Chapter 32: Curse - Death Controlling Possessed Blood! Genjutsu!
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
A hailstorm of projectiles filled the air!
Their trajectories were as unpredictable as falling cherry blossoms, and murderous intent hung in the balance like the sudden eclipse of dawn!
The dense and precise throwing technique was terrifying to witness.
This level of shuriken mastery was beyond anything the cultists had ever encountered.
It was like witnessing a master at work—a real eye-opener!
Under this relentless barrage, the two remaining Jashin cult members quickly retreated, taking cover behind a crumbling wall.
Even with their swift evasion, they still sustained injuries.
"Boss, this kid's firepower is insane!"
The cult leader realized the situation had spiraled beyond his control. Before joining the Jashin Cult, all three of them had been missing-nin from various villages, each at chunin level.
They should have been formidable opponents, especially with their three-to-one advantage.
Yet Tsukasa, empowered by his Sharingan and combining shuriken techniques with Fire Style ninjutsu, unleashed wave after wave of attacks like a human weapons platform, somehow overwhelming both men and forcing them into desperate retreat.
However, having survived in the war-torn Land of Hot Water, the two cultists were no fools. Even as they fled, they stuck to their original strategy.
By now, the cult leader had retrieved the jet-black spear from the ground. He immediately shouted:
"Takeshi, pin him down! I'll begin the ritual!"
The cultist known as Takeshi nodded grimly. Gritting his teeth, he leaped from cover, forming the hand seals he'd been practicing:
Tiger-Ox-Monkey-Rabbit-Ram-Boar-Bird-Ox-Horse-Bird-Tiger-Bird-Tiger-Snake-Ox-Monkey-Rabbit!
He slammed his palm to the ground and declared:
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
This jutsu had two versions: a basic version requiring 18 hand seals, and an advanced A-rank version needing only 3.
Clearly, these Hot Water Country shinobi were using the basic approach.
With his palm strike, the ground suddenly cracked, sending forth a massive wave over three meters high!
It crashed toward Tsukasa, extinguishing all the projectiles and fire techniques in its path.
Faced with this overwhelming ninjutsu, Tsukasa had no choice but to leap onto a nearby rooftop to avoid it.
Takeshi immediately seized the opportunity, using his water technique as cover. He drew a jet-black spear from his robe and charged toward Tsukasa.
Meanwhile, the cult leader had already carved the "Triangle within Circle" ritual formation into the ground, his expression growing increasingly manic.
"Boy, you forced me to do this!"
He stood with arms outstretched, his face gradually covered in black markings, staining it pitch-dark.
Then, gripping the spear stained with Tsukasa's blood, he stared down at his own thigh, baring his teeth and squeezing his eyes shut!
With trembling hands, he grasped the spear shaft and—
THRUST!
The spear pierced his thigh!
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!"
A ferocious, frantic, yet disturbingly satisfied scream echoed throughout the area!
"Suffer! Wail! Bear witness!"
"This is the ritual of Lord Jashin!"
"This is—"
"DIVINE RETRIBUTION! AHHHHHHH!"
Curse: Death Controlling Possessed Blood was instantly activated!
At that moment, immense terror gripped Tsukasa's heart. Every cell in his body screamed in unison, delivering one clear message—
Danger! Danger! DANGER!
It was as if a giant crimson word "DEATH" had been carved into his mind!
In the next instant, Tsukasa's heart began pounding wildly. Like a water balloon suddenly punctured, the blood in his body rushed toward a specific point!
Suddenly, an invisible force stabbed into his right leg, tearing a bloody hole nearly four fingers wide!
Impossible to dodge, impossible to block, impossible to resist!
Flesh tore apart, blood sprayed!
The intense pain made his eyes widen as his face contorted in agony.
Tsukasa's right leg gave out instantly, bleeding profusely. The excruciating pain nearly brought him to his knees.
"Hahahahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
The cult leader's eyes blazed with madness as he witnessed this scene. His arrogant laughter rang in Tsukasa's ears:
"Little brat!"
"Face reality!"
"Even shinobi from small nations like us can transform our hatred into power far greater than yours through Lord Jashin's ritual!"
"Tremble! Despair!"
"Stand there and watch as your foolish self gets pierced through the heart and disemboweled! Torn to pieces!"
"In the end, you'll understand—"
"In this world—"
"PAIN IS POWER!"
With those words, the cult leader immediately turned and roared at his charging subordinate:
"Takeshi, kill him! KILL HIM!"
Murderous intent erupted!
The massive figure suddenly leaped toward Tsukasa, swinging his pitch-black spear aimed directly at his neck for a killing blow!
However, in this dire moment,
after hearing the cult leader's bloodthirsty declaration,
a low chuckle suddenly echoed across the battlefield.
"Hehehe... hehehehe~"
Tsukasa—he was actually laughing!
He tilted his head back, covering his face. Standing on the swaying rooftop among broken tiles, he looked down at the two cultists. His laughter grew louder,
his lips curving into a twisted grin, his eyes wide with manic glee.
Despite facing mortal peril, his eyes blazed with pure excitement!
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Right! Exactly! Well said!"
"Shinobi are creatures that endure pain! The greater the pain, the deeper the agony, the greater their power!"
"But—"
Tsukasa suddenly stopped laughing, glaring down at the two men with a voice cold as winter steel:
"What makes you think..."
"YOUR PAIN IS GREATER THAN MINE?!"
As he finished speaking,
Tsukasa placed his hand over his eyes and turned to face the charging Takeshi, suddenly opening them wide!
"LOOK AT ME, YOU BASTARD!"
A single tomoe spun wildly within his crimson Sharingan, radiating pure madness!
Anyone who glimpsed it couldn't help but be captivated by its breathtaking, terrifying beauty!
"It's genjutsu! Be careful, Takeshi! He's using Sharingan illusion!"
The cult leader was startled and immediately shouted a warning.
Upon hearing this, Takeshi became wary. Looking at Tsukasa, who stood motionless like a statue, he sensed something was wrong.
Is this the real person, or a phantom created by genjutsu?
Damn it, how can I tell the difference?!
With this thought, Takeshi's offensive suddenly slowed. He leaped to the side of the roof and took a defensive stance, gripping his black spear while remaining alert.
He stared at Tsukasa, who maintained the same posture as before—motionless and even facing the wrong direction.
As I thought, he reasoned, this is an illusion!
However, in the next moment,
the "illusory" Tsukasa in Takeshi's vision suddenly sprang into action!
He pulled out the last tool from his equipment pouch—
a length of ninja wire!
Wrapping it around his fingers and pulling it taut, it gleamed sharp as a blade!
Tsukasa's face was fierce as he suddenly leaped forward, employing a grappling technique he'd witnessed only once before to lock his opponent in a devastating hold!
He wrapped his elbow around Takeshi's neck and swept his leg, causing him to lose balance and fall sideways. Then he raised his leg to pin Takeshi's arm while securing his other foot around the man's waist.
With his free hand, he pulled the ninja wire into a cutting edge and—
SLASH!
Takeshi was dead!
Then Tsukasa rolled down from the roof, gasping heavily as he dragged his nearly immobile right leg, step by step toward the stunned cult leader.
He shook his head and sneered with dark satisfaction:
"That's the power of Sharingan genjutsu!"
*End of Chapter