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"Megumi?"
Sawara Kiri spoke in as calm a tone as possible, gazing at the two streams of blood tears slowly trailing down the girl's pale cheeks.
However, his voice seemed to be an invisible switch, causing the girl, who had been standing still, to suddenly move, stepping towards him.
Sawara Kiri watched the girl gradually approach him.
Each step, usually so light as to be almost inaudible, now felt like a heavy drumbeat striking his soul, causing even his heartbeat to resonate with it.
"Thump-thump, thump-thump, thump-thump…"
The noticeably abnormal heartbeat made him swallow uncontrollably.
At the same time, the panel, which usually had no presence, was rapidly scrolling with a waterfall-like stream of data.
"Bond Path: Uchiha Megumi"
"Final Bond Path 4: Destruction of Humanity"
"Final Bond Path 5: Fall of the Heavens"
"Final Bond Path 6: Bloody Rondo"
"Final Bond Path 7: The Dismemberer"
"Final Bond Path 8: …"
"You're going to die! Save yourself quickly!"
The outcomes representing each destiny path caused his pupils to involuntarily dilate a few times.
The System was still trying to assist.
Whether Sawara Kiri heard her words was another matter entirely.
Although he already knew that even a slight misstep in Megumi's path could lead to incredibly bizarre outcomes, he never anticipated it would reach this extent.
This was before anything serious had even happened!
If his philandering ways were discovered in the future, wouldn't he be hunted to the ends of the earth?
At this moment, Sawara Kiri suddenly regretted provoking women from the Uchiha Clan—not to mention, he had provoked two at once, and the other one was also crazy.
In the brief moment of his hesitation, Uchiha Megumi had already walked up to him.
The distance between them was so close that he could even feel the subtle touch of her breath on his skin. Even Sawara Kiri could clearly see the irritable gloom that Megumi was suppressing deep in her heart, like an abyss that could break free at any moment. The six-pronged Mangekyo in her eyes had not faded for even a second.
Sawara Kiri forced a smile, about to say something, but before he could, Megumi's hand already touched his cheek.
"It's okay, Kiri."
"It's okay."
"It's okay."
The girl's trembling voice sounded, but she seemed unaware of it herself.
Her hands, stroking Sawara Kiri's face, were forcefully rubbing his lips, her thumb pressing so deeply it felt like it wanted to pierce into his mouth, stroking over and over again. The words she spoke were unclear whether they were meant to comfort Sawara Kiri or herself, whose heart was cracking into countless fissures.
Her Kiri was no longer clean.
Uchiha Megumi just kept repeating this, her voice so soft it was almost frightening.
"That dirty thing, I'll help you wipe it off."
"Even if she escapes to the ends of the earth, I will chop off her head."
"As long as it's clean, Kiri will still be mine."
"Don't worry, I…"
At this moment, Sawara Kiri clearly realized that if he didn't do something, Miss Megumi's Mangekyo after-effects would only worsen, eventually becoming a deep-seated shadow in her heart and the root power sustaining her Mangekyo.
He took a deep breath, immediately pressing the girl's shoulders and pushing her back slightly.
Just this small movement caused Uchiha Megumi to suddenly freeze, her eyes widening as her six-pronged Mangekyo pupils rapidly contracted.
Sawara Kiri turned his head and shouted loudly to the Anbu members on the other side:
"The Anbu will be led by Lord Orochimaru to clear the nearby traces."
"Jonin Megumi will be taken by me for now. Today's events must adhere to the confidentiality principle and not be leaked in the slightest."
"Do you hear me?"
Only then did the Anbu members, who had been spectating from a distance—they could only spectate during a battle of that level—suddenly react, responding in unison:
"Yes!"
Seeing their reaction, Sawara Kiri exchanged a glance with Orochimaru in the distance. After receiving his affirmative response, he pulled Uchiha Megumi and walked to the other side.
As her wrist was forcefully pulled by Sawara Kiri, Uchiha Megumi, who had been somewhat flustered, seemed to calm down a bit under this warm force, following him step by step into the distance.
However, the scene just now seemed to be branded onto her soul, impossible to forget.
