"Koutarou Amon!"
Koutarou Amon shouted anxiously, whipping his head around to glare at the silver-haired girl wearing a fox mask. Gritting his teeth, he clenched the crimson staff in his hands, lunged forward in a burst of speed, and swung it fiercely at Kaguya.
"You bastard! Aaaahhhh!"
"Simple-minded and physically strong—you're the very definition of such a person, aren't you?"
Kaguya chuckled softly. Raising her arm, an invisible force burst forth from her palm.
"Shinra Tensei!"
Boom!
Koutarou Amon felt an overwhelming force slam into him, rendering him powerless to resist. The quinque in his hands was wrenched away, and his body was hurled into a wall. Cracks spread across the surface like a spiderweb as he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Bang!
A dull sound echoed as a dark shadow fell from the air, landing heavily on the ground. It was Koutarou Amon's quinque.
The sight made Ryouko, who had closed her eyes and prepared for the worst, suddenly open them wide. She froze at the scene before her, especially when her gaze fell upon the person wearing the fox mask. Could it be...?
"Mom!"
A familiar, tearful, childish voice came from behind her.
Ryouko spun around abruptly. It was her daughter, Hinami.
Hinami flung herself into Ryouko's arms, clinging tightly to her waist as she buried her face in her chest, sobbing. "Mom, Mom! I'm so glad you're okay!"
"What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to run away?" Ryouko grabbed Hinami's thin shoulders, yelling in a mixture of anger and worry. It was the first time she had ever raised her voice like this at Hinami.
Hinami said nothing, only weeping as she clutched her mother's clothing tightly.
Seeing Hinami's red, tear-streaked face and her pitiful expression, Ryouko's heart softened. She sighed, pulled Hinami into a gentle embrace, and said softly, "I'm sorry, sweetheart. It was wrong of me to shout at you."
Hinami shook her head slightly, holding on even tighter.
After a while, Ryouko came to her senses and asked in surprise, "Wait, how did you..."
"This," Hinami said, opening her hand to reveal a crumpled paper crane. She beamed, "My wish came true."
Ryouko froze and instinctively looked toward the silver-haired girl in the fox mask in the distance. Could it have been her?
A memory surfaced. Recently, Hinami had often shut herself in her room, furtively doing something. When Ryouko had gone in to check after she left, the floor had been covered in countless paper cranes. Ryouko had been puzzled and even worried that Hinami was doing something strange.
Hinami had never explained, but now Ryouko finally understood why.
Still, the idea that folding paper cranes could grant wishes was too absurd to believe.
Suddenly, the silver-haired girl in the fox mask turned to look at them. She smiled and said, "But you only folded one paper crane. You still owe me nine hundred and ninety-eight more. Don't forget to make them later."
"Okay," Hinami nodded vigorously, her face full of gratitude. "Thank you so much."
Although the girl's face was hidden behind a mask, Ryouko could sense her smiling. She quickly bowed deeply and said, "Thank you. Truly, thank you."
Kaguya chuckled softly but said nothing more.
In truth, she didn't want to act like a good Samaritan. However, seeing such a tragedy befall an adorable little girl wasn't something Kaguya could turn a blind eye to. Besides, she thought, it wouldn't do if such a sweet and innocent child turned into a yandere—it would truly be a shame.
Although she could have waited for the little girl's parents to perish before making her move—justifying taking her into Akatsuki—Kaguya wasn't someone deceitful or calculating. Besides, with her strength, she had no need for such petty tricks.
At that moment, the two investigators who had collapsed on the ground struggled to their feet. Trembling, they raised their pistols and aimed at Kaguya's back.
"Watch out!" Ryouko cried out urgently.
The investigators' fingers suddenly pulled the triggers.
Bang! Bang!
Sharp gunshots rang out, and sparks flew.
But when the smoke cleared, the investigators' eyes widened in shock.
Kaguya was completely unharmed.
"Ants should know their place," Kaguya said, turning around with a faint sneer. "What I hate most is those who, despite lacking any real power, still insist on futile struggles."
Bang! Bang!
Cold sweat dripped from the investigators' foreheads as they fired wildly. However, the bullets seemed to strike an invisible barrier, sparking on impact but doing no harm.
