Those who try to take care of everything end up taking care of nothing properly.
The fastest shinobi in the world was always late when it mattered most.
And the shinobi who was always late somehow managed to exceed expectations at the most critical moments.
Minato, rushing toward the Land of Grass, had only covered half the distance when flames suddenly erupted behind him.
He was just about to turn back when he realized that the rear seemed to have held its ground.
Anyone capable of manifesting the Complete Body Susanoo had to be an Uchiha, and an Uchiha could not possibly be an outsider.
That meant an Uchiha must have awakened his power back there.
And the Uchiha who had awakened at such a critical moment could only be Obito.
Minato looked from side to side, unable to make up his mind.
Should he continue to the Land of Grass and complete his mission?
Or should he turn back and see how the battle was going?
The battle in the Land of Grass was already reaching a horrifying level of intensity.
"BOOM!"
The battle had continued for so long that the Uchiha had already lost track of time.
All they knew was that day and night kept alternating.
But even that might not have been the natural movement of the sun and moon. It could simply have been the result of the battle itself.
Countless Buddhas and demons filled the heavens. They had rendered the Evil God powerless, yet they still could not completely destroy it.
The battle gradually turned into a war of attrition.
The Evil God had become a shameless opponent.
Whenever the Buddhas attacked, it simply covered its head and endured the blows. Once the Buddhas became exhausted, it would strike back.
Those counterattacks were completely ineffective against the countless Buddhas and demons, but they constantly consumed the Uchiha’s stamina and patience.
After all, both sides were fighting on someone else’s land. Neither side cared about the fate of the Land of Grass.
The Land of Grass could only suffer the consequences.
"Om, Maitrīya, Svāhā!"
All beings were equal.
At this moment, the demonic figures worshiped by the Uchiha once again condensed their Dharma bodies.
A radiant halo appeared behind the Future Buddha, releasing an immense radiance as though the entire world had suddenly been illuminated.
"Great Light Purification of the World!"
In an instant, the entire World of Light ignited.
Trees, streets, houses, people—even the Evil God itself—began to burn.
The sky and the earth, every corner of the Land of Grass, was engulfed in flames.
The World of Light became a world of fire.
"Holy crap! Holy crap... Huh? It’s not hot."
The Uchiha of the Iga Group suddenly unleashed their full power.
No one knew how much damage the Evil God had suffered, but Jōsuke was caught completely off guard.
The Buddha had descended into the mortal world. The radiance filling the heavens had ignited everything in flames.
After panicking for a moment, the fat man discovered that the flames did not seem to affect him at all.
Curious, he reached out and touched the flames before even sticking out his tongue to lick them.
The flames were clearly burning across his body, yet he could not feel a thing.
Suddenly, he seemed to realize something.
Could it be that these flames were not burning matter, but sin?
The fat man stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"If I’m not mistaken, what the Iga Group just chanted was the Future Buddha’s World-Purification Mantra, wasn’t it?
"If this really is the World-Purification Mantra used by the Future Buddha to return the universe to primordial chaos and begin anew, then we’re in trouble.
"From now on, the Land of Grass might become nothing but a nest of monks!"
Buddhism taught that the Saha World was a world of the Five Defilements.
Birth, aging, sickness, death; encountering those one hates; separation from those one loves; being unable to obtain what one desires; the blazing Five Aggregates; disasters of the earth; famine and plague; accidental calamities; war and bloodshed—all of these constituted the Realm of Endurance.
Only those possessing great wisdom, great compassion, and great courage could tirelessly enlighten all sentient beings and save them.
One had to endure the "Three Minor Calamities" and the "Three Great Calamities," as well as the evil consequences brought forth by the Ten Evils, before liberation could be attained.
The Future Buddha sought to use the Thirty-Three Heavens World-Purification Mantra to return the universe to primordial chaos and begin again—to extinguish human desires and preserve the laws of Heaven.
Thus, the World-Purification Mantra sounded like a form of purification.
But Jōsuke, who believed in Buddhism without actually seeking salvation from the Buddha, knew exactly what the result would be.
