The punishment of doubled training lasted three days.
Every morning at six, Lin Shuo hauled Lin You out of bed to practice the basic movements of Uchiha Shurikenjutsu in the cramped living room-though they had no real shuriken at home and used wooden substitutes he had carved.
"Relax your wrist. Hold it between your index and middle fingers."
Standing behind her, Lin Shuo adjusted her posture. "Shift your weight forward when you throw. Drive with your waist, not your arm."
"S-so tired..." Lin You panted. She had maintained her Two-Tomoe Sharingan for two hours, and her eyes felt sore and dry.
"Turn off your Sharingan and rest for five minutes." Lin Shuo checked the time. "Then keep going."
"Dad's a demon..." Lin You collapsed onto the floor.
Little Shukaku lay on a cushion nearby and let out a "Puki," seemingly expressing sympathy.
On the fourth morning, just as Lin Shuo was about to resume training, his phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
But Lin Shuo recognized it-it was Lao Mo's encrypted line.
"Hello."
"Aerospace City—Cable Car Line Three, abandoned Heliobus mine."
Lao Mo's voice was terse and cold. "The Order is making a move. A big one. I need backup."
"When?"
"Ten tonight. I'll wait at the cable car station."
The call ended.
Lin Shuo lowered his phone and looked at Lin You, who was still playing dead on the floor.
"Today's training is canceled."
"Huh?!" Lin You sprang upright. "Really?!"
"Yeah." Lin Shuo headed for the bedroom. "Pack up. We're going out tonight."
"Where? Where?"
"Aerospace City."
Lin You's eyes immediately lit up. "I'm coming too?"
"You're staying home." Lin Shuo retrieved an equipment bag from a hidden compartment in the wardrobe. "This one's dangerous."
"But-"
"No buts."
Lin Shuo cut her off, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Little Shukaku will stay with you. If I'm not back by noon tomorrow, contact Yuzuha and ask her to take you to Li Baorong."
Lin You's expression froze.
She heard an unusual gravity in Lin Shuo's voice.
"Dad... will you be in danger?"
"...Possibly."
Lin Shuo checked his equipment: protective suit, mask, detector, and the kitchen knife wrapped in cloth.
There were also several specially made kunai hidden in a concealed pouch at his waist-he had forged them himself using leftover system materials. They weren't as good as real ninja weapons, but they were better than nothing.
"Th-then I'm coming too!"
Lin You grabbed the hem of his clothes. "I can help! My Sharingan can already track fast-moving objects, and-"
"Lin You."
Lin Shuo crouched and placed both hands on her shoulders. "Listen-you're my daughter, one of the most important people in this world to me. I can't put you at risk."
He paused, his voice softening. "Besides, if I get distracted protecting you, I might get Lao Mo killed. Or myself-understand?"
Lin You bit her lip, but eventually nodded. "...Yeah. I understand."
"Good girl." Lin Shuo ruffled her hair. "Practice your Shurikenjutsu at home. I'll check when I get back."
"Dad, promise me you'll come back."
"I promise."
That evening, Lin Shuo closed his stall early.
He made Lin You dinner-curry and rice, with twice the meat.
"Eat properly and go to bed early." Lin Shuo put on a dark jacket and slung the equipment bag onto his back. "If you get scared, have Little Shukaku grow a little bigger and keep you company."
Little Shukaku crawled out of the pet carrier with a "Puki," his body swelling slightly-though still in his juvenile form, he was already the size of a medium-sized dog.
"I'll take good care of Little You." He actually spoke, his voice clear and childlike.
Lin You jumped. "L-Little Shukaku, you can talk?!"
"All tailed beasts can talk."
Little Shukaku tilted his head. "I just usually don't see the need."
Lin Shuo wasn't surprised-the system had told him long ago that Shukaku retained all his intelligence and power.
"I'll leave her to you," he told Little Shukaku.
"Don't worry."
At eight that evening, Lin Shuo arrived at the cable car station connecting Lumina Square to Aerospace City.
It stood on the edge of town, its towering steel framework resembling a giant's skeleton in the night.
Several cable car lines stretched toward the distant mountains. Some had already been abandoned, their cables mottled with rust.
Lao Mo stood in the shadows of the line three platform, a lollipop in his mouth.
Instead of his fishmonger's apron, he wore black tactical gear, with equipment hanging all around his waist.
A rectangular metal case was strapped to his back, its contents unknown.
