Hikari had just reached the lake's edge when a water-style shark attacked him. Instinctively, he shattered it with a single strike, only to realize the move was a feint.
Compared to the massive shark from before, the countless smaller sharks that followed were far trickier to deal with.
However, Kamizuki Hikari was no ordinary man.
"Sorry, but I'm not in the mood to waste time with you all today!"
He couldn't afford to gamble. He refused to stand by and watch Obito capture the Three-Tails.
Once the sealing was complete, Obito could use Kamui to transfer the sealing vessel elsewhere. At that point, Hikari would be forced to watch helplessly as the Ten-Tails was reborn.
This time, the Three-Tails was in the wild, and Kirigakure's strength was at a low point—he could handle the fallout.
But what about the other tailed beasts after this? He couldn't possibly seize every village's beast on his own. Doing so would undoubtedly trigger the Fourth Great Ninja War.
Hikari's goal was to save the world, not become the villain who destroyed it.
"Go!"
He flicked his sleeve, stirring a powerful gust.
The countless miniature sharks were blown away and shattered midair.
Without even glancing at the aftermath, Kamizuki Hikari leapt toward the distance.
At the lakeside, Terumi Mei watched him with a complicated expression.
Her worst fear had come true—Hikari's arrival left her with no choice but to fight for the Three-Tails.
"Mizukage-sama, now you believe what I said, don't you?"
"The people of Konoha just don't want Kirigakure to grow stronger!"
Obito watched Kamizuki Hikari, the pattern in his Mangekyō Sharingan quietly spinning. If the opportunity arose, he wouldn't hesitate to eliminate him first.
Unfortunately for him, Hikari's senses were razor-sharp. The instant Obito tried to activate his eye, Hikari shifted position.
"Kamizuki Hikari, is what he says true?" Mei asked, suppressing the urge to strike.
She desperately wanted him to say "no".
If he did, she could choose not to fight.
Even if she knew it was a lie, she would still rather believe it.
"I'd like to say no... but I can't lie to you."
Hikari's eyes were fixed on the lake. The sealing chains covering the Three-Tails writhed like living tattoos, expanding and tightening around the beast.
With each passing moment, the Three-Tails' resistance weakened.
Hikari knew he was running out of time.
"Mizukage, step aside."
"The Three-Tails must return to the wild today. I'm willing to meet any other demands you have."
"If that's the case," Obito mocked, "why not give the Nine-Tails to Kirigakure, Kamizuki-san?"
Then he turned to Mei again. "Now, Mizukage-sama, surely you trust us?"
Terumi Mei took a deep breath and formed hand seals.
"Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique!"
A fusion of Fire and Water Natures—her unique kekkei genkai—Boil Release.
A corrosive mist spread outward, melting the grass and trees in moments. In the blink of an eye, the acid mist reached Hikari.
"I told you, I don't want to fight you." Hikari said.
"Divine Vacuum Strike!"
He raised his hand and swung.
A formless wave of pressure—a massive invisible handprint—tore through the Boil Release mist and shot straight toward Terumi Mei.
"Mizukage-sama, look out!"
Ao had been using his Byakugan the entire time to monitor Hikari's movements.
That "Divine Vacuum Strike", to him, felt like divine wrath descending from the heavens. Before it, he felt as insignificant as an insect.
Thanks to the warning, Terumi Mei barely dodged.
*Boom!*
The Divine Vacuum Strike struck the ground, carving out a massive crater several meters deep.
"Do you really intend to kill me?!"
Mei gritted her teeth, furious. She hadn't expected Kamizuki Hikari to strike her with such overwhelming force.
If that attack had hit her directly, she would have been reduced to nothing but ash.
"Mizukage-sama~," Obito switched to his Tobi persona and chimed in cheerfully, "the Akatsuki can assist you, you know. Once your village has sealed the Three-Tails, our mission will be complete. As for the payment..."
His words instantly cast Kamizuki Hikari in the role of the villain.
"Tobi, don't push me. You know what I can do."
Hikari's voice was calm but heavy with warning as he addressed Obito.
He was giving Obito one last chance—to leave peacefully.
"Haha, what are you saying?" Obito waved his finger mockingly, his tone dripping with disdain. "Last time, we talked about things before the Three-Tails' revival. But now that it's revived, as the organization working for world peace, of course we have to stop your evil schemes, right?"
"So, no room for negotiation?" Hikari asked from atop a tree branch, looking down at Obito.
"What's there to discuss? As a peace organization, we'll do whatever it takes for the sake of peace!" Obito laughed, his words brimming with sarcasm.
It was ridiculous—he was the true villain here, yet because Hikari had acted early to stop him, he now painted Hikari as the enemy.
Truly ironic.
"So... are you ready?" Hikari's eyes grew colder, like a god awakened, his presence suffocating.
An invisible pressure radiated from him.
Obito mockingly patted his chest. "Oh, I'm so scared!"
Hikari gazed at him silently. He knew words wouldn't solve this anymore.
"I shouldn't have held back last time."
Regret flashed in Hikari's heart. Back then, he'd spared Obito for the sake of preserving the world's timeline. If he'd known this would happen, he should have captured him right then and there.
"You talk like you could've stopped me!" Obito scoffed. With Kamui, he didn't even fear the Fourth Hokage.
"How foolish. The only reason I didn't kill you was to let you and Pain balance each other out. But you mistook my mercy for weakness. Tobi... I was wrong about you."
With that, Hikari raised his hand.
"Divine Vacuum Strike!"
Obito smirked and activated Kamui, his body turning intangible as he slipped into his separate dimension.
"Spatial ability, huh? But your space relies on specific anchor points. If I can find that anchor point... I can hit you."
As he spoke, Hikari swung his arm again.
"Divine Vacuum Strike!"
A faint sound like shattering glass echoed—and Obito's form vanished.
Hikari squinted at the spot, then shook his head. "Looks like I missed the anchor point this time. No matter—next time, I won't."
"Now... for the rest of you."
Having driven Obito away, Hikari turned toward the remaining Akatsuki members standing ready.
"Itachi, Kisame, Deidara, Sasori, Hidan... I've long heard of your reputations."
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