Fire Temple, Fallen

"The abbot... is dead..."

The monks stirred uneasily. In that instant, they foresaw their own fate.

They continued chanting the sutras.

Yet, one after another, they discovered in horror—

Their bodies were no longer under their control. They could not even open their mouths, let alone move their eyes.

The night was pitch-black, the full moon bright, draping Hunter Mountain Stronghold in a layer of silver.

In the clearing, the torch flames burned high.

The Uchihas gradually regained their senses. Still somewhat dazed, they looked toward the wooden house, then at Ingetsu before them.

Everyone was shocked and delighted!

Tamao's pupils were unfocused as he spoke weakly.

"Big brother, can you let that family of three not die here? That man sincerely treated us well.

"He shared his best food with us.

"He's suffered enough.

"That baby was a little noisy, but actually pretty cute."

Tamao himself had extensive wounds caused by Wind Release Chakra.

After enduring Brahma Sound's torment, the first thing he did upon waking was ramble on and beg Ingetsu for others.

"Fine."

"Then... big brother, when you kill those bald donkeys, can you give them a few extra cuts? Put it on my account. I'm not afraid of going to Hell for killing monks. Put yours on my account too!"

"..." Ingetsu glanced sideways at Tamao and said flatly, "Just focus on getting treated!"

"Fine." Tamao shut up.

"..."

Nonō had yet to fully process what had happened. Instinctively, she found the brothers' conversation rather amusing.

After swallowing a Soldier Pill, she crouched beside Tamao, opened her palms, and performed Medical Ninjutsu.

Ingetsu asked, "How long?"

"About eighteen minutes!"

Nonō estimated the time. Looking dazed, she turned to glance at the wooden house. When she saw the corpses strewn across the ground, her eyes widened. She was shocked, yet felt considerably more secure.

Those were four top Konoha Jonin.

Along with the famous abbot of a ninja temple in the Land of Fire.

All... dead!

Behind her round-framed glasses, Nonō's beautiful eyes remained fixed on the wooden house without blinking.

That meant she had made the right bet. She had luckily agreed to help the Uchihas save someone; otherwise, she would likely have been among the corpses.

The Uchihas watched Ingetsu, his white clothes stained with blood, and collectively breathed sighs of relief.

When they looked toward the wooden house, they wore expressions much like Nonō's, but quickly recovered.

After all, Captain Ingetsu was the Uchiha who had dared to assassinate Danzo—and had succeeded!

What did killing a few Konoha Jonin even amount to?

"Those two with waistcloths embroidered with the Land of Fire crest must have been members of the Guardian Ninja Twelve who once protected the Daimyo, right?"

"Yeah. That monk was the abbot of Fire Temple. As for that bearded jonin who led the pursuit against us, he was the son of Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi."

"..."

The two Uchihas helped each other to their feet and began chatting idly. But when they mentioned the Konoha Jonin's identities, their spirits immediately sagged.

Izumi, Mikoto, and Nanfeng also recovered their wits, looking at Ingetsu's back with complicated expressions.

This man... had even killed the Hokage's son!

The entire Fire Temple had mobilized.

The Uchihas had all believed they were at the end of the road, yet Captain Ingetsu had saved them again.

In Izumi's beautiful black eyes, the admiration she held for Ingetsu deepened further.

Mikoto's eyes shimmered. The complicated thoughts brewing within them vanished in an instant.

The Uchihas' conversation reached Nonō's ears, making her hands tremble as she performed Medical Ninjutsu.

"The Third Hokage's son?"

Nonō looked toward the wooden house again.

Her gaze landed on Asuma.

To her horror, she realized that he truly did bear some resemblance to Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"The Hokage's son is dead." Nonō's pupils shook violently. A tempest surged through her mind, and her body suddenly went rigid.

She knew exactly what that meant.

Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi would undoubtedly fly into a rage and thoroughly investigate the truth.

If people found out—

That she, Nonō, had also been involved tonight, she likely would not be able to return to Leaf Village.

Not everyone knew that Asuma was the Third Hokage's biological son.

Even as Nonō struggled with her thoughts, the Medical Ninjutsu in her hands did not stop.

She anxiously looked toward Ingetsu, only to find that the young man seemed entirely unfazed as he headed straight toward the monks.

As their minds recovered, the Uchihas gathered in orderly fashion around Tamao.

Ahead of the clearing.

Along the rugged mountain path.

Ingetsu looked indifferently at the seated monks. Just as he was about to act, he suddenly sensed their minds struggling free from Yachihoko's control.

Under the bright moonlight.

A monk's face suddenly twisted beyond his control. Then his neck burst open, and a pale, blood-stained head emerged from beneath his skin at an incredibly bizarre angle.

Its hair was algae-green, its face utterly ordinary, and its pupils were the dull grayish white of a corpse.

