Hearing Dī's screams, Yitai struggled out of the rubble beneath the rock face.
His right hand was completely ruined, and at least four of his ribs were broken. Blood welled from the corner of his mouth with every breath.
But there was no retreat in his eyes-only fear.
Not just fear of Miki Yūya.
Fear of Moryo.
If he failed to bring back even someone without chakra, something worse than death awaited him.
"Hah... hah..."
Yitai gritted his teeth. Chakra erupted from his body like boiling magma, its forced infusion barely stemming the bleeding from his wounds.
He staggered to his feet. His legs shook, but his fists remained clenched tight.
"Don't... don't underestimate me..."
Just then, two more figures darted out of the darkness.
The one on the left was as thin as a bamboo pole, with long, slender fingers connected to almost invisible chakra threads-Kusuna.
Three humanoid puppets floated behind him, their joints clicking mechanically, eerie green flames burning in their hollow eye sockets.
The one on the right had delicate features and a mask covering half his face. He held a short staff in each hand, sharp currents of Wind Release swirling around their tips-Setsuna.
"Yitai, you're still alive."
Setsuna's voice was airy, impossible to tell whether he was mocking him or relieved.
"Looks like our guest really is difficult to handle."
Kusuna said nothing. His fingers twitched, and all three puppets shifted into attack formation-a blade-wielding puppet charged head-on, a shield-bearing one circled around the flank, and the third leaped high before diving from above.
"Attack together."
Kusuna finally spoke, his voice as hoarse as dry wood scraping together.
"Our lord said he's an important guest-but he never said we couldn't hurt him."
In an instant, the battlefield erupted.
Kusuna's three puppets closed in from three