"Stop."
A calm voice suddenly came from above.
Ryota Uchiha jerked his head up, just in time to see the masked Lin Ze descend from the sky with Ghost Fire in his arms and land steadily on the sea.
"Lin... Lin Ze!"
Ryōta was delighted at first, but when he saw Ghost Fire's condition clearly, his face instantly turned deathly pale.
Ghost Fire's eyes were tightly shut, his face devoid of color. The faint rise and fall of his chest was almost imperceptible, and he looked like a corpse about to grow cold.
"Brother!"
Ryōta rushed over, reaching out with a trembling hand to check Ghost Fire's breathing.
He was still breathing.
But it was as faint as a candle flickering in the wind.
"My brother... how is he?" Ryōta asked in a trembling voice, looking up at Lin Ze with pleading eyes.
Lin Ze fell silent for a moment, then told him the truth:
"He's in terrible shape. He's overused his Mangekyō and exhausted his life force. Even his soul has begun to unravel. I've temporarily stabilized him with my ocular technique, but..."
"Three days at most."
"Three days..."
Ryōta staggered back two steps as though struck by lightning, nearly falling into the sea.
"How... how could this happen..."
This ninja, who was the same age as Lin Ze, finally broke down. He knelt on the sea, covering his face with both hands as his shoulders shook violently.
Lin Ze watched him quietly without offering comfort.
Some pain could only be borne alone.
"Ryō... ta..."
A faint voice sounded.
Ryōta abruptly looked up to find that his brother Ghost Fire had opened his dull eyes at some point.
"Brother! You're awake!"
Ryōta rushed to Ghost Fire's side and gripped his hand tightly.
"Don't... cry..."
Ghost Fire struggled to muster