Sacrificial Ritual

The pitch-black exoskeleton on Shiraishi Mori's body suddenly bulged, its surface reflecting a dark purple gleam. Explosive power erupted as he tore open the steel-bar cage before him!

Sakamoto flew into a rage at the sight.

"Where did this monster come from? Kill him immediately!"

At Sakamoto's command, his men sprang into action. The first to move was naturally the ninja nearest to them, Abu.

"Trying to leave this place? Isn't that a little too naive?"

Abu used a Body Flicker to appear directly behind Shiraishi Mori.

After briefly forming hand seals, Chakra rapidly gathered in his palm, and he slammed it heavily onto the ground.

"Earth Style: Earth Flow."

Earth Release Chakra burst forth, instantly transforming the ground beneath Shiraishi Mori into quicksand.

He pounded the ground with both fists, but it was completely useless.

While the heavy exoskeleton on his body granted him immense strength and defense, it also greatly increased his weight.

Faced with the quicksand before him, he could only watch helplessly as he sank.

But his parents behind him would not simply stand by and watch.

"Keiko, help Mori quickly."

"Mm."

Keiko nodded heavily. The eight arthropod legs on her back shot out, firmly grasping her son.

Shiraishi Ao leaped high from a gap in the Octagon Cage. The thick Centipede Weihe behind him came crashing down from above like a massive sword, slashing toward Abu.

Without hesitation, Abu instantly formed hand seals.

"Earth Style: Earth Wall."

An incomparably thick earthen wall rumbled up from the ground, blocking the powerful blow.

The violent collision sent cracks spreading across the earthen wall.

Feeling the terrifying force transmitted through it, Abu's expression turned grave.

"After only a few hours, they already possess such tremendous power?"

He was deeply surprised. After all, it had only been two or three hours since Shiraishi Ao and his wife had received their Kagune implants.

If they could completely control their Kagune, then Sakamoto's claim that they could rival a ninja village might not be a dream after all.

While Abu was lost in thought, another wave of attacks from Shiraishi Ao arrived.

The thick, hard Weihe smashed the earthen wall apart, and Shiraishi Ao charged out through the rubble.

Several Kunai flew from Abu through the smoke and dust. As they reached Shiraishi Ao, the Kibaku Fuda attached to them were instantly triggered.

"Boom!"

The shockwave from the exploding Kibaku Fuda scattered the smoke and dust, only for terrifying flames and black smoke to erupt.

Although Shiraishi Ao had used his Weihe to defend himself in advance, the fierce explosion still charred it black and blew it into several pieces.

The blast also sent him flying back in front of Shiraishi Mori.

At the edge of the highest stand, Hidan wore a long black coat, his feet dangling and swinging aimlessly in the air as he boredly watched the chaos below.

"Simu, looks like your Centipede Weihe isn't all that great either. One explosion from a Kibaku Fuda and it shattered."

Simu stood beside him, also observing the situation below.

"The strength of a Kagune varies from person to person. The more power the host can provide, the stronger it becomes."

Hidan immediately clicked his tongue. "I thought every Kagune could be like yours."

As he said that, he could not help recalling the scene of Simu swinging his Mantis Kagune and slicing off his head in one strike. Suddenly, Hidan shuddered.

Simu shot him a sidelong glance, his face full of disdain.

Below, under Sakamoto's urging, even more subordinates joined the fight against Shiraishi Mori's family.

A barrage of Kunai and shuriken was thrown.

To prevent his parents from getting hurt, Shiraishi Mori could only act as a shield, using his hard exoskeleton to block every incoming weapon.

Though his exoskeleton was indeed tough enough, the concentrated assault still left it covered in wounds.

"At this rate, they won't be able to hold on much longer," Hidan remarked casually.

Simu adjusted his glasses and said indifferently, "Shiraishi Mori is only an experimental subject. It would be best if he survives, but if he dies, then he dies."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, as though those fighting below were not humans at all, but a swarm of insects.

"Though I look forward to seeing his performance, failure is the most common outcome in an experiment."

"Tsk, tsk."

Hidan glanced at Simu. "You really are cold-blooded."

"Once this experiment is over, there shouldn't be a problem if I sacrifice all these people to Lord Jashin, right?"

"Of course."

Simu answered without hesitation. "This was a sacrificial ritual held for Lord Jashin in the first place."

As he spoke, Simu casually teased Hidan. "This kind of sacrifice is far more sophisticated than those who only know how to kill, kill, kill."

"Damn it, Simu! You're courting death!"

Just as Hidan was about to settle the score with Simu, a sudden change occurred below.

The spectators who had fled the scene in a panic came running back, their faces filled with terror.

"Monsters!"

"They're all monsters!"

They were completely panicked.

Outside the arena's blasted-open gates, countless red points of light suddenly appeared in the endless darkness.

An overwhelming stench of blood surged through the gates and into the arena!

One spectator had only just run back into the arena when, while running, her body was sliced diagonally in half from shoulder to waist!

Even at the moment of death, the female spectator's face was still frozen in terror and disbelief.

"These nobles smell so sweet!"

Countless Ghouls dressed in tattered prison uniforms emerged from the darkness.

All kinds of Kagune grew from their bodies, stained with foul-smelling blood.

The one who had instantly killed someone just now was a female prisoner fused with a [Rinkaku: Mantis].

In addition, Ghouls with [Weihe: Mantis], [Koukaku: Ant-Man], [Koukaku: Spider], and other Kagune appeared one after another.

They took all manner of forms. The only thing they had in common was the blazing hatred of revenge in their eyes.

The battlefield fell into a strange silence for a moment.

Sakamoto stared at the scene in disbelief. One moment ago, he had been imagining how he would conquer the world with Kagune; the next, he was facing this terrifying power.

The contrast filled him with boundless rage!

After searching around, he finally spotted Simu and Hidan sitting nonchalantly at the edge of the stands.

"Kamizuki Simu! What do you mean by this?!"

"Are you trying to betray the alliance between Sakamoto Trading Company and the Jashin Cult?"

He angrily questioned Simu, but the latter did not care in the slightest.

"Mr. Sakamoto, I haven't broken our agreement. I handed the Kagune over to you. How you arranged things afterward was your business."

"As for these people, our agreement never said I couldn't give Kagune to anyone else."

With that, Simu slowly rose to his feet and looked down at everyone from above, his eyes utterly calm.

It was as if those fighting and killing below were not living beings at all, but a pile of emotionless data.

"Mr. Sakamoto, only those who survive this ritual will be qualified to receive Lord Jashin's power."