Wind rose, clouds churned.
Then, silence—utter calm.
Under the overwhelming wave of Shanks' Conqueror's Haki, Uchiha Sanno didn't even have the chance to resist. His eyes rolled white, and he collapsed to the ground unconscious.
Conqueror's Haki—a power possessed only by those born with the spirit of kings. One in a million might awaken it.
It was a force that struck not the body, but the soul—crushing will itself. The killing intent alone could fell men without a single blow. Terrifying beyond measure.
In a way, it was a form of spiritual attack—akin to the genjutsu of the shinobi world, though born of a very different nature.
"Is it over?" Leo asked quietly.
"No," Shanks replied, shaking his head. "He's only fainted. Killing… that's too troublesome. I don't kill unless I must."
Leo said nothing. Red-Haired Shanks might be a pirate—one of the Four Emperors at that—but he had his own code of honor.
He never stole unjustly, never harmed innocents, never sought meaningless conflict.
To call him a pirate was almost inaccurate—he was a true adventurer, a man who pursued freedom and the truth of the world itself.
Among all pirate crews, the Red-Hair Pirates were the most… unusual.
Shanks glanced at Leo, then pulled a small flask from his belt and tossed it over. "Here, have a drink. I don't know where this place is, but… something about it feels off."
He tapped the side of his head, frowning slightly, as if he couldn't quite put the feeling into words.
Leo caught the flask but didn't drink right away. His mind was spinning.
Could it be that this Shanks before me is real? That he's truly been summoned from the Pirate World itself—and not just created from nothing by the System?
"System," Leo said silently, is Shanks really summoned from the actual Pirate World?
"No," the System replied. "What you see is a temporal projection—a fragment of his existence intercepted and sealed within a card. It possesses the same power and physicality as the real individual, which is why the projection has a time limit.
As for why the summoned projection begins to question its own existence—once a being's strength reaches a certain threshold, even a fragment or puppet can develop independent consciousness. It can think, reason, and feel—indistinguishable from the original.
However, no matter how much it thinks or feels, it will always remain absolutely loyal to the summoner. That law cannot be broken."
"So that's it…" Leo nodded slowly. "When power reaches a certain level, even a puppet can awaken thought—a soul born from will alone."
Just like in cultivation tales—when a supreme being's body remains uncorrupted for millennia, its lingering essence can form new life, new consciousness.
That was what they called spiritual reanimation.
Having understood, Leo no longer dwelled on it. He uncorked the flask and took a cautious sip.
It wasn't as fiery as he eEXPected—sweet, clear, almost like spring water. But once it slid down his throat and reached his chest, a surge of warmth spread through his whole body.
His spirit jolted awake, and even his injuries seemed to knit themselves slightly. His fatigue melted away.
Unable to help himself, he drank two more gulps.
"Hey, not all of it!" Shanks snatched the flask back in a flash, cradling it protectively. "That's rare stuff. Costs a fortune, you know!"
From behind Leo, a soft, wary voice piped up.
"Um… Night-nii, who's this uncle? And why does he have the same red hair as me?"
Kushina peeked timidly from behind Leo, her bright eyes full of curiosity—and a hint of caution.
"Uncle…?" Shanks' lips twitched. "Do I really look that old?"
"A friend," Leo said simply. He didn't want to eEXPlain too much about Shanks' situation.
"Oh! A friend!"
The tension vanished from Kushina's face. Knowing the red-haired man was Leo's ally, she relaxed—and since he'd just helped beat down an Uchiha, she even felt a strange sense of closeness to him.
Maybe… they were distant kin?
"Well, I don't know what's going on, but I should get going," Shanks said with a shrug and a helpless smile. "Guess this is goodbye—for now."
"We'll meet again," Leo said calmly.
"Uncle, you're leaving already?" Kushina asked, a little disappointed.
She didn't have many people she could call family, and though this scar-faced "uncle" looked rough, he had saved them.
"I told you—don't call me uncle, brat!" Shanks laughed, waving as he turned and walked away. A few steps later, he vanished into the darkness of the forest—as if he'd never been there at all.
Once Shanks was gone, Leo's eEXPression changed.
He walked toward the unconscious Uchiha Sanno, drew the demonic blade Enma from his side.
"Leo, what are you doing?" Kushina asked, her little face tensing.
"Go on ahead, Kushina. Don't look back. I'll catch up soon."
His tone was cold, his eyes hard as steel.
Kushina hesitated—but she understood. Without another word, she turned away, her small figure trembling as she walked into the woods, pale-faced and silent.
"The world of shinobi is cruel," Leo murmured. "Those who kill must be prepared to be killed."
He unsheathed Enma. The pale blade reflected his young, eEXPressionless face. Frosty killing intent filled the air, and the temperature around him plummeted.
A flash of steel—
Life and death are decided in an instant.
…
When Leo finally sheathed the blade, it was over.
Ahead, Kushina was waiting. She hadn't gone far—too afraid to.
Hearing his footsteps, she turned quickly. When she saw him, a bright smile broke across her face. "Leo! You're back!"
"Yeah." He nodded lightly, saying nothing more.
It was all finally over.
He leaned against a tree, exhaling softly. This mission… had been far beyond anything he'd imagined—full of danger, chaos, and death.
What was supposed to be a simple C-rank mission had drawn in a Hidden Mist assassination squad—two jonin, over ten chūnin. He'd somehow survived.
Then came the Cloud ninja trying to abduct the Nine-Tails' host—and another deadly battle.
He'd narrowly escaped death, slain powerful foes—and just when it seemed done, assassins from his own village had appeared to "finish the job."
One twist after another. Endless traps within traps.
"Leo, what's wrong?" Kushina asked softly.
He didn't answer.
She called his name again and again, but he didn't respond—motionless beneath the tree.
A chill crept into her heart.
Her eyes widened, and a terrible thought took hold.
No… it can't be…
(End of Chapter)
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