After Minato unleashed the triple combination technique, his shadow clone vanished instantly. He dropped to one knee, panting heavily.
"Damn it…"
"Out of chakra already?"
"If I'd known this would happen, I would've trained in Sage Mode with Master Jiraiya earlier…"
There was still a noticeable gap between the current Minato and the future Minato who would become the hero of the Third Great Ninja War.
Right now, he was only a few years older than Naruto and hadn't yet trained at Mount Myoboku or learned Sage Jutsu.
Though Minato wasn't naturally suited for it, learning Sage Mode would not only enhance his chakra control but also strengthen his body at the cellular level.
He'd put it off before for various reasons, but now—Minato deeply longed for the power of Senjutsu.
Uchiha Hikaru seized this exact moment.
All his chakra surged forth without reservation.
The half-body Susanoo that had barely reached its third stage began to grow rapidly, swelling in size at a terrifying pace.
Chakra, the blood of a shinobi, condensed and transformed—coiling into powerful chakra veins and hardening into massive bones.
In no time, a full-bodied Susanoo stood tall in the crater, towering over the battlefield. The soil and chakra lines above it were annihilated by its sheer presence.
Sarah, who stood nearby, stared at the colossal figure before her. Every cell in her body trembled. Cold sweat ran freely down her back.
"This…"
"Is this really ninjutsu…? Something a human can do?"
"It's like… a god…"
Even knowing this terrifying creature was under Uchiha Hikaru's control, her instincts screamed in fear.
Minato, still panting, gave a wry smile—his emotions complicated.
"Is this the power of a Hokage's assistant from another world…?"
"The legendary figures of the Shinobi World—Madara Uchiha, the First Hokage—are no different than this…"
He felt torn. On one hand, he was glad Hikaru wielded such power.
On the other… he felt ashamed that he couldn't avenge his own son with his own hands.
Minato swiftly moved to Naruto's side, lifted him over his shoulders, and carried both Naruto and Sarah to safety.
Even Kurama, sealed inside Naruto, visibly shuddered under the pressure of Hikaru's chakra.
"That Uchiha bastard…!"
"His ocular power… it's even stronger than Madara's?!"
"Uchiha… a cursed clan favored by the gods…"
Under the overwhelming chakra, Naruto stirred, slowly opening his eyes. He looked down at his hands, surprised.
"Eh? My wounds… they're gone?"
Then his gaze shifted up, locking on Uchiha Hikaru standing within six glowing crystal mirrors suspended above.
Naruto pushed off Minato's shoulders, cupped his hands around his mouth, and yelled.
"Brother Hikaru!!"
"Kick that guy's ass!!"
"Don't let him get away!"
Hikaru heard Naruto's voice and, without turning, hoisted the puppetized remains of Mukade's body with one hand and flashed an "OK" sign with the other.
Then, he tossed the puppet's upper body high into the air and drew the crimson-bladed ninja sword, Shizuki, from his waist.
"Sword… After all this time, you haven't forgotten that move, have you?"
The blade's spirit responded with an eager, cocky tone.
"Pfft! Even if you forget, I never will."
"I've waited so damn long for this moment."
Hikaru's movements began to sync with Susanoo.
He slid his right foot back, bent his left leg, gripped the scabbard with his left hand, and rested his right hand on the hilt.
He inhaled deeply, gathering all his chakra and eye power into the blade known simply as Sword.
The sword and its sheath shimmered with a cold gray-white light, forming rings of energy around them. That light began to morph into countless spectral weapons.
Naruto's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Whoa… Brother Hikaru's ninjutsu is so cool…"
"There's shuriken, kunai, Fūma shuriken, and other ninja tools I've never even seen…"
Hundreds—no, thousands—of weapons orbited Hikaru.
These were all weapons Sword had consumed. And while some resembled basic shinobi tools, many were otherworldly—proof of a vast arsenal beyond even Naruto's imagination.
[Forbidden Armament: Nationfall]
In that instant, time seemed to halt.
Hikaru felt the world freeze.
Sword was unleashed.
Blades rained from the heavens—gray-white lances of chakra piercing through Mukade's body again and again, obliterating him.
Even the puppet fragments scattered in the air were devoured by the summoned weapons.
Nothing remained. Not even dust.
The beam of light that shot into the sky dimmed the moon, leaving only pale shadows behind.
Elsewhere across the shinobi world, all five great nations witnessed the beam.
No one had expected that Uchiha Hikaru's action—one he hadn't even considered political—would directly destabilize the already fragile balance of power.
Within days, the Great Ninja Villages declared war on the Land of Wind, accusing it of hiding a Sage of Six Paths artifact and plotting to overthrow the shinobi world.
But by then, Hikaru was already gone.
The Dragon Vein's chakra had been completely absorbed by him and Sword.
He looked up.
The dark clouds had been torn apart by the divine light, revealing a long-lost full moon.
Dismissing Susanoo with ease, Hikaru landed beside Minato and Naruto with a light shrug.
"Done. That was easy."
"It's just Mukade. All it took was this."
Minato scratched his cheek and laughed awkwardly.
Naruto, meanwhile, stared at Hikaru with stars in his eyes, rushing forward to throw an arm around his shoulders.
"Broooother Hikaru, that was SO cool!"
"Teach me that! Please!"
Hikaru gave Naruto a weird look.
"You have Kyubi, don't you? Isn't that almost the same as my perfect Susanoo? What're you jealous of…?"
Still, in this moment, everyone felt a rare peace wash over them.
Sarah walked up slowly, her tone serious.
"Mr. Hikaru, Mukade tampered with the seal of the Dragon Vein."
"I can't control it anymore, and I can't reseal it either."
"Please… find a way to fix it. On behalf of the people of Rōran, I beg you…"
She lowered her head, about to kneel—but Hikaru quickly caught her arm and helped her stand.
But just then—Hikaru, Minato, and Naruto all spun toward the ruins.
A dark purple beam of light burst into the sky.
"UCHIHA HIKARU!"
"UZUMAKI NARUTO!"
"AND SARAH!"
"You've driven me to abandon half my soul!"
"I'VE BECOME A HALF-HUMAN, HALF-GHOST ABOMINATION! YOU WILL ALL DIE!!"
A thunderous roar shook the skies.
Hikaru narrowed his eyes and gently moved Sarah behind him as a figure materialized in the beam of light.
"Princess Sarah… I was going to help regardless of your request."
"But it seems we'll have to delay that a little…"
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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