Anyone living in the Land of Grass afterward might become someone without even the desire to desire anything.
"Hey! I haven’t even had a child yet! And I just managed to get my hands on a beauty!"
Jōsuke had to admit that Granny Huan really did have some impressive tricks.
The Evil God could not be destroyed, which meant that the world itself must contain an inexhaustible amount of sin for it to absorb.
A World-Purification Mantra capable of purifying desire and absolving sin was indeed the most effective means of attacking it.
But the consequence was the destruction of human relationships.
Human beings advanced because desire drove them forward.
Divinity, however, was fundamentally opposed to humanity.
To follow the Heavenly Way was often to violate human relationships.
And Buddhism, which emphasized the emptiness of the Four Elements, was especially skilled at extinguishing human desire.
Jōsuke had no intention of becoming a living eunuch.
He hurriedly began praying to the Bodhisattva of Great Joy.
Buddha would oppose Buddha.
Desire would be used to resist the extinction of desire.
And so, Uzumaki Rakujitsu and the other red-haired beauties ended up suffering for it.
Deep within a cavern in the Land of Grass, the Great Joy Paradise became a scene of springtime splendor.
Outside the cavern, however, thirty-two Bodhisattvas lightly moved their lips, chanting profound Buddhist hymns with grim expressions.
One Heaven represented one layer of sin.
The Six Desire Heavens, the Three Realms of Samsara, the Heaven of Vast Hearing, the Heaven of Upholding the Nation, the Heaven of Growth, the Heaven of Vast Vision, the Heaven of Great Freedom, and the Auspicious Heaven.
Each Bodhisattva represented one layer of sin within the Realm of Endurance.
Wherever sin existed, karmic flames burned.
Unlike the benevolent-looking Buddhas, the Bodhisattvas of the Thirty-Three Heavens had the appearances of demons reincarnated as gods, their faces fierce and terrifying.
The scenery within the World of Light gradually began to blur.
Within the flames, everything slowly began to flow through the air, as though some kind of solid glass were being melted into liquid.
Trees, streets, houses, humans, the Evil God—everything that existed within the World of Light was refined by the flames into some unknown gray liquid that slowly flowed across the ground.
The World of Light gradually became a world of primordial chaos.
Inside that world, everything was gray and indistinct.
Only the faint chanting of the thirty-three Bodhisattvas could be heard.
"The Forty-Two Syllables of the Wonderful Dhāra?ī!"
"May the Brahmic resonance fill the Saha World! Great are its merits! May the Dharma Realm bathe in waves of grace!
"May the Four Births and Nine Existences ascend together through the Profound Gate of the Avata?saka!
"May those of the Eight Difficulties and Three Evil Paths enter together the Sea of Vairocana’s Nature!
"Namo to the Bodhisattvas of the Avata?saka Assembly!"
Granny Huan formed a hand seal, appearing neither divine nor demonic.
"If the Evil God’s physical body cannot be killed, then we shall liberate its soul!"
That decisive killing intent truly belonged to Granny Huan.
Purifying the world through compassion did not require the world to agree.
As Granny Huan’s conviction grew stronger, a voice suddenly came from within the chaotic world.
"Hū?."
The sound seemed to linger beside everyone’s ears.
It was like the first spring thunder, causing all things to flourish, yet also like the first cry of a newborn life announcing its arrival in the world.
"Om."
Another sound rang out.
It seemed to contain infinite energy, carrying the primordial voice of the original gods, Buddhas, and Bodhisattvas that had existed since the birth of the universe.
"A."
The chaotic world trembled.
An incomparably supreme force forcibly tore it apart.
The sin-laden Realm of Endurance dispersed like a bubble, and a new world was born.
The tree was still the same tree.
The road was still the same road.
The houses were still the same houses.
It was as though the entire world had been stirred by an invisible hand.
And now, time had returned to the moment before annihilation.
The spectacular battle that had raged for three days and three nights, and the sight of the entire world being refined into primordial chaos, had all been nothing more than an illusion.
