76-80

Chapter 76: Misty Secrets, The Pinnacle Strike!  

However, faced with the terrifying power of such a secret technique—  

“Enough!”  

Mei Terumi’s face showed no trace of panic. She stepped forward again, meeting Mangetsu Hozuki’s cold gaze head-on.  

Then, she sternly shouted: 

“Those five pursuing ninjas—didn’t you deliberately let us kill them?!”  

“When I used the Exploding Water Colliding Wave to set the stage, you already had the power to end this battle.”  

The Water Release: Shield Hat technique requires gathering an immense amount of water to activate.  

In the rain-soaked battlefield of Water Release: Drizzle Cutting, if Mei Terumi wanted to stall Mangetsu Hozuki, she would inevitably rely on Water Release as her primary technique.  

Other nature releases, including her bloodline abilities, could only serve as supplementary attacks under such conditions.  

The moment Mei Terumi employed Water Release—or if Mangetsu himself unleashed a large-scale Water Release—the battle was essentially over.  

With the advantage of the environment and such a secret technique in hand, Mangetsu was in an undefeatable position.  

Mei Terumi raised her head to look at Mangetsu, her voice laced with accusation: 

“Yet, you didn’t use this technique immediately!”  

“What were you waiting for? Were you not deliberately waiting for your five subordinates to fall?”  

Pointing at the five lifeless bodies of the pursuing ninjas on the ground, she pierced through his pretense: 

“So cold and heartless. Should I say it’s no surprise that you’re a pursuer with hands stained in the blood of your comrades?”  

“I thought Shinji’s suspicions were groundless, but your actions have proven them true!”  

Faced with such accusations, Mangetsu Hozuki remained silent.  

Mei Terumi paused briefly, then raised her head again and continued: 

“Mangetsu Hozuki,”  

“So eager to learn Yagura’s whereabouts,”  

She stared coldly at him, her voice firm and resolute: 

“You truly are a demon who wishes to overthrow the Mist and slay its leader!”  

Confronted once more with these questions, a faint trace of anxiety appeared on Mangetsu’s face, and his gaze darkened.  

With a sneer, he coldly retorted: 

“And what does that prove? Or rather, so what?”  

Mangetsu took a deep breath and said indifferently: 

“As a pursuer—a butcher with hands stained by the blood of comrades—it’s something I’ve long been prepared for. Killers are killed; it’s the most basic of truths.”  

“If they were killed, it only proves their skills were lacking and that they were unfit to be butchers. It proves nothing else.”  

Mei Terumi frowned and harshly questioned: 

“By saying this, do you think you’re fit to be the butcher?”  

“If you were tasked with assassinating the Third Mizukage, how far could you go?”  

Mangetsu’s face darkened, and a hint of struggle flashed in his eyes before he coldly replied: 

“Enough with the meaningless probing, Mei Terumi.”  

“You, living in the fabricated sunlight, are utterly unprepared for revolution. Stay in your greenhouse and be a vase.”  

Then, he stared at Mei Terumi and coldly pressed: 

“Now tell me—what exactly is Yagura planning?”  

Mei Terumi showed no anger at being called a vase. Instead, for the first time, she felt a sense of relief.  

Only now, after Shinji’s bold speculation and several rounds of probing, did she finally guide Mangetsu into revealing his true intentions.  

When both sides could barely align themselves into the same camp, this crisis could finally be averted.  

Taking a deep breath, Mei Terumi resolutely declared: 

“As you suspected, the Mist’s upper-ranking Jonin squad leader, Yagura Karatachi, has gathered sufficient evidence to overthrow the Third Mizukage!”  

“Soon, the Land of Water will usher in a new era of reform.”  

“We—Lord Yagura, Elder Genji, and the bloodline clans—will unite to continue the policies of the First and Second Mizukages. Starting with the ninja academy system, we will abolish the years of bloody oppression policy, piece by piece.”  

Her expression firm and eyes full of hope, Mei Terumi said to Mangetsu Hozuki: 

“No more pursuers. No more carrying the guilt of killing comrades!”  

“And you can once again serve under the Mizukage as the next-generation captain of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen!”  

“The Elder Council sent us to find Yagura Karatachi for this very reason!”  

“Oh,” Mangetsu squinted slightly. “Is that so?”  

Then, with an expressionless face, he replied: 

“Then take me to Yagura. If he isn’t qualified to become the Fourth Mizukage...”  

“I’ll kill him myself.”  

Mei Terumi clenched her fists, hesitated briefly, and gritted her teeth before reluctantly nodding. 

“Fine, but once we arrive at that place, you must submit to a sealing technique!”  

“I don’t care.”  

Mangetsu turned with a blank expression to face Shinji behind Mei Terumi.  

“Since that’s settled—”  

His tone turned icy as he revealed shark-like teeth in a menacing grin.  

He immediately bit his finger and formed the seals for a summoning technique: 

Boar, Dog, Rooster, Monkey, Goat! 

Reaching out, his hand pressed firmly against the Seven Ninja Swords Summoning Scroll. With a swift pull, a clean cut was made!  

Twin, Massive, Thunder, Severing, Long, Explosive, Blunt! 

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! 

Seven clouds of smoke erupted into the air as seven uniquely designed ninja swords aligned in a single row atop the massive water monster's head.  

Kisame Hozuki coolly drew one of the Thunder Swords and twirled it, releasing a chilling arc of steel that pointed straight at Shinji.  

