While the Akatsuki clashed with the Exaltist slices, deep within Hollow Zero—
The true body of the Exaltist leader was at a temporary base, working on a set of machines.
One vial after another of a special drug was being produced—drugs designed to allow Ethereals to exit the Hollow.
"You said before that this stuff was still experimental. Isn't it too soon to deploy it widely?" the humanoid form of the Ethereal Overlord approached and asked, visibly puzzled.
At this, the true body sighed lightly. "The plan has changed. We no longer have the luxury of time. If we wait, we're talking fifty years or more. And you should know full well where New Eridu's technology will be by then."
"If they manage to develop an energy source that surpasses ether in functionality, what value would the Hollow hold for them anymore? At that point, it'll just be a looming natural disaster."
He paused briefly, then continued. "So, the plan must be accelerated. Even if we can't destroy New Eridu, we need to deliver a disaster like nothing they've seen before. Right now, they still can't destroy the Hollow."
The Overlord fell into brief silence, but ultimately found no hidden message in the other's words and nodded in agreement.
...
Back at the Exaltists' headquarters—
With Airi's battle now resolved, another fight raged elsewhere.
Chi was locked in an intense confrontation with the slice that looked like a boy. Chi had already donned his Yaksha mask, pushing his power to its peak.
Even the slice struggled under the pressure—Chi's strength was simply overwhelming. Far beyond Airi, there were perhaps fewer than five individuals in the Exaltists who could truly threaten him.
"You're good—must be the companion of those four we caught earlier, huh? I remember they begged us not to hurt you when they were captured."
Wiping the ether-infused blood from his lips, the slice wore a twisted smile. "You should've seen their faces... and how they knelt before me after the brainwashing. It was beautiful!"
Chi's brow furrowed. In Yaksha form, he was already susceptible to the Demon God's influence—and now, with those words thrown at him, fury erupted from within.
He lunged forward with blinding speed, thrusting his spear with lethal force.
So fast that even the slice couldn't hide the horror on his face.
He had prepared, though. As Chi charged, razor-sharp ether spikes burst from the ground in defense.
But it wasn't enough to stop Chi.
In less than a heartbeat, Chi appeared directly in front of him.
Just as the spear was about to land, an overwhelming burst of ether exploded from the slice's body.
The ground and walls trembled violently. The blast temporarily disrupted Chi's momentum, halting his next strike.
Then, ghostlike, the slice reappeared behind Chi, slowly raising an ether blade to strike.
But Chi didn't even flinch. In fact, a sinister smile curled on his bloodstained lips.
Just as the slice thought Chi was surrendering to fate, a devastating shockwave suddenly erupted, sending him flying like a ragdoll.
"Shinra Tensei!"
The scene shifted to reveal the source—it was one of Zhong Yan's shadow clones, hidden within Kamui space.
And with that strike, the outcome of this battle was as good as sealed.
...
Elsewhere, on Ying's battlefield—
The slice she faced had little offensive strength. His danger came from his ability to manipulate minds.
And unfortunately, Ying was vulnerable. Her past was filled with deep trauma—a wound that had never fully healed.
"Well, this one might be the perfect target," the youthful-looking slice mused aloud. "I wonder how the other two are doing. If Uchiha doesn't intervene, their victories should be assured."
Staring at Ying, who had already fallen into self-doubt, he smiled.
"If I can turn her against them, that'll be a real pain for Uchiha... Shame, really. Such a fine piece should belong to me."
Inside Ying's mind—
Under the influence of the slice's power, she relived her most painful memories.
She had been treated as a test subject, transformed into a living weapon, committing countless acts of slaughter.
She couldn't control the violent energy within her. The only thing that restrained it was a drug—supplied by her captors to keep her obedient.
Eventually, those captors perished, leaving Ying the sole survivor.
She would never forget the moment she, in a state of rage, killed her own parents with her own hands. That remained her deepest regret, her heaviest burden.
Even now, that pain hadn't subsided—and that was precisely how the slice had slipped into her mind so easily.
His mental control dragged her back into that dark place.
But Ying was no longer the same fearful girl who cowered and obeyed.
"Here, you don't need to feel any pressure. We'll always be your comrades."
Suddenly, Airi's voice echoed in her mind.
That energetic girl had once pulled her out of her shadows. Even if Ying still couldn't fully face her past, she had come a long way.
She was no longer alone. She had people worth trusting—people worth fighting for.
The slice sensed something was wrong. As he tried to seize control again, an unseen force surged from Ying's spirit.
And with it—those unmistakable blood-red eyes.
Zhong Yan's Sharingan.
When he had once cast an illusion over Ying, he had embedded a failsafe—one that now activated.
As the illusion broke, Ying rediscovered herself.
And what came next... would be a merciless massacre.