Strongest Hidden Mist Village [133]

"What an immense amount of chakra…"

The sealing gourd containing the chakra of the Land of Snow was now installed at the base of Kirigakure's Duel Tower. As Hiromi gently released the seal, waves of chakra surged forth and flowed into the device.

The moment the chakra was injected, the entire mechanism responded like a lake disturbed by a boulder—vast waves of energy rippled out, quickly spreading through the whole tower.

"A very stable chakra signature… and the volume is massive. It could absolutely replace the usage of Impure World Reincarnation."

Hiromi's expression showed delight, but then her brows slightly furrowed. "However, Lord Yoru, if we repurpose this chakra instead of relying on those brought back by the Impure World Reincarnation, we may face resistance. Each of them has already completed different lengths of duty—ending their missions now, whether or not they're converted into Shinigami, could breed real dissatisfaction…"

"It's not a problem," Yoru said calmly. "Just reassign them to new missions. Their service hours will still be credited."

"There are more than enough applications for this energy source — the village's infrastructure upgrades, the chakra demands of Shinigami conversion, even the barrier maintenance over on Jōmu Island. It all requires stable power. Just distribute it accordingly."

"Yes, Lord Yoru."

As Yoru looked at the stabilized chakra flow within the core, he couldn't help but smile inwardly.

Large-scale chakra sources weren't exactly rare in the Shinobi World—but most came with severe side effects. Used on living beings, they were like radiation, placing a tremendous burden on the human body.

But when repurposed for barriers, scientific research, or external constructs—they were ideal.

"The Star of Hoshigakure… the Ryūmyaku in the Land of Wind… the Stone of Gelel… All of them—absolute treasures…"

Hmm?

Yoru's expression suddenly froze. He narrowed his eyes.

"Is something wrong, Lord Yoru?" Hiromi asked.

"…It's nothing. I just didn't expect Kisame's team to run into a situation like this."

Through the monitoring microbes he'd planted earlier, Yoru had caught sight of what Kisame and the others were facing.

The demon known as Mōryō—its existence was unique within the Shinobi World. In many ways, it resembled the very same rspecial chakra composite Yoru had considered before: the Ryūmyaku, the Star… chakra-laced anomalies.

But Mōryō was something else entirely.

Not only was it a massive conglomeration of chakra—it had the power to bestow that chakra upon others.

And more importantly…

It could not die.

Aside from the power of the priestess, no other force in the shinobi world could truly harm Mōryō. Even in the original tale, Naruto — the so-called "child" of prophecy — had to rely on the power of Shion, the priestess, to unleash a special Rasengan to finally defeat Mōryō.

"An immortal demon… and a sealed priestess. Two sides of the same coin…"

Yoru murmured softly. After giving Hiromi some final instructions, he departed from the base of the Duel Tower and returned to his office.

Not long after, a man clad in a white haori arrived: Gengetsu Hōzuki, the former Mizukage. He stood quietly, gazing around the familiar yet foreign office.

"…After all these years, nothing's changed."

"If you're feeling nostalgic, want to help me with the paperwork?" Yoru teased.

"Hard pass," Gengetsu waved him off. "I'm still enjoying retirement. I gotta say though—those hot springs in the Land of Hot Water? Top tier. Pity the locals are insufferable—religions everywhere."

Yoru chuckled. "So that's why you came back? Vacation didn't go well?"

He tossed a mission scroll toward Gengetsu, who caught it and opened it with a furrowed brow.

"Mōryō? Priestess of the Land of Demons?"

As a former Mizukage, Gengetsu was well-informed. He remembered that during the founding of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the first generation of Kage had signed an agreement with the Land of Demons' Shrine Priestess. Should Mōryō ever rise again, the Five Nations would be obligated to assist in its suppression.

However, Mōryō had never reappeared during Gengetsu's reign. To think it had finally returned, decades later…

"Mōryō has not yet fully awakened," Yoru explained. "The Land of Demons hasn't issued a formal call for aid. But Kisame's squad encountered the ghost/immortal army while passing through the Land of Swamps on their return from the Snow mission."

Yoru spoke gravely: "Assist Kisame, investigate the demon's true nature. If necessary, I will come."

"…You're taking this seriously," Gengetsu said with surprise. Considering Yoru's current strength, he could flatten an entire nation if he went all out. Even the Five Great Nations would hesitate to fight him.

Yet Yoru looked grim.

This mission was no joke.

"I understand," Gengetsu said. "Though… Kisame still doesn't know who I really am, right? Are we just… revealing our existence to the younger generation like this?"