Faintly, a subtle black mist could even be seen swirling around the girl, lingering.
A visible sense of despondency set in.
At the same time, a strong sense of self-reproach also arose.
—The reason this happened is because I didn't have the power to protect Kiri.
If that damned woman had been burned to ashes before he arrived, that wouldn't have happened.
Damn her!
Just the thought caused a look of ferocity to flash across the girl's beautiful face.
The Uchiha are a clan of love.
However, when this deep-seated love is trampled upon, it can instantly transform into a terrifying, pathological, and unimaginably extreme hatred.
If Uchiha Hikari were to appear before her again now, Megumi would probably try to kill her even if it cost her her life.
Sawara Kiri, who could see the 'future,' was most aware of this.
At least in the dozen or so future paths that emerged just now, Megumi had already died with Hikari no less than ten times.
He thought for a moment, then suddenly spoke:
"Actually, she didn't touch me just now."
This short sentence, however, was like suddenly adding fuel to the girl's fading mental torch.
Uchiha Megumi, who had seemed to hear nothing since earlier, suddenly raised her head in astonishment the moment certain keywords left his mouth, looking at him.
Sawara Kiri pointed to his body and the action of holding her wrist, saying gently:
"See? Limitless has been active all this time, hasn't it?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the skin between the two, which had been pressed together, was suddenly 'isolated' by an invisible space, creating a thin, almost imperceptible distance.
"Having fought side by side for so long, Megumi, you should know best how much I value my life, right?"
"If you weren't by my side, this basic defense would always be active."
"Only you."
"Or rather, only when I'm with you can I let down all my guard."
"What if someone else, what if she poisoned me through my lips?"
Sawara Kiri's voice was light and seemed to carry no weight.
However, his words were like a strong stimulant for Uchiha Megumi at this moment, making her gradually fading will suddenly revive.
After all, having one's boyfriend openly stolen is something no normal person can accept.
Not to mention someone as extreme as her, who could activate her Mangekyo with just a few words.
The girl slowly raised her head, gazing at the face of the person she cherished most under the moonlight, her slightly pale lips subtly moving, as if wanting to say something, but unable to speak.
Not being touched was one thing, but even a near miss was unbearable.
Clearly, if Megumi could be convinced by just a few words, Sawara Kiri wouldn't have to face the various dangers in the "Final Bond Paths."
"But…"
Uchiha Megumi, her wrist held by him, involuntarily tried to pull away slightly, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
"Kiri, when exactly did you get involved with that Konoha expletive?
"Why didn't I hear anything about it?"
Sawara Kiri also flinched at her words.
How would I know when I got involved with her?!
He wanted to ask someone else.
He hadn't seen her recently, had he?
However, who was Uchiha Megumi?
She was someone who, since the age of nine, had self-taught various Ninja tracking techniques, and after years of honing, had become a master of tracking and covert photography.
Only recently, after establishing a relatively stable romantic relationship with Kiri, had she reluctantly put aside these impressive skills, but she still constantly clashed with the highly threatening Tsunade and Sawara Yuki.
With her intense curiosity about Sawara Kiri, even the slightest uncertain news would feel like the sky was falling for her.
How could she tolerate this?
Moreover, as early as Kiri's first meeting with that Konoha expletive, he had shown an unusual interest in that dirty person, even kissing her on the face—in all the years Uchiha Megumi had known Kiri, it was the first time she had seen a woman who could make him show such interest.
This phenomenon gave the girl an indescribably strong sense of crisis.
Because of this, after returning to her Clan, she continuously honed her various skills, achieving rapid improvement recently. Even without the Limitless and Crimson Blade given by Kiri, she could still steadily reach the level of a Jonin strong enough to be considered a Jonin.
But now, this situation had arisen again.
Uchiha Megumi was extremely uneasy.
The girl stood rooted to the spot, raising her head to look directly at Kiri's face.
The chilling Mangekyo slowly accelerated its rotation in the center of her pupils.
But her hand still tightly held onto him.
Sawara Kiri knew that if he didn't have a sufficiently weighty reason today, he probably wouldn't be able to leave.
