Inside the prison chamber of the spacecraft base, silence fell at last. The transformed mutants who had dared resist now lay lifeless, their blood completely drained into the waiting grasp of Kurogai Alexander Blackwood.
The floor was slick with carnage, yet Kurogai paid no mind to the mess around him. His attention was locked on the one thing that truly mattered: the Ultimate Pupil.
As the final drop of blood was absorbed, the long-dormant power stirred. Kurogai's chest rose and fell sharply.
The third pupil ring is fully saturated. A breakthrough is possible. Do you wish to ascend?
A flicker of anticipation crossed his face.
"Finally," Kurogai whispered, his voice thick with restrained joy. "I've waited so many years for this… the third ring is ready to ascend."
Memories surged within him—of battles against Hydra remnants, of the fateful encounter with Logan in a forgotten border town, and of the long search for mutants that drove him to engineer devices to alter genes themselves. Every step, every experiment, had led here.
"Ascend," he commanded without hesitation.
A surge of energy coursed through him. The power condensed within his eyes, threading into the third ring of the pupil. His vision burned with light.
When he opened them again, the change was undeniable. His once-scarlet pupils had shifted to a pale, eerie violet. The intricate tomoe markings dissolved into concentric circles.
The Rinnegan.
Kurogai's lips curved faintly, his usually cold expression breaking under the weight of triumph. "At last. The Eye of Rebirth."
This was no ordinary power. The Rinnegan was a force of legend—an eye that could summon meteors, command the six paths, and shape the battlefield itself. The potential was terrifying. The allure had always been immense, and now it was his.
But even as he reveled in the awakening, another phenomenon began to stir.
A faint glow rippled from beneath the skin of his forehead. The sigil of the Ultimate Pupil pulsed, its third ring beginning to shine for the first time. Kurogai froze, his attention shifting immediately.
"The Ultimate Pupil is changing again," he murmured.
He had noticed this pattern before—every time a pupil ring reached perfection, the Ultimate Pupil itself would transform. Until now, he had been too absorbed in the breakthroughs to study the change. But this time, he would not miss it.
Closing his eyes, Kurogai projected his consciousness inward, his spirit observing the intricate power woven into his very being. He saw it clearly: the third pupil ring flickering with the light of a flame.
A divine fire.
It crackled faintly, carrying an essence that was neither mortal nor mundane. The fire burned into the third ring, setting it alight. One by one, runes etched themselves across its surface, filling the gaps that had once left it incomplete.
Kurogai's breath deepened. The flame spread rapidly, igniting the ring fully. It blazed brilliantly, reflecting alongside the already-lit second and fourth rings. Together, they radiated an almost holy brilliance, three lights intertwined upon his forehead.
And with that ignition came power. His body surged, his strength climbing to new heights. The sensation was not unfamiliar—each ascension had always elevated him. But this time he focused on the divine spark, searching for its origin.
"Lit by divine fire… but where does this fire come from?" he whispered.
The energy settled at last, and Kurogai exhaled slowly, tension easing from his frame. Though he had witnessed the transformation clearly, the mystery remained unsolved. The source of that divine spark eluded him.
Still, a sense of resolve filled him. "Three rings awakened. Nine more remain. If I study each carefully, I will unravel the truth of the Ultimate Pupil."
His path was far from over. Six rings were still missing, scattered across unknown reaches. His burden remained heavy, but his conviction sharpened.
"There's still a long road ahead," he murmured.
Just as the thought passed, a ripple of magic stirred the chamber. A streak of light cut through the air and stopped before him, carrying a familiar energy signature.
Kurogai's eyes narrowed. "A magical transmission… Rogue."
The glowing message unfurled, her voice echoing in his mind.
"Kurogai, we've found him. The man named Ajax—the one Wade was hunting."
Kurogai's expression shifted. His hand tightened around the fading light.
__
Send Power stones for bonus chapter
__
Send support on patreon
Patreon.com/Zphyr