belamy20

296-300

Added 2025-04-08 00:13:19 +0000 UTC

*Chapter 296: Secret Sword—Swallow Reversal! The Daimyo's Backup, and the Samurai's Uprising!*

A flash of steel streaked through the air, slicing a blade shadow over ten meters long. The sword's tip nearly grazed Shinji's back.

"Got him!"

The samurai with the traditional chonmage hairstyle wore an exhilarated expression as he stared intently at the young boy's back. A cruel smirk curled at his lips.

*Secret Sword: Iaijutsu*—a sword technique developed by the samurai of the Land of Iron. This art combines chakra infusion, instantaneous movement, ninja body techniques, and traditional samurai swordsmanship.

The essence of this strike is—*speed!*

Faster than a breath, faster than sight, faster than thought!

The technique aims to heavily wound a ninja before they can form hand seals. A ninja without ninjutsu is nothing more than a lamb awaiting slaughter.

In the split second before the blade connected, the samurai imagined the impudent boy collapsing onto the ground, vomiting blood.

His excitement surged, his eyes lit up, and even the arm thrusting the sword felt stronger, brimming with power. At that moment, he believed he had reached the pinnacle of his abilities!

But then, the boy he was targeting calmly turned his head and asked in an indifferent tone:

"What are you expecting?"

The words had barely settled when the scene before the samurai's eyes distorted, then abruptly snapped back into focus.

His body froze, and his hand gripping the sword hilt began to tremble.

At that moment, he realized something horrifying—the blade he had believed was aimed at Shinji was now pressed tightly against his own neck. A little more pressure would sever his head from his shoulders.

"Is this...genjutsu?" The samurai’s eyes narrowed in realization.

He hadn’t locked eyes with the Uchiha until that brief moment when the boy had glanced back at him.

"So that’s it! That’s when he used his ocular jutsu to interfere with my perception."

"Reality becomes illusion, illusion becomes reality!"

"In truth, he couldn’t have reacted to my strike at that speed!"

With a hardened gaze, the samurai made his decision. Veins bulged on his arm as he gripped the sword hilt and pushed the blade against his own neck with brutal force.

*Slash!*

Blood spurted high into the air.

His head separated from his body in an instant.

This scene left Shinji stunned, a flurry of question marks filling his mind.

*Wait a second, dude.*

*I already dispelled the genjutsu. What are you doing?!*

As the headless body collapsed to the ground with a dull thud, Shinji blinked, resisting the urge to scratch his head in confusion.

The cause of this absurd outcome stemmed from a line of text that had suddenly appeared in front of him earlier:

> *"Samurai of the Land of Iron, Tetsudanmaru (father of Tetsutsubaki, personal disciple of General Mifune), harbors murderous intent toward you and plans to strike you down with the Secret Sword: Iaijutsu!"*

This was a rare occurrence of his innate ability triggering—something that hadn’t happened in a while.

Initially, he thought the notification related to his recent confrontation with Minato. He had even speculated whether it meant a strong sealing technique or the Flying Thunder God Technique would be awarded.

But evidently, that wasn’t the case.

Because Minato had never harbored ill intentions toward him, their clash hadn’t triggered his ability. Instead, the notification came from this random samurai who had suddenly attacked him.

After reading the notification, Shinji had calmly activated his Sharingan, expanded his 360-degree field of vision, and subtly cast a genjutsu to distort Tetsudanmaru’s perception.

When the samurai nearly self-destructed, Shinji had canceled the genjutsu, intending to interrogate him.

Who could’ve guessed that this samurai was such a tenacious individual?

As Tetsudanmaru’s body hit the ground, a new notification appeared:

> *"Ding!"*

> *"You successfully countered Tetsudanmaru using precise genjutsu, causing him to lose himself. You have obtained a random skill from his abilities: Secret Sword: Iaijutsu (B, Mastery)."*

> *"The counterattack triggered a critical bonus!"*

> *"Incorporating your proficiency in Uchiha Swordsmanship: Sun Halo Dance, the All-Weapons Versatility trait, and various other learned sword techniques, the reward triggered another critical bonus!"*

> *"Final skill upgraded to: Secret Sword: Swallow Reversal (A+, Grandmastery)."*

> *"Base Swordsmanship: Technique Browser functionality unlocked."*

Shinji couldn’t quite understand the ability’s calculation mechanism. Rewards from minor opponents like this were distributed almost instantly, while stronger adversaries caused frustrating delays, akin to constipation.

Setting aside his confusion, Shinji turned his attention to the skill that had just triggered two critical bonuses:

*"Secret Sword: Swallow Reversal?"*

As knowledge flowed into his mind, a faint smile spread across Shinji’s lips.

Among birds, the swallow is renowned for its speed. The Secret Sword: Swallow Reversal embodies this characteristic, allowing its wielder to strike faster than any other technique.

This sword art surpasses even the single-strike Iaijutsu and the Flying Sword Style’s Dragon Flash. It delivers three strikes in an instant:

- The first strike blocks the enemy’s path.

- The second strike guarantees a fatal hit.

- The third seals any retreat, ensuring total victory.

The simultaneous execution of three strikes in an instant is a feat that transcends ordinary human limits.

“Now, this is interesting…”

Considering the potential applications of this technique in the ninja world, Shinji glanced at the Blade of Raijin in his hand and smiled.

Unbeknownst to him, that smile would soon…

In the eyes of the surrounding onlookers, it was an utterly horrifying scene.

In their view, the boy standing amidst a pool of blood, having forced a determined samurai to commit seppuku with brutal means, now...

His face flushed slightly red, and he took a deep breath. As though still unsatisfied, he glanced once more at the 2.7-meter-long sword in his hand, a sinister and wicked smile spreading across his face.

It was as if he were enjoying the thrill of slaughtering his opponent!

The samurai encircling Ryūzōji Sugaya exchanged glances, each seeing a trace of fear reflected in the others' eyes.

Then—

“Damn it!”

“That twisted Uchiha brat actually killed Lord Iron Tamamaru!”

Among the crowd, a trembling samurai gripped his sword tightly, adjusting his stance. Determination gleamed in his eyes.

