Everyone present had now seen Kyoka Suigetsu's Shikai.
That meant they had already fallen under Complete Hypnosis.
Like prey caught in a spider's web, struggling in vain, all they could do was await the death that was soon to come. The only difference was how hard they struggled.
Pupil and Shackle were each locked in combat with several Rock Ninjas.
It had to be said: both Pupil and Shackle were undoubtedly among the best of their age!
That was also why Danzo had sent them here.
Before Sosuke, Yamanosuke stared at him intently, his eyes grave and focused.
In his eyes, the Sosuke standing before him was certainly not as simple as he appeared!
The aura befitting a powerful person would never appear in someone weak!
Just as a beggar struggling to survive in a gutter could never possess the vision and bearing of a billionaire, a weakling would never display that air of indifference toward life and chilling bloodlust!
This mission was extremely important!
Yamanosuke knew some of the details: the village's higher-ups had joined forces with people within Konoha, planning to kidnap the Land of Fire's princess and use her to exert a different kind of influence over the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire!
This was a secret operation by Iwagakure!
Naturally, such an important mission couldn't be entrusted to just any Tom, Dick, or Harry!
Yamanosuke, however, had been qualified to take on this special mission. Among the fifteen Rock Ninjas present, including him, not one was weaker than an elite Chunin!
A team like this could wreak tremendous havoc on a small ninja village!
"Where did you get your information!?" Yamanosuke stared fixedly at Sosuke, keeping a wary eye out for any sudden move as he asked suspiciously.
If it was confirmed that information about Iwagakure had leaked, then the kidnapping of the Feudal Lord's daughter would be in grave danger!!
He had to hurry back to the village and report this!
"Which village are you from?" Sosuke asked calmly.
At Sosuke's words, Yamanosuke was taken aback. Had they simply run into each other by chance!?
Then, he suddenly realized!
No! That guy was wearing an Anbu mask! How could he just happen to be beside the princess!?
Before he could think it through, Sosuke's figure suddenly vanished before his eyes!
A cool voice rang beside his ear.
"Where... are you looking?"
The unexpected voice made Yamanosuke's pupils contract!
He hurriedly turned to look beside him!
The Rock Ninjas around him stared in surprise at Sosuke, who had suddenly reappeared!
They quickly formed Hand Seals and unleashed their techniques at Sosuke all at once.
Yamanosuke had no time to marvel at Sosuke's speed. Seeing him standing at his side, he stretched out his hand toward Sosuke, his face twisting into a vicious expression.
"Earth Release: Sulfur Blast!"
A mound of earth quickly surged up from his hand, its shape swelling to an enormous size like a grotesque, distorted monster!
Suddenly, it exploded with a bang!
The blast of firelight erupted violently, and a massive cloud of smoke billowed around the spot where Sosuke stood. At the same time, the other Rock Ninjas' techniques struck the smoke one after another.
Yamanosuke had been thrown back by the violent blast, and his body was covered in countless wounds. But most of the damage had been blocked by the enormous stone shield formed from his right hand!
He watched the smoke with a fierce expression, finally letting out a small breath of relief!
After all, Sosuke's speed had been too bizarre. Even with his abilities, Yamanosuke hadn't been able to follow his movements at all. It was terrifying!
Nearby, when Shijimi Tamako saw the explosion, her pupils shrank sharply. Unable to believe that figure had died just like that, she shouted with a trembling voice!
"Captain Aizen!!"
Pupil and Shackle were struggling desperately against several Rock Ninjas!
Seeing this, they too could hardly believe that Captain Aizen, whose strength had always been unfathomable, had been swallowed by the violent explosions!
But if anyone had accidentally wandered into the scene just then,
they would have discovered something terrifying!
Sosuke had been standing in the same place the whole time. He hadn't moved at all!
He held Kyoka Suigetsu lightly in his hand, a faint smile on his lips as he watched everyone run about and dodge. It was as if none of it had anything to do with him!
Only when his eyes lightly passed over the crying figure did his gaze crease ever so slightly, before relaxing again.
Everything... was only for the sake of reaching greater heights.
"Shackle! What do we do!? Captain Aizen is dead!" Pupil kicked away a Rock Ninja in front of him with great effort and yelled to Shackle.
Beneath his mask, Shackle was actually a rather handsome young man.
But his snow-white eyes were unsettling. The veins around the corners of his eyes stood out, as though channeling some mysterious power into those pale eyes.
His face tensed slightly. His white eyes pierced through the smoke and saw the figure lying on the ground within it. His expression darkened, and he didn't answer Pupil.
Just as everyone's spirits sank over Aizen's death,
"Forget it, Shackle! There's no way we can complete this mission! Let's get out of here, or we'll die alongside Tamako!!"
Those grating words reached Pupil and Tamako's ears!
Tamako was already too distraught to speak. She could only look toward the smoke where Aizen had been lost and weep in sorrow.
Shackle turned toward Pupil and berated him!
"Pupil! What the hell is wrong with you!? Do you even know what you're saying!!"
A ninja's highest duty was to complete the mission, even if it meant sacrificing their life.
That was a principle recognized throughout the ninja world!
Beneath Pupil's mask, however, his blood-red eyes stared strangely at Shackle, who had suddenly shouted at him. He had no idea why Shackle was scolding him like this!
All he'd said was, "Then we have to protect Miss Tamako until the very end!!"
Why had that made Shackle so furious!?
Just then!
Shackle watched helplessly as a Rock Ninja darted toward Pupil from behind, launching a sneak attack!
"Pupil! Watch out!!"
He had barely finished speaking.
Hearing him, Pupil warily opened his blood-red eyes and looked around!
But there wasn't a trace of an enemy!? Had Shackle fallen under a genjutsu? What was he yelling about like a lunatic!?
"Thud!"
The sound of something piercing his body put an end to his wild thoughts!
Pupil stared wide-eyed through his Sharingan, unable to believe that a kunai had pierced through his chest!
How could this be!! When had someone gotten behind me!!? How could anyone have stayed hidden until now, right under my Sharingan!? I was actually taken down by something like this...
Pupil stared unwillingly at the kunai protruding from his chest!
Just like that, he died. As the life drained from him, his body crumpled to the ground. Even as he drew his last breath, his blood-red eyes were still filled with disbelief and deep unwillingness...
Shackle stared at the scene in shock, unable to believe that Pupil and Captain Aizen had fallen during the mission just like that!
Nearby, Sosuke, whom everyone believed to be dead, was completely unharmed!
A faint smile tugged at his lips. He paid no attention to what was happening over there—or rather, it was all unfolding slowly under his control.
He slowly walked into the smoke, casually smudging his clothes to make himself look a little disheveled. Then he raised his head slightly, the corners of his mouth lifting beneath his mask.
Now that the mission was over... it was time for all the players to take the stage...
Before you continue