It stared fixedly at the approaching Ingetsu, an eerie smile curled on its lips.

Bang—Bang—Bang—

The same thing happened one after another to the Fire Temple monks. The crisp sounds were like watermelons bursting apart.

Red and white matter fell to the ground.

A foul stench filled the air.

"Ugh, ahhh—"

Their minds controlled by Yachihoko, the monks endured the awakening of some parasite within them, producing hoarse cries of agony from their throats.

"What kind of monster is this?!!"

"How could the Ninja World have something like this!"

At the sight, the Uchihas' scalps went numb and their bodies trembled. They clutched their ninja swords tightly as the foul odor made goosebumps rise across their skin.

Nonō also stood frozen in a daze. This horrifying, grisly scene was the first of its kind she had ever witnessed in the Ninja World.

"White Zetsu—"

Ingetsu narrowed his eyes.

In his perception, these White Zetsu were awakening inside the monks and crazily absorbing their Chakra.

This group of monks had been planted with Zetsu's Spore Technique by Obito, who had lain in wait nearby, before they ascended the mountain. They had become nutrients for incubating White Zetsu.

"Spare yourselves some suffering. Go be reincarnated!"

Ingetsu's Yachihoko Mangekyo spun.

He forcibly controlled the Chakra inside the monks that had not yet been completely absorbed by the White Zetsu.

Bang—

Dull thuds rang out from the chests of those doomed Fire Temple monks. They passed away where they sat, but escaped the White Zetsu's inhuman torment.

At this point.

Fire Temple.

Had fallen!

Yet some monks completed the incubation before reincarnating. Depending on the depth of their Chakra before death, they incubated one, or two or three White Zetsu.

"Delicious Chakra!"

"It's Uchiha!"

"Kill them all and taste that tempting Chakra!!"

After landing, the White Zetsu roared madly, their faces full of greed and hunger. Naked bodies devoid of sexual features, they charged straight at Ingetsu!

They feared no death.

In the distance.

On a tree branch.

Masked Obito watched it all coldly, the corners of his distorted face lifting beneath the mask.

He truly wanted to know how many waves of White Zetsu attacks Uchiha Ingetsu could withstand.

No matter how powerful Ingetsu's Mangekyo was, his Yin Release Chakra would eventually run dry.

When that happened.

It would be the best time for Obito to make his move.

In the clearing before the wooden house.

"Protect Captain Ingetsu!!!"

Uchiha Nanfeng roared, drawing his ninja sword and activating his Three-Tomoe Sharingan. With the Uchihas at his side equally fearless of death, he charged toward the hundred White Zetsu.

There were only eleven Uchihas in total.

This batch of White Zetsu outnumbered even the Fire Temple monks and had absorbed large amounts of the monks' Chakra.

They were a fusion of monsters and monks!

The charging Uchihas were swallowed by the vast mass of White Zetsu the instant they clashed, falling into a disadvantageous situation where each faced many opponents.

Beside Nonō and Tamao.

Izumi also drew her ninja sword.

Suddenly.

She felt a soft touch on the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw Mikoto beside her holding her hand.

Mikoto's expression was blank. Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared in her eyes as she took the ninja sword from Izumi's hand and instructed, "Someone needs to guard this place. I'll handle the charge!"

The moment she finished speaking, before Izumi could stop her.

Mikoto gritted her teeth, shedding the air of an aristocratic housewife. Her figure became a black shadow as she swept past Ingetsu. Her face cold and beautiful, she sprang forward several times and rushed into the front-line battlefield.

A flash of steel cut off a White Zetsu's head!

Before becoming a full-time housewife, Mikoto had also been a powerful Uchiha with a Three-Tomoe Sharingan.

From her emotionless face, Ingetsu saw a determination to die.

He turned back to Nonō, who had yet to recover from the fright, and spoke in a calm tone.

"You only need to continue the treatment."

Nonō nodded gently and focused even more on treating Tamao. From those white monsters, she could feel the threat of death.

If she wanted to survive tonight.

She had to rely on these Uchihas. Thus, Nonō was willing to trust this powerful young Uchiha man, who gave her such immense security, once more.

Ingetsu's Mangekyo shifted from side to side, catching sight of the White Zetsu attacking him from all directions.

Their bodies seemed to erupt with boundless strength as they raced wildly across the clearing. Ferocious beyond measure, they lunged barehanded at their chosen prey.

Ingetsu stood proudly where he was, plunged the damaged ninja sword in his hand into the ground, and reached into the empty air with his right hand.

Space rippled like water.

A pitch-black long blade appeared in his hand out of thin air.

The Black Blade merged with the dark night, cold and silent. Its appearance made the long night itself seem dim.

Beneath the bright moonlight.

Dark Moon was deep and lightless.

PS: Tuesday will determine this book's success. Readers who enjoy it, please keep reading through to the latest chapter on Tuesday!