“Upholding righteousness starts today, samurai!”

“For the daimyo, everyone—”

“Kill!”

The furious roar of "For the daimyo!" rather than "For the young lord!" echoed, and in an instant, the tide of battle shifted!

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

The draped cloth connecting the columns around the hall was slashed simultaneously. From behind them, a dense crowd of armed samurai leaped forth, along with rogue ninja wielding kunai affixed with explosive tags, and three protectors of the daimyo, marked with the kanji for "guard" on their arms and wearing Kumogakure headbands.

This massive horde surged toward Shinji standing in the center of the hall.

At that moment, the three elite guardian ninja, with strength on par with skilled jonin, moved against the flow of the crowd. Silently drawing their kunai, they formed hand seals and darted toward Ryūzōji Sugaya, who stood behind Shinji.

Seeing this scene, Uchiha raised an eyebrow slightly.

“Rogue ninja, ronin, samurai from the Land of Iron, and even these ninja with notable chakra levels... Is this the daimyo of the Land of Lightning's hidden card?”

In a single moment, he realized he was already ensnared in the trap, suspecting the daimyo’s malicious intent and the carefully orchestrated ambush involving everyone who sought his death.

Shinji’s expression turned ice-cold.

Now surrounded by what felt like a swarm of starving ghouls, the glinting blades of countless swords enveloped him. Kunai bearing explosive tags flew at him from all directions.

The cacophony of footsteps, war cries, curses, shouts, and the sound of blades being drawn merged into a single deafening roar.

Gazing at the chaos surrounding him, at the faces in his view—some greedy, some frenzied, some furious, and others solemn—Shinji exhaled deeply.

Facing this swarm of insignificant, delusional beings, he plunged the Butsuyokai blade in his hand into the ground.

Then, with a sudden motion, he opened his seething, crimson Sharingan eyes, filled with rage.

“You all—”

“Are too noisy!”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 297: The Ritual of the Evil God, Mastering the Divine Sword!

A voice filled with fury echoed from Shinji's mouth!

Immediately after—

Under the gaze of all present, fixated on the center of the grand hall—

A sudden wind arose!

It was a visible, fiery wind, strands of which carried tongues of flame. Within the fire, fleeting images of all living beings reflected,

and then—

A whirlwind of flames spiraled upwards toward the heavens!

Blazing like a great sun, fire and lightning surged violently from the sword, Futsunomitama, which was firmly embedded in the ground.

Using the sword as its spine, 26 skeletal structures in hues of brilliant yellow and crimson materialized, forming the backbone of a colossal dragon!

From this spine, other bones quickly took shape—flame-like shoulder blades, humeri, sternum, mandible, cheekbones, nasal bones, frontal bone, and parietal bones.

Bone by bone, the skeleton rapidly formed and grew!

At last, it took the shape of a terrifying, menacing, half-formed skeletal giant. Though it burned fiercely, waves of cold radiated from it.

The blazing skull tilted slightly downward,

its hollow eye sockets glowing with two golden lights as bright as the midday sun!

Under this intense gaze—a mixture of searing heat and chilling cold—

everyone in the hall stopped moving, their actions frozen. They looked up in shock, their bodies as stiff as wind-up toys.

“Wh-What is that?!”

They swallowed hard, raising their heads in stunned silence,

gazing at the towering 30-meter-tall skeletal giant.

The giant raised one massive skeletal hand, spreading its fingers wide!

In the next instant,

a blinding white light engulfed everything before them.

“—Boom!!”

A deafening thunderclap followed, like the beating of an enormous drum.

And then—

everything went black.

They could see nothing. Hear nothing. Feel nothing.

In the final moments of their consciousness, they felt as though a lightning spear from the heavens had pierced through them, linking the sky and earth.

The burning sensation lasted but a moment.

Then, everything turned into fleeting illusions.

They were evaporated—

in the truest sense of the word.

This, however,

was merely the first ripple from the summoning of the skeletal Susano’o—the divine weapon known as the "Sword of the Thunder God."

---

Meanwhile, outside—

“—Boom!!”

The sound of thunder rolling like countless wheels shattered the dreams of countless residents of Yunming City!

Awakened by the incessant roar,

they got out of bed and approached their windows or stepped outside,

curious if a storm was approaching.

But when they looked up,

they were utterly stunned by the sight—

A pillar of lightning illuminated the entire city, searing the image into their memories forever.

It pierced through the thick clouds in the sky, striking the edge of the inner city and the massive palace built into the mountains.

Then came the tremors.

The earth shook, layers of soil peeled away, mountains crumbled in an instant, and the heavens and earth seemed to collide!

The blinding white lightning lingered, standing like a spear connecting the sky and ground.

It was as if the Thunder God himself was displeased with the mountain and the palace,

intending to uproot and topple them.

The shockwaves triggered by the lightning created sandstorms akin to tsunamis,

engulfing the heavens and blocking out the moon!

“Is that…a god?!”

Countless people gazed blankly at the scene, an identical thought rising in their hearts.

And at that moment,

figures flooded the streets, forming streams of people.

They all looked up at the lightning that pierced the heavens and earth, their expressions vacillating between dazed wonder and utter despair.

Among the crowd, a short figure cloaked in black

spread their arms wide at this moment,

their gaze filled with piety and fervor. Holding a copy of the Evil God’s Ritual Text as if it were a divine gospel,

they seemed ready to embrace the city and all its faithful inhabitants.

Then, with the voice of a tender but impassioned prophet, they shouted:

“The day has come!”

“We have toiled diligently, enduring endless suffering, our souls weathered by trials and tribulations!”

“But amid our misery, the wicked indulge in luxury and decadence!”

“At this moment, as witnessed by our own eyes,”

“We shall behold the light!”

“We shall behold justice!”

“How greedy they are—those sinners!”

“You wretched beings, your deeply rooted sins will finally receive divine punishment at this moment!”

“Perish with your hateful selves in bitterness!”

“This world shall experience the utmost cruelty of hell, and its people shall endure agonizing wails!”

