At dawn, Kairen's army began emptying the entire Iwagakure, flowing mightily toward the direction of the Land of Wind like a vast torrent.
This barren land could not compare to even one Kurotsuchi in captivating Kairen. After eliminating the nobles and the daimyō system of the Land of Earth, Kairen left several shadow clones as governors and returned.
Inside the army's caravan.
Shikamaru and the others were tightly bound, and each of their feet was clamped by a dog to prevent them from breaking free.
Kairen leaned against the throne, holding a purple fruit the size of a fist in his hand. It was a Chakra Fruit, worth ten thousand experience points.
Kairen gently tasted the flesh. As his strength increased, most of the things in the system space were becoming increasingly useless to him.
But the Chakra Fruit was a good thing. The main branch of the Ōtsutsuki clan searched the entire universe for suitable planets to plant them, naturally knowing the effects of this divine object.
One bite could extend life and bring an ethereal bliss, more addictive than betel nut and cigarettes combined.
More importantly, Kairen could directly feel his strength rising.
Akamaru sat obediently in front of Kairen, its tongue hanging out long, both greedy for the fruit at Kairen's mouth and eager to flatter him.
Kairen looked at Akamaru and smiled.
"You get first credit for capturing them. Since that's the case, merits and faults cancel out, so I'll leave you with one egg!"
"Woof •᷄ࡇ•᷅" Akamaru panicked.
Kairen smiled. "I'm joking with you."
After wiping the fruit flesh clean in one bite, he tossed the Chakra Fruit core to Akamaru.
"It's your reward!"
Akamaru didn't mind at all. It caught it in one bite and greedily absorbed the remaining residue.
Its biological instincts told it that what Kairen gave was an incredible treasure.
Sure enough, Akamaru evolved at a speed visible to the naked eye. Its body grew larger and larger, its fur thicker and thicker, faintly taking on the appearance of a tiger or wolf.
Shikamaru and the others were all astonished.
What kind of divine pill was that? Akamaru had practically turned into a giant tiger.
After rewarding the meritorious subject, Kairen began dealing with Shikamaru and the others.
Rock Lee suddenly roared at Kairen, "Why? Why? Guy-sensei fought so desperately! Yet you don't even have a single injury."
Rock Lee couldn't believe Kairen's condition. Even torn clothes or a dirty face would have been something.
As long as there was even a small injury, Rock Lee could find some comfort. That way, Guy's desperate effort would at least have had value.
But there wasn't. Kairen had no injuries whatsoever, still as transcendent as before.
It made Rock Lee feel like Guy's sacrifice had been meaningless, like a joke.
Kairen shook his head. It seemed Rock Lee foolishly believed Guy was already dead.
After all, once the Gate of Death was opened, youth doubled, and afterward, life itself ended.
Kairen calmly replied to Rock Lee, "Reality is like this. You risk your life chasing something, only to end up with nothing."
Rock Lee's face was full of defiance. "Guy-sensei's sacrifice was meaningful. He fulfilled his youth and his ninja way. I will also be like him and burn my remaining light."
Rock Lee suddenly struggled violently, kicking away the two dogs biting his feet. Then he opened the Gate of Limit, igniting intense green energy as he charged toward Kairen.
Kairen rested his head on the armrest, seemingly unconcerned with Rock Lee's attack.
Just as Rock Lee was about to hit Kairen, Kairen's Tenseigan flashed with light. Rock Lee fell uncontrollably to the ground and immediately lost consciousness.
Tenten shouted anxiously, "Rock Lee! Rock Lee!"
Rock Lee had already fainted and could not hear Tenten's voice.
Kairen smiled. His genjutsu had already reached the high level.
Tenten glared angrily at Kairen. "You bastard, what did you do to Rock Lee?"
Kairen's gaze gradually shifted toward Tenten.
With one look, he became captivated. It wasn't because Tenten was extraordinarily beautiful.
There were countless beauties around Kairen. His hard drive alone held three thousand beauties, and they could even spray water.
What was strange was the feeling Tenten gave him.
This Chinese-styled girl wore a white mandarin jacket, with two bun hairstyles, giving Kairen a familiar sensation.
It felt like staying too long in the Japanese and Korean section and suddenly clicking into the Chinese section.
Kairen's gaze frightened Tenten. She quickly lowered her head. Suddenly recalling Kairen's title as a lustful demon, she couldn't help but feel sorrow for her future.
Shikamaru looked at Kairen seriously and said word by word, "Moku Kairen, you've kept us alive without killing us. What exactly do you want?"
"What do I want?"
Kairen turned over lazily and said, "The women will enter the palace. The men will be castrated too. That's called perfect utilization."
Kairen's humiliation pierced their hearts like thorns, filling them with anger.
Ino cursed loudly, "Moku Kairen, don't even think about it."
Kairen snorted. "Hmph! What is there that I, Moku Kairen, dare not think of? When I act like a beast, even the Six Paths fear me."
Ino's face was resolute. "Even if I bite my tongue and kill myself, I will never submit to you."
"Then bite it."
Kairen's single sentence blocked her completely. She glared at him angrily, wanting to bite her tongue, yet lacking the courage.
Kairen smiled. "You Konoha ninja only respond to softness, not force! Now I'll give you two girls, Ino and Tenten, a choice."
"One, follow me from now on. Eat well, drink well, and I'll release your companions."
"Two, still follow me. I'll personally 'feed' you well in the future. As for your companions, they'll enter the palace as eunuchs."
Kairen's two choices had no real opposition. Both were meant to keep Ino and Tenten.
But the second option made Shikamaru and the others feel deeply humiliated.
Neji, being straightforward, had no intention of entrusting his fate to others. His Byakugan stared directly at Kairen.
"Moku Kairen, stop talking nonsense. If you want my life, come and take it."
Chōji followed immediately. "Yeah! Moku Kairen, stop using Ino and Tenten to threaten us."
Shikamaru was about to say something.
He intended to express himself.
But before he could, Kairen dropped them all with a single glance.
Kairen withdrew his gaze disdainfully. "Why are speaking? Do you even have the right to speak?"
After dealing with a few mosquitoes, Kairen turned his ambiguous gaze toward Ino and Tenten.
"So, what is your answer?"
Ino and Tenten looked at each other, fully aware of Kairen's sinister intentions—to use their companions to force them into submission.
But did they have a choice?
No.
Raised under the Will of Fire, Ino and Tenten deeply cherished the bonds between companions.
Kairen had seized precisely that weakness.
Now, even the village feared Kairen's power.
The higher-ups even considered selling out the Hokage to exchange for peace. They would never send reinforcements to rescue them.
Thus, the only ones they could rely on were themselves.
But such a decision was too cruel for two young girls in the prime of youth.
This was a lifelong matter, not a joke.
Silence.
A long silence.
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