Chapter 180: Haki

Disclaimer: Naruto and all of its character belong to Masashi Kishimoto. I own nothing but the original characters I make.

Chapter 180: Haki

Setsuna's body had long since evolved beyond that of an ordinary shinobi. Every time he received a reward—like Armament Haki—his strength increased even further. The transformation wasn't just physical. With the gain of Armament came the ability to learn Observation Haki as well, sharpening his senses and giving him an edge that no one from this world could match.

That earlier kick? It hadn't even used chakra or Haki, yet it was powerful enough to send Urashiki flying across the sand with explosive force.

"Rinnegan?" Urashiki muttered, his tone laced with disdain. "Another troublemaker."

He began reaching for the item that would let him escape into another universe. But before his fingers could activate it, a fist slammed into his gut.

Pa!

It was a clean, brutal hit. The punch was infused with Advanced Haki—Internal Destruction.

Urashiki had never felt pain like it. His eyes widened in disbelief. Just one blow, and agony bloomed across his body. He could feel it. His organs weren't just rattled—they were being crushed from the inside. Blood spilled from his mouth, dark and thick, as internal damage tore through him like a wave.

His legs trembled. His eyelids grew heavier with every breath. He tried to rise, clinging to pride or instinct, but his body refused. His insides had already failed him.

He collapsed. Silent. Unmoving.

Setsuna walked calmly over to Urashiki's broken body. He didn't need to check for a pulse—he could already sense it. The man had passed out. The fight was over.

Setsuna glanced toward Sasuke, his voice casual, almost bored.

"This is the monster you were talking about?" he asked. "Doesn't seem all that strong to me."

Sasuke and Boruto stood frozen. They could only manage to say one word in unison.

"Monster."

---Karma Seal---

Urashiki had been captured. His Rinnegan was forcibly removed by Setsuna, Setsuna replaced it an ordinary pair of eyes. His body, now stripped of its power, became the subject of detailed experimentation. With Setsuna's mastery in sealing techniques, it was simple to block every chakra point in Urashiki's body, rendering him no more dangerous than an average civilian. He could no longer manipulate chakra. He could no longer fight. He could barely feel like himself.

But there was a reason Setsuna hadn't killed him.

He feared that Urashiki might have implanted a Karma seal within his own body like how Momoshiki did to Naruto. From Setsuna earlier research, he believed Karma was not just a mark—it was a complex process that involved sealing one's DNA into another being. Slowly, the host body would be overwritten until it became a replica of the original caster who forgot about themselves.

Take Boruto, for example. He had received Karma from Momoshiki. Though Momoshiki had died long ago, the imprint of his DNA still lingered within Boruto cells. Day by day, Boruto body continued to evolve, gradually morphing to resemble Momoshiki true form. Eventually, even his consciousness would fade. When that time came, Boruto wouldn't even remember who he was. He would believe—truly believe—that he was Momoshiki.

Thankfully, this time, Setsuna had two living specimens to work with: Urashiki and Uzumaki Boruto.

His initial analysis revealed something critical. Boruto body displayed properties almost identical to Urashiki. Some of Boruto cells had already evolved to an Ōtsutsuki level. Setsuna then attempted to use his purify magic on Boruto's body. What happened next confirmed his suspicions.

Boruto's body contained Cell A and Cell B—common genetic structures he had already classified that happen exist on the body of Otsutsuki. But between them was a mysterious connecting structure he dubbed Cell S, a variant that reacted strongly to his purification. When Setsuna cast the spell, Cell S was instantly dissolved and disappeared from the body.

Though the cell was gone, Cell A—which only existed in Urashiki's body—remained. That allowed Setsuna to draw a powerful conclusion. Cell S wasn't just any mutation, it was the sealing construct, the mechanism responsible for suppressing a person's original self. It was the piece that made a person forget who they were and begin believing they were someone else—just as Boruto would one day become Momoshiki. He will believe he is Momoshiki and act like Momoshiki.

Setsuna now knew he could potentially purify Boruto completely. He could stop the transformation. He could save him.

But he didn't because he remembered Setsuna transformation had stopped because Momoshiki used the cell to stop the bleeding when Boruto gravely injured.

So, not yet. It is not important to use purify magic to fully remove the Variant Cell S.

There were still more experiments to be done.

---New Disciple---

"Please teach me, Sensei," said Naruto.

Setsuna had just opened the front door, planning to head out, when he was startled to find Naruto standing outside, waiting for him.

"Naruto?" he said, glancing down at his watch. "How long have you been standing here?"

"Just an hour ago," Naruto replied, scratching his cheek with a sheepish grin.

"You came here at four in the morning?" Setsuna raised an eyebrow.

"I want to become stronger," Naruto said with conviction. "And I want to be friends with Kurama."

A sigh escaped from Setsuna. He had been planning to train Naruto soon anyway, especially to help him unlock more control over the KCM mode.

"Alright," he said at last. "Touch my hand."

Naruto stepped forward and placed his hand on Setsuna's palm. In an instant, his chest tightened. It felt like his lungs were being crushed.

"Blerghhh!"

He dropped to his knees, coughing and vomiting, his body clearly are not ready with the feeling being sucked into a tube. This is the effect of side apparating.

For a few moments, he gasping for air. But then, slowly, he stood up and wiped his mouth, determined not to show weakness.

His eyes scanned the unfamiliar surroundings. They were in a remote, wide-open clearing far from the village, the morning mist still clinging to the trees.

"Setsuna-sensei, I want to learn that jutsu!" Naruto said, his eyes shining with awe.

His decision to choose this man as his teacher would become one of the most important choices in his life. Under Setsuna's guidance, Naruto would grow faster and stronger—so strong that, one day, he would defeat Jigen without ever needing to rely on Baryon Mode.

And this was only the beginning.

Author Notes: There are 30 advanced chapter, feel free to visit my patreon.

-patreon.com/zorojurown

...Latest Chapter 210: Side Story Uzumaki Naruto End...