With the artificial moon behind her, Byakuya's tall figure slowly ascended into the sky, carried by the flutter of butterfly wings.
The silvery moonlight served as the perfect backdrop, illuminating the intricate, delicate patterns etched into her wings like masterful works of art. Under that cold light, Byakuya's elegant face shone with a sacred beauty, the kind that made one want to kneel in reverence.
"So this is your trump card?"
Though slightly startled by the sudden surge of power, Tsukihime wasn't overly concerned. With a raised brow, she questioned the aloof figure in the sky.
Byakuya, however, ignored her. Her white eyes turned inward, observing the incredible power coursing through her body. Compared to the last time she used the Chō Baika no Jutsu (Butterfly Transformation Technique), her power now was several times greater.
Her brow furrowed in confusion.
Why was the energy centered in her chest so much more potent than the rest of her body combined?
If Gin had been there, he would have stopped this immediately. Compared to raw chakra, the value of that "heavenly treasure" wasn't something that could be measured so simply.
"Too cool to speak, huh?"
Tsukihime scowled. She was the clan leader, and yet Byakuya dared to ignore her? That couldn't stand.
Her eyes narrowed, then she called out loudly to the dazed figure above.
"Byakuya, if you can defeat me, I'll let that man live."
"For real?"
The words snapped Byakuya back to reality. Her white eyes flashed with deliberation before she firmly met Tsukihime's gaze and asked,
"You give your word?"
"My word is law."
Feeling the surge of battle intent from her opponent, Tsukihime chuckled and closed her eyes. She reached out with her chakra to commune with the clan's ancient treasure hidden within the artificial moon.
Suddenly, a bluish chakra burst from within her, spreading rapidly across her voluptuous body. Soon, every inch of her skin was enveloped in that tangible, surging chakra.
When she opened her eyes again, her once-pure pupils now glowed with a blue flower pattern.
The pressure radiating from her form became suffocating, making Byakuya struggle to breathe.
"I hate being looked down on."
The icy voice rang out as Tsukihime floated upward until she was eye-level with Byakuya. Her blue eyes were filled with overwhelming might.
"This is fairer."
Round two was about to begin.
"Tenseigan! Those branch family lunatics actually activated the Tenseigan!"
Inside the spiritual plane, a long-haired man with empty sockets panicked, pacing frantically.
Seeing Hamura lounging in a massage chair without a care, he rushed over and clung to his leg, wailing,
"Ancestor-sama! Please do something!"
"Hey, let go! I'm not some blue raccoon dog with a million tricks."
Opening his eyes reluctantly, Hamura looked at his pitiful descendant with utter disdain. With a soft sigh, he pulled his leg free and said,
"It's not that bad. We're not doomed just yet."
He injected a bit of chakra into the chair and leaned back with a relaxed hum.
"Really?"
The long-haired man jumped to his feet, eyes wide.
"She's just borrowing a fraction of the Tenseigan's power. She's still immature—can't control it, let alone move the moon."
With that, Hamura closed his eyes again and sank into the soothing massage.
"So good~"
Back in reality—
In the moon's internal sky, two colored lights clashed violently, each collision sending out powerful shockwaves. The sonic booms echoed in the night sky, forming concentric rings of compressed air that made the floating islands quake.
BOOM!!
With a thunderous roar, Byakuya's butterfly wings were shattered by the blue glow. Like a broken kite, she plummeted rapidly toward the sea.
SPLASH!!!
Once again, Byakuya was defeated.
Though her current Butterfly Transformation was stronger than before, it still wasn't enough to match Tsukihime's overwhelming power.
Huff… huff… huff…
Dragging her aching body ashore, Byakuya's wings flickered weakly. Her soaked figure trembled slightly from the cold, her long wet hair sticking to her pale forehead. Her lips parted as she gasped for air, white eyes filled with disappointment—a sight that tugged at the heart.
Feeling her chakra rapidly fading, despair crept into her heart.
She had once believed their power gap wasn't so vast.
Reality had just slapped her awake.
She struggled to lift her head, staring up at the blue figure in the sky. Her legs refused to move as Tsukihime descended toward her.
"That's the extent of your resolve?"
Landing gracefully before her, Tsukihime gazed down, a hint of disappointment in her cyan eyes. But she didn't carry the arrogance of a victor.
Huff… huff…
Byakuya, despite the pain radiating through every bone, clenched her teeth and said nothing.
"You're no fun. I haven't even used full strength, and you're already down."
Still, Tsukihime didn't intend to kill her. If she had, Byakuya would've been sliced in half long ago.
Finding the whole battle underwhelming, Tsukihime simply shook her head and began floating back into the sky.
But just as she was about to leave, Byakuya felt something stir inside her—a surge of unknown life essence.
This was Gin's backup plan.
Warm and revitalizing, it not only healed her wounds but quickly filled her chakra pathways.
A tingling flush washed over her as she regained full strength.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Byakuya stood up, her white eyes calculating as she stared at Tsukihime's back.
"I'm going to do what must be done. That damned thief must pay."
Floating upward, Tsukihime didn't even glance back. To her, Byakuya had been thoroughly beaten. Whatever tricks she had left couldn't possibly pose a threat.
THUD!
As Tsukihime scanned the sky, trying to retrace her path home, she suddenly felt a powerful impact on her waist.
Startled, she looked down at the pale arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Huh, you—?"
Before she could finish, a raging wind roared into her open mouth, rendering her speechless. At the same time, the world seen through the Tenseigan spun wildly.
No—it wasn't the world that moved, but her.
"I haven't lost yet!"
Clutching Tsukihime's waist, Byakuya's wings beat so fast they blurred, propelling them like a streak of blue lightning through the sky.
"Are you insane?!"
Tsukihime couldn't break free. As they rose higher and higher, panic began to seep into her cold heart.
"I know Tenseigan resonance only works within a certain distance. That's why—we're going outside to fight!"
This wasn't reckless desperation. As the clan's First Elder, Byakuya understood how Tenseigan resonance worked. If she could pull Tsukihime out of range, she could neutralize her advantage.
"You wretch! Let go!"
Tsukihime's chakra surged, trying to blast Byakuya off—but it was too late. The moon's hard outer shell was already within reach.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A deafening crash shook the entire interior of the moon. Everyone looked up, alarmed.
Chunks of debris rained down, and in the sky—a gash had opened in the night.
Through it, a sliver of deep-blue light that didn't belong to the moon began to shine.
On the moon's barren outer surface, a vast land of gray ridges and valleys stretched in silence. No stars and stripes here.
But not far off, a lone figure crouched diligently, raising a red flag and practicing calligraphy. With one bold stroke, he drew the character "中" (China) in the dust.
Heh… a movie set?
Nah—this is the real deal.
(End of Chapter)
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