"You're here."
Lao Mo spat out the lollipop stick, took another from his pocket, and tore off the wrapper.
"Give me the details." Lin Shuo walked over to him.
"The Order built a temporary laboratory inside the mine."
Lao Mo kept his voice low. "They're experimenting on Heliobus miners, testing a new Sacrifice Potion."
"Numbers... at least thirty test subjects, five researchers, and fifteen armed guards."
"The Defense Force doesn't know?"
"They know. They haven't acted."
Lao Mo sneered. "Aerospace City is TOPS territory. The Defense Force needs approval through layer after layer before intervening-by the time the paperwork comes through, everyone will be dead."
Lin Shuo understood-bureaucracy again.
"Your plan?"
"Infiltrate, destroy the experimental data, and save whoever can still be saved."
Lao Mo pointed at the case on his back. "I brought explosives. Enough to collapse the mine entrance."
Lin Shuo said, "Aggressive."
Lao Mo said, "Effective."
He bit through his lollipop, the fragments crunching in his mouth. "Elidel taught me-to deal with beasts, use a beast's methods."
At the mention of Elidel, his gaze grew colder.
The cable car arrived.
It was an old model, with a sheet-metal cabin, cracked windowpanes, and no lights inside.
They boarded, and the cable car slowly started moving, gliding toward the dark mountains.
Outside the windows, the lights of Lumina Square gradually receded, replaced by bottomless darkness and warning lights flashing along the distant Hollow's edge.
Most of Aerospace City had now been swallowed by Lemnos Hollow.
What remained had become a Heliobus mining base, as well as a gray zone where various factions operated in secret.
Twenty minutes later, the cable car reached the terminus.
It was a half-abandoned platform, with a rusted metal sign reading "Mining Sector Three-Deep Extraction Zone."
The air was thick with dust and... a faint, sweet, bloody smell.
The same smell as in Lemnos Hollow before, but stronger.
"This way." Lao Mo jumped off the platform and headed toward a mine tunnel sloping downward.
The tunnel was narrow, with old-era lighting conduits still lining its walls, though most were damaged.
Only a scattering of emergency lights still worked, casting pallid halos.
Lin Shuo activated his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, and the world in his vision sharpened.
He could see the jumble of footprints on the ground-military boots, work shoes, and... trails left by bare feet being dragged.
Dark red scratch marks occasionally appeared on the walls, as though something had left them while in pain.
"Almost there." Lao Mo stopped and took a small detector from his waist.
Its screen showed numerous life signs fifty meters ahead.
And... a high concentration of ether activity.
They exchanged a glance and softened their footsteps.
At the end of the tunnel was an enormous natural cavern converted into a temporary laboratory.
Several rows of crude metal beds stood in the center, each holding a bound person-men and women in miners' uniforms, their eyes covered with cloth and their mouths stuffed.
Various tubes connected to their bodies, with dark red fluid being pumped into their veins.
Researchers in white coats stood beside the beds, recording data.
Armed guards stood around the cavern, wearing matching black uniforms with the Order's emblem on their chests.
Lin Shuo quickly counted: thirty-two test subjects, six researchers, and sixteen guards.
One more guard than Lao Mo had said.
"The data terminal's over there." Lao Mo pointed to a console in a corner of the cavern. "I'll plant the explosives. You destroy the data and rescue the people."
"Where are you planting them?"
"The entrance, the main support pillar, and the ventilation ducts."
Lao Mo had already unstrapped the metal case. "Detonation in three minutes-we need to get everyone to safety before then."
"Three minutes isn't enough."
"Then two and a half."
Lao Mo opened the case, revealing neatly arranged plastic explosives and timers. "Trust me. It's enough."
Lin Shuo said no more.
He checked his mask and protective suit, then took a deep breath.
"Move."
Lao Mo vanished into the tunnel's shadows like a shadow himself.
Lin Shuo walked straight toward the cavern entrance.
"Stop!"
A guard spotted him and immediately raised his gun. "Who are-"
Before he could finish, Lin Shuo moved.
His Three-Tomoe Sharingan spun rapidly, predicting every guard's line of fire.
His body lunged forward at an unnatural angle, avoiding the first volley as he drew his kitchen knife.
The blade flashed coldly beneath the emergency lights.
Blood spurted from the first guard's throat.
The second guard's wrist was severed.