"You're only good at picking on those weaker than you, aren't you?" Kaguya scoffed. "But when faced with someone stronger, you're just a pair of helpless clowns. How pathetic."
Extending her pale fingers, she snapped them with a crisp "snap!".
Earth Style: Rising Stone Spears.
The ground trembled, and in an instant, countless stone spears erupted like lightning.
Blood splattered and flesh flew.
The two investigators, caught off guard, were instantly impaled from below by the stone spears. Their bodies were skewered like meat on a skewer, and crimson blood trickled down the jagged stones.
Their eyes remained wide open, full of disbelief, as they met their tragic ends, unable to even comprehend what had just happened.
"Truly pitifully weak," Kaguya muttered dismissively. "If people like this can make it into the CCG, then the CCG really isn't much to speak of."
"Hraaah!"
A sudden roar echoed from behind her. Koutarou Amon, clutching his quinque, charged toward Kaguya. His muscled arm swung the massive weapon with ferocious momentum, creating a powerful gust as it swept through the air.
"You bastard!"
"Why do you all insist on rushing to your deaths?" Kaguya frowned slightly, turning around and lifting her arm. "Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish. At least this way, you can join your colleagues on the road to the afterlife."
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu.
A massive blue fireball suddenly appeared in Kaguya's palm. The intense heat instantly evaporated the surrounding moisture, turning raindrops into steam before they could even touch it. Even from a distance, Hinami and Ryouko could feel the overwhelming heat radiating from it.
"What... is that?"
Not only was Koutarou Amon stunned, but even Hinami and Ryouko, watching from afar, widened their eyes in disbelief. They had never encountered anything like this. This power was beyond their comprehension—something they thought existed only in movies or novels about supernatural abilities.
"There's no need for you to know," Kaguya said with a faint smile. "It wouldn't matter anyway. You're about to die."
As her words fell, Kaguya casually waved her hand. The scorching blue fireball shot forward, cutting through the air with a piercing whistle as it barreled toward the stunned Koutarou Amon.
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed.
The enormous, blazing fireball erupted instantly, sweeping out shockwaves and heat waves that flattened the surrounding buildings with unstoppable force. Amid flying debris and thick billows of smoke, the area transformed into a chaotic wasteland of ruins and destruction.
As the dust gradually settled, what emerged was a massive crater spanning several dozen meters in diameter and plunging over ten meters deep. It resembled an impact site from a meteor strike, with wisps of smoke still rising from its center. Around the crater, the ground had melted from the extreme heat, solidifying into crystalline, glass-like formations that glimmered faintly.
Kaguya walked toward the still-smoking crater, surveying the scene with mild curiosity. "Huh, where did they go?" she muttered.
The buildings around the crater were completely destroyed, reduced to fragments of rubble. As for people, there wasn't a single one in sight—let alone Koutarou Amon or Kureo Mado.
Could they have been vaporized by the heat?
Kaguya frowned slightly.
It wasn't entirely impossible. After all, the temperature of the original Great Fireball Jutsu was already extremely high. Kaguya's enhanced version was several times, if not tenfold, stronger. Its heat was intense enough to melt and evaporate even steel.
Well, it didn't matter. If those two were dead, so be it. They weren't of much use anyway.
"Um… excuse me."
A soft, delicate voice called from behind her.
"Hm?"
Kaguya turned around to see Hinami and Ryouko standing there.
"I know what you're about to say," Kaguya waved her hand dismissively. "If it's to thank me, don't bother. I was simply fulfilling our agreement."
"Elder sister," Hinami hesitated, then timidly asked, "Can I call you elder sister?"
"Of course you can," Kaguya replied with a smile, gently patting her head. "Why wouldn't you be able to?"
"Um…" Hinami stammered, fidgeting slightly. "There's something I want to ask you… Would it be okay if I do?"
"Go ahead." Kaguya's curiosity was piqued as she watched Hinami's hesitation.
"Are you the big sister from the coffee shop?" Hinami asked, lifting her head. Her clear eyes gazed expectantly at Kaguya.
"Oh, you mean her?" Kaguya's expression shifted to one of realization before she chuckled. "Sorry, I'm not that person."
