The True Worth of Naruto and Sasuke at the Valley of the End

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The air, tinged with the faint scent of blood, rushed into Argyle’s nostrils, making him frown slightly.

"I wonder how long this war will continue."

The sorrowful thought flashed through his mind, and the weathered old man with gray hair could not help letting out a soft sigh.

Just then, a burly man in military uniform hurried over and said in a low voice, "General, we have completed our initial contact with those outsiders."

Hearing this, Argyle put away his melancholy. The wistfulness in his eyes instantly hardened into cold stone as he calmly asked, "Are you certain it isn’t smoke and mirrors put out by those cowards?"

"It has been confirmed. And according to the information sent back by our informants," the burly uniformed man replied with his head lowered, "those outsiders have caused quite a commotion on the other side. That basically rules out the possibility of it being a feint."

Argyle exhaled softly. "Where are they?"

"Because there are experts among the outsiders who are on the same level as you, General, we did not dare provoke them too much during contact. I’m afraid we will need you to go there in person."

Argyle was not surprised by this. Their caution was only natural, just as he himself had not fully trusted these outsiders yet.

"Lead the way."

"Yes."

Meanwhile.

Inside a valley, Fang Wenlong sat in a chair, his expression weary as he recovered his strength.

As for where a chair had come from out in the wilderness—

Wasn’t it perfectly normal for Card Masters to have some strange cards?

Forget chairs. Card Masters could even pull out villas complete with water and electricity out of thin air.

Beside him, Hu Lai, whose upper body was wrapped in white bandages, was having one of his cards apply medicine to his wounds. Ignoring the waves of pain coursing through his body, he casually asked, "Teacher, do you think those Secret Realm creatures can be trusted?"

Fang Wenlong did not answer immediately. The War God merely said helplessly, "Hu Lai, don’t be so reckless in the future."

But even as he said that, Fang Wenlong, who understood Hu Lai’s personality well, knew his advice would not have much effect.

He shook his head and moved past the subject. "Based on the information we have so far, there should not be any problem with them."

Because Fang Wenlong had caused quite a stir in the Secret Realm, he had already gathered most of the Card Masters who had entered earlier. Before regrouping, those Card Masters had already gathered a great deal of information.

According to the intelligence, there truly were two factions currently fighting within this Secret Realm: the Resistance Faction and the Submission Faction.

As for the reason behind the war—

Some said it was for power, while others said it was for revenge.

However, considering that no materials dropped after the Card Masters killed members of the Resistance Faction, the reason could not possibly be that simple.

Unfortunately, as outsiders, it was clearly unrealistic for them to uncover the full truth in a short amount of time.

The "Secret Realm creatures" Hu Lai had mentioned were precisely the so-called Resistance Faction.

"Teacher, they said—"

Before Hu Lai could finish, he and Fang Wenlong both looked up at the sky.

They had both sensed an extremely powerful aura.

A Master Grade.

Speak of the devil. The Resistance Faction they had just been discussing had come knocking.

With a flash, Fang Wenlong vanished from where he stood, leaving only a sentence lingering beside Hu Lai’s ear. "Get ready. If anything goes wrong, take everyone and retreat immediately."

In the sky.

Argyle looked expressionlessly down at the Card Master camp below.

He could now confirm that these people truly were outsiders, because this world did not possess such a power system.

Suddenly, Argyle asked, "How many experts like you are there outside?"

Fang Wenlong, who had appeared opposite him at some point, did not give a specific number. He merely replied calmly, "We have held out for hundreds of years."

Argyle was briefly stunned. Then his eyes gradually grew firm as he muttered under his breath, "We were right after all…"

After a moment of silence, he looked at Fang Wenlong in the distance. "Shall we talk?"

"Let’s talk."

After reaching a consensus, the two sides quickly exchanged information.

Naturally, neither Fang Wenlong nor Argyle was foolish, so neither fully trusted what the other said.

After their brief exchange, Fang Wenlong finally understood the current situation within this Secret Realm.

To put it in one sentence—

We, your ministers, are ready to fight to the death. Why has His Majesty surrendered first?

The World Consciousness had surrendered and willingly become World Devourer Calamity Star’s lackey.