All living beings were resurrected.
But they were no longer the same living beings as before.
Death had been reversed.
Death.
The fairest and most unavoidable word in the human world—and perhaps the one people were most curious about.
Everyone feared it, yet everyone had no choice but to face it.
So this was what the Buddha meant by:
"Using the World-Purification Mantra to return the universe to primordial chaos and begin anew."
"The Buddha used supreme power to advance the timeline and recreate the world, returning to all living beings a pure world free of the Five Defilements."
"Such great compassion."
Inside the cavern, Jōsuke was bare-chested and drenched in sweat.
His tiny cavern seemed to have become the only place in the world that remained impure.
Black mist billowed from the Evil God’s body.
The purification from the World of Light had activated the seals within it.
Countless sealing talismans extended from the Evil God’s body like tentacles.
Suddenly—
"Ahhh~~!"
The Evil God’s scream rang out.
When that scream pierced everyone’s eardrums, everyone felt as though some kind of evil power had contaminated them.
Their eyes, ears, and noses began experiencing varying degrees of hallucinations.
In a daze, they saw an azure ocean.
They saw a gigantic island.
They saw countless hideous creatures kneeling before an altar.
And they saw the enormous Evil God standing before the altar, staring at them with eyes filled with malice.
It opened its mouth.
"Ahhh~~!"
Everyone heard it at the same time.
An endless chant echoed in their ears.
It was as though countless deranged men, women, and children were simultaneously chanting in shrill voices.
"...Within the fallen manor, the awakened sin awaits your arrival in its dream."
The voice continued, one passage following another, endlessly echoing.
"Cough!"
Everyone began coughing at once.
They vomited wet, green sludge.
The Uchiha’s ears, noses, and eyes sprouted sickly green tentacles.
The ends of those tendrils wriggled like loaches swimming through water.
When they lowered their heads, they saw countless strands of seaweed spreading from beneath their feet and winding upward, wrapping around their legs, arms, and bodies.
The moment they opened their mouths, seawater came rushing inside.
"Ahhh~~!"
Another terrifying scream rang out.
The Evil God moved its horrifying body and emerged from behind the altar, appearing once again in reality.
"It... survived?"
The World-Purification Mantra had been so terrifying that it had struck the Evil God directly.
Yet it had not suffered the slightest injury.
"Lady Huan, the Evil God isn’t dead?"
"My lady, what should we do?"
The Uchiha beneath the Buddha’s golden body were astonished.
That was the Future Buddha.
Although this was only an illusory manifestation rather than the true Buddha, the World-Purification Mantra had struck the Evil God directly.
Not only was it completely unharmed, it had actually become even stronger.
It was a devastating blow to morale.
Huan ignored them.
Instead, she stared solemnly at the Evil God and bowed deeply.
"Great Wisdom! In ancient times, there was a king who became attached to the taste of meat and ate all kinds of flesh. He continued until he eventually began eating humans. His subjects could not endure it, and they all abandoned him and rebelled, causing him to lose his kingdom and suffer great anguish.
"Great Wisdom! ?akra, the Lord of the Devas, once occupied the throne of the Heavenly King. Because of the lingering habits of eating meat from his past lives, he transformed into an eagle and pursued a dove.
"At that time, I was a king named ?ibi. Taking pity on the dove, I cut flesh from my own body to save its life.
"Great Wisdom! Even the lingering habits of ?akra could still harm living beings. How much more so those shameless ones who constantly consume flesh?
"Know that eating meat harms oneself and harms others. Therefore, a Bodhisattva should not eat meat."
Seeing Huan’s expression, the Uchiha were confused.
Huan spoke.
"In ancient times, a Buddha sacrificed his own body to feed a tiger.
"When greed arises, it is like a hungry tiger.
"When anger arises, it is like a ferocious tiger.
"When delusion arises, it is like a drunken tiger.
"Throughout countless kalpas, we have all fed the tiger with our own bodies.
"We simply did not realize it because we had yet to awaken."
"We are followers of the Buddha. How could we possibly perceive the Buddha with mortal eyes?"
