Uchiha Kasage, standing at a high point on the island, watched as the Four Shitō Gods retreated into the sea, unwilling to face their enemies directly. A cold glint flickered in his eyes as the Rinnegan manifested within his vision.
He raised his hand toward them just as they were about to sink beneath the waves again and said coldly, "Banshō Ten'in."
An invisible gravitational force erupted instantly. The massive bodies of Gōra, Kyōra, Jūra, and Ryūra were violently dragged out of the sea, pulled helplessly into the air.
"Perfect timing!" Karan's eyes lit up with fierce excitement. Despite her massive form, she moved with astonishing speed, appearing before them in an instant. Her sharp claws, infused with powerful yōkai energy, slashed forward without hesitation.
"Damn it!" the Four Shitō Gods roared as they were forced into the open. In a rush, one of their arms shot forward, colliding head-on with Karan's claw.
A sharp gust split the air.
As they blocked the strike and prepared to counterattack with their remaining arms, a sudden whistling sound came from behind.
Jūra was the first to notice. The Susanoo warrior standing on Karan's back had already raised a massive chakra blade, aiming straight for their necks.
"Damn it!"
They had no choice but to abandon the attack. Yōkai energy surged as their dragon-scaled arms regenerated and crossed defensively.
Their weapons had already been sealed away in the Kamui dimension by Uchiha Kasage. Now, they could rely only on their own bodies.
Boom.
The clash rang out violently. Bones cracked, dragon scales shattered, and blood splattered across the glowing chakra blade.
Though their defense barely held, their arms were shattered once again under the overwhelming force.
Blood streamed down the blade and dripped into the sea, where it dissolved into dense yōkai energy, quickly devoured by the creatures below.
Before they could recover, Karan opened her jaws wide and unleashed a torrent of blazing fire, engulfing all four faces at once.
A chorus of screams echoed.
Even Kyōra, a master of fire, could not endure the direct hit.
But through the flames, a sudden flash of lightning burst forth, striking straight into the mask of Susanoo.
Karan instinctively stepped back in surprise. Seeing that Susanoo remained unharmed, her expression twisted into fury.
"Die!"
She lunged again, her claws moving so fast they blurred into afterimages. Each strike tore into their scaled bodies, leaving deep, bloody gashes. Scales scattered like shattered glass.
"Enough!"
Enraged and disoriented, the Four Shitō Gods unleashed their full yōkai energy. Lightning erupted wildly from their bodies in an attempt to force Karan back.
But it had no effect.
Instead, it created an opening.
Karan appeared at their side in an instant and bit down hard on their shoulder.
A deafening roar followed.
With brutal force, she slammed her fist into them, sending their massive body flying like a broken puppet. They crashed into the cliffs of Hōraijima, stone exploding outward as dust filled the air.
Karan pursued without hesitation, transforming into a streak of red as she plunged into the smoke and drove into them again.
The cliff collapsed further with a violent crack. The sound of bones breaking echoed clearly.
The Four Shitō Gods coughed up blood. Their life force rapidly faded.
Then, in a single decisive motion, the Susanoo warrior's chakra blade flashed.
Their necks were severed.
The four heads rose into the air, frozen expressions locked in place, only to be caught by Susanoo's massive hand, which clenched tightly.
Their screams rang out one last time before their bodies dissolved into particles of light. What remained were four dim spheres of yōkai energy, resting in Susanoo's palm.
The Shadow Clone dispelled the Susanoo and caught the spheres.
Karan returned to her human form, glancing at the ruined cliff with a slight pout. "That thing was ridiculously tough. Like a turtle."
"That's because you're too weak," the Shadow Clone replied bluntly.
"Hey! I clearly crushed him!" Karan shot back, hands on her hips, chin raised proudly.
The clone simply shook his head. "Believe whatever you want."
He placed a hand lightly on her head and activated the Flying Thunder God Technique.
In an instant, they vanished and reappeared before Uchiha Kasage.
The Shadow Clone handed over the four spheres of yōkai energy before dispersing into smoke.
"The Four Shitō Gods… are they really gone?" Green asked, staring at the spheres in Kasage's hand, her voice trembling with hope. "Does that mean the curse is gone too?"
Kasage looked at the gathered children, his gaze steady but not unkind. "Not yet. But it will be soon."
He tightened his grip slightly and murmured, "Human Path."
Faint lights emerged from the spheres, separating into four distinct orbs. These were the souls of Gōra, Kyōra, Jūra, and Ryūra.
"What are those?" Lan asked softly, reaching out with curiosity.
Kasage watched calmly, unsurprised that she could see them.
In this world, those with spiritual power or yōkai energy could perceive souls under certain conditions.
Kikyo stepped forward gently and rested a hand on Lan's head. "Those are their souls," she explained, her voice calm yet carrying a quiet weight.
Kasage released them.
The souls drifted upward into the sky.
For a moment, everything was still.
Then, faint green lights began to flicker within the forest.
Fireflies.
They gathered slowly at first, then in great numbers. These were the souls of those who had perished on the island, victims of the ritual.
The glowing swarm surrounded the four souls, closing in.
Then, without hesitation, they tore into them.
The souls of the Four Shitō Gods were devoured completely, disappearing without a trace.
Silence followed.
"Asagi…" Kikyo whispered softly as the tension finally broke.
Asagi pulled Lan into a tight embrace, her body trembling as suppressed sobs finally poured out.
Kikyo gently drew them both closer, holding them with quiet compassion.
Moegi, Aster, Green, and Orange stood nearby, tears streaming down their faces.
Kasage watched them for a moment before speaking, his tone steady but softer than before. "That's enough. Check your backs."
Cheng quickly wiped her eyes, lifting her shirt nervously. "Is it gone? Tell me!"
"It's gone!" Green exclaimed, leaning in. "It's really gone!"
"Really?" Orange turned, trying to see for herself before grabbing Green to check.
One by one, they confirmed it.
The marks had vanished.
Grief gave way to relief, and relief to joy.
They had finally been freed.