The surrounding waters were bone-chillingly cold, and the White Fang in his hand hummed faintly.
The omnipresent natural energy activated the chakra metal mechanism within the White Fang's forging, while an inexplicable suction tugged at the blade in Kakashi's grip—the very one he had crafted by exhausting his family's fortune and accruing a debt of twenty million ryo.
Now, he had two choices: release the White Fang and return to the shore to report the underwater situation to Jiraiya and the others.
Or hold on tight to the White Fang, though resisting in this scenario could very well damage the sealing jutsu on Uchiha Hikari.
After all, a jutsu that had endured for five hundred years, even if the seal remained intact, would inevitably weaken and falter over time, no matter how robust it once was.
But... Kakashi's eyes burned like torches in that moment.
If he backed down and compromised at the first sign of trouble, how could he face the future?
The ninja world no longer had a future.
He didn't have a second White Fang, either.
It was like Kamui, the eyes of "evasion" that Uchiha Obito had awakened in the instant he witnessed Rin's death.
If he fled from hardship now, the fog he had painstakingly sliced through to forge ahead would once again veil his path forward.
The day Kamui was pierced, Kakashi had lost his way out.
It was just Uchiha Hikari... Even with the White Fang in hand, and treating Kamui like a discarded shoe, he, Kakashi, would still carve open the future!
The suction from the White Fang intensified, but Kakashi felt no hesitation in his heart.
A faint spark of electricity flickered and danced along the White Fang, and then a massive burst of lightning erupted at the bottom of the water!
Countless bolts of lightning surged from Kakashi!
Daytime Tiger: Lightning Cutter!
The ferocious electric light accompanied Kakashi as he rode the suction, plunging the White Fang in his hand deep into the depths. The violent lightning seemed to trigger some mechanism, and an invisible ripple spread out from the White Fang at its center!
The surrounding natural energy disintegrated instantly under this invisible wave!
As the natural energy scattered, the mud beneath Kakashi's feet receded with the ripple, and at the same time, a metallic gleam appeared before his eyes.
It was... an iron coffin!
The iron coffin was anchored to the bottom by several pitch-black chains, and Kakashi's earlier strike had landed precisely on the core where the chains bound it.
In that moment, the chains snapped inch by inch before Kakashi's eyes, and even the coffin lid began to show faint cracks.
This is... Kakashi's heart tightened at the sight. He was about to reach out and press down on the crumbling lid, trying to stop whatever was inside from emerging.
But... as a corner of the coffin shattered, Kakashi caught sight of a slowly opening crimson eye through the broken lid.
That was... a Sharingan!
Kakashi didn't have time to think. Just as he started to pull back his hand and retreat, a palm suddenly burst through the already crumbling lid and seized his withdrawing wrist in a flash!
In that instant, the figure inside the coffin was fully revealed to Kakashi.
Her black hair flowed like a waterfall, her brows and eyes as if painted with exquisite care, her features carrying a touch of heroic spirit, and she wore the Uchiha Clan's distinctive uniform. By her appearance, she seemed only twelve or thirteen years old.
Uchiha Hikari!
No, it's Uchiha Mumei!
In that moment, Uchiha Mumei, now freed from the seal, fixed her Sharingan on Kakashi, her inner alarms blaring. Without a second's hesitation, she gripped Kakashi's wrist tightly and shot straight up toward the surface!
[Uchiha Mumei emotional fluctuation +1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1+1...]
[Chakra +1% +1% +1% +1% +1% +1%...]
A flurry of prompts flooded Kakashi's mind in an instant, but he had no time for shock. The distance of several dozen meters vanished in the blink of an eye, and just as they were about to break the surface, a towering figure charged toward them!
It was Jiraiya, who had sensed the disturbance from Kakashi's Lightning Cutter underwater and immediately dove in for a rescue!
Uchiha Mumei and Jiraiya's gazes locked in that moment. Jiraiya saw Kakashi restrained by this unfamiliar young girl, and his eyes turned dangerous.
The instant Jiraiya displayed hostility, Uchiha Mumei's eyes sharpened. In a flash, raging flames ignited all around!
Yes!
Flames ignited underwater!
Pitch-black flames!
Amaterasu!
Countless pitch-black divine flames surged toward Jiraiya under Uchiha Mumei's control!
Jiraiya's lips pressed into a thin line at the sight. He swiftly drew a scroll from his pouch and unfurled it before him in an instant!
Fire Sealing Method!
This was a sealing jutsu he had prepared before setting out.
According to Uchiha Fugaku's intelligence, this Uchiha Mumei possessed four Mangekyo Sharingan abilities: Tsukuyomi, Amaterasu, Kagutsuchi, and Yasaka Magatama.
There was no way Jiraiya wouldn't prepare for that.
And this Fire Sealing Method was specifically readied just in case!
Countless pitch-black flames swirled like a vortex toward the Fire Sealing Method in Jiraiya's hand. In mere moments, the Amaterasu that had just filled the entire underwater area was completely cleared away!
Uchiha Mumei's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight, as she tried to bypass Jiraiya and reach the surface first.
But how could Jiraiya let Uchiha Mumei escape? She was holding Kakashi hostage right now—she had to stay!
The Uchiha Clan excelled in Fire Release, and being underwater was the perfect way to restrict her!
A brilliant blue chakra sphere instantly formed in his hand. Jiraiya, Rasengan at the ready, charged straight at Uchiha Mumei!
Facing Jiraiya's direct assault, Uchiha Mumei dodged swiftly to the side, pulling Kakashi—who was mulling over how to break free—behind her in the process.
This left Kakashi slightly stunned.
Is this guy... protecting me?
That's right... No matter what, Uchiha Hikari had been sealed for five hundred years, and now he was the one who had brought her back into the light.
From Kakashi's limited memories of Naruto: Ultimate Ninja Storm from his previous life, Uchiha Hikari could barely count as part of the main cast.
In that case... it makes things easier... Kakashi grasped the hand holding his wrist, which made Uchiha Mumei turn to glance at him, a flicker of displeasure in her brows.
Kakashi said nothing, simply shaking his head at her, then glancing at Jiraiya—who had just rushed past and was readjusting his attack trajectory—with a meaningful look.
Uchiha Mumei shielding Kakashi hadn't escaped Jiraiya's notice, making him realize that the person before him might differ from his preconceptions. He pulled back his attack in time.
He pointed to the surface above, signaling for both sides to head up and talk. A slight thoughtful expression crossed Jiraiya's face as he dispelled the Rasengan in his hand and swam toward the surface without hesitation.
Seeing this, Uchiha Mumei realized that Kakashi and Jiraiya were allies. She immediately released Kakashi's wrist and swam up as well.
Kakashi followed closely, not daring to let his guard down for a second.
Now that Uchiha Hikari had broken free of the seal, resealing her would be incredibly difficult.
At this point, since he couldn't eliminate this one, he might as well try to pull her over to their side.
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