In a cold, commanding voice, he barked: 

“Uchiha brat, come and finish this fight!”  

Shinji took a deep breath. He had been expecting this moment all along.  

Stepping past Terumi Mei without a second glance, he advanced. With a reverse grip, he drew his own ninja sword.  

Both hands gripped the hilt as he lifted his gaze.  

His Sharingan eyes, glowing crimson, locked onto Kisame Hozuki, who stood atop the colossal beast. Fighting back the primal fear of such a towering opponent, Shinji steadied himself.  

His stance firm, legs shoulder-width apart, he was ready to face the battle ahead.  

“Wait! Kisame Hozuki!” Terumi Mei suddenly lifted her head, her eyes wide in shock. 

“What are you doing?!”  

Kisame Hozuki merely shook his head at her, his expression devoid of emotion. 

“Mist Village matters can’t be known by outsiders,” he said coolly.  

Then, fixing his steely gaze on Shinji, he spoke with icy indifference: 

“Don’t worry. I’m just sending him on his way. After all, isn’t this what he came here for in the first place?”  

“Whether he dies at the hands of the creature below the cavern or by mine makes no difference.”  

Without waiting for a response, Kisame Hozuki grabbed the Blunt Sword Kabutowari and the Great Sword Samehada from the rack, slinging them across his back.  

From a height of over ten meters, he looked down at Shinji with murderous intent flaring in his eyes.  

Shinji inhaled deeply once more, glancing up at Kisame Hozuki, who stood atop the water beast.  

With a sinister grin, he sneered: 

“You think you can kill me?”  

“Then come!”  

In an instant, he activated his secret technique: Earth Grudge Fear: Stitching!  

From his wrists, pitch-black, unyielding threads extended, binding his palms tightly to the sword’s hilt. The threads coiled up along the blade, crafting an inverted, spiral-shaped sword design that tapered at the top.  

He then used Forbidden Technique: Corporeal Rebirth, a move he could only perform once more in his current condition.  

His muscles rippled, drawing the last remnants of energy from his already-depleted body to generate a surge of fresh, immense chakra. All of it was channeled into the Snake Seal formed by his hands gripping the sword.  

The jutsu Water Style: Water Fang Blade erupted in a spiraling surge.  

The spiraling water blade expanded, infused with the overwhelming chakra, growing into a towering six-foot-long spiral water blade.  

To further refine its lethality, he cautiously infused it with Sword Style: Chakra Infusion, slightly sharpening its edge.  

Shinji raised the water blade, the pinnacle of his power, and pointed it coldly at Kisame Hozuki, standing atop the massive creature wielding the finest swords of the ninja world.  

With a mocking laugh, he sneered: 

“Do you think I’m afraid of you?”  

His eyes sharpened, and his lips curled into a wild grin as he roared: 

“Come! Let’s meet in the land of death!”  

To Terumi Mei’s utter astonishment, the young man charged first, sword in hand, rushing straight toward Kisame Hozuki!  

(To be continued!) 

 *Chapter 77: The Sky Clears, the Rain Stops, and Shinji Rises Again!*

A massive water beast roared skyward!

Its towering, hunched body abruptly straightened, instantly piercing the castle's dome and shattering it apart!

Bricks, rubble, broken beams, and shards of glass rained down like a storm,

glimmering with a rainbow-like brilliance under the radiance of the newborn sun!

Faced with this seemingly apocalyptic scene, there was no place to hide.

There was no need for words—only battle!

Shinji spread his arms, gripping a sword in one hand while the other reached behind his back.

With a flick of his fingers, he drew and hurled!

Four shuriken, connected by black wires, tore through the air and embedded themselves in the shattered rooftop.

He took two steps back, pulling the wires taut.

Then, with a swift motion, he drew a kunai, tying the ends of the wires to its circular handle. He stabbed the kunai into the floor, anchoring it firmly beneath his feet.

Next, Shinji locked his gaze on the four wire-drawn paths that stretched upward.

Without hesitation, he flipped and leapt, dashing up the wires inclined at nearly 70 degrees!

Amidst the falling debris and massive stones, he maneuvered deftly along the wires, slashing and slicing with his blade. Like an unstoppable bulldozer, he forged his way upward!

His water blade carved out arcs of crescent light, shredding every obstacle in his path.

Finally, he took a step—

Landing on the edge of the castle's shattered rooftop, he ascended to its peak, standing atop the cylindrical dome.

He fixed his eyes on Hozuki Mangetsu, who stood on the head of the massive water beast.

The scarlet Sharingan swirled with half-rotated tomoe, locking onto his opponent's position, calculating potential routes, and predicting the enemy's next move.

But Shinji quickly furrowed his brow.

Facing Hozuki Mangetsu, who bore the blunt sword and great blade on his back while holding the lightning blade in hand, Shinji struggled to predict his opponent’s actions.

Even during the Fourth Great Ninja War,

When Mangetsu was reanimated by Kabuto’s Edo Tensei, he had relied solely on his Hydrification Technique for combat, never once wielding a single sword. Despite fighting to the very end, no one had sealed him beforehand.

For Shinji, who possessed intel on almost every Kage-level shinobi in the ninja world,

Mangetsu’s most frustrating trait

was that he was an absolute intelligence black hole.

