Sinister. Terrifying.
Its tattered clothing, the objects in its hands — enough to make one's spine go cold.
It was as if Death itself had taken form.
Just seeing the phantom behind Jiraiya made Naruto's soul tremble, like he was facing a natural predator.
Shiki Fūjin (Reaper Death Seal) — a forbidden jutsu of his mother's Uzumaki Clan, directly targeting the soul, a suicidal technique where both sides perish…
Used alongside Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique), it could take one life for many — one for three, even more…
If he himself used it, with his stamina and chakra, Shiki Fūjin could probably claim over a hundred souls at once.
Naruto couldn't help but wonder:
"How did anyone even create a jutsu like this?"
Soul-based jutsu in the shinobi world were as rare as space-time techniques, and each was frighteningly strong.
Reika no Jutsu (Spirit Transformation Technique), Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei (Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation), and now this…
Against such jutsu, most shinobi had no counter — they could only be dragged into death together.
"With Jiraiya's strength, using Shiki Fūjin could probably take down Uchiha Madara…"
Naruto's eyes narrowed. He clenched his fist.
"Busōshoku — Kōka!" (Armament Haki — Hardening!)
Black Haki crept over his fist, turning it into a steel-like weapon.
Jiraiya's expression was grim.
"Bofūng Menma… you know what this is. If you don't want to die, leave. Now."
The seal wasn't fully active yet — the Shinigami's arm hadn't passed through his body. He didn't actually want to die here.
"Heh." Naruto smirked and stepped forward, charging straight at him.
"This guy… isn't afraid to die at all!?" Jiraiya thought bitterly, gritting his teeth.
The Shinigami's arm began to extend — one strike, and the Shiki Fūjin would be complete.
"I can't let someone with Hiraishin escape…"
But then his eyes widened in shock.
The golden-haired youth wasn't coming at him — he was aiming for the phantom behind him.
Naruto leapt high, fist drawn back.
"What am I doing? Checking what this so-called god of death really is.
If it can't take even one punch from me, it's not a god of anything!"
His punch ripped the air with a sonic boom, smashing into the phantom.
The Shinigami flickered under the blow.
Jiraiya paled. As the summoner, he felt the pain too — but more than that, he was stunned by Naruto's insanity.
"That's the Shinigami! No matter how strong you are, what good is hitting it!?"
Naruto ignored him, throwing punch after punch.
Even though the phantom was intangible and took less than a tenth of the impact, it was still shaken and unstable.
"Busōshoku isn't working as well as I hoped…" Naruto muttered, a hint of disappointment in his voice.
Even Armament Haki couldn't truly grip a soul.
"If it were Big Mom, maybe she could hurt it… or maybe my Haki just isn't strong enough yet."
He kept punching until the Shinigami phantom thinned, almost fading away. Jiraiya's face grew paler.
Finally, as the Shinigami's arm was about to pierce Jiraiya's body, Naruto stepped back, shaking his head.
"Still not enough. If my Haki were stronger, I'd have blown it apart."
He turned away.
"Next time, Jiraiya."
In a flash of the Hiraishin, Naruto vanished from Mount Myōboku.
Jiraiya exhaled in relief before quickly halting the Shiki Fūjin. The arm had been seconds from piercing him.
"Bofūng Menma…" He repeated the name, eyes sharpening.
"When I return to Konoha, I'll dig up your identity. No way you leave no trace."
"So quick?"
Marco grinned as the golden-haired figure reappeared in Ryugu Palace.
"Spatial abilities are so damn convenient. You can jump anywhere, anytime."
Naruto ignored him, looking instead at the drinking Whitebeard.
"Whitebeard, do you know anything about souls?"
Whitebeard paused mid-drink, eyeing Naruto.
"You trying to play with souls like Charlotte Linlin?" Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn N0v3l.Fiɾe.net
He remembered Big Mom — a master of soul powers, able to turn anything, even ships, into Homies.
"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "My enemy has the power to control souls. I want to know if there's a way to counter it."
Whitebeard set his cup down.
"Baki," he said firmly, "can control everything."
"Haki, huh…" Naruto thought of a certain walking skeleton.
If he could seize that soul, maybe he could grab the Shinigami's soul too.
Pulling his thoughts back, he grinned.
"Whitebeard, you're setting sail in three days, right?"
Whitebeard nodded.
"Then I'll take my leave. I'm heading to Impel Down next — let's see who rescues their target first."
(End of Chapter)
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