ALL NOVEL Chapter 99: 99. Beyond The End 3
As the rift finally closed and the battlefield fell silent, the tension in the air dissipated, but only slightly. The sense of impending doom still lingered. Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon regrouped with the forces of the Hidden Cloud, the Raikage standing tall with his elite shinobi by his side. They had all witnessed the power of the rift and the devastation it could bring.
Raikage A approached the trio, his expression stern as usual but laced with a hint of gratitude. "You closed it just in time. If that thing had opened fully, my village would have been the first to fall."
Naruto waved a hand, grinning despite the intensity of the situation. "We're just getting started! There's more of them, and we'll keep shutting them down until we find out who's behind all this."
Sasuke crossed his arms, his Sharingan now deactivated but his gaze still sharp. "We need to figure out the pattern. These rifts are becoming more frequent, and they're opening in specific areas—villages of great power."
Anon, who had been studying the aftermath of the rift, spoke quietly, his voice calm but firm. "It's not random. The convergence is targeting key points of chakra energy in each village. These rifts are designed to feed on the power of those places, destabilizing the balance of our world. The next target could be any of the remaining villages."
Raikage A furrowed his brow. "Then we need to fortify our defenses. I'll alert the other Kage and make sure every village is prepared for another attack. But we can't keep reacting to these rifts—we need to go on the offensive."
Naruto nodded, his expression growing more serious. "That's what we've been thinking too. We can't just keep closing rifts without understanding the source. We need to find who's pulling the strings."
Sasuke stepped forward, his eyes locking onto Raikage A. "We'll need every bit of intel you have on these attacks. We'll also need to track any unusual energy signatures in the other major villages. There's a pattern here, and we're going to find it."
The Raikage nodded in agreement. "You have our full support. My forces will continue to hold the line here. I'll send word to the Mizukage and Kazekage as well—we need everyone ready."
As the conversation continued, Naruto felt a tug at his senses, something beyond the physical realm. He glanced at Anon, who seemed to sense it too. A faint disturbance, as if the convergence had left a residue of its presence behind.
"You feel that too, right?" Naruto asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Anon nodded, his expression thoughtful. "It's faint, but it's there. The rift left a trace of its energy behind. If we follow it, it might lead us to the next convergence point."
Sasuke glanced between them, his mind already piecing together the next step. "Then we track it. If we can get ahead of the next rift, we might be able to stop it from opening entirely."
Naruto grinned, his usual enthusiasm returning. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Let's find these guys and stop them for good!"
The Path Forward
As the trio gathered themselves and prepared for their next move, the urgency of their mission weighed on them. They knew the stakes—they were no longer simply closing rifts, but fighting for the very survival of their world. Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon had grown immensely in their abilities, but even with their power, the forces behind the convergence remained elusive.
Raikage A looked at them with a grim expression. "Whatever you're planning, it needs to happen fast. We can't hold off these forces forever. You're the key to stopping this, and we're counting on you."
Naruto, ever the optimist, gave him a firm nod, his blue eyes blazing with determination. "Don't worry, Raikage. We've been through worse. We'll find out who's behind this, and we'll shut them down for good."
Sasuke, his usual calm demeanor masking his readiness for battle, added, "We'll send word as soon as we locate the source. Keep your forces on high alert—there's no telling where the next rift will appear."
Anon, who had been silently calculating their next steps, finally spoke. "We'll follow the trace left by the rift. It's faint, but it's there. It could lead us to the next point of convergence—or, if we're lucky, the source of it all."
The Raikage nodded, offering a rare smile. "You three are a force to be reckoned with. I have no doubt you'll find a way to stop this madness. Just be careful. Whoever's behind this is operating on a level we've never seen before."
Naruto's grin returned, a spark of excitement flickering in his voice. "Careful? That's not really our style. But don't worry—we'll get the job done."
With that, the team turned and prepared to depart. The Hidden Cloud forces began fortifying their defenses, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Anon moved with purpose, following the faint energy signature left behind by the collapsed rift.
As they traveled across the rugged landscape of the Land of Lightning, the world around them felt both familiar and alien. The energy lingering in the air was different now, as if reality itself had been altered by the convergence.
"This is getting worse," Sasuke muttered as they leapt across the mountainside. "Each time we close a rift, the energy feels more… unbalanced."
Anon nodded in agreement. "The convergence is accelerating. Whoever's behind this is pushing their plan into the final phase. We're running out of time."
Naruto, despite the weight of the situation, remained optimistic. "Then we'll just have to move faster. We've faced tougher odds before, and we're still here. We'll figure this out."
They continued on in silence, the tension in the air growing with each step. The path ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear—their next confrontation would determine the future of their world. And this time, they couldn't afford to lose.