It was far too strange—utterly incomprehensible.
Akahoshi couldn't understand it at all. That powerful Iwagakure ninja had been toyed with like a child, utterly manipulated by an Uchiha—yet the Uchiha hadn't even used Sharingan genjutsu.
Akahoshi couldn't grasp what had happened.
He didn't even understand what was happening to Natsuhoshi, his opponent.
She was clearly fighting him, yet her eyes lacked all vitality, as if something essential had been taken away.
Run… I need to run. I have to escape immediately!
The thought surfaced instinctively in Akahoshi's mind.
At that moment, Akita—who had impatiently snapped at Akahoshi earlier—shouted angrily:
"Damn it, Akahoshi! I already killed that annoying Uchiha brat! What are you panicking for?!"
"Yes. You've already killed me. So the next step should be to help Akahoshi—otherwise, he won't last much longer."
Uchiha Ran's voice suddenly echoed beside Akita's ear.
"…?? Why am I hearing that Uchiha brat's voice?"
A bad premonition surged in Akita's heart.
Don't tell me… that whole barrage of ninjutsu didn't kill that damned Sharingan brat?
"That's right. You're wondering why that entire combo didn't kill the Uchiha, aren't you?"
Ran's voice sounded again—soft, intimate, like a devil whispering.
"No! Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
Akita panicked internally.
"I definitely wasn't caught in Sharingan genjutsu! I disrupted my chakra! I was on guard! Why didn't it work?!"
"You're thinking you weren't caught in an illusion?"
…?!
How does he know what I'm thinking?!
Cold sweat instantly poured down Akita's back.
"Starting to sweat already? I'd advise you not to rush just yet."
As Ran's words fell—
Akita suddenly felt his entire body break into a cold sweat, followed by a wave of searing pain that slammed into his nerves.
W–what… what's happening?!
With immense difficulty, Akita lowered his gaze toward his own body.
"W–what… is this…?"
His strength vanished completely.
Just one look was enough.
He knew—there was no hope left.
Blood.
Too much blood.
It was almost gone.
Thud.
"So this is how it ends… you evil Uchiha brat… Lord Ōnoki… Xiao Ye… I'm sorry…"
With his final thought fading away, Akita closed his eyes—never to awaken again.
"I won't pity you," Uchiha Ran said calmly, looking at the corpses of Akita and the two Iwagakure special jōnin.
"This world is twisted, but I'm still a Konoha ninja. Any threat—I will eliminate. Still… perhaps you've contributed to peace in your own way."
He formed hand seals.
A massive Fire Release: Great Fireball erupted, engulfing the bodies.
At that moment, the greatest value of the Great Fireball was on full display—
Erasing evidence.
Now's my chance—run!
While Ran was incinerating the corpses, Akahoshi unleashed his strongest attack.
"Peacock Method – Beast – Impact!"
Chakra exploded outward, transforming into a colossal dragon. Like a divine beast devouring the sun, it smashed into Natsuhoshi, blasting her away despite her defenses.
"The defense of Peacock Method really is absurd… but she'll need time to recover. Now's my chance!"
Using the recoil from the dragon's charge, Akahoshi propelled himself backward, then activated Peacock Method – Wings, fleeing at full speed.
Watching the Uchiha grow farther and farther away, Akahoshi burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! You evil Uchiha brat! This—this is my escape route!"
He was elated.
In truth, Konoha's intervention had saved his life.
To seize the Star Village's sacred treasure—the Star—Akahoshi had been forced to cooperate with Iwagakure jōnin.
But that was nothing short of dancing with a tiger.
Everyone knew Ōnoki was a schemer of the highest order—allying with missing-nin and rebels alike if it served his goals. Iwagakure's ninja inherited that same cunning.
Akahoshi knew that without Konoha's interference, once he obtained the Star and tried to flee, Iwagakure would turn on him immediately.
A jōnin and two special jōnin—
He would never have escaped.
"This is perfect! Absolutely perfect! I got the Star, got rid of two useless pawns, eliminated Iwagakure's threat—and that Uchiha brat can't catch me!"
"Win! Total victory! I win alone!"
"Hahaha! Once I fully master the Star's power, I'll become the strongest Star Shadow in history! I'll lead the Star Village to greatness!"
"Firefly Star? Hmph! Beauty belongs only to the strong! When I return, Natsuhoshi will be mine too!"
Lost in his triumph, Akahoshi spoke his thoughts aloud as he flew.
So this is what it feels like—to control everything with intelligence. Incredible… absolutely intoxicating.
"Hmm, you're right—beauty does belong to the strong."
A familiar voice suddenly whispered into Akahoshi's ear.
"But a 'Star Shadow'? That's nothing special. In the greater shinobi world, you're just a slightly larger toad."
…?!
"What—what's going on?!"
Akahoshi spun around in panic, scanning his surroundings wildly.
Up. Down. Left. Right. Front. Back.
No one.
He was flying through the air—who could possibly be speaking beside his ear?
After a moment, he forced himself to calm down.
I've been flying for a while now… I can't even see Natsuhoshi or that Uchiha anymore.
"I'm just too tense… auditory hallucinations. I should fly farther—much farther."
"No, you're not hallucinating. And flying farther is fine."
"But it's a pity."
"You're like a bird in a cage—no matter how you fly, you can never leave it."
Akahoshi heard the voice clearly.
He abruptly stopped midair, spinning frantically and shouting:
"Who?! Who's there?! Stop joking! Why—why can I hear you when there's no one here?! I've flown so far! Who are you?!"
"No one? Flew far away?"
"Who am I?"
"How arrogant, Akahoshi."
"Didn't you call me an evil Uchiha brat earlier? I'm talking right beside you, and you're pretending not to notice?"
"Enough of this trickery!"
Akahoshi roared.
"I don't have time for you! You can't chase my escape route anyway! Hahaha!"
"Escape route?" Ran's voice sounded amused.
"Old man, you really like joking."
"Haven't you been flying in place this whole time?"
"Just like that 'big sister' over there—standing still the entire time."
"W–what…?"
Akahoshi's vision twisted violently.
The forest rushing past vanished.
He was still right where he started.
In the distance, Natsuhoshi, whom he thought he'd blasted away, stood frozen in place, eyes vacant.
And right in front of him—
The evil Uchiha brat stood calmly, blade at his side.
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