While chaos erupted in the Underworld, the situation in the Shinobi World was evolving with each passing day, amid thunderous warfare and fire.
On the battlefield in the Land of Swamps, the army had begun deploying high-powered weapons.
Massive violet-red fireballs and searing violet-white plasma blasts erupted across the middle and rear ranks of the demon army, scorching everything in their radius. All demons within the blast zones were completely wiped out, leaving behind only vast expanses of charred earth and molten lava.
After patiently waiting for this wave of large-scale bombardment to conclude, Lieutenant Generals Charlotte Oven and Dalmatian personally led their forces into battle—driving the frontlines forward.
Their objective was to seal the 'Gate of the Underworld' and then concentrate firepower to eliminate every demon that managed to get through.
Such a fierce counteroffensive stirred the blood of the shinobi from every village, filling them with awe and deepening their reverence for the World Government.
They finally realized that the World Government had actually been holding back in the past.
Otherwise, they probably wouldn't have even seen the enemy's shadow before being wiped out by the sheer force of the World Government's bombardment tactics.
At this moment, all the mighty figures of the Shinobi World stood speechless beneath the flickering violet light on their faces, thoroughly convinced.
[BOOM!!!]
At the far western edge of the Shinobi World, a ravaged peninsula was rocked as a blast wave like a nuclear explosion detonated high above the ground.
A pitch-black shadow, trailing multiple sonic booms, crashed down into a frigid region blanketed in black and white frost. Upon impact, it carved out a massive circular crater with shockwaves rippling in every direction.
At the same time—
A blazing meteor of molten lava descended with a thunderous roar, heading straight for Nahamah, who was struggling to rise at the crater's center. It didn't give the demon even a second to catch its breath.
"You damned mad dog!"
Nahamah's expression twisted in fury as he glared up at the falling lava meteor.
At the same time, he unleashed a surge of black flame, devouring the magma still clinging to his body.
But that did nothing to erase the wounds and searing pain coursing through him.
It had been centuries—this was the first time a human had ever pushed him this far.
A second later, the lava meteor struck, erupting in a tsunami of molten rock.
In the blink of an eye, the frost-covered wasteland was transformed into a blazing inferno of magma.
From within the surging flow emerged the crimson figure of Sakazuki.
Utterly ignoring the fact that his own injuries were even more severe than his opponent's, he launched another relentless, expressionless assault on Nahamah.
Forced into close-quarters combat, Nahamah had no choice but to retreat and dodge while releasing waves of black flame—he didn't dare engage Sakazuki head-on.
He had tried to meet one of Sakazuki's magma punches head-on earlier—and had his arm blown off on the spot by the unimaginable force and impact.
Fortunately, his own demonic fire attacks were just as difficult for Sakazuki to endure.
But he had to unleash them on a massive scale. Otherwise, that man would easily dodge them.
This uncanny foresight—no, it had to be some kind of precognition—was proving to be a nightmare for Nahamah.
In close combat, he stood no chance.
And with Sakazuki refusing to let up even when taking hits, it was nearly impossible to create distance.
"You mad dog! Mad dog!! Aaaargh—you damned mad dog, get away from me!!"
Nahamah's furious roar echoed across the battlefield.
...
High above, the sky was buried beneath a relentless blizzard.
Blades of massive, pale blue light burst forth again and again, slicing through the storm.
Lilith, surrounded by attacks from all directions, could only unleash wave after wave of black ice in defense.
"Show yourself!"
"You rat! Hiding and sneaking around like a coward!"
Lilith shrieked furiously.
But in the very next instant, her whole body jolted—alarms blaring in her mind.
Without the slightest hesitation, she unleashed a dense barrage of black ice behind her. Yet it failed to stop Kuzan, whose blade—gleaming with a dark, ominous glow—slashed a long, deep gash across her exposed back.
"Aaaaagh—!"
Lilith let out a piercing scream of agony, and in doing so, fully unleashed the bloodlust of a demon.
At once, a torrent of black mist-like magic surged out of her.
All around her, waves of black frost began to form wildly, surging outward in violent, layered waves like a flood.
Meanwhile—
Kuzan, already prepared, relied on his Observation Haki to dodge the oncoming black ice by turning his body into elemental form.
Those few shards he couldn't avoid pierced his body—but he shattered them immediately—then slipped once more into the blinding white blizzard.
"Aaaaah!!"
Lilith screamed in frustration, enraged once again as the battle returned to its previous rhythm.
And just as she attempted to flee once more—sure enough, another brilliant slash cut through the storm, impossible to ignore.
But even with such meticulous caution, it was impossible to completely avoid damage from close-range attacks.
His Armament Haki struggled to block Lilith's black ice, and even the precognition granted by his Observation Haki couldn't guarantee total evasion.
If the density of attacks was too high, or if the space to maneuver became too narrow—he still couldn't dodge them all.
Yet defeating Lilith wasn't Kuzan's only goal.
He was carefully studying the aura these black ice attacks released.