The dark clouds dispersed, and the moon in the center of the sky was clear as water, illuminating the quiet streets.
The two stood facing each other under the moonlight.
Sawara Kiri took a deep breath, looking directly into the girl's eyes, and said solemnly:
"Megumi."
"There's only one person I like."
Uchiha Megumi's eyes seemed to move, but she was still not satisfied:
"What about Uchiha Hikari?"
"Not familiar with her."
Upon hearing this with her own ears, the Yin Chakra vaguely swirling around Megumi finally dissipated somewhat. However, the feeling of humiliation, as if a cherished possession had been violated, still hadn't completely subsided.
"What about Tsunade?"
"A respected teacher."
"And Yuki?"
"A cute younger sister."
Megumi's steps, which had been halted, moved forward, shortening the distance between her and Sawara Kiri to a mere finger's width.
The girl's fair cheeks lifted slightly, their eyes met, and the originally chilling crimson gaze seemed to soften a bit in these light words, yet she still looked at him, as if craving something.
Sawara Kiri wrapped his arms around the girl's slender waist and lowered his head.
Their lips met.
It was unknown how long passed until they finally separated, only when the air in their lungs felt as if it was about to be completely drained.
However, the closer she got to him like this, the unspeakable intense desire of Uchiha Megumi seemed to stir like the deepest shadow within her heart, impossible to ever fill.
The girl's fair knuckles clutched at the lapel of his clothes, unwilling to let go no matter what.
There seemed to be only one way to fill this deepest void in her heart.
Uchiha Megumi looked up at him, her slender arms wrapped around his back, as if wanting to knead everything of him into the deepest part of her heart.
"Kiri."
"I'm here."
"...Hold me."
"Okay."
To resolve the unforeseen world-ending crisis in the future.
The valiant Mr. Sawara Kiri resolutely embarked on the path of sacrificing himself to serve the demon.
Just as Sawara Kiri began his 'exhausting battle with the Hime,' the three elders of the Substitute Hokage Council were also dragged out of their sweet beds and rushed to the Hokage Office, the highest authority in Konoha.
"I say, what is it again?"
"I haven't even finished my manuscript yet!"
Jiraiya had two dark circles under his eyes, and the smell of smoke still clung to him, looking like he was on the verge of dying from overwork.
His editor and readers were already pressing him; he hadn't even finished half of the fourth volume of his Icha Icha Paradise!
Recently, to squeeze out time for writing, he had already paid Tsunade a large sum of money to cover for him. So why was he being dragged over again?
Clearly, Jiraiya had no intention of becoming Hokage—writing was much more enjoyable!
He wasn't the only one; even Tsunade, who had just been dragged out of bed by Yuki, looked incredibly sleepy. She had finally managed to have a pure dream only to have it disturbed. She wondered who was so immoral.
The battle between Hikari and Megumi, aside from that one clash of Ninjutsu, was remarkably quiet at other times.
If it weren't for the intense Chakra fluctuations unleashed by Susanoo, even Sawara Kiri wouldn't have caught the subtle movements outside the Village. Most of the Village, apart from a portion of Ninja who were urgently mobilized, were still asleep—this was also due to Anbu's limited understanding of Uchiha Hikari and their underestimation of her danger.
Orochimaru, however, looked calm and said solemnly:
"Just now, Konoha was attacked."
"The shinju seed was almost stolen."
Just two sentences made the two drowsy individuals instantly wide awake, as if a basin of cold water had been poured over their heads.
"What's the situation?!"
Jiraiya's voice was rapid, his expression serious.
This was a divine object that could be connected to the future. To protect it, even the Sealing Squad, who had been busy with the outer barrier recently, had been temporarily transferred by him, showing how much Jiraiya valued this item.
Currently, Sawara Kiri was the stabilizing force of Konoha, and even the entire Ninja World. Given his personality, he would never allow the shinju seed to suffer the slightest mishap.
Even Tsunade couldn't help but be stunned, then instinctively began to scan her surroundings. After looking around and not seeing Sawara Kiri, she asked in confusion:
"Where did Kiri go?"
