Qiancao

Before this, Qiancao had only learned what hatred was from various works of literature.

He had been born in an ordinary small city and had always been the well-behaved child in his parents' and relatives' eyes.

The only time his parents had ever scolded him was when he stole money from home to buy a legitimate copy of a game.

His life had gone smoothly as he grew up. No matter how great the trouble, after a night's sleep, it would somehow be resolved.

Even after crossing over and being locked in a Uchiha prison cell, he hadn't suffered any abuse.

So Qiancao had always held on to a sliver of wishful thinking, believing he didn't need to work very hard and that someday, all his problems would be resolved as easily as they had been before.

Having never been hurt, he had never known hatred.

Until this moment, when the closest friend he'd made since crossing over fell in a pool of blood. For the first time, Qiancao resented his own laziness and his inability to do anything.

"If only I were stronger..." His desire to grow stronger mingled with intense self-loathing, awakening every ounce of potential within Uchiha Chigusa.

Only now did the soul of Qiancao, who had come from another world, perfectly merge with his body. A new Mangekyō Sharingan was born amid his powerful emotions!

Facing the unfamiliar Mangekyō, Keisuke laughed instead of panicking. "Good! This is good! What a wonderful look in your eyes!"

"You've been talking about peace and friendship all these days. How can you call yourselves Uchiha!?"

Qiancao could no longer be bothered to listen to Keisuke's nonsense. At that moment, he had only one thought: Tear the man in front of me to pieces!

The Sharingan seemed to answer Qiancao's hopes. An unending stream of power surged from his right eye and flowed through his blood vessels to every part of his body.

The power was so immense that his blood vessels swelled to their limits. Enduring the agony of feeling as though they might burst, Qiancao attacked Keisuke with a surge of ferocity.

Keisuke's movements seemed to slow in his eyes. He could even see an afterimage of Keisuke warning him and showing him what Keisuke would do next.

Keisuke's ordinary Sharingan couldn't match the Mangekyō's perceptive abilities. He couldn't predict the pattern of Qiancao's attacks, and could only struggle to defend himself against them.

Qiancao struck with Black Tiger Steals Heart, aiming for Keisuke's chest. His Mangekyō foresaw Keisuke blocking with his arm, so Qiancao didn't stop his punch, but also kicked at Keisuke's legs.

But as he forced an attack with both his fists and feet, Qiancao himself lost his balance before his blows could even land. He only managed to complete the move thanks to the support of his chakra.

His awkward, unsteady movements were completely beyond Keisuke's expectations. Keisuke blocked the punch above, but took the kick squarely below and was knocked to the ground.

Qiancao leaped onto Keisuke. Keisuke was just about to use a burst of strength to throw him off when he accidentally saw Qiancao's eyes.

I really want to see Mom! A strange yearning suddenly welled up in Keisuke, keeping him from mustering his strength right away.

Qiancao grabbed Keisuke's head and slammed the back of it hard against the ground. For a while, all that could be heard was the repeated thud, thud, thud of the impacts.

Keisuke's vision swam, his face covered in blood. At last, he forcibly summoned his strength and flung Qiancao off his back, putting some distance between them.

Keisuke's hands moved without pause as he formed Hand Seals in an instant: [Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!]

Qiancao completed his Hand Seals at the same time. The two Great Fireballs collided in midair with a thunderous boom!

The fierce collision created a tremendous shock wave, blowing Senju Arashi and Shiri, who had been lying nearby, over to Qiancao.

The two enormous flames battled in midair. Qiancao could feel his opponent's power gradually weakening, but with three other lives lying beside him, he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

Gradually, everything around Qiancao faded away, until he seemed to hear nothing but the heavy thud of his own heartbeat.

Each breath became unbearably difficult. He didn't know whether he had reached his limit or the air's oxygen had been completely depleted.

With his strength failing, Qiancao could only gamble everything on one last effort. He forcefully breathed out the last of the air in his chest!

Fortunately, a tremendous boom rang out, and Keisuke's flames instantly collapsed into nothingness. The raging sea of fire swallowed Keisuke whole, drawing a scream that shook the heavens.

The final Great Fireball drained all the chakra from Qiancao's body, but the surging self-loathing in his heart kept the Mangekyō going.

The Mangekyō was no longer a battery providing Qiancao with energy. It had become a black hole, endlessly devouring his life force.

The excruciating pain in his eyes sent spasms through every nerve in his body. His limbs went numb, and he collapsed beside Wuming.

Just as he was suffering unbearable agony, Qiancao felt a small hand rest on his.

A cool sensation came from her hand, instantly easing the pain throughout his body.

His senses returning, Qiancao turned in delight. Wuming lay in a pool of blood, gazing weakly at him.

At that critical moment, she had used Yachihoko's power to transfer chakra to Qiancao, saving him from being drained by the Sharingan.

Qiancao hurried to Wuming's side. The weakened Wuming placed a hand over his eye and gently massaged it.

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Looking at Qiancao's Mangekyō Sharingan, Wuming struggled to apologize. "I made you... sad..."

Seeing the sorrowful look on Wuming's face, Qiancao felt his eyes sting, and tears spilled out. "It's okay... It's okay... As long as you're still alive..."

Wuming wanted to wipe away Qiancao's tears, but they only kept coming, no matter how hard he tried.

Her heart aching, she looked into Qiancao's eyes and promised him, "I'll... I'll stay alive..."

"I want... I want to be with... Qiancao, forever, forever..."

In Qiancao's left eye, the Sharingan pattern, once as sharp and cold as a blade, gradually softened.

Under the gaze of those eyes that had once represented hatred, Wuming felt a pleasant itch in her wounds and warmth spreading through her body, as if she were soaking in hot water. She slowly closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Wuming's sudden loss of consciousness startled Qiancao, but then he noticed that her breathing was steady and the wound on her chest was healing before his eyes. Only then did he relax.

Qiancao slumped to the ground, his strength returning to him. His Mangekyō Sharingan slowly closed, reverting to an ordinary eye. His vision was so blurred from overuse that he couldn't see anything around him.

Then a horrifying voice came from nearby. "Hehehe. How moving, how... sickening!"

Through his blurred vision, Qiancao could only make out a figure standing in Keisuke's direction. His eyes were so exhausted that all he could do was pick up a Kunai and hold it ready.

"How does it feel to use the Mangekyō for the first time?" Keisuke laughed. "I bet you can't see me at all now!"

Just as Keisuke was gloating, Senju Arashi, who had been lying silently nearby for ages, suddenly sprang into action. Keisuke had to use every ounce of his strength just to narrowly dodge her punch.