The Mission Continues

Kakashi made a subtle hand signal. The three of them immediately lowered their bodies and slowly advanced under the cover of the dead trees.

The deeper they went, the stronger the sickly sweet stench became, making them want to vomit.

The soil had turned an unhealthy purplish-black. The surrounding trees had completely withered, their branches twisted as though all life had been drained from them.

"This place... feels so disgusting." Sakura covered her nose, forcing herself to endure the discomfort.

Ling Yue's [Beast Instinct] alarms grew increasingly intense. She quietly told Kakashi, "Kakashi-sensei, I can sense a whole lot of chaotic, violent chakra signatures in that depression ahead... all crammed together. It's very abnormal."

Kakashi's Sharingan was also fixed on the depression hidden behind thick, withered branches. His expression was grave. "Yeah, I see them. There are quite a few, and... their condition is strange."

He gently moved aside some dead branches, and the three of them peered through the gap.

At the center of the depression was a small patch of land with an eerie dark-purple color. It writhed faintly as thick purple fluid continuously seeped out from it.

And surrounding that patch of purple earth were more than a dozen forest animals packed tightly together—wild boars, gray wolves, and even a bear!

All of the animals had blood-red eyes and drooled constantly. Their bodies had mutated to varying degrees: some had lost their fur and grown pus-filled sores, while others had twisted bones protruding from their bodies. They snarled, bit, and rammed into one another, yet it was as if invisible chains kept them from straying too far from the purple earth. Like insects raised in a jar, they were undergoing a brutal survival of the fittest.

"W-What is that?!" Sakura's stomach churned at the horrific sight.

"It seems this is the source of the abnormal chakra." Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "These animals have all been infected and mutated. That purple substance... is highly corrosive and catalyzes mutations."

"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu on Ling Yue's shoulder was unusually agitated. Every hair on its body stood on end, and sparks crackled from its cheeks far more actively than usual. Its little eyes were locked on the purple earth, as if it were both afraid of and drawn toward it.

"Even Pikachu is reacting this strongly..." Ling Yue soothingly stroked it, raising her assessment of the purple substance's danger by another level.

The system mission had mentioned "Orochimaru or Danzo's experiment." It seemed that was almost certainly the case.

"We have to clear this place out. If it spreads, it'll become troublesome. Sakura, fall back and stay on guard. Be ready to provide support and treatment at any time. Yue, we're going in. Prioritize clearing out the mutated beasts, then deal with the source."

"Understood!"

Kakashi charged out first, moving so fast he left only an afterimage as he rushed straight at the most severely mutated bear, which had nearly become a grotesque lump of flesh!

"Lightning Cutter!"

A dazzling flash of lightning streaked forth. Before the mutated bear could react, its head was instantly pierced through. It crashed to the ground, its body twitching as purplish-black pus and blood flowed out.

Ling Yue moved at the same time. Activating [Flash Step], she appeared beside a howling mutated wolf that was pouncing at her. Senbonzakura Asauchi in her hand crackled with lightning as she cleanly severed its head!

Another mutated wild boar lowered its head and charged, its tusks covered in eerie purple crystals!

Ling Yue covered her arm in [Armament Haki] and smashed her fist hard into the side of the boar's head!

A dull, thunderous impact rang out! The boar's skull cracked, and its massive body was knocked sideways onto the ground, its limbs twitching.

The battle erupted in an instant! Kakashi's Lightning Cutter cut through everything in its path, and with every flash, another mutated beast fell. Ling Yue used both blade and fist, the speed of the [Lightning Flash Body Technique] and the strength of [Armament Haki] allowing her to efficiently eliminate her targets.

Sakura watched the battlefield tensely, antidote and medical bandages clutched in her hands, ready to deal with any emergency.

Pikachu stood on the branch where Ling Yue had been moments ago, watching the battle below and the purple earth that made it deeply uncomfortable. Its cheeks puffed out as the electricity on them grew brighter and brighter.

Before long, only two or three of the dozen mutated beasts remained.

But just then, the purple earth at the center of the depression seemed to be stimulated by the fighting and the smell of blood. It writhed violently and bulged upward!

Immediately afterward, a bizarre tentacle made entirely of viscous purple fluid, twisted bones, and flesh shot out of the soil and viciously swept toward Ling Yue, who was entangled with the last mutated wolf!

The attack came with incredible suddenness and strangeness!

"Yue! Watch out!" Kakashi shouted a warning, but another mutated beast delayed him for a moment, making his rescue just a fraction too late!

Ling Yue had just dealt with the mutated wolf in front of her when she sensed a fierce wind rushing at her from behind. [Paper Arts] activated instinctively, and her body twisted to its limit!

The purple tentacle swept past her back by a hair. The aura emitted by its viscous fluid made her scalp tingle!

The tentacle slammed into the spot where she had been standing, leaving behind a corrosive scorch mark!