"Did he go after the enemy?"
"No."
Orochimaru's tone softened a bit, seemingly with some helplessness: "The enemy has escaped through a Reverse Summoning Jutsu. We are currently dispatching Anbu to track them outside the Village, but it's highly likely they won't be found."
"Additionally, this attack also seems to have some connection to Kiri."
"Huh?!" x2
Tsunade and Jiraiya's attention was suddenly drawn.
"The opponent was an Uchiha girl who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, approximately seventeen or eighteen years old. Her characteristics are very obvious; she can use a third-stage or higher Susanoo."
"Her strength is very formidable."
Orochimaru briefly described the opponent's strength, then said: "At the same time, she seems to be Sawara Kiri's… lover, an old acquaintance?"
"In short, their relationship is very close."
A nearby Anbu Ninja, listening to Lord Orochimaru's words, couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration for Lord Orochimaru's way of speaking.
They were practically glued together while fighting, so how could they not be close?
Tsunade frowned, her spirits lifting slightly.
What did he mean?
Besides Uchiha Megumi, Sawara Kiri had also hooked up with another Uchiha woman?
How could this brat be so bold?
Jiraiya clearly also tasted the subtle meaning in Orochimaru's reserved words and couldn't help but ask in confusion:
"A crime of passion?"
It was pretty close, actually.
Orochimaru thought so in his heart, but then changed his words, vaguely saying: "You can't really say that. Kiri was quite decisive when he acted, so their relationship probably wasn't that close… However, Jonin Megumi's opinion of her was relatively negative, even to the point of activating her Mangekyo Sharingan during the battle."
If she could activate her Mangekyo, was that just 'relatively negative opinion'?
Tsunade and Jiraiya both instinctively curled their lips as they listened to his words.
The next moment, Tsunade suddenly reacted, taking a sharp intake of breath:
"Wait a minute?!"
"Mangekyo Sharingan? And two appeared at once?!"
"When did such little monsters appear in the Uchiha Clan?"
"Why didn't we hear anything about it before?"
One must know that the last time there was a large-scale appearance of the Mangekyo Sharingan was before the establishment of the Village, during the most intense period of conflict between the Senju and Uchiha Clan. In fact, the probability of these eyes appearing even led to the emergence of an absurdly strong monster like Uchiha Madara.
Although they were unaware of the secrets of the Eternal Mangekyo, they understood the principle that the more Mangekyo Sharingan appeared, the higher the probability of a leader-level monster emerging.
How could a 'Senju arch-enemy' like Tsunade not be terrified by this?
"I'm not very clear either."
Orochimaru's tone was somewhat heavy: "Before you arrived, I already asked Clan Head Motochika, and there is indeed no one named 'Uchiha Hikari' in the Uchiha Clan right now."
"We don't know where she came from."
"For now, our understanding of her can only come from Kiri-kun and Megumi-kun."
"The only things we can do are necessary precautions and hunting down intelligence sources related to the 'shinju seed'."
"To prevent these important pieces of information from continuing to leak."
He said, then paused, looking directly at his two colleagues in front of him: "Also, have either of you spoken to anyone about information related to the 'shinju seed' recently?"
His golden snake eyes stared coldly at the two opposite him.
Counting throughout Konoha, only they and a few others who had participated in the previous mission knew about the information related to the shinju seed.
"No."
"Me neither."
As high-ranking Konoha officials, they naturally knew the gravity of the situation.
"Is that so?"
Orochimaru sighed deeply.
Thus, the biggest source of information leakage could now be pinpointed to Sawara Kiri.
After all, she was his mistress.
Tsunade, however, still frowned, probably having thought of the same thing, and so she repeated her earlier question:
"So, where exactly did Sawara Kiri go?"
"..."
Hearing this, Orochimaru couldn't help but recall Sawara Kiri's disheveled appearance when he left, holding Jonin Megumi's hand, and a rare smile appeared on his face.
"Who knows?"
join p atreon.com/KeyofStars and become a Sequence 9: Reader for advance chapters | Every 100 powerstones = 1 extra chapter | Report issues @discord.com/GVBdncd9Wr