Blue flames clung to Souya, burning fiercely.
Yugito couldn't help feeling a little smug. Her flames weren't ordinary Fire Release. Once they latched on, they were like a festering wound, and wouldn't go out until they'd burned away the enemy's life force.
Clatter!
At the crisp sound of metal chains scraping together, the color that had just returned to Yugito's face abruptly froze.
One by one, cold, sharp, thick objects plunged into her body, burrowing deep—as though they'd pierced all the way to the base of her tailbone, or reached into the depths of her soul and ravaged that untouched, barren wasteland.
"Ugh..."
"What is this..."
Blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, Yugito lowered her head with difficulty.
A string of Silver Chains had emerged from the Blue Flame and pierced her vital points with pinpoint accuracy.
Whoosh!
Azure Gold Flame surged up, directly scattering all the blue flames.
Wrapped in Azure Gold Flame, Souya still smiled at Yugito, but his smile was full of menace, as if he were looking at a cold corpse.
"Hm?!"
Just as Yugito struggled to enter Complete Tailed Beast Transformation, she discovered to her horror that she could no longer sense the Two-Tails inside her. It was as if an invisible wall of space had severed their connection.
"I only left you an opening on purpose. I hate the shrill cries cats make when they're about to die..."
Souya's lips moved, and cold words slipped out.
Souya abruptly tugged with his left hand.
Thump—
Yugito's heart, which had been beating stubbornly, suddenly gave a shudder. Her entire body trembled slightly, her pupils dilated in an instant, then gradually lost focus.
"Why..."
"This enemy's strength..."
"The village..."
Yugito's life signs vanished in an instant. Still held by the throat, her body went limp,