Guessing his abilities was a gamble—one moment he might unleash a Steam Danger Explosion, or some other strange jutsu, leaving you completely helpless.

In the world of ninjas, battles were fights of information.

This experience was completely different from facing someone like Kakuzu, whose techniques had already been laid bare.

Right now, the only known weakness of Mangetsu was that his Hydrification Technique could be countered by Lightning Release.

The paralysis effect of Lightning Release could prevent the Hydrification Technique from fully liquefying his body.

Shinji narrowed his eyes slightly, glancing at the lightning blade in Mangetsu's hand before lifting his gaze toward the heavy clouds in the sky.

A bold idea began to take shape in his mind.

If he could wrest the lightning blade from Mangetsu’s hand, could he harness its natural lightning-drawing ability to recreate Sasuke’s—

*Lightning Release: Kirin?*

In the original story, Sasuke had already demonstrated Kirin quite clearly.

The reason this technique was classified as S-rank was largely due to the difficulty of controlling the lightning’s direction and speed, as well as ensuring the user wouldn’t get struck themselves.

With the Sharingan, Shinji could clearly see and analyze lightning. Summoning it would be no problem for him.

As for whether it would strike him—well, that didn’t really matter.

Through his provocations and the actual defeat of five Mist Hunter Ninjas, Shinji had already accomplished what he set out to do.

He had opened a door for Mangetsu—a chance to approach Yagura and participate in the coup against Kirigakure.

For this prodigy, destined to walk that path,

it was an offer he could not refuse.

From here on, Mei Terumi’s fate was no longer his concern.

At least until Mangetsu met Yagura, he likely wouldn’t target Mei Terumi again.

The speech he had forcibly fed Mei earlier was also to achieve this goal.

Now that this step was complete,

Shinji could once again charge toward death without any burdens!

No hesitation!

Standing beneath the stormy clouds and wild winds, Shinji narrowed his eyes, grinned, and shouted:

"Prodigy of the Mist, have you ever seen a jutsu descend from the heavens?!"

Mangetsu frowned slightly, wondering what tricks this brat was plotting now.

However, after suffering two consecutive defeats at the hands of Shinji, even losing one of his eyes due to a sneaky attack, Hozuki Mangetsu had become completely alert. Without hesitation, he summoned his massive Gundam-like figure and the best ninja swords in the village.

His goal was to crush this brat to death, eradicating all variables at the earliest stage.

With this thought in mind, he slightly raised his hand.

The water monster beneath him instantly condensed a giant hand made entirely of water from its body. The hand rose high and swung down like a fly swatter, slapping straight at Shinji!

But it didn’t stop there.

Hozuki Mangetsu’s cold gaze sharpened as chakra rapidly converged in his raised hand. At his fingertips, bullets of liquid began to form.

*Water Release: Water Gun Technique.*

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!  

Water bullets fired one after another, tracing deadly arcs that sealed off all possible escape routes!

Faced with such an overwhelming assault, Shinji crouched low and stepped forward, breaking the brickwork of the arched rooftop with his foot as he leapt into the air, dodging the giant hand’s swing.

Gripping his blade with both hands, he stood firm against the oncoming water bullets, allowing his skin to harden. Then, in a move like splitting a mountain with sheer force, he aimed a powerful slash directly at Hozuki Mangetsu’s head!

Seeing this, Hozuki Mangetsu sneered coldly.

This was exactly the opportunity he had been waiting for!

When the opponent hardened his body, a momentary stiffness was unavoidable.

And this was the perfect chance to kill him!

---

*Meanwhile, on another battlefield...*

The ground quaked, and the mountains trembled.

A massive purple tail swept through countless giant trees, causing deafening explosions of dust and debris.

Orochimaru wielded the Kusanagi Sword, his body softening and twisting as the sword's length shifted unpredictably, alternately extending and contracting to launch relentless attacks at the blood-soaked Shennong.

But Shennong neither dodged nor avoided the blows. Even after sustaining a deep slash, the massive wound on his body would heal almost instantly.

Enduring the onslaught, he smashed the ground with a forceful blow, hoisted a giant boulder, and leapt into the air, hurling it toward Orochimaru, who stood atop Manda’s head.

In response, the somber and imposing Rashomon gates suddenly rose from the ground!

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Not far from this fierce battlefield...

Amid the flattened remains of a dense forest,

Uchiha Seiichiro, with bloodshot eyes, sprinted relentlessly toward the headquarters of the Jashin cult.

On his back was a colossal scroll nearly as tall as he was, and over his shoulders, he wore a high-collared cloak adorned with the red and white Uchiha clan emblem.

Seiichiro’s crimson Sharingan eyes swirled as he carefully scanned both the ground and the sky.

Falling debris, massive trees, gusts of sand-laden wind, and burning remnants of snake carcasses rained down around him as if from an apocalyptic storm.

He had no idea why this sudden battle’s aftermath had erupted,

Nor did he care.

Gritting his teeth, his eyes burned with hatred and regret.

The two tomoe in his crimson Sharingan spun violently, and in one eye, the second tomoe had already evolved into a three-tomoe Sharingan.

“Wait for me. I’ll be there soon!”

“This time, I won’t run. I will save you!”

“Shinji!”

---

*Chapter 78: The Approaching Wind! Three Blades to End It!*

On the trunk of a giant tree:

"Captain, is it really okay to let Kiyoshiro charge in alone like that?"

