Sharingan tracking the movements of the energy, used his Chidori to strike down the remaining tendrils with precision. Each time he moved, the air around him seemed to ripple, his Void-infused attacks distorting reality itself.
Anon continued his work, his focus never wavering as he moved closer to the core of the rift. He could feel the pull of energy intensifying, the convergence becoming more unstable the closer he got. But he pushed forward, his Void energy cutting through the chaos like a blade.
As the battle raged around them, Naruto and Sasuke continued to defend against the tendrils of energy that lashed out from the rift. Each attack they launched was precise, their teamwork honed from years of fighting together. They moved in perfect sync, their attacks complementing each other as they kept the rift from expanding.
"Anon, how much longer?" Sasuke called out, his eyes flickering between the rift and the enemies emerging from it.
"Almost there," Anon replied, his voice steady. He was close—he could feel the core of the rift just within reach. The energy within it was chaotic, but he could sense its structure, its weak point. With one final surge of power, Anon extended his hands, channeling his Void energy directly into the core of the rift.
The air around him seemed to freeze for a moment, the entire battlefield going still as the Void energy reached its target.
Then, with a deafening roar, the rift collapsed in on itself. The dark energy that had been pouring from it was sucked back into the convergence, and the tear in the sky sealed shut, leaving only a faint shimmer of energy behind.
The Aftermath
The battlefield fell silent as the last remnants of the rift faded away. Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon stood together, their breaths heavy but their resolve unshaken. They had done it—they had closed the rift, severing its connection to the other dimension.
Naruto let out a sigh of relief, his hands resting on his knees as he caught his breath. "That was… intense," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Sasuke nodded, his expression calm but serious. "We were cutting it close. These rifts are getting stronger."
Anon, his Void energy still flickering faintly around him, looked up at the sky where the rift had been. "This isn't over. There are more out there, and they'll only get harder to close. We need to find the source, or we'll be fighting these battles forever."
Naruto straightened up, his expression growing serious. "Then let's find it. We'll stop these rifts before they destroy everything."
Sasuke crossed his arms, his Sharingan still active as he scanned the area for any lingering threats. "We'll need to regroup with the others. There's no telling how many more rifts have opened since we started."
Anon nodded in agreement. "We'll need to move fast. The longer these rifts stay open, the more damage they'll do to the fabric of reality."
As the team prepared to move out, the ground beneath them trembled slightly, a reminder that the convergence was far from over. But despite the looming threat, they were ready. They had faced worse before, and they would face it again.
Together.