The next day, the Canopy Screen began its broadcast right on time again.
[Beneath the Mizukage Building, Jade was driven into a corner. Her Chakra was nearly exhausted, and her strength had reached its limit.]
[Hoshigaki Shichengzhen advanced with Samehada fully unleashed, its ravenous, savage blade in his hands. Its jagged edge and his cruel grin loomed closer in Jade's dark eyes. At last, she closed them, too weak to resist.]
[At the final moment, the faces of Uncle, Uncle Long, Kagura, and her new friends flashed through her mind. I'm sorry, everyone...]
["Goodbye, Jade! Samehada will savor your Chakra!"]
[Hoshigaki Shichengzhen raised the writhing Samehada high and brought it down hard on the seemingly defenseless Jade!]
[But just as Samehada was about to strike her, something unexpected happened!]
[The barbs along Samehada's broad blade, which had seemed like mere decoration, sprang upright and swelled as if alive!]
[Dozens of razor-sharp spikes burst from its hilt, glinting coldly!]
["Squelch! Aaagh!"]
[Hoshigaki Shichengzhen had never expected betrayal from his "partner"! The spikes pierced and tore through his palms, the flesh between his thumbs and forefingers, and his fingers!]
[Agonizing pain ripped a scream from him. He let go of Samehada and staggered back, staring in disbelief and horror at his blood-soaked palms, nearly riddled with holes.]
[Instead of falling to the ground, Samehada twisted and "swam" over to Jade as though it had a life of its own.]
[Its fearsome mouth made no move to bite. Instead, it approached Jade carefully, its blade trembling as it willingly fed a vast stream of pure, gentle Chakra into her nearly depleted meridians!]
[At the same time, it stretched out its slick tongue and licked the dust and sweat from her cheek, gently and repeatedly, almost as if trying to win her over.]
["Mm!