"Uchiha Hiko..." Shinji Hirako opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.
"Go ahead. Even if you want me to save you some face in front of the others, that's fine. I understand." Uchiha Hiko could understand the turmoil in Shinji's heart.
He had seen countless arrogant, overconfident people who believed themselves invincible suffer such blows.
"Thanks, but I still have to see how your Kafuu Joukaku differs from Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto's!!" A frenzied fighting spirit flashed in Shinji's eyes as the white Hollowfication mask on his face suddenly spewed forth an enormous red blaze.
"Hollowfication, Cero!"
"Great Dragon Fire Technique!"
"Great Fireball Technique!"
"Sage Art, Pure Yang Fire Rebirth Blast!"
Within a sea of crimson, Uchiha Hiko unleashed three powerful Fire Style techniques.
The flames collided with the red light. After breaking through two Fire Style Ninjutsu, it came to a halt before the pure yang flames.
Shinji panted heavily, as though he had exhausted every ounce of strength in his body.
Even the right hand gripping Sakanade trembled slightly. After a long silence, he finally voiced his true feelings weakly.
"I lost!"
By the time Shinji fired his final Cero, most of his strength was gone. He no longer had the power to fight, and the white Hollowfication mask slowly faded from his face, revealing his true appearance.
The World of Inversion also returned to normal after Shinji spoke those final words.
Suddenly, Uchiha Hiko lowered his voice and shouted!
"Flash. Slash!"
The enormous space of flames seemed to be cleaved apart down the middle. A flash of white light appeared, and it abruptly scattered into drifting flames that gradually vanished into the air.
Two figures slowly emerged from the flames. Uchiha Hiko and Shinji stood facing one another.
Shinji stared at him in shock. "Uchiha Hiko, you!"
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