Naruto: Limit Breaker-Chapter 332: Two Years

Chapter 332: Two Years

"No... how can there be nothing?"

In a majestic city that rose out of the wasteland, everything looked almost exactly as it had when Ryosuke left two years ago.

The same restaurant stood near the Hero Association headquarters in City Z. The same familiar window seat gave a clear view of people passing by outside. He even ordered the exact same food as he had the last time.

But none of that stirred any real nostalgia in him.

All of Ryosuke’s attention was fixed on the rules spread out before his eyes.

Without him noticing, two full years had passed.

He had returned to OPM’s world again because he finally felt confident he could defeat his opponent.

But being able to defeat Saitama did not mean he had fully mastered the rules.

Completely understanding the rules of a world was not a simple task.

Even with Ryosuke’s active mind and computing power far beyond a supercomputer, the rules still involved the entire world’s data, its underlying logic, and the way those laws calculated and interacted. That kind of thing demanded time.

It had been easy at the start, partly because Saitama had helped him, and partly because Ryosuke had picked the simplest rule structures first.

After two years, his understanding was still at only a shallow level, but it was already far beyond the days when he could only crudely swap one rule for another.

When he tried to estimate his actual progress, Ryosuke realized that to truly grasp the rules might take more than ten years, perhaps decades, or even longer.

And because he did not know if Saitama could wait that long, he had been forced to think of other ways.

One attempt was to use the progress bar in his mind to shorten the time needed to master the rules.

But unfortunately, the progress bar that had always doubled his gains in the past failed him this time.

The power he was mastering now was different from the energy of body and soul. It was closer to knowledge, like learning to read and write. When the three year time limit passed, his control over the rules had not increased at all because of that ability.

Even so, Ryosuke had come up with a few other ideas.

Before he tried them, however, there was one more thing he wanted to confirm.

He wanted to see, within the rules themselves, whether there was any explanation for Saitama’s existence.

First, judging from Saitama’s own attitude, the man did not seem to realize his power came from being guided by some special rule.

Second, Ryosuke himself wanted to know how the rules defined that "invincibility."

But the result disappointed him.

Even when he let his vision sweep across most of the city and locked onto Saitama in the deserted no man’s land, he could not read any special source or reason from the rules around him.

The rule structure Saitama carried did not explain why he was that strong.

"I will just ask him directly."

Ryosuke thought for a moment and finally made up his mind.

Saitama had always treated him kindly. Before their official duel, Ryosuke had decided he would tell him everything he knew as well.

Just like last time, he bought a large amount of high quality ingredients and went to Saitama’s home.

The difference was that this time he simply flew straight over. He did not bother hiding himself, nor did he care about anyone else’s eyes.

"Hey, Ryosuke, you are finally back."

Footsteps sounded from inside the house, and then the door opened from within.

Saitama looked exactly the same as when Ryosuke had left two years earlier. Even his clothes had hardly changed.

Maybe...

Maybe his worries would not come true after all. The power of rules inside this guy might already have pushed him into true immortality.

The thought flashed through Ryosuke’s mind, but his expression remained calm.

"Sorry for leaving without saying goodbye last time."

He gave the bags in his hand a little shake and smiled apologetically. "I was thinking that what you and I care about most is a good fight."

"After that test match ended, I still did not have the confidence to beat you, so I did not come back to see you."

He went straight to the point. The bond between him and Saitama had only been formed through a handful of meetings. Their friendship had grown from that one battle.

One was Saitama, who had been alone for years, longing for an opponent who could stand on equal ground with him.

The other was Ryosuke, who carried an obsession from his previous life and was trying every possible method to surpass his former self. Because their goal was the same, it was easy for them to get along.

"Oh?"

Saitama seemed a little surprised. "So... you are confident you can fight me now?"

He looked at Ryosuke with genuine curiosity.

So fast?

"Actually, I did not go full power in that last fight," Saitama reminded him. "You should know that, right?"

After all, they had agreed it was only a test. Even though Saitama had gotten caught up in the fight later, he had not used everything he had.

The fact that Ryosuke believed he could win now made him wonder if the other man had spent the last years training specifically against that one punch.

"We..."

Ryosuke gave the bags in his hands another helpless shake. "Why do we not eat and talk at the same time? Besides the fight, there are some things I want to confirm with you, Mr Saitama."

"Ah, right, sorry."

Only then did Saitama realize they had been blocking the doorway for quite a while. He hurriedly stepped aside and welcomed Ryosuke into the house.

After quickly handling the ingredients, the two of them sat down facing one another, just like they had two years ago.

"What do you want to confirm?"

Saitama spoke as straightforwardly as always. He did not bother with any extra politeness.

"I want to confirm whether you have ever been confused about the source of your power."

Ryosuke did not hesitate. He smiled slightly and asked, "Do you really believe that doing 100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 squats, running 10 kilometers every day, and never turning on the air conditioner no matter how hot it is... is enough training to gain strength like yours?"

"...Is something wrong with that?"

Saitama looked puzzled.

Faced with his genuine confusion, Ryosuke narrowed his eyes a little. "Compared to how other people train, do you not think your training is actually very light?"

"Eh? Really..."

Saitama did not seem to have ever thought about that. "It is still really hard to keep up with it every single day."

He picked up some vegetables with his chopsticks, then some beef, eating at his own pace as he answered. His thoughts did not seem to be going any deeper than that.

Because of his attitude, the mood at the table slowly calmed down.

"From what I know, Mr Bang is an old acquaintance of yours, right?"

