Mingling with the Light, Blending with the Dust

8:06 p.m.

Chen and Hikari held each other tightly, seeing only one another in their eyes and feeling only one another against their skin.

Boom! Fireworks blossomed outside the window. Shadow Hidden Village's monthly Fireworks Festival happened to begin at that very moment.

Brilliant fireworks rose side by side into the sky, exploding into flames more dazzling than the stars.

This month's Fireworks Festival was far grander than usual because Konan had specifically requested funding from Kakuzu, the chief financial officer of the accounting department.

Somewhere in Shadow Hidden Village, a pair of green eyes stared darkly at the heavens.

In his eyes, what bloomed across the sky was not fireworks, but a rain of blood...

"Damn woman, using Lord Shadow's name to demand funding, then wasting it on something as useless as a fireworks festival that does nothing but burn money!"

"If Lord Shadow had really returned and was staying in the village tonight, why hadn't he come to check on me yet? I'm his treasure trove!"

Under the cover of the Fireworks Festival, an earth-shattering battle erupted in the back mountains of Shadow Hidden Village...

Super Impure World Reincarnation Uchiha Madara and Super Impure World Reincarnation Uchiha Obito!

Right from the start, both activated their Perfect Susanoo to greet each other.

Obito unleashed power equal to that of Dual Kamui Kakashi back then: Kamui Shuriken!

To counter the troublesome assault, all four of Madara's Rinbo shadows activated Perfect Susanoo as well. Visible or invisible, Magatama, fireballs, even meteors from beyond the sky—let's just call them "energy blasts"—all came crashing down on Obito!

Kamui Shuriken was powerful? Yes, it truly was. Anything it touched would be teleported away! It could ignore the quality of an attack!

If quality could not win, then use quantity!

In the end... the overwhelming barrage of energy blasts attacking from all directions finally exceeded the limit of what Kamui Shuriken could handle!

More and more energy blasts broke through and bombarded Obito's lone Perfect Susanoo.

Its armor was pierced through, and its face was torn apart!

Obito entered Kamui intangibility, ignoring the storm of light and projectiles!

Madara remained unhurried. He pressed his palms together and unleashed the most grand and magnificent technique of his former rival and closest friend, Senju Hashirama!

The moment Sage Art Wood Style: True Several Thousand Hands rose up and stood towering against the heavens!

Deidara, the only one fortunate enough to witness the battle, trembled from the depths of his soul.

"Art... this is art!"

Top Transformed Buddha... thousands upon thousands of fists descended like a meteor shower!

Obito let out a furious roar. His Perfect Susanoo rose for a second time, even more imposing than before, as a black curtain of swords formed from Kamui Shuriken swept forth like a flood!

The "conversation" outside the room had already reached its climax!

But the "conversation" inside the room had only just gotten to the main point!

Under Chen's attacks, both firm and gentle, Hikari was nearly sent flying to the other side.

She tightly locked her arms around Chen's neck and waist.

I have no right to criticize Samui...

"Because the one whose head is filled with filth is clearly me..."

"Hikari... are you ready?"

"Mhm... please, Chen!"

Mingling with the light, blending with the dust, deep and tranquil, as though eternally present!

Second by second, time passed. The moon had long climbed above the treetops, and stars dotted the sky beyond the window.

Over the dozen or so hours they had waited, Naruto had racked his brains to share everything that had happened in the village recently with Sasuke, while Sasuke had also broadly recounted what he had seen and heard during his travels.

Yet the owner of the house still showed no sign of returning home.

In the darkness, Sasuke asked, "Are we still going to wait, Naruto?"

Naruto pondered for a moment before deciding to keep waiting.

He was certain Chen had gone out to handle business. Perhaps he would return late, or even spend the night elsewhere, but he would definitely come back!

It was an intuition cultivated through more than a decade of living the same routine every day.

"Then let's wait outside. Staying in here for too long... feels uncomfortable."

"Yeah... all right."

They went out to the corridor.

The cool summer night breeze brushed against Sasuke's face, bringing a flash of clarity to his mind.

"By the way, Shikamaru mentioned that someone among the Five Kage had leaked information about the Otsutsuki rumors Chen spread. Who do you think is the most suspicious?"

"This..." Naruto had not thought deeply about it before. But now, he had no choice but to face the issue.

"Uchiha Chen has even made his home in the Land of Lightning, and... beyond the two mountains ahead lies Kumogakure's prized land, Cloud-Thunder Gorge, right?"

"So... I have reason to believe Darui's side most likely made some mistake. But I believe it was unintentional!"

Sasuke nodded lightly, his eyes carrying an even deeper concern. "Whether it was intentional or not is no longer important. I'm mainly worried about something else."

Naruto asked, "What?"

Sasuke said, "Back then, Obito used the Sharingan to control the Fourth Mizukage and ruled Kirigakure for a full decade. Could Uchiha Chen be doing something similar...?"

Naruto was suddenly shocked. "You mean he might have used the Sharingan to control Darui?"

"He even dared to tamper with Madara's corpse. We can't rule out that possibility. And Orochimaru confirmed that he possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan, which makes it even more likely."

"I think it's necessary to go to Kumogakure and confirm it..."

Not long after Sasuke's low words fell.

The moon was suddenly obscured by dark, murky clouds.

The wind made the distant Pine Forest rustle.

Needle-like raindrops followed close behind, striking the wooden railing before them with rapid, urgent taps.

"Door-shutting rain... it's going to pour all day." Worry clouded Naruto's brow. If what Sasuke feared had happened, it could very well trigger a chain reaction of suspicion.

"As Hokage, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to show my face in this matter. Sasuke, go investigate it."

Sasuke nodded. "Yeah. Fortunately, Kumogakure isn't far from here. Even if Uchiha Chen comes back, I can immediately rush back to support you."

Naruto leaned against the wall panel and smiled. "Actually, the two of us coming here is giving Uchiha Chen too much credit. In this ninja world, no one exists who requires us to join forces."

Sasuke removed the lunchbox Sakura had given him during the day from his waist and handed it to Naruto. "It's better to be careful. Every Mangekyō represents one or two powerful 'mechanisms.' Shin Uchiha was only average in strength, yet he still managed to injure both of us. He's an example."

"Yeah, that's true." Naruto accepted the lunchbox. "Go on. I'll save half for you."

Whoosh! Sasuke shook out his black cloak and leaped into the torrential rain, racing toward Kumogakure!

Neither Naruto nor Sasuke noticed.

"Rustle, rustle, rustle..." Beneath the sinister Pine Forest in the heavy rain, a white head slowly sank back underground.

"I must report this development to that lord..."