With a deafening explosion, a shockwave mixed with hot air violently spread out in all directions, tearing through everything in its path like a hurricane. Trees were snapped in half, vegetation was ripped from the ground, and bushes were shredded into pieces. The ground trembled fiercely, producing a rumbling sound, almost as if an earthquake had struck.
The blast had barely leaked from the nuclear weapon, yet its power was already evident. If the bomb had fully detonated, the consequences would have been catastrophic.
At the center of the explosion, Kaguya stood, her delicate brows furrowed as she pressed her lips together. She extended both hands, continuously channeling chakra into the massive black orb formed by the Truth-Seeking Ball.
The situation had caught her off guard. Without thinking, she had immediately enveloped the nuclear bomb with the Truth-Seeking Ball, initially assuming it was just a standard bomb, perhaps a large one. However, to her shock, it turned out to be a nuclear bomb.
This is absurd!
The power of a nuclear bomb hardly needs explaining. If it were to explode, the entire capital would be obliterated. Even though this was a smaller nuclear device, its destructive force was tens, if not hundreds, of times more powerful than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Not that it was a problem for her—by encasing the bomb in her Truth-Seeking Ball and leaving only a small opening, the explosive energy could be vented safely.
But there was one big problem: it was a nuclear bomb.
Nuclear bombs come with radiation. If the nuclear particles were released into the air, they would contaminate the clouds. And if it rained tomorrow, many people would probably end up losing their hair from radiation exposure.
To keep the nuclear bomb contained and prevent it from exploding had become a real headache for Kaguya. The tighter the containment, the greater the pressure, just like tightly wrapping a firecracker to increase its power. If wrapped too tightly, it would become more than a mere explosive—it would turn into a small-scale disaster.
It looks like I'll have to use that, Kaguya thought, her starry eyes narrowing as they began to swirl like the stars themselves.
At the same time, a part of the space in front of her began to distort, opening into a pitch-black, bottomless hole like a black hole. Kaguya raised her hand, grabbing the swollen Truth-Seeking Ball and, with a forceful throw, hurled it into the dark void.
"Off you go."
As the black hole swiftly closed up, Kaguya relaxed, dusting off her hands and exhaling a sigh of relief.
Done.
Who would have thought the ultimate weapon of this world would be capable of giving her trouble? Quite impressive.
Of course, it was only a minor inconvenience.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, in New York City, it was nighttime.
The vast night sky was dotted with stars, and a crescent moon hung in the heavens, casting its cool silver light down onto the famous Statue of Liberty, making the island below seem peaceful and serene.
Although the city was brightly lit, most people had already gone to sleep. The streets, usually bustling, were now sparsely populated, and the neon lights from the towering buildings colored the cityscape, driving away the darkness of the night.
Suddenly, high above the Statue of Liberty, a pitch-black hole appeared out of nowhere, exuding a chilling aura, as if it heralded an impending disaster. But the slumbering citizens remained oblivious.
In a flash, a brilliant white light tore through the night sky, and an enormous fireball appeared. In an instant, the darkened world was turned to daylight.
Moments later, with an ear-splitting roar, a gigantic mushroom cloud bloomed above New York. A shockwave mixed with hot air surged outward, like a furious tidal wave crashing over everything in its path. Where the shockwave passed, it left nothing intact—the ground split apart, buildings, parking lots, and parks were all reduced to rubble in the blink of an eye, with fragments of stone and dust flying everywhere.
When the explosion finally subsided, New York had been transformed beyond recognition. The towering skyscrapers had vanished, leaving behind a devastated landscape, littered with burning debris and ruins. The city was engulfed in flames, and thick, black smoke billowed into the sky, with fires so intense they could be seen from miles away.
For the first time, after dropping nuclear bombs on enemies, the United States itself tasted the devastating force of a nuclear explosion.
But the one responsible for this catastrophe was none Kaguya. Her casual toss had turned a city of millions into ruins. And even if she knew, she wouldn't care.
What do their lives matter to me? Kaguya mused, her mind analyzing the situation. How did terrorists manage to come this far, fully armed and undetected, right into the heart of the capital? And with a nuclear bomb? also demanding to meet her?
Too many coincidences. Kaguya's thoughts briefly shifted to her two main conflicts: one with the United States and the other with her own country's military. But who would bomb their own capital with a nuclear weapon?
The answer is obvious. This wasn't some random act of terror—it was planned, calculated, and the target had always been her.
However, at that moment, Kaguya herself encountered a serious problem.
Just as she had used the space-time ninjutsu Yomotsu Hirasaka, the mysterious stone she had received from the fortune-teller suddenly began to glow with a blinding light.
Kaguya's eyes widened in shock. Could this be… the mythical Three Stars?
Sensing the imminent danger, she tried to throw the stone away immediately, but to her horror, it was as if the stone had fused to her hand. No matter how much force she used, she couldn't remove it. Even Shinra Tensei was ineffective.
Desperate, she was about to consider cutting off her hand when the stone suddenly transformed into threads of light that wrapped around her body, binding her like a cocoon.
Kaguya panicked. What the hell is this? This is bad—really bad!
Just moments ago, she could have severed her hand. But now? What was she supposed to do—cut herself in half?
Even though her body was now glowing like a giant light bulb, only Kaguya knew the truth. She was trapped in the glowing threads, as if submerged in quicksand, and no matter how hard she struggled, she couldn't break free.
Kaguya could only curse her fate. How did I end up like this? Picking up some random stone and now I'm doomed? I haven't even done anything that evil!
Little did she know that just moments earlier, she had casually destroyed an entire city, along with millions of lives.
