Kaku stood tall, the blood-red and shadow-black aura wrapping around his body like a violent mist. His eyes glowed faintly, calm yet cold. His lips curved into a confident smile as he looked past Ozaki—straight at the group standing behind him.
"Good to see you, nephew," Kaku said smoothly.
Ozaki blinked. "Nephew?" he repeated, confused.
He turned his head quickly.
Behind him, Ichiha's body stiffened. His eyes burned with sudden rage, his sword trembling in his hands. The sound of metal hitting stone rang out as he dropped it.
"Kaku…" Ichiha's voice cracked. His fists clenched. "YOU!"
He shouted with everything in him.
Yamato let out a short laugh. "I figured," he said casually, surprising the others.
"Ichiha," Ozaki called out.
But Ichiha ignored him. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he stepped forward.
"Ozaki!" he shouted again, louder this time. "Let me have my revenge! He's the one who made my life miserable!"
Ozaki looked at him for a moment. He saw the pain in Ichiha's face, the storm in his eyes. Without saying a word, Ozaki reached back, lifted his scythe, and threw it forward.
Ichiha caught it mid-air.
Ozaki sat down, folding his arms. "Pour out your mind," he said.
Ichiha turned and charged forward with fire in his heart.
Chella squatted low, hands on the ground, staring at Kaku carefully.
Sora quietly sat down next to Lumei. Lumei gave a soft smirk but didn't speak. His eyes followed Ichiha's movement closely.
Ichiha sprinted toward Kaku and swung the scythe hard, cutting through the air with wild speed and strength.
But Kaku dodged every swing like he was dancing.
He tilted his head left, leaned back, stepped to the side—all while smiling.
Then, in one flash, he struck.
A heavy fist landed straight into Ichiha's torso.
CRACK.
The sound echoed as Ichiha's body was launched back, skidding across the rocky ground. He coughed and groaned, gripping his stomach.
Yamato let out another laugh, shaking his head slightly.
"You don't go in blind," he said.
Ichiha growled and dropped the scythe. He stood slowly, blood at the corner of his lip. He wiped it off with his sleeve and got into a hand-to-hand stance.
He rushed Kaku again.
---
Kaku raised his arms, ready. His smile faded just slightly.
Ichiha opened with a straight punch. Kaku blocked.
Then came a sudden left hook—Kaku dodged.
But Ichiha was faster this time.
He threw a series of fast jabs, and two of them hit Kaku's chest. Then a low kick swept Kaku's leg slightly. Kaku stepped back, surprised.
Ichiha didn't stop.
He elbowed Kaku in the side, and when Kaku raised his guard, Ichiha headbutted him right in the face.
Blood dripped from Kaku's nose.
"Not bad," Kaku muttered.
Ichiha gritted his teeth and shouted, throwing more punches. One connected again—Kaku took a hit to the ribs and staggered a step.
But Kaku countered quickly, hitting Ichiha in the jaw.
Ichiha stumbled back, breathing hard. Sweat poured down his face. But his eyes were focused.
—
He took a deep breath, spreading his arms wide.
"I'm not done!" he yelled. "God Form… FORM TWO!"
Light burst from his body, forming cracks of power along his skin.
"CALAMITY SHOTS!" he screamed.
Energy started gathering around his hands—thick and vibrating like air in a thunderstorm. The wave that exploded out from him looked like a shock of black-blue mist. It surged toward Kaku in a wall of raw force.
But Ichiha didn't stay back.
He ran into the wave.
His body nearly disappeared inside it.
In his right hand, he held a small blade—sharp and shining in the wave's glow. Kaku raised an eyebrow, caught off guard.
The wave struck them both.
BOOM!
Dust exploded.
Sora and Chella raised their arms to shield their eyes. Lumei squinted into the blast. Yamato didn't flinch, but his eyes narrowed in focus.
When the dust settled—
Ichiha was there.
His body shook, covered in blood and ash—but his blade was deep in Kaku's side.
Kaku's eyes widened.
He looked down, seeing the knife buried just below his ribs. For the first time, his smile was gone.
Blood rolled down his black robe.
Ichiha leaned forward, chest heaving, still gripping the blade tightly.
"This… is for everything," he said through his teeth.
Kaku looked at him, quiet for a second… then grinned slowly again.