Chapter 144: Hiruko’s Sneak Attack On Uchiha Hikari!
Offering loyalty and Kibaku Nendo.
Every word seemed to be forcibly squeezed out from Bishamon’s throat, carrying the taste of blood foam.
Menma quietly watched Bishamon, and the corners of his mouth under the white three-eyed fox mask seemed to twitch upward extremely slightly, vanishing in an instant.
That invisible, suffocating killing intent receded quietly like the tide, as if it had never appeared.
“Very good.” Two flat words announced the end of this trade.
Bishamon collapsed powerlessly on the ground, gasping for breath, cold sweat completely soaking the bandages under the restraining clothes, clinging tightly to his cold skin.
Soon, Menma brought Bishamon back to Star Capital using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Inside a sturdy underground prison built of solid rock and heavily guarded.
The thick iron gate opened, emitting a dull friction sound.
Menma brought in the disheveled, still pale-faced Bishamon.
The prison interior was spacious but only had a simple stone bed and table and chairs, with dim lighting.
The air was filled with the earthy smell of rock and a faint, imperceptible energy fluctuation of sealing jutsu.
“Stay here for now.” Menma’s voice held no emotion, as if stating something trivial.
Bishamon kept his head low, but deep in his eyes flickered unwillingness and resentment, along with a faint, rekindled glimmer of luck.
Submission was merely a last resort…
Footsteps came from deep within the prison, and a slender figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
Uchiha Hikari walked up to the two.
She wore the signature deep blue high-collared clan robes of the Uchiha Clan, with the flame fan crest embroidered on her chest, her black hair smoothly draped over her shoulders, a few strands falling beside her fair cheeks.
Her features were delicate yet carried an almost transparent coldness, her pitch-black eyes like deep pools, calmly gazing at Bishamon without a ripple.
“Where’s Kakuzu?” Menma looked around, not seeing Kakuzu’s shadowy figure.
Normally, Anbu Captain Kakuzu was in charge of prison guarding.
Uchiha Hikari explained, “Kado is going to the Land of Water for a trip; something seems to have happened with the company there, so I sent Kakuzu to go with him.”
“Mm.” Menma nodded. Although he had implanted the “Blood Contract Curse Mark” in Kado, he still had no resistance against some powerful ninjas.
Whenever Kado went on business trips to inspect commercial companies in various countries, Kakuzu was responsible for the guard duties.
The two also had some private trades; Kado would hire Kakuzu to deal with some disobedient guys or competitors.
Kakuzu was happy to earn some extra money.
While the two conversed, Bishamon raised his head and saw Uchiha Hikari. He was momentarily stunned, then the glimmer of luck in his eyes instantly turned into a huge sense of absurdity and a trace of irrepressible contempt.
A… Uchiha ninja clan’s… little girl?
Even recognizing her as Uchiha Clan, he was somewhat surprised that a Konoha Uchiha clansman would appear in the Land of Stars, under Shura’s command.
But Bishamon still held some disdain.
The girl before him looked no older than fourteen or fifteen, so slender and even somewhat frail—her coming to guard him?
Was Shura overly confident, or simply looking down on him?
Bishamon, from the same era as the Sannin, had not witnessed Uchiha Madara’s power or the Uchiha Clan’s glorious peak.
His knowledge of the Uchiha Clan was limited to them being the number one ninja clan possessing the top bloodline limit, the Sharingan.
He quickly scanned the prison interior; there were guards at the door, but they didn’t seem very tight.
He couldn’t sense any powerful oppression from this girl in front of him—perhaps because the Uchiha Clan was all so arrogant?
Maybe… his chance had come…
As long as he subdued this girl and used her identity!
This thought grew wildly in his heart like poisonous vines.
The humiliation of being crushed by Shura, the resentment of being forced to submit—all turned into the drive to take a desperate gamble.
He needed an opportunity, needed to regain control of his own fate!
Bishamon squeezed out a humble smile on his face, slightly bending at the waist, and inconspicuously moved forward a small step, closer to Uchiha Hikari.
His gaze slithered over Uchiha Hikari like a venomous snake, searching for flaws and the moment to strike.
Menma seemed not to notice his little scheme at all, walking straight to Uchiha Hikari and handing over the ancient scroll recording the core of Kibaku Nendo.
“Keep this safe and hand it to the Medical Department later.” Menma’s voice remained flat: “The matter over there isn’t resolved yet; I need to head out again.”
“Okay.” Uchiha Hikari extended her fair hand and silently took the scroll.
Her movements were light, as if afraid of disturbing something, but her gaze never left Bishamon.
Just as Menma handed over the scroll, seemingly diverting his attention for that instant!
Ferocious light exploded in Bishamon’s eyes!
Now!
His hands hidden in his sleeves suddenly lifted, bandages shooting out as his body lunged toward the seemingly defenseless Uchiha Hikari like an arrow off the string!
Speed fast as a ghost, aiming straight for her throat!
He aimed to strike and subdue in one blow, taking a hostage!
However, the instant Bishamon made his move, Uchiha Hikari’s pair of always calm, deep pool-like pitch-black eyes suddenly changed!
As if the pitch-black night sky was torn by blood!
Three black tomoe spun madly, stretched, and deformed in the blood-red pupils!
Transforming into a pair of complex, eerie patterns—Mangekyo Sharingan!
These eyes were like a gaze from the abyss, instantly filling Bishamon’s entire field of vision and slamming deep into his soul!
All of Bishamon’s forward momentum, all his gathered chakra, all his ferocious thoughts, the moment they met these eyes, were thoroughly frozen by an indescribable, vast as a starry sea terror of eye power!
Time seemed to stagnate in that moment.
His mind fell into absolute blankness, his body frozen mid-lunge in the attacking pose, the ferocity on his face fixed into comical astonishment.
No earth-shattering roar, no dazzling ninjutsu glow.
Only silent crushing.
Uchiha Hikari stood quietly there, the patterns in her Mangekyo Sharingan slowly rotating.
She didn’t even make any extra movements, just watching Bishamon.
Bishamon’s rigid body still held the attacking pose, but his eyes began rolling back, drool flowing from his mouth, his body twitching unconsciously, his consciousness completely lost in the boundless Tsukuyomi world formed by the Mangekyo.
Whatever ambition, whatever scheming, were fragile and vulnerable before the Mangekyo Sharingan’s dojutsu.
Only then did Menma seem to have just finished handling a minor matter, turning to walk out of the prison.
His footsteps didn’t pause at all, as if everything happening behind him was only natural, leaving only a casual remark:
“Don’t kill him.”
The iron gate slowly closed, sealing off all sounds from within the prison.
