Kushimaru Kuriarare, wielder of the longsword Nuibari, had just shouted for everyone to attack together—
When suddenly—
His body froze.
Completely.
Two beads of cold sweat slid slowly down his face.
His eyes strained—
Trying to glance behind him.
"…You mean me?"
Uchiha Akira's playful voice came from directly behind him.
In that instant—
A chill shot down Kushimaru's spine.
Every hair on his body stood on end.
But he was no ordinary opponent.
A battle-hardened killer—
He reacted instantly.
Without hesitation, he counterattacked.
Using chakra, he manipulated the steel wire attached to Nuibari—
Striking backward.
Whoosh!
The needle-like blade pierced straight through Akira's body.
"…Looks like you got careless."
Kushimaru's lips curled—
A mix of surprise and satisfaction.
But—
The next second—
His pupils shrank.
"…What?"
The Akira he struck—
Faded.
"…An afterimage…"
Realization hit.
Too late.
His body stiffened.
His mind went blank—
As if his will had been stripped away.
And just as expected—
Akira appeared behind him again.
Silent.
Like a ghost.
But just as Akira was about to strike—
Kushimaru suddenly leapt forward.
Midair—
He twisted his body around—
Facing Akira with a vicious grin.
"Got you!"
His hands formed seals instantly.
"Ninja Art: Ground Spider Stitch!"
In an instant—
The ground beneath Akira split open.
Countless thin steel wires burst out—
Wrapping around his legs at terrifying speed.
"You're finished."
"Uchiha brat!"
Kushimaru grinned triumphantly.
With a sharp pull—
The wires tightened.
Binding Akira in place—
Cutting deeper and deeper.
If nothing changed—
His legs would be shredded apart.
But Kushimaru didn't stop.
He manipulated Nuibari again—
Launching a fatal thrust straight at Akira's heart.
A perfect kill combination.
"Not good!"
Watching from afar, Might Duy tensed—
Ready to move.
But—
He glanced to the side.
The remaining Swordsmen were watching closely.
If he intervened—
Guy and the others would be exposed.
He hesitated.
He was about to shout—
To tell them to retreat—
But then—
Blood splattered.
The wires tightened violently—
Slicing through Akira's legs.
Severing them.
The brutal scene—
Made Duy's heart sink.
Guy and the others trembled—
Anger and shock filling their eyes.
But just as they thought it was over—
Something changed.
Kushimaru's body trembled.
His head tilted upward.
His eyes widened—
As if he had seen something impossible.
His limbs spread slightly—
Frozen.
As if something unseen held him in place.
Duy, Guy, and the others stared—
Unable to understand.
Everything had happened too fast.
Before they could process it—
The remaining Swordsmen charged.
Their target—
Was not Kushimaru.
But the figure behind him.
Uchiha Akira.
A kunai—
Already buried in Kushimaru's heart.
"…You're the one who got careless."
Akira's voice was calm—
Mocking.
Ignoring the enemies rushing toward him—
He drove the blade deeper.
Pfft!
The kunai sank to the hilt—
Piercing through Kushimaru's chest.
Blood spilled.
"Gah…"
Kushimaru coughed violently.
His eyes filled with disbelief—
And unwillingness.
"Was that… Body Flicker…? So fast…"
His voice trembled.
His breath faltered.
Even now—
He couldn't understand—
How Akira escaped—
And appeared behind him again.
"Ask the King of Hell."
"He might tell you."
Akira kicked him away—
Pulling the kunai free.
Then—
He turned.
Facing Jūzō.
Jūzō arrived instantly—
Executioner Blade swinging toward Akira's neck.
A strike powerful enough to split stone.
But—
Akira blocked it—
With a single kunai.
Clang!
The impact—
Sent him flying sideways.
Straight into another attack.
Raiga.
"Lightning Style: Raiga!"
Raiga had been waiting.
The moment Akira was launched toward him—
He struck.
Lightning chakra surged through his twin blades—
Exploding outward in a blinding arc.
A violent electrical shockwave erupted—
Engulfing everything.
Part of it—
Passed directly through Akira's body.
But—
The expected result never came.
Instead—
Raiga's expression changed.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
He had already—
Fallen into a genjutsu.