But the moment lightning flickered around him, part of his Chakra was pulled away by something unseen. His chest swelled horribly in an instant. "Ahhh!!" The pain broke his seals, and he screamed.
The other Kumogakure Ninja nearby looked on in shock and moved to help, but he roared, "No, don't come over! Ah!!" Crack crack. As his chest swelled again, Yugito Nii's expression changed and she shouted without hesitation, "Fall back!"
The elite Kumogakure Ninja near her immediately pulled away. With a loud bang, it was like a blood-filled bag exploding. Flesh and blood rained down, splattering everywhere.
pata! pata!
The Kumogakure Ninja were drenched in their comrade's blood, chunks of red flesh hitting their shoulders. They stared at the pool of blood left on the ground with anger and shock. "What kind of technique is this?" "You're asking to die!"
As some tried to rush forward again, Yugito Nii raised her hand to stop them. "Good, just like this. Don't move." The leader of the Hollowanyuan Group scanned the area and said coldly, "Everyone else the same. The employer only wants what's behind the gate. Killing isn't needed."
"You all know that only by opening this gate can you get what's inside. Since our goals are the same, if you don't want the same end, do as you're told." His tone turned threatening. "Otherwise, I can't promise who explodes next."
The restless figures hidden in the dark froze. The strange death of that Kumogakure Ninja had been too sudden, and no one saw how the Hollowanyuan Group acted. Until the method behind that explosive Ninjutsu was clear, most did not dare move.
Especially the bounty Ninja present, who knew the Hollowanyuan Group's reputation best. Out of fear, they could only stand still and watch. "Please," the leader said to Yugito Nii, his voice low. "You are the one who lacks Chakra the least, aren't you?"
In truth, even if Yugito Nii attacked now, she would not explode like that Kumogakure Ninja. The technique involved "Exploding Lie Insects" they cultivated, parasites that fed on Chakra inside a body. Using Chakra and Ninjutsu only fed them until they burst from within.
Since they needed Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, to feed the gate, they never planted those insects in her. They were gambling. Gambling that Yugito Nii would not dare act.
They were betting their five lives and the lives of over ten Kumogakure Ninja. As expected, Yugito Nii narrowed her eyes but did not act rashly. She stepped forward to the gate.
The twisted stains on the gate seemed to come alive, giving off greedy Wang. With a serious expression, she slowly raised her hand and pressed it to the gate. Buzz buzz!!
The familiar light appeared again, but this time it was no dim glow. Deep blue light burst out like a tidal wave, covering the giant gate in an instant. The brightness even pushed back the darkness, lighting the front of the Underground Palace with a cold glow.
"Ugh!" Yugito Nii let out a suppressed cry of pain.
The massive and pure Chakra inside her surged out of control, like countless icy steel needles piercing her skin, muscles, and channels. It rushed toward the gate and was swallowed by it greedily. The pull felt like an invisible giant hand tearing at her body and soul.
Crack crack crack!!
Under everyone's gaze, the once invisible crack in the gate widened at a visible speed as Chakra poured in. With the harsh grinding sound, an even colder and more ancient presence seeped out from the other side.
Yugito Nii stared at the gap, the cold seeming to crawl into her bones through her eyes. She could feel that something was behind the gate. It was ancient, cold, full of malice, yet strangely familiar.
Soon, her Chakra was almost drained dry, and the gate was only open to the width of a fist. "Damn it! Damn it!" She tried to push her hand into the gap, but an unseen force blocked her. Her face grew dark as it paled.
She could feel that if this continued, the gate would open fully. But by then, her Chakra would be gone, and she would have no strength left to fight for what lay beyond. So she deliberately showed that her power alone was not enough.
The others watching grew serious, their suppressed thoughts stirring again. It was as if the gate itself whispered down at them in greed. Not enough, far from enough, give me more.
If even Yugito Nii could not open it, then they would be next to die. No one knew how many lives were needed, and the way the Hollowanyuan Group forced Yugito Nii would surely be used on them. They could not wait any longer.
"Hah!" "Damn it!" Slash, slash!
