Uchiha orphan, so what if I'm ruthless?

Hagoromo Otsutsuki's expression changed. Looking down, he saw a pattern formed by black lines on his chest. It looked like an eye staring right back at him, the mark appearing exceptionally clear.

He pressed one hand against his chest, his palm covering the mark as a faint light emanated from his hand.

It was unclear what method he was using, but his intention was obvious—he was trying to erase the mark with his own power.

At their level of power, even the smallest tricks could sometimes lead to terrifying consequences. Because of this, Hagoromo Otsutsuki didn't underestimate Uchiha Taiga in the slightest.

Soon, he pulled his hand away, but the mark remained. It was just as clear and intact as before, impossible to wipe away or erase.

Hagoromo Otsutsuki stared at the mark, his expression growing even uglier.

He looked up at Uchiha Taiga.

Uchiha Taiga was smiling, the corners of his mouth turned up. He seemed to be in a great mood, looking as smug as a child who had just pulled off a successful prank.

"What is this?"

Hagoromo Otsutsuki's voice was tight, carrying an uncontrollable tension.

Uchiha Taiga looked at him, his smile unchanged.

"Although I don't know what method you used to escape the lockdown of this barrier, since you said we'd meet again, I decided to leave a mark on you for our next encounter."

Hagoromo Otsutsuki's expression was complex. Perhaps there was anger, but he didn't lash out. He simply stood there, staring at Taiga for a few seconds.

Uchiha Taiga even took two steps back on his own accord, watching Hagoromo Otsutsuki with a beaming smile. His body was relaxed, his posture casual, like a spectator waiting for an actor to walk off the stage.

Ultimately, Hagoromo Otsutsuki said nothing.

Then, his body began to fade, shifting from solid to translucent, and finally from transparent into nothingness.

Like a drop of water evaporating in the air, he left no trace behind.

He was gone.

The laboratory fell silent.

Uchiha Taiga's smile faded, and he furrowed his brow slightly as if pondering something. Then, he turned his head to look at the Reaper.

The Reaper was still floating there, hovering half a meter above the ground. Its white robes draped down like a statue.

Its mouth was still wide open, its tongue stretched out, and its hand still gripped the prayer beads. Its eyes were hollow, resembling a machine that had been switched off.

Nagato walked in from outside. His gaze swept across the room, spotting Uchiha Taiga but no one else.

The moment Hagoromo Otsutsuki disappeared, Nagato had sensed it. Because of this, he immediately deactivated the external barrier and walked in.

He frowned slightly.

"Where is Hagoromo Otsutsuki?"

Uchiha Taiga shook his head, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"He got away."

Nagato was surprised, seemingly not expecting this outcome.

"There's actually someone in the ninja world who can escape from your hands?"

Uchiha Taiga looked at him and chuckled.

"Don't look at me like that. That guy is no ordinary person. An old monster who has existed for over a thousand years—how could he not have some special tricks up his sleeve?"

He paused, his gaze growing distant.

"What appeared just now likely wasn't even his true body. It was probably just a fraction of Hagoromo Otsutsuki's power."

Hearing this, Nagato's expression turned grim.

He stood there in silence for a moment before speaking. "So, Hagoromo Otsutsuki is our enemy?"

Uchiha Taiga nodded, the curve of his lips unchanging.

"From the looks of it, there's no mistaking it."

His voice was calm.

"He created the ninja world. Even if he doesn't truly manage it, I imagine he wouldn't want to see the entire ninja world slip out of his control."

His tone was full of certainty.

Nagato nodded and asked no further questions.

"Understood."

His gaze shifted from Taiga to the direction where the Reaper was located.

That direction was a corner of the laboratory, close to the wall and not far from the operating table. He stared in that direction, his brows furrowed and his eyes narrowed, watching for a moment.

"Is there something over there?"

His voice carried an obvious sense of confusion.

He couldn't see the Reaper. His Byakugan could see chakra, cells, and the microscopic world, but it simply couldn't see the Reaper.

In his field of vision, there was only air in that direction, yet he could distinctly feel a unique cluster of chakra there.

Moreover, that cluster of chakra gave him a very strange feeling—it was full of a deathly stillness.

It was common knowledge that chakra represented a person's life characteristics. Some people's chakra was like fire, others like flowing water, and some brimmed with vitality. However, this was the first time he had ever felt such a dead, silent chakra. It was incredibly bizarre.

Uchiha Taiga wasn't surprised by his question.

"It's the Reaper."

His voice was casual.

"Summoned by Hagoromo Otsutsuki to deal with me, but it's already under my control now."

Nagato was taken aback, his eyebrows twitching.

"What do you mean?"

Uchiha Taiga didn't waste words. He reached out, bringing his index and middle fingers together, and pointed them at Nagato's glabella.

His fingertips lightly touched Nagato's forehead. He didn't use any force; it was just a gentle tap.

A wisp of chakra transferred from his fingertips, seeping through Nagato's skin, entering his body, and surging into his eyes.

Nagato's body trembled slightly. He subconsciously closed his eyes, feeling a faint stinging sensation, before opening them again.

The next moment, his pupils shrank. In his line of sight, he truly saw the Reaper.

It was an entity shrouded in a white robe, resembling an evil spirit, giving off a highly ominous feeling. Even someone of Nagato's caliber felt an illusion that his lifespan was nearing its end and that he would be dragged into Yomotsukuni upon seeing the Reaper.

With his current abilities, there were very few things in the entire ninja world that could pose a threat to him. Yet, this Reaper standing before him gave him a very bad feeling. This was a first for him.

"How about it? This thing is pretty scary, right?"

Nagato subconsciously nodded before looking at Uchiha Taiga. "I can feel that this thing is very dangerous."

Uchiha Taiga, however, just smiled faintly and jutted his chin toward the Reaper.

"Don't be nervous. Come, let me show you something impressive."

Saying that, he stepped forward, arriving in front of the Reaper.

The Reaper was still floating there, completely motionless.

Uchiha Taiga raised his hand, forming a knifehand with his five fingers pressed together. He then thrust his hand straight into the Reaper's stomach. It was like plunging his hand into water—there was no sound and no resistance.

His hand passed through the Reaper's white robe, pierced its skin, and went through its muscles. With a single swipe, he sliced open a gash on the Reaper's stomach.

Nagato's eyelids twitched as he watched.

Only at the moment he truly saw the Reaper did he understand the fundamental nature of its existence. It was a rule, death itself—something untouchable and unalterable.

Yet, Uchiha Taiga was touching it, even manipulating it.

He watched as Uchiha Taiga reached his hand deep into the Reaper's abdomen, rummaging around as if searching for something in a bag.

Uchiha Taiga raised an eyebrow, revealing a smile.

"Found it."

He pulled his hand out of the Reaper's stomach. In his palm rested a cluster of something—a cluster of light, a cluster of chakra.

The light was silver-white, shimmering faintly, looking like a tiny star under the laboratory lights. It pulsed slightly in Uchiha Taiga's palm, beating like a heart.

He turned his head to look at Nagato, his tone urgent.

"Quick, get a White Zetsu clone."

His voice was loud, carrying an uncontrollable excitement.

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