"What… what just happened?"
Fear suddenly surged up from the depths of Akahoshi's heart.
Human beings are incapable of imagining things that lie beyond their own abilities.
Just like Akahoshi at this very moment—his thinking was shackled by his own experience and knowledge, unable to step outside what he already understood. He could only conceive of things that existed in reality, or things that might exist. Anything beyond that boundary was simply impossible for him to comprehend.
That was why he couldn't understand it.
Why—after disrupting his own chakra—could that damned Uchiha brat still manipulate his senses so freely?
Unacceptable.
Akahoshi's limited cognition simply couldn't accept or understand something that surpassed his own capabilities.
Humans instinctively rely on their existing knowledge and logic to make sense of the world. Anything that goes beyond their limits directly challenges their way of thinking—and even their beliefs.
Faced with a genjutsu that completely controlled his perception and couldn't be dispelled, Akahoshi was in agony.
But… it wasn't completely hopeless.
Even the evolution of life itself was miraculous beyond belief.
At the dawn of the world, in an environment filled with danger and challenge, every living creature struggled to adapt in order to survive. And in those early stages of evolution, most lifeforms chose the same path—stacking thicker and heavier armor. Only with sufficient defense could one withstand external threats.
For Akahoshi, it was the same.
The Peacock Method's greatest strength was its overwhelming defensive power paired with relatively low chakra consumption.
That Uchiha brat—and even Natsuhoshi—simply didn't have the offensive power to break through his Peacock Method.
"Weak… too weak… utterly weak!"
Akahoshi clenched his jaw.
"At this point, all I can do is trust those companions who are holding down the Third Star Shadow!"
He didn't know what state he was in, but as long as he continued pouring chakra into maintaining the Peacock Method, his safety was guaranteed. And with the Star Stone on him, chakra could be continuously refined to maintain a perfect balance.
In Akahoshi's calculations, neither Uchiha fire techniques nor swordsmanship could defeat someone like him—armed with the Star Stone and protected by the Peacock Method.
No matter what happens, I'll keep the Peacock Method active!
He hammered that thought into his own mind.
The battlefield had fallen into a bizarre stalemate.
On one side, Natsuhoshi was unleashing the Peacock Method at empty air, blasting crater after crater into the ground.
On the other, Akahoshi stood firm, eyes resolute yet vacant, maintaining the defensive form of the Peacock Method.
And standing before him—
Uchiha Ran calmly planted his Zanpakutō into the ground.
"A wise choice," Ran said lightly.
"At my current stage, I do have a major flaw—my lack of overwhelming destructive power. But Akahoshi… do you really think that means I have no way to deal with you?"
"You're underestimating Fleeting Life, Dreamlike Illusion."
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Technique!"
Akahoshi felt the heat waves rush toward him, yet he didn't panic at all.
Just these?
Two fire techniques—not even Great Fire Dragon. Why would he be afraid?
As expected, the flames posed no real threat to the Peacock Method. They only caused faint ripples across the peacock's radiant tail.
Seeing this, Akahoshi nodded in satisfaction.
Good. I'm safe.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!"
Akahoshi tilted his head slightly. He was curious—just how much damage could Great Fire Dragon do?
But what he saw next made him pause.
The fire dragon didn't rush toward him.
Instead, Ran blasted it straight into the dark clouds gathering overhead.
"…?"
What is he doing?
Even so, Akahoshi had no intention of abandoning his defense.
"You know," Ran's voice echoed calmly,
"what kind of 'ordinary' ninjutsu is considered the strongest in the shinobi world?"
Akahoshi instinctively pondered the question.
"Don't waste your breath, Uchiha brat," he snapped.
"Trying to shake me with words won't work. As long as I don't look into your eyes and keep the Peacock Method active, you can't defeat me."
"What a shame."
As Ran's Great Fire Dragon rapidly heated the surrounding air, violent updrafts formed. Dark clouds had already swallowed the sky whole.
Thunder rumbled overhead.
Amid the deafening roar, Ran нийл spoke—
"Did you know? I like to call this technique…"
"Lightning Release: Kirin."
"This jutsu has an enormous range, terrifying power, and barely consumes chakra—because it borrows the lightning of nature itself."
"I developed it by using the Sharingan to read the speed and trajectory of natural lightning, then guiding it toward my enemy."
"Lightning moves so fast you can't dodge it."
"Of course—I know you're confident in your turtle shell."
"So come, Akahoshi."
"If you believe in your Peacock Method so much, then use it to clash with the wrath of nature itself."
Ran raised his Zanpakutō high.
Lightning from the heavens converged onto the blade's tip, gathering like an army answering a call to war. Blinding light erupted.
The lightning writhed and twisted, as if alive, before finally taking shape—
A massive lightning Kirin, its body crackling with electric fury, illuminating the entire sky.
"Come—take this!"
With Ran's shout, the Lightning Kirin let out a thunderous roar. The very world trembled beneath the might of nature.
The Kirin charged.
Its presence alone carried overwhelming pressure, a divine beast born purely of lightning.
Akahoshi's heart clenched.
This power was terrifying—but abandoning the Peacock Method under genjutsu interference would be even more dangerous.
The Uchiha brat's attack was no joke.
But he couldn't retreat.
Retreat meant death.
Akahoshi roared and poured even more chakra into the Peacock Method. The peacock's spread tail expanded, becoming even more massive as it prepared to meet the blow head-on.
The Lightning Kirin slammed forward.
With a deafening explosion—
The Kirin tore straight through the Peacock Method and struck Akahoshi directly.
Lightning vaporized stone in an instant.
The scene resembled a miniature nuclear detonation—rocks and vegetation melted away, swallowed by raging plasma.
Pain and paralysis flooded Akahoshi's mind.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH—!!!"
Agony shattered his concentration.
His hands trembled mid-seal—
And the Peacock Method collapsed.
No—!
Forcing his eyes open, Akahoshi tried desperately to reform the technique.
But what reflected into his vision—
Were Uchiha Ran's crimson three-tomoe Sharingan.
"…I'm finished."
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