Kotoamatsukami!
In that instant, consciousness seemed to enter an entirely different world.
The wind suddenly stopped. The sand froze in mid-air, each grain visible in exquisite detail.
Kushina, surprised by Shisui's sudden move, had her expression frozen in that moment of astonishment.
Ye Zi and Shisui were also completely still, along with everything else: Every person, every object, even the air itself.
The silent, invisible mental energy of Kotoamatsukami flowed into Ye Zi's eyes.
A clash of wills began without warning.
In this moment of absolute stillness, Shisui's Mangekyō Sharingan emitted a faint red glow, deepening into a vivid crimson.
At the same time, Ye Zi's right eye also began to glow.
Maintain peace in the ninja world...
The mental energy that sought to forcibly alter Ye Zi's will was partially blocked by his right eye, but the remaining energy still managed to invade his mind.
Suddenly, the scene shifted and a mirror appeared before him, reflecting his own image.
"I am Ye Zi," the figure in the mirror said.
"My lifelong wish is for the ninja world to be at peace, free from the suffering of war, with the Five Great Nations living in harmony."
"This is my vow, my life's purpose. I am willing to sacrifice my life to achieve it."
"There is nothing, no one, more important than this. To fulfill this vow, I am willing to pay any price."
The reflection in the mirror looked solemn and resolute.
"I am you, and you are me."
"This is your life's vow!"
Ye Zi's eyes glimmered faintly as he murmured, "Yes, my vow is to bring peace to the ninja world, to end the suffering of war."
"For this, I am willing to give my life. My wish, my goal… is eternal peace!"
Ye Zi smiled warmly at the reflection, seeing himself smile back.
The person in the mirror was his reflection...
"No!"
Suddenly, Ye Zi's smile froze.
Did he just say that "No"?
No, the mouth of the reflection hadn't moved.
"No…!"
Was that my voice?
"My vow… is to go back… someone important is waiting for me there."
"Someone important… who?"
"Who…?"
Ye Zi's smile twisted into a grimace of anguish, as if something was tormenting his mind. A piercing, grinding noise echoed, as though something was clawing at him, relentlessly reminding him of something.
"There is someone… someone waiting for me!"
The twisted expression gradually softened, and his eyes began to glow faintly.
"That person… is my family!"
"That person… is my sister!"
Ye Zi enunciated each word slowly and deliberately, fixing his gaze on his smiling reflection in the mirror.
"Her name… is Rui!"
Ye Zi stared coldly at his reflection.
The smile on the mirror's version of Ye Zi remained bright as ever. "The peace of the ninja world is more important than anything or anyone!"
"More important than anyone!"
The voice grew louder, solemn and unwavering.
"This is my will. For this will, I can sacrifice my life. So why not a family member?"
"Peace for the ninja world outweighs any bond with family. The scales will always tip toward peace. This is undeniable!"
The smiling reflection spoke with conviction. "I am you, and you are me. My will is yours…"
Crack!
Ye Zi threw a punch at the mirror, shattering it into cracks and interrupting the reflection's words.
"More important than family?"
Ye Zi stared coldly at the fragmented reflection, his voice heavy. "If I can't protect my own family, how can I protect peace in the ninja world?"
"Besides… what does peace in the ninja world have to do with me?"
"Are you trying to deny the path I've walked so far?"
"Are you trying to erase all the desperate efforts I've made?"
"Are you questioning my will?"
The world around him suddenly began to crumble. The fractured reflection in the mirror wore an expression of deep astonishment.
At the very end, it asked in confusion, "Isn't the choice between the individual and the collective an obvious answer?"
"That's not my answer!"
Ye Zi cast one last glance at the mirror and the collapsing world.
"My answer is just as obvious, you fool."
Time, frozen until now, resumed its flow in an instant.
Ye Zi blinked, a faint sting emanating from his right eye. He raised his hand to gently press against it, then looked coldly at Uchiha Shisui.
"So this is your Mangekyō ability?"
Hearing this, Shisui's expression turned to one of utter shock.
"Impossible! You broke Kotoamatsukami?"
"Kotoamatsukami? An ability to forcibly alter someone's will?" A cold glint flashed in Ye Zi's eyes.
Shisui, unable to suppress his growing shock, stared at Ye Zi with a mix of astonishment and complexity. His voice trembled as he asked, "What is your will… to be so strong?"
"My will?" Ye Zi's gaze grew even colder.
A response to Shisui came in the form of a black blade hurtling toward him like a flash of lightning.
Shisui's expression changed, and the small tanto in his hand ignited with a layer of flames as he quickly moved to block Ye Zi's attack.
Clang!
Shisui frowned as the powerful force from the black blade transmitted through his sword and into his arm.
"What incredible strength."
He made a swift decision to activate his Susanoo.
However, Ye Zi's assault moved faster than his thoughts.
The black lightning coiling around the blade transformed into arrows and shot straight toward Shisui's eyes.
Shisui's eyes widened, but at that moment, a golden chain wrapped around his waist, pulling him back and out of harm's way.
It was Kushina who had saved Shisui, yanking him back and tossing him to safety.
In her mind, Shisui was no match for Ye Zi, and his actions were reckless.
Still, she had taken note of their earlier exchange, though now wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Kushina immediately created over a dozen shadow clones and sent them charging toward Ye Zi.
"You got too close trying to save him."
Ye Zi, frustrated at having missed the opportunity to destroy Shisui's eyes, turned his cold gaze on Kushina, who was now within striking range.
Black lightning surged around him, his anger still lingering from the attempt to forcibly alter his will. The ground beneath him cracked from the energy.
Whoosh!
Like a streak of black lightning, Ye Zi's figure zipped past the shadow clones.
Poof! Poof!
In movements too fast to follow with the naked eye, he destroyed over a dozen shadow clones in an instant and then closed in on Kushina.
The black blade aimed for Kushina's limbs, intending to disable her.
At that moment, a shadowy figure suddenly appeared, pushing Kushina to the side. Ye Zi's blade slashed through the shadow instead.
Kushina froze in shock. She saw Obito push her out of harm's way and take Ye Zi's attack instead.
"Obito!" Kushina cried out in anguish.
But Ye Zi frowned, immediately withdrawing his blade and retreating several cautious steps. He had noticed Obito's eyes.
Furthermore, his blade hadn't struck anything tangible, he was sure of it.
"Kushina-sensei, I'm fine! Don't shout like I'm already dead."
Obito grinned at her, and Kushina blinked in surprise.
Without wasting a moment, Obito moved in front of her, grabbed her, and vanished from the spot.
"Mangekyō?"
"Obito's eyes?"
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Currently on Chapter 481 - Death and Grief