Outside the villa, a tree scorched by Itachi's Amaterasu had twisted into a grotesque figure—it was White Zetsu. The lower half of his body was engulfed in black flames.
A shrill scream was about to erupt from his mouth, but another tree next to him shifted—and from its bark, another White Zetsu emerged, silently gesturing toward Hinata and the others in the distance. The message was clear: Don't make a scene.
The burning Zetsu clenched his teeth and nodded, tears of pain pooling in his eyes. He stifled his scream and gave his companions a pleading glance: Help me.
"Man, that's brutal…"
"How unlucky do you have to be to be the only one to get hit?"
"Are we just gonna stand here and watch?"
Several more Zetsu clones poked their heads out from the surrounding trees, whispering to one another with a disturbing sense of detachment.
"Help me, dammit!" the scorched Zetsu whimpered, his voice trembling with pain. "I can still be saved!"
"Lie down! We'll stomp it out!" one of them offered.
"Okay!" The burning Zetsu dropped flat, biting into his arm to brace for the pain.
Several White Zetsu clones gathered around and began stomping on the black flames.
But the results were disastrous.
The burning Zetsu clamped both hands over his mouth to avoid screaming, but the agony was so intense, his face twisted grotesquely—his eyes bulged, and his features warped from sheer pain.
"Why isn't it going out?!"
"Maybe we're not stomping hard enough?"
"Wait... are our feet burning now too?!"
"Switch out! Next group!"
The Zetsu who had been trying to stomp the flames backed off, replaced by another batch. These new clones somersaulted into the air and launched flying kicks straight at the black inferno.
The target—still burning from the waist down—bit down on a stick and braced himself.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
The harder they kicked, the more the black flames surged—now climbing up their legs too.
"Oh! I just remembered!" one of the Zetsu suddenly shouted, slapping his forehead. "Amaterasu is the highest-grade Fire Release jutsu. It's pure black fire that burns at an astronomical temperature. It's said to be the 'strongest physical attack,' and it won't stop burning until its target is completely reduced to ash—seven days and seven nights unless interrupted."
"We shouldn't be kicking it. We should cut it off!"
The rest: "…"
"Why didn't you say that earlier?!"
"Seriously, why didn't you tell us?!"
"You had ONE job!"
"Bro, help me cut my legs off before this spreads!" one of them pleaded, his voice breaking.
"You should've said something sooner!" another muttered as he pulled out a blade to saw off the burning limbs.
Another Zetsu pointed to the groin area of the original burning clone and whispered solemnly:
"His feet are gone. That's almost burnt too. We may as well cut—"
"No! It's a little charred, sure, but I still need it!" the downed Zetsu howled, eyes shimmering with tears. "Just take the legs. Leave the rest!"
He stared dramatically into the sky, as if mourning his lost youth.
Tsukuyomi Realm – Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber World
[Ding! Congratulations, host. First time burning a White Zetsu with Amaterasu.
First entry into Tsukuyomi Realm.
Reward unlocked: Evil Eye and Dragon of the Darkness Flame!]
Evil Eye – A visual jutsu from Yu Yu Hakusho, an ability of Hiei, capable of dominating creatures weaker than the user, seeing through deception, and providing long-range vision.
Dragon of the Darkness Flame – A forbidden technique that summons a demonic black dragon from another world. It can be unleashed on enemies or absorbed to enhance the user's power.
[In martial arts, speed is everything. If you're too weak to even punch someone, don't call yourself a gangster.
Relax, everyone—I only want to kill every single one of you. Or maybe get killed myself. No big deal.]
Itachi Uchiha: "…"
How is White Zetsu literally everywhere?
He had just fired off Amaterasu casually—he didn't expect it to actually hit something, let alone a Zetsu.
Fate sure had a strange sense of humor.
[Danger! This world merges illusion with reality. Host is advised to… RUN.]
Itachi: "…"
"You've got to be kidding me. Back in the Shinobi World, we've got Sage of Six Paths running around, and you're telling me this is dangerous?"
"Who's the big bad here? Zhang Sanfeng? What, is he secretly a Sage now?"
"Don't make me laugh. I could storm Wudang Temple with a butcher knife and take Shaolin for dessert. I'll go back and forth for three days without breaking a sweat."
The system: [Still recommending you run. Now.]
Itachi: "…"
Back in the villa…
"Itachi, something's off," Izumi said nervously. "This world… it feels like it hates me."
As she spoke, Kurama Yakumo suddenly collapsed.
A figure emerged from her unconscious body—pale-faced, with purple skin, long fangs protruding from a demonic grin, and two twisted horns jutting from its head. Clad in white, the being radiated malevolence.
Itachi's eyes narrowed.
He knew this entity—Ido, the monstrous manifestation of Yakumo's subconscious, born from the darkest recesses of the human psyche: anxiety, fear, hatred, despair.
It looked like the Shinigami himself… and it wielded Yakumo's own abilities.
"Should I call you the Death God—or just Ido?" Itachi asked coldly, stepping in front of Izumi.
"Either is fine," the creature sneered. "I am what lurks within your darkest depths. I am Death. I am Ido."
"You… came from my mind?" Itachi's expression twisted in disbelief.
"Surprised?" Ido chuckled. "At first, I was trapped inside Yakumo, always afraid you'd eventually seal me away. But then… you went and absorbed her bloodline limit."
"That darkness festering inside you? It gave birth to me."
"Thank you, Itachi. Your heart is more twisted than even I imagined."
"And now… once I devour you, this world will be mine. Your body, your power—everything. With that, I'll conquer the ninja world!"
He erupted into manic laughter.
"You think I'll let that happen?" Itachi growled, drawing his katana as his Sharingan spun into its full Mangekyō form.
But Ido's smirk only deepened.
"Who said I was alone?"
"Come out, both of you! Let's end this traitor before he steals what's rightfully ours!"
Two figures stepped forward—one with blood-red eyes marked by a six-pointed star, and the other with a forehead wrapped in bandages, his chakra radiating ancient power.
Itachi's pupils shrank in shock.
"Indra… and Asura?!"