Kagutsuchi's voice echoed across the central plaza of the fortress, each calm word resonating in the sudden silence.
Gathered in the plaza, the numerous Sky Ninja and Yomi Cultists stared back at Kagutsuchi and Suijin with peculiar expressions, looking at them as if they were utterly insane. Do these two seriously misunderstand the situation here?
However, Yomi and Shinno, standing at the forefront, wore faces etched with extreme gravity. Yomi felt an immense, suffocating pressure emanating from the two figures before them. Shinno, on the other hand, instantly recognized their affiliation.
Following the world-shaking battle that had taken place in Yakugakure months prior, two organizations – Akatsuki and the Divine Court – had abruptly appeared on the radar of every major power in the shinobi world. Both groups had demonstrated astonishing levels of strength. Based on the intelligence gathered, the known members of Akatsuki were all incredibly powerful ninja, and their leader possessed the legendary Rinnegan. Yet, this formidable Akatsuki organization had been forcefully repelled by the Divine Court during the clash in Yakugakure.
Compared to Akatsuki, the Divine Court was shrouded in even deeper mystery. Who was their leader? Who were their members? What were their past accomplishments and true capabilities? All remained unknown. It was as if this powerful faction had materialized out of thin air. The only identifying feature known to the world was their attire: mysterious white robes adorned with gold trim, sometimes accompanied by masks. The two individuals standing before them now perfectly matched that description. They were undoubtedly members of the Divine Court.
Shinno raised a hand, silencing the Sky Ninja behind him who were about to speak. He stepped forward several paces, bowed respectfully towards Kagutsuchi and Suijin, and inquired politely, "Honored sirs, we hold no grudge against the Divine Court. May I ask what business brings you here today?"
Kagutsuchi glanced at Shinno, noting how much older he looked now, and replied calmly, "A grudge isn't quite the right word. Hand over your Dark Medical Ninjutsu techniques and surrender this fortress. Do that, and we can allow you and your people to leave."
Hearing Kagutsuchi's demands, both Shinno and Yomi's faces instantly darkened. Their opponents knew their secrets, their capabilities, with unnerving thoroughness!
"Your organization's demands are... exceedingly unreasonable," Shinno stated gravely, his face tight with anger, rejecting the terms outright.
"Unreasonable?" Kagutsuchi offered a mocking smile. "You're not wrong to think so. However, you possess absolutely no qualifications to negotiate conditions with us!"
Kagutsuchi's blatant dismissal finally shattered Shinno's composure. No longer able to suppress the fury burning within him, a powerful wave of chakra erupted violently from his body. Kagutsuchi's contempt had utterly enraged him. He had sacrificed so much over the long years, striving to revive the fallen Sky Ninja Village and achieve his revenge against Konoha. Just as that vengeance finally seemed within reach, this mysterious and powerful Divine Court appeared, threatening to snatch away everything he had worked for, all his hopes! This was absolutely unacceptable!
"Attack!" Shinno roared, abandoning any further hesitation.
At his command, the assembled Sky Ninja surged forward, charging towards Kagutsuchi and Suijin. How dare these arrogant intruders look down on them!
Raising strange weapons resembling machine guns, the Sky Ninja unleashed dense streams of steel needles towards the two Divine Court members. Countless sharp projectiles zipped through the air, converging on their targets. Yet, Kagutsuchi and Suijin remained standing perfectly still, seemingly unfazed.
Woosh! Suddenly, a massive wall of solid ice erupted from the ground directly in front of them, effortlessly blocking the entire barrage of steel needles.
Undeterred by the sudden appearance of the ice wall, the Sky Ninja maintained their assault, continuing to pour sustained fire onto the translucent barrier. Ding! Ding! Ding! The relentless hail of needles pinged sharply against the ice surface, but the wall held firm, showing no signs of cracking.
"That's Ice Release!" Shinno and Yomi exclaimed simultaneously, recognizing the technique. Hyōton – the unique Kekkei Genkai belonging to the Yuki Clan of Kirigakure. Could this Divine Court member actually be from the Yuki Clan?
Seeing their needle attacks proving ineffective against Suijin's Ice Release, the Sky Ninja quickly shifted tactics. They began hurling small, black spheres towards the ice wall. The moment these spheres made contact, they detonated with fierce explosions.
Boom! Boom! Boom! A continuous barrage of explosions hammered the ice barrier. Under the relentless assault of these spherical bombs, the massive ice wall finally shattered into pieces.
"Heh! They do have some tricks, it seems," Kagutsuchi commented, still unperturbed as he and Suijin simultaneously flickered backwards, evading the blast fragments. As they moved, Suijin's hands blurred through hand seals.
Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu! Suijin exhaled a vast quantity of dense fog, which spread with incredible speed, quickly blanketing the entire central plaza in a thick, disorienting mist.
"Everyone, don't panic! Gather towards me!" Shinno reacted instantly to the large-scale concealment jutsu, his expression changing as he shouted orders to the Sky Ninja scattered throughout the fog.
However, his warning came a fraction too late. Obscured by the dense mist and having lost sight of their targets, the Sky Ninja hesitated, unwilling to fire their needle guns or throw bombs blindly.
At that precise moment, a roaring wave of incandescent fire erupted through the fog, violently dispelling the mist as it surged towards the assembled forces. It was Kagutsuchi, unleashing a massive, wide-range Fire Release technique:
Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!
"Ah! Scatter!" panicked cries erupted from the Sky Ninja ranks as the terrifying wall of fire rushed towards them. The central plaza was instantly transformed into a blazing inferno. Screams of terror and agony filled the air as the temperature skyrocketed.
When the last of the mist evaporated and the flames finally subsided, the scorched plaza ground was littered with several dozen charred corpses. Around the edges of the plaza, the surviving Sky Ninja and Yomi Cultists who had miraculously managed to dodge the devastating attack stared at Kagutsuchi and Suijin with expressions of pure terror.
Just two large-scale ninjutsu, employed in concert by this pair, had inflicted such devastating losses upon them. In that moment, they finally understood the chilling confidence behind Kagutsuchi and Suijin's earlier dismissiveness. This wasn't a battle; it was a one-sided slaughter, a demonstration of overwhelmingly disparate strength.
Kagutsuchi and Suijin remained impassive. Shinno's face, however, was as black as thunder. The Sky Ninja forces he had painstakingly nurtured for decades... nearly a quarter of them wiped out in a single exchange.
"You forced my hand!" Shinno snarled, spitting the words out through gritted teeth. His entire aura shifted violently. Instantly, countless streams of ominous black chakra swirled around his body, followed by a fierce shockwave that pulsed outwards.
Boom!
When the shockwave dissipated, Shinno reappeared. Yomi stared, noticing a startling change: Shinno's body seemed significantly more robust, and incredibly, his white hair and beard had reverted to a deep black. A strange, calculating glint flickered in Yomi's eyes.
Shinno wasn't finished. His body tensed.
"Eight Inner Gates! Gate of Opening, Open!""Gate of Healing, Open!""Gate of Life, Open!" ... "Gate of View, Open!"
BOOM! With a final surge, Shinno forced open the first six of the Eight Inner Gates in rapid succession. A powerful, dark green aura exploded outwards from his body, washing over the plaza.
He didn't just somehow steal Might Guy's Eight Gates training method, the narrative seemed to whisper, he actually mastered it to such a terrifying level!
Feeling the explosive power radiating from Shinno, the expressions on both Kagutsuchi and Suijin's faces finally turned grave. The Eight Inner Gates – an ultimate technique powerful enough to completely turn the tide of any battle.