Asuma, the Jonin from the Inuzuka Clan, and the Jonin from the Akimichi Clan exchanged serious glances.
They were not surprised that Kuroki had returned.
It was expected.
Otherwise, Jaeger wouldn't still be alive. What shocked them was how silently Kuroki had appeared.
The ninja dogs hadn't given a warning!
Inuzuka hadn't sensed any danger!
What kind of person could suppress their presence to this degree? If Hyūga Yū hadn't been there, they would have all died instantly.
Asuma shifted his gaze away from Kuroki .
He glanced at the ceiling beams, took the cigarette from his mouth with his right hand, casually tossed it aside, and naturally moved his hands toward the ninja tool pouch strapped to his leg.
Hyūga Yū's eyes widened, and a chill ran down his spine.
His mind and chakra were being controlled, preventing him from making any noise or even signaling his teammates.
"You shouldn't have come back…"
Kurenai Yūhi's curled eyelashes trembled as her eyes filled with emotion. She gazed at Kuroki with a mix of longing and heavy breathing, mumbling to herself.
Her worst fear had come true.
It happened without any warning.
The atmosphere remained cold and silent.
Kurenai understood she could not change the current situation. Her heart sank as she grabbed the woman holding the child behind her. Her gaze, filled with concern, turned resolute as she glanced at Asuma and the others, and said sternly:
"I'm withdrawing from this mission…"
She took the woman and left the wooden cabin.
In the corner, Dr. Nake knew this was his last chance to escape the cabin. Without hesitation, he followed Kurenai out, heading for the door.
Kuroki did not stop her.
As they passed by each other, Kurenai paused, her brows furrowed. She looked up at Kuroki 's sharply contoured face. Her red eyes welled up with tears of resentment and pleading as she gazed at him.
Kuroki remained unmoved.
Kurenai bit her lip, her chest rising and falling, her heart pounding. She understood what he intended, and without looking back, she left the cabin.
Kuroki then turned to Nono Yakushi.
The wandering priestess widened her almond-shaped eyes, studying the young man who had suddenly appeared, as if she had discovered a work of art.
However, the moment their eyes met—her gaze clashing with his fierce, scarlet ones—any admiration for his beauty instantly evaporated, replaced by fear and trembling.
"Help me save someone, and I'll pay you accordingly," Kuroki said directly.
His voice was calm, yet powerfully persuasive.
"Okay… okay…" Nono Yakushi's face fell, and she composed herself before leaving the cabin without hesitation.
She felt it was wise to accept this deal. As soon as she stepped outside, Naruki, who had been waiting by the door, escorted her away.
Asuma watched Kurenai's departing figure and felt a sudden sense of relief.
From now on…
Whether they killed Kuroki or Kuroki killed them, Kurenai would no longer be involved in the battle.
In the corner, Jaeger also wanted to escape, but the kunai in the Hyūga Jonin's hand in front of him crushed any such thoughts.
As Asuma was about to say something before the fight began, he suddenly realized he couldn't open his mouth, no matter how hard he tried.
"So, it's true. Kuroki 's eyes can control others. He's indeed a tough opponent, but after running for so long, how much chakra can those eyes have left?"
Asuma refocused his mind. His body was paralyzed, but his brain was still able to think.
It wasn't just Asuma.
The Jonin from the Akimichi Clan, the Jonin from the Inuzuka Clan, and even the ninja dog—all of them were frozen in place like wax statues, mid-turn.
Kuroki gripped his blade and approached Asuma.
Both sides understood.
Meeting here meant a life-or-death struggle. One side was the Konoha ninja, and the other was a rogue ninja. There would be no end until one side perished.
Asuma stared at Kuroki .
Unable to blink, his eyes had already begun to redden and tear up on their own.
The only thing he could do was keep breathing and wait for Kuroki to take his life.
The distance closed.
Kuroki 's red eyes flickered, and he gripped his ninja sword tightly, suddenly slashing it toward Asuma.
A cold gleam erupted.
The straight blade carved a sharp arc through the air, its light flashing coldly, sending a chill into the surroundings.
