"Did you already know?"
Glancing at the ice clone melting on the ground, Uchiha Hikari walked up to Kakashi and asked irritably.
"Well, you could say that."
Even Kakashi felt a bit tense standing next to this Uchiha elder, especially with someone else's blood still smeared on her face.
He could tell Takeshi was fine. First, because Takeshi didn't have much credibility to begin with, and second, because deep down he didn't believe someone of that level could truly harm him.
Though admittedly, that strange weapon the opponent was carrying did look intimidating.
Kakashi ran the scenario through his mind. If the enemy opened fire at full force, an ordinary Chūnin likely wouldn't dodge in time and would end up meeting the real Uchiha ancestor.
Dodging another drone attack, Takeshi quickly grasped the firing rhythm after just two encounters. With the same exasperated tone Hikari often used, he complained:
"You two, are you actually here to help, or just to spectate?"
At the same time, he flung out two shuriken laced with Wind Release chakra, aiming to bring down the drones harassing him.
"Foolish."
These attack drones were Snow Country's latest technological marvels, capable of automatically evading enemy strikes.
But he underestimated Takeshi's technique.
To avoid the shuriken, the two drones instinctively drifted aside. Takeshi seized the moment and hurled a third shuriken.
It happened to cut across the path of one drone. Forced to brake suddenly, it collided head-on with the other.
"That little trick won't stop me."
As Takeshi spoke, the third shuriken intersected with one of the earlier ones at a sharp sixty-degree angle, slicing clean through both drones midair.
"This way of controlling shuriken… has a bit of an Uchiha feel to it."
Kakashi spoke without thinking, and Uchiha Hikari nodded in agreement.
Unfortunately, Takeshi didn't have Uchiha blood. He was relying solely on his eyes to track the shuriken's flight paths.
"Damn it, are you kidding me?"
Takeshi wasn't about to give him the chance. He threw out a prepared Eightfold Light Wheel.
The sharp wind blade instantly severed the gun barrel, turning the machine gun into a useless metal stick.
Mechanical sounds echoed as the armor on his chest shifted and reformed.
With the grinding of gears, a pitch-black cannon barrel extended from the hollow cavity of his torso.
"I'll let you taste my—"
Before he could finish, Takeshi was already in front of him, brandishing another Eightfold Light Wheel.
"You can taste mine first!"
He raised his right hand high, then swung it down hard. The spinning wind blade tore through the man's shoulder and split the cannon barrel clean in half.
But instead of blood, what spilled from the wound was a mess of wires and metal tubes.
"You're not… human?"
Even Takeshi had only seen this kind of thing in movies. He blurted it out instinctively, sounding like he was cursing.
"You… are… not… human… either…"
Taking advantage of Takeshi's stunned reaction, he lunged with his still-functional arm, trying to pull him into an embrace.
Don't get the wrong idea—he wasn't lustful. He was triggering his pre-set self-destruction program.
Takeshi had no intention of letting him succeed. Kakashi carried one of his Flying Thunder God kunai, so he instantly teleported to Kakashi's side.
He's grab found nothing but empty air. He couldn't stop the self-destruction sequence now, and could only watch Takeshi vanish before his eyes.
"Boom!"
The massive explosion that followed was like thousands of explosive tags detonating at once, flattening every house in the area.
Takeshi had no choice but to use Ice Release to shield himself from the sudden blast.
"Seriously, are you two here to support me or to help the enemy attack me?"
Feeling the ice wall hold firm against the shockwave, Takeshi glanced at Uchiha Hikari and Kakashi, grumbling in annoyance.
"Hmph. I'm only here to enjoy watching you struggle on the brink of death."
Uchiha Hikari snapped back, refusing to concede.
...
The explosion also drew the attention of Yōwan, who had just infiltrated the research bureau.
Hearing that distinctive blast, Yōwan knew a guy—who had used Ōtsutsuki technology to forcefully repair his crippled body—was now truly dead. It was also a reminder that Yōwan's own time was running out.
But he too faced a serious problem.
A white-haired youth stood with his hands behind his back, glaring coldly at him.
Even though Yōwan had activated his Mangekyō Sharingan's eye technique, the man still recognized him.
"Confused, aren't you?"
A smooth, sinister voice came from behind. Yōwan turned his head slightly to see a lean, pale figure.
"Orochimaru."
One glance at that face, and Yōwan immediately knew who it was.
Orochimaru didn't answer, but instead began introducing the surrounding equipment.
"Ever since your first assault on Konoha, the Fourth Hokage entrusted me with creating devices to counter your eye techniques."
As Yōwan watched, Orochimaru paced slowly around him.
"Unfortunately, during your last attack, the system wasn't ready. The Mangekyō Sharingan truly is a mysterious power."
He stroked the white wall with his hand, rapping it lightly with his knuckles. A dull sound echoed back.
"But no matter how mysterious something is, science can explain it. Your so-called dōjutsu only affects the five senses and the brain."
Hearing that sound, Yōwan's expression darkened. He realized something capable of neutralizing his eye technique was hidden beneath the walls. That explained why the white-haired youth could still recognize him.
"Now, without your Mangekyō powers, you're no stronger than an ordinary Uchiha."
Stopping beside Hiruko, Orochimaru smiled faintly at Yōwan, making no effort to avoid eye contact.
"Now it's your stage, Hiruko. Show this young Uchiha just how far you've gone with your Kekkei genkai fusion."
The moment Orochimaru's words fell, Hiruko lunged, slamming a fist toward Yōwan.
"Explosion Release!"
As the fist closed in, Yōwan's face twisted with rage.
"Don't think you understand the Uchiha, you ant! Susanoo!"
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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