| The Cyber Ascension | Arc 7 — The Bloodlines and Carnage | Volume 7 | Chapter 78 : The Rogue Ninja of the Zenōnuke Clan |
Ash drifted through the battlefield like falling remains of a dead sky.
Above them, Sanji Youta's presence inside Z's body kept thickening, spreading like rot through veins. Z's body twitched unnaturally—fingers curling, spine arching—every movement wrong, delayed, possessed.
A faint, distorted laugh echoed from his throat.
Too quiet.
Too patient.
Jin Yuan
"We need to do something—now!"
His voice cracked through the suffocating air.
Kiyoshi
"What should we even do?!"
Before anyone could answer—
footsteps echoed.
Slow.
Measured.
Unhurried.
Each step pressed down on the silence like a nail into a coffin.
The smoke parted.
A figure emerged.
A man in his early twenties, posture relaxed—too relaxed for a battlefield soaked in blood and fire.
He wore a simple black shirt, a dark kimono draped over it, and black hakama pants that swayed gently with each step. Traditional. Clean. Untouched by the chaos around him.
His dark purple hair fell loosely around his face.
His dark purple pupils reflected the burning sky—calm, sharp, unreadable.
Eirien's eyes widened slightly.
Eirien
"…Is that him?"
Haruko's expression hardened.
Haruko
"Everyone said he was our clan member…"
"A rogue ninja of the Second Heaven."
Kiyoshi stared, then snapped his fingers nervously.
Kiyoshi
"Ah—uh—umm—YES! HIM!"
"Zenōnuke Karasuya… right?!"
The man smiled faintly.
Not warm.
Not cold.
Just… empty.
Karasuya
"Yep. That's me."
"Zenōnuke Karasuya."
Jin Yuan's eyes narrowed instantly.
Something about him felt wrong.
Not hostile.
But dangerously neutral.
Eirien stepped forward, voice steady but sharp.
Eirien
"Are you going to help us…"
"…or just stand there watching everything fall apart?"
Karasuya chuckled softly.
A sound too casual for the screams still echoing in the distance.
Karasuya
"I'll help."
A pause.
Then—
Karasuya
"But only on one condition."
The sky rumbled.
Even Sanji-Z's twisted aura flickered slightly, as if listening.
Jin Yuan clenched his jaw.
Jin Yuan
"What's the condition…?"
Karasuya's smile faded.
His eyes darkened.
The air grew heavy.
The entire Heaven—
held its breath.
Karasuya
"You all must participate in the resurrection ritual."
A single word followed, spoken slowly—clearly.
Karasuya
"Ganchio-Sae."
Pure terror washed over them.
Haruko's pupils shrank.
Eirien's breath stopped.
Kiyoshi's hands began to tremble.
They all knew.
Once the ritual began—
Once even a single drop of Zenōnuke blood touched the ground and the chant was spoken—
Every participant would lose half of their Spherical Energy of Heavens.
Not temporarily.
Not partially.
Immediately.
They would be weakened.
Slowed.
Barely able to fight.
And they would be doing it while standing before—
The King of Hell.
Inside Z's body.
Above them—
Z's head tilted unnaturally.
A wide grin tore across his face.
Sanji Youta (inside Z)
"Hehehe…"
"So you plan to awaken another monster?"
His voice echoed from every direction at once.
Sanji Youta
"Good."
"I'll kill you all while you're powerless."
The ground pulsed.
The barriers cracked further.
Blood seeped from Haruko's lips.
Karasuya's eyes never left them.
Karasuya
"So?"
"Do you choose extinction…"
"…or damnation?"