As the shadow gradually came into focus, the Rain ninja's emotions became like a roller coaster, shifting from the lucky hope of a moment ago to pure terror and despair.
"Mon... mon... monster!!!!"
He screamed in terror, his expression twisting as a result.
With eyes trembling from fear, he stared fixedly at the monster's every movement, his hands and feet unconsciously retreating backward.
Ahead stood a creature wearing a Grass Village Forehead Protector, its bizarre human face sporting canine fangs that no human should possess.
Its skin was zombie-gray, and tiny barbs grew all over its body.
Its elbows hung past its knees as it stood before the ninja in the posture of an ape-man.
The monster ignored the scroll beneath its feet, its beastly eyes fixed on the prey collapsed before it.
Low, hoarse, beastlike growls rumbled from its mouth.
"D-don't come any closer!"
The Rain ninja frantically crawled backward on all fours, trying to put some distance between them. Tears and snot streamed down his face as fear completely overwhelmed him.
But clearly, his shouting had no effect.
The monster moved!
It moved like lightning, charging forward with another grotesque, primitive posture as it roared.
In the blink of an eye, the monster thrust out its barb-covered arm like the most terrifying predator.
"Pssh—!"
The Rain ninja could not even make an effective dodge before an indescribable agony erupted from his abdomen.
He looked down to see that grayish-white, barb-covered arm had completely pierced through his stomach.
Warm blood flowed along the monster's arm and down his lower body, leaving his mind blank.
"Ugh... ah..."
A moment later, the pain reached his brain, forcing a pained groan from him.
His consciousness gradually blurred along with the blood flowing from his body.
He realized that he was doomed to