The Resistance Faction had been founded by those unwilling to accept that outcome. After all, they had seen the miserable state of those Secret Realms when World Devourer Calamity Star invaded.

If they had a choice, who would want to become disposable cannon fodder?

For the sake of all living beings, the members of the Resistance Faction had rebelled against the World Consciousness.

The reason they had not been branded by World Devourer Calamity Star like the Submission Faction that followed the World Consciousness was because a Hall of Fame Grade existence had willingly burned itself away to preserve a final spark of hope for them.

But that act had undoubtedly enraged the World Consciousness.

It was like a person’s immune system suddenly becoming a virus and constantly attacking all the other healthy immune systems.

And so, a prolonged war began.

Hearing this, Fang Wenlong had reason to suspect that this Secret Realm’s World Consciousness was not as powerful as Blue Star World Consciousness. Otherwise, it would not have allowed the Resistance Faction to resist it like this.

"I will have my people investigate the Secret Realm Entrance," Argyle said after they finished exchanging information, letting out a long breath. "As for cooperation, I hope you will consider it carefully."

As the war dragged on, the Resistance Faction was gradually falling into a disadvantage. Its destruction was only a matter of time. After all, once they rebelled against the World Consciousness, they were effectively fighting within the enemy’s home territory.

But that was only assuming there were no unforeseen variables.

Clearly, Fang Wenlong and the other Great Ming Card Masters were such a variable.

At that thought, a trace of confusion arose in Argyle’s heart. Why was It deployed to the battlefield before we had even been defeated?

Before he could think it through, Fang Wenlong said, "I will consider your proposal carefully, but I need some time. I hope you understand."

"Of course." Argyle did not expect Fang Wenlong to make a decision on the spot. After all, the two sides had only established the most basic level of trust. "Then I will take my leave. I will have people help conceal this place."

"Alright. Thank you."

As he watched Argyle depart, Fang Wenlong’s gaze flickered.

To be honest, if the information they had learned was all true, Great Ming could indeed consider cooperating with them. After all, the enemy of one’s enemy was one’s friend. Fang Wenlong understood such a simple principle.

Of course, the prerequisite was that he first had to contact the outside world.

However, what Fang Wenlong had not expected was for Argyle to come knocking again the very next day.

Looking at the gray-haired old man, whose expression was extremely strange compared to yesterday, he instinctively asked, "Have you found the Secret Realm Entrance?"

Forgive Fang Wenlong for thinking of only that possibility. After all, they had only agreed yesterday to give him time to carefully consider the matter of cooperation.

Yet Argyle shook his head slightly upon hearing this. Then, with a light snap of his fingers, an image appeared before him.

The image showed a massive humanoid fox and a purple-armored giant. Around those two enormous beings lay devastated earth that had been ravaged hundreds of times over.

"This image was sent back by our informants from the Submission Faction’s capital," Argyle explained. Then, after hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Do you know the expert in this image?"

"Beginning half a day ago, the Submission Faction started recalling experts from the front lines to the rear one after another."

However, Fang Wenlong no longer had the mood to listen to Argyle’s words.

He stared at the image in astonishment and dazedly uttered two words. "Xiao Luo?!"

Seeing his expression, Argyle immediately confirmed his suspicions.

"As expected. Being a lackey never ends well."

A trace of relief welled up in the old man’s heart. In the eyes of his subordinates, he had always been a forceful figure.

Soon, he chose his words carefully and began, "Since you know him—"

Before Argyle could finish, Fang Wenlong bowed to him. "Thank you for the information. The person in the image is one of my colleagues."

"However, I’m afraid I must decline the matter of cooperation."

The moment he finished speaking, Fang Wenlong vanished before the gray-haired old man could react. Clearly, he intended to bring the Great Ming Card Masters to support Lu Su.

Seeing this, Argyle immediately furrowed his brow.

He knew exactly how powerful the Submission Faction was. Therefore, even though the intelligence sent back by the informants showed that this unknown outsider was slaughtering enemies in the Submission Faction’s rear, Argyle did not think that situation would last long.

Once the Submission Faction’s experts completed their encirclement, that outsider likely would not meet a good end.

