Mori Shiraishi's head spun through the air before splashing down into the water pool.
Seeing this scene, Yugao Uzuki couldn't help but pump her fist in admiration. "As expected of Captain Kakashi! He pinpointed the enemy's weakness through a single probe and delivered a fatal blow!"
Indeed, whether it was the coordination of Earth Style: Earth Movement Core and Water Style: Giant Waterfall Jutsu, or the wide-range assault of Hayate Gekko's Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu, they were all merely tests to uncover Mori Shiraishi's weakness. Once identified, Kakashi seized the opportunity to use his signature technique, Chidori, for the kill.
This was Kakashi's trademark ninjutsu. By stimulating his body with Lightning Style chakra, he could achieve speeds beyond human perception. He then concentrated highly penetrative chakra into his palm, thrusting it through the enemy like a blade. The terrifying dynamic vision of the Sharingan made Kakashi even more formidable, allowing him to lock onto enemies and adjust his movements based on their reactions. Thanks to these combined factors, Kakashi had completed this seemingly effortless execution.
Blood began to bloom and spread within the pool.
Although the enemy was down, the unease in Kakashi's heart showed no signs of subsiding. Conversely, after his successful strike, this anxiety grew even more intense, nearly suffocating him.
What exactly went wrong?
Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, scanning the battlefield for any detail he might have missed. Suddenly, a dark shadow coalesced from Mori Shiraishi's body—it was a raven. It perched upon Mori Shiraishi's severed head, wearing a bizarre, twisted smile.
"It seems you have made your decision, Shiraishi-kun."
The moment he saw the raven, Kakashi's pupils constricted. His intuition screamed that the source of his unease was this very bird. Without hesitation, Kakashi hurled a kunai. The Lightning Style chakra wrapped around it flashed with a bright arc, scoring a precision hit.
The pitch-black raven instantly shattered into countless black feathers, leaving behind a single crimson eye that fell straight down, landing perfectly in the socket of Mori Shiraishi's head.
"Drip."
Like a drop of water from a stalactite hitting a still pond, a bright red ripple expanded outward in all directions.
"Lord Jashin, please save us!"
A voice rang out, followed by a scene flashing vividly in Kakashi's mind. He saw a middle-aged woman clutching a child, wailing amidst a sea of fire. The faceless idol held by the weeping child suddenly curved into a grotesque smile.
"Lord Jashin, I am willing to offer one hundred boys and girls—no, a thousand pairs! As long as you protect me and let me live!"
The scene in Kakashi's mind shifted abruptly. A bloated, fat noble waved his hand, and hundreds of children were slaughtered in a cellar, their blood forming a literal river.
"If I can kill all these damn nobles, I wouldn't care even if I have to give my soul to Lord Jashin!"
This was the final thought of a slave before his execution.
"Damn Uemura, how dare he oppose Lord Jashin? I am willing to offer everything to the Lord!"
This was said by a ninja from the Hidden Steam Village before the battle. Instead of fighting those monsters to the death, he preferred to become a believer.
"So annoying... having to travel all this way to protect these damn nobles for the sake of a minor hidden village."
This voice was very familiar. It sounded like... Hayate Gekko.
Kakashi's pupils shrank violently.
"Damn it, I just want to go on a date with Hayate. These nobles can go to hell for all I care!"
That was the voice of Yugao Uzuki. The complaints of other Hidden Leaf ninjas also echoed in Kakashi's heart. He turned his head in disbelief and found that his companions were similarly lost in a state of terrifying confusion.
Then, Kakashi heard his own voice.
"My father is not a traitor! No, he is not a traitor!"
"I'll kill you... I'll kill everyone who slandered my father!"
"I'll bury those people in the high council with my own hands!"
Seeing his younger self in his mind, holding the White Light Chakra Sabre and standing before his father's corpse while uttering such cold words, Kakashi turned pale and trembled.
"It's not like that..."
The image shifted. Kakashi saw Obito, crushed by boulders, saying to him: "I leave Rin in your care."
Immediately following that was the scene of his own Chidori piercing Rin's heart. He felt the thumping of her heart, the warmth of the blood splashing on his face, and Rin's final smile before death...
"Kakashi, I never thought you were this kind of person!"
Countless scenes and voices rang out in everyone's hearts. A massive amount of blood seeped out from Mori Shiraishi's giant corpse. As his eyes snapped open again, the blood rapidly coalesced into a circle, and a triangle emerged from within.
The Jashin Religion.
Mori Shiraishi's head slowly rose toward the sky, surrounded by a swirling flock of ravens. The dark clouds in the sky had quietly dispersed at some point, revealing a blood-red moon behind the birds.
Mr. Crow spread his wings against the backdrop of the blood moon. Like a devout believer, he shouted at the top of his lungs:
"Great Lord! We follow your guidance, discarding our physical shells so our souls may enter Your Divine Kingdom!"
"Lord! Your divine light will wash away our sinful blood, cleanse our ugly souls, and dispel our fear and pain."
"With blood and heads, we offer up Your Divine Throne."
Vedic-like chants echoed in everyone's minds. Suffering people poured out from their shelters onto the broken ruins. They looked up at the blood moon as if it were not a moon, but the Lord's tender gaze watching over them. Together, they raised their hands to praise the Lord's glory, praying that He would lead them away from this cruel world into a peaceful Divine Kingdom.
"Damn it... is this genjutsu?"
Kakashi covered his eyes. Fresh tears of blood were streaming from his Sharingan, and his head throbbed as if it were about to explode. But he couldn't rest. Everyone—including the Hidden Leaf ninjas—had raised whatever weapons they could find and pointed them at their own necks.
"Stop it, all of you!"
Kakashi could no longer care about anything else and punched Hayate Gekko. Fortunately, their level of immersion in the genjutsu wasn't deep yet, and the punch snapped him awake. Hayate also realized the gravity of the situation and rushed with Kakashi to wake the others.
Suddenly, a voice boomed from the sky: "Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne!"
Immediately after, countless voices joined in unison.
"Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne!"
"Blood for the Blood God, Skulls for the Skull Throne!"
Children, women, wealthy merchants, civilians, beggars, nobles...
All were equal before the Lord. Embracing the yearning for a Divine Kingdom without fear or pain, they raised their weapons without hesitation. With looks of pure satisfaction, they severed their own heads to cast themselves into the Lord's embrace.
"Praise my Lord!"