After a while, Ryosuke asked again, "You have seen him train, and you have seen how he trains his students, have you not?"

His expression was very serious. His body even unconsciously shifted into a posture as if he was about to start a fight.

Originally, Ryosuke had only planned to explain a few things to Saitama, then begin the long awaited battle.

But as they spoke, he started to sense something unusual in the other party. That strange feeling made him uneasy.

"Yes, I drop by to visit him sometimes."

Saitama nodded. "I have also seen how he trains."

"For example, sitting under a waterfall and letting the freezing torrent crash down on your body."

"Or getting beaten heavily by others to temper the body..."

He listed one method after another, each one clearly much more brutal than his own so called training regimen.

"...Then do you not think that is a bit unfair? Compared to his practice, your training is too easy."

Ryosuke had already set down his bowl and chopsticks.

Anyone could see which side was working harder.

At this, Saitama suddenly fell silent. Even his hands stopped moving.

His sudden change in mood made Ryosuke quietly heighten his guard.

Thankfully, Saitama did not lash out or explode.

After a long pause, he finally answered in a flat voice, "Maybe."

As he spoke, his expression was completely different from his usual self. Whether in the life and death battle from Ryosuke’s previous life, or in their two meetings in this one, Saitama had never shown this face.

His expression was blank. His presence suddenly changed.

It felt distant, as if a barrier had dropped between them.

Like the difference between heaven and earth.

But that strange aura lasted only a moment. After saying that one word, Saitama lowered his head, picked up his chopsticks again, and calmly resumed eating. His expression went back to normal, as if nothing had happened.

"Then... do you know what rules are?"

Ryosuke naturally did not stop there.

He continued, "After our last fight, I confirmed that your body is not that strong. Your power comes from the rules of this world."

"Every time you attack, the rules of this world are layered over your body. That is why every punch you throw feels like the world itself is striking with you. That is why your strength is that overwhelming."

"Fighting with the world on my shoulders?"

Saitama’s focus drifted in a strange direction. "Would that not tire me to death?"

"I mean, that is the reason your power is so strong."

Ryosuke explained patiently. "If what you want is a fight on equal terms, then maybe, if you leave this world, that overwhelming strength will vanish and you will finally get the kind of battle you dream about."

"Leave this world?"

Saitama scratched his head, clearly confused. "So... you are from another world? Like the other worlds from manga?"

The idea sounded novel, but not impossible.

This world had many different cultures and plenty of entertainment. Manga and games about other worlds were everywhere.

"Yes. If you leave with me and go to another world..."

Ryosuke spoke carefully. "Your power may disappear instantly. You might no longer possess such overwhelming strength."

Different worlds had different rule structures. Since Saitama’s power came from the rules of this world, once he left, there was a chance those rules would no longer support him.

"Is that how you plan to beat me?"

Saitama turned his gaze toward him.

"That is not my goal. I only want you to know the truth before we start."

Ryosuke shook his head. "I am not someone who takes advantage. I will not drag you to another world and kill you after your power disappears."

"Besides... no matter what your strength is based on, what I want is a fight against your power itself, not against you as a person."

Once he understood that Saitama’s strength came from the rules of this world, and even that the mastery of those rules had not been gained through his own effort, Ryosuke still chose to face that power directly.

In the end, it did not really matter whose body that power resided in.

What he was challenging was this world’s rule system, not Saitama.

"I see..."

Saitama’s eyes suddenly changed again. His usual foolish expression faded, replaced by the same cold, distant look as before. "You really are interesting."

That feeling of separation washed over Ryosuke again. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Shifting between two entirely different auras in such a short time made the change even more obvious than before.

It was like seeing a different soul take over.

Ryosuke looked at the "Saitama" in front of him. It was not just the aura that had changed. His abilities had changed as well.

When facing the normal Saitama, Ryosuke’s Rinnegan could easily see through his body and soul, peeling away every layer and leaving nothing hidden.

But now, he could not see anything clearly at all.

Then...

A pale yellow eyeball appeared at Ryosuke’s side.

As a faint light poured out from that eye, Ryosuke’s field of vision expanded and sharpened.

Finally, he clearly saw Saitama.

"Empty..."

Ryosuke frowned.

He had looked through Saitama, but it felt as if he had not seen him at all.

His gaze passed directly through the other man. Under the amplification of the pale yellow Tenseigan, Saitama simply vanished from his sight.

"Do you not want to fight me?"

Even though Ryosuke could not see a figure, Saitama’s voice still came from that direction. "You said it yourself. In this world, thanks to the rules you mentioned, I am almost unbeatable."

"Then I want to see how you plan to defeat me here."

His tone carried almost no emotion. He sounded like a completely different person.

Ryosuke could not see what was happening in front of him, but his body slowly lifted off the ground.

"You will see."

He answered calmly, staring in Saitama’s direction for a moment before flying straight out from the balcony.

He let the light yellow Tenseigan fade and stopped trying to amplify his vision. Only then could he see Saitama’s presence again.

Saitama did not hesitate. He did not spare a glance for the untouched food on the table. He soared into the sky right after Ryosuke.

And this time... he flew.

The last time Ryosuke had seen him, Saitama could not fly at all. He had relied only on raw speed, running wherever he needed to go.

Back then, his power was like a weapon in the hands of a child. He possessed the rules, but did not know how to use them. He did not even know they existed.

This time, however, he was different.

Or perhaps it was not Saitama moving this body anymore.

Perhaps something new was now in control.