"Oh ho, I have some bad news, Shiraishi-kun."
Mr. Crow began cawing again.
"It seems that old man Kamimoto is a bit more talented than I imagined. The ghost snake is about to reach its limit."
As he spoke, the massive Evil-Faced Ghost Snake collapsed with a roar under the combined assault of numerous ninjas and summoned beasts. Its gargantuan body had already inflicted unimaginable damage on the village; the mere act of falling destroyed over a dozen houses.
Watching the rapidly rising dust, Mori Shiraishi's gaze remained calm and icy. After devouring another Jonin to stimulate RC Cell division and form new Kagune, a new pair of fleshy wings sprouted from his back. He took flight, hurtling toward the center of the battlefield.
"Mooo!"
At that moment, Kamimoto stood atop a giant blue elephant. This was his summoned beast, known as the Water Elephant. It had performed heroically in the battle to defeat the Evil-Faced Ghost Snake. Had it not pinned the snake down from the front, the losses to the Hidden Steam Village would have likely doubled!
However, the leader of the Hidden Steam Ninja village showed no joy on his face. Because so many troops had been diverted to handle the ghost snake, and with morale crumbling on the front lines, the Ghoul army had already breached the village's defenses and was slaughtering their way through the streets.
Furthermore...
It seems Uemura and the other failed to take that guy down.
The village leader looked up at the dark clouds. Suddenly, crimson crystals rained down from the sky like a torrential storm!
"Watch out!"
Kamimoto's summoned beast reacted instantly. It swung its long trunk, spraying a curtain of water that intercepted all the incoming shards.
Seeing this, Mori Shiraishi flapped his wings violently, diving like a falling star. His Koukaku-wrapped feet plummeted toward Kamimoto with crushing force. Sensing the danger, Kamimoto immediately concentrated a massive amount of chakra and moisture into his right arm.
"Water Style: Great Water Arm Jutsu!"
The two terrifying forces collided. The resulting pressure caused the ground beneath the giant elephant to sink several meters, as if the area had experienced a localized earthquake.
Mori Shiraishi's foot-armor was shattered, but the flame-like Ukaku on his back flared up again. He used the sudden burst of speed to perform a backflip, then thrust his drill-like Koukaku arm toward his opponent.
Kamimoto was not to be outdone. He channeled his prepared chakra into his ninja blade and slashed out, sending Mori Shiraishi flying backward.
Wait!
Kamimoto felt the weightless sensation of the impact and immediately realized something was wrong. By then, Mori Shiraishi had already used the counter-force of the clash to slide down the side of the elephant's head.
The Water Elephant turned its head to deliver a fatal blow, but Mori Shiraishi was faster. In an instant, he used his Ukaku to adjust his position right in front of the beast's eye.
"Die."
Mori Shiraishi's Rinkaku elongated instantly. Under Kamimoto's horrified gaze, the Kagune pierced through the Water Elephant's eye and straight into its brain! Blood mixed with an unknown fluid burst forth.
Kamimoto, his eyes nearly bursting with rage at the sight, took advantage of Mori Shiraishi's momentary instability after the strike. He threw a heavy punch directly into the Ghoul's Koukaku.
"Boom!"
Mori Shiraishi crashed through two buildings like a cannonball before finally coming to a halt. As the Water Elephant collapsed, the killing intent radiating from Kamimoto became uncontrollable.
"I originally wanted to negotiate with you monsters to see if there was room for compromise. Now, I just want to kill every last one of you!"
Kamimoto gripped his blade and stepped toward Mori Shiraishi. Inside the ruins of the collapsed buildings, Mori Shiraishi rose again. The Koukaku covering his body had been shattered by Kamimoto's full-power punch, and even his internal organs had suffered severe injuries.
Despite this, he curled his lips into a polite smile.
"That suits me perfectly."
The wings on his back burned fiercely. With a blur of motion, he appeared before his enemy almost instantly, his Koukaku arm lunging for the head. Kamimoto parried the thrust with his blade, stepped aside, and wove a one-handed sign before tapping the Koukaku lightly.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"
A massive surge of water erupted from his palm, forming a sphere that firmly encased Mori Shiraishi. Simultaneously, six Rinkaku pierced through the water sphere and squeezed inward like a closing hand.
"Bang!"
The giant water ball shattered. Crimson Kagune lashed out at Kamimoto like a violent storm. Chakra-coated blades and Kagune clashed, sending countless sparks flying. Chakra and physical strength were being depleted rapidly on both sides.
While they were locked in a fierce confrontation, the situation outside had turned into a total rout. Various Kagune of all colors finally broke through the final line of defense. The Hidden Steam Ninja abandoned all resistance, scrambling toward the interior of the village.
The Ghoul army hunted these fleeing ninjas at will—just as these ninjas had once hunted ordinary people at will.
Mori Shiraishi seized a moment of distraction from Kamimoto. He sacrificed one Rinkaku to wrap around the enemy's blade, then lunged into his personal space. Opening his mouth, he bit clean through the man's neck.
Even at the moment of death, Kamimoto never imagined he would die in such a manner.
Mori Shiraishi clutched his own throat, gasping for air as thick blood poured from his mouth. When he stood on a rooftop holding Kamimoto's head, the entire Hidden Steam Village fell into despair. He held the head high and then opened his palm; the highest leader of the village was discarded into a corner of the battlefield like a slaughtered pig.
"Everyone, we will bring pain to this world."
"And this..."
"Is only the first step."
Mori Shiraishi's calm words reached every ear and every heart. Next came the Ghouls' carnival.
Slaughter broke out in every corner of the village. The darkness seemed to magnify human fear and desire. The Ghouls destroyed everything they saw with pure devastation, seeking to purge this filthy world through destruction!
Countless humans were killed and devoured. These former victims had, under the ravages of fate, transformed into a heavy fist swung at the world. When the roles are reversed, how many people can truly control their inner desires?
Mr. Crow watched the burning world, slowly lifting his wings and waving them with intoxication.
"The release of desire, the breeding of fear, the cycle of hatred... it goes on and on, never perishing."
"What a wonderful movement!"
He was entranced. Wails, explosions, seas of fire, and death shifted constantly under his conductor's baton. It was like...
The praise of believers to their god.
"Ah, praise Lord Jashin."