"Next stop, let's go meet those... remnants of the old era."
Chiya had barely finished that supremely badass line and turned to climb onto Susanoo when his steps suddenly faltered.
He looked back, his gaze settling on Ōnoki, whose remaining half was practically cold already.
Sasuke was holding the old man aloft. Susanoo's huge purple chakra hand gripped the Tsuchikage's remaining upper body like a broken figurine. Ōnoki's once-sharp little eyes were half-closed now, his breathing as faint as a candle flickering in the wind. Black blood kept spilling from his mouth.
"Almost forgot. There's still a 'treasure chest' I haven't opened."
Chiya slapped his forehead, an amused smile curling his lips.
This was the only wielder of a kekkei tōta in the entire shinobi world. Throwing away such a rare resource would be a criminal waste, the sort that deserved a bolt of divine lightning.
"Sasuke, bring him over."
Chiya beckoned.
Sasuke immediately guided Susanoo forward, delivering the half-dead Ōnoki to Chiya.
Though Ōnoki's consciousness was fading, his instincts as a Kage-level fighter remained. Sensing Chiya approach, the old man struggled to open his eyes. They held both fear and a venomous hatred, as though he wanted to tear Chiya apart with his teeth.
"Uchiha... brat..."
Ōnoki's throat produced a grating rasp like a broken bellows. "If you're going to kill me... do it... don't humiliate me..."
"Humiliate you? You're overthinking it."
Chiya reached out. Rather than drawing his blade, he pressed his palm directly against Ōnoki's deeply wrinkled forehead.
An eerie suction began gathering in his palm.
"I'm a practical man. I don't bother with pointless torture. I just think taking all those skills into the Pure Land would be a waste."
Purple light flickered in Chiya's Rinnegan, his low voice like a demon whispering in Ōnoki's ear.