"You are?"
Uchiha Hikaru stared at the slovenly-looking man in front of him, not recognizing him at first glance.
After all, this guy was just some third-rate villain from an old movie—hardly worth his attention.
Mukade's hazy, semi-transparent figure slowly emerged from the depths of the dragon vein and floated up toward the altar.
"Oh, I beg your pardon," Mukade said politely. "I am Mukade, once a minister of the ancient Kingdom of Rōran."
"Many years ago, a group of rogue ninja from Konoha attempted to seize control of the dragon vein."
"To stop them, I asked our queen—Sarah—to seal me within the dragon vein, ensuring its chakra wouldn't fall into their hands."
Hikaru's brow furrowed as memories stirred.
Wait a second… wasn't this the centipede bastard who tried to take over the world?
His inner evaluation: a delusional idiot making up fairy tales.
But outwardly, Hikaru frowned as if considering something seriously.
"Rebel ninja from Konoha? That's... an unforgivable crime," he said coldly.
Mukade's heart nearly leapt out of his chest in excitement.
He'd heard long ago that the Uchiha Clan had once been at odds with Konoha. Clearly, the man in front of him bore a deep grudge. That could be exploited.
"Exactly, my friend," Mukade said, leaning in conspiratorially. "I've long since died. This projection of mine exists solely to make one final request of you."
"Join me. Use the remaining space-time chakra of the dragon vein to travel back into the past."
"Help me rewrite the fate of Rōran."
"If you agree… all the remaining dragon vein chakra will be yours."
"And my soul will finally be free from this prison."
Hikaru stifled a laugh and continued to listen as Mukade rambled on like some grand actor in a cheap stage play.
The guy was surprisingly convincing. He almost deserved an award.
Still playing along, Hikaru nodded solemnly, acting like the selfless, benevolent Uchiha he most definitely was not.
At that moment, Mukade felt like he had complete control of the situation.
There was only one-fifth of the dragon vein chakra left. Not enough to seize power or return to the past alone.
But if he could get Uchiha Hikaru to help him channel it, maybe, just maybe...
He hadn't even decided how to broach the request when—
"I'm in," Hikaru said calmly.
"Minister Mukade, I've already absorbed most of the dragon vein's power."
"If we're going to use it to return to the past, you'll need help. I'll lend you my chakra."
Without hesitation, Hikaru's body surged with a powerful current of chakra.
Mukade laughed maniacally, throwing his head back as if already victorious.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Truly, you are a hero of justice, Uchiha Hikaru!"
"On behalf of all the people of ancient Rōran, I thank you!"
With that, Mukade's spectral form dissolved into multicolored light and plunged back into the dragon vein. Merging with the torrent of chakra Hikaru had released, it burst skyward like a beam piercing the heavens.
⚡💥
A massive purple pillar of light erupted from the ground.
In the Hokage's office in Konoha, Shizune turned toward the window, wide-eyed.
"Lady Tsunade, look!"
Tsunade narrowed her eyes at the distant light.
"That direction…"
"…Hikaru, is that you?"
In Sunagakure's Kazekage Building, Rasa immediately summoned the ANBU hiding in the shadows.
"Move out. Something massive has appeared."
"It could be a relic of the Sage of Six Paths—or at the very least, a vast chakra reserve."
In Kumogakure, the Raikage shattered his fourteenth desk of the month with a single punch.
Mabui sighed, not even surprised anymore.
"Lord Raikage, that's the 14th table…"
"Mabui, this is no time for furniture!" A barked. "Summon all Jonin and ANBU immediately!"
"We head for the Land of Wind. That light must signal the appearance of the Six Paths' Noble Phantasms!"
"Maybe even the ones stolen by Kinkaku and Ginkaku!"
"We're taking them back!"
In Iwagakure, Ōnoki flew out the window of his office, staring down the purple aurora to the south with greed blazing in his eyes.
"Konoha and Kirigakure won't act for now…"
"Kumo and Suna are the only competition."
"Tch. Iwagakure will claim it!"
"Yellow, assemble the shinobi forces. Prepare for war!"
"This Noble Phantasm will belong to us!"
Elsewhere, within the Akatsuki hideout, Nagato gazed coldly at the light piercing the sky.
"That chakra… overwhelming…"
"Even a god like me would struggle to contain it."
"This power must belong to someone divine."
"Obito, begin preparations. We're heading to the Land of Wind."
—
Meanwhile, Uchiha Hikaru was completely unaware of the chaos he had just unleashed across the shinobi world.
Within the blinding pillar of chakra, Mukade carefully controlled the time-space energy, calculating.
If I send this Uchiha to the moment the Konoha brat first appeared, he might help me change everything…
As for me—I'll go even further back, and build my strength in secret.
This time, you damn yellow-haired kid… you'll die without even a grave!
But what Mukade didn't realize… was that every single move of his had been seen through by Hikaru from the start.
He thought he was manipulating the Uchiha?
How laughable.
Because Hikaru had an idea… a truly insane one.
The current dragon vein has been mostly drained by me. But if I go back in time, when it was still full…
Could I absorb that version too?
Would I end up with two sources of dragon vein chakra?
(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Sword was still only half-recovered. Her full power as a weapon spirit hadn't yet returned. The Mangekyō Sharingan was saturated, yes, but still far from full evolution.
He could feel the eyes evolving, but they hadn't yet crossed the final threshold.
Would they become the Rinnegan? Something else?
He didn't know.
But that wouldn't stop him.
Back when he was still a chakra cultivator, this was his style—no restrictions, no fear.
And sure, maybe he'd slept with too many priestesses and gotten hunted down by half the world's elite shinobi clans. But that was ancient history.
In his first life, he'd thought he could solo the world after passing his final trial.
Too bad one of those "holy maidens" turned out to be a complete yandere who licked a soul seal onto his foot during their first night together 💀
She'd tried to die with him, just to keep him for herself.
Good thing he got reincarnated.
In this life… no more random flings (probably).
Just as he was recalling those insane first-life memories—
—everything shifted.
The scene around him warped.
A dim light flickered.
In front of him…
…a blond-haired boy lay unconscious.
… …
-------
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Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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