Looking at the now empty battlefield, Uchiha Yūma felt a dull ache in his teeth.
Who would have thought a Yin–Yang Release barrier could actually be smashed open through brute force?
Especially the threat Kyūsei left behind before escaping—
That forced him to take things seriously.
From all known intelligence, the Nine-Tails jinchūriki Uzumaki Kyūsei had never been a calm or patient person.
Now he had been ambushed.
His lover Namikaze Kaoru had nearly died.
His teacher Hatake Sakumo had fallen.
Given Kyūsei's temperament—
What awaited Akatsuki would definitely be his mad retaliation.
"Hikaru… we should probably start preparing."
Yūma spoke while looking at the calm Uchiha Hikaru.
"Mm."
Hikaru replied indifferently.
"But you acted on your own to plot against the Nine-Tails."
"I helped you for Madara's sake."
"Now that the plan failed…"
"The Nine-Tails jinchūriki is about to retaliate."
"Have you thought about how you'll explain this to Nagato?"
Yūma fell silent.
—
Land of Fire
Konoha
The familiar spatial distortion flickered before their eyes.
Kyūsei and Kaoru returned directly to the Uzumaki residence.
The moment they arrived somewhere safe—
Kaoru collapsed weakly against him.
First she had been ambushed.
Her Flying Thunder God sealed.
Unable to escape, she had been forced to summon Kyūsei with Reverse Flying Thunder God.
Even while severely wounded, she had only used Kyūsei's Bite Healing to recover about sixty to seventy percent of her strength.
Then she had executed a long-distance Flying Thunder God teleportation.
Her body finally gave out.
"Kaoru !"
Kyūsei quickly lifted her and rushed toward Konoha Hospital.
Meanwhile, Uzumaki Menma remained alone in the study.
He ignored the commotion entirely and continued flipping through sealing technique scrolls.
On the way out, Kyūsei ran into Kushina and Karin.
Both looked surprised.
They had expected Kyūsei to be gone for several days.
Instead he returned in just two.
But the moment they saw Kaoru —
Covered in blood and unconscious—
Their expressions changed immediately.
There were certainly people who could defeat Kaoru .
But very few who could actually leave her in such a state.
And judging from Kyūsei's appearance—
He had also fought.
Yet even with both of them together—
Kaoru had ended up like this.
"What happened?"
Kushina looked at the blood-soaked girl with deep concern.
From the moment she first met Kaoru , she had liked her.
It felt like gaining a daughter.
Seeing her like this broke her heart.
"No time to explain."
"I'm taking her to the hospital first."
Kyūsei left those words and rushed off.
At the hospital, he handed Kaoru over to Mika, who had hurried over.
Immediately afterward, Kyūsei activated Kagura Mind's Eye to locate Tsunade.
He found her—
In a bar.
Without hesitation, he dragged the drunken Tsunade away.
—
Time passed slowly until midnight.
Kyūsei had already persuaded Kushina to go home.
Now he sat alone in the hospital room.
Looking at the blonde girl lying on the bed, his eyes darkened.
In this life—
He had never taken such a huge loss.
Hatake Sakumo was dead.
Kaoru was gravely injured.
Uchiha Yūma.
Uchiha Hikaru.
Uzumaki Nagato.
Just as Kyūsei was thinking—
The hospital door opened.
Someone gestured for him to come outside.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Leader of Zanyang.
Ruler of Konoha.
Kyūsei glanced back at the pale Kaoru before standing and following Hiruzen to the hospital garden.
They sat on a bench.
Kyūsei looked exhausted.
"What is it, old man?"
"We'll have to wait until Kaoru wakes up for the full mission report."
Hiruzen sat beside him.
Out of habit he almost took out a cigarette—
But remembered they were in a hospital and stopped.
"What do you plan to do next?"
His voice carried weight.
He knew Kyūsei too well.
Others believed in revenge after ten years.
Kyūsei?
His revenge started morning and lasted until night.
After suffering such losses—
Once he recovered, he would immediately go after Akatsuki.
"Old man… can you swallow this?"
Kyūsei asked quietly.
"There's a Uchiha woman among them."
"She has a Mangekyō Sharingan."
"One of her eye techniques allows her to control other ninjas, absorb their chakra, and alter their memories."
"Do you know how dangerous that ability is?"
Kyūsei had fought Hikaru personally.
Now he could reveal her abilities.
Hiruzen froze.
"Mangekyō Sharingan…?"
In his memory appeared a terrifying figure.
The only man who could rival Senju Hashirama.
Uchiha Madara.
He had possessed those eyes too.
And now—
Another Uchiha with the same eyes existed.
Worse—
Her ability could rewrite memories and absorb chakra.
If left unchecked—
This could spiral into catastrophe.
"Are you certain, Kyūsei?"
In Hiruzen's mind, Mangekyō Sharingan was second only to Wood Release in terrifying power.
A technique capable of rewriting memories?
The thought sent chills down his spine.
Left alone long enough—
The entire world might become that Uchiha's puppet.
A being wielding the power of the entire world.
"I'm certain."
Kyūsei answered firmly.
Once someone became his enemy—
They had to be eliminated completely.
Even if it was Uchiha Hikaru.
Hiruzen eventually left.
Heavy with worries.
Kyūsei watched him go before returning to Kaoru 's hospital room.
She was awake now.
Sitting quietly by the window.
Her expression gentle.
Calm.
"You shouldn't be sitting up."
Kyūsei moved forward, trying to help her lie down.
But Kaoru shook her head softly.
She looked at him.
Her eyes filled with confusion and sorrow.
"Kyūsei…"
"Am I too weak?"
"How can I become stronger?"
Her words stunned him.
Was Kaoru weak?
No.
She had no bloodline power, yet had reached the level of the Yellow Flash.
That alone made her extraordinary.
But was she strong?
As painful as it was to admit—
Most of Kaoru 's strength relied on Flying Thunder God.
Without it…
Her raw power simply couldn't compare to monsters like Kyūsei, Nagato, or Mangekyō users.
And she knew it.
That was why—
For the first time—
The Golden Flash of Konoha asked someone else:
How do I become stronger?
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