"Hah... Hah..."
Sōmi, now on the verge of becoming the Jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails, gasped heavily after unleashing his most powerful attack to date.
The massive golden statue, standing over 800 meters tall with three heads and six arms, now resembled a deflated balloon.
Once bulging with muscle and exuding an overwhelming sense of power, the statue's body had softened and collapsed, as if all its vitality had drained away, leaving behind nothing but an empty shell.
Moments later, the statue began to "melt" from top to bottom. In just a few seconds, a pool of dark golden liquid had formed on the ground. Its color was dull and murky, lacking any brilliance, with a somber, mottled hue.
In front of Sōmi, however, a gaping hole several dozen meters wide had appeared—a deep, dark abyss.
For an ordinary person standing at the edge of this chasm, a mere glance into its depths would be enough to make their legs tremble uncontrollably. The darkness was so profound, the walls so smooth, and the interior so devoid of light that it seemed like an ominous passage to an otherworldly realm deep underground.
Whoosh~
A chilling, eerie wind blew out from the depths of the chasm, faintly carrying the mournful cries of vengeful spirits.
Sōmi's eyebrows twitched slightly as he murmured, "This guy..."
"So, he's still not 'dead'..."
Whoosh!
A flicker of blue flame suddenly appeared at the mouth of the chasm.
The flame twisted and writhed like a worm, contorting erratically before finally coalescing into the figure of the Sage of Six Paths.
However, the Sage appeared utterly wretched. Only the upper half of his body had materialized, and even this "soul projection" was so faint it seemed as though a gust of wind could disperse it at any moment.
"Cough..."
"Young man..."
"I admit your strength is formidable..."
"But..."
As the Sage of Six Paths reappeared, his demeanor seemed to shift entirely. He now wore a "benevolent" expression, as if everything that had just transpired was merely a "test" for Sōmi.
Swish!
At that moment, a flash of golden light streaked past.
"Ninja Art: Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"
Controlled by the effects of Kotoamatsukami, Minato Namikaze suddenly appeared before the Sage of Six Paths. Without hesitation, he plunged a strange hand directly into the Sage's "soul projection."
"Argh!!!"
The Sage could no longer maintain his facade of a "wise hermit." His face contorted in agony.
"This is... the Shinigami..."
The Sage's Rinnegan locked onto the sinister figure looming behind Minato.
The Shinigami had disheveled yellow hair, a white robe, purplish-black skin, and a gaunt, skeletal face and body. It held a gleaming dagger in its mouth, a weapon that seemed capable of cutting directly into a person's soul.
Curiously, the Shinigami also bore two black-and-red horns on its head, raising questions about whether it had any connection to the Ōtsutsuki clan's horns.
Minato, however, showed no hesitation. His golden Chakra cloak flared brightly as he forcibly dragged the Sage's soul toward his own abdomen.
"Argh... Argh..."
The Sage's soul struggled desperately, even in his weakened state. Despite being on the brink of destruction, he fiercely resisted, grappling with Minato in a battle of will and power.
"Sage of Six Paths..."
"I actually preferred your arrogant and defiant demeanor from earlier..."
"This pitiful, desperate state of yours... is truly disgraceful..."
Sōmi shook his head with a sigh. Some people, the longer they "lived," the more they feared eternal rest.
The light in Sōmi's Rinnegan intensified as he let out a low command: "Bind!"
Crack!
A translucent, glass-like membrane suddenly materialized around the Sage of Six Paths.
In no time, the membrane sprouted purple vein-like patterns. As the veins extended, they formed semi-spiral motifs, intricate and mesmerizing.
However, when these patterns appeared on the surface of a soul, they exuded an eerie and horrifying aura.
"Ugh! Ugh..."
Completely restrained, the Sage of Six Paths finally lost the ability to resist.
The Shinigami behind Minato moved with sudden intensity. Its arm, adorned with prayer beads and black runes, yanked forcefully, causing the Sage to let out a muffled groan as if his very heart had been seized.
Meanwhile, the Shinigami's other hand removed the dagger from its mouth. Its slimy, grotesque tongue licked the blade, as if performing some kind of ritualistic "enchantment."
Swish! Swish!
A cross-shaped flash of cold light streaked through the air, and the Sage's soul was cleaved into four pieces.
"Ahhh!"
With a faint, agonized scream, the four fragmented soul pieces were absorbed into Minato's abdomen.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
White steam rose from Minato's stomach. When it dissipated, an unusual black sealing formula was clearly visible on his abdomen.
After completing the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, Minato's golden Chakra cloak faded away. He frowned, gasping for breath, his face etched with exhaustion.
Even in its fragmented state, the Sage's soul had proven to be an immense burden for Minato.
"Ugh..."
Soon, the light in Minato's eyes dimmed, and his body collapsed headfirst to the ground.
Such was the price of making a deal with the Shinigami...
Of course, this excluded someone like Orochimaru, who had mastered exploiting the Shinigami's loopholes.
Sōmi looked up at the sky.
The heavens were still a pale, cloudy white, with no sign of the sun breaking through.
Drip... Drip...
"Is it raining..."
Sōmi extended his hand, feeling the cool droplets trickle down.
For a long time, he remained standing in place, letting the rain wash over him.
"Sōmi!"
"Are you alright?"
"Did we win?"
A familiar, concerned voice called out.
Whoosh~
A spiraling distortion in space appeared, and soon Sasori emerged beside Sōmi. He quickly shook Sōmi's shoulder.
"Of course!"
"It's over... No one on this planet... is qualified to be our enemy anymore..."
Sōmi smiled at Sasori, though his tone carried a hint of melancholy.
"This... planet?"
Sasori glanced at the bottomless abyss nearby and at Minato's lifeless body at Sōmi's feet.
He noticed that every time Sōmi completed a phase of his plans, he would introduce a new concept.
From the "Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation" of his childhood to the "planet" he now spoke of, these were ideas Sasori had never encountered before.
"Let's go back..."
Sōmi patted Sasori's shoulder and began walking forward into the rain.
Despite possessing the ability to fly, Sōmi chose to walk, letting the drizzle gradually obscure his figure.
"Sōmi..."
Sasori stood behind him, noticing that Sōmi was holding a bizarrely shaped mask in his right hand. However, as Sōmi walked further away, the mask slowly "disintegrated," as if an invisible hand were grinding it into dust.
Sasori didn't dwell on it. He simply stepped forward to catch up, falling into step beside Sōmi—a silent understanding forged over years of companionship.
The once-prosperous Konohagakure had now become a forbidden land of death.
Even the gentle rain could not revive a trace of life.
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