No one noticed that the Shadow behind Ryoma was twisted by Kamui space and slipped into it under the cover of night. The maneuver was silent and precise. The battlefield swallowed the detail whole.
The Land of Wind Kaguya Otsutsuki barely grazed Naruto Uzumaki's neck, leaving only a thin line of blood on the skin. In the next instant, Obito appeared in front of Naruto Uzumaki. The timing was exact.
Before anything else could be done, Naruto Uzumaki blurted out, "Kill him. Kill Ryoma!" His voice was shrill and desperate.
Who was killing whom. Obito's face darkened as he grabbed Naruto Uzumaki by the shoulder and sent him straight into the Kamui space. There was no hesitation.
"Obito!" Ryoma's gaze turned sharp as he raised his hand to form seals. The blade slashed out again with deadly speed.
Slash. The instant strike of Land of Wind Kaguya Otsutsuki cut across Obito's chest, spraying blood into the air. The wound was deep and clean.
Under the mask, Obito swallowed his figure as he vanished completely before being cut in two. Only empty air remained.
Ryoma frowned as he landed, his wings beating softly behind him. He looked toward Kakashi at once. "Kakashi, what happened? Why are Naruto Uzumaki and Obito here, and where are Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others?"
"Whew." Kakashi wiped the sweat from his face, his voice hoarse. "Those two appeared suddenly. They are probably cooperating with Moryo."
"Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others have already gone to find Moryo." He then looked at Ryoma's powerful presence with expectation. "So, did the Miko give you its power?"
He and Hiruzen Sarutobi had heard Miroku's projection say that without the power of the Miko, Moryo could not be killed. The stakes were clear.
Ryoma nodded and said in a low voice, "Yes. We should hurry over too. If we are late…" If they were late, the power of Moryo would not be recoverable.
Yes. He did not only want the power of the Miko. He also wanted the power of Moryo. Both were necessary.
Ryoma and the "Shadow," two bodies and two identities, would each obtain a portion of "light" and "darkness." The main body would absorb pure mental energy, while the Shadow would absorb negative mental energy, just like the relationship between the Miko and Moryo. Only when those two powers merged would the Hogyoku be complete, and that would be the moment of Ryoma in the Shinobi World.
Inside a private ward at Konoha, the afternoon sunlight slipped quietly through a gap in the curtains. It fell across the clean hospital bed and onto the constantly furrowing brow and eyes of Takao Hyuga. The light was soft, but it made his uneasy sleep obvious.
After his eyelids twitched a few times, he slowly opened his eyes, his awareness rising as if from deep water. A sour, numb discomfort came from his left arm, and Takao Hyuga lowered his head to look. He saw Neji Hyuga lying against his leg, black hair glowing faintly in the sunlight, his body moving gently with steady breathing as he slept deeply.
It was clear that Neji Hyuga had stayed by his side all night. A warm feeling mixed with guilt rose in Takao Hyuga's chest. His throat tightened, and he did not move.
"You're awake?"
A low voice came from the window. Takao Hyuga's heart jumped, and he instinctively turned his head toward the sound.
Backlit by the sun, a tall figure stood quietly by the window with his back to the bed, looking outside. When Takao Hyuga recognized Iroha Hyuga, the tension drained from his body, and he let out a long breath.
"You already fought them, and you're still afraid they'll take revenge?"
Iroha Hyuga turned around with a helpless, faintly amused look on his face as he watched the shaken Takao Hyuga on the bed. It was obvious that Takao Hyuga had just had a nightmare. After more than ten years under the Shadow of the Caged Bird curse mark and the Otsutsuki Clan Main Family, fear could not disappear so easily.
Takao Hyuga pressed his dry lips together and did not answer. He propped himself up with his still usable right hand, trying to sit up. Out of habit, he lifted his left arm to rub his aching temple.
The moment his left arm moved, piercing pain surged from the limb wrapped in thick bandages and a splint. The pain raced along damaged channels and spread through his body. He sucked in a sharp breath, his face turning pale, veins at his temple throbbing violently as cold sweat poured from his forehead.
The movement startled Neji Hyuga awake at once. He snapped his head up and saw Takao Hyuga trying to sit, the last traces of sleep vanishing from his face. Panic flashed through his eyes.
"Brother Takao Hyuga, don't move. Lie back down."
Neji Hyuga hurriedly reached out and gently but firmly pressed Takao Hyuga back onto the bed. His voice was urgent as he spoke, explaining that the doctor said the arm injury was extremely serious. Multiple channels were damaged, and the bone had cracks, meaning long-term rest was needed before he could move properly again.
The Gentle Fist was designed to harm channels and internal organs. On top of that, Ryoma had shown no restraint at all. The fact that Takao Hyuga had not completely lost the use of his arm was already a rare stroke of luck.
Takao Hyuga lay back, breathing hard as the pain felt like countless steel needles piercing him again and again. He stopped resisting and closed his eyes, forcing himself to steady his breathing. He did not want to become useless, and he still wanted to become a powerful ninja like Ryoma.
After a moment, he opened his eyes again and looked toward Iroha Hyuga by the window. His voice was hoarse and full of guilt as he spoke. "Brother Iroha Hyuga, did I cause trouble for everyone?"
Iroha Hyuga did not turn around, his gaze still fixed outside. He said calmly that Ryoma had gone too far. After a brief pause, he shook his head and said Takao Hyuga had already done well, choosing restraint despite having many chances to cripple the other side.
Even so, unease lingered in Iroha Hyuga's heart. The hateful threat and the wild, unwilling look in Ryoma's eyes before leaving filled him with a bad feeling. He did not believe the matter would end so easily.
"Don't worry," he said steadily despite that feeling. Takao Hyuga had left the Otsutsuki Clan Main Family some dignity, and it was Ryoma who could not accept defeat. Even without Ryoma present, the former Branch Family Members family head Fugaku Uchiha was still there, and the Otsutsuki Clan Main Family would not pin this on him.
"I was too soft," Takao Hyuga said stubbornly, his voice rough. He cursed that the man had dared to use the Caged Bird curse mark on him and swore that if he came again. His agitation pulled at his injuries, and violent coughing followed.
"Don't force yourself," Neji Hyuga said as he poured a cup of warm water and brought it to Takao Hyuga's lips. He told him that rest came first, and any grudges could wait until he healed. After a few sips, the coughing finally eased.
Just as Takao Hyuga was about to speak again, loud arguing pierced through the well-insulated walls. The voices of nurses were anxious as they tried to stop someone. Rough shouts cut through their words, growing closer by the second.