"So… the Shinigami really does have its own consciousness."
Feeling the increasingly violent force trying to tear at his soul, Uchiha Kai slowly let out a breath.
If it had consciousness—
Then that meant something important.
There was a chance to reach the Pure Land.
As long as he found the right medium and paired it with the proper space–time ninjutsu, he might finally discover whether the so-called Pure Land was truly the hell he imagined.
And now that he was closer, the situation above became much clearer.
Inside the Shinigami's projection, the once perfectly ordered death laws—interlocking like precise gears—had begun to break down.
It was as if a crucial gear had shattered.
The entire mechanism had fallen into chaos.
Violent energies were now tearing at one another.
"In that case…"
"…I really will have to rip one of its arms off."
Kai grinned.
With a flick of his hand—
The chain binding the Shinigami's left arm suddenly tightened.
CRACK.
CRACK.
The dim Infinite Lock erupted once more with black radiance.
"ROOOOAR!!!"
For the first time, a trace of pain appeared on the Shinigami's expressionless skull.
But it ignored the pain entirely.
Instead, it poured every remaining fragment of the Death Laws into the vortex above.
It no longer cared about anything else.
Only one goal remained—
Total destruction.
Any mortal who dared blaspheme against a god—
Must die.
Below them—
"True Several Thousand Hands!"
Hashirama completely released his restraints.
Ignoring the strain on his Edo Tensei body, he unleashed his full power.
A gigantic Thousand-Hand Buddha statue rose from the ground.
Its countless arms connected midair, forming a massive emerald barrier.
The barrier forcefully resisted the suction radiating from the Death Origin vortex above.
Even divine power capable of dragging souls could not easily break through the overwhelming Sage Chakra—power second only to the Six Paths.
SIZZLE—
The sounds of annihilation filled the air.
Hashirama's Sage Chakra was being consumed rapidly.
"Monkey! Now! Do it!"
Tobirama, ever the tactical genius, immediately spotted the opening.
While the Shinigami was being restrained by Kai—
This was the perfect moment.
If the Reaper Death Seal were used now—
It would be a gift from heaven.
"Ha…"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath.
When he heard his teacher's command, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes faded.
Only the resolve of a legendary shinobi remained.
CRACK!
He bit open both thumbs.
Blood flowed as his hands completed the complicated seals.
The forbidden technique—
Reaper Death Seal.
HUM—
In an instant, a mysterious power inside Hiruzen ignited and was offered as sacrifice.
A spiritual anchor point formed.
Then—
A cold, silent, unstoppable presence descended through that anchor.
A tall yet emaciated figure appeared behind him.
It seemed to cross endless space before arriving.
The Shinigami.
When it appeared, its hollow eye sockets scanned the battlefield.
The expressionless gaze that should have been empty suddenly showed a faint ripple.
Confusion.
It seemed puzzled.
Why did the chaotic flow of death laws in this place feel so… familiar?
"Seal—"
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes.
But the moment he raised his head—
He hesitated.
Seal who?
The Shinigami?
Or the Uchiha boy?
If he sealed the Shinigami—
He would become a true hero.
A martyr who protected the village.
But if he sealed the Uchiha boy—
Things might turn out differently.
Even if he died, the Sarutobi clan would remain one of Konoha's great families.
After a brief breath, Hiruzen raised his hand and pointed forward.
His hoarse voice echoed.
"Seal… that one!"
His will and gaze landed simultaneously—
On the Shinigami.
And on Uchiha Kai.
That's right.
He intended to seal both at once.
The village must be protected.
And anyone who refused to follow the Will of Fire must also be dealt with.
Greed leading to ruin?
No.
Everything was still under his control.
Nearby, the only person who noticed the second Shinigami immediately was Orochimaru.
His snake eyes widened until they nearly popped out.
"Another… Shinigami projection?!"
"So…"
"Does that mean the Shinigami is actually a title, not a single entity?"
"Or are all projections independent yet connected… like Tsunade's slug summons?"
The more he thought about it—
The more excited he became.
Today he had discovered something incredible.
Konoha's forbidden techniques were far more fascinating than he imagined.
Not only Edo Tensei.
But also the Reaper Death Seal.
After seeing it used twice, he realized something important.
Failure to seal did not necessarily mean death.
For example—
The Second Hokage himself.
And perhaps—
Multiple Shinigami projections could be summoned simultaneously.
"So…"
"Teacher, are you trying to use a Shinigami to seal another Shinigami?"
"What an absurd idea…"
"…but brilliantly absurd."
Most importantly—
It was broken beyond belief.
Under Orochimaru's gaze, the newly summoned Shinigami behind Hiruzen slowly raised its withered arm.
In its hand—
A dagger wrapped in sealing talismans.
The same movement as before.
But when the blade pointed toward the battlefield—
Something changed.
The Shinigami currently wrestling with Kai suddenly lifted its head.
For a moment—
Their gazes met.
Two Shinigami projections stared at one another across the air.
Ghostly energy intertwined.
Their eyes clashed like sparks in the darkness.
One bright.
One fading.
"Ro?"
Kai's opponent seemed confused.
What are you doing here?
"Ro?!"
Hiruzen's Shinigami tilted its head.
Hi, bro. What are you doing here?
"Ro… ro?"
The fading Shinigami slowly shifted its gaze—
Toward Kai.
Across from it, the second Shinigami did the same.
Its raised dagger turned in the same direction.
Both of them—
Focused entirely on Uchiha Kai.
Ghostly energy drifted around them.
"Wait… what the hell?"
"Another one?"
"Can these things be mass-produced now?"
At the center of their gaze, Kai blinked.
Then immediately dismissed the Light Susanoo.
When two tigers fight—
One will inevitably be injured.
And suddenly—
Kai had a new idea.
"Monkey! If you can't control it, stop making things worse!"
Tobirama frowned sharply.
His cold eyes flashed with anger.
He hadn't expected his student to dare something so reckless.
Trying to assassinate Kai now?
Was he trying to destroy Konoha?!
Completely absurd.
"S-Sensei… cough…"
"This… this isn't under my control…"
"I don't know what's happening!"
Hiruzen coughed as he forced himself upright.
This time—
He was telling the truth.
Yes, for a brief moment he had considered sealing both targets.
But his real plan had been to seal the Shinigami first.
Then deal with Kai.
But now—
Why had the Shinigami turned its blade?
Even more awkward—
Only half of his soul had been taken.
Which meant—
Even his Shinigami wasn't listening anymore.
After hearing the explanation, even Tobirama couldn't hold back his irritation.
"Those Shinigami from the Pure Land…"
"…have absolutely no sense of discipline!"
At that moment—
Above the ruined Hokage Tower—
Hiruzen's Shinigami slashed forward with its dagger.
The target—
Uchiha Kai.
Across from it, the dim Shinigami felt a flash of anticipation.
Finally.
The boy would die.
But—
Suddenly—
It noticed something.
The sly smile on Kai's face.
And the faint sunlight shimmering around him.
It froze.
Kai looked at the incoming dagger.
Then at the fading Shinigami right in front of him.
And grinned.
"In front of my Light Titan…"
"Attacking me is the same as attacking yourself."
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