At the center of the explosion, the smoke and dust lingered for a long time.
The ninjas who had just fled in every direction cautiously peered out from behind cover, their eyes fixed on the spot where Upper Moon One had been.
"He's dead, right?"
"No one could survive an explosion like that. Even Upper Moon One shouldn't be able to!"
"B-but why hasn't the Infinite Castle disappeared yet?"
The ninjas whispered among themselves.
Unlike the other ordinary ninjas, those with dōjutsu, like Yakumo and Ranmaru, still looked solemn.
The smoke could block everyone else's view, but it couldn't obstruct their vision.
Through their dōjutsu, they could clearly see that Upper Moon One, at the center of the blast, was still alive.
The explosion had certainly dealt Upper Moon One considerable damage. A third of his body had been carbonized by the intense heat.
But his powerful demonic vitality allowed him to recover at a visible speed. The flesh beneath his skin writhed and regenerated, and in just a few breaths, he was back to normal.
"How is that possible!?"
Yakumo and Ranmaru alike looked utterly dismayed at the sight.
Just then, a breeze blew past. The smoke and dust shrouding the blast site finally dispersed, revealing a figure standing right where he had been!
"What..."
"Damn it!"
"What kind of monster is he!?"
The watching ninjas' spirits crumbled in an instant.
Even Yakumo, Ranmaru, Ryūsetsuna, and Chiyo felt their hearts sink, gripped by unease and fear.
Just then, Deidara poked his head out from the rubble, grinning. "He's the perfect bomb tester!"
"Cut it out and figure out how to take him down!" Kurotsuchi called from nearby.
Tanjiro, who had been ambushed, showed no anger. He merely swept an indifferent gaze over his surroundings, then searched for Muku. When