Chapter 91: I Didn’t Mean That Armor!

Uchiha Tajima stepped aside, curious what his nephew was up to. Spatial seals required rare mastery of space-time forces, a threshold most ninja couldn't touch in a lifetime.

Gin rummaged behind him, slowly drawing… a massive axe?

Tajima's eyes bulged, unable to fathom where Gin pulled this monstrosity from. Gin nodded approvingly at his weapon.

[Obsidian Cleaver]: Attacks inflict armor-piercing effects.

Brandishing the black double-bladed axe, wider than himself, Gin leapt, slashing the seal's weak point. The collision's airflow whipped up a sandstorm, forcing Tajima to shut his eyes.

As dust settled, the axe was lodged deep in the sarcophagus, but the runes still flowed, repairing the damage, mocking Gin's effort.

"Armor-piercing didn't work?" Frowning, Gin yanked the Cleaver free. The runes remained intact.

He'd banked on the system's gear to crack the seal, but it taught him a lesson: system artifacts weren't omnipotent.

"Cough, cough… Your weapon's power is impressive, but spatial seals need space-time forces. Normal weapons can't touch it," Tajima explained, clearing dust from his throat. He noted the axe's quality but lacked spatial power.

Not buying it. I'll brute-force it! Stowing the Cleaver, Gin rummaged again, pulling another hefty item.

Tajima, expecting Gin to relent, nearly choked. Instead, Gin produced a plain silver-gray dagger, crackling with lightning and dense Lightning Release chakra.

[Statikk Shiv]: Third attack deals bonus Lightning Release damage and breaks defenses.

"Hahaha! Feel the zap!" Gin cackled, morphing into a mad scientist. Wielding the Shiv, he rained blows on the seal, thunder echoing, lightning illuminating the pit.

Wearing sunglasses from who-knows-where, Gin diligently "arc-welded" the seal.

The runes shuddered but held firm, refusing to fade.

"Stop, stop!" Tajima, blinded by the flashes, shouted, covering his face.

"What's up?" Gin paused, looking up curiously.

"I said it needs spatial power. You're just making a mess. Smell that!" Tajima snapped.

[Reminder: Welding in confined spaces produces harmful gases.]

"Spatial power, huh…" Shaking his numb hand, Gin sheepishly stowed the Shiv, admitting his safety lapse. Won't happen again.

Pondering space-time forces, he dug through his bag. So many system relics, none with spatial power? Lame system.

Cursing the system's flash over function, his hand brushed a forgotten item in the bag's corner. Recalling its description, Gin's eyes lit up.

This time, no oversized gear. Tajima sighed in relief as Gin pulled a strangely shaped kunai.

[Flying Thunder God Kunai 1]: Minato Namikaze's weapon, imbued with trace space-time power. Note: Enhances space-time ninjutsu comprehension when equipped.

Forgot about this! Dazzled by flashier gear, he'd neglected this gem.

Gripping the "Sword of Ninja Love," Gin felt its space-time energy, surprised to sense a link with his newly evolved Byakugan. A faint instinct suggested combining the kunai's power with his eyes for optimal effect.

Adjusting his sunglasses, Gin decided, channeling chakra and activating his new pupil technique. The shades hid his eyes' oddity in the dark.

"Sharingan activated? He's confident this time," Tajima thought, sensing chakra in Gin's eyes. Unaware of Gin's Byakugan, he assumed Sharingan, since Gin's eye-opening wasn't a secret.

In a mystical state, Gin's new eyes saw spatial ripples flowing. Instinct told him the kunai could slice them.

Locking onto the sarcophagus, he saw the seal's nodes clearly. The weak point Tajima identified glowed distinctly. That's it.

Suppressing excitement, Gin took a deep breath, gripped the kunai with both hands, and stabbed the weak point.

A sound like cracking eggshells rang out. The runes writhed as Gin's space-time chakra seeped in, eroding the black script until it vanished.

No mishaps. Stowing the kunai, Gin closed his eyes, deactivated the technique, removed his sunglasses, and grinned at Tajima. "Uncle, piece of cake! A puny seal, handled with ease."

He bent to lift the sarcophagus lid, eager to free Koharu after years of confinement.

"Huh?" The lid wouldn't budge, even with his monstrous strength. Did the Sarutobi and Senju have another trick?

Inside, the girl, cheeks puffed, gripped the lid tightly, refusing to let it open. "I'm done with this clown outside. What's he doing?"

Craving freedom, she swore she'd rather stay sealed forever than emerge in her current state.

Flashback to Gin's Cleaver strike.

As his axe slammed down, the girl, hoping for rescue, prayed silently. A violent jolt rattled her, leaving her dazed. Her clothes inexplicably shredded into strips, barely clinging on.

Before she could react, electric arcs zapped through, electrocuting her. Her hair exploded into an afro, body smoldering, cloth strips charred to ash.

Recovering, her crimson eyes blazed with tomoe and fury. Swearing vengeance on her Uchiha ancestors, she vowed to make the outsider pay if she escaped.

After two torturous assaults, silence brought relief but also despair. The outsider seemed to have given up, leaving her to an unknown fate.

I miss Gin so much. If only he were here.

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