As Kaguya cursed her misfortune, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness suddenly swept over her. Her mind became foggy, and her vision blurred. Realizing something was wrong, she fought to stay awake, but the drowsiness was irresistible. Even her powerful mental strength was no match for it.
Finally, after holding out for barely a minute, Kaguya's head drooped, and she drifted into unconsciousness.
As soon as she passed out, the golden light that surrounded her began to flow more rapidly, wrapping her even tighter. Within moments, Kaguya was completely cocooned, encased like a silk-wrapped caterpillar.
...
The howling wind swept through the amusement park, filling the air with dust and debris, casting a gray hue over the scene of destruction.
"Phhff! Phhff!"
Two tall figures emerged from the dust, sneezing and shaking the dirt off their heads. They glanced around at the surrounding devastation, looking dazed. One of them muttered, "We're... we're not dead?"
"Seems like it," the other replied, equally unsure.
These two disheveled, dirty men were none other than Guo Huaian and a severely injured Li Guozhu. Li Guozhu, however, was in no condition to move, his previous injuries—an arm severed and leg shattered—left him nearly incapacitated, barely able to support himself.
Li Guozhu coughed, his voice weak. "How are we still alive? That... that was a nuclear bomb!"
Guo Huaian shook his head, still processing the events. "It was... but it didn't fully detonate. That person must have... intervened."
Li Guozhu, grimacing in pain, could barely keep up with the situation. His injuries were severe, and Guo Huaian, though shaken, had to carry most of the burden in supporting him as they tried to understand what had just occurred.
Suddenly, Li Guozhu collapsed to the ground, groaning in agony. "Damn it... I can't move. We're alive... but barely."
Guo Huaian bent down, trying to help him up. "Stop moving—you're in no condition to do anything. Just stay still, I'll handle it from here."
At that moment, Guo Huaian's attention shifted to the blast site in the distance. He couldn't help but feel a sense of dread. Slowly, he rose and began walking toward the explosion's center, leaving Li Guozhu propped against a piece of rubble.
When Guo Huaian arrived at the blast zone, he froze in place. The sight was surreal—an enormous crater stretched out before him, the ground scorched and transformed into glassy shards. The buildings nearby had been reduced to rubble, the entire area resembling a volcanic crater.
Despite Kaguya's efforts to contain the explosion with her Truth-Seeking Ball, some energy had leaked out, causing this massive destruction.
But what truly caught his attention was what floated at the center of the blast site.
There, hovering above the crater, was a glowing cocoon-like structure, softly radiating white light. The light appeared almost liquid, flowing over the surface like silken threads, creating an otherworldly aura.
Guo Huaian stood stunned, unable to comprehend what he was seeing.
Meanwhile, Li Guozhu, who had managed to lift his head from where he lay, could only stare from a distance, powerless to approach. His earlier brash confidence had evaporated, replaced by the harsh reality of his injuries.
The howling wind swept through the amusement park, filling the air with dust and debris, casting a gray hue over the scene of destruction.
At the same time, a lone figure rushed toward the scene—Qiao Xiaoqing.
"What's going on here?" Qiao Xiaoqing thought, her voice filled with concern as she stopped momentarily, eyes wide in disbelief.
But she had no hesitation. Without wasting another moment, Qiao Xiaoqing sprinted toward the glowing cocoon, driven by an instinctive sense that Kaguya was somehow involved.
Without a second thought, she reached out, her hand trembling as she moved toward the glowing surface. Deep down, she felt certain that Kaguya was inside—that the familiar aura she sensed was unmistakably Kaguya's.
But just as her hand was about to make contact, the cocoon flared with a blinding light, transforming into a brilliant beam that shot into the sky like a bolt of lightning, disappearing into the heavens.
At that moment, a gentle rain of light began to fall from the sky, covering the entire amusement park in a radiant shower of energy.
Qiao Xiaoqing stood frozen, her wide eyes reflecting the shimmering light that surrounded her.
"According to reports, on September 22nd, a major terrorist attack occurred at the Leshi Amusement Park in the capital. Armed terrorists took many hostages, creating a scene of utter chaos. Upon receiving the emergency call, police and armed forces were quickly dispatched, surrounding the park.
However, due to the terrorists' possession of significant weaponry, including explosives, the situation reached a stalemate.
Yet, in the face of these dangerous circumstances, our brave armed forces launched a strategic assault on the terrorists in the evening.
Thanks to their efforts, all 120 terrorists were eliminated, and 646 civilians were rescued without a single casualty among the hostages. For their outstanding performance, the participating officers have been awarded second-class military honors."
"They're lying!" A young girl angrily exclaimed as she watched the news on a large electronic billboard. "It was the fox spirit sister who saved us, and it was the fox spirit sister who brought back those who died. They're all liars!" The girl was none other than the little girl from the amusement park, An An.
Her mother stood beside her, silently watching the news, gently stroking her daughter's head without saying a word.
"The fox spirit sister isn't dead. She'll come back, won't she?" An An asked, her large, beautiful eyes locked on her mother.
"Yes," the woman nodded with a soft smile.
"I knew it!" An An beamed, clutching her mother's hand tightly. "The fox spirit sister is so strong—she definitely won't die."
Seeing her daughter so happy, the mother couldn't help but feel a twinge of suspicion. She had overheard some unsettling rumors—that what had occurred at the amusement park wasn't just an explosion, but a nuclear bomb. If it had detonated, the entire capital would have been reduced to rubble.
But thinking it through, she couldn't shake the thought that it was the work of the fox spirit. After all, the nuclear bomb hadn't detonated. If anyone could stop such a devastating force, it would be the fox spirit. if she could even prevent a nuclear bomb from going off, then surely nothing could harm her.
The mother sighed in relief, brushing off her suspicions.