Watching the two methods the other man used—seemingly identical to Hidan's ninjutsu yet fundamentally different—Mingye was quite satisfied. In his momentary distraction, he revealed an opening and allowed the other man to slash his wrist. A drop of blood fell into Shanza's hand.
"I can spare you! But you must release every villager right now! They're innocent!"
Having obtained a drop of Mingye's blood, Shanza looked at him as though victory was already in his grasp and began bargaining. Mingye merely sneered and provoked him in return.
"Go on, then. Swallow it and see!"
"Since you insist on pushing your luck, don't blame me... Aah!"
Shanza was not one to hesitate. He knew his opponent was unafraid of him, but he had absolute confidence in his own secret technique. He put the blood into his mouth. Before the scene he had expected could unfold, cracks appeared across Shanza's skull. The blood burst from his mouth, and he dropped to his knees, gasping heavily.
"You're not... not... human."
Mingye stepped closer to Shanza again. Looking at the convulsing man, who stared at him desperately and still tried to struggle, he smiled. "My blood isn't so easy to drink, is it?"
"You... aren't... human!"
The instant the blood entered his mouth, countless figures erupted through his mind. Screams, howls, pain, love, hatred, grudges—endless scenes spun before him like lanterns on a carousel. Yet the sheer volume far exceeded what Shanza could endure. Unable to bear the boundless resentment and fury contained within Mingye's blood, cracks began spreading across his body. He kept repeating the same words as he stared fixedly at Mingye. Before long, Shanza exploded like a balloon. His blood did not spray everywhere; the moment Mingye raised his hand, it gathered toward his palm.
"My lord truly possesses remarkable methods!"