The other three, under the control of the Eight Thousand Spears, drew their kunai in a daze, preparing to stab themselves in the abdomen for suicide!
In that instant…
From the rooftop came a powerful, chakra-infused chanting of Buddhist scriptures. The sound was solemn, dignified, pure, upright, harmonious, clear, and far-reaching.
It washed over everyone in the cabin like a cleansing stream.
It purified the discord within their minds.
The control over Asuma's mind wavered, and as the cold blade slashed toward his throat, he regained movement, rolling sideways to dodge. The sword sliced across his right shoulder blade, leaving a deep wound.
The control of the Eight Thousand Spears faltered for a moment.
"Scatter!!" the Hyūga Jonin roared.
"Damn it, why wait until the last second to make a move? You trying to give me a heart attack?" The Inuzuka Jonin cursed as he retreated with his beloved dog.
The four of them scattered to the corners of the wooden cabin, surrounding Kuroki in the center.
The chanting continued from the rooftop.
Kuroki watched everything indifferently, not surprised by Asuma's countermeasures.
His Eight Thousand Spears' Mangekyo Sharingan Yin Release chakra had not fully recovered. He was down to only 30% power.
He had to hold back 10%.
He could only use 20%.
Even the mental control over the 8,000 spears could be disturbed by the solemn and resonant chanting of Buddhist scriptures.
Even if he had attacked the Hyūga clan's jōnin immediately, Asuma's countermeasure would have still been triggered.
Yeager, still inside the house, looked shocked as he gazed up at the roof. The chanting was penetrating from above.
It was as if countless monks were seated on the roof.
Just as Yeager thought.
At that moment, ten monks were sitting cross-legged on the roof, hands clasped together, heads bowed, eyes closed, muttering the Buddhist scriptures.
These were reinforcements Asuma had called from the Fire Temple!
The monks' chanting had the power to enhance human mental strength and interfere with illusions and mental control.
Inside the house.
"Yukimaru… don't be scared. Eat this. Once this fight is over, I'll give you as much as you want!"
The Inuzuka clan's jōnin still wore a kind smile as he crouched beside his loyal dog, pulling out an organ from his pouch.
The large, white-furred dog stared at the organ, its nose catching the scent of blood. It seemed to be stimulated, trembling, its body going into a stress response.
It no longer looked anxious. Instead, it bared its teeth, eyes glowing green. Its mouth opened wide, revealing sharp fangs, while foul-smelling saliva dripped like long strands to the floor.
Yukimaru bit into the organ, tilted his head back, and chewed it before swallowing it down.
Yeager's eyes widened in shock as he stared at the organ, his stomach churning, making him gag uncontrollably.
He was a hunter and killed various animals daily, so he was familiar with organs.
But what the Inuzuka clan's jōnin had fed to his ninja dog wasn't the organ of some beast or animal—it was a human heart!
If his guess was correct, it had probably been taken from one of the refugees.
In an instant—
Yukimaru's neck swelled, muscles bulging, veins protruding, and its claws grew long and sharp as blades.
The Inuzuka jōnin formed hand seals, creating a shadow clone with a smile on his face. "Inuzuka Style: Man-Beast Hybrid Transformation—Three-Headed Wolf!"
Boom—
A cloud of smoke exploded.
Out from it emerged a massive wolf with three heads, pure white fur, rippling muscles, pitch-black claws, and a size so large it broke through the corner of the wooden house.
Sizzle—
Asuma took a deep breath, enduring the burning pain in his back. He pulled the "Chakra Blade: True One Text" from his ninja pouch, slipped it across his four fingers, infused it with wind chakra, and coldly gazed at Kuroki.
"Multi-Size Technique!"
The Akimichi clan's jōnin also began to swell, transforming into a small giant inside the house, with two enormous, bulging fists.
His aura surged with his size.
The Hyūga clan's jōnin spread his arms wide, activating his Byakugan without interruption, scanning the opponent and assuming a Gentle Fist stance.
In the center of the wooden house—
Kuroki's Mangekyō Sharingan glanced to both sides.
One person. One sword.
Like a lone boat in a raging sea, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any moment.
(End of chapter)