---
The battlefield was deadly silent, with one of the walls now reduced to rubble from the pacifista's laser beam.
The remaining participants finally realized something shocking—the pacifista had been holding back during their previous fights.
At that moment, Uchiha Kitaro appeared in front of the pacifista in a blur of speed, a glowing blue energy sphere forming in his hand.
"Rasengan!"
With a shout, he thrust the energy ball into the chest of the pacifista.
Boom!
The pacifista collapsed to the ground. As it fell, a massive hole could be seen in its back, cleanly punched through by the attack.
The crowd was stunned. What had seemed like an impenetrable machine, invulnerable to their desperate assaults, was torn apart by Kitaro as though it were paper.
Sengoku frowned, curiosity getting the better of him. "What was that move?"
"It's called Rasengan," Kitaro replied with a calm smile. "A technique created by the Fourth Hokage of our village, Konohagakure. You might not be familiar with the term Hokage, but in your naval structure, it's akin to a Fleet Admiral."
"The Flying Thunder God Technique and Sage Mode that my brother uses? Those came from him as well."
"Flying Thunder God? Sage Mode?" Sengoku asked, intrigued.
"The Flying Thunder God Technique is a teleportation ability. Sage Mode… well, it's a state that amplifies the user's physical capabilities and greatly increases the power of their techniques."
"Can you use them too?"
Kitaro shook his head with a rueful smile. "I'm afraid not. Despite being my brother's twin, our talents are leagues apart. I barely managed to learn just one of them."
He suddenly closed his eyes, and a transformation began. Two white horns sprouted from his forehead, and intricate markings resembling makeup appeared on his face.
"Sage Mode!"
Aokiji observed him keenly. "Uchiha Akira, Your Sage Mode seems different from Kitaro's."
"Of course. My brother learned his Sage Mode from Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sacred Grounds. I, on the other hand, trained at Ryūchi Cave."
The revelation sparked whispers among the crowd, though Kitaro remained unfazed, speaking with a touch of pride. "Ryūchi Cave was where I first mastered this art. My teacher, Orochimaru, was also my guiding light after graduating from the academy."
Kitaro's calm narrative seemed almost nostalgic as he continued. "Orochimaru-sama was a genius without peer in the ninja world, and I sought him out as my teacher deliberately. He is the best mentor anyone could have."
He paused and shrugged. "But let's not dwell on the past. I've long since outgrown those lessons."
Sengoku pressed further. "Why not learn the same Sage Mode as your brother? Was he unwilling to teach you?"
Kitaro laughed softly. "You underestimate my brother. He would teach me anything I asked. The issue isn't with him—it's with me. Some techniques are beyond my reach, either because of my limits or because they're simply not meant for me."
The spectators exchanged uneasy glances, sensing Kitaro's understated power.
Sengoku's expression darkened as he asked, "Uchiha Akira… do you not want to kill your brother, Kitaro?"
Kitaro tilted his head, amused. "Why would I want that?"
"Why?" Sengoku's voice carried disbelief. "Because he wants your eyes, of course!"
"He might want my eyes," Kitaro said with a shrug, "but not my life. Why should I want his?"
"You don't desire his eyes either?"
"Nope." Kitaro's denial was swift and absolute.
"Why not? Don't you need them to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Kitaro's gaze turned sharp as he studied Sengoku, Aokiji, and Kizaru. A sly smile crossed his lips, making the three admirals shift uncomfortably.
"You don't think what you've seen from my brother is his full strength, do you?"
The three exchanged uneasy glances.
"What are you implying?" Sengoku demanded.
"Exactly what I said. My brother, Uchiha Kitaro, is the pinnacle of the ninja world. What you've seen? That's just a fragment of his power. A mere tip of the iceberg."
Sengoku's expression tightened as Kitaro continued. "Not only does his power keep growing at an astonishing rate, but let me assure you—Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan is not the ultimate evolution of our eyes."
The room fell into an uneasy silence as the weight of his words settled in.
"Not the ultimate evolution?" Sengoku's voice faltered. "Then… what lies beyond?"
Kitaro smirked but didn't answer. "You've learned enough for now. Knowing too much won't do you any favors. Sometimes ignorance truly is bliss."
The subtle mockery in his tone stung, leaving the admirals fuming.
Inwardly Kitaro was happy "Hahahaha. I love doing this. But thinking about it, I need to get Orochimaru for the future."
"Now," Kitaro said nonchalantly, "am I qualified or not?"
Sengoku exhaled deeply, forcing himself to calm. "Congratulations. You've passed."
"You three are now officially Rear Admirals of the Navy Headquarters—"
"Wait!" a voice interrupted.
Everyone turned toward the speaker.
"We might've all passed," the voice said, "but shouldn't there be a final ranking? It doesn't feel right to end things without determining who's on top!"
.
.
.