Frost formed in the air above the altar of the White Temple.
Urashiki's pale fingers were locked tightly against Xiao's chest, leaving him trapped between advance and retreat. His pure white eyes were wide open, fine red veins crawling across them. The invisible barrier blocking his investigation radiated an attraction that made his soul tremble.
"Let go! You lunatic!" Urashiki's afterimage let out a shrill roar.
He desperately yanked his arm backward, silver-blue chakra exploding wildly around his wrist as he tried to blast apart that bizarre stickiness.
"Prey?" A brutally cruel smile tugged at Xiao's lips.
Rather than retreating, he stepped forward half a pace. The azure chakra cloak over his chest churned like boiling lava, clamping down on Urashiki's fingers.
"A parasite skulking through the stars and stealing scraps thinks it has the right to pry into a hunter's secrets?"
Xiao seized Urashiki's wrist with his backhand. His five fingers tightened, and the crackling grind of bone rang especially harshly through the empty temple.
"Get off!" Urashiki finally panicked.
He swung his other hand sharply. The red fishing rod hanging in the void whipped out a scarlet afterimage, lashing straight at Xiao's neck.
Xiao did not even spare it a glance. The Tenseigan's azure starlight condensed to his left, forming a solid hexagonal shield of light.
Bang!
The fishing line struck the shield, exploding in a ring of blinding sparks. The acrid stench of scorched air instantly filled the temple.
"If I can't break free, then you can all die together!" Urashiki's face twisted hideously when his attack failed.
He abruptly turned his head, his gaze locking onto Kurenai Yuhi at the center of the altar.
"Lock!"
Urashiki forced out a single syllable from his throat.
The silver chain around Hong's neck instantly tightened! The rippling patterns flowing