The instant the pure white space collapsed, Hyuga Xiao felt himself launched away by a gentle yet irresistible force.
His vision shifted from nothingness to reality, and his ears were filled with the sharp clang of metal, the thunderous explosions of ninjutsu, and the muffled groans of dying samurai.
He landed on the circular plaza at the outer perimeter of the Starry Sky Altar.
The sight before him was horrific.
Of the thirty-plus personal guard samurai led by Land of Iron general Mifune, fewer than ten remained. They stood back-to-back in a circle, every one of them bearing wounds of varying severity. Mifune himself had a burn on his left arm so deep that bone showed through, yet the hand gripping his sword remained as steady as stone, its tip aimed at the sky.
A man floated in the air, dressed in white, with pale skin and two horns rising from his forehead.
Ōtsutsuki Urashiki's time clone.
He held a red fishing-rod-like weapon in his right hand, while his left hand was spread open, palm facing the altar's core. A pale purple beam of chakra continuously battered the protective barrier around the altar. The barrier was already covered in spiderweb-like cracks and could shatter completely at any moment.
"General Mifune, why resist so stubbornly?" The Urashiki Clone's voice was teasing. "What lies within this altar was never meant for mortals like you to touch. Hand it over, and I can let you die more peacefully."
"Samurai of the Land of Iron do not surrender without a fight." Mifune's voice was hoarse but resolute. "The altar stands within the Land of Iron. That makes it the Land of Iron's responsibility."
"Foolish." The Urashiki Clone shook his head and clenched his left hand.
The barrier let out a strained cracking sound.
At