“Yet, those who worship the evil god will find redemption amidst these fearless cries!”

“Worship the evil god—”

“The innocent souls of all realms will overturn everything, cleansing the world through slaughter!”

With those words, the small figure pulled back its hood, tore open its black robe, stretched out its arms, and leapt into the crowd!

Held aloft by the sea of people, his face burned with fervent, almost self-consuming anger.

He screamed hoarsely, his voice filled with fury:

“Kill! Kill them! Kill!”

“Samurai can be killed, ninjas can be killed, nobles can be killed, and the daimyo can especially be killed—”

“Kill them all!”

“Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!”

“Prepare the stage, dye it with blood, and use the heads of those in power to drum up a tower of skulls and begin the ceremony!”

“And then—”

“Welcome the evil god!”

“Let this nation undergo a purge!!”

As his furious roar echoed, similar voices and phrases spread throughout the city, carried by those with intent to incite.

From homes to streets, through every alley, countless dazed faces suddenly changed,

As if enlightened,

Their expressions turned dark, horrifying, and angry!

Bloodshot and weary eyes lit up across the city!

Streams of people surged through the alleys like rushing rivers, weaving through the sandstorms raised by lightning strikes,

Until they converged into a massive sea of humanity!

---

The grand hall with its four-sloped hip roof had been struck by heavenly lightning, leaving a gaping hole.

What once was opulent was now in ruins, teetering on collapse.

The ground was shattered beyond recognition, as though plowed by a bulldozer hundreds of times.

Windows and walls had been obliterated, flung outward by the force of the blasts.

Inside the hall, only a few cracked and barely standing pillars remained to support the roof.

At this moment,

Only three breathing individuals were left in the hall:

Shinji, with half of his body encased in the skeletal form of Susanoo,

Minato Namikaze, shielded by a skeletal hand,

And the trembling Ryūzōji Sudani, who had scurried to Minato’s side just in time.

*[You have successfully equipped Susanoo with the artifact: Divine Sword · Futsunomitama.]*

The skeletal frame surrounding Shinji began to dissolve into flickering flames,

Along with the glowing blue lightning-infused blade gripped in its bony hand, disappearing into nothingness.

If not for the hurricane-like destruction around him, it would seem as if nothing had happened.

The chaotic noises subsided, leaving only silence in its wake.

Shinji exhaled with relief, stretching his sore shoulders and neck, which had been strained from summoning Susanoo and withstanding heavenly lightning.

*Crack! Crack!*

Adjusting his bones into place, he began to walk toward Minato.

At that moment,

Seeing Shinji approach again,

Ryūzōji Sudani shuddered violently, as though he had seen a ghost, and shrank further behind the unconscious Minato Namikaze,

“W-What are you going to do!?”

“I-I...”

Ryūzōji Sudani trembled, his body quaking as if about to kneel and beg for mercy.

Just as he opened his mouth to declare that he would give anything in exchange for his life,

Shinji cast a look of pure disdain at him and barked coldly:

“Get lost!”

When Shinji had summoned Susanoo and called down heavenly lightning,

He had kicked Sudani to Minato’s side and shielded both of them with Susanoo’s skeletal hand, ensuring their survival.

This was solely because Sudani might still have some use—namely, inheriting the Land of Lightning after the daimyo’s death.

But that usefulness was only relevant to Minato Namikaze, who was about to become the Fourth Hokage.

Shinji had no interest in using him himself, nor did he care about the personal ties between Sudani and the late daimyo.

---

Shinji walked over to Minato Namikaze,

Lowering his head to look at him, he sighed faintly.

What troubled him most now was Minato.

How to shape a new world and govern it—that was the realm of Civilization VI gameplay.

As someone who only knew how to play action games, Shinji was entirely out of his depth.

But it was clear:

Once the six-day deadline passed and the Land of Lightning’s daimyo was killed,

The entire ninja world would undergo a seismic shift!

If Minato’s vision could be realized—if the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire were unified—

It would inevitably usher in the rise of ninjas and the downfall of daimyo.

The rise of ninjas was, in essence, military rule.

Letting someone like Shinji, who had zero governance skills and all his abilities maxed out in combat, become Hokage—

It was hard to say whether that would be a blessing or a curse for the world.

Moreover, one nation’s coup would spark a chain reaction across the ninja world.

Other nations would either follow suit or pledge allegiance to their daimyo by declaring war on ninja-ruled nations.

A poorly handled situation could lead to a world-consuming war of unprecedented scale, plunging the ninja world into an era akin to a dark forest.

Shinji knew he was not the one to solve such problems.

But under his influence, the ship of the new era had already set sail.

Stopping it was no longer an option.

Much like Minato Namikaze—

Had Shinji not encountered Minato in Yunming City, he wouldn’t even have known about the boldness of Minato’s revolutionary actions.

Who knew how many others were working toward similar ends in the shadows?

Yet, Shinji was not a qualified helmsman.

Guiding the ninja world toward a brighter future required leaders with the capacity for love, like Mei Terumī, Minato Namikaze, or Chōjūrō—

Ninjas who possessed exceptional governance skills.

The unconscious Minato Namikaze before him was precisely such a person, someone capable of safeguarding the world.

At this point, with events already in motion,

Shinji could continue to recklessly fight, break rules, and challenge norms,

But Minato? Minato absolutely could not fall!

To Shinji, Minato was now as precious as a giant panda!

Looking at the unconscious Minato, who lay there peacefully like a slumbering Peppa Pig,

Shinji sighed deeply, his voice tinged with guilt:

“I’m sorry, Minato.”

“You must become Hokage and bear the weight of this entire world!”

“And I—”

Shinji raised his head,

Through the hole in the ceiling, his gaze met the figures leaping toward the ruins.

In an instant, his expression turned icy.

“I will be the one to wield the sword!”

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 298: Severing Bonds, Enemy of the Six Directions!*

The piercing, pale lightning spear that traversed the heavens gradually faded away.

However, the massive, gaping hole it left after piercing through the thick clouds remained exposed in the sky.

The swirling black clouds rotated slowly in a clockwise direction around the hollow.