With the sound of flesh being torn, furious cries rang out from the darkness. The five projections of the Hollowanyuan Group suddenly vanished. The voice that followed was familiar, belonging to one of those who had just threatened them.
Thud! Thud!
Two bodies were thrown out like sacks, hitting the cold gate with dull sounds. Lights swept over them, revealing two corpses still warm, wearing yellow and blue clothing of the Hollowanyuan Group. Their faces were frozen in fear and pain, their necks pierced through, their bodies shriveling as the gate drained them.
"What are you waiting for?"
A smiling voice echoed from the dark, tempting everyone's Wang. "Kill." The single cold word shattered the silence and broke the fragile balance.
After a brief stillness, figures in the darkness rushed at the nearest targets. Screams, curses, and explosions erupted at once. Firelight flashed, showing twisted faces filled with fear, anger, and greed.
The giant gate and the shadows watched quietly as these offerings killed each other, giving up their lives and souls. That was how it should be.
"Hehe, where do you think you are going?"
In front of the remaining three members of Hollowanyuan Group, a black spike marked with Root plunged heavily into the ground. The three men narrowed their eyes and stared at the person blocking their path.
The newcomer strolled out of the darkness and pulled the black spike from the earth. His upper body was bare, and a crazed smile twisted across his face.
"Looking for death," the leader of Hollowanyuan Group said coldly.
Buzz.
As Chakra surged inside the man's body, the Exploding Parasite parasitizing his opponent began to swell. To the surprise of the three from Hollowanyuan Group, its growth was painfully slow.
"Ahahaha! Interesting! This is really interesting! So that's how it is!"
Pure, almost mad excitement filled the man's eyes as he laughed and reached for his own chest without hesitation.
Splat!
"Ah!"
As a bloody insect was torn out alive, one of the last three Hollowanyuan Group members screamed. The agony bursting from his chest made his body convulse.
"What is going on?" another one gasped in disbelief.
The leader of Hollowanyuan Group stared at the man and said, "This kind of weapon and ability… you are the leader of the Jashin Cult, Zhe Long?"
His expression turned ugly as he realized something. The lunatics of Jashin Cult did not rely on Ninjutsu at all, which meant their greatest support, the Exploding Parasite, was useless here.
At this moment, Zhe Long was covered in strange black markings. A shocking hole gaped in his chest where he had dug it out himself, and pale ribs were clearly visible beneath torn flesh.
He did not yet possess the absolute immortality that Hidan would have later, where even losing his head meant nothing. Still, as the founder and leader of Jashin Cult, he could use "Jujutsu·Death Possession Blood" and had a certain level of self recovery.
"Oh? You know me?" Zhe Long grinned at the three of them.
His crimson tongue licked the corner of his mouth, and his eyes showed naked excitement and greed. "Do you want to worship Lord Jashin too?"
As he spoke, he lowered his head and looked at his mangled chest. He reached in with a hand smeared with his own blood and flesh and stirred it once.
Then he raised his head again. There was no pain on his face, only a more savage and fervent smile.
"Hahahaha! Lord Jashin has told me that you are only fit to be sacrifices!"
Laughing wildly, he stamped the ground and shot forward like a cannonball.
At the same time, the slaughter between Kumogakure Ninja and Bounty Ninja continued.
No, it was not just Kumogakure Ninja and Bounty Ninja anymore.
Even the Konoha Ninja who arrived later and hid along the rock walls were exposed. Bounty Ninja and Kumogakure Ninja stopped fighting each other and turned their attacks toward Konoha instead.
It was obvious that Root had no intention of letting Konoha reap benefits without paying a price.
"Bounty Ninja, Kumogakure Ninja, Jashin Cult, and others whose background we cannot see. This is far more chaotic than we expected," Kakashi Hatake said grimly.
"If you engage, and you do not have Sensory Ninjutsu, be careful not to hurt our own people," he reminded them.
As his words fell, his figure rushed forward again. Ryuji Hyuga moved with him.
With Sharingan, Kakashi Hatake cut through the near total darkness like a reaper. With Byakugan, Ryuji Hyuga did the same.
Bang! Bang bang!
With each shrill scream, one figure after another was sent flying at visible speed. Every body became nourishment for the giant gate.