Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Hidden weapons filled the sky!
Their trajectories were as unpredictable as falling petals.
The killing intent hung by a thread, sudden as the darkness before dawn!
The dense and precise throwing technique made everyone's scalp tingle.
This level of shurikenjutsu was unheard of by anyone present.
It was like a massive broadsword to the backside—it brutally opened their eyes!
Under the intense barrage, the two Evil God Cult members swiftly dodged behind a broken wall.
Even with timely evasion, they couldn't avoid getting hurt.
"Boss, this guy's firepower is too fierce!"
The Evil God Cult leader now realized the situation was somewhat beyond his control. Before joining the cult, the three of them were rogue ninjas of Chunin level from the Land of Hot Water.
Logically, their strength wasn't weak, and it was three against one.
Yet Uchiha Ci,
With the Sharingan's enhancement, his shurikenjutsu combined with Fire Release unleashed wave after wave of attacks, like a personal machine gun, suppressing the two until they could only complain and flee in panic.
However, having survived the war-torn Land of Hot Water, the two cult members were no fools.
Even while fleeing, they acted according to their initial plan.
At this moment,
The cult leader had already retrieved the pitch-black spear from the ground and shouted:
"Takeshi, hold him off! I'll begin the ritual!"
The cultist named Takeshi nodded, his face hardening. Gritting his teeth, he rushed out from cover, his hands forming a long-prepared seal.
Ram → Boar → Monkey → Hare → Rat → Horse → Ram → Boar → Monkey → Hare → Rat → Horse → Ram → Horse → Ram → Boar → Monkey → Hare!
He slammed his palm to the ground.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
This technique had two versions: a low-end one requiring 18 seals and a high-end A-rank version needing only 3 seals.
Clearly, these Land of Hot Water ninjas only knew the low-end version.
As his palm struck,
The ground suddenly cracked, and a massive wave erupted, its crest over three meters high!
It surged toward Uchiha Ci with overwhelming force!
Along the way, it extinguished all thrown projectiles, earth, rocks, and fire techniques.
Faced with such large-scale ninjutsu, Uchiha Ci had no choice but to flip backward onto the roof of a nearby house to escape.
Takeshi immediately seized this opportunity.
Using the Water Release as cover, he drew another pitch-black spear from his robe and charged at Uchiha Ci.
Meanwhile,
The cult leader had already drawn the 'Triangle within a Circle' ritual array on the ground.
His eyes gradually grew frenzied.
"Kid, you forced me to do this!"
He stood there with arms spread wide, black lines slowly spreading across his face, turning it pitch-black.
Then, clutching the spear stained with Uchiha Ci's blood, he glared fiercely at his own thigh, bared his teeth, and squeezed his eyes shut!
His hands trembled as he gripped the spear shaft—
Thud!
The spear stabbed into his thigh!
"Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!"
A savage, crazed, and perversely satisfied cry echoed through the area!
"Feel the pain, mourn, marvel!"
"This is the ritual of the Evil God!"
"This is—"
"Looooove!!"
The Curse Technique: Death Mimicry, activated by blood, was now in effect!
In that instant,
A tremendous terror gripped Uchiha Ci's heart. Every cell in his body screamed a single message—
Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger! Danger!
It was as if the word "DEATH" had been carved in red upon his forehead!
The next moment,
Uchiha Ci's heart raced wildly. The blood throughout his body surged toward one point like water bursting from a ruptured sack!
On his right leg, a wound nearly four fingers wide suddenly appeared, pierced by an invisible force!
Unable to dodge, block, or resist!
Flesh tore, blood sprayed!
The intense pain made his eyes widen involuntarily, his face trembling.
Uchiha Ci's right leg went weak, bleeding profusely. The agony nearly made him collapse.
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
Witnessing this, the cult leader's eyes brimmed with madness. Arrogant laughter rang in Uchiha Ci's ears:
"Kid!"
"Face reality!"
"Even us ninjas from a small country—under the Evil God's ritual, our hatred transforms into power far surpassing yours!"
"Tremble! Despair!"
"Then, stand there and watch as your foolish self is stabbed through the heart, disemboweled, and torn to shreds!"
"Finally, you'll understand—"
"In this world,"
"Pain is power!"
As he finished, the cult leader turned and roared at his charging subordinate:
"Takeshi, kill him! Kill him for me!"
The words fell, and murderous intent erupted!
Before Uchiha Ci, a burly figure leaped out, swinging a pitch-black spear aimed at his neck—
A vicious slash!
Yet, in such a crisis,
After hearing the cult leader's murderous words,
"Hehehehe, hehehehe~"
A low laugh suddenly sounded on the battlefield.
Uchiha Ci was actually laughing!
He raised his head, hand over his face, standing on the shaky roof amidst broken tiles, looking down at the two cult members. His laughter grew louder and wilder,
The corners of his mouth curved into a frenzied arc, his eyes wide open.
Though in desperate peril, his gaze was full of excitement!
"Hahahahahahahaha!"
"Good, good, that's it!"
"A ninja is a creature that endures pain. The deeper the pain, the greater the power!"
"But—"
Uchiha Ci suddenly stopped, looking down at them coldly, his voice icy:
"Why do you think..."
"Your pain is greater than mine?!"
As the words fell,
Uchiha Ci covered his eyelids, turned to look at the charging Takeshi, and suddenly opened his eyes!
"Look at me, bastard!"
A single tomoe spun madly within crimson Sharingan eyes brimming with insanity!
Anyone who saw these eyes couldn't help but marvel at their breathtaking, shocking beauty!
"It's a genjutsu! Be careful, Takeshi! He used Sharingan genjutsu!" the cult leader shouted in alarm.
Hearing this, Takeshi immediately grew wary. Staring at Uchiha Ci, who stood motionless like a statue, he sensed something wrong.
Is this the real one, or an illusionary phantom?
What the hell—I can't tell?!
With that thought, Takeshi's assault slowed. He leaped to the side of the roof, landing steadily, gripping his dark spear warily.
He watched Uchiha Ci, who remained in the same pose, motionless, even facing the wrong direction.
It's true—
This is an illusion!
Yet, the next moment,
In Takeshi's eyes, the image of Uchiha Ci's illusion suddenly moved!
He drew the last tool from his ninja pouch—
A wire!
Wrapping it around his fingers, he pulled it taut until sparks flew, shaping it into a sharp blade!
Uchiha Ci's face twisted ferociously as he suddenly lunged forward.
Using a swastika-shaped taijutsu move he'd only seen once, he locked his target with a powerful hold!
He elbow-locked Takeshi's neck, kicked his sole to disrupt his balance, making him flip over, then pinned Takeshi's elbow with his leg and secured his waist with his other foot.
His free hand pulled the wire blade taut—
And slashed down!
Slash!
Takeshi—dead!
Then,
Panting heavily, Uchiha Ci rolled down from the roof. Dragging his nearly useless right leg, he step by step approached the cult leader, who wore a stunned expression.
He shook his head and sneered with a sigh:
"This is the illusion of the Sharingan!"