"You’re aware of the situation up ahead, right? The group of ninja from the Hot Water Nation is on guard there, and they’ve got elite shinobi among them."

A Uchiha clad in a black robe frowned as he watched Uchiha Kiyoshiro recklessly charging ahead below. His concern for Kiyoshiro's mental state was evident.

Standing on the trunk with his arms crossed, Uchiha Fugaku gazed into the distance where the battle raged. His sharp eyes narrowed slightly, and he responded with a faint "Hmm," before saying calmly:

"Kiyoshiro isn’t weak. He just lacks a bit of courage."

He shook his head and, in a tone filled with arrogance, added:

"Besides, don’t compare the jonin of small villages with the Uchiha."

With that, Fugaku activated his Sharingan and turned his gaze toward the battlefield in the distance, his expression becoming more focused.

He recognized one of the combatants—Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin—engaged in a fierce fight with a powerful opponent.

However,

What troubled Fugaku was Orochimaru's presence here, confirming that the core of the Hot Water Nation was under his control.

The clan members sent to gather intelligence had been met with resistance and shut out entirely.

Did Orochimaru have ulterior motives regarding the Cult of Jashin?

And what role was that young Uchiha kid, Shinji, playing in all this?

After a moment of contemplation, Fugaku shook his head and issued his orders:

"Send three people to follow Kiyoshiro. Unless he’s in a life-threatening situation, do not interfere."

"The rest of you, come with me to investigate and locate Shinji."

"The portraits have already been distributed. You’ve all seen that kid before."

One of the Uchiha nodded, his face revealing him to be the same chunin who had previously summoned Shinji to the police force.

With a wry smile, he muttered:

"I really didn’t expect that kid—always picking up garbage-tier missions—to get wrapped up in something so shocking once he stepped out."

"Who would’ve thought? His first mission outside the village, and he runs into a Cloud ambush."

Another Uchiha shook his head, chuckling.

"I saw that kid at a nightclub just the other night. Man, tough break."

"That sneaky brat acted all serious, trying to chat me up and ask about the price and services for certain packages."

"Before he could finish talking..."

"His transformation jutsu got sniffed out by an Inuzuka’s dog, and he got tossed out!"

The group burst into hearty laughter at the story.

But soon, one of the laughing Uchiha lowered his tone, a trace of worry slipping into his voice:

"Let’s hope that kid’s okay. Otherwise, this joke won’t feel so funny anymore."

Hearing that, the group fell silent, their expressions turning serious as they quickly divided into teams and dispersed.

For some reason, though,

Eight pairs of Sharingan glowed simultaneously, carefully scanning the surroundings for any faint traces that might be connected to their quarry.

---

Far away, Fugaku’s gaze landed on the distant walls of the Cult of Jashin’s headquarters.

There,

Deep gashes from wire slicing through stone crisscrossed the area. The ground was littered with shattered bricks and rubble. One side of the cliff had collapsed, with debris tumbling down the slope.

---

At the top of the fortress:

Hozuki Mangetsu narrowed his eyes, firing off two water bullets into the air with a loud bang, bang. Gripping his lightning blade, he twisted his foot and flipped backward to evade a slash. As he descended, he drove the blade into the head of a water beast.

"Lightning Burial: Banquet of Thunder!"

The twin lightning blades immediately discharged crackling blue bolts resembling branching tree limbs, striking toward Shinji.

The lightning and the water bullets struck almost simultaneously!

Still airborne, Shinji had hardened his body to withstand four water bullets. But a bad feeling washed over him.

In this situation:

He could either continue hardening his body to resist the final two water bullets, only to be struck by lightning, leaving him paralyzed and staggered, essentially turning him into prey...

Or he could forgo using Earth Release: Earth Spear to harden himself and attempt to dodge, losing his opportunity for close combat.

In a split second, there was no time for hesitation. Ji's eyes sharpened, and he chose a third option!

Thud! Thud!  

The water bullets pierced through him, leaving a long trail of crimson.

Coughing up a mouthful of blood, Shinji spun mid-air and landed in a half-kneeling position. Without pausing, he pushed off the ground and lunged forward, wielding his water blade in a horizontal slash aimed at Hozuki Mangetsu's neck.

The spinning water blade sliced cleanly through, severing Mangetsu’s head.

However, the next moment, the head turned into a puddle of water, and a new one regenerated on his neck.

Mangetsu’s indifferent eyes met Ji’s as he raised his lightning blade and said coolly:

"I don’t know what you’re plotting."

"But as long as I maintain my fully hydrated form, none of your attacks will work on me."

"But you..."

Before he could finish, Shinji slashed again, this time aiming directly at the wrist holding the lightning blade!

If Mangetsu chose to liquefy to avoid the strike, Shinji would seize the lightning blade and attempt to harness its power.

However, as if seeing through Shinji’s intent to attack, Hozuki Mangetsu let out a cold smirk.

His liquified body suddenly solidified.

Immediately after, he reversed his ninja blade, blocking Shinji’s strike.

At the same time, he sneered mockingly:

“Trying to take my blade?”

“But don’t you think you’re overestimating your swordsmanship?”

“Stop talking nonsense! Take this!” Shinji retorted, slashing backhandedly with his blade.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks flew as their blades clashed repeatedly!

Soon,

Two whirlwinds of flashing steel carved cold arcs in the mist, while scarlet eyes weaved a web of blood-red lines in the haze.

