Chapter 288: Lost and Found, Found and Lost
The moment he saw her face, a thousand thoughts raced through Kyosuke's mind. Nagisa's "accidental" kidnapping, her supposed death, the Second Elder being forced to kill himself... it all clicked into place.
"Uchiha Madara!!!" he roared, his voice filled with a guttural, primal rage.
He finally understood. But it was too late.
The attack, with the force of a natural disaster, was about to strike her. Even at his peak, he doubted he could have stopped it. And now, exhausted, his Susanoo on the verge of collapsing, it was impossible.
They say that to find something you thought was lost forever is one of the greatest joys in the world. The opposite is also true. To have that precious thing reappear, only to be forced to destroy it with your own hands... the pain was indescribable.
From the moment her mask had shattered, Nagisa had given up. She was filled with a bitter, all-consuming despair.
It hurts... it hurts so much.
This feeling again... this helplessness...
Damn it... I was going to create a beautiful world...
In her final moments, her eyes met Kyosuke's.
His expression... is he in pain?
Oh, right. The mask is gone...
So... you still feel sad for me...
Heh. That's good. Live with this guilt. Live with this pain...
The ground beneath her began to crack and splinter. The powerful life force of the Hashirama cells in her body was fighting back, a desperate, futile struggle of destruction and regeneration.
"So, you're just going to give up?"
Just as she was about to close her eyes and accept her fate, a cold, emotionless voice echoed in her ears. Before she could react, the world around her twisted and warped, and she found herself in a strange, ethereal space, surrounded by stone pillars of various sizes.
"...Where am I? That voice... was it him?"
It seems... I'm not dead after all...
"Hehehehe... hahahaHAHA!!!"
A wild, unhinged laughter, a mixture of grief and a strange, twisted relief, erupted from her. When she had finally calmed down, she saw that she was alone. She used her Wood Release to form a new mask.
"I suppose I should thank him," she muttered, her Dark Owl persona returning.
A few minutes later, the space twisted again, and Obito appeared, the charred, blackened form of Tobi in his hand. He unceremoniously threw it on the ground and, ignoring its protests, said, "I can't believe the force of that attack lasted for so long. A few more seconds, and I..."
He shook his head, abandoning the thought. "You're badly injured. If you need my help, just ask."
"Heh. A minor wound. It will heal on its own in a few hours," she sneered.
To be able to heal so quickly from such an injury... and that Wood Golem... Obito's estimation of her power had risen considerably. He felt no jealousy, no suspicion. They were both Madara's chosen successors, working toward the same goal. The stronger she was, the better.
But even with their combined strength, they were no match for Kyosuke.
I miscalculated, he thought, a sense of self-loathing washing over him. The desire for Kyosuke's power, for that level of absolute strength, now burned even brighter in his heart.
I need to accelerate Nagato's development...
But first, I should take her back to the inn.
"Hah... hah..."
Panting heavily, Kyosuke descended to the ground. He ignored the searing pain in his eyes and, with a burst of chakra, appeared in the center of the massive crater his attack had created.
I haven't received a notification from the system. That means... Nagisa is still alive.
Thank god...
He created a dozen shadow clones and sent them to search for her. He then forced himself to calm down and began to analyze the new information he had gathered.
Wood Release... Madara must have transplanted the Hashirama cells into her. But her fusion rate is terrifyingly high.
I'd estimate her Sage Body is at least level 14...
A faint, proud smile touched his lips. The girl who had once dreamed of fighting by his side was now a powerful kunoichi in her own right. Strength was the most important thing in this world. It was the only thing that allowed you to do what you truly wanted.
But his smile quickly faded. In addition to the Wood Release, he had also seen her Mangekyo. And knowing that she was under Madara's control, he knew, with a sickening certainty, how she had awakened it.
"The Second Elder... damn you, Uchiha Madara! I'll make you pay for this!" he roared.
Five minutes passed. The shadow clones had searched the entire crater, but there was no sign of her.
She must have been rescued by Obito, he concluded.
I have to get her back. In her current state, she's nothing but a pawn in his game.
With a new, steely resolve, he dispelled the shadow clones and sped off in the direction of the other battle. He had a feeling there was still a fierce fight waiting for him there.
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