If things kept going like this, even with Susanoo's powerful defenses, they had no way to strike back.
Sooner or later, Momoshiki would find an opening. And once even one of them fell, their entire formation would collapse.
Not only was Susanoo consuming chakra, it was also draining Sasuke's Ocular Power. Though the Rinnegan's power was immense, it wasn't limitless. Neji's support couldn't restore Ocular Power.
The same went for Naruto's Yang Release.
Even though Kurama provided sustained chakra output, Susanoo still needed Ocular Power to function.
Under Momoshiki's constant harassment, his attacks might not have inflicted critical damage on the Armored Susanoo, but the drain on Sasuke's Ocular Power was becoming obvious.
Clutching his eyes, Sasuke pushed his body to the limit, but even so, Susanoo's strength had begun to wane.
Some non-essential parts of the armor had already started to fade.
Momoshiki caught onto this immediately.
His attacks increased in frequency—not aiming for fatal blows, but targeting Sasuke's Ocular Power as efficiently as possible.
On top of that, during the battle, Momoshiki had deliberately struck the ground again and again, forcing the three of them to higher and higher altitudes.
As Neji and the others drifted farther from the Shinobi World below, both chakra and natural energy grew thinner. His combat effectiveness began to steadily drop, and he could no longer maintain his energy output.
"We're way too passive—we can't go on like this!"
In a split second, Susanoo's abdomen was hit. A wind blade nearly cleaved it in two.
Though Naruto quickly resumed his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, Susanoo still collapsed.
The Thunder-Wind Giant controlled by Momoshiki drew near once again.
Over a dozen thunderballs, interwoven with countless wind blades, came hurtling toward them—this time, aiming to deliver a killing blow!
Without the armored Susanoo, even Nine-Tails Chakra Mode alone couldn't withstand such an onslaught.
"Let me handle this!"
In that critical moment, Neji gauged how much strength each of them had left and made a decision—he would take the hit himself, buying Naruto and Sasuke time to recover.
Rotation!
The Nine-Tails Chakra Mode immediately faded, leaving the three of them suspended in mid-air.
Naruto couldn't fly, but thankfully Sasuke's Ocular Power was recovering fast enough. With the Rinnegan, he could keep Naruto afloat.
Neji's body began to spin, channeling the Breathing Art of the Sage Path. He drew in the sparse surrounding energy and flooded it into his body—
Then expelled it from every chakra point in a burst.
A massive spherical energy shield formed in an instant, shredding and dispersing Momoshiki's incoming attacks.
Clang!
Momoshiki, now furious, was nearly out of chakra as well.
That last strike should have ended it. But Neji's sudden defense had shattered the opportunity.
Enraged, he sent the Thunder-Wind Giant charging forward, one hand forming a wind blade, the other transforming into a lightning hammer.
Blow after blow crashed against Rotation, forcing Neji to endure overwhelming pressure.
He had already tapped every bit of usable power in the area. Once he ran out, all that remained was to face this energy giant with nothing but flesh and blood—certain death.
Thankfully, Naruto still had a bit of chakra left. After resting briefly, Kurama had recovered significantly and immediately funneled his strength to Neji.
The two of them stood their ground together, holding off the assault—
And buying Sasuke time to recover his Ocular Power.
Outside the Rotation barrier, the enraged Momoshiki swung his hammer one last time, finally shattering it.
Naruto and Sasuke had both reached their limits.
Kurama even started speaking directly to Naruto, suggesting they use a technique that would burn through both of their lives to take Momoshiki down for good.
The Thunder-Wind Giant was now visibly unstable—its lightning hammer dissolved, and its energy began fluctuating chaotically.
Clearly, Momoshiki was also at his limit.
If they wanted to end him, now was the time!
The Thunder-Wind Giant extended its palm, ready to crush all three of them—
At that moment, Sasuke placed his hand on Neji's shoulder.
The three exchanged a glance. Understanding each other instantly, Neji suddenly surged with strength again.
He launched another Rotation, though it was much smaller than before.
Amenotejikara!
Sasuke's eyes snapped open, his gaze locked onto Momoshiki's blurry form within the giant.
Switch successful!
The three immediately retreated from the Rotation's range.
In that instant, the still-active Rotation hung in midair like a colossal Rasengan—
And slammed into the Thunder-Wind Giant's body.
The two forces collided. After a massive explosion, both were annihilated.
Chibaku Tensei!
Sasuke released a black sphere from his palm. It drifted into the dissipating energy cloud, radiating a powerful gravitational pull.
"Impossible... This is impossible!!"
With his chakra nearly gone, Momoshiki could barely stay afloat. He was completely helpless against Chibaku Tensei's pull. No matter how he ran, he couldn't escape the black gravitational core.
In space, countless meteoric fragments were drawn toward it—some fused into the core, making it larger.
Others smashed into Momoshiki, battering his body with wound after wound.
Now outside of combat, Naruto and Neji were slowly recovering. Together, they funneled chakra to Sasuke, allowing Chibaku Tensei to remain active.
"No... I won't accept this! You filthy natives! Despicable, lowlife creatures—I won't accept this!!"
Momoshiki let out a roar to the heavens.
As if crying out to fate itself, he lamented this cruel outcome. He had once been the brightest rising star of the most powerful advanced civilization in the universe.
He was born noble, survived countless trials, and finally rose above all others in the younger generation of the Ōtsutsuki Clan.
Chosen by the clan elders to inherit the title of Clan Head, he had been tasked with retrieving the Chakra Fruit.
It was supposed to be a flawless mission. All he had to do was return, and he would be granted the fruit and divine pills—enough to ascend to godhood and retain infinite potential.
Yet here he was, facing this miserable end.
Urashiki had fled severely wounded. Kinshiki had been killed. And now he himself was on the verge of being sealed!
The worst part?
The ones sealing him weren't gods.
They were barely a step above insects—pathetic beings who could only use chakra thanks to the diluted bloodline of that traitor, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki!
But then, he suddenly stopped shouting.
Instead, he laughed madly, standing on a large meteor that gave him enough footing—
And charged straight toward the core of Chibaku Tensei.
"He's going to absorb the power of the Chibaku Tensei!"
Sasuke was the first to react, rushing in. Neji followed up with a flurry of strikes, while nine tails extended from Naruto's back, trying to bind Momoshiki.
But it had all been a ruse.
Momoshiki had tricked them.
He exploited the knowledge gap between himself and these backwater shinobi.
Chibaku Tensei was a Rinnegan technique—standard issue for anyone who consumed a Chakra Fruit. In fact, it was thoroughly studied and dissected within the clan.
While it was common, it remained a powerful sealing technique.
But despite its might, it couldn't be absorbed. Not even his Takamimusubinokami could do that. Its cost was high and its effect only worthwhile when the user held complete dominance.
Momoshiki had been bluffing—counting on Sasuke's lack of experience with Chibaku Tensei to not realize its mechanics.
And it worked.
The energy attacks from Naruto and Neji were instantly absorbed by Momoshiki.
Then, with a single rebound chakra blast—
He obliterated the core of the Chibaku Tensei.
After the explosion's shockwave faded, Momoshiki didn't press the attack.
Knowing that he couldn't defeat Sasuke, Naruto, and Neji together, he chose to remain hovering in space, confronting them from a distance.
"Lowly lifeforms will always be lowly lifeforms. Once you leave your precious atmosphere, you're as good as dead… "
He smiled, gazing down at the trio who dared not leave the protection of the planet's atmospheric barrier.
----------------
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (324 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)