The longer Dodai watched, the more similarities he saw.He had personally witnessed the Fourth Raikage complete Lightning Release Chakra Mode—and what Uchiha Sora was displaying now looked like that technique's early stage.His flames didn't fully coat his body.And in hindsight… the boy's strength and speed had been abnormal from the start. Some sort of enhancement.Dodai's caution deepened into true fear.A technique that boosts every aspect of the body was no easier to master than a kekkei genkai.And the most terrifying part—Dodai was certain Konoha had never possessed a technique like this.Which meant…This technique had been created by the boy himself.…Dodai forced down the rage of his subordinates' deaths and landed a heavy blow, driving Sora around—straight toward the wall of flames.I have to report this boy's existence to the Raikage… no matter what.Thud!Dodai gritted his teeth and slammed into the fire wall.His shoulder seared instantly, but he ignored it, forcing his whole body through.…Huh.It was easier than expected.Was it because that technique consumed too much chakra—so the barrier itself didn't have much chakra poured into it?As if reading his thoughts, Sora's voice drifted over."The Uchiha Flame Formation uses the earth as a medium to amplify karmic fire. It doesn't take much chakra to maintain."Dodai didn't answer. He shoved harder—half his body already through—And then that devil's voice came again."If I weren't trying to preserve you as a collectible, the karmic fire would've incinerated you the moment you touched that wall."Slash—Sora lifted his hand.Then brought it down.Dodai's mind sparked with the thought of escape—and pain detonated at his waist.Invisible karmic fire became a guillotine.He was cut cleanly in two.Sizzle—The heat flash-vaporized flesh and blood. The air filled with a nauseating stench of scorched meat.Dodai's lower body was swallowed by black fire, collapsing in charred ruin as sparks rained down.His upper body slammed into the ground beside it.…The wall of flame faded.Rubble. Severed remains. A battlefield of ruin.Sora walked toward him at an unhurried pace."Kh—!"Being bisected hadn't killed Dodai immediately. He coughed up dark blood, glaring up at Sora with eyes full of hatred."From the start… this was your… real killing move…?"Dodai's hand moved behind his back as he spoke—fingers scratching something into the earth.Sora shook his head."There's no 'killing move.' I was just testing my technique.""In overall combat power, you were stronger than me.""The reason you lost is simple.""You forgot something."He leaned closer, his three tomoe spinning, voice calm as ice."Against an Uchiha… in a one-on-one…""You never have any chance.""Everything you are—""In front of these eyes—""Is meaningless."Shk—Sora reached out and dug the Blood Eye from Dodai's socket, holding the slick, pulsing orb in his palm.Dodai didn't scream.Instead—he smiled."You sure talked a lot.""So? Did the message get out?"Dodai's smile froze.Sora lowered himself, gaze level with Dodai's, smiling like a demon as he held the bloodied eye."Good work.""I'll end your pain now."Slash—The blade passed.Dodai's head rolled, his remaining eye turning vacant in an instant.Behind his body, where his torso had blocked the view—the last wisps of summoning smoke finally dissipated.With his final chakra, he had sent the information back to the Hidden Cloud Village.…Shisui stepped closer, staring at the corpse."I still don't understand. If the Raikage learns we've left Konoha… won't he come after us?""Especially after we killed Dodai."Sora wrapped the Blood Eye in a handkerchief and slipped it into his clothes. He was interested in an eye said to manipulate blood."The Raikage only looks like a brute. If he were the type to charge in blinded by anger, he'd have started a war with Iwagakure ages ago.""Konoha is suppressing news about Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki's deaths. Until the Raikage confirms that, he won't make a major move."Shisui's brow tightened."Konoha can't hide it forever. If the Raikage finds out… and strikes Konoha while they're weak—"He still cared about the village. He didn't want to see it collapse."And even if he understands the truth, he might still decide to attack us."Sora smiled faintly."Then we fight.""Do you think Konoha hasn't attacked us out of kindness?""Right now, the Uchiha don't have the power to face a great nation head-on.""But any great nation that dares to touch us…""…better be ready to break apart."Sora handed Shisui's tantō back to him, then casually picked up a Hidden Cloud sword and slung it at his waist."Shisui, you think too much.""All your worries come from one thing—being too weak.""Instead of panicking about what might happen, use your time to get stronger."…Shisui mulled over the words—then blinked, realizing something."Wait. You still haven't told me why you wanted him to send that message.""I didn't?" Sora chuckled. "I thought you'd understand. Guess I overestimated you.""Of course it's to muddy the waters.""The Third Shinobi World War is almost over.""It shouldn't end so quickly."…The Five Great Nations had been locked in the same cycle for years—war, then withdrawal, war, then withdrawal—each time stopping before they lost the ability to crush smaller countries.War was a tool, not the goal.Put bluntly: battles were a way to thin the growing number of shinobi.The mission supply was finite. The more shinobi there were, the less each one could earn.Konoha was the exception.No great war had ever been started by Konoha—not because they were saints—but because the most fertile land, the most missions, the richest territory—was the Land of Fire.And Konoha possessed the widest collection of secret techniques and the greatest concentration of prodigies.The other four nations kept trying to bleed Konoha for one simple reason:If Konoha was ever allowed time to recover and grow unchecked, it could crush them all.It was the only village with a real chance of unifying the shinobi world.…Sora hadn't calculated all of that.If Dodai hadn't appeared, he wouldn't have gone out of his way to leak anything to the Hidden Cloud.It was impulse.But after the Nine-Tails' night, Sora had begun to understand something.Training was like preparing fireworks.A life-or-death battle was the spark that lit the festival.In the original timeline, the shinobi world would remain relatively peaceful for over a decade—far fewer chances to fight.Too boring.Whether it was his true nature or something carved into his blood—he craved conflict.He enjoyed battle.And he understood now—that exhilaration was the key to awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.Not "pain."Not "grief."…Sora adjusted the stolen sword—then abruptly halted, his expression shifting.Ding—It was the first time he'd heard a notification without completing a repayment objective.A mechanical voice sounded in his mind.「Detected: user meets lending requirements. Register as a lender?」A lender…Like Rayquaza—responding to someone's call and loaning out power?A pleasant surprise.Sora accepted without hesitation.After a brief pause, the voice returned.「Registration complete… scanning…」
「User energy rating: Black Iron tier」
「Available loan request detected. Completion reward: 95 Reputation Points」
「Note: platform charges 5% traversal fee」Sora's mind ran the numbers.So when I paid 1,000 Reputation Points, Rayquaza only received 950?I got a new-user double benefit, so my cost was 500… then who covered the missing 450?What do these Reputation Points really represent? What is the platform collecting them for?He hadn't finished thinking when the notifications began to stack.「Decide quickly: failure to confirm will be treated as forfeiture」
「Note: traversal is not affected by time-flow differences; return point remains the same moment」
「Note 2: platform guarantees lender survival. If an uncontrollable lethal event occurs, loan will be forcibly terminated and user will be returned at the final instant before death」
「Note 3: upon accepting, lender must fully comply with borrower's request. Abandonment without lethal threat yields zero Reputation Points」
「Note 4: ......」A long list of regulations flooded his mind.Sora was not the type to read fine print.He skimmed the gist—and confirmed the loan.Whatever. I'll try it first.…In the next instant—his vision flipped.The world turned upside down.
Unlock 90+ advance chapters on Patreon — every follow inspires me to keep going!
Patreon.com/NightShade1