Naruto: Heaven Rewards Diligence

Chapter 437: Naruto Tests Kaguya

When Kaguya finished recounting everything, Naruto was left in complete shock.

That reaction was only natural. No one could remain calm after hearing such revelations for the first time.

Yet, as he processed her words, Naruto also realized something that even Demon Ancestor Kaguya had not mentioned. To him, this world felt like an anime, or more precisely, a constructed reality. That would explain why everything she described carried an almost ethereal quality, as if it had once been unreal.

Perhaps, if they could overcome the End of Era Calamity, the shinobi world could finally stabilize and exist permanently, no longer bound by the recurring cycle of destruction every hundred thousand years.

If so, then maybe that calamity was not purely a disaster, but a trial.

"It seems I am not the only one who has entered this world. There were many before me, and some even had cheats."

Naruto reflected silently.

There was a time when he had wished for a system of his own. Now, he felt fortunate that he did not have one.

From Kaguya's explanation, it was clear that those who relied on systems were extremely vulnerable when facing the End of Era Calamity. It seemed that whatever force governed the calamity specifically targeted and erased such external aids.

That made sense. If a person's strength came from a system, then once that system disappeared, most of their power would vanish along with it. Only a rare few would be able to retain their strength.

If this world truly functioned like a game, then those transmigrators with systems had essentially been using cheats. It was no surprise they were eventually discovered.

Cheaters always get caught.

Naruto almost laughed at the thought.

Strictly speaking, he also had something unusual. However, it was not a system, only a faint prompt-like guidance that accelerated his growth. That could hardly be considered cheating.

At least, that was what he chose to believe.

Rather than viewing everything as a game, Naruto preferred a different interpretation.

This was a trial.

A test placed upon this world.

If they could pass it, the rewards would not only transform the world but also elevate those who survived it.

Breaking through the End of Era Calamity… Naruto decided to call that transcendence.

A path toward true immortality.

With that thought, his eyes steadied. He had found a goal.

Turning to Kaguya, he asked, "Demon Ancestor Kaguya, how much time is left before the End of Era Calamity arrives?"

This was the most important question.

"How much time?"

Kaguya smiled faintly, her expression calm but heavy with meaning.

"Twenty thousand years. Only twenty thousand years remain. Grow quickly. If you cannot reach the level of a True God, you will not even qualify to face the End of Era Calamity."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"And I have a feeling… the reason I awakened in this era is because this is likely the final epoch. If we fail this time, then everything will truly come to an end. Not just us, but the entire world."

Naruto's heart sank.

An invisible weight pressed down on him.

"I cannot explain why," Kaguya said softly, "but at our level, intuition is no longer vague. It is a direct indication."

Although she had not yet fully regained her former strength as Demon Ancestor Kaguya, her current state still far surpassed ordinary demigods.

"If those people learned the truth, I wonder how they would react," she murmured.

There was a trace of melancholy in her voice.

After countless cycles, she had long accepted many things. She did not fear death. However, as long as there was even the slightest chance of survival, she would not give up.

After all, she was a being born of this world.

For a brief moment, it felt as though she could hear the world itself grieving.

Naruto silently agreed.

"The final epoch…"

If the True Gods were to learn this, they would likely fall into madness. Unlike Naruto, they were not transient visitors. Even if the calamity reset everything, they would continue to exist in an endless cycle, always clinging to a sliver of hope.

But complete annihilation was different.

That was true death.

And for beings who had lived for eternity, that was the most terrifying outcome of all.

"Your strength is still far too weak," Kaguya said, her tone returning to calm authority. "Next, I will guide you and pave the rest of your path."

This awakening had cost her greatly, and she had yet to determine how to confront the End of Era Calamity.

But now, she saw something in Naruto.

Hope.

True Gods were not his true obstacle. The only thing he truly needed to face was the calamity itself.

Naruto nodded without hesitation.

"Perfect," he said, a faint smile forming on his face. "I also want to experience the methods of the former Demon Ancestor Kaguya."

Naruto smiled faintly.

The Kaguya before him was clearly at a lower realm than Ōtsutsuki Shiki, yet the foundation of a former True God was something Ōtsutsuki Shiki could not compare to.

Moreover, Naruto had already refined the gains from his previous battle. The power he had absorbed and converted now flowed smoothly within him. If he were to face Ōtsutsuki Shiki again, victory would come far more easily.

"Come," Kaguya said calmly. "Let us fight within my space."

As her voice fell, she raised her hand and tore open the void.

Ripples spread across the air like water, and a dark passage slowly formed, deep and silent.

Without hesitation, Kaguya stepped inside.

Naruto immediately understood her intention. She did not want their battle to be sensed by others.

He appreciated that decisiveness. The Kaguya from before had seemed distant and indifferent, almost as if she had abandoned any sense of urgency. Now, however, there was clarity in her actions.

This was how someone who had survived countless epochs should behave.

Without delay, Naruto followed her into the space.

For a brief moment, everything was swallowed by darkness.

Then, the world opened.

The environment before him was no longer the harsh, unstable dimension it had once been. Instead, it resembled the outside world almost perfectly, stable, vast, and filled with subtle vitality.

Naruto's gaze sharpened.

He knew that Kaguya's original dimensions had been crude manifestations of chakra, powerful but lacking refinement. Now, however, this space had been completely reshaped.

This level of transformation could only come from a profound understanding of chakra itself.

Even Naruto, at his current level, could not yet replicate such detail.

In this world, chakra was the root of everything.

Even concepts like time ultimately relied on chakra as their underlying force.

"Impressive," Naruto said sincerely. "As expected of a former True God."

Kaguya remained calm, her expression unchanged.

"In the future, you will also be able to create such a space," she replied. "But this is nothing worth showing off."

Her words were understated, yet the meaning was clear.

This world could already sustain life, but it was not truly independent. It still relied on her chakra to exist. If her power were withdrawn, everything here would slowly wither away.

Naruto nodded slightly, then focused.

"Let me see your current strength."

His eyes narrowed as his aura rose.

In an instant, his chakra surged upward like a towering tide, vast and oppressive, filling the entire space with pressure.

Across from him, Kaguya simply raised her hand.

Her movements were slow and gentle, almost ordinary.

A faint stream of energy gathered at her fingertips, clear and tranquil like flowing water. From it, a lotus flower quietly bloomed.

There was no overwhelming aura.

No visible burst of power.

Everything appeared calm, almost peaceful.

Yet Naruto's expression turned completely serious.

Because within that calm, he sensed something terrifying.

A presence that could erase him in an instant.

So this… was the true level of a True God.

...

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