"Then how do you…" Hinami looked confused.
Kaguya shook her head, reaching up to remove the fox mask from her face. Her flawless features were revealed as she smiled softly and said, "Do I look like her to you?"
Her silver hair flowed like a shimmering waterfall, swaying gently in the breeze. Her flawless skin appeared incredibly soft and delicate. Long eyelashes fluttered lightly, and her eyes, clear and deep like a tranquil spring, seemed as if they could reflect the world. She looked like a figure who had stepped straight out of a painting.
"How beautiful…" Hinami murmured in awe, her eyes widening unconsciously.
Not only was Hinami captivated, but even Ryouko seemed momentarily stunned. She had never seen such a breathtakingly beautiful girl before. What shocked her even more was that the girl appeared quite young—likely only just reaching adulthood.
To possess such overwhelming strength at such a young age was utterly extraordinary.
"Thank you for the compliment," Kaguya said with a light laugh. She reached up to put the fox mask back on, concealing her face once again. "The person you met before wasn't me. Please keep that in mind."
Her voice was melodious and soothing, akin to the sound of a celestial harp. It carried an almost magical quality that made one instinctively want to believe her words.
"Is that so?" Hinami asked bashfully. "I thought... wait, what was I about to say?"
Hinami paused mid-sentence, her mind suddenly going blank. She couldn't remember what she wanted to say, as if she had completely forgotten. Beside her, Ryouko's expression also turned dazed, her eyes losing focus.
"This commotion has caused quite a stir," Kaguya said nonchalantly, smiling as if unbothered. "And with two investigators dead, the CCG's forces will likely arrive soon. You should return to the 20th Ward for now."
"Is that so?" Hinami asked, still a bit confused.
"Yes," Ryouko interjected, taking Hinami's small hand. "We won't disturb you further. Let's go."
"Mm." Kaguya nodded with a gentle smile.
Ryouko bowed slightly before turning to head toward the 20th Ward, Hinami obediently following behind her mother.
None of them noticed the faintly glowing, otherworldly light that flickered in Kaguya's eyes, as beautiful and mysterious as the stars in the night sky.
Earlier, Kaguya had cast a genjutsu on the mother and daughter, erasing their memory of her appearance from the coffee shop. In its place, she planted the image of someone entirely different. This was necessary because her identity couldn't be revealed prematurely. She still had plans that required this persona. If it were exposed now, it would ruin the fun.
Besides, Kaguya didn't find brute force domination enjoyable. She wanted to orchestrate a grand spectacle, something unpredictable and dramatic. Simply overpowering her opponents with raw strength was far too boring. After all, she prided herself on her intellect—worlds apart from those she considered "muscle-brained simpletons."
At least, that's what she told herself.
As they walked away, Hinami suddenly stopped and turned around, her small voice carrying across the distance. "Big sister, will... will we meet again someday?"
Kaguya was momentarily taken aback. She hadn't expected Hinami to recover from the genjutsu so quickly. Normally, it would take hours for an ordinary person to regain their senses. But upon hearing the little girl's question, Kaguya smiled and replied, "Of course. We will definitely meet again."
"Really?" Hinami asked hesitantly, her reluctance to part evident in her tone.
"I promise," Kaguya said with a warm smile.
The dark clouds began to part, and the rain gradually ceased. A ray of sunlight broke through the layers of cloud, casting bright patches of light onto the ground. The cold, damp air was slowly being dispelled.
Another beautiful day was beginning.
To Kaguya, the CCG was inconsequential. Even their strongest, those classified as SS-rated or higher, weren't a match for her power. Compared to her, they barely reached the level of low-tier Kage in the Naruto world. At best, they might scrape the level of an elite Jounin.
But Kaguya's goal wasn't to annihilate either side of this conflict. She was planning something that no one else could foresee. What had been a vague idea in her mind was now taking shape after these events. If she succeeded, this world would be transformed into a flawless, perfect place.
"Yes," she thought to herself. "Let this new, perfect world take shape in my hands."
Gurgle.
Her stomach growled loudly, interrupting her grand thoughts.
Hunger struck. She was starving.
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