Strongest Hidden Mist Village [142]

This is how Naruto is.

The fastest ninja always arrive a step too late.

The best friends fight each other most brutally.

Kind-hearted children dreaming of peace start wars that engulf the world.

And now, Tsunade—acknowledged as the greatest medical ninja—is afflicted with hemophