Chapter 42: You'll Regret It!
Fear.
What is fear?
Fear is one of humanity's primal emotional responses, born from the need to survive in ancient times. When faced with the unknown, threats from wild animals, or natural disasters, humanity's ancestors developed an instinctual reaction: fear.
Fear served as a powerful tool of self-preservation, pushing individuals to avoid danger and protect themselves.
To A, what he faced now wasn't just a slender boy.
It was hell itself, veiled in ash and blood.
It was a pair of crimson eyes that filled the entire world.
It was a barrage of relentless blades, slicing him piece by piece.
His instincts screamed at him to flee, to run as far as possible from this overwhelming terror.
---
BOOM!
A crackling blue lightning shield erupted around A, deflecting the endless flurry of slashes.
"You little brat!!"
"Do you know who I am?!"
"I am!!"
"The future Raikage! A!!!"
---
"Encasing his body in lightning… Lightning Chakra Mode!" Jiraiya muttered, his pupils shrinking.
He didn't use this earlier. Did he underestimate me?
In truth, Jiraiya was mistaken. A wasn't deliberately holding back—he simply wasn't yet adept at maintaining the Lightning Chakra Mode in cooperative battles.
But now, anger fueled him. His fear of Kagami enraged him, forcing his body to push through its limits.
For humans, the correct response to fear is often to flee.
But sometimes, facing it head-on leads to breakthroughs.
A's speed increased dramatically—blinding, like a bolt of lightning.
---
BOOM!
Shockwaves rippled outward as the two clashed, resembling the impact of a cannonball striking an iron wall.
"Stop your shouting," Kagami said coldly, his tone flat. "All it does is reveal your weakness."
A, standing at over two meters tall, with fists larger than most heads, had his punch caught mid-swing by Kagami's slender hand.
Though Kagami's physical strength was not his forte, his resilience had been forged in countless battles.
Two instances of Black Flash had left his body strained, but that didn't mean he was fragile.
---
"H-how… how is this possible? Your strength!"
A couldn't believe it. How could this young brat withstand the physical force he had honed through years of relentless training?
Kagami smirked faintly. "What's so hard to believe?"
"The only ones who can surpass the Uchiha in physical prowess are the Senju and Uzumaki clans. Who do you think you are?"
While A had trained tirelessly, Kagami had faced challenges that dwarfed such efforts.
With threats both external and internal, Kagami fought against the tide of fate itself.
The pressure he bore far exceeded that of anyone around him.
He had pushed his body to its limits more times than he could count—gasping for breath, hearing phantom sounds in his ears. Yet, he never stopped until he wrung every last ounce of strength from himself.
Kagami never questioned whether he could change the Uchiha's destiny. Failure was not an option. If he were to fail, it would only be in death.
---
"Next, I'll punch with my right hand," Kagami stated calmly. "The target is your left chest."
A stiffened as Kagami retracted his hand. The sudden motion disrupted his balance.
Black lightning crackled and coiled around Kagami's fist.
"Get out of the way!!" shouted Dodai, desperately forming a rubber shield in front of A.
ROAR!!
Half-tailed Beast Blue B charged forward, knowing the proximity between A and Kagami made ranged attacks impossible.
But Kagami had learned to control his Black Flash after two uses.
Not every instance of Black Flash required the same level of force he'd used to counter Dust Release. He adjusted the intensity to avoid damaging himself unnecessarily.
At the precise moment, within a margin of error less than 0.000001 seconds, he unleashed it.
Black Flash.
CRACK!
The black lightning shattered the rubber shield layer by layer, landing squarely on A's left chest.
BOOM!
The impact echoed like a cannonball striking a fortress.
A's massive body was hurled backward, crashing through several boulders before finally coming to a halt.
"Big Bro!"
"A!!"
ROAR!!
Blue B unleashed a barrage of energy blasts from his mouth. As the projectiles rained down, he barked out orders.
"A is still alive! Retreat now while I cover you!"
"B…"
"Go!!"
---
The energy blasts were like mass-produced missiles, but they lacked the destructive power of a Tailed Beast Bomb.
Kagami effortlessly sliced through them with the bright gleam of his blade, Shirayuki. He leaped high into the air, directly toward Blue B.
From the beginning, his target had been the Eight-Tails.
---
Jiraiya and the others weren't idle as stray energy blasts hurtled toward them.
"What kind of monstrous battle is this?" murmured Kosuke Maruboshi. Despite his extensive experience, even he felt like a mere spectator here.
Their combined Water and Earth Release techniques neutralized the incoming attacks, ensuring they wouldn't be caught in the crossfire.
"This doesn't feel like our fight at all…" Kosuke muttered.
---
Kushina observed the unfolding battle with mild confusion. "Kagami is fighting a Jinchūriki. Why don't you two seem worried?"
Jiraiya sat down, catching his breath. "I've taught that kid for over a year."
"It's strange, really. My students keep getting more and more outrageous. Oh, sorry, Minato—you're here too."
Minato chuckled and shook his head, indicating he wasn't offended.
Jiraiya continued, "The Uchiha… Their bloodline is extraordinary. I was a little concerned about that lightning-clad guy earlier, but against a Jinchūriki? Kagami will be fine."
He turned to Kushina with a knowing smile. "That kid's eye power is so strong, even the Nine-Tails fears him."
---
Inside Kushina's mind, the Nine-Tails roared furiously from its restraints.
"I've told you countless times!"
"That brat is Madara's reincarnation!"
"Kill him!"
"Kill him now!!"
The beast's violent chakra surged, attempting to influence Kushina.
Minato immediately placed his hand on her stomach, reinforcing the seal. Thankfully, the leakage was minimal, and he quickly stabilized the situation.
"Kushina, are you alright?!"
Panting heavily, she forced a smile, looking up at his worried face. "I'm fine. The Nine-Tails is just spouting nonsense about reincarnation. It doesn't even make sense."
---
In the sealed space, the Nine-Tails, bound by massive stakes and chains, snarled.
"You fools know nothing!"
"Kill him now! If he continues to grow…"
"Stupid Kushina! Let me out, and I'll kill him myself!!"
Kushina's spirit appeared within the seal, her brow furrowed.
"Can you stop yelling? I'm not afraid of you. Sure, you surprised me just now, but you're still locked up. Don't think I'll fall for your tricks."
The Nine-Tails struggled to suppress its frustration. As terrifying as being sealed was, the thought of being controlled by Madara again was even worse.
For the first time, the beast's voice carried no malice—only dread.
"Madara Uchiha… The one who forced me to fight Hashirama Senju…"
"You can't fathom how terrifying he is. I'm certain that kid is his reincarnation."
"Or worse… Madara isn't dead. He's been reborn through that boy."
"Kill him while you still can. Do it before it's too late!"
Chains began coiling tighter around the Nine-Tails.
"What nonsense," Kushina muttered. "That's Minato's little brother-in-training. Just a brat."
"Now, shut up."
As more chains tightened, nearly covering the beast's head, it panicked.
"You fool!!"
"You'll regret this, Kushina!!"
Turning away, Kushina glanced back coldly.
"Don't try to manipulate me, Nine-Tails."
"Whatever happens, I'll never regret my choices."
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