The third guard was about to pull the trigger when he discovered his fingers were gone-precisely sliced off by Lin Shuo's kunai.
Screams rang out.
The researchers panicked and tried to flee.
But Lin Shuo was too fast.
He swept past the experimental beds like a gust of wind, cutting the miners' bonds and pulling the gags from their mouths.
"If you can move, run that way!" He pointed in the direction Lao Mo had gone.
Though weak, the miners struggled up through their instinct to survive and fled, supporting one another.
"Stop them!" a researcher who looked like their leader shrieked. "The test subjects mustn't escape!"
The remaining guards concentrated their fire on the fleeing miners.
Lin Shuo stepped into the line of fire, swinging his kitchen knife and actually cleaving several bullets-the Sharingan's dynamic vision, combined with the reaction speed of his half-ethereal transformation, allowed him to perform this inhuman feat.
But there were too many bullets.
A stray round grazed his left arm, tearing his protective suit. Blood seeped out.
Lin Shuo didn't even frown.
He formed hand seals with one hand-although this world's ether system didn't support ninjutsu, simple applications of chakra were still possible.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Dozens of small flames burst from his mouth, not aimed at people, but at the lighting conduits and ventilation equipment overhead.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The conduits burst, showering sparks.
Thick smoke poured from the ventilation equipment, instantly obscuring everyone's vision.
The guards lost their targets and fired wildly.
Lin Shuo seized the opportunity to rush to the console, cleave open the terminal's casing, and pull a small EMP device from inside his jacket-Lao Mo had given it to him earlier.
He pressed the switch.
Bzzzt-!
All electronic equipment instantly went down.
The data was destroyed.
"You... what have you done?!" the lead researcher screamed in despair. "Years of research data..."
Lin Shuo ignored him and turned to leave.
But just then, heavy footsteps came from deep within the cavern.
Along with... inhuman roars.
"Shit." Lin Shuo's pupils contracted.
Some of the test subjects had already completed their transformation.
Three "things" emerged from the darkness.
They still retained a basic humanoid shape, but pale Ether tissue covered their bodies, and writhing clusters of blood vessels showed beneath their skin. Their eyes were a murky yellow, and saliva dripped from their mouths.
Ethereals. Fully transformed.
And they weren't like the prototypes he had encountered in Lemnos Hollow-these three were clearly more complete, more powerful.
When the guards saw the Ethereals, they showed no fear. Instead, fanatical smiles spread across their faces.
"It worked! The bishop was right. The Heliobus miners' high Ether adaptability can raise the conversion rate above 95%!"
"Praise the Hollow! Praise the Primordial One!"
They actually lowered their guns and knelt in prayer.
The three Ethereals turned their murky yellow eyes toward Lin Shuo.
The next second, they moved.
They were impossibly fast.
Lin Shuo barely twisted aside to evade the first one's lunge, but the second one's claws were already slashing toward his chest.
His protective suit tore open, leaving three bloody gashes deep enough to expose bone.
"Cough..."
Lin Shuo stumbled back several steps, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spinning furiously as he analyzed the Ethereals' movement patterns.
There were very few openings.
These fully transformed Ethereals already possessed basic combat instincts, and their physical strength far surpassed that of humans.
The third Ethereal attacked from the side. Lin Shuo swung his blade to block.
Clang!
The sound of metal striking metal.
The Ethereal's claws were actually as hard as steel.
And its strength was astonishing. The impact left the web of Lin Shuo's hand numb.
The three Ethereals surrounded him.
The guards and researchers watched fanatically from the sidelines, as though admiring a sacrificial ceremony.
Lin Shuo took a deep breath.
Looks like... I have no choice but to use it.
The three Ethereals lunged simultaneously, cutting off every route of escape.
Lin Shuo took a deep breath-not out of despair, but out of a certain resolve.
He had no choice now but to unleash the ability he had deliberately kept suppressed.
The Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye-Kagutsuchi-activated.
Black flames ignited soundlessly, but they did not attack the Ethereals directly.
Instead, they formed three black-flame shields as thin as cicada wings, precisely blocking the paths of the Ethereals' attacks.
Sssrrrip-!
The Ethereals' sharp claws struck the black-flame shields and instantly caught fire.
The black flames spread up their claws, carrying an aura of all-consuming destruction.
Aaargh-!
The Ethereals roared in pain, instinctively trying to put out the flames, only to find that the black fire would not go out. Instead, it burned ever more fiercely.
