The heavy iron door closed completely behind Menma, cutting off the sight of the collapsed and disheveled Hiruko and the calm, unreadable Mangekyo Sharingan of Hikari.
The lingering cold killing intent and remnants of genjutsu in the air had yet to fully dissipate when Menma's figure vanished into the dimly lit corridor.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
A distance of over a thousand kilometers was crossed in an instant. One moment, he was in the cold underground prison of the Land of Stars, and the next, a dry, dust-laden wind brushed against his face.
The border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Rain was desolate, as if forgotten by the world.
Phosphorescent rocks cast long, twisted shadows under the fading light of dusk. A crude outpost, built against a natural cliff face, clung to the terrain like a beetle on a beast's back.
A few thin trails of smoke rose, the only signs of life in this dead land.
Outside the outpost, several Iwagakure's Ninjas patrolled vigilantly, their earth-yellow flak jackets dulled by the wind and sand.
Inside, a roughly constructed stone hut barely shielded its occupants from the elements. The scent of medicinal herbs and faint traces of blood hung in the air. Several injured Iwagakure's Ninjas lay on makeshift beds, some with blood-soaked bandages, others pale and gasping for breath.
A woman dressed in Iwagakure's attire knelt beside a severely wounded Ninja. Her hands glowed with gentle green Chakra as she pressed them against a vicious gash on the man's abdomen.
Under the effects of the Medical Ninjutsu, the torn muscle tissue visibly writhed and slowly began to mend.
Her head was slightly bowed, a few strands of chestnut hair obscuring part of her face, leaving only an expression of quiet focus visible.
Here, she went by the name Suzuhara Nanigashi.
A Wandering Ninja who had only recently joined Iwagakure.
The wounded Ninja's pained groans gradually subsided, his breathing steadying. The woman withdrew her hands, the Chakra Glow fading. She exhaled softly, beads of sweat forming at her temples.
A nearby Iwagakure's Ninja handed her a water pouch, and she murmured a quiet thanks, her voice gentle.
At this moment, a short, sharp scream tore through the air from the outpost's perimeter, followed by the deafening crash of rock being shattered by an immense force!
The entire outpost trembled as dust rained down from the ceiling.
"Enemy attack-!!!"
The shrill sound of the alarm shattered the tranquility of dusk.
Inside the outpost, the Iwagakure's Ninjas erupted into chaos. Even the wounded scrambled to grab their weapons.
The Iwagakure's Jonin in charge of security paled and barked, "Defensive formation! Sensor team… report enemy position and numbers!"
Nanigashi's body tensed imperceptibly. Beneath her gentle demeanor, the sharp instincts of a top-tier spy flashed in her eyes for a split second.
She quickly stood, retreating between the injured and the wall… seemingly seeking shelter, but in truth, she was positioning herself to observe the entire situation.
Her fingers subtly tightened around a few poison-laced shuriken hidden in her sleeve.
Yet, there was no response from the sensor team, and there was also no further explosions.
Only an oppressive, suffocating pressure, as thick as ink, seeping into every corner of the outpost, inside and out!
The air itself seemed to freeze. Even the wind stopped moving.
A figure materialized without warning in the small, relatively flat clearing at the outpost's center.
The black robe billowed soundlessly in the suddenly swirling currents, the mysterious Nine Masked Beasts' pattern on the cloak faintly visible.
The white, three-eyed fox mask he wore burned itself into the retinas of every Iwagakure's Ninjas present like a waking nightmare.
The hollow eye sockets of the eerie three-eyed fox seemed to stare into their very souls.
"Sh-Shura?!" The Iwagakure's Jonin's voice was hoarse, like sandpaper grating against stone. His kunai trembled uncontrollably in his grip.
That name carried with it the weight of countless horrors, already infamous across the Ninja World.
Behind the mask, Menma's gaze swept over every panicked face in the outpost before finally locking onto the unassuming woman.
Ignoring the surrounding Iwagakure's Ninjas, who were terrified yet too paralyzed to act, he took a single step forward.
That step was light, yet it felt like it crushed their hearts.
A voice, cold and devoid of emotion, pierced the suffocating silence, each word falling like an icicle:
"Found you… Yakushi Nono."
The woman's body froze the instant the masked man uttered that name.
The feigned panic on her face instantly froze, then crumbled away like a shattered mask, leaving behind only stunned disbelief and a trace of deeply concealed chill… the kind that comes from being completely exposed.
She sharply raised her head. Beneath the chestnut strands of hair, the gentle eyes of Nanigashi had vanished, replaced by the razor-sharp, cold gaze of the [Wandering Miko], Yakushi Nono… a look as precise and cold as a scalpel.
Since her identity had been exposed, there was no point in maintaining the disguise.
"Attack! Protect the Medical-Nin!" The Iwagakure's Jonin finally managed to wrench a shred of rationality from his overwhelming terror, his voice hoarse with desperation!
He didn't understand the significance of the name Shura had just spoken.
But as the highest-ranking leader of this outpost, he couldn't just wait for death!
With the order given, every Iwagakure's Ninjas inside and outside the stronghold, whether patrolling, on guard, or wounded, exploded into action at once!
"Earth Release: Rock Pillar Spears!"
"Earth Release: Earth Spears!"
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Amid the furious roars, the ground violently trembled!
Jagged stone spears erupted from the earth, stabbing toward the crimson figure at the center like a forest of thorns! A scorching, massive fireball roared through the air, crashing down with a wave of blistering heat!
Several Chunin, fearless to the point of recklessness, lunged in from all angles, kunai and swords flashing as they threw themselves at the enemy!
They sought to overwhelm their foe with sheer numbers and an all-out assault!
Faced with this combined attack that was enough to tear an ordinary Jonin into pieces, Menma didn't even bother to turn his head.
He casually raised his left hand, which was hanging loosely at his side, casually rose, palm upturned as if cradling empty air.
"Nine Mask Svāhā-"
A deep voice emanated from beneath the white three-eyed fox mask.
An array spread outward from his feet, expanding into nine interconnected formations, each marked with a character.
[Azure, White, Vermilion, Black, Sky, South, North, Three, Jewel]
"Hokuto Sennin!"
The character for [North] flared to life. There was no earth-shaking spectacle… only the crushing, immovable weight of a force akin to the earth's core descending in an instant!
Buzz!
The air groaned under the pressure.
A colossal, translucent prismatic barrier, like an inverted giant bowl, erupted outward with Shura at its center!
The walls of the barrier radiated an indestructible, unshakable heaviness, effortlessly deflecting every incoming attack!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!!
The jagged stone spears stabbed viciously into the faint yellow barrier, producing a grating screech of impact!
Rocks shattered, fragments flying, yet all they left behind were faint ripples on the barrier's surface!
The roaring fireball collided with the barrier like a wave smashing against a reef, exploding violently as flames scattered harmlessly along the smooth surface, failing to make even the slightest dent!
"What?!" The Iwagakure's Ninjas gasped in shock!