The dust slowly cleared over the ravaged wilderness.
Xue Zhantian's gaze remained fixed on Hinata, whose breathing had grown unsteady.
He tightened his one-handed grip on the cold silver spear. A deadly aura gathered at its tip as he suddenly accelerated!
He moved so fast that only an afterimage remained, thrusting the spear straight at Hinata's heart!
In that critical instant, Hinata focused her mind, stepped into the footwork of the Gentle Fist, and assumed an Eight Trigrams defensive stance.
Super-Sized Rotation!
Vast waves of clear blue chakra burst forth, wrapping around her in layers to form an impenetrable circular barrier.
Screeech!
The silver spear struck the chakra barrier!
A piercing screech of friction erupted as the spearhead was held fast, unable to advance another inch.
Shocks of pain traveled through the shaft. Xue Zhantian's eyes darkened slightly, and he decisively withdrew his spear and retreated, only to close in again an instant later with another ferocious assault.
Hinata had no time to catch her breath after ending her Rotation. She pushed her Byakugan vision to its limit and instantly tracked Xue Zhantian's movements.
Dense chakra rapidly gathered around her hands. Hinata lowered her stance and punched: Twin Lion Fists!
Several ferocious chakra lions roared through the air, crashing toward the spot where Xue Zhantian had vanished.
Their immense force struck the earth, blasting several unfathomably deep craters into it.
Dirt and rocks flew as the ground shook without pause.
But at that very moment!
Xue Zhantian had fully unleashed the power of his bloodline, activating the Chinoike Clan's ultimate berserk mode!
Scarlet chakra surged across the sky as a towering Blood-Red Armored Giant rose from the earth.
It securely sheltered Xue Zhantian at its core.
The blood-red warrior held a greatly enlarged Silver Dragon Spear in its palm, exuding a terrifying presence.
The next instant!
The Armored Giant swept its weapon sideways, sending a blood-red slash spanning heaven and earth hurtling toward her with devastating force!
With nowhere to dodge, Hinata could only grit her teeth and activate Rotation again to withstand it.
But this strike was far more powerful than any attack she had blocked before.
The pale blue chakra barrier held for only a moment before it was brutally torn apart.
The remaining force of the vicious slash struck her hard!
"Urgh!"
The tremendous impact tore through her body, sending Hinata's petite figure flying backward like a kite with its string cut.
A mouthful of hot blood gushed from her lips!
A hideous wound had been slashed into her right hand, deep enough to expose the bone. Blood poured from it, and agonizing pain coursed through her entire body.
Inside the Blood-Red Armored Giant, Xue Zhantian watched the fallen girl with an indifferent expression. His icy voice rang out from afar. "Had I not held back just now, there would be nothing left of you."
"I'll ask you one last time!"
"Will you submit to me?"
Amid the devastation, Hinata struggled to prop up her battered body, slowly forcing herself upright.
Blood continued to spill from the corners of her mouth, staining her clothes. Yet when Hinata raised her eyes, they remained clear and resolute, without a trace of submission. "This is also... the last time I'll answer you."
"I would rather die than submit to anyone."
Her repeated refusals...
Had utterly exhausted Xue Zhantian's patience.
Every trace of warmth faded from his eyes, leaving only bone-chilling cold and murderous intent. "What a pity."
"Since you're determined to die, I'll grant your wish."
As Xue Zhantian finished speaking!
The Blood-Red Armored Giant raised its arm again!
The slash gathering this time was several times stronger than the last. Scarlet light blotted out the sky as it descended upon the gravely wounded Hinata with world-destroying force!
Hinata was severely injured, with most of her chakra depleted. She had no way to dodge.
Hinata knew perfectly well that she had no chance of surviving this blow.
In desperation, Hinata clenched her teeth and frantically squeezed out every last bit of chakra in her body, gathering it together!
Pushed to the limit, she unleashed "Super-Sized Rotation!"
A blue chakra barrier, thicker and more brilliant than before, formed once again and stood firmly before her.
Boom!
The blood-red slash crashed into the Rotation barrier!
The solid chakra wall began to crack and peel away from its edges, brutally torn open bit by bit.
The shadow of death engulfed her completely.
Just as the barrier was about to shatter!
Hinata endured the terrible pain and reached into her pocket with a trembling hand.