But this still wasn't enough.
Though injured, all three Ethereals remained capable of fighting, and-they were beginning to go berserk.
"Lin Shuo! One minute left!"
Lao Mo's voice came through the communicator amid crackling static. "The explosives are set! Get out!"
I can't.
Because more footsteps came from deep within the cavern.
At least... five more fully transformed Ethereals were awakening.
The lead researcher laughed maniacally. "Do you see? This is evolution! This is the Primordial One's blessing! Stop resisting, and you too will become-"
Before he could finish.
Lin Shuo closed his right eye.
When he opened it again, the Mangekyō pattern in his right eye-the one dedicated to Susanoo-fully blossomed.
"Susanoo, initial form."
Orange-red energy surged from his body, coalescing behind him into an enormous skeletal arm and rib cage.
Though it was only the initial form, the immense energy fluctuations made the entire cavern tremble.
"Wh-what is that?!"
The fanaticism on the guards' faces turned to terror.
The Ethereals sensed the threat as well and retreated with snarls.
Lin Shuo raised his head, the Mangekyō in his right eye spinning rapidly. A trickle of blood escaped the corner of his mouth-the drain on his Mangekyō's ocular power had begun.
But he did not stop.
The orange-red skeletal arm swung at his command.
One punch.
Just one punch.
The foremost Ethereal was blasted away and slammed into the rock wall, its entire body embedded in the stone.
"Lao Mo."
Lin Shuo spoke into the communicator, his voice frighteningly calm. "Detonate."
"You're still in there-"
"Detonate."
There was a second of silence on the other end.
Then.
Lin Shuo dismissed Susanoo, turned, and sprinted toward the passage the miners had escaped through.
The Ethereals behind him tried to pursue, but the black-flame shields still blocked their way.
The lead researcher shrieked, "Don't let him leave! Stop-"
RUMBLE-!!!
Explosions erupted from three directions at once.
The entrance collapsed.
The main support pillar snapped.
The ventilation ducts blew apart.
The entire cavern began to collapse.
Massive rocks fell from overhead, and dust filled the air.
Lin Shuo darted through the rubble, his Sharingan precisely predicting the trajectory of every falling rock.
He caught up with the last few weakened miners, hoisted one onto his shoulder with one hand, and dragged two others with the other as he charged toward safety.
Behind him, the Ethereals' roars, the guards' screams, and the thunderous cracking of rock mingled together.
Then came a second explosion-Lao Mo's backup measure to ensure the laboratory's complete destruction.
By the time Lin Shuo burst out of the mine passage and rolled into a relatively safe side cavern, the entire deep excavation area of Mining Zone Three had been reduced to rubble.
Dust billowed from the mine entrance like the dying breath of a colossal beast.
Lao Mo stood nearby, a remote control in his hand and an already-chewed candy stick between his lips.
He glanced at Lin Shuo, who was covered in blood and panting against the rock wall, then at the completely collapsed mine behind him.
A rare flicker of complicated emotion crossed his dark gray eyes.
"...You really don't hold back."
He said.
It was unclear whether he meant Lin Shuo or himself.
Lin Shuo wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The Mangekyō in his right eye had deactivated, but his vision had noticeably blurred.
The price.
But he smiled.
His smile was a little mad.
"When you're dealing with beasts, you have to use a beast's methods."
"You said it yourself."
Lao Mo stared at him for a few seconds, then pulled the last lollipop from his pocket.
Strawberry-flavored.
He tore open the wrapper and put it in his mouth.
"Let's go. The cable car still works."
Supporting each other, the two led the surviving miners back the way they had come.
Behind them, the ruins of Aerospace City lay silent in the night.
And a certain system interface flickered in the corner of Lin Shuo's blurred vision:
[Key battle "Aerospace City Annihilation Battle" completed. Miners rescued: 27/32. Fully transformed Ethereals killed: 3. The Order laboratories destroyed: 1. Excessive Mangekyō Sharingan use detected. Vision permanently reduced by 2%. Reward: Ōtsutsuki Fragment (partial) issued. Main quest progress unchanged, but hostility from The Order has increased significantly. Host, please exercise caution.]
Lin Shuo closed the interface and looked toward the cable car station lights gradually coming on ahead.
Then he said softly:
"Lao Mo."
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
Lao Mo said nothing.
He merely crunched the lollipop in his mouth into even smaller pieces.