Holding the trembling, sobbing girl in his arms, Kyusei's eyes were filled with icy killing intent.
He hadn't expected that the Byakugan in Kirigakure's possession… would be Naori's eye.
The moment he thought of Naori's eye being embedded in someone else's body, the rage in his chest nearly overwhelmed his reason.
"Naori… big sister."
Kyusei tightened his grip on the girl's hand, each word heavy and deliberate.
"I will bring your eye back."
"I promise."
Feeling the constant trembling of her body, Kyusei bent down and lifted her up in his arms. Naori didn't resist at all.
He gently laid her on the bed and tucked the blanket around her.
Looking at her remaining eye, Kyusei spoke with absolute conviction.
"Naori, tomorrow."
"Tomorrow, your eye will be back."
"I swear it."
He turned to leave—but a hand suddenly grabbed his sleeve tightly.
"Kyusei… don't."
"They planned this for a long time. They already mapped my route."
"They definitely have preparations."
"Don't go…"
Naori looked at the boy who was clearly planning to charge into Kirigakure alone, panic flashing across her face.
"Naori."
"Trust me."
Kyusei gently pried her fingers away and left her room without hesitation.
He didn't linger for even a second, striding straight out of the Hyūga compound.
Hyūga Sōju stood at the clan gate, silently watching the red-haired boy depart. A ripple passed through his eyes, though no one knew what he was thinking.
When Kyusei's figure completely disappeared from sight, Sōju let out a quiet sigh and turned back toward the depths of the compound.
The tall red-haired youth moved swiftly toward Konoha's main gate, his face cold and expressionless.
His mind was filled with the image of the girl who had collapsed into his arms, crying until she could barely breathe.
Naori's former bright, cheerful smile—and the terrified, fragile girl he'd just seen—stabbed straight into Kyusei's heart.
"Kyusei. What are you planning to do?"
Hatake Sakumo stood at the village gate, looking at the sharp-eyed youth before him.
He had already learned everything from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Though he too was shocked by the theft of the Hyūga Byakugan, he had still come here under Hiruzen's orders—to stop Kyusei.
"To take back what belongs to Naori."
"Sakumo-sensei… are you going to stop me?"
Kyusei's tone was calm as he met his teacher's gaze.
Sakumo didn't answer.
He simply stood there, blocking the path.
Seeing his silence, Kyusei suddenly accelerated, charging straight toward the gate behind him.
Sakumo made no move to stop him.
As they passed each other, Kyusei heard Sakumo's voice drift lightly through the air.
"Go early, come back early."
"Just don't take things too far."
Watching Kyusei vanish into the distance, Sakumo scratched his head in frustration. He pulled out a signal flare and fired it straight into the sky.
Then he raised a hand, found a good angle on the back of his own neck—and without hesitation, struck himself cleanly.
His body went limp and collapsed to the ground.
Kyusei glanced back at the signal flare lighting up Konoha's sky, then turned away without hesitation.
His speed surged as he headed straight for the Land of Water.
Golden light erupted from his abdomen and spread across his entire body in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, his body was completely cloaked in golden chakra.
After four years, Kyusei had activated Kurama Mode once more.
This time was different.
He was seventeen now.
His body was nearly fully developed, and under the relentless training funded by Sarutobi and supervised by Sakumo, his physique far surpassed that of an ordinary shinobi.
Black, mysterious markings spread across his body as his speed climbed to terrifying levels.
He would not allow it.
He absolutely would not allow Naori's eye to be implanted into someone else.
Three hours later, Kyusei had already crossed the Land of Fire and stood atop the endless sea.
"Kyusei," Kurama's voice echoed within him.
"There will be a fight."
"The Three-Tails and Six-Tails are both in Kirigakure."
Kurama knew exactly what Kyusei intended to do—and he didn't care.
All that mattered to him was Kyusei. Everyone else was irrelevant.
Whatever Kyusei chose to do, Kurama would support him without question.
Kyusei stepped onto the water's surface and launched himself into the air, gliding at extreme speed toward the dark island ahead.
In the night sky, his golden glow blazed like a falling star.
He made no attempt to hide himself.
This spectacle drew countless gazes.
In a shadowy forest, a strange green-haired creature peeked out from the ground, staring at the golden streak in the sky with confusion.
"Why is the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki in the Land of Water?"
"What happened?"
"…Whatever. I'll report to Madara-sama first."
The creature sank back into the earth.
Kyusei vaguely sensed something watching him—but he had no time to care.
All that mattered now was reclaiming Naori's eye.
Nearly two more hours passed.
At last, the faint outline of Kirigakure appeared in his vision.
By now, Kirigakure had noticed him—though they hadn't yet pinpointed his exact location.
Kyusei paused briefly, forcing himself to recover.
Kurama wouldn't tire—but Kyusei had traveled for nearly five straight hours.
If he made a mistake now, it would be fatal.
He swallowed a soldier pill.
With the Uzumaki clan's powerful physique, less than twenty minutes later, he was fully recovered.
Golden chakra surged again.
Kurama Mode—reactivated.
Kyusei stared at Kirigakure, now right before him, his gaze colder than ever.
Built among mountains and perpetually shrouded in mist, this was the Hidden Mist Village.
Standing atop a towering tree, Kyusei made no effort to conceal himself.
In his perception, a squad of Kirigakure shinobi was already rushing toward him.
He exhaled slowly.
His eyes sharpened.
Vast, ocean-like chakra from Kurama surged into his fingertip. Red and blue chakra intertwined, condensing into a tiny, terrifying sphere.
A miniature Tailed Beast Bomb formed at the tip of his index finger.
This was his first real battle using Kurama Mode.
He had to control the power precisely.
If he fired recklessly into Kirigakure and destroyed everything, that would be fine—
But if Naori's eye were damaged in the process…
That would be unforgivable.
Kyusei aimed his fingertip at the Kirigakure shinobi racing straight toward death.
The miniature Tailed Beast Bomb trembled.
Mini Tailed Beast Bomb—fire!
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