Granny Huan smiled as she held a flower between her fingers.
"So that’s how it is.
"If I do not enter Hell, who will?"
"Tian Shan’s understanding of Buddhist principles truly surpasses mine!"
There was no need to continue this battle.
Huan finally understood.
Buddha could not defeat Buddha.
The so-called Evil God before them was not an Evil God at all.
It was a Buddha.
This world had originally possessed something else.
Someone had simply erased all traces of it.
To seal a Buddha using the Seven Emotions and Six Desires—what an extraordinary feat.
"Amitābha."
The Six Paths still possessed considerable ability.
But it no longer mattered.
Uzumaki Rakujitsu had already been rescued.
Whatever happened to the Land of Grass now had nothing to do with the Uchiha.
A fallen Buddha whose seal had been loosened?
That was someone else’s problem.
It was time to withdraw.
Granny Huan retracted the Buddhist realm and prepared to retreat.
Those who believed in Buddha did not necessarily possess compassionate hearts.
At least Huan, despite being capable of summoning the Future Buddha, felt not the slightest trace of guilt over the disaster she had brought upon the Land of Grass.
But at that very moment—
A mystery greater than the mysterious itself descended upon the sky.
"Amaterasu!"
The formation of Heaven and Earth had been recorded in six different traditions.
According to the sixth account, when Heaven and Earth had just taken shape, an object resembling a reed bud floated in the air and transformed into Ame-no-Tokotachi-no-Kami.
It was followed by the emergence of Uhijini-no-Kami, Suhijini-no-Kami, Kuni-no-Tokotachi-no-Kami, and other deities.
Ame-no-Tokotachi-no-Kami represented the eternal nature of Heaven.
A god above gods.
At this moment, Kei finally arrived.
"Granny Huan, how can you fight only half a battle and call it a day?
"The Uchiha can’t be bullied!"
When Kei appeared, the Uchiha who had been entangled by the curse became excited.
"Lord Kei!"
"He’s here!"
"May glory exist alongside our lord!"
Kei raised a hand, stopping their cheers.
The Evil God’s counterattack had already inflicted considerable injuries upon the Uchiha.
Kei lightly tapped the Divine Sword Ame-no-Tokotachi-no-Kami in his hand.
Ripples spread outward, flying toward the Evil God.
As though sensing the approaching danger, the Evil Buddha began screaming repeatedly.
"Ahhh!"
Countless hoarse and shrill chants emerged from that eternal voice.
It was as though countless devotees were using mad, fallen Buddhist hymns and thunderous drums to produce sounds filled with infinite darkness and terror.
They knelt and laughed maniacally, surrendering themselves to madness and corruption beneath the domination of those gods and evil spirits.
An indescribable terror wrapped itself around Kei and surged toward him in retaliation, seemingly attempting to drag him into corruption as well.
Kei smiled at the Evil God.
"I say: Let desire belong to all living beings, and let the gods return to Heaven!"
Kei began firmly believing in his own words.
The ripples released by the Divine Sword contained the secrets of the universe and the source of magic, possessing a power that was almost omnipotent.
It was a power that surpassed ordinary gods.
"In the beginning, I created the heavens and the earth.
"The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the surface of the deep. I moved upon the face of the waters.
"I say: Let the mundane return to epic, and let mythology return to the realm of miracles!"
As Kei spoke, brilliant light suddenly illuminated everything from the borders of the Land of Fire to the Land of Grass and all the way to the Land of Rain.
Everything became a vast expanse of white.
Black smoke began rising from the bodies of the Uchiha who had been contaminated a second time by the Evil God.
In a daze, they saw the seaweed climbing up their bodies rapidly wither and die as though acid had been poured over it.
The sickly green tentacles writhed in agony before breaking into countless pieces in the blink of an eye, falling to the ground and disappearing.
The mad, corrupted voices were scattered by an unseen hymn.
Wave after wave of ethereal sound gently swept across the hearts of everyone contaminated by the Evil God.
Uchiha Kei—his words become law!
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