Chapter 388: Brothers United
Àoshiki and Kyōshiki were still locked in a deadly struggle.
Neither of them realized that, at that very moment, something was changing within Uchiha Dali.
Uchiha Dali didn't say a word. He simply stood there, calm and composed, watching the battle unfold.
At first, the brothers didn't sense anything unusual. But as their fight dragged on and both their stamina and energy were steadily consumed, they began to feel a creeping sense of danger.
"Kyōshiki," Àoshiki began to reason, "no matter what conflicts we have, we're still brothers. That kid over there, on the other hand, is neither kin nor friend to either of us."
"So why should we fight to the death in front of him? No matter which of us wins, we'll both be too exhausted to deal with him afterward."
"Wouldn't it be better if we joined forces to take him out first? Then we can settle our differences later, at our own pace."
Àoshiki's voice was calm and persuasive as he tried to coax his younger brother.
Kyōshiki, of course, knew exactly how powerful Uchiha Dali was.
To be honest, Àoshiki's words stirred something in him.
But still, he didn't agree.
"Compared to that guy, you're the greater danger, Àoshiki."
"Don't think you can manipulate me or sow discord between us! Today, we must settle this—once and for all! No matter the outcome, I will never join hands with you to deal with Uchiha Dali!"
That response was clearly disappointing.
Àoshiki's expression darkened; his heart filled with irritation. But instead of lashing out, he held back and continued trying to persuade his brother patiently.
"So our bond as brothers means less to you than some outsider?" he said quietly. "Kyōshiki, think about it carefully."
"You know as well as I do how powerful that kid is. If we end up seriously injuring each other, we'll only be handing him an easy victory. Neither of us will gain anything."
"Even knowing that, would you still rather die by my hand—or let me die by yours—just so that kid can finish off the survivor?"
Àoshiki kept reasoning as he fended off Kyōshiki's attacks with ease, his voice steady and persuasive.
Under his repeated arguments and constant psychological pressure, Kyōshiki's strikes began to slow down.
It seemed he was indeed wavering.
Sensing this, Àoshiki pressed the advantage. "You and I are both just one step away from evolving into a higher form of existence."
"When that happens, we'll be able to absorb energy directly from the stars themselves."
"There are countless stars in the universe—far more than planets that sustain life. You know that as well as I do. We could both evolve simultaneously and never have to compete for resources again."
"Kyōshiki, what do you say? Will you choose destruction—throwing away all your years of effort and letting that Uchiha brat reap the rewards—or will you join me to take him down first?"
"The choice is in your hands."
After finishing, Àoshiki stopped attacking altogether.
He stood calmly, watching the slightly conflicted look on Kyōshiki's face.
Uchiha Dali, too, was watching them with the same calm detachment. He naturally hoped Kyōshiki would make the smart choice.
But since his opponent was a member of the Ōtsutsuki clan—a being who had once been a major boss-level existence—he knew full well that Kyōshiki might very well choose the irrational path in pursuit of greater gain.
Uchiha Dali, however, didn't mind either way.
No matter what choice Kyōshiki made, Dali wouldn't comment. And if Kyōshiki decided to become his enemy, Dali certainly wouldn't hold back.
So at that moment, he remained utterly composed—like a bystander watching a show that had nothing to do with him.
Àoshiki glanced toward Dali and, seeing his calm, indifferent demeanor, felt even more confident.
He turned to Kyōshiki again and said, "You see? That kid doesn't even take you seriously."
"Even if you turned against him right now, he wouldn't so much as flinch…"
He kept fanning the flames.
Hearing this, Kyōshiki looked toward Uchiha Dali.
Their eyes met.
Uchiha Dali shrugged. "He's not entirely wrong, Kyōshiki. You and I agreed from the start—we'd take down Àoshiki first, then deal with our own issues afterward."
"In other words, you and I were never truly allies. We're not really on the same side."
"So if you change your mind now, I won't be surprised. And I won't stop you."
"I see," Kyōshiki said slowly. "So even if we end up as enemies, you'll still fight me with everything you've got, right?"
"Exactly."
"Good."
He turned to his brother. "Àoshiki, how do you want to divide this guy's energy?"
Àoshiki's eyes gleamed. "So you've decided to…"
"That's right," Kyōshiki interrupted. "We'll join forces and take down Uchiha Dali first. If absorbing his energy can help us both advance to the next stage, then we'll never need to fight over energy again."
"Even if only one of us manages to evolve, there'll be no need for competition between us, Àoshiki."
"But if neither of us succeeds, we can always settle our score afterward."
Kyōshiki's proposal was straightforward.
Àoshiki, of course, had no objections.
He studied Uchiha Dali for a few seconds, then nodded. "I need less energy than you to advance. So we'll split it forty-sixty—you take sixty, I take forty."
"Fair enough, right? Don't say I'm not generous, little brother. So let's go all out this time—don't hold back."
His generous offer was indeed tempting.
That bit of concession instantly earned Kyōshiki's favor.
But Kyōshiki merely shook his head. "If we split it fifty-fifty—or even forty-sixty—chances are neither of us will have enough to evolve. I've got a better idea."
"Oh? And what's that?"
"After we defeat Uchiha Dali, one of us—either you or me—will take all his energy."
"With energy at his level, if one of us absorbs it completely, that person will almost certainly advance to the next stage."
"That way, there'll be no further conflict between us, Àoshiki."
Àoshiki's face instantly darkened, his eyes flashing sharply.
He stared hard at Kyōshiki, clearly displeased with this arrangement.
"So then—who gets to take it? You or me?"
After a few seconds, Àoshiki asked with feigned calm.
He had assumed his brother was trying to trick him.
But to his surprise, Kyōshiki wasn't scheming at all. When Àoshiki posed the question, Kyōshiki immediately gave his answer—an unexpected one.