8:06 p.m.
Akira and Kaori held each other tightly, their eyes reflecting only one another, their skin sensing nothing but each other's warmth.
Boom!
Outside the window, fireworks burst into full bloom. The monthly Fireworks Festival of An'yin Village had begun right on schedule.
Brilliant streams of color rose into the sky side by side, exploding into flames more dazzling than the stars themselves.
This month's festival was grander than usual, because Konan had specially applied for additional funds from Kakuzu, the village's financial director.
Somewhere in An'yin…
A pair of green eyes stared darkly at the heavens.
To him, those weren't fireworks.
They were blood rain.
"That damn woman… using Lord Shadow's name to ask for funding, just to waste it on fireworks that do nothing but burn money!"
"And if Lord Shadow really came back and is staying in the village tonight, why hasn't he come to see me yet?! I'm his treasure vault!"
—
Under the cover of the fireworks…
A world-shaking battle erupted in the back mountains of An'yin.
Super Edo Uchiha Madara.
Super Edo Uchiha Obito.
From the very start, both summoned their Perfect Susanoo to greet each other.
Obito unleashed power equal to Double Kamui Kakashi—
Kamui Shuriken!
To counter this threat, all four of Madara's Limbo shadows activated their own Perfect Susanoo.
Visible and invisible alike, countless magatama, fireballs, and even falling meteors—let's just call them "energy blasts"—rained down on Obito!
Kamui Shuriken was terrifying.
Anything it touched would be warped away.
It ignored attack quality entirely.
So if quality wasn't enough…
Then quantity would do.
In the end…
The overwhelming barrage from all directions exceeded what Kamui Shuriken could handle.
More and more energy blasts broke through, smashing into Obito's lone Susanoo.
Armor shattered.
The faceplate tore apart.
Obito entered Kamui intangibility, ignoring the storm of destruction.
Madara remained calm.
He brought his palms together and used the most magnificent technique of his old rival and friend, Senju Hashirama.
When Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands rose to the heavens—
The only witness, Deidara, trembled from the depths of his soul.
"This… this is art… ART!"
The Thousand-Armed Buddha!
Thousands of fists fell like a meteor shower!
Obito roared.
His Perfect Susanoo rose again, even more imposing than before.
A black curtain of Kamui Shuriken swept outward like a tidal wave.
—
Meanwhile…
"Kaori… are you ready?"
"Mm… please, Akira…"
"Harmonized with the light, united with the dust. Pure and vast, as if eternally existing…"
—
Time passed slowly.
The moon climbed high into the treetops. Stars filled the sky.
During these long hours of waiting, Naruto had exhausted every detail of recent village life while telling Sasuke, and Sasuke had shared all his experiences from his travels.
Yet the homeowner still hadn't returned.
In the dark, Sasuke asked softly, "Should we keep waiting, Naruto?"
Naruto thought for a moment.
Then he nodded.
"I'm sure he went out to handle something. Maybe he'll come back late. Maybe he'll stay out overnight. But he'll return."
This was the instinct he had developed from years of routine life.
"Then let's wait outside. Staying in here too long… feels awkward."
"…Alright."
They stepped onto the wooden corridor outside.
The cool summer night breeze brushed Sasuke's face, clearing his thoughts.
"By the way," Sasuke said, "Shikamaru mentioned that the Ōtsutsuki rumors Akira spread were leaked by someone among the Five Kage. Who do you think is most suspicious?"
Naruto hadn't thought deeply about it before.
Now, he had to.
"Akira built his home in the Land of Lightning. And… just beyond two mountains is Cloud Village's sacred place, the Cloud–Lightning Gorge."
"So… I think Darui's side probably made a mistake. But I believe it was unintentional."
Sasuke nodded lightly, but his eyes held deeper concern.
"Whether it was intentional doesn't matter anymore. I'm worried about something else."
"What?"
"Back then, Obito used the Sharingan to control the Fourth Mizukage for ten years. Could Akira be doing something similar? His home is way too close to Cloud Village."
Naruto was startled.
"You think he might be controlling Darui with genjutsu?"
"He even dared to tamper with Madara's corpse. It's not impossible. And Orochimaru confirmed he has Mangekyō Sharingan."
"That makes it even more likely."
"I think we should check Cloud Village."
Not long after Sasuke finished speaking—
Dark clouds swallowed the moon.
The wind rustled through the locust forest in the distance.
Rain fell like silver needles, striking the wooden railing.
"It's a closing rain… looks like it'll last all day," Naruto muttered.
If Sasuke's fears were true, it could trigger a chain of suspicion.
If the Raikage was controlled…
What about the Tsuchikage, Mizukage, Kazekage?
Even the daimyō?
There would be no end to it.
Naruto said cautiously, "As Hokage, I shouldn't act directly. Sasuke, you go investigate."
Sasuke nodded.
"Alright. It's close. Even if Akira comes back, I can return quickly."
Naruto leaned against the wall and laughed.
"Honestly, both of us coming here is already giving him too much credit. There's no one in this world who needs us both to fight."
Sasuke took out the bento Sakura had given him and handed it over.
"Better safe than sorry. Every Mangekyō represents one or two powerful 'mechanisms.' Uchiha Shin was weak, yet he injured both of us."
"True." Naruto accepted it and sat cross-legged.
"Go. I'll save you half. If you're back early, it'll still be warm."
Whoosh!
Sasuke shook his black cloak and leapt into the pouring rain, racing toward Cloud Village.
Neither of them noticed—
Rustle… rustle…
Beneath the rain, under the eerie locust forest, a white head slowly sank back into the ground.
"This situation… must be reported to that lord…"
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