Before she could steady herself, the tentacle flexibly changed direction and coiled toward her again! It was incredibly fast!

Her [Flash Step] had just been used, and before she could react, she was about to be caught!

"Pika—Chu!!!"

At that critical moment, Pikachu saw Ling Yue in danger from its perch in the tree. In its panic, an unprecedented surge of intense electricity erupted from its entire body!

It immediately leaped up and fired a golden bolt of lightning at the bizarre purple tentacle—far thicker and more dazzling than usual!

Thunderbolt!

The golden current struck the purple tentacle with perfect accuracy! As though it had encountered its natural enemy, the tentacle trembled violently and began to emit plumes of white smoke. Its movements stopped as well.

That brief instant of delay gave Ling Yue time to react!

"Thanks, Pikachu!" Ling Yue shouted lowly. Lightning flashed beneath her feet again as [Soru] activated instantly, carrying her out of the tentacle's attack range!

At the same time, Kakashi finally arrived. His Lightning Cutter came down without mercy!

The entire purple tentacle was sliced in half by the violent Lightning Cutter!

Large amounts of purplish-black slime sprayed from the severed end. When it landed on the ground, it hissed with corrosion.

The severed tentacle twisted a few times on the ground before dissolving into a pool of pus that seeped back underground.

The purple earth in the center of the depression seemed to have been severely wounded as well, its writhing slowing considerably.

"Pika..." After unleashing that powerful attack, Pikachu seemed somewhat exhausted and fell from the tree.

Ling Yue hurriedly reached out and caught it. The little creature panted in her palm, but its eyes were still fixed on the purple earth, its tiny paws twitching faintly.

"You did great, Pikachu!" Ling Yue praised it sincerely. She had not expected the little guy to save her at such a crucial moment.

Kakashi also glanced at Pikachu, surprise in his eyes. "Your summoned beast... its lightning is a little unusual."

He seemed to have noticed that Pikachu's electricity had an especially suppressive effect on the purple substance.

"His name is Pikachu. He's my partner." Ling Yue smiled and carefully placed Pikachu back on her shoulder. Pikachu affectionately rubbed its face against hers.

Kakashi casually dealt with the last mutated beast as well.

The depression temporarily returned to silence. Only the faintly writhing purple earth remained at its center, exuding an ominous aura.

"We need to destroy the source completely." Kakashi walked to the edge of the purple earth, his brows tightly furrowed. "Let's try Fire Style."

He rapidly formed hand seals. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

A massive fireball blasted into the purple earth, and flames roared to life.

However, although the purple earth sizzled as it burned, it was not immediately incinerated. Instead, as if enraged, several small tentacles emerged and thrashed wildly!

"Ordinary flames aren't working!" Sakura shouted.

Kakashi realized it as well. "This thing has strong resistance to ninjutsu."

Ling Yue watched the purple earth writhe in the flames. Then she sensed Pikachu on her shoulder seemingly wanting to release more electricity, and an idea came to her.

"Kakashi-sensei, can Pikachu and I give it a try?"

Kakashi looked at her. "Do you have a way?"

"Pikachu's lightning seems to work well against it." Ling Yue stepped forward as she spoke, then addressed Pikachu on her shoulder. "Pikachu, can you do that again? Aim for the center. Maximum power!"

"Pika!" Pikachu puffed out its cheeks and tried to gather electricity. That last attack had clearly consumed a lot of its strength, and its electrical glow was weaker than before.

Ling Yue placed her hand on Pikachu's back and tried to slowly channel her refined Lightning-nature chakra into its body.

"Let's do this together."

With the support of Ling Yue's chakra, the electricity around Pikachu's body surged instantly!

It was even more dazzling than before!

"Pika—Chu!!!"

A thick pillar of golden lightning, mixed with Ling Yue's blue electrical glow, crashed viciously into the very center of the purple earth!

Blinding lightning flashed! The entire depression was illuminated brightly!

Under the bombardment of violent lightning, the purple earth trembled intensely, blackened, and collapsed!

Large amounts of white smoke and a foul stench spread through the air.

When the lightning faded, all that remained where the purple earth had been was a large charred pit. A few vitrified crystals remained inside, no longer writhing, while most of the unsettling, eerie aura had dissipated.

"It worked!" Sakura said in delighted surprise.

Kakashi carefully inspected the pit and nodded. "The core should have been destroyed. The remaining residue still needs to be properly handled. We should bring some back for Lady Tsunade to study."

Using a sealing scroll, he carefully collected several charred fragments and crystals.

Only after finishing all that did the three of them finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"Mission complete. We..." Kakashi had not finished speaking when his Sharingan suddenly turned toward the depths of the forest to their front-left. His voice abruptly became urgent.

"Move!"

He shoved Ling Yue and Sakura aside!

Almost at the same moment, an incomparably sharp, nearly invisible wind blade silently sliced through the spot where they had been standing, cleanly severing several dead trees behind them!