Her fingertips touched a neatly rolled secret technique scroll.
Warm memories instantly flashed through her mind.
Before leaving, Naruto had carefully placed that scroll in Hinata's hands.
Naruto's gaze had been earnest and gentle, his words solemn. "Hinata, make sure you keep this safe.
"If you run into danger you can't handle while I'm away, open it. It can save your life."
His brief instructions now echoed clearly in her ears.
This was the final reassurance and protection Naruto had left her.
But it was already too late.
Before Hinata could break the scroll's seal, the slash that tore through everything had already descended!
Cold light flashed, and agony swept through her body as her right hand was severed!
The scroll fell from her grasp and hit the ground hard, instantly unfurling completely.
The next instant!
BOOM!!!
A surge of dark red chakra powerful enough to freeze heaven and earth erupted violently from the scroll!
Black markings spread across the ground!
An enormous dark red apparition of the Nine-Tails suddenly manifested, blotting out the sky.
It instantly sheltered the dying Hinata at its center!
The Nine-Tails' scarlet slit pupils coldly locked onto the distant Armored Giant as several enormous Tailed Beast Bombs formed in an instant.
They blasted through the air one after another!
The sudden threat of death shook Xue Zhantian to his core. He did not dare let down his guard for even a moment.
Xue Zhantian poured out all his remaining strength, unleashing the ultimate technique he had spent his life mastering!
"Blood Dragon Scales!"
A colossal blood-red dragon spanning heaven and earth soared skyward, charging head-on into the barrage of Tailed Beast Bombs!
The two overwhelming forces collided!
A deafening explosion thundered through heaven and earth. Space twisted violently and shattered, while the entire sea of clouds overhead was ripped apart, revealing a dark, hollow sky.
The fifty thousand Black Armor Cavalry troops arrayed in the distance were caught in the shock wave, and thousands were hurled away by the violent blast.
Over a thousand soldiers were instantly annihilated!
Dust swept across the wilderness. The earth was devastated, riddled with fractured, collapsed ravines, like the aftermath of an apocalyptic catastrophe.
Once the shock waves subsided, the Nine-Tails apparition slowly faded away, its chakra completely exhausted.
With her right hand gone and her body gravely wounded, Hinata could no longer hold herself up.
She crashed heavily onto the broken earth!
Her strength was utterly spent...
Elsewhere.
The Blood-Red Armored Giant shattered and dispersed completely.
Xue Zhantian was drenched in blood, his breathing erratic and unsteady.
Barely keeping his battered body upright.
He slowly approached Hinata, step by step...
Now, Xue Zhantian!
No longer had any trace of contempt or mockery in his eyes, only utmost vigilance and gravity.
That lethal clash had nearly killed him, and he had barely any chakra left.
Xue Zhantian looked down at the dying girl on the ground, whose pride remained unbroken. His voice was low and hoarse. "I almost... died at your hands."
"Woman, you've surprised me far too many times."
"I, Xue Zhantian, acknowledge you."
"You are the strongest opponent I, Xue Zhantian, have ever faced."
Xue Zhantian tightened his grip on his damaged silver spear, his eyes resolute. "As the highest honor one warrior can offer another, I will personally send you on your final journey with the ultimate technique I spent my life perfecting."
At that instant between life and death!
A heart-wrenching melody suddenly rang out from the Light Screen high in the sky. A bitter, sorrowful song spread throughout the world, tightening chests and bringing tears to people's eyes.
(BGM: "You and the Sea Isle," tearful version)
Our story had barely begun
This whirlpool of memories is about to swallow me whole
Please don't leave me...
Because I owe you far too much
The silence as your hand let go killed my heart as well
For you, it's freedom, while I'm left in ruin...
The camera slowly lowered, focusing firmly on Hinata in the wilderness, her right hand gone and her body covered in wounds.
Hinata lay helplessly on the broken ground, her empty eyes staring at the shattered sky.
Countless memories surged through her mind.
Note: Wow! I'm so happy!
Thank you to Ill-Intentioned Twin Gods for the [Update Reminder Talisman], and to Tiantian Bu Xianxian for the [Flowers]!
And thank you to every dear reader for your gifts of support. Your support is my greatest motivation to keep the extra updates coming!
Before you continue