[System detected Takinawa's affection value +10000.]
[Your Companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 97.91%.]
"Haruki!"
Takinawa's pupils were like glowing red coals. He stared intently at Haruki, who was blocking him.
Why?
Why would he block it for him?
Haruki was still a child. How could he let him take the attack for him?
"Why?"
Trembling spread throughout Takinawa's body, his voice incredibly hoarse.
A faint smile appeared on Haruki's pale lips. He turned his head slightly to look at Takinawa and answered, "Because... I said I would protect everyone."
[Ding!]
[System detected Anyu's affection value +10000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Kyoraku's affection value +10000.]
[Ding!]
...
[A total of 300,000 affection points have been collected, and your Companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has increased to 100%.]
[Congratulations, Host, your Companion Cursed Spirit Rika's rank has been maxed out.]
[Ding!]
[Main body ability: Domain Expansion: True and False Love (Activated)]
[Ding!]
[Main body ability: Curse (Activated)]
[Ding!]
[Copyable Technique: Blood Manipulation - Noritoshi Kamo (Activated)]
[Ding!]
[Copyable Technique: Ten Shadows Technique - Megumi Fushiguro (Activated)]
[Ding!]
[Copyable Technique: Projection Sorcery - Naobito Zenin (Activated)]
Haruki: "..."
The dinging system notifications in his mind rang incessantly. The wound on his shoulder throbbed faintly. The deep night wind carried a strong scent of blood across the battlefield.
The Amegakure and Sunagakure ninjas stopped fighting in unison.
For the Sunagakure ninjas, winning this battle was a foregone conclusion. Even a slight delay wouldn't matter.
The Amegakure ninjas looked at Haruki, who was standing in front of Takinawa. Haruki's voice was not loud, but it spread throughout the entire battlefield.
The Amegakure ninjas smiled, their eyes growing redder. They weren't worth Haruki doing this.
Pakura looked at Haruki in front of her with a complex expression. If they weren't enemies, she would greatly admire Haruki.
What a pity...
A hand firmly grabbed Pakura's wrist. She was startled and looked at the hand reaching out from behind Haruki.
Takinawa's eyes were bloodshot, like a demon crawling out of hell.
"Even if I die, I must carve a path to survival for Haruki."
Takinawa stood up, under Pakura's astonished gaze.
This Amegakure ninja was clearly at his limit.
Pakura's other hand, with lightning speed, pulled out a kunai from her ninja tool pouch and slashed towards Haruki's neck.
Takinawa's pupils constricted, and he crashed towards Pakura's hand.
Haruki's hand blocked Takinawa, and he stared at Pakura in front of him.
"Don't hurt Yuta!"
"Those who hurt Yuta deserve to die!"
An indescribable, sharp shriek tore through the sky above the entire battlefield.
The shriek seemed to penetrate directly through the human body, reaching deep into the soul.
Time seemed to freeze at this moment.
A chilling malice, cold enough to freeze the soul, descended like a black tide.
The Sunagakure ninjas' movements instantly stiffened, as if an invisible giant hand had gripped their throats, making even breathing incredibly difficult.
Frenzied killing intent filled the entire battlefield, it was a killing intent that humans could not possibly emit.
Pakura's movements seemed to be paused. She looked up at the sky, her eyes filled with horror and disbelief.
Black mist spread, enveloping Haruki. A huge silhouette appeared from the black mist, standing in front of him.
The black mist was torn apart, revealing the full form of the Queen of Curses Rika. Her nearly twenty-meter-tall body was like a small mountain. A chasm-like gap split open on her massive head, and sharp teeth emitted a cold glint. Rika's roar almost shattered the ninjas' eardrums.
The entire battlefield seemed to be paused. All the clamorous fighting was suppressed by Rika's appearance.
[Ding!]
[System detected Pakura's fear value +2000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Suna Ninja A's fear value +5000.]
[Ding!]
...
[A total of 120,000 fear points have been collected, and your Cursed Spirit Hanami's rank has increased to 70.2%.]
"What... is this?"
"So... so big..."
"Monster!"
"It's a monster!"
"..."
Boundless fear spread among the Sunagakure ninjas. The hands of the Sunagakure ninjas gripping their weapons trembled violently.
Compared to the gigantic Rika, every Sunagakure ninja was like an ant nailed to the ground, able only to look up at the monster's sky-obscuring figure.
Takinawa looked at the huge figure blocking his front, and in his heart, besides fear, there was a sense of relief at having escaped death.
Haruki was not dead.
Takinawa's lips twitched with difficulty.
Haruki was safe!
With the protection of the curse in front of him, Haruki would surely be able to leave this place alive.
A faint smile, mixed with blood, appeared on Takinawa's pale face.
Suddenly, he felt a trace of strength return to his body, and the pain gradually became clearer. The numbness of being on the verge of death faded.
He looked down and saw Haruki's face, he was diligently healing him.
At that moment, Takinawa wished he would die. If he died, Haruki would no longer waste Chakra saving him. He could do nothing but hold Haruki back.
How could he repay Haruki?
With his life?
Even his life was not enough to repay Haruki!
[Ding!]
[System detected Takinawa's gratitude value +10000.]
[Your Cursed Spirit Land God's rank has increased to 98.14%.]
"I'm leaving it to you, Rika!" Haruki said to Rika while healing Takinawa.
"Be careful." Haruki looked at Rika with tenderness.
"Yuta!"
Rika let out a sharp shriek.
"I will protect Yuta well!"
"I won't let anyone hurt Yuta!"
"Those who hurt Yuta deserve to die!"
"..."
Rika swept across the battlefield, letting out a deafening roar.
Her giant claws, at least four meters long, swept towards the Sunagakure ninjas with a terrifying aura.
"Ahhh!"
Before the Sunagakure ninjas could dodge, they were torn into pieces by the sharp claws. Screams echoed across the battlefield.
[Ding!]
[System detected Suna Ninja A's fear value +5000.]
[Ding!]
[System detected Suna Ninja B's fear value +5000.]
...
[A total of 25,000 fear points have been collected. Your Cursed Spirit Hanami's rank has increased to 72.7%.]