[Conversing with the projection of the Shinigami, embodiment of the Pure Land and Hell, for three minutes. Analyzing traits…]
[Copyable Traits Detected:]
Soul Reaper (Black)
Causality Contract (Black)
Eternal Hunger (Black)
Blade of Judgment (Black)
Affinity with Death Law (Gold)
Affinity with Soul Power (Gold)
"Whoa… I didn't expect the Shinigami's job description to be this extensive."
After seeing the prompt, Uchiha Kai scanned through the black and gold traits.
When his eyes passed over Soul Reaper (Black) and Causality Contract (Black), he paused for quite a while.
A bold grin slowly appeared on his face.
Waiting all that time had definitely been worth it.
The Shinigami's traits far exceeded his expectations.
Originally, he thought there would only be one or two abilities related to soul manipulation.
But a causality contract?
That was on an entirely different level.
Across countless worlds and dimensions, causality was always one of the most terrifying forces.
Some causality abilities could even track a target across endless rivers of time.
"So… is this causality contract aimed at the summoner?"
Kai raised an eyebrow and glanced toward Senju Tobirama.
He could clearly sense that the flame of Tobirama's soul had weakened by at least half.
But it was no longer decreasing.
"So the second half of the contract wasn't fulfilled…"
"…which means the Shinigami isn't collecting the payment?"
The thought amused Kai.
He floated closer to the Shinigami again and began muttering to himself.
There were still seven more minutes of conversation left.
Plenty of time to talk.
Across from him, the massive Shinigami phantom was growing increasingly irritated.
Being examined so brazenly by a mere insect—
Especially with that investigative look in Kai's eyes—
Was utterly humiliating.
What kind of god allowed a mortal to study it like a specimen?
If news of this spread in the Pure Land, how would it ever show its face again?
Its anger grew more intense with every passing moment.
"ROOOOAR!!!"
A deafening roar suddenly erupted from the ancient being.
The cry was filled with rage at being desecrated.
The moment the roar echoed—
The clear sky above Konoha instantly darkened.
Thick black clouds rolled in, blocking the sunlight.
The entire sky turned pitch black.
A raindrop fell.
Then another.
They splashed onto the scorched earth surrounding the Hokage Tower.
In the next instant—
A torrential downpour crashed down from the sky.
Cold.
Bone-chilling cold.
The rain felt as though it could freeze one's very soul.
At the same time, dark runic symbols flashed wildly across the Shinigami's face.
With a violent motion, it pulled back the dagger that had struck empty air.
Then the enormous skeletal arm lifted again.
This time, the blade was no longer a mechanical strike governed by contract.
Now it carried pure rage.
The blade slashed downward again with terrifying force capable of tearing apart souls.
Even the air itself split open into a dark rift.
Behind the battlefield, Tobirama exhaled in relief as the sky darkened.
"As expected of a god… it noticed the weakness of light immediately."
Since humans couldn't block the sunlight themselves—
The Shinigami simply removed it.
This kind of control over nature far surpassed human limits.
Even Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, would struggle to alter the weather on such a scale.
"Cold rain beating randomly against my face…"
Kai grinned as the freezing rain splashed across him.
He looked up at the gigantic skull looming above him.
"Hey, hey… you can see me now, can't you?"
The Shinigami paused.
Wasn't that obvious?
Even though it couldn't speak due to the laws governing it—
The blade had already been swung so many times it was practically smoking.
What more proof did he want?
"You can really see me?!"
Kai's eyes lit up.
"If you can see me, nod your head!"
He jumped closer to the Shinigami's face and reached out, trying to poke inside its empty eye socket.
Failed.
The giant skull slowly turned.
Its hollow eye sockets scanned downward.
It saw countless lifeless, terrified souls below.
Then it glanced at the dagger in its hand.
Finally, it looked back at the tiny mortal fiddling with its eyes.
An indescribable sense of frustration and confusion began to rise.
In the next instant—
The Shinigami's body trembled violently.
The freezing aura exploded outward again.
Then suddenly—
It opened its enormous mouth and bit down toward Uchiha Kai.
Watching this scene, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was stunned.
He looked toward Tobirama with admiration shining in his eyes.
"As expected of my teacher!"
"To make the Shinigami attack so many times with the Reaper Death Seal…"
"If it were me, I could only manage two strikes at most!"
At that moment, Tobirama's prestige in Hiruzen's mind soared once again.
Even Hashirama nodded in praise.
"Tobirama! I never expected your mastery of the Reaper Death Seal to reach this level."
He patted his younger brother's shoulder proudly.
"Being able to make the Shinigami attack so many times… impressive!"
To Hashirama, it was obvious.
The Shinigami would only act repeatedly if Tobirama had enough power to sustain it.
But only Tobirama himself knew the truth.
He was completely confused.
As the creator of countless forbidden techniques, he understood the Reaper Death Seal better than almost anyone alive.
The Shinigami summoned by the ritual was merely a projection.
It had no emotions.
No consciousness.
It simply executed the contract once.
Yet now—
The dagger swings.
The grabbing hands.
Even the attempt to bite Kai—
None of it had anything to do with him.
Which meant…
Was Uchiha Kai deliberately provoking the Shinigami?
Tobirama stared upward.
There he saw Kai hopping around in front of the Shinigami like a hyperactive monkey.
For a moment, Tobirama didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Mocking the Shinigami itself.
This kid might be the first person in history to ever attempt such a thing.
Up above, Kai ignored everyone below.
He looked at the massive fangs descending toward him and spoke with visible disgust.
"Wow, wow… you're getting desperate now."
"Swinging the blade wasn't enough, so now you're biting?"
"And those teeth… dude, you've got cavities."
"Want me to fix them for you?"
"Oh—your tongue coating looks thick too."
"And those bite marks…"
"Bro, are you… kinda weak?"
He continued chatting endlessly.
The entire village of Konoha stared in stunned silence.
Who had ever seen someone babble casually in front of a god like this?
Well—
They had now.
Suddenly—
The Shinigami's skull jerked violently.
Its already unstable body could no longer maintain its form.
The phantom began to collapse.
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