This Uchiha Nobuhiko's...
How could this be...?
What was he trying to do? His defensive ocular technique...
Amid Kushina's cry of alarm, an utterly unimaginable scene was reflected in the still-startled eyes of the two.
At this moment, Uchiha Nobuhiko's body—no, rather, the mass of black Chakra from his defensive ocular technique that covered his entire body and formed something like a human skeleton—seemed to be burning. Strands of black Chakra continuously rose from that flame-like mass of Chakra, turning into threads of black Chakra that vanished into the air like smoke rising from a fire.
The skeletal solid Chakra, meanwhile, appeared to be undergoing some kind of scorching. Though the process was not obvious, it was indeed softening bit by bit, much like something unable to withstand high temperatures and beginning to melt.
At the same time, Uchiha Nobuhiko had his eyes closed, looking completely unchanged.
"Minato... I can't sense his emotions anymore. In my perception, it's as if I've lost his exact location."
At that moment, the shock on Kushina's face abruptly faded. Her brows drew together as she lightly tightened her grip on her husband's arm and spoke.
Clearly, Kushina had come to her senses.
Just now, she had suddenly lost Uchiha Nobuhiko's emotional response and had immediately been startled, resulting in her earlier reaction. She had thought Uchiha Nobuhiko had suddenly used some method to block her perception, that he had launched an attack, which was why she had cried out.
And Uchiha Nobuhiko's defensive ocular technique was now strange and unbelievable enough. As someone who had personally experienced its formidable power, Kushina had been stunned for a time upon seeing it seemingly soften from high temperatures, even though that was different from the reason behind her initial cry.
But now, she had finally recovered.
Although