At some point, the massive full moon hanging in the night sky moved to align with that deep void, casting down its silvery light.

Like a pillar of moonlight,

it descended upon the world,

illuminating the boy standing in the center of the grand hall. His figure radiated a divine aura.

Yet,

despite the gentle moonlight gliding across his face,

it brought no warmth—only an intense, deep-seated numbness, urgency, and the harrowing sense of imminent danger, as if a bowstring had been pulled to its breaking point and aimed directly at him.

Sensing the terrifying chakra auras approaching the hall from outside,

just the familiar tailed beast chakra alone amounted to two distinct presences.

Moreover, there were others—individuals no less formidable than tailed beast hosts, their sheer numbers nearly impossible to estimate!

The interwoven, spreading waves of chakra energy even caused the surrounding air to stagnate in places.

Shinji took a deep breath, his expression instantly turning solemn.

“What… what are you looking at?”

On a nearby pile of rubble,

Ryuzoji Sudani stared in fear at the silent and unreadable Shinji. His face flushed, then paled, and he clutched at the luxurious fabric of his kimono with trembling hands, growing increasingly uneasy.

Unable to hold back any longer, he blurted out:

“What are you talking about!? What are you trying to do!? Why have you kept me here—what do you want—”

Turning his head, Shinji cast him a cold, indifferent glance. Before Sudani could finish his sentence,

Shinji picked up a samurai sword stuck in the rubble and swung it without hesitation.

Whoosh!

In an instant, a blade of cold, moon-like light flashed!

Clang!

Ryuzoji Sudani watched in horror as his severed right arm flew through the air. His expression shifted from confusion to shock, then to utter terror, before finally contorting in agony.

“Ahhhhhh!!!”

Tears and mucus streamed down his face as he stared at Shinji in horror.

“My hand! My hand! You… you cut off my hand! You—”

“This is just a warning,”

Shinji said coldly, his gaze piercing.

“If you scream again, the next strike will take your head.”

He stared icily at Sudani and continued:

“Now,

remember what I’m about to say.”

The chilling words silenced Sudani instantly, like a child cowed into submission.

“I—I’m listening. I swear I’ll remember!” he stammered, his face ghostly pale as he nodded repeatedly, enduring the pain.

Shinji nodded in acknowledgment. Then, he removed the black cloak draped over his shoulders. Sure enough, on the shoulders of the cloak were two Flying Thunder God markings inscribed with “Sword of Shinobi Love.”

Shaking his head, he cast the cloak aside.

Next,

he crouched down slowly, gazing silently at the fallen Minato beneath him.

After a long pause, Shinji sighed, reached out, and removed the Leaf headband from Minato’s forehead. Then, he drew a simple kunai from Minato’s tool pouch.

Gripping the kunai,

Scrape!

He etched a horizontal slash across the steel plate of the Leaf headband, defacing the symbol of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Afterward, he tied the headband firmly around his own forehead.

For the first time, Shinji—who had never before worn the Leaf headband properly and had tossed the one given to him by Aburame Ryoma into the trash—

seriously wore the symbol.

This act signified his recognition of the bond:

the ties between his clan and himself, between the clan and the village, and between himself and the countless Leaf shinobi he had encountered along the way.

The many faces of the Uchiha, Orochimaru, Aburame Ryoma, Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, Old Man Chen…

At the same time, it also signified

his decision to sever those ties,

to walk the path of darkness as a rogue ninja of the Hidden Leaf.

Before the pitch-black night of battle and death consumed him,

he would fight for these people,

for all the love he had received to this day.

And,

he would strike back at this cruel, unforgiving world until he forged an ending so perfect it would bring tears to all who witnessed it.

“Listen!”

Turning his head, Shinji glanced coldly at Ryuzoji Sudani.

“Tonight, Shinji attacked Minato Namikaze, the Hidden Leaf’s envoy to the Land of Lightning, and defected from the Leaf!”

“He betrayed the village, betrayed his clan!”

“You must spread this news!”

“In return—”

“I will spare your life tonight!”

Hearing this, Ryuzoji Sudani felt as if a fishbone were caught in his throat. He didn’t know how to respond.

Still, compared to the weight of the message, his own survival mattered far more. Under Shinji’s chilling gaze, his entire body felt cold, as though an icy serpent were slithering along his spine.

In such a dire situation, how could he dare to utter even a single word of refusal?

“I…” Ryuzoji Sudani stammered, his face filled with dread, panting heavily as he asked,

“Wh-what do I have to do? To what extent? And how should I—”

Though it seemed as if he was asking about how to carry out the task,

in truth, none of that mattered. With his influence and power, achieving the goal was not an issue once he escaped this peril.

What he truly wanted to ask was—

What must he do to survive?

At this moment, Shinji raised his head, narrowed his eyes, and sensed the terrifying chakra waves rapidly approaching.

He stood up, pointed at the unconscious Minato Namikaze, and ordered,

"Carry him on your back, leave this place, and hide!"

"Use your life to protect him from any harm—even a single stumble!"

"And then,"

"When he wakes up, he will understand everything and lead you out of this chaotic city."

"Until—"

"The day the Daimyo falls, and you inherit the mantle of leadership!"

---

Meanwhile, in the increasingly chaotic City:

"Kill!"

Amid the angry roars of the citizens of the Land of Lightning—who had temporarily become members of the Jashin cult—echoing through the streets and alleys,

And through the night winds rushing over the enormous mountain-ringed buildings,

Figures leapt across suspension bridges, chains, rooftops, and mirrored cliff faces. Vaulting and scaling walls, they turned into shadows of the night,

Sprinting toward the heart of the turmoil—the enormous palace at the edge of the inner city!

---

At this moment,

Even at night, a young man wearing sunglasses, wrapped head to toe in bandages with only his face exposed, resembling a mummy, stood on a mountain platform.

He led a group of fully armed elite Cloud shinobi, blocking the paths of two other groups.

Killer Bee furrowed his brows deeply as he coldly questioned the two leaders across from him:

"Pakura of the Scorch Release from Sunagakure, and Roshi, the Four-Tails Jinchuriki of Iwagakure?"

