Ling and Naruto shot against the current like two arrows, breaking through the forest of viscous, dark purple tendrils. Azure Purifying Senbon circled Ling like loyal guards, purifying and disintegrating every tendril that dared approach, forcibly tearing a passage through the writhing walls of flesh. Naruto followed close behind, an even more densely condensed, slightly smaller Senjutsu Rasenshuriken already formed in his hand. Its golden radiance shone brilliantly against the dark purple surroundings.
"The resistance is stronger on the left! The core's energy response is directing its defenses!" Neji's voice rang in their minds through the Chakra-Conducting Talisman. His Byakugan pierced layer after layer of tissue, guiding their course.
Ling immediately changed direction, the Power of Pure Water cutting with the precision of a scalpel. Naruto kept using small Wind Release: Rasengan to clear away tendrils attacking from the sides and behind. The deeper they went, the tougher the surrounding tissue became. Distorted faces and apparitions of anguished wailing began to emerge on the writhing walls of flesh, while mental corruption tried to burrow into their minds like poisonous barbs.
"Don't let it affect you!" Ling barked. Stronger Senjutsu fluctuations rippled outward, dispelling the surrounding illusions. "It's afraid! Afraid of our power!"
Finally, after breaking through countless barriers of flesh and blood, the space before them opened up-a huge cavity formed from tangled, pulsing dark purple blood vessels appeared before them. At its center floated an irregular core roughly ten meters in diameter, resembling black crystal. Viscous dark energy flowed across its surface as though alive, radiating an aura of corruption and chaos ten times stronger than outside. Merely looking at it made their souls tremble.
"That's it!" Neji's voice was urgent.
Yet just as they prepared to attack, the black crystal-like core shuddered violently. A mental assault far stronger