Using the powers of the Ice-Ice Fruit, he continuously tried to simulate that strange force—one capable of freezing not just matter, but the very concepts behind it.
Especially in moments when the black ice pierced him—
Kuzan could feel his understanding of it growing noticeably deeper.
But there was a problem: Lilith's black ice was incredibly lethal. He couldn't afford to take the hits deliberately, nor could he allow the black ice to linger on his body for too long.
They had to be eliminated immediately—before the black ice could be used to pinpoint his location.
Meanwhile—
At the gates of Rōran, within the Land of Wind—
The stationed army soldiers suddenly noticed a violent swirl of yellow sand erupting at the entrance.
Their alertness spiked instantly, rifles aimed toward the disturbance.
Within moments, more soldiers and officers rushed over, surrounding the area on all sides.
As the sandstorm cleared—
Three figures emerged, looking utterly battered: Crocodile, Guren, and Esdeath.
But before anyone could react further—
With a heavy thud, Crocodile collapsed to the ground and fell unconscious.
"General Sand Crocodile!!!"
A wave of shocked cries echoed. Guren immediately shouted, "Get a doctor, now!"
This formidable man had dragged his broken, bloodied body across half a continent—from the Land of Swamps all the way back to Rōran—bringing them with him.
And now, his strength had finally given out.
Even Esdeath, standing off to the side, gazed at him with rare admiration.
Though she'd wanted to remind Crocodile during the journey—
That they could have just returned to their ship first, then flown back to Rōran.
After all, the ship had medics. Even a biological alchemist, and a Tsunade.
But caught in the whirlwind of sand, she never had the chance to speak.
Before long, the three of them were rushed to a hospital inside the city, where they began undergoing urgent treatment.
Elsewhere—
All personnel originally stationed in the underground palace were suddenly ordered to vacate temporarily.
Though confused, they followed orders and filed out in an orderly manner.
Soon, the underground palace of Rōran stood completely empty.
Only rows of silent Light Dials remained, pushing back the darkness.
[Fwoosh!]
Just then, Imu's figure appeared atop the altar.
"The Dragon Vein."
Imu stared coldly at the sealing formation in front of him.
He had come here alone for one reason: to form a contract with the Dragon Vein.
To further solidify his control over the Shinobi World, and to gain more leverage against Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo.
Imu slowly knelt down, placing both palms on the ground. Using the power of Stigmata Alchemy, he began breaking through the seal left behind by Namikaze Minato, allowing his spiritual energy to flow inward and connect with the will of the Dragon Vein.
[Wmmmmm——]
In the next second, the entire altar lit up.
Brilliant violet patterns formed across its surface, and streams of purple energy began surging along the bottomless chasms and across the surrounding walls.
"So, you are the human who seeks a contract with Us? State your identity!"
A deep, resonant voice echoed directly into Imu's mind.
"I am the ruler of the World Government. You may address me as Lord Imu, Spirit of the Dragon Vein of the Shinobi World!"
Imu responded bluntly and without the slightest courtesy.
"I can promise you the restoration of the Land of Wind's natural environment. But in return, you will heed my command, serve under me, and accept me as your master!"
"I require a deadline," the Dragon Vein's voice rumbled once again.
Imu replied, "Three years. No more than that. Within three years, I will make the entire Land of Wind flourish—lush, green, and full of life. Think of it as a gift… for our first meeting."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a faint blue aura burst from Imu's body and swept outward in all directions.
In the blink of an eye, the entire city of Rōran was enveloped in a glowing radiance, which continued to expand far beyond its borders.
Naturally, this sudden phenomenon sent the entire city into high alert.
All across Rōran, shadowy figures flashed from rooftop to rooftop at lightning speed.
But Imu paid them no mind.
Not until the range of his ROOM reached its limit.
Stigmata Alchemy—activated!
The Kabbalistic Tree of Life symbol on the back of Imu's left hand flared with blinding white light.
[Vwoom—!]
The next moment, the soldiers stationed atop the city walls stared in astonishment.
The yellow sands beyond the city had begun to vanish—transformed at shocking speed into vast stretches of dark, fertile soil.
Before long, not a trace of sand could be seen within their line of sight.
Some soldiers outside the walls instinctively knelt down and scooped up a handful of soil—
At once, they felt its moisture on their palms, and the fresh scent of earth filled their nostrils.
"What… what is this?"
Meanwhile—
Imu retracted the spatial field he had released.
Then, the Dragon Vein's voice echoed once more—this time filled with delight: "It feels wonderful… truly wonderful. You actually possess the power to turn desert into land!"
Imu responded coolly, "Since I've proven my ability to fulfill the pact… isn't it time we sealed the contract?"
"No objection!"
"From this day forth, I shall follow your commands!"
"If the Land of Wind is restored to nature within three years, I will serve you for a thousand!"
"The contract is sealed!"
The Dragon Vein's ecstatic roar shook every corner of the underground palace.
And atop the altar—
Imu had already vanished without a trace.
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