"What are you two doing here?"

---

That night,

The Cloud Village's higher-ups were aware that someone might target the young lord of the Land of Lightning. They had already warned Killer Bee and made arrangements.

This matter was not supposed to involve Killer Bee, as his duty was maintaining order and suppressing the inexplicable riots in the city below.

However, when he saw the towering lightning pillar piercing the sky,

Memories of death suddenly attacked Killer Bee.

He vividly and painfully remembered that the last time he had encountered such a lightning technique, it was a similar spear of lightning that left him in his current condition.

Now, seeing this lightning column so reminiscent of that ultimate Lightning Release technique, Killer Bee's first thought was:

Could Shinji, the man believed to have been killed and fallen into Hell Valley, still be alive!?

With an urgent need to uncover the truth, Killer Bee rushed to the scene, only to unexpectedly cross paths with these two.

---

Pakura of Sunagakure and Roshi of Iwagakure—

Could they be the ones plotting to harm the Daimyo's son?

Killer Bee narrowed his eyes dangerously as he stared at the two.

Meanwhile, Pakura and Roshi were also taken aback to see each other.

Pakura, from Sunagakure, had a clear purpose:

"Granny Chiyo has already infiltrated the area. For the future of Sunagakure, the Daimyo's son must be assassinated tonight, and the blame pinned on Konoha!"

Determined, Pakura quietly moved her hand behind her back, pressing it against her ninja tool pouch. Her gaze turned sharp.

"I must stop anyone here and ensure the mission's success!"

Roshi, on the other hand, had a similar goal but a different motive.

Earlier that day, after his attack on the castle tower, Roshi returned to his base only to recall how the Daimyo's son, Ryuzoji Suguya, treated him—his supposed benefactor—with an unusually stiff attitude.

When he reported this to Kitsuchi, the latter decisively deduced that the mission might have been compromised.

Fearing the truth would be exposed, Kitsuchi and Roshi adopted a ruthless approach: kill Ryuzoji Suguya tonight, leaving no room for error.

Now, with Kitsuchi infiltrating the area to act in Roshi's place, the two stood at a standoff with Killer Bee.

---

Amid the tense confrontation,

Gyuki, the Eight-Tails, spoke gravely within Killer Bee's mind:

"Bee, try not to engage these two. They're dangerous."

"Even with my chakra aiding your recovery, your injuries haven't fully healed. Fighting now could go either way."

"I understand," Killer Bee replied, exhaling deeply.

Under normal circumstances, as a perfect jinchuriki, he could confidently suppress both Pakura and Roshi simultaneously.

However, his injuries from the combined impact of an S-rank Lightning Release: Kirin and his own largest Tailed Beast Bomb were severe. Fighting at his limits risked fatal complications.

Thus, facing these two dangerous opponents now, Killer Bee felt the mounting pressure.

For a moment, the situation reached a stalemate.

Neither Pakura nor Roshi wanted to make the first move, each focused on delaying the other. Killer Bee, meanwhile, felt torn—he wanted to investigate Shinji's possible survival, yet his duty kept him stuck here.

---

Suddenly—

*BOOM!!*

A deafening explosion erupted from the direction of the inner city!

All three turned to look,

Only to see—

The palace of the Daimyo's son, their objective, crumbling in a landslide. The mountain beneath it rose violently from the ground!

It was as if an entire mountain had tipped over. The massive platform carried something beyond human comprehension—an immense, flaming monstrosity—hurtling toward the most prosperous part of Yunming City's inner district!

Roshi's pupils shrank as he recognized the scene:

"That's Kitsuchi's strongest technique!"

"Earth Release: Mountain Core Creation!"

"Who is he fighting!? And what is that thing?"

Witnessing this, the three parties could no longer remain passive. They exchanged cold glances before, almost in unison, shifting their positions and accelerating.

All raced toward the inner city, where the explosion had erupted, the flames now roaring fiercely.

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 299: Crushed by Earth, One Against Three!

As the standoff among the three external forces unfolded, within the palace outside Yunming City, Shinji exhaled slowly. He glanced one last time at the desolate ruins around him, devoid of life, then closed his eyes, which were sore from activating Susano’o.

Though the reprieve was brief, any opportunity to rest would have to suffice. After all, the fusion of his eyes was still incomplete.

The surroundings fell into an eerie silence, as if sinking into a suffocating swamp. The oppressive air felt like a purgatory teeming with lurking demons, heavy and stifling, threatening to drag anyone present into an endless abyss.

It wasn’t long before heavy footsteps echoed in the stillness.

“Has everyone been killed?”

A burly man clad in the red uniform of Iwagakure leaped onto the palace roof, surveying the ruins below with a frown.

This was none other than Kitsuchi, a formidable warrior of Iwagakure, here to settle things once and for all by eliminating Ryuuzouji Sugaya.

When Kitsuchi’s gaze fell on the boy standing amidst the rubble at the center of the hall, he froze momentarily.

“This guy...”

The boy wore a slashed Konoha headband, a torn high-collared short-sleeved shirt over black innerwear, a purple rope belt tied at his waist, and loose-fitting lantern pants secured with tattered gray leggings. In his hand, he gripped a battered katana. His battle-worn appearance was reminiscent of a soldier who had barely escaped after three months of brutal combat on the Rain Country battlefield.

However, the emblem of the red-and-white fan on the back of his clothing and his strikingly sharp profile left no doubt.

“Shinji!”

Kitsuchi’s eyes widened in shock.

“There’s no mistake—this one’s real!”

A cold, knowing grin spread across Kitsuchi’s face.

“So, after surviving an encounter with the Raikage, this brat rushed to Yunming City to carry out such blasphemous acts?”

Surveying the scene, where not a single living soul remained amid the devastation resembling the aftermath of a stampede by a hundred elephants, Kitsuchi sneered.

“This works perfectly for me!”

Clearly, the boy had come for revenge, and in doing so, had indirectly eliminated the son of the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning.

