Pitch-black flames snaked across the ground, weaving around every allied Konoha ninja and racing straight after the Sunagakure ninja.
The Sunagakure ninja stared in terror at the black flames rushing toward them. They had no idea what kind of fire could have such an eerie color, let alone such terrifying power. Normally, no matter how powerful a fire release technique was, Water Release would cancel out at least some of its strength. These black flames were different.
They seemed unaffected by Water Release. Water could slow their advance to a degree, but their power did not diminish in the slightest, as though they would never go out.
Seeing the black flames closing in rapidly, some Sunagakure ninja steeled themselves and turned around, pooling their remaining chakra to unleash Wind Release together. Although fire release countered Wind Release, a sufficiently powerful wind technique could still drive fire back. Differences in strength could alter the advantage one nature held over another.
The combined Wind Release did blow the Black Flames away, but their size remained unchanged. After being driven back, they surged forward again as though alive. The Sunagakure ninja who had just unleashed that large-scale ninjutsu no longer had the strength to flee and could only watch as the Black Flames swallowed them.
After a brief chorus of screams, everything fell silent. Where the Black Flames passed, not even bones remained. Under the influence of Kagutsuchi's ocular power, bodies that would ordinarily have taken some time to burn away were instantly reduced to nothing by the concentrated heat.
All the Konoha ninja stared at the scene in disbelief. Apart from those near Uchiha Ken, no one knew who had summoned the Black Flames. But whoever it was had to be on their side, or the flames would not have spared only