"It was never a secret," Yoru replied. "I've never hidden it. Besides, Kisame is extraordinarily gifted. I'm grooming him as a future team captain."

"Oh?" Gengetsu raised an eyebrow.

He knew just how picky Yoru was. Even members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen like Jūzō Biwa hadn't caught Yoru's interest.

But this young man from the Hoshigaki clan—he'd won the Fourth Mizukage's full praise?

Clearly, he was something special. Perhaps even on par with Mangetsu Hōzuki.

"Well then… I'll get moving."

Land of Swamps

Deep within a vast volcano, within an ancient barrier seal, violent and malevolent chakra surged through the chamber.

The awakened Mōryō loomed high above, gazing down upon the shinobi before it. Its twisted, dark serpentine heads writhed together, and its titanic body—tens of meters tall—radiated chilling, demonic pressure.

The shinobi kneeling in front of Mōryō were drenched in sweat, legs trembling, their entire beings shaking from its overwhelming presence.

"Bring me those three shinobi," Mōryō growled. "They are delicious offerings. Yomi—bring them to me!"

"Uh—me?"

The middle-aged man leading the group looked up in disbelief at the terrifying, god-like demon towering above. He swallowed nervously.

"L-Lord Mōryō… The Ghost Army may be immune to blades and jutsu, but those shinobi are clearly Kirigakure elites! One of them is wielding a blade of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! There's no way we can take them!"

Even if they did succeed… what then?

What about the rest of Kirigakure's elite?

What about Yuki Yoru, the man who defeated Konoha and rose to become the Fourth Mizukage?

"Lord Mōryō, I believe—"

"I shall grant you my power!"

Mōryō's serpent heads whipped violently. Tendrils of dark-purple chakra detached from its body, twisting into worm-like forms that slithered toward the kneeling shinobi, burrowing into their flesh.

They screamed in agony as their bodies transformed—eyes blood-red, skin marked with ominous black runes.

More critically: their chakra levels surged.

"This… this is power!"

"I feel invincible!"

"HAHAHA! I am unstoppable!"

Even Yomi was overcome with twisted joy. Their chakra output had multiplied by several folds—ten times stronger than before.

"What terrifying strength… This is Lord Mōryō's divine might!"

"With this power… I'll stand atop the Shinobi World! Not even the Five Kage can stop me!"

"Yes… You, who carry my blessing, are invincible!"

Mōryō's sinister laugh echoed through the chamber. "Once I reclaim my soul… once the priestess is dead… the entire world will tremble before me!"

"But first… I need a vessel. That sinobi's body will do nicely—I want him!"

"…Understood."

Yomi grinned, eyes gleaming with madness. He turned to his enhanced comrades. "Come. Let's give these shinobi from the Five Nations… a little taste of the new order."

Elsewhere in the Land of Swamps

"Damn it, they just keep coming!"

"These stone soldiers are clearly targeting us. Wherever we go, they appear in force. It's like we're being funneled…"

"This isn't good—there's too many!"

Ayako and Dentaro stood tensely, eyes scanning the encroaching horde. More and more stone soldiers were pouring in from every direction.

Some wielded swords. Others carried spears, bows, even war banners and mounts. No two were identical—each carved in unique detail—but all emanated one shared aura: deathless hostility.

They marched in flawless formation—row upon row, column upon column. Together, they formed a massive, rectangular battalion formation. It looked less like a summoned force and more like a resurrected ancient army.

A few could be shattered easily enough. These puppets weren't fast, and they didn't react intelligently. Ayako and Dentaro, both adept with Water Release, could restrain them fairly easily.

Even Kisame wasn't struggling—yet.

But numbers changed everything.

Hundreds. Thousands.

Even Kisame was starting to feel the pressure.

"At this rate, I'm the only one who can keep going with Samehada," he thought grimly. "Ayako and Dentaro… won't last much longer."

"Dentaro! Take Ayako and break out—get the intel back to the village. I'll hold them off!"

Kisame cleaved through several golems, chakra flaring. His hands blurred into seals, lungs swelling.

"Water Release : Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

"Water Release: Four-Shark Rain!"

Kisame's chakra reserves had always been massive—but with Samehada now actively feeding him chakra, they were monstrous.

The resulting surge of water exploded outward in a tidal blast, shattering the stone army and opening a path.

"Kisame-senpai!" Ayako called out, eyes wide with concern. Her lips quivered. "Please… come back alive!"

