Only one person could make Hiruko stop attacking.
Uchiha Yū pressed one hand against his shoulder.
The atmosphere at the scene underwent a complete change with his arrival. Whether they had been eagerly watching or acting with wild greed, the moment they saw him, they all stopped what they were doing, respect visible in their expressions.
"My lord, I didn't expect you to finish things over there so quickly."
He had been responsible for guiding the main force out of Kirigakure. Now that Uchiha Yū had arrived at their battlefield, it meant matters over there had been settled.
"Should we withdraw now?"
Konan looked grave. She could see the approaching ninja in the distance. If Kirigakure's ninja trapped them here, withdrawing would be no small trouble. Worse still, it could create flaws in their plans going forward.
"No rush. Show them the power of Curse Mark Two. Let them experience the true effects of the Curse Mark."
As Uchiha Yū's words fell, Hiruko's expression beneath his mask began to change.
It seemed they were not the only ones who wanted to test the Curse Mark's power. Even its creator, Uchiha Yū, wanted to collect relevant experimental data. Poor them—they had become lab rats again.
Mei Terumi, standing nearby, could hear their conversation. The powerful figure who had suddenly entered the battlefield was clearly the commander of this operation. Mei felt an invisible pressure from him. Even with reinforcements from the village on their way, surrounding and killing a top-tier expert would be extremely difficult and would result in heavy casualties.
And Curse Mark Two?
"What exactly are they trying to do..."
Just as Mei's guard rose, she witnessed an inhuman sight before her.
The body beneath Hiruko's black robe began to mutate. His massive frame tore apart the robe, finally