The forest near the Uchiha Clan Compound.
"Wh-what's going on?"
Orochimaru lunged forward, staring in disbelief at the vanished pool of blood beneath Kirito's body.
He examined Kirito's chest—the gruesome wound was gone, even his clothes pristine, as if everything had been an illusion.
"Kirito… he…"
"He's alive." Nian's gaze was fixed on Kirito's face, tear tracks still fresh on his cheeks. "A miracle. His soul… returned."
"Incredible!" Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with shock and awe, a mix of joy for his friend's revival and sheer amazement. "What kind of technique is this? Divine, absolutely divine!"
Though still unconscious, Kirito's breathing had steadied, his heartbeat slow but strong.
Just then, rustling leaves and faint footsteps alerted Orochimaru. He whipped out a kunai, wary. "Who's there?"
Kakuzu stepped out first. At the sight of him, Orochimaru relaxed slightly.
Years ago, their senior had subdued this dark-skinned giant in front of them. And beyond that, the man's unnatural immortality had left a lasting impression on Orochimaru's younger self.
Nian turned his head—he'd sensed their approach long before. Seeing Kakuzu, realization dawned. This resurrection miracle had an explanation.
Cradling Kirito, Nian looked up eagerly, his eyes darting behind Kakuzu and Hikari. But his senses confirmed: no one else was there.
"Kamihane's orders. We're taking the brat."
Kakuzu's voice was gruff, his words clipped.
"Taking him? Where?" Nian pressed.
"Not your concern." Kakuzu raised his arm, the sutures on his wrist unraveling into black tendrils that coiled around Kirito's body.
Nian didn't dare interfere—not if it was their senior's command. He watched as the tendrils lifted Kirito onto Kakuzu's shoulder.
"The Uchiha's internal strife won't end. As Naori's brother, he'll always be a target for those who oppose her," Hikari said softly, her voice like a gentle chime.
"So… you're saying there are Uchiha who wish Naori harm?" Orochimaru ventured.
Hikari nodded. "More than one. But faking death might be his best chance to survive."
Nian understood instantly, though hesitation flickered. "What about Naori?"
"Remember: Uchiha Kirito died today in the attack. You two can know the truth—or no one can." Kakuzu's tone was icy. "Kamihane's words."
Nian and Orochimaru exchanged glances, both instinctively shrinking back.
"If it's our senior's will, we'll comply," Nian conceded.
With that, the two vanished in a blur of Shunshin no Jutsu.
Nian clasped his hands. Vines sprouted from his skin, weaving together until they formed a lifelike wooden replica of Kirito—complete with a meticulously carved fatal wound on the chest.
"Hah!" With a soft cry, the wood shifted to flesh tones. A corpse now lay at the scene.
Soon, figures descended from the trees, surrounding them.
Nian shot Orochimaru a look. Both schooled their expressions into grim solemnity.
---
*Gobi Desert*
The midday sun blazed overhead, the desert heat oppressive.
Scraggly shrubs wilted under the scorching wind, their leaves limp. Lizards lounged beside gravel, too lethargic to flick their tongues, blending into the parched earth.
The barren landscape was merciless—cracked and uneven, devoid of paths, a true no-man's-land.
No one should have been here.
Yet, space twisted abruptly. Rectangular frames folded and flipped, forming a black void that spat out two figures before snapping shut.
Blinding sunlight, searing air, and arid emptiness replaced the lush forest in Kamihane's vision. Though he adapted instantly, the abrupt teleportation grated on him.
"Uchiha Kamihane, here, you won't—"
A surge of black energy coalesced into a massive arm, slapping Urashiki mid-sentence.
"Where the hell did you take me?"
Kamihane hovered in the air, one hand gripping the Mikazuki no Tachi, the other behind his back. Despite the desert's dryness, he siphoned trace moisture to stay aloft.
Urashiki seethed. The Susanoo's punch, though powerful, hadn't hurt him—but the humiliation stung.
In millennia of traversing the stars, no one had ever struck his face!
"Uchiha Kamihane, I came to kill you. This desert will be your grave!"
"I'll give you credit for creativity—but that's all." Kamihane flicked his wrist. The Mikazuki no Tachi shot forward, trailing black flames, and reached Urashiki in an instant.
"Too fast!"
Urashiki barely raised his Red Light Fishing Rod in time. A metallic clang echoed across the dunes as the sheer force sent him flying.
Kamihane's hands flew through seals. With a clap, he inhaled deeply.
"Suiton: Bakusui Shōha!"
A deluge erupted—not skyward, but into the ground. The torrent carved a crater, millions of gallons flooding the desert. Within seconds, a lake churned where barren land had been, the air cooling with newfound humidity.
"Tch!" Urashiki refused to engage Kamihane's brute strength. His Rinnegan flashed blue, and he dissolved into a flock of paper cranes. The Mikazuki no Tachi sailed past, embedding itself in the distance.
Reappearing behind Kamihane, Urashiki thrust both rods at his back. Transparent ripples flared—the water barrier shattered—yet Kamihane didn't flinch.
His arrogance ignited Urashiki's fury. Pale veins bulged on his arms.
"Die!"
Black mist exploded outward, a portal to an abyss. From its depths, a shadowy hand seized the fishing rods.
"Nani?!" Urashiki's eyes widened as the figure yanked him into a brutal throw.
The being was stout but powerfully built, clad in obsidian armor, its face masked by a menacing tengu visor. Light bent around its metallic sheen.
"That's… Susanoo?!"
A Third Stage Susanoo—with legs!
Urashiki gaped. Since when could Kamihane do this?
This is Susanoo? But it's tiny!
The thought died as the Susanoo moved. Its fist, wreathed in black lightning, smashed into the fishing rods, bending them violently. Urashiki hurtled backward.
"Mokuton: Jukai Kōtan!"
Kamihane's voice was calm. The lake trembled. Massive vines erupted, unfurling leaves, their trunks breaching the surface until a forested island rose from the water.
Only then did Kamihane turn, his hand beckoning. The Susanoo dissipated, revealing Urashiki's livid face.
Kamihane smirked.
"Now… let's begin."
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