Under the combined effects of a Mangekyō-level genjutsu, Uchiha Kaien's far superior ocular power, and the [Alluring Gaze] trait, Kakuzu's attack faltered—noticeably.
Minato Namikaze seized the moment and pulled back safely.
"Phew… That was way too close. I owe you two, Kaien, Kagami-sensei."
Back beside them, Minato wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
Just now, he had come within inches of getting hit. That pitch-black, iron-hard fist had missed him by a hair. If it had landed, he would've been a goner for sure.
He exhaled again, calming his nerves, then finally noticed the change in Kaien's eyes.
"Kaien… your Sharingan… It evolved? Three tomoe?!"
They looked just like Kagami-sensei's.
Uchiha Kaien stood tall, battle intent surging through him. At last—he had an excuse to reveal his fully awakened Sharingan.
Now he could finally fight without holding back.
The Uchiha clan's innate thirst for battle seemed to boil within him.
He could suppress it if he wanted to… but there was no need. Not now. Not in a fight like this.
This was it—a real battle.
A clash of life and death, one mistake away from dying.
"I figured the two-tomoe wasn't going to cut it, so when I felt that desperate desire for more power… my eyes just evolved."
Kaien glanced over his shoulder and gave Minato a faint smile. Then he stopped holding back—his bloodthirsty will to fight burned with full intensity.
"Kaien…"
Minato felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest, like a feather brushing across his heart. His spirit surged to life, heat rising inside him.
"The Uchiha Clan really is the clan of love… It's that desire to protect those they care about that drives the Sharingan to evolve. You did it, Kaien."
Uchiha Kagami smiled, his eyes filled with pride.
This was the Sharingan he had always dreamed of—one born not from loss, but from love and resolve.
Tobirama-sensei… the Uchiha are not doomed to darkness. They can find their path to the light. And Kaien… he's proof of that.
[Affection from Uchiha Kagami +3][Affection from Minato Namikaze +5]
"As your best friend, Kaien… I can't fall behind! I can feel it—power is rising inside me!"
Minato could feel his chakra surging, exceeding limits he didn't know he had. His body felt stronger, sharper.
His vision sharpened too—he could take in more information in a single glance. His speed? It had shot up as well.
It felt like… his bloodline was awakening.
...
Meanwhile, under the combined pressure of two powerful Sharingan illusions, Kakuzu finally broke free, thanks to the second nature mask on his shoulder.
"Damn Uchiha clan… Even the brats can't be underestimated."
The genjutsu had rattled him. One of them was particularly familiar—he'd been caught by it once before, which is why he always kept his nature masks ready to disrupt illusions instantly.
He hadn't expected the kid's genjutsu to be this powerful. How could a boy this young rival Uchiha Kagami's illusions?
For the first time, Kakuzu felt a flicker of hesitation.
He wasn't ashamed of retreating—not as a bounty hunter. Staying alive meant more opportunities to earn money. Dead men didn't collect payments. This target… had turned out to be much tougher than expected.
Especially after that fire-nature mask—his most offensive tool—had been obliterated by that instant-cast jutsu. If it came down to close combat, he'd be outnumbered and outmatched.
These two brats weren't ordinary at all.
That exchange office better compensate me for this.
With that, Kakuzu made his move. He summoned another nature mask.
"Lightning Style – False Darkness!"
A sharp lightning spear swept forward, carving deep trenches in the earth, its momentum undeterred as it hurtled toward them.
At the same time, a third nature mask had already taken shape behind him.
"Water Style!"
The water mask sprayed a powerful stream of water, which quickly merged with the lightning spear.
A combination technique—again.
Black tendrils surged from Kakuzu's body as chakra pressure slammed into Kaien's group like a tidal wave. He looked more like a demon than a man.
"Combined Style – Lightning Water Cannon!"
Kaien and Minato weren't about to be outdone. They began coordinating their own combo jutsu.
"Minato! Maximum chakra output. I'll sync with you using my Sharingan!"
"Got it!"
Kaien used his Sharingan's precise perception to monitor and adapt to Minato's chakra flow, aiming for maximum synergy and destructive power.
"Water Style – Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Lightning Style !"
Electric current surged and wrapped around the lifelike water dragon. Compared to the one they used against Kagami earlier, this one was massive—twenty meters long!
"Combined Style – Lightning Water Dragon Bullet!"
The lightning spear and water dragon collided violently. Sparks crackled in the soaked battlefield before the two jutsu canceled each other out, leaving only scattered puddles in their wake.
...
"If even the juniors are performing like this… then as the senior, I have to step up."
Kagami didn't retreat. Instead, he dashed toward Kakuzu head-on.
His eyes had changed—no longer the three-tomoe Sharingan. Now they were something more intricate, far more powerful.
"Susanoo."
Kagami whispered the word, and massive chakra surged forth, his eyes spinning with that unique Mangekyō pattern.
In an instant, black chakra took shape around him, forming a skeletal giant.
A skeletal arm struck out without warning, aiming straight for Kakuzu.
"What the hell…?! Is that a Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
Kakuzu's eyes widened. He'd lived since the Warring States era—he recognized that form.
The ultimate power of the Uchiha… the Mangekyō Sharingan!
Damn it! So he was holding back last time?!
Cursing Kagami's underhanded tactics, Kakuzu still reacted swiftly.
Earth Grudge Fear—full power, activated!
"Earth Style – Earth Spear!"
His body turned pitch-black, solid as obsidian. Black tendrils burst forward to intercept the skeletal titan that was Susanoo.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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