With a chilling laugh, Kitsuchi’s eyes gleamed with menace. Raising his hands, he formed two seals, summoning layers of rock that encased his arms. With a single step, he shattered the tiles beneath his feet and hurtled downward, arm drawn back to strike.

“Your head is mine!”

With a thunderous roar, Kitsuchi’s earth-enhanced fist, augmented by the Earth Style: Rock Fist Jutsu, crashed forward, aiming to crush Shinji’s skull.

The punch connected with a dull, wall-shattering boom.

But Kitsuchi’s expression changed. His attack had landed, yet it had not touched the boy’s head. Instead, it was stopped by a glowing barrier of orange-red flames, resembling a skeletal structure.

“What is this...?”

At that moment, Shinji opened his eyes, meeting Kitsuchi’s startled gaze with a cold, resolute stare.

Then, flames erupted from Shinji’s body, taking shape in an instant.

With his black hair flaring wildly to his side, an intense chakra burned around him like a roaring fire.

Before Kitsuchi could comprehend what was happening, he felt his body being seized, his feet leaving the ground. Looking up, his pupils constricted in shock.

A giant skeletal hand composed entirely of fiery chakra gripped him tightly. Tendons and ligaments seemed to form and grow, binding him with an unyielding force.

Without a word, Shinji clenched his fist.

The skeletal hand mirrored his action, crushing Kitsuchi in its grip.

Splat!

Kitsuchi’s face twisted in agony as his body exploded—flesh, bone, and all—into fragments.

But instead of blood, what spilled from the skeletal hand was fine, sandy earth.

“A clone?”

Narrowing his eyes, Shinji turned toward a pillar on the side of the hall. In a flash, the massive skeletal hand lashed out, shattering the pillar in a thunderous explosion.

From behind the rubble, Kitsuchi emerged, somersaulting backward into the air.

Despite his desperate retreat, his hands moved swiftly to form seals.

Tiger—Rat—Snake!

Clasping his hands together, he completed the final seal.

“Earth Style: Crumbling Rock Lodging!”

With the activation of this jutsu, the already crumbling great hall collapsed entirely in an instant, crashing down with a thunderous roar!

Beams toppled, the ceiling caved in,

and rubble, along with massive bricks, came crashing down from above, targeting the center of the hall—where Shinji stood!

"What’s the point of this jutsu? Is it just to use Earth Release to kick up dust and avoid eye contact with the Sharingan?"

Facing this jutsu,

Shinji didn’t dodge or evade. He could see that this was a pre-arranged technique set up through chakra dispersed into the rooftop via the opponent’s feet when they had landed earlier.

However, such a jutsu didn’t even inspire the slightest urge in him to interrupt it.

*Earth Release: Collapsing Rock Abode,*

the very Earth Release technique from the Kannabi Bridge battle that had crushed Obito, becoming the root cause of the later tragedies.

But here, this wasn’t a dense forest environment, nor were there massive boulders capable of crushing someone like Obito.

And Shinji was no Obito.

The strength of this Earth Release, causing the collapse of the great hall, wasn’t even enough to scratch the skeletal frame of his Susanoo!

So, why was the opponent doing this?

At this moment,

the great hall collapsed in an instant, raising a dense cloud of dust. Shinji stood motionless, allowing himself to be buried.

As expected, the falling beams and bricks couldn’t penetrate Susanoo’s defense—not even the skeletal frame of its first stage.

*Bang!*

Flames around him roared and flared. The skeletal frame expanded slightly, blasting away the surrounding debris, rubble, and splintered wood!

Shinji stepped out from the ruins, surveying the surroundings.

The cloud of dust made direct eye contact with the Sharingan difficult, but through the Sharingan’s vision, it was still possible to clearly discern human chakra and locate the opponent.

However, at this moment, through the swirling dust, three distinct clusters of chakra appeared in his vision!

Shinji was momentarily stunned.

Before he could determine whether these were real people or clones,

the next instant,

a sword light streaked across a hundred meters in a flash, shooting out from beyond the dust-covered area to appear directly in front of him!

*"Secret Sword: Iaido Strike!"*

At the far edge of his vision, a figure in a charging stance pressed against the hilt of their sword, tearing apart a large swath of dust like a bulldozer. In an instant, they closed the hundred-meter gap,

then drew their sword in one swift motion!

The brilliant sword light reflected the moonlight as it slashed directly at the skeletal Susanoo surrounding Shinji!

*Sizzle!*

Sparks erupted violently across the skeletal frame!

The next moment, the sword tip forcibly pierced through the Susanoo, jabbing deep inside!

*Crack!*

Dense cracks spread across the skeletal frame.

Shinji’s pupils shrank suddenly. On instinct, he raised the katana in his hand and swung it to parry the blow!

*Clang!*

The sword tip collided with his blade, sending out a shower of sparks.

It was a close call, but he managed to stop the strike just before it reached his throat.

At this moment, Shinji could finally see the face of the person before him.

The man had a long beard covering his mouth and chin, his head wrapped in bandages. He wore layered green armor,

and this man was none other than Mifune, the samurai general of the Land of Iron. A Kage-level powerhouse who, in the future, would become the captain of the Fifth Division's Special Battle Unit during the Fourth Great Ninja War!

Shinji’s heart skipped a beat as realization dawned.

At last, he understood where the samurai of the Land of Iron, who had previously been seen alongside Ryozōji Shugani, had come from, and why the normally neutral samurai of the Land of Iron were involving themselves in the affairs of the Land of Lightning.

There was only one reason.

This incident had touched upon the very foundation of the samurai nation’s principles—

The Daimyō!

Before Shinji could think further,

*"Technique: Unified Soul Binding!"*

An icy, aged, and hate-filled voice rang out!

In the next moment,

five specialized steel wires shot out from a corner of the ruins. Moving at an almost absurd speed, they coiled around Susanoo’s skeletal frame, binding it tightly.

Then,

*Click! Click! Click!*

The sound of mechanical expansion echoed, as if a winding mechanism were tightening the wires.

The five steel wires dug deeply into the skeletal frame, producing sharp, screeching sounds!

Immediately afterward,

an elderly figure emerged from the dissipating dust.

