Naruto: North and South

By the time the final words faded, the voice had already grown distant, ethereal. Even the figure itself began to blur and dissipate. When the last echo vanished from the world, so too did every trace of Otsutsuki Shibai. Not a single fragment of his presence remained.

THUD. 

Deidara could no longer hold himself up. He collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air. His fall seemed to trigger a chain reaction. One by one, those who had been forcing themselves to stand finally gave in, some sitting, some dropping to their knees. Even Zaraki Kita was no exception.

Their clothes were soaked through with cold sweat. Sakura looked especially miserable, bent over as she retched violently. Only Nagato and Obito seemed slightly better off, Obito braced his hands on his knees, breathing heavily, while Nagato remained as he was, his brows tightly furrowed as he stared silently in the direction Shibai had disappeared.

Once they recovered slightly, Sakura began her healing work in an orderly manner. Itachi and Hidan were both severely injured. Their lives weren't in immediate danger, but they needed proper rest. After the battle with Isshiki, it was absolutely impossible to proceed to another dimension. At last, they had a moment to breathe.

In this world, the God Tree had already reached its final stage of growth. Most resources had been absorbed, leaving behind a land devoid of life. Even the remaining water sources were murky and bitter, let alone any vegetation. The environment was harsh beyond words.

But in a way, that desolation was a blessing. At least they didn't have to deal with additional enemies after such a battle. Using Wood Release, they constructed a small shelter. Inside, a campfire burned brightly, pushing back the freezing cold of the alien night.

After half a day of rest, Itachi finally regained consciousness. Sakura knelt beside him, using specially cultivated medical jellyfish to ease his injuries. The others sat around the fire. The atmosphere was suffocating.

Itachi wasn't used to this kind of silence. This wasn't their first night in another world. Nor was it their first time defeating an Otsutsuki. But it was the first night that felt this oppressive.

So, enduring the pain, Itachi spoke, trying to break the tension. "Looks like, we've taken down another Otsutsuki. Cough." Trying too hard wasn't wise. He had aimed for a light tone, but the strain aggravated his wounds. His chest trembled violently, and even the jellyfish inside him swelled noticeably as they worked to repair the damage.

Sakura frowned, clearly displeased. But instead of scolding him, she silently summoned another medical jellyfish and guided it into his body.

Nagato glanced over, concern evident in his Rinnegan. "How do you feel?" The mood in the room eased, just a little.

"Still alive, I suppose." Itachi paused, then added with faint humor: "My vision's gotten worse, probably another few dozen degrees of nearsightedness." His voice was weak, but relaxed. Nagato smiled faintly. It was a small comfort, but he accepted it.

Itachi tried to sit up, but Sakura immediately stopped him. At that moment, the soup simmering over the fire was finally ready. Kakuzu distributed the food, a crude meal of boiled rations. It wasn't tasty, but it was warm and filling. As they ate, Itachi learned everything about Shibai.

Later into the night, the wind outside grew stronger. Obito had no choice but to increase his chakra output, reinforcing the wooden shelter into something more like a fortress. The temperature dropped even further.

The single campfire became three. Scorching heat by day. Freezing cold by night. A true end-of-the-world landscape. They huddled together for warmth. But the cold had reached an extreme. Even with chakra, there was little relief, let alone from their simple blankets.

"If we fail." Nagato's voice trembled, not from fear, but from the biting cold. Even sitting close to Obito, wrapped in thick blankets, he couldn't stop the shiver. "Our homeland will become like this world."

Silence filled the room. Only the crackling of the fire remained.

"Shibai is powerful," Nagato continued. "Among the Otsutsuki we've defeated, I've never seen any record of him. He's likely among the highest ranks." "The 'patriarch' Kaguya mentioned?" Kita asked. She held Konan close, trying to preserve what little warmth they had. Konan had already fallen asleep, she was utterly exhausted, her fatigue evident ever since Shibai left.

Nagato shook his head. "I don't think so. His motives are still unknown. But one thing is certain, we are no match for him right now. We need to be more cautious moving forward."

He began organizing their strategy. "Sakura and Deidara, Group A. Kakuzu, Kita, Kisame, Group B. Konan, no, forget that. Obito, Itachi, Hidan, Group C." He paused briefly. "We'll stay here for a few days. The enemy has aerial combat capability, we need to overcome that. Kita." "I know."

As she spoke, a strand of chakra containing information about flight techniques flowed into Kakuzu's body. From there, it spread to the others. Within moments, everyone understood.

"Master it as soon as possible," Nagato continued. "And improve coordination between teams. Sakura, how long until Itachi and Hidan recover?" "At least a week." Her voice was low.

A week was far too long for them. They had just killed Isshiki, staying a day or two was manageable, but any longer might attract other Otsutsuki. And next time, it wouldn't be just one.

"I'm fine," Itachi said with a faint smile. "Sakura's jellyfish are getting more effective. I'll recover in a couple of days." His face was pale as paper, utterly devoid of color.

Hidan didn't look much better, but he chimed in anyway. "Yeah, yeah, it's nothing! Feels great, honestly. Totally fine!"

Nagato nodded. "Three days. After that, we move to another world. This place is too harsh to stay in." He paused. "Get some rest. I'll take the night watch." "No, I'll do it." Kakuzu stood up as he spoke. "Perfect chance to test the new technique." "I'll join you," Kisame added, rising as well. "Honestly, I've never fought alongside you before."

Nagato was about to object, but at that moment, the Five-Tails, Kokuo, quietly appeared. "Everyone should rest," it said calmly. "Training can wait. Four-Tails." "Yeah." The Four-Tails, Son Goku, responded, leaping out of Deidara's arms to stand opposite Kokuo.

Before Deidara could even lament the loss of his living heater, chakra began to flow. Two streams of energy intertwined, forming a faint red barrier that enveloped everyone. The temperature rose, just slightly.

"This is a sensory barrier formed by two Tailed Beasts working together," Kokuo explained. "If anyone approaches, we'll know." A brief pause. "So tonight, rest well."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!