The shadows moved like a living, relentless tide, each step echoing with the authority of the Shadow Monarch.
The black figures — Igris at the front, flaming sword raised; Beru unleashing piercing screeches that ripped through the air; Tank crushing the ground with every charge; the Six Final Judgments forming a wall of absolute power — advanced on Kaguya without hesitation.
The supernatural light of her third eye burned like a cold star, firing beams of energy that obliterated dozens of shadows at once. Yet every shadow that fell simply rose again, restored by Jin Woo's boundless power.
"Hmph…" Jin Woo stood with arms crossed, his gaze sharp as a blade, studying her every move.
She's not just brute force. She's measuring the reach of my power, trying to figure out how these shadows keep coming back…
The system flashed before his eyes:
[Analyzing enemy's power pattern…]
[Vital Energy Attributes: Colossal]
[Danger: High Class]
Jin Woo drew a slow breath. The black aura around him rippled like living smoke, and every beat of his heart sent waves of pressure that made even the ground tremble.
It was as if reality itself was acknowledging the true predator on that field.
Kaguya unleashed her massive roots, aiming to crush the generals. Igris sliced one clean in half with a swift strike, black flames consuming the living wood.
Beru dodged another, seizing it with his claws and tearing it apart as if it were fabric.
"You… are nothing but echoes," Kaguya's voice rolled like distant thunder, cold enough to freeze human blood.
She surged forward, the space around her warping, her body moving as if it ignored physical laws. One root speared through Iron's chest, lifting him into the air and hurling him miles away — but before he hit the ground, Jin Woo had already restored him.
[Shadow successfully restored.]
The Shadow Monarch narrowed his eyes even further.
She's getting it. Every strike against my troops is useless in the long run… but she's trying to force me to burn chakra. Hah! As if that would change anything!
Sensing the stalemate, Kaguya raised her hands, and with a silent command, the roots of the Divine Tree multiplied. Each new tendril began draining chakra and vital energy not only from the ninjas but from the shadows themselves, leeching their essence down to a microscopic level.
The pressure rose. The sky felt heavier. Jin Woo could feel the weight of that force — not only physical, but spiritual. Something from far beyond this world.
"So that's it…" he murmured, eyes half-lidded. "The Tree isn't just a catalyst… it's an anchor. She's linking this plane to another."
[Alert: Dimensional energy detected.]
[Possible connection to Unknown-Level entities.]
A memory of his battles against the Monarchs flashed in his mind. The feeling was identical — that weight, that unseen presence, whispering like a predator watching from a safe distance.
She's not alone. This… is a summoning.
Jin Woo's aura erupted like a black storm.
Wind and dust swirled violently, swallowing part of the battlefield. He extended his hand forward, and every shadow answered instantly, moving in perfect synchronicity like a single organism.
"Advance. No retreat."
The Six Final Judgments moved as one, unleashing attacks that wiped out dozens of roots at once. Tank slammed into the tree's trunk, making it shudder.
Beru leapt into the air, landing directly on Kaguya, aiming to pierce her defenses.
But the third eye blazed brighter — a white flash consumed Beru, and in an instant, he was disintegrated into pure light.
[Shadow destroyed.]
[Restore?] — Yes / No
Jin Woo clicked "Yes" in his mind. Beru reappeared at his side, kneeling with a furious roar.
"Master…" he said telepathically, "she's draining even the essence of the shadow…"
"I know," Jin Woo replied, his voice like ice fracturing.
Kaguya landed on the ground, her expression unchanging.
"You are not of this world… but you are just as greedy as the Otsutsuki. Everything you touch, you turn into an extension of yourself."
"And you," Jin Woo stepped forward, the weight of his aura forcing the roots to recoil slightly, "think this world belongs to you."
For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the distant cries of ninjas collapsing as their chakra was drained. Then, they both moved at once.
The impact was like two meteors colliding. The ground split into craters, the air exploded with a deafening shockwave. Jin Woo's system blared with alerts, tracking Kaguya's speed and power.
[Speed: Critical Level]
[Strength: Colossal Level]
With every block and counterstrike, Jin Woo absorbed more data, shaping his strategy. He wasn't fighting with raw strength alone — he was dissecting his opponent piece by piece, like a master chess player dismantling the enemy's board.
And as the fight intensified, he never took his eyes off the Divine Tree.
If I take that down… maybe I can cut her link to whoever's behind this.
But deep in his chest, the feeling lingered — the real danger hadn't shown itself yet.