"Don't worry." Kisame flashed a toothy grin, his sharp shark-like teeth gleaming under the sun.

"I still owe you a meal. I'm not dying here."

"Go, Ayako!" Dentaro shouted. "They're circling around again!"

Ayako glanced one last time at Kisame, biting her lip hard. Then she turned and fled with Dentaro, riding the surge of water away from the battlefield.

Kisame raised his hands to cast another jutsu—when a violent chakra pressure crashed in from afar.

"Fire Release: Fire Surge!"

"Wind Release: Divine Wind!"

The combined jutsu tore through the air, headed straight for Ayako and Dentaro.

Kisame's eyes widened. He threw himself forward, Samehada in hand, intercepting the blast.

Flames scorched his flesh. He bit down on the pain, weaving another set of hand signs.

He exhaled a thick mist—Hidden Mist Jutsu—shrouding the battlefield.

Ayako and Dentaro turned back just in time to see the fog swallow everything.

"Please… please come back safe, Kisame-senpai!"

But Kisame was already surrounded again. Even within the mist, he was boxed in by unrelenting stone warriors.

The chakra-infused wind tore the mist apart.

Kisame stood alone—burned, bleeding, still defiant.

"Well, well… staying behind to cover your allies?" a voice drawled.

From the frontlines emerged Yomi, his face twisted in bloodlust.

"That's not like the Kirigakure shinobi I remember."

"But no matter—one of the Seven Swordsmen will make the perfect stepping stone to my conquest of the Shinobi World!"

"Die!"

Dark chakra erupted from his body. In his hand—a surgical short blade, now wrapped in Mōryō's cursed chakra.

Kisame tightened his grip on Samehada.

Their blades clashed—surgical steel against living weapon. The impact boomed across the battlefield.

To both their shock—they were evenly matched.

'So this is the power of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen… troublesome indeed.'

'He's just an advance unit… and he's this strong?! What the hell are these monsters?!'

"Samehada: Chakra Devouring Slash!"

Kisame growled. With a twist, Samehada's spines tore through its bandages and raked across Yomi's arm, shredding flesh.

Yomi howled and leapt back, blood pouring from his wounded limb.

"He's… too strong! But I have Lord Mōryō's power—I should be unstoppable!"

Inside his mind, the demon's voice echoed.

"My soul has not yet returned to me… The power I gave you is only a fragment."

"When I reclaim my full self—when the priestess dies—I will be the mightiest force in existence. Then, I'll grant you unimaginable power."

"So that's it…" Yomi muttered, eyes burning.

He gestured forward.

"All of you—take him down! Leave nothing behind!"

The enhanced cultists charged forward. Some transformed into golems with fists like battering rams. Others spat fire, combined with slicing wind. Their attacks were overwhelming.

Kisame's expression darkened.

"They're already at the level of a village's Jonin. Just cannon fodder having this much power, plus these immortal stone soldiers... What in the world are these guys?"

"No, I have to draw all their attention here and create time and space for Ayako and Dentaro to escape."

Whrrrrr…

Samehada trembled, seemingly responding to Kisame.

"You're suggesting I use that move?" Kisame narrowed his eyes. "Fine. Let's try it."

He took a deep breath—and merged into Samehada.

Gasps rang out.

In mere moments, he transformed into a monstrous hybrid—half-man, half-shark.

The shift made movement awkward, but the power… the chakra flowing through his veins… was staggering.

"This level of chakra…"

"Perfect. Bring it on."

"I don't care how strong you are—I'll hold this line!"

He dove into the massive lake formed by his earlier Water Release jutsu, then clapped his hands.

"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

The lake beneath his feet instantly transformed into a vast ocean. An area spanning several kilometers was completely engulfed by the water, sweeping Yomi and the stone soldiers into its depths.

After accomplishing this, the shark-like Kisame plunged into the water again, weaving hand seals once more..

And then…

"Water Release: Thousand Feeding Sharks!"

A swarm of chakra sharks erupted through the water, tearing into the enemy.

Kisame surged forward with them—his eyes burning with resolve.

Wherever the sharks passed, the stone army shattered. Within the water, Yomi and the others were helpless—slaughtered one by one.

"The Ghost Army…"

Kisame stood panting, eyes on the broken corpses and crushed soldiers around him.

Then he turned toward the distant escape route—where Ayako and Dentaro had fled.

His expression hardened.

He gripped Samehada—and rushed toward the volcano.

"I'll hold them off here."

"Ayako… you have to make it out alive."