Hozuki Mangetsu’s gaze was icy as he took full advantage of his complete water-body form, focusing solely on offense. He relentlessly swung his blade at various parts of Shinji’s body.

His swordsmanship suddenly became more than twice as fierce.

Despite Shinji’s entry-level sword skills—enough to see and respond to Mangetsu’s attacks—his attempts to block consistently failed due to Mangetsu’s deceptive mastery.

Left with no choice, Shinji activated hardening techniques to withstand the relentless strikes.

Clang!

Another blow landed on Ci’s hardened skin. Hozuki Mangetsu’s eyes sharpened as he stepped forward abruptly, canceling his water-body technique and solidifying his form.

He delivered a heavy kick to Shinji’s chest, seizing the moment as Shinji staggered backward.

With his twin swords crossed, a brilliant blue light erupted from the blades!

*Lightning Style: Thunder Fang!*

Crackling electric sounds echoed as lightning burst from the crossed blades, scattering in all directions!

Caught in his hardened but immobilized state, Shinji couldn’t dodge the large-scale jutsu.

His body instantly numbed, his pupils contracted, and sensing the danger, he quickly summoned chakra to activate *Earth Style: Earth Spear* to harden his entire body.

But Hozuki Mangetsu didn’t give him any time to react.

First, he used *Lightning Style: Explosive Thunder*, summoning a bolt of lightning from the heavens with a mere point of his twin swords.

The sky darkened abruptly,

Black clouds churned ominously,

Boom!

A thunderous bolt struck directly at Shinji!

Next, Mangetsu drew the *Blunt Sword: Kabutowari* from his back with a swift motion!

He smashed it heavily against Shinji’s hardened, earth-style-enhanced skin. Then, adding extra force, he slammed a hammer onto the sword’s back.

Crack!

With a sharp sound, the hardened defense of the *Earth Spear* shattered under the force of the Blunt Sword: Kabutowari!

Finally, Mangetsu drew the last blade strapped to his back—

The *Great Sword: Samehada*!

Clutching the sword with both hands, he brought it down mercilessly, piercing through Shinji’s abdomen in one brutal strike!

One strike to paralyze, another to break through defense, and the third to take a life!

Then, he withdrew the blade and coldly tossed Shinji’s limp body onto the castle hall floor.

Bang!

Hozuki Mangetsu stood over the lifeless Shinji, his expression indifferent.

“It’s over,” he said coldly.

In the next moment,

A water monster over ten meters tall suddenly raised itself, forming two massive hands!

With a thunderous smash, the fists came crashing down!

The impact shattered the ground, sending Shinji plunging into a deep crater below.

The battlefield instantly fell silent.

Hozuki Mangetsu frowned slightly as he gazed at the broken ground below. It seemed oddly fragile to him.

“That strike should have crushed that brat into a pulp,” he muttered to himself.

Just then, a crisp, icy voice cut through the silence:

“Now that he’s dead, just leave this place already!”

Standing at the castle’s entrance, Terumi Mei stared coldly at Hozuki Mangetsu.

“I’ll take you to meet Yagura.”

---

*Chapter 79: The Ultimate Ritual, a God Bleeds!*

Everything before his eyes turned into countless lines, all pulling downward rapidly.

Shinji could only watch as Suigetsu Hozuki unleashed a flurry of attacks that landed relentlessly. He had no way to counter.

Just as Shennong had said:

If his opponent saw through his techniques and developed countermeasures, he would instantly become nothing more than prey on their chopping block.

Shinji had intended to rely on his Sharingan and exceptional reflexes to continue a close-quarters blade fight. He planned to seize the Lightning Blade and summon Lightning Release: Kirin, dragging this birdman down with him in mutual destruction.

The plan sounded great, but things went awry right at the first step.

His lack of key intel, coupled with the slight advantage he gained in their first two encounters, made him subconsciously believe he could outmatch Suigetsu Hozuki in close combat.

But—

He hadn’t expected Suigetsu’s fundamentals to be so rock-solid. When Suigetsu abandoned stealth, assassination, and other tracking ninja tactics, and instead faced him head-on:

The Hozuki Sword Style combined with dual-wielding blades came at him in a relentless onslaught.

Suigetsu fought like a berserker with eight arms, his twin swords slashing like a ceaseless whirlwind.

Even worse, amidst the assault, watery fists would suddenly emerge from his shoulders or waist, delivering unexpected and brutal punches.

There was no stopping it—no way to defend against it.

As the battle reached this point, Shinji realized he had made a fatal misstep, walking right into the trap Suigetsu had set for him.

Defeat and death now seemed inevitable.

With a mix of unwillingness—like losing a schoolyard fight—and the irrepressible smirk of someone on the brink of cashing in a massive prize, Shinji looked on as Suigetsu Hozuki drew the giant blade, Samehada, and stabbed it viciously into his abdomen.

“Urgh!”

Blood spurted violently from his mouth.

The giant blade swung him into the air before slamming him down.

Moments later, a massive water beast, over ten meters tall, roared in fury. Its colossal, truck-sized fists slammed into Shinji, pinning him to the ground with a deafening crash!

*Boom!*

Yet the expected result didn’t come—he wasn’t pulverized into mush, his bones and muscles shattered beyond recognition.

Nor did his injuries reach the point where even a legendary healer like Bian Que would throw up his hands in despair.

