The battle raged on through the village, as the Furoako Clan continued their assault with ruthless precision. The streets were chaotic, filled with the clash of kunai and jutsu, as shinobi from Konoha did their best to hold their ground. The air was thick with the scent of smoke, and the distant sound of explosions echoed through the village.
Kikidori's heart raced in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. His eyes were sharp, constantly scanning for threats as he and Konohamaru made their way through the fighting. They had cleared their section, but there was no time to celebrate. They needed to push deeper into the village, to protect the innocent civilians and the weaker shinobi who were being overwhelmed.
Suddenly, a cry echoed through the streets, one that sent a shiver down Kikidori's spine.
"Ere'ana!"
Kikidori's gaze snapped in the direction of the sound, his breath catching in his throat. There, just ahead of him, Ere'ana was locked in combat with one of the Furoako Clan's members—a tall, muscular man with dark eyes and a malicious grin. His blade flashed in the air, his strikes faster than Ere'ana could dodge.
Kikidori's heart clenched. He had trained with Ere'ana for years, fought alongside her, and she had become one of his closest friends. To see her like this, struggling against an enemy so much stronger than she was, it made his blood boil.
With a burst of speed, Kikidori leaped forward, closing the gap between himself and Ere'ana's attacker. But before he could reach her, the Furoako shinobi's blade slashed through the air, catching Ere'ana across her torso. Kikidori's eyes widened in horror as the blade sank deep into her chest.
"Ere'ana!" Kikidori screamed, his voice filled with panic.
She collapsed to the ground, her body crumpling under the weight of the wound. The Furoako ninja stepped back, satisfied, as Ere'ana's blood began to stain the ground beneath her. Kikidori's heart felt as though it had stopped.
"No… No, no, no…"
Kikidori dropped to his knees beside Ere'ana, his hands shaking as he reached for her. Her breathing was shallow, her body trembling as she lay there, blood staining her clothes. Her Sharingan, the red and black spiral of her eyes, was beginning to fade as her life force drained away.
"Ere'ana… Please, stay with me," Kikidori begged, his voice thick with emotion.
Ere'ana's lips trembled as she struggled to speak. "Kikidori…"
Her voice was barely a whisper, but Kikidori leaned in closer, his heart hammering in his chest.
"You… have to keep going," Ere'ana said weakly, her eyes filled with pain but also determination. "You have to… be stronger. Protect the village…"
Kikidori's chest tightened. "I won't let you die, Ere'ana. I won't!"
But Ere'ana smiled faintly, despite the agony. Her hand reached up, touching Kikidori's cheek with a delicate touch, as if to comfort him.
"Promise me you'll be… Hokage…" she whispered. "Protect… everyone… with all your power…"
Tears filled Kikidori's eyes. He didn't want to lose her—he couldn't. But Ere'ana was slipping away. Her hand fell limp, and her Sharingan—her eyes, her strength—faded from existence.
Ere'ana was gone.
Kikidori's breath hitched in his throat, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still. His world tilted on its axis as the loss sank in. He had failed to protect her. The person who had stood by him for years was gone, and all he could do was stare at her lifeless body.
But then, something extraordinary happened. Ere'ana's body seemed to shimmer for a moment, and Kikidori felt a sharp tug at his chakra.
Ere'ana's voice, soft and filled with finality, echoed in his mind. *"Take it... Kikidori..."*
Before Kikidori could even process what was happening, his hand shot out instinctively, and Ere'ana's Sharingan—her powerful, red-and-black, yin-yang-patterned eyes—transferred to him. The energy surged through him like a lightning bolt, and he gasped, feeling an overwhelming power surge through his veins.
The pain was excruciating, but at the same time, it was empowering. The eyes burned into his own, and for the briefest moment, he could see everything: the Furoako Clan's chakra threads, the movements of every shinobi in the area, even the faintest traces of hidden jutsu.
Kikidori's vision sharpened to a razor's edge, and the world around him seemed to slow.
Kikidori looked down at Ere'ana's body one last time, then, with a forceful breath, stood up. His Sharingan was now active—Ere'ana's gift to him, her legacy.
Across the battlefield, Kakashi—who had been locked in a fierce fight with another Furoako ninja—paused as he saw the transformation. His Sharingan flashed, his eyes narrowing in recognition. He knew exactly what had just happened.
"Just like Obito…" Kakashi whispered to himself, his mind flashing back to the day he had received Obito's Sharingan.
Kikidori's eyes flickered with a new, burning resolve. The pain in his chest was still there, the loss of Ere'ana still raw and cutting, but now he had her strength.
And with that strength, he was going to make sure her death was not in vain.
With a roar, Kikidori leaped back into the fray, his newly acquired Sharingan blazing in his eyes.
The Furoako Clan wouldn't know what hit them.
The end of Chapter 13