Antares looked Umihiko dead in the eye. The fire energy in his mouth began to gather, glowing brighter as it slowly concentrated—he was clearly preparing to unleash the Breath of Destruction again.
Umihiko saw every movement, every flicker of energy forming within Antares. How can I just stand here and take that head-on when I know I'm no match for it? That same attack had almost instantly turned half the body of one of his sharks into ash. If he took it directly, he would be burned to nothing—without even a chance to defend himself.
Without hesitation, he pulled his hand away from the water prison he had created and broke into a sprint. The air around him trembled from Antares's rising power. After fighting for so long, Umihiko had come to one terrifying conclusion—no matter what he did, he couldn't win. Everything in his arsenal, every technique he had, had already failed. Antares had overpowered him in every possible way.
There was no chance to fight and live. So, without another thought, Umihiko ran.
As Umihiko released his control over the elliptical, sphere-shaped water prison, the structure began to collapse with a low, rumbling groan. The blood-tinged water spilled outward, flooding the courtyard like a crimson tide. Waves surged across the stone floor, crashing into the surrounding walls, and even the lower parts of the mansion began to crumble under the sudden force. Wood split, tiles shattered, and the air filled with the heavy scent of wet ash and blood.
But Antares didn't flinch. Not even once. His blazing eyes never left Umihiko. His focus was absolute—unyielding.
The fire in his mouth had reached its peak, glowing like molten metal. Then, with a deafening roar, Antares released it. A massive beam of flame burst forth, tearing through everything in its path—stone, water, air—all reduced to cinders in an instant. The Breath of Destruction had one target, and that was Umihiko.
Umihiko saw the beam hurtling toward him, the sheer heat of it already prickling his skin. He lunged to the side, trying to dodge, but Antares was a sensory ninja—he could follow Umihiko's every movement, even through the haze of smoke and chaos. No matter where Umihiko tried to run, the beam curved after him like a hunting serpent of fire.
Then it grazed him. Just the edge of the inferno touched his right hand—and that was enough.
A sharp, searing pain exploded through his arm. His right hand burned almost instantly, flesh blackening and curling as smoke rose from it. The sound of sizzling meat filled the air, and Umihiko's breath caught in his throat. The acrid stench of burning skin was unbearable.
Damn it... even a touch, and it's this powerful?
Although Umihiko was in excruciating pain, he didn't dare slow down—not even for a heartbeat. Every nerve in his body screamed, yet he forced his legs to keep moving, splashing through the blood-soaked water as he fled.
Behind him, Antares finally ceased his Breath of Destruction. Umihiko had crossed beyond the boundaries of Lord Harunobu's mansion and entered the civilian sector. Antares didn't want innocents to suffer as collateral damage from his flames, so he let the fire die down, smoke curling from his lips as he exhaled.
Then, with a sharp sound like tearing wind, a pair of vast draconic wings unfurled from his back. The wet ground beneath him steamed as he leapt into the air, soaring upward with a single powerful beat. Water splashed outward from where he had stood only moments ago.
Hovering for an instant, Antares fixed his gaze on Umihiko's retreating figure. Then, with a burst of speed, he shot forward—cutting through the air toward his fleeing prey.
Umihiko glanced over his shoulder as he ran, the pounding of his heart loud in his ears. For a few fleeting moments after escaping the mansion's vicinity, he allowed himself a breath of relief. Maybe he's not chasing me...
But deep down, he knew better. It was only a matter of time before Antares came after him again—and when that happened, he would be caught for sure.
So he didn't stop. Not even for a second. His breath came ragged and sharp as he pushed his body to its limit. And then, in the corner of his eye, he saw it—Antares, wings spread wide, cutting through the sky and closing in fast.
(Ai generated image in the comments area.)
He was completely stunned.
While running, Umihiko couldn't help but mutter under his breath, "So it's true… the rumors about Antares transforming into a beast weren't lies. They were the absolute truth."
He remembered when Antares had fought Hanzo—back then, news of the Uzumaki siblings had spread like wildfire across the ninja villages. Every nation learned just how terrifyingly powerful each of them was. But when people spoke of Antares, saying he could "take the form of a beast," Umihiko had assumed it was an exaggeration, a dramatic way of describing his strength—not a literal transformation.
But now he had seen it with his own eyes.
In the battle earlier, Antares had changed—his skin turned to scales, his body hardened like armor, and now he could fly, great leathery wings spread wide like those of a bat. The sight of it sent a chill down Umihiko's spine. What kind of monster is he?
Antares was closing in fast, the air rippling around him as he cut through it with terrifying speed. Umihiko felt his pulse spike, his anxiety clawing at him as he poured every ounce of strength into running. He tried everything—changing direction, using water as cover, even performing the Body Flicker Technique. In an instant, he blurred ahead, skipping across a large distance—
—but Antares matched it, his speed surging as if mocking the effort.
The gap between them narrowed rapidly until only a few feet remained. The sound of Antares's wings beating the air grew deafening behind him.
Umihiko's breath hitched. He knew it now—there was no escaping. Not from Antares. No matter what I do… he's going to catch me.
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