Instead, as the fist struck, the ground beneath him shattered, revealing a muddy terrain that had somehow turned into a marsh. Passing through the swampy earth, Shinji found himself falling into a vertical passage coated with high-temperature residue.

Coughing up blood, his eyes widened in shock.

He craned his neck and looked up, spotting Terumi Mei standing outside the opening. She was forming a “Snake” hand seal.

To his astonishment, she gave him a playful wink before slamming her hand onto the ground.

*Earth Release: Earth Flow River!*

The soil above him churned violently, sealing the shattered ground and leaving behind a deep crater that looked as if it had been formed by a powerful blow.

The light above was swallowed by the shifting earth, plunging everything into darkness.

---

At this moment, in the underground cavern:

Pools of blood stretched endlessly, surrounded by forests of skeletal remains. Eerie, tormented screams echoed faintly from the deep wind tunnels.

Torchlight and faint beams of light from the wind tunnels illuminated a vast underground plaza.

Rows of crucifixes stood in the blood pools, each one bearing a figure tortured to the brink of death, their original features unrecognizable.

One, two, ten, hundreds, thousands...

It resembled a medieval graveyard, densely packed with crucifixes standing like tombstones.

The difference was that burial didn’t seem to be the custom here. Instead, it looked more like a giant meat-curing warehouse.

Suddenly, the cavern ceiling corroded, creating a large hole. A figure plummeted through, crashing headfirst into the blood pool below.

*Splash!*

A massive wave of blood sprayed into the air.

“Ugh, pfft!” Shinji surfaced, spitting out blood-tainted water, his brows furrowing as he winced in pain.

The giant blade Samehada had drained every last bit of chakra from his body.

The forbidden technique *Corporeal Rebirth* had been pushed to its limit, using the last remnants of his vitality to heal the wound in his abdomen before dissipating.

The impact of falling into the pool was something he had to endure entirely on his own.

Now, every inch of his body ached, and he was sure several of his ribs were broken.

“Hiss…”

Shivering with lingering fear, Shinji instinctively reached for his abdomen.

Thankfully, the massive wound inflicted by Samehada had already been fully healed mid-air by the forbidden technique.

Shinji's six-pack abs were solid as steel. The contours of his obliques felt so defined that he couldn't help but marvel, *"Damn, how can such a perfect body exist in this world?"*

However,

just as he was indulging in this thought,

a resentful voice suddenly sounded from above his head.

"Not to interrupt your self-admiration, Boss,

but could you stop that and save me already?"

Ci froze mid-motion, his hand still on his abs. He jerked his head up abruptly, only to see Hidan staring at him with a pitiful expression. The man was nailed to a cross, his face smeared with "tomato sauce" from Ci's earlier reckless diving stunt.

Hidan, hanging there, looked like a crucified Jesus, with two large, rusted iron nails driven through the centers of his palms.

To make sure he wouldn't move, his captors had tied him up with ropes using a butcher's knot so tight it looked like he was a slab of pork prepared for drying rather than a divine figure ascending a holy altar.

"Well, what a coincidence," Shinji said, lowering his hand with a blank expression, though his thoughts betrayed him: *Why does this guy's scene always have to be so weird?*

Hidan, pale and shivering, stared mournfully at Shinji .

"Yeah, coincidence my ass. One moment I jumped off a cliff, the next, I closed my eyes, opened them, and bam—here I am.

"I've been stuck here for hours! Not a single soul in sight except for a bunch of people wailing like ghosts. Scared the hell out of me!"

Ci rolled his eyes. *He does nothing, jumps straight into the boss's lair, skips the whole fight, and now he's in the middle of the Jashinist induction process.*

*What kind of chosen one is this?*

Shaking his head, Shinji picked up the ninja sword that had fallen with him. The blade was heavily dented, as if a dog had gnawed on it.

Thanks to the Earth Grudge Fear threads wrapped around it, the sword hadn’t snapped like the katana from earlier.

Crack!  

With one swing, he severed the ropes binding Hidan.

The next moment, the blade broke clean in two.

Ci held the sword hilt in silence, then shrugged.

Considering it had endured a brutal clash with the Thunder Sword from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, it had done its job well.

As the ropes snapped, Hidan stretched out his stiff legs, then gave Shinji a pitiful look, pointing at his palms.

"Boss, could you help with these two giant nails, too?"

Ci didn’t rush. He raised his eyes and surveyed the surroundings. The blood pool had only one visible exit—a hole that likely led outside.

But at the moment, dozens of Jashinist cultists were guarding the exit. Even Shinji might struggle to fight his way through, let alone Hidan.

After pondering for a moment, Shinji looked at Hidan with a calm expression and pointed upward.

"Hidan, there's only one way for you to escape."

"Huh? What way?" Hidan looked at him curiously, following his finger to the ceiling.

With a deadly serious expression, Shinji explained as if unveiling a grand plan:

"You’ll need to master water-walking and tree-climbing in five minutes. Then, climb through that hole, dig through 6 to 10 meters of earth with your bare hands, and you’ll reach the outside."

Hidan froze, his face blank.

*Learn water-walking and tree-climbing in five minutes? Barehandedly dig through solid ground?*

*I'm Hidan, not Superman!*

"Wait, what kind of nonsense plan is that? Did you even think about rescuing me in the first place?"

Ci turned his back on him, nodding gravely like a solemn old official.

