At Yoru's words.
The chakra within him drained away like a breached dam, pouring into the formation of this Kido technique.
A heavy pressure, as if weighing a thousand jun, abruptly spread through the area, making the air itself feel solid.
The next moment.
Pipa Juzo's eyes contracted sharply as he stared ahead in shock.
In his field of vision, a profound blackness that sent a chill through him surged into being, completely binding and enveloping Might Duy in an instant.
From a distance, it looked just like a black coffin!
The suffocating pressure made Pipa Juzo swallow hard. He couldn't believe that such a terrifying technique had been unleashed by Yoru.
Kirigakure's rising star, Elder Genshi's most outstanding disciple, a top-tier genius comparable to Yagura, the Blade of the Bloody Mist in the ANBU.
Although he had yet to awaken the Yuki Clan's kekkei genkai, the name Yuki Yoru, the genius, was already known to nearly all the higher-ups in Kirigakure. Pipa Juzo had always regarded Yoru as his equal, without the slightest contempt.
Everyone knew that if Yoru continued to grow, it wouldn't be long before he reached the level of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen—or even surpassed them.
But that was the future. It was only an estimate of what Yoru could achieve once he had grown.
But now...
"The power of this technique is at least on the level of a forbidden jutsu. This kid..."
"A true genius."
Yoru didn't know what Pipa Juzo was thinking, but he could tell from the man's astonished gaze.
It felt great to have someone of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's caliber look at him that way, but most of Yoru's attention was fixed on Might Duy, swallowed by the Black Coffin.
Kido spells numbered ninety and above were incredibly difficult to cast. Even Yoru couldn't use one of that level without reciting the full incantation.
That was right.
When Aizen and the others recited incantations to cast Kido of this level, it was to greatly increase their power. Yoru, on the other hand, needed the incantation just to cast it successfully.
That was the difference in their chakra reserves and mastery of Kido!
"It should work..."
Feeling the emptiness inside him, Yoru's expression turned grave.
This Black Coffin had nearly exhausted all the chakra in his body, but he believed he had seized the brief moment when Might Duy was vulnerable.
If he still couldn't kill the man, there was nothing more he could do.
The suffocating torrent of pressure surged within the coffin, but soon Yoru's expression changed abruptly. Beside him, Pipa Juzo's eyes widened as he cried out.
"How is this possible?!"
"Crack—crack..."
The Black Coffin's hold lasted only a few breaths. Then, as if something terrifying had struck it from within, countless cracks appeared across its surface.
In an instant, a blood-red blaze shot skyward. The Black Coffin shattered with a thunderous crash, revealing what lay inside.
A blood-colored beast!
Might Duy was covered in wounds, but not a drop of blood remained on him.
His terrifying chakra had evaporated every last drop of blood in his body, turning it into blood-red steam that surrounded him.
Eight Gates Formation!
"Kirigakure..."
The blood-colored monster fixed its gaze on Yoru.
His eyes had turned white. With a roar, he surged forward even faster.
In almost no time, he was right in front of Yoru.
With all eight gates open, Might Duy's aura had now broken past its limits, reaching an unprecedented peak. His strength was so overwhelming that even the surviving Ninja Swordsmen—Pipa Juzo, Suikazan Fuguki, and the others—felt their lives being choked away.
Yoru stood perfectly still, making no move to defend himself.
Might Duy's aura was ferocious, and in an instant he was right before Yoru. But just as his fist was about to land, his expression suddenly changed.
His momentum faltered, and his charge came to an abrupt stop.
He had burned out.
His fierce battle against the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, followed by forcing his way through the Black Coffin with the power of all eight gates, had burned away everything within the beast.
A swift swing of the blade.
[Ding! Successfully completed S-rank objective "Might Duy" mission (2). Mission (3) reward: 150,000 Points.] [Ding! Successfully killed a special-type Genin. Reward: 2,500 Points.]
As the system's voice rang out, Might Duy's head separated from his body.
Not a drop of blood spilled from his severed neck. The instant the blood-red flames went out, his body had completely carbonized, like a piece of dry charcoal that would crumble at a touch.
That was the allure of the Eight Gates Formation.
By breaking the Gate of Death located in the heart, one released all the chakra in the body and gained immense power, like fireworks in the night—brilliant beyond compare!
Pipa Juzo was completely stunned.
He didn't know whether Yoru had gotten lucky or planned it all.
But no matter what, the monster who had nearly crushed the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist single-handedly had indeed died at Yoru's hands.
Yoru had taken his head with a single stroke!
Only after sealing Might Duy's head and remains inside a scroll did Yoru use Responded to heal Pipa Juzo and the other two.
"All the ribs in your abdomen are broken, and some bone fragments have pierced your organs. Your thigh bone is broken, and your left arm has been shattered. Lord Pipa Juzo, I can't fully heal injuries this severe.
"Lord Suikazan Fuguki and Lord Raiga Kurosuki are in much the same condition."
"I can only stabilize your injuries a little. But with Military Ration Pills, you should all be able to move again."
The three still seemed dazed by the battle. The terrifying Black Coffin and the fearsome power unleashed by the Eight Gates Formation had both been utterly shocking.
Only after Yoru had treated all their injuries did the three finally come back to themselves.
Looking at Yoru's calm expression, Pipa Juzo gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "I never thought you'd already reached this level. After this battle... No, once we return to camp, you should be able to take Kushimaru Kuriarare's position—or even a higher one."
Suikazan Fuguki and Raiga Kurosuki nodded in agreement. After what had happened, Yoru's strength and experience were more than enough to earn him one of their positions.
"Deputy commander or squad leader, it makes no difference," Yoru said, shaking his head. "Besides, instead of thinking about that now, we should be figuring out how to explain this to Lord Yagura and the Mizukage-sama."
"Also, we need to get this news back as soon as possible, so the Third Hokage and Genji can draw up the next battle plan and keep the fallout from this mission's failure from spreading."
The three fell silent, especially Suikazan Fuguki, whose expression was particularly grim.
He was not only one of the Ninja Swordsmen but also one of the people in charge of Kirigakure's intelligence. Nearly all the intelligence and information for this operation had passed through his hands.
And yet a grave intelligence failure had not only wrecked all their plans but also cost Kirigakure four of its Seven Ninja Swords.
Even as Ninja Swordsmen, they couldn't escape responsibility for such a result!
"At least we killed one monster, didn't we?"
Suikazan Fuguki said in a rumbling voice. "Let's head back. That commotion was enormous, and a small squad of Konoha Ninja escaped at the start. If Konoha reinforcements arrive, we might have trouble getting away."
"Mm."
The four quickly set off and disappeared into the trees.
Not long after they had left,
a dozen Konoha Ninja appeared in the battered clearing. They stared in disbelief at the battlefield, littered with signs of the fierce battle, their hearts shaken.
Among them, the young Genin Might Guy sank helplessly to his knees, weeping uncontrollably.
Today, he had lost his father.
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