[Current template character: Lord of the Hōgyoku · Aizen Sōsuke — Unlock Rate: 48.97%]
"It really is the souls of Cloud Shinobi. A village of born warriors… no wonder the Hōgyoku's unlocking rate climbs so much."
Kenya's pupils gleamed faintly as he surveyed the battlefield. A thin smile curved his lips.
"Don't hesitate. Take your blades, strike me as much as you wish. Even if you die, your souls will merge with the strongest existence. To become part of eternity—there is no reason to fear."
Though spoken softly, his words pressed like a mountain on the hearts of the Cloud shinobi. Cold sweat drenched their backs.
What… what is this crushing pressure?
"Everyone, fall back! Don't throw your lives away!"
The Two-Tails Jinchūriki, Yugito Nii, leapt forward, her enormous, flame-wreathed body crashing down between Kenya and her comrades.
The difference in scale was absurd—an insect against an elephant. Yet her chest was tight with unease.
By all logic, genjutsu shouldn't work on a Jinchūriki. A tailed beast could always disrupt their chakra to break illusions.
But this man's illusion—what was it!?
"Tailed beast?" Kenya's voice was mocking. "Perhaps you'd serve as an interesting experiment."
Everyone knew tailed beasts were unique. They could not truly die—only reincarnate elsewhere in the world, like a Devil Fruit reappearing after its wielder's death.
Could the Hōgyoku absorb such an existence?
Kenya's gaze sharpened. He knew: if even one of the nine bijū vanished, the Ten-Tails could never be revived. Madara, Obito, Black Zetsu—their plans would crumble.
But unlike Aizen Sōsuke, Kenya did not allow enemies to grow. He sought strong opponents, yes, but once they stood before him, he would cut them down—without hesitation.
"What nonsense are you spouting!?" Yugito roared. Her massive paw slammed down like a collapsing mountain.
BOOM!!!
The earth shattered into dust and glassy shards.
"The power is fine…" A voice whispered in her ear, "but your aim is off."
Her blood ran cold. She whipped her head around—Kenya stood behind her, blade gleaming.
"You—what did you do!?" she snarled, fury burning.
Matatabi had disrupted her chakra. Illusions should've been impossible!
"It doesn't matter if it's you or the Two-Tails itself. You both see it, don't you? Kyōka Suigetsu."
In a blur of Shunpo, Kenya appeared before her. His voice was icy calm.
"You simply lack the skill to break my hypnosis."
"Fiery Cat's Dance!"
Blue flames surged from Yugito's body, scattering into countless blazing orbs, raining down like a meteor shower.
Kenya raised his left hand.
"Hadō #81: Splitting Void."
A vast translucent barrier bloomed into existence, halting the storm of fire.
"What!?" Yugito gasped.
"When fighting… leave no openings."
The voice came from below. Her eyes dropped—only to meet a rising flash of sword-light.
SLASH!!!
Pain ripped through her. With a thunderous crash, her giant form tumbled back hundreds of meters. Her left foreleg dangled by a strip of burning flesh, nearly severed.
Kenya calmly examined his blade. "Hōgyoku doesn't respond… so, the tailed beast has no soul?"
His smile turned dangerous.
In the depths of her consciousness, Yugito gritted her teeth. If not for Matatabi's warning, he would have taken my entire arm.
The Two-Tails' voice rumbled.
"I'll restore the chakra you've lost. Use that technique to buy us time."
"…I understand." Yugito nodded grimly.
Back on the battlefield, blue flames erupted, spreading like a tidal wave.
"Cat's Fire Bowl!!!"
A tornado of green fire swallowed Kenya whole, soaring ten meters high.
Kenya flickered upward with Shunpo, rising above the storm. But the flames twisted midair, chasing him like living serpents.
"So it's a tracking technique… like Pakura's scorching sun. A stalling tactic, to give you time to recover."
He extended his palm downward, utterly calm.
"Fiery Lightning Howl."
KRACKOOOOOM!!!
A torrent of lightning roared down, splitting the clouds, blasting the flames apart.
But Yugito was ready. At her maw, a sphere of deep violet chakra condensed—massive, pulsing with destructive power.
Bijūdama.
"Die!"
The sphere detonated into a beam that split the sky, hurtling toward Kenya with mountain-breaking force.
"Lord Aizen!!!"
Sand shinobi cried out, still unaccustomed to calling him by his true name.
The battlefield, the bijū's roar, the cries of allies—it was all too familiar.
This was exactly like that battle years ago, when he fought at Terumi Mei's side against the Three-Tails.
Kenya lifted Kyōka Suigetsu high, blade catching the stormlight.
Just as he had done back then.