Naruto: Unlocking Kaido Template

When all the darkness in the world concentrates into one place, everything else becomes brighter by contrast.

The sky returned to its original hue. The land bloomed green. The once-black sea morphed into a vibrant ocean of jade, and the oppressive, decayed stench in the air gradually faded—replaced by the crisp scent of grass and trees. Chakra flowed freely again. All living things stirred with new life... all but one place.

At the center of it all, the shadow that absorbed the darkness remained cloaked in gloom. The lingering blackness clung to it like a quagmire, dragging it deeper into the abyss. It whispered things no one could understand. Its eyes—cold and hollow—scanned the world around it. But when they landed on Zixu, something changed. Desire flickered in the depths of its gaze.

"Host... located. Initiating... fusion..."

The words came out distorted, but Zixu understood them. Barely.

Before Kaguya's attack could even land, the darkness surged forward, swallowing Zixu whole. Dozens of thick, black chains slithered out from the void. They moved slowly—easy to dodge, in theory.

But the real threat wasn't their speed.

Black chains also burst forth from the places on Kaguya and Zixu's bodies where the darkness had previously invaded. As if drawn to each other, the chains resonated. Kaguya tried to destroy them, but the moment she acted, she realized her strength had vanished. Her chakra—gone.

She panicked.

Black chains wrapped around her, tighter and tighter. The shadow's goal was clear: eliminate her first, then deal with Zixu.

The struggling grew weaker by the second. The only sound left was a low, guttural moan that came from deep within the shadow.

"Target neutralized... Kaguya Otsutsuki... reward processing..."

Then the chains dissolved.

Kaguya was gone. As if she'd been completely absorbed by the shadow.

Zixu fought to break free, but the darkness had already begun creeping across his arm. He didn't have much time. If he didn't act soon, he'd end up just like Kaguya.

"These chains... are they part of the system?" Zixu thought, eyes narrowing. "Maybe I can escape by cutting off the infected limb—"

The moment that thought formed, the darkness shifted, spreading to another part of his body.

The shadow advanced slowly, dragging with it the stench of despair. Chinano and the others tried to reach Zixu, but the darkness held them at bay. Immobilized.

Karib, sensing the life fading from Zixu's body, activated Fruit's power in a desperate attempt to heal him. But the instant she did, black chains erupted from her own skin.

Zixu's eyes widened. "Wait... Chains... Devil Fruit...?"

An idea took root in his mind. He didn't understand it completely, but there had to be a connection. If he could just figure out how these chains worked...

The black chains continued multiplying, tightening around both him and Karin. He could feel his life force being drained. The powerful physique he once took pride in now felt fragile. Even his bright red hair was turning white, strand by strand.

"...Mission nearing completion..." the shadow murmured.

At that moment, a shard of ice broke free from the chains that had bound Kaguya.

Zixu's vision blurred. Dizziness washed over him. A heavy, drowsy sensation settled in his chest. A voice echoed in his mind, soft and seductive.

"Sleep. Just sleep. The pain will stop. The suffering will fade. Rest, and you'll find peace..."

But then—

A flash of blue flame lit up Zixu's face.

Kari stood there, eyes burning with determination, her chakra flaring wildly. The brilliant flame morphed into a blood-streaked phoenix, screaming as it surged toward him.

Zixu's mind jolted like it had been struck by lightning. His focus snapped back. The shard of ice... Karin's flames... it all clicked.

"When Kaguya merged, she absorbed Madara and Mei Terumi... and Mei had the Ice Fruit. That shard of ice—" Zixu's thoughts were racing. "If Karin and I both have fruits, and Karin's came from me... that means we're both system creations. And the black shadow... it's part of the system, too."

"So... if I remove the system, can I cut the connection?"

It was risky. Only fragments of the system remained in his body, and there was no guarantee this would work. But he had no choice. If he didn't act now, he'd lose everything.

"System," he called out in his mind, "Initiate system removal... now!"

Silence.

The chains kept growing. Karin was nearly engulfed. Her body wrapped in darkness, just like Kaguya's had been.

Zixu forced his consciousness deeper, into the very core of his being. There, he saw it—a glowing blue cube nestled in the depths of his mind.

It was broken. A chunk of it was missing.

"So this is it..." he muttered. "The system."

This was the first time he'd ever truly seen it. He could feel it now, clear as day. If not for the pull of the black shadow outside, he might never have found it.

He walked through the glowing white space of his mind. As he moved, memories shimmered around him—moments from his past. All the powers he'd wielded... all rooted in this cube. The system had gifted him superhuman strength, allowing him to stand at the peak of the ninja world. But every gift came with a price.

And now the bill was due.

Luckily, the system had glitched partway through his journey. He'd grown strong without relying on it in the second half of his rise. He knew how to fight without it.

He stood before the incomplete cube, eyes steady.

"...Thank you," he whispered.

Then he reached out, gripped the cube, and ripped it from his soul.

The system disintegrated, piece by piece, dissolving into transparency. As it faded, so did all the power it had granted him. For the first time in a long while, Zixu felt... normal. Weak. Human.

But even as his strength slipped away, something remained.

He opened his eyes in the real world.

The chains that bound him—and Karin—crumbled into dust.

The power inside him was fading. But strangely, he could still feel the fruit's energy pulsing beneath his skin.

Some things, it seemed, even the system couldn't take away.

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