Chapter 75: The Curtain Falls
"Try some mini pumpkins! They're Halloween's most popular little treats! Hahaha!"
The Green Goblin flung over twenty pumpkin bombs backward. Each miniature pumpkin bomb unfurled two tiny bee-like wings from within, tracking Uchiha Mei as they flew toward her.
His other hand wasn't idle either, flicking several more pumpkin bombs toward Uchiha Mikoto.
"Hehehehe, enjoy some of the Osborn family's weaponry!"
Just by his laugh alone, Norman already embodied the archetype of a villain. His hideous Green Goblin suit only cemented his villainous nature—what sane person would dress like that?
"Norman, ever heard the saying? Villains die by talking too much!"
Just as the pumpkin bombs were about to explode, "Water Release—Water Barrier!"
For ordinary users, a Water Barrier is a single curtain of water, only capable of blocking frontal attacks. But the Water Release of the Second Senju Tobirama was different. The surrounding water curtains formed a 360-degree, flawless defense.
The pumpkin bomb burst like fireworks, yet the violent shockwave failed to shake the Water Barrier.
When the explosion subsided, Uchiha Akira and Uchiha Mikoto stood unscathed within the barrier.
"Mikoto-nee, are you okay?" Mikoto, who had remained stationary, had become a wooden stake during the blast—she had skillfully used Substitution Technique to swap places with the stake, successfully evading the pumpkin bomb's attack.
"Norman, you really are dissatisfied with dying too quickly..." Akatsuki's temper flared slightly. While Norman's attack had long been anticipated—indeed, Akatsuki had been waiting for Norman to come seeking revenge precisely to find a suitable justification for disposing of him openly—Norman's relentless assault on himself and the Uchiha clan now infuriated Akatsuki.
But Norman's relentless attacks on him and his Uchiha kin had pushed Uchiha Akira over the edge.
"Everyone, back off!" Spotting other Uchiha rushing over, Uchiha Akira urgently ordered them to spread out. There was no need for a crowd inside the building to deal with a minor threat like Norman.
"Shuriken Technique!"
Several shuriken flew toward Norman. Using the high maneuverability of his hoverboard, Norman managed to dodge a few of them. But mid-air, the colliding shuriken suddenly changed direction. Unsurprisingly, two still struck Norman in the abdomen and chest.
Norman Osborn's triumphant laughter abruptly halted. Unfortunately, the shuriken's kinetic energy only knocked him to the ground—the Green Goblin suit's armor wasn't something ordinary shuriken could pierce.
"You think this scrap metal is enough to take me down? Heh heh heh heh. Uchiha Akira, go to hell!"
"Hmph, this armor's defense is stronger than I expected," Uchiha Akira muttered under his breath. He'd assumed that even if he couldn't pierce the Green Goblin suit, the sheer impact would still cause significant damage. Yet Norman seemed largely unaffected.
Having just taken a hit, Norman deftly maneuvered his hoverboard to create distance from Uchiha Akira, relentlessly hurling pumpkin bombs in a barrage of bombardment.
The unexpected setback also made Norman abandon his previous underestimation of Uchiha Akira—if he wasn't careful, he might actually fall victim to this brat.
"So you're mutants, kid? Is that the source of your confidence and bravado?" Norman mistakenly believed the previous ninjutsu were mutant abilities, convinced he'd exposed Uchiha Akira's true power.
"Die!" Two micro-missiles launched from the underside of the hoverboard, followed by a deafening explosion that shattered the building's glass curtain wall.
"Hahahaha! Burn to ashes!" The violent explosion and raging flames made Norman believe he had successfully eliminated Uchiha Akira.
Norman Osborn was about to depart on his hoverboard when a golden hand emerged from the flames, clamping down on his wrist.
"Norman, didn't I warn you? Villains die by talking too much! Your life countdown begins now." Uchiha Akira materialized a colossal Susanoo arm without hesitation, gripping Norman Osborn as he attempted to flee.
"What the hell... is this thing?"
"Susanoo. In my world, it's a power that rivals the gods. You should consider yourself fortunate to witness my true strength for the first time. This is my respect for your status as the founder of the Osborn Group."
The golden chakra palm tightened with increasing force. Norman, who had been struggling moments before, could barely breathe. Even the formidable Green Goblin suit couldn't withstand the might of Susanoo.
His sternum caved in, internal organs bleeding. Norman Osborn, his mouth filled with blood, now had no chance to beg for mercy. Even uttering a single word was beyond his reach.
Just as Norman awaited his end, Uchiha Akira suddenly stopped squeezing.
"Norman, I'll grant you a dignified exit." Uchiha Akira projected his Mangekyo Sharingan genjutsu directly into Norman's mind.
"As expected, Norman has gone mad." While Norman was restrained, Uchiha Akira had already briefly scanned his memories.
Without a doubt, Norman had inevitably fallen down the familiar path of split personality, with his evil alter taking full control.
"Are you awake now?" Watching Norman's sinister expression vanish, replaced by sheer terror and helplessness—Uchiha Akira knew the normal Norman Osborn had returned.
"Seems I've lost completely," Norman shook his head, almost resigned.
"That depends on how you look at it. If we're talking purely about the outcome of the fight, then yes, you've suffered a crushing defeat. But at least your mind is still clear."
"Can you spare my life? I... I don't want to die yet..." Even Norman, when faced with true death, was no different from any cowardly scoundrel afraid of dying.
"Impossible. I spare no one who dares strike me down. You're dead. Allowing you a last word is the height of my mercy."
"Hahahahaha... so it seems..." Norman coughed violently, his mouth already foaming with blood. His shattered internal organs were hemorrhaging profusely, though the super serum allowed Norman Osborn to cling to life for a little longer.
Norman was merely grasping at his last straw. Looking at the calm expression on Uchiha Akira's face, for a fleeting moment, Norman truly regretted his actions.
"Then could you spare my son, Harry? I'll trade the entire Osborn stake—all shares—for a fortune for Harry!" Norman knew survival was impossible, but Harry still had a chance.
Uchiha Akira shook his head. "Osborn becomes mine when you die. Your trade holds no value. Still, I'll grant your request. Of course, Harry's survival depends on whether he knows when to back down."
"I hope you're telling the truth. Rest assured, Harry knows nothing. Since you've agreed, I'm satisfied. I'll leave a suicide note so Harry won't investigate my death."
After finishing his letter, Norman suddenly felt at peace with life and death. If he could rewind time, he'd likely choose to continue conquering the Osborn family's genetic disease, leaving Harry more support.
But alas, the world holds no room for "what ifs."
"Go ahead. End my life. In my current state, even if I wanted to kill myself... I... can't... do it." Norman stammered.
"Norman. Remember to be a good person in your next life. Most importantly, don't mess with anyone named Uchiha."
With a crack, Norman's neck snapped. His eyes lost all color.
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