She wore a loose black robe, a white scarf tied across her chest, and carried a yellow pouch. Her face was wrinkled, her light-purple hair tied back, and her expression was one of deep gloom.

This was none other than Chiyo, the elder of Sunagakure and the envoy of the Hidden Sand Village at this moment!

Slowly,

she retrieved a purple scroll from her pouch,

never taking her cold, sinister gaze off Shinji. A frigid smile appeared on her face as she spoke:

"Are you Shinji?"

"I’ve been waiting for this day for a very long time!"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 300: "Didn't You Eat?!"

Standing before him were three individuals, each from different factions with conflicting goals. Yet, at the moment they saw him, they all made the same choice: to attack.

Shinji’s gaze instantly turned cold.

Kakashi’s earlier warning had come true.

At this time, both Iwagakure and Sunagakure were attempting to form alliances with the Land of Lightning, resorting to any means necessary to achieve their hidden agendas.

Compared to Hidan, who had previously impersonated him to assassinate the Daimyo of the Land of Lightning in Kumon City,

Shinji himself—being the true culprit responsible for Kumogakure’s and the Land of Lightning’s significant losses in the Third Shinobi World War—was the ultimate prize. His death would unquestionably gain the favor of the Daimyo and even the Third Raikage.

Whether it was due to old grudges, strategic ambitions, or simply a desire to eliminate a future threat while they still could,

at this moment,

the conflict between the sides had become utterly irreconcilable!

Since there was no retreat,

there was only one option left:

*To fight!*

- [The son of Iwagakure’s Third Tsuchikage, Kitsuchi, has murderous intent toward you!]

- [The general of the Land of Iron, Mifune, has murderous intent toward you!]

- [The elder of Sunagakure, Chiyo, has murderous intent toward you!]

The notifications appearing before his eyes signified that the battle was about to begin!

"Now, Mifune, kill him!"

Chiyo’s ten fingers controlled the wires tightly wrapped around a skeletal structure, immobilizing Shinji. Turning her head, she shouted angrily at Mifune, whose blade had already sliced through part of the framework.

"Pierce his heart! That’ll stop his fire-style techniques! Quickly!"

Mifune gave a low grunt of acknowledgment, gripping his sword tightly, veins bulging in his arms as he thrust forward.

*Zzzzzt!*

Sparks erupted as the blade scraped against the metal structure of the samurai armor.

At that moment,

Shinji, immobilized by the skeletal framework and its five razor-sharp wires—Chiyo’s creation modeled after her own son and daughter-in-law—looked up.

This deadly technique, named One Heart, One Body, was designed for ultimate restraint and slicing power.

Suddenly, Shinji’s eyes widened.

In his blood-red eyes, three tomoe spun rapidly.

"So, you lot still don’t understand the situation you’re in?"

A chilling smirk spread across his face as he glared at the three enemies before him.

"This is a battle of vision. Don’t underestimate the Uchiha!"

The moment the words left his lips,

without hesitation, Shinji summoned the terror hidden within his eyes!

The next instant,

accompanied by the bright red glow from his blood-red Sharingan, an intense flame storm erupted around him!

The skeletal framework, which had initially only shielded Shinji within a ten-centimeter radius,

blazed with radiant firelight!

Suddenly,

26 vibrant bones, glowing between a fiery yellow and crimson red, shot out from Shinji’s back!

The skeletal figure of a half-body Susano’o rapidly formed amidst the flames, shattering the wires binding the framework. It then raised its massive arm.

In a split second,

a colossal skeletal hand extended from above Mifune, slamming toward him!

A sudden, overwhelming sense of danger made Mifune’s eyes widen. On instinct, he leapt back, blade raised defensively.

*Screeeech!*

The edge of the sword clashed against the back of the skeletal hand, bending into an alarming arc before snapping straight. The force sent Mifune flying backward in a parabola.

*Boom!*

He crashed into the rubble, supporting himself with his blade as he stood. Coughing up blood, Mifune looked up, eyes wide in disbelief at Shinji standing motionless amidst the ruins.

Surrounding him was that nightmarish entity from another era.

"What is that?!"

The same question echoed in the minds of the three opponents. Chiyo and Kitsuchi stared at the blazing half-skeletal figure that towered 30 meters above them.

Feeling the sinister and overwhelming chakra emanating from it, the three couldn’t help but tense up.

"This brat…" Chiyo gritted her teeth, struggling to accept the reality before her.

Even though she had exhaustively collected intelligence on Shinji,

every battle he fought seemed to reveal something new and unexpected. No one could discern the full extent of his abilities or the speed of his growth.

"We can’t hold back anymore!" Chiyo’s aged face twisted in determination. She turned to her companions and shouted angrily:

"I’ll restrain him. This is our only chance. Use every trump card you have!"

"If we don’t, there’s no way we can kill him!"

With that, Chiyo raised her hand, biting her finger as she swiped it across the purple scroll she had unfurled. Her gaze grew fierce.

"Secret White Technique: Chikamatsu’s Ten Puppets!!"

With a loud pop, white smoke burst forth, revealing ten puppets. Each was a masterpiece from the Second Kazekage, his ultimate creation.

As soon as they appeared, they charged through the smoke, flying toward Shinji!

*Clank, clank, clank, clank, clank!*

The battlefield erupted with sound as the ten puppets launched their deadly attacks.

Whether it was the massive dual swords wielded by one, the razor-sharp wire ropes swung by another, or the rotating four-bladed chakra weapons,

not a single attack could penetrate the blazing skeletal figure of Susano’o.

Even explosives and direct strikes from the strongest puppets left nothing but harmless sparks.

Shinji watched coldly as Chiyo’s efforts proved futile. Without a word, he raised his hand.

The massive skeletal palm swept forward violently!

The seven puppets attacking midair were struck as if hit by a flyswatter, instantly smashed to pieces!

The fragments of the puppets rained down from above.

At that moment, hidden behind the assault of the seven puppets, the real killing move was revealed!

Chiyo's expression grew grim as she crossed her arms, her ten fingers weaving a complex manipulation.

