The barrier of light around the Starry Sky Altar slowly settled after the Urashiki Clone vanished, but the lingering chakra turbulence in the air still made the scattered stones on the ground tremble faintly.
Hyuga Xiao stood at the altar's edge. The azure Tenseigan Prototype in his eyes slowly receded, though the starlight deep within his pupils had not fully faded. He turned and swept his gaze across the battlefield.
Kurenai Yuhi stood on the altar steps, supporting Samui. Both bore wounds from the battle, yet their gazes remained resolute. A Maple Clan warrior's blade had carved a bone-deep wound across Samui's left arm, blood dripping from her fingertips, but she gritted her teeth without making a sound.
Mifune led the remaining Land of Iron samurai as they cleared the battlefield, binding the fallen Maple Clan warriors one by one. Most of those warriors were unconscious, while the few still awake had terror in their eyes—they had witnessed Xiao's confrontation with the Urashiki Clone firsthand, and that sense of oppression had surpassed everything they understood about "ninja."
"Lord Xiao." Mifune walked up to Xiao, his armor spattered with blood, though his voice remained steady. "There were forty-seven Maple Clan warriors in total. Other than their leader, Feng Qianye, all have been restrained."
Xiao's gaze passed over Mifune and settled on the ruins beyond the altar.
Feng Qianye knelt on one knee, both hands braced against a broken samurai sword. His magnificent robe embroidered with maple leaves had been reduced to tatters. He hung his head, his shoulders heaving violently, bloody foam spilling from the corners of his mouth with every breath.
But Xiao could sense it—an abnormal energy was still surging within Feng Qianye's body.
"Stand back." Xiao's voice was calm.
Without hesitation, Mifune waved his hand and led every