What is going on?
Even Esdeath frowned, clearly bewildered.
Why had His Majesty appeared? Shouldn't the Prime Minister have him on a tight leash?
That man would never allow the Emperor to wield such a Teigu unless absolutely necessary.
Could it be—?
A realization struck Esdeath; shock flickered in her eyes. She was no fool—only away from the capital.
Thus her intelligence had missed the fact that Night Raid and the others were still alive.
Now she understood: these images were from the future—the final battle where Incursio would topple the thousand-year Empire.
Who exactly is the creator of this video?
Esdeath drew a sharp breath. To insert future visions into a film—such power stirred a long-lost fear within her, fear of the unknown!
Yet she trembled with excitement, a wild grin on her lips; she was far from normal.
The more unknown the foe, the more she craved to conquer it.
In the Naruto World…
Waaah!! Kakashi-sensei, what is that?!" Naruto yelled, stunned. Was this even Ninjutsu?!
No way!! That thing was clearly man-made!!!
With that power I could kill Itachi!" Sasuke exclaimed. Even through the screen he sensed the Machine God's might.
With it, Itachi would be nothing—no match for him!
Sakura Haruno was left speechless.
Even Kakashi's eyes widened. He suddenly realized something was off about this multiverse projection.
Nothing in the current Ninja World could create such a thing.
Could it be a ninja tool from the era of the Sage of Six Paths?
Or perhaps something the other villages built back when Hashirama and Uchiha Madara dominated?
No—if that were the case, he should have heard at least a rumor, rather than be left completely in the dark.
It wasn't just Team 7.
The Third Hokage, also watching the projection, gaped. That power rivaled Hashirama's Wooden Golem.
It could even stand against Uchiha Madara's Susanoo.
Among those in the Naruto World, the Third Hokage was one of the few who knew the full might of Hashirama and Madara in their prime.
Which made the sight all the more stunning. Someone other than those two had crafted such a fearsome weapon?!
And the white-armored figure—was he truly going to fight that monstrous tool?
The video continued to play.
Tatsumi, who had been knocked down by the nation-protecting machine god, now spoke, answering the young emperor.
"Don't underestimate me. I've faced countless sorrows and carried them all! The will of my comrades—how could I let it be wasted!"
After Tatsumi said this, silhouettes of those who had fallen flashed across the screen.
Finally, the scene shifted to dusk; a man stood on the water with his back to everyone and said, "Our journey has been filled with hardship and pain—no, nothing but those."
"Yet we still chose to walk this path and keep moving forward."
In the video, Tatsumi, clad in Incursio, murmured, "Big brother."
Brand continued, "Let us play the dirty roles. Let's change the world together, and when it's done, we can disappear."
That was Night Raid's creed: they were assassins, beings who had no place beneath the sun.
If they truly slew the minister and toppled the thousand-year empire, every member of Night Raid would probably vanish quietly, returning to the daylight under new identities.
By now, Tatsumi in the video had been forced out of Incursio. His eyes were closed, blood streaming down his forehead.
"Shout, Tatsumi!"
Under the setting sun, Brand turned his head; though he had died, he now roared in the footage, "With your blazing soul!!!"
Brand's voice roused Tatsumi; his eyes snapped open, that resolute gaze moving countless viewers.
Facing such a mighty foe, was he still going to fight?!
In the Demon Slayer World, Agatsuma Zenitsu shook his head frantically—battling that towering humanoid machine was suicide no matter how you looked at it!!!
They couldn't win. Absolutely impossible! The gap in strength was too vast.
"Foolish humans."
Watching the video, Kibutsuji Muzan curled his lips in contempt. An enemy of that caliber, and they chose to fight head-on instead of fleeing.
It was utter folly; only those who survive are victors!
Just like the mighty Tsugikuni Yoriichi of old—Muzan admitted his strength.
Even a perfect being like himself could have been effortlessly slain.
Yet even a man that powerful aged and passed away with time, didn't he?
Watching Tatsumi, Tanjiro seemed to understand something and murmured, "He's carrying the beliefs of his fallen comrades; he isn't fighting alone."
Tanjiro could relate, for he too would fight at any cost to turn Nezuko human again, even if it meant his life.
It wasn't just Tanjiro—people across worlds, seeing the images of the dead and Tatsumi rising to fight again, vaguely grasped why the title called this Incursio's final activation.
This was the last battle bearing the will of his comrades!
A battle he absolutely could not lose!
"Aaaaargh!!!"
Amid the city ruins, Tatsumi stood, fixed his steadfast gaze ahead, raised his short sword and let out a war-cry.
"Incursio—!!!!!!!!"
With that passionate shout,
a towering humanoid armor erupted from behind him.
Chains clattered as the giant suit, like a guardian spirit, stretched its arms to shield Tatsumi; its head morphed into an unknown beast's skull that opened wide, baring fangs as though coming alive.