Just as Qiu Shan finished copying Uchiha Fugaku's Mangekyo ocular technique, slowly deactivated his Sharingan, and breathed an inward sigh of relief, a tachi pierced him from behind.
The tachi ran straight through his chest, piercing his still-beating heart.
It happened too quickly, too suddenly. Before Qiu Shan Uchiha could react, he felt a chill in his back and an agonizing pain in his heart, then watched helplessly as a blood-drenched tachi emerged from his chest.
So many things happened this way. Everything went smoothly, only for something utterly unexpected to strike just as the goal came within reach.
Qiu Shan Uchiha opened his mouth to speak, but his lips merely trembled, and no words came out. His upright posture slowly crumpled. All strength drained from him, and little by little, his body could no longer hold itself up. He toppled sideways, revealing a slender figure standing behind him.
As Qiu Shan Uchiha fell, Uchiha Mikoto released her tight grip on the tachi. Perhaps because she was so nervous, her fingers trembled slightly. Her face was pale, and the three tomoe in her eyes slowly rotated.
"Qiu Shan, I didn't want to kill you, but unless you die, I can't be certain Fugaku will recover. He's my husband, the father of my two children, and the head of the Uchiha Clan. So, to leave nothing to chance, please die."
Uchiha Mikoto seemed to be speaking to Qiu Shan Uchiha, yet she also seemed to be convincing herself. By the time she finished, her trembling body had slowly steadied. She turned and walked toward Uchiha Fugaku.
Qiu Shan Uchiha lay helplessly on the floor. The moment he heard Uchiha Mikoto's voice, he understood where he had gone wrong.
He had underestimated everyone, especially Uchiha Mikoto. He had assumed controlling Uchiha Fugaku would be enough, never imagining that Uchiha Mikoto had already noticed something was wrong. She had struck a fatal blow when he was most relaxed, leaving him no chance to turn things around.
Qiu Shan Uchiha felt cold all over, and his vision kept darkening. He knew he had little time left.
Now, the thousand-plus ninjutsu he had learned couldn't save him. Neither could his Mangekyo. Kotoamatsukami
was a genjutsu that could only be used on others, so it couldn't save him either. His only hope was the system-the Izanagi he had just copied.
Just as Qiu Shan Uchiha activated his Mangekyo and prepared to use Izanagi, a system notification shattered his hopes completely.
Friendly reminder: the Dōjutsu 'Izanagi' is still being learned and assimilated. Estimated time until available: one hour.
"Damn system! I'll be cold and stiff in an hour! What the hell would I use it for then?" Qiu Shan Uchiha cursed in despair.
At that moment, the system seemed to recognize Qiu Shan Uchiha's critical condition, and notifications began sounding one after another.
Host's life detected to be in danger. Learning and assimilation of the Dōjutsu 'Illusion—Momentary Space-Time' suspended. Learning and assimilation of the Dōjutsu 'Izanagi' enhanced. Estimated completion time: thirty minutes.
Threat to host's survival detected. System operating at full capacity to accelerate learning and assimilation of the Dōjutsu 'Izanagi'. Estimated completion time: ten minutes.
Host detected to be on the brink of death. System operating beyond capacity to enhance learning and assimilation of the Dōjutsu 'Izanagi'. Estimated completion time: five minutes.
Please hold on, host. As long as you hold on, there is hope. Please hold on, host. As long as you hold on, there is hope... ```
As the system notifications kept ringing in his head, Qiu Shan Uchiha felt that even the system had grown anxious. He couldn't help complaining inwardly.
Useless system! I can't even last five minutes! Can't you hurry up?
Everything before Qiu Shan Uchiha's eyes grew dim. His consciousness slowly slipped away, sinking into a bottomless abyss. The system's voice still echoed in his ears.
Just then, Qiu Shan Uchiha heard a voice. It seemed to resound throughout his entire world, tearing apart the darkness and bringing a sliver of light.
"Izanagi!"
When Qiu Shan Uchiha came to his senses, he found himself still sitting upright beside the table. Next to him, Uchiha Fugaku was lifting a cup of tea to his lips, as though everything that had just happened had been an illusion.
The only differences were a tachi lying beside the table, as though someone had casually discarded it there, and a person lying next to Uchiha Fugaku, seemingly asleep.
Qiu Shan Uchiha felt his body and discovered that his wound had vanished. Knowing this probably had something to do with Uchiha Fugaku, he looked toward him.
Uchiha Fugaku set his teacup on the table and looked at Qiu Shan Uchiha.
"This is the power of Izanagi. It can alter any unfavorable fate according to the user's wishes. Mikoto saw that you had taken control of me and thought killing you would free me. What she didn't know was that even if she killed you, my consciousness had already been altered. I still wouldn't have escaped your control.
"I'm truly sorry. Mikoto's rash actions nearly killed you, so I knocked her unconscious and used Izanagi to change everything."
After hearing Uchiha Fugaku's explanation, Qiu Shan Uchiha touched his chest, still shaken. That was exactly where the tachi had pierced him moments earlier.
Qiu Shan Uchiha steadied himself and began considering a solution. Uchiha Mikoto now knew he had taken control of Uchiha Fugaku. But as the wife of the Uchiha Clan's leader and the mother of its prodigy, Uchiha Itachi, her sudden disappearance would attract far too much attention. Yet if he didn't make her disappear, how could he ensure that word of his control over the clan leader wouldn't get out?
Just then, Uchiha Fugaku suddenly spoke.
"Lord Qiu Shan, can you use the ocular technique you used to control me again? If so, I hope you'll use it on Mikoto. That way, word of your control over me won't spread. It would benefit you, my lord, and keep the clan members and Konoha's leadership from viewing you as a threat."
Hearing Uchiha Fugaku's suggestion, Qiu Shan Uchiha nodded in agreement. In truth, he had another use in mind for his remaining Kotoamatsukami.
But as Qiu Shan Uchiha looked at Uchiha Mikoto lying there, with her slender figure and lovely face, he could only console himself inwardly.
It looks like there's no other choice. I'll have to use Kotoamatsukami on Mikoto. I have no other way.
With that thought, Qiu Shan Uchiha walked toward Uchiha Mikoto.
Before you continue