Under her control, three "Monk Puppets" in front of her assumed a triangular stance. Their hands clasped together, their mouths gaped open, revealing horrifyingly lifeless eyes fixed on Shinji.

"Puppet Technique: Three Treasures Suction Crush!"

The moment the aged voice rang out—

A fierce tornado engulfed the area where Shinji stood!

Centered on the three puppets, an immensely terrifying suction force began to form. This was the very technique Ebizo had once used against Shinji, nearly killing him—Three Treasures Suction Crush!

The suction generated by this Wind Release technique rivaled that of Danzo Shimura's summoning beast, the Baku.

Under this pull, even Susano'o began to tremble, inching closer and closer to the three puppets.

Unlike the Baku, however, this move couldn't be disrupted by fire-style techniques like Sasuke had once used.

Any conventional attack, even jutsu, would be shredded upon reaching the eye of the storm.

Only the composite technique Shinji had used before, "Hurricane Whirlpool Sword," which utilized counter-rotating wind and water, had managed to neutralize the force.

But now, Shinji had a much simpler solution!

Facing this killing move, his gaze turned cold as he clenched his fist tightly!

Under his control, the skeletal Susano'o swung back its massive fist and then thrust it forward!

*Boom!*

Like a locomotive, the fist collided with a force greater than the Three Treasures Suction Crush, unleashing a storm even more violent!

The overwhelming power of this colossal strike, beyond what any human could muster, smashed the three puppets into rubble in an instant.

Chiyo's cataract-clouded eyes widened in disbelief as she watched her puppets obliterated with one punch.

Her face froze in shock.

"This is just... so unreasonable!"

Given the hardness of Susano'o's skeletal structure, the Three Treasures Suction Crush couldn't shred it instantly. With that brief moment, a single punch could shatter the puppets, halting the technique entirely.

On the other hand, this move of Chiyo's did manage to momentarily stall Shinji, sparking an undeniable sense of irritation—like a fly buzzing persistently before his eyes.

And during this fleeting delay,

*"Earth Release: Rock Lodge Collapse!"*

With a furious roar—

*"Rumble!!"*

Shinji snapped his head upward and saw—

At some point, Kitsuchi had leapt to the peak of the mountain behind the palace. His hands formed the *Serpent* seal, fingers spread wide, and he slammed his palms against the mountaintop!

The next moment—

A deep fissure split the massive peak above the palace, stretching downward in an instant.

Dust billowed as the chasm spread, shaking the mountain.

The summit above the palace was severed by Kitsuchi's earth-shattering move and plummeted downward!

The already darkened sky was cast into deeper shadow. The moonlight was completely blotted out as the massive rock formation, larger than the entire palace, crashed down like a falling meteor!

"What the hell?!"

Seeing this, Shinji's pupils narrowed slightly. Delayed by Chiyo, he found himself out of time to redirect the descending mountain.

Even the thirty-meter-tall half-body Susano'o seemed insignificant against this towering force of nature.

Unable to alter the boulder’s trajectory with jutsu in time, he could only pull Susano'o's skeletal arms back and cross them protectively above his head!

*"BAM!!"*

The colossal rock landed with a deafening crash!

Like a steamroller descending from the heavens, Susano'o's protective skeletal arms were pulverized instantly, shattered into fragments of pure chakra that dissipated in the air.

The tremendous impact rippled through the ground, kicking up a ring of sand and dust.

*Crack, crack, crack!*

Dense web-like fractures spread across Susano'o’s exterior.

Finally, as the enormous boulder crumbled around him, Shinji managed to endure the impact—though at the cost of cracks spreading across the entirety of Susano'o.

In its second stage, the half-body skeletal Susano'o was still somewhat lacking in pure defense. Even conventional jutsu could inflict damage.

This earth-style technique, akin to summoning a meteor, dealt a heavy blow to Shinji, whose Susano'o was only in its second stage.

Even Shinji couldn't help but furrow his brow, marveling at the cracks forming on Susano'o.

Quietly, Kitsuchi had dealt a significant blow. Truly, this was a man capable of restraining the Gedo Statue for even a second.

Just as Shinji exhaled in relief, preparing to repair Susano'o—

A dark shadow descended rapidly from the sky!

*"Earth Release: Super Heavy Rock Fist!"*

Upside down, feet to the sky, the bear-like Kitsuchi, clad in his red Iwagakure uniform, roared as he swung his fist down.

Earth Release: Super Heavy Rock Fist—

This technique combined the Rock Fist with Super Heavy Rock, a move that, in the Fourth Shinobi World War, allowed Onoki to shatter the clam summon and, together with the Fourth Raikage, even break Uchiha Madara's Susano'o!

Now—

A fist encased in heavy rock smashed directly into Susano'o!

*"Break!!"* Kitsuchi bellowed.

Under the force of this punch, the already-cracked Susano'o finally shattered completely!

At the precise moment Susano'o crumbled—

*"Secret Sword: Sky-Splitting Slash!"*

From behind Shinji, a cold shout rang out!

Mifune, who had been waiting for his chance, narrowed his eyes. Channeling all his chakra into his blade, he dashed forward in a blur, unsheathing his sword in a rapid draw aimed directly at Shinji's unprotected body!

In an instant,

The sword’s flash, like a crescent moon, sliced downward!

Gripping the hilt with both hands, veins bulging on his arms and forehead, Mifune aimed to cleave through Shinji’s shoulder, chest, and torso in one fell strike!

Such a blow, if landed, would destroy Shinji’s arm, heart, and legs, leaving him utterly defenseless!

Yet—

Facing this relentless assault,

Shinji merely nodded slightly in acknowledgment, unmoving.

"Fancy moves," he thought, unimpressed.

But none of it stirred his battle instincts.

As the blade neared his shoulder, Shinji’s body seemed to meld into the shadows, becoming an abyssal black.

The jutsu gifted by Kakuzu’s heart—

Earth Release: Earth Spear—activated silently!

The next moment, the blade struck!

*"Clang!!"*

A sharp metallic sound reverberated through the battlefield, echoing endlessly.