The underground ruins trembled violently.
ROOOOOAAARRRR!!
A deafening howl echoed through the entire area.
The sealed chamber exploded.
Stone walls shattered.
The roof collapsed.
Within seconds…
The entire warehouse crumbled into ruins.
Far away…
People stopped walking.
“What was that sound?” “It came from the old warehouse!” “Did something explode?” Fear spread across the city.
But no one could see what had caused it.
The magical barrier still surrounded the area.
Everything inside remained hidden from the human world.
— A blinding white light filled the ruins.
Slowly…
A gigantic white wolf stepped forward.
Its long, shining fur flowed like snow in the wind.
Soft blue markings glowed across its body.
Its deep blue eyes looked ancient.
Beautiful…
Majestic…
And terrifying.
I stared at it with wide eyes.
“…A wolf?” “It’s…” “So beautiful…” My fear hadn’t disappeared.
But at the same time…
I couldn’t stop looking at it.
It was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.
— A few meters away…
Kakashi stood frozen.
“…The Twenty-Tails…” The young man beside him smiled in disbelief.
“So…” “This is the legendary Twenty-Tails.” “So this is its true form…” Neither of them had ever seen it with their own eyes before.
Suddenly— The Twenty-Tails looked at both of them.
Its blue eyes narrowed.
ROAR!!
Without warning…
It attacked.
A massive wave of white energy burst from its mouth.
“Move!” Kakashi shouted.
Both of them barely escaped.
BOOM!!
The ground exploded.
The forest behind them disappeared beneath the attack.
The Twenty-Tails rushed forward again.
Its claws shattered the earth with every step.
Kakashi blocked one attack.
The young man dodged another.
Neither of them could stop it.
Another blast of energy erupted.
Both were thrown backward.
They crashed into different trees with tremendous force.
I gasped.
“Kakashi!” Without thinking…
I started running toward him.
Before I could reach him…
Kakashi slowly raised one hand.
He silently gestured…
Don’t come.
I stopped.
“…” The Twenty-Tails attacked again.
Another shockwave blasted through the battlefield.
This time…
Kakashi and the young man were thrown in opposite directions.
— The young man struggled to stand.
Before he could fall again…
Someone caught him.
A young woman stood beside him.
“Are you alright?” She looked toward the enormous wolf.
“So…” “That’s the Twenty-Tails.” — On the other side…
Kakashi slowly pushed himself away from the broken tree.
His head remained lowered.
His breathing had become heavier.
“…I have to stop it…” “If I don’t…” “…everything will be destroyed.” The young man looked toward him.
I also watched from a distance.
Slowly…
Kakashi raised his head.
My heart skipped a beat.
His eyes…
Had completely changed.
They were no longer black.
They had become a deep, glowing crimson.
No pupils.
No reflection.
Only endless crimson.
The air around him changed instantly.
Even the wind seemed to stop.
The young man’s confident smile disappeared.
“…Crimson Eclipse…” “So this…” “…is the true power of the Ghost of Aetheris.” Even I took an unconscious step backward.
“…Kakashi…?” For a moment…
He didn’t even feel like the Kakashi I knew.
— The Twenty-Tails charged.
Kakashi disappeared.
The next instant— He was already in front of it.
His movements had become unbelievably fast.
Every attack landed with incredible precision.
The Twenty-Tails swung its claws.
Kakashi dodged.
He struck again.
Blue magic and crimson energy surrounded him.
For the first time…
The Twenty-Tails was being pushed back.
The young man watched in complete shock.
“So this…” “…is the power feared throughout Aetheris.” — But Kakashi knew the truth.
He couldn’t maintain Crimson Eclipse for long.
His breathing grew heavier.
“This won’t last…” He looked toward me.
Then back at the Twenty-Tails.
His expression slowly softened.
“…I’m sorry.” “There isn’t another way.” He formed several magic seals.
Blue light spread across the battlefield.
Countless glowing symbols appeared around the Twenty-Tails.
One after another…
They surrounded it from every direction.
A massive sealing barrier rose into the sky.
The Twenty-Tails roared furiously.
It fought against the seal.
The entire barrier shook violently.
Kakashi walked toward me.
He stopped in front of me.
For a moment…
Neither of us spoke.
Then…
He gently placed his hand on my head.
“…Forgive me.” I looked at him in confusion.
“Kakashi…” “Why are you saying that?” He closed his eyes.
The sealing spell activated.
The barrier around the Twenty-Tails began shrinking.
The enormous wolf struggled with all its strength.
Its glowing body slowly transformed into streams of white energy.
Those streams rushed toward me.
“W-What’s happening?!” The light surrounded my body.
The magical energy entered me.
I cried out as the seal was completed.
A powerful shockwave exploded across the battlefield.
Everything became silent.
Then…
I slowly stood up.
My black hair had turned completely white.
Soft white energy flowed around me like mist.
My eyes opened.
They were now a deep blue.
Small wolf-like fangs appeared as I breathed.
The air itself seemed to tremble around me.
Kakashi looked at me quietly.
“Niku…” For a brief moment…
There was no answer.
Then…
I disappeared.
In an instant…
I appeared in front of Kakashi.
My fist flew toward him.
He barely dodged.
“Niku!” “It’s me!” “Kakashi!” But my eyes held no recognition.
The Twenty-Tails had taken control.
Again…
And again…
I attacked him.
Every strike carried frightening power.
Kakashi never attacked back.
He only avoided my attacks.
“Niku…” “Wake up.” “You can fight it.” “Don’t let it control you.” For several long moments…
The battle continued.
Then…
My movements suddenly slowed.
My body trembled.
The blue glow around me began to fade.
My eyes slowly returned to normal.
“…Ka…” “…Ka…kashi…” A trace of blood escaped from the corner of my mouth.
My strength disappeared.
The white aura vanished.
My body fell forward.
Before I could hit the ground…
Kakashi caught me.
He looked down at me in silence.
The battlefield…
Had finally become quiet.
End of Chapter 21