Argyle now had two choices. One was to sit by and watch these outsiders fight the Submission Faction. The other was to lead the Resistance Faction in an attack.

Without question, the Resistance Faction had reached a turning point in its fate. No matter which choice he made, it would affect the balance between the two factions from then on.

"Should I gamble?"

Across the shattered land, Demon limbs and broken bodies were scattered everywhere.

Lu Su stood with his arms folded behind Naruto and Sasuke, watching the three Master Grade Demons surrounding them with an indifferent expression.

"Is this all the strength you can mobilize?"

His emotionless voice left his mouth and rang beside the ears of the three Master Grade Demons.

Hearing this, the three Demons sneered without replying.

In their eyes, the outsider before them was already dead. There was no need to waste words on him.

Yes, they admitted that he was troublesome and had caused them considerable difficulty.

But so what? It was three against one. Was there any chance they could lose?

With such an enormous advantage, even their grandmothers could win this fight.

Lu Su had not expected an answer from the five Demons anyway. He merely had Naruto and Sasuke dispel Susanoo Nine-Tails.

Seeing this, one of the Master Grade Demons could not help mocking, "What’s wrong? Are you scared now?"

"Too late!"

Just as he was about to continue, what happened next cut him off.

An enormous orange humanoid Demon Fox and a purple-armored giant filled with lightning rose from the ground, standing tall upon the earth in an instant.

The sudden change made the three Master Grade Demons frown deeply. They could naturally tell that Asura Nine-Tails Mode and Tailed Beast Power Susanoo were not merely Susanoo Nine-Tails split into two halves.

In their perception, both the fox and the giant now radiated a terrifying aura far beyond what they had displayed before.

Even so, they did not believe they would lose.

After a strange silence, the battle erupted instantly.

Bang—

Several puffs of white smoke rose, and the lone fox in the field immediately split into several identical figures.

At first, the three Demons assumed they were merely flashy clones, until—

Boom boom boom boom—!

Several pitch-black Tailed Beast Balls shot toward the three Demons at extreme speed. After a brief silence, they unleashed earth-shattering explosions.

Only then did the Master Grade Demons realize—

Clones could kill too!

Suppressing the terror rising in their hearts, they stared solemnly at the foxes charging toward them, trying to identify the original body among them.

But Uchiha Sasuke would not give them that chance.

Faster than sound was light.

Only after the terrifying lightning wrapped in Tailed Beast Power struck the ground did the piercing cry finally follow.

Screee—!

A bolt of lightning tore through the earth, instantly transforming the battlefield into an apocalyptic scene.

At that moment, the Submission Faction Demons attempting to provide support from afar all stopped in their tracks upon seeing the scene before them.

Clearly, they all realized that if they entered this battle, there would be only one outcome: not even their bones would remain.

On the battlefield.

The three Master Grade Demons did not know that the outsider had already terrified their subordinates out of their wits. Perhaps even if they had known, they would not have cared.

They had never counted on that trash to begin with.

Then they saw a fox’s arm rushing straight toward their faces through the lightning.

Thud—!

With a heavy impact, two of the three Master Grade Demons shot into the distance like cannonballs.

The immense force plowed long trenches through the ground beneath them.

Meanwhile, the Demon that had successfully blocked Uzumaki Naruto’s attack wore an incredibly ugly expression.

He had not expected that, despite the three of them taking their opponent so seriously, they would still suffer a minor loss under the enemy’s assault.

"Do you need reinforcements?"

"I can give you time."

Lu Su suddenly spoke at that moment.

He was not trying to provoke them. He wanted to see whether his own kind, hiding somewhere unknown, still had some hidden trump card.

After all, It had only revealed Its aura at the instant he stepped into the Secret Realm, then vanished without a trace.

This made Lu Su wonder whether Its condition was poor.

Hearing this, the three Master Grade Demons instinctively looked at each other. Then one of them said with a dark expression, "Since you want to die so badly…"

"Then we’ll grant your wish."

As his words fell, a strange frequency suddenly spread in every direction.

The Submission Faction Demons in the distance were immediately shocked when they sensed that frequency.

Because—

It meant the Submission Faction would spare no cost in exterminating that unknown, terrifying existence.