"Kid, the fact that I made it here alive was already a miracle.

"You think I had time to come up with plans for anything else?

"Instead of whining, why don’t you think about what you’re going to do next?"

"Me?" Hidan looked up dumbly at the gaping hole in the ceiling, his expression constipated.

"What am I supposed to do?"

If he could pull off those stunts, he wouldn’t have had so much trouble when he first met Kakuzu.

Now, being told to learn them on the spot was like saying, Great job jumping that far—now go break the world record while you're at it!  

*Are you messing with me?!*

While Hidan’s attention was distracted by the hole in the ceiling, Shinji moved swiftly. He shoved the sword hilt into Hidan's mouth and, with a swift kick to the cross, yanked the nail from Hidan’s palm.

Shing!  

"Mmmphhh!!"

Hidan's eyes widened as he let out a muffled scream, biting down on the sword hilt. Before he could start cursing, Shinji slammed the hilt further into his mouth and grabbed the other nail.

All that talk earlier? It was just to divert Hidan’s attention, preventing him from shouting and alerting the cultists outside.

But then,

a large, powerful hand suddenly appeared behind Shinji and gripped his wrist firmly.

Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from behind:

"Stop!"

Shinji was startled and, without turning his head, immediately pulled the broken sword out of Hidan's mouth. In one swift motion, he reversed his grip and thrust the blade backward.

However, the forceful strike was blocked mid-air by the opponent, who raised a palm and intercepted it with an elbow, stopping it effortlessly.

"Is this your greeting?"

The person's tone was indifferent and icy.

Shinji frowned slightly. Without hesitation, he flipped backward, following up with a "rabbit-kicking-eagle" move, fiercely aiming a kick at the opponent's forehead.

At the same time, his hand reached for the ninja tool pouch at his waist, ready to throw a shuriken.

But just then, he felt a sharp pain throughout his body. His fluid movements seemed to freeze, as if someone had pressed the pause button.

Behind him, the person let out a cold laugh, grabbed Shinji's extended leg, and swung him violently before slamming him into the pool of blood.

"Falling from such a high place without using chakra to protect your body, and then trying to fight immediately after," the man said mockingly.

"I can't imagine how arrogant and foolish you must be to do something so reckless."

Splash!  

"Ugh!" Shinji groaned in agony as the impact hit him like slamming into a concrete floor. His entire body trembled with pain, and he couldn't stop himself from vomiting another mouthful of blood.

It was then that he finally saw his opponent clearly.

The man was towering, at least six feet three inches tall, wearing a black, belted robe adorned with the symbols of the Jashin cult. A hood obscured his face beneath its shadow, and the front of his robe was open, revealing a muscular chest with a pendant engraved with the Jashin emblem.

He looked like a small mountain.

The man gripped Shinji's calf tightly and dragged him through the pool of blood like a rag doll. He then hoisted him upright beside a cross that stood by the edge of the blood pool.

With a powerful flick of his hand—

Clang! Clang!  

Crack! Crack!  

Two iron nails drove straight through Shinji's palms, piercing his hand bones and pinning him to the cross.

Then, pulling out a coil of rough rope, the man bound Shinji as if he were tying up a piece of dead meat, knotting it with a butcher's precision.

At this point, the Jashin cult high priest looked at his handiwork, and the corners of his mouth curved into a twisted smile.

The grin grew wider and wider, his eyes brimming with a chilling madness.

"Your greeting is quite acceptable. I'll gladly accept it," he sneered.

"But now that the stage has been set, allow me to invite you to witness—"

"The ultimate ritual for the descent of Jashin!"

"The blood sacrifice of the gods!"

---

(End of Chapter)  

*Chapter 80: The Second Sacrifice – Beyond Death’s Limit!*

---

After binding Shinji to the cross, the Cult of Jashin’s bishop quickly turned and walked toward the blood pool, forming seals with both hands.

“Divine bloodletting? What kind of nonsense is that?” Shinji frowned in confusion.

Hanging on a rack nearby, Hidan’s face darkened as he explained with a furrowed brow:

“I know what this is. It’s the highest-level ritual of the Cult of Jashin. They torment 100 girls and 1,000 living beings, offering the pain they inflict as a sacrifice to Jashin.”

“By channeling intense suffering, they seek to exchange it for power from the god.”

Shinji frowned and turned his head, scanning the surroundings.

On the nearby crosses, countless emaciated individuals hung lifelessly, their gazes hollow and devoid of vitality, neither dead nor alive.

“This doesn’t make sense,” Shinji said with a puzzled expression, raising an eyebrow. “You said they’re offering pain to Jashin, but these people look so numb. How could they still be feeling anything?”

“Don’t tell me your Cult of Jashin has figured out how to store pain?”

“Torture first, then ‘download’ the suffering? What kind of cutting-edge tech is this?”

“Hey, enough already! I’m not a member of the Cult of Jashin!” Hidan retorted, rolling his eyes in frustration.

The hellish scene before them rendered him silent, the grotesque spectacle striking him with overwhelming dread.

If achieving peace in the Land of Hot Water required such a price, then the perpetrators of these atrocities were no different from the great nations’ ninjas ravaging the land.

Hidan suddenly raised his head and, with a grimace, explained to Shinji:

“Still, the Cult of Jashin’s rituals only work when the suffering is genuine. It’s the pain that pleases the god, who then grants power in return.”

Shinji shot Hidan a knowing look that said it all.

So you do know a lot about this, huh?  

“What’s with that look? I read it in a book, okay?” Hidan shouted indignantly.

“What kind of book is that? A Cult of Jashin starter guide that includes this much detail?” Shinji shook his head, at a loss for words. He sighed and continued:

“But if what you’re saying is true, then it means one thing—”

His tone turned heavy as he spoke:

“This place has already completed one sacrifice.”

“And now, it’s time for the next one.”

The two exchanged glances. Around them, the silence was deafening, save for the faint echoes of tormented cries etched into the faces of the lifeless figures nailed to crosses. Both fell silent, a chill creeping into their hearts.

“The next sacrifice…” Hidan looked around with a deep frown. Aside from the two of them and the hulking Cult bishop, there wasn’t another living soul in sight.

Still bound to the cross, Shinji refined his chakra while glancing at Hidan, unable to resist asking:

“Hidan, are you… loud when you scream?”

“What kind of question is that? What do you mean by loud?” Hidan shot back, glaring at him.

“Look around.”

Shinji smirked dryly, his voice tinged with bitter humor: “No need to guess. The sacrifices this time are obviously us.”

“But I’m a true ninja!”

“A ninja who can take a blade through the gut without a sound. A man of unyielding fortitude who can endure hellish agony without flinching!”

“So, the pain this god craves… it’ll have to come from you.”

Shinji’s tone grew somber as his eyes narrowed. He looked at the bishop preparing the ritual and asked:

“Are you ready for this?”

“What are you even saying?” Hidan froze, failing to grasp the meaning behind Shinji’s words.

Shinji shook his head, his gaze turning icy as he focused on refining every trace of chakra in his drained body. Even a sliver could make a difference.

If his suspicions were correct, what awaited Hidan was unspeakably cruel.

The first sacrifice, involving a thousand lives, had already been completed. Now, the second ritual was underway, promising even greater suffering to please the god.

Shinji had always wondered what kind of torment could twist someone like Hidan into the deranged, gleeful maniac he would later become.

Now, as the clues pieced themselves together, the truth behind the Cult of Jashin’s ceremony began to emerge.

This would be a sacrifice of unimaginable terror and pain, surpassing the very limits of death itself.

A ritual to grant true immortality!

The only thought in Shinji’s mind was to end this tragedy and rewrite the future.

---

*In the ruined castle…*

An elderly man in a deep blue robe descended with the aid of a cane, his eyes sweeping over the battlefield strewn with devastation.

He furrowed his brows and sighed softly, a hint of disappointment in his expression.

Beside him, White Zetsu twisted his body and manipulated himself to split off a spore clone, which burrowed into the ground to observe the situation in the underground cave.

"Lord Madara, that boy is still alive. He's currently in the underground cave. Do you want to keep watching?"

Uchiha Madara shook his head and replied calmly:

"No need."

"Just now, I was unsure. But now, I’ve confirmed it."

"There’s a death wish in that boy’s eyes. He’s fighting with everything he has, purely for the sake of dying."

"He’s already grasped the truth of the world and understood the disparity in the cycle of reincarnation."

White Zetsu asked curiously, "Isn’t that a good thing?"

"Impressive, isn’t it? At such a young age, he already shares Lord Madara’s way of thinking."

Madara shook his head, visibly disappointed, and said:

"No, it’s quite the opposite."

"At an age when he should believe in fairy tales, he has seen through the truth of the world, but he lacks the strength to break the chains of destiny."

"The only path left for him is to escape."

"Until the day he can no longer run away."

Madara frowned, his emotions unusually turbulent. He was certain that the boy had the potential to awaken the forbidden eyes.

If he could reach that day, the boy would undoubtedly obtain those eyes.

But if he couldn't make it to that day, he would simply die without hesitation.

And if Madara were to orchestrate everything, it would be akin to dragging someone who wants to die into not dying.

Such a task… was far too troublesome.

He didn’t have much time left.

"Sometimes, being too smart isn’t a good thing," Madara said with a shake of his head, before stepping into the darkness.

From afar, he left a parting command:

"Zetsu, implant the Spore Technique on that boy. If necessary, you can provide him with chakra."

White Zetsu stood there, dumbfounded.

What exactly does Lord Madara mean by this?

---

At the entrance of the underground cave of the Cult of Jashin’s headquarters.

Seiichiro stood at the door, gazing at the battlefield ruins that looked as though a tornado had torn through a parking lot.

Massive traces of destruction, shattered walls, missing towers—

And before him, dozens of elite Cult of Jashin members stood ready, fully armed.

Carrying a massive scroll on his back, Uchiha Seiichiro gritted his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger as his jaw and body trembled violently.

“It’s fine. It’s fine. I can do this.”

“I have the Sharingan. Under these eyes, this group of people is nothing but trash!”

He gave himself a forceful pep talk and took a shaky step forward.

One step, two steps, three steps… countless steps!

Until he charged forward!

The fierce wind swept back his hairline, and the fear in his eyes turned into sharp determination.

His hands formed seals, and his Sharingan spun!

“Kill him! Use all your ninjutsu!” the Cult of Jashin elites roared, launching their attacks in unison.

Facing the overwhelming barrage of attacks,

Seiichiro stepped forward boldly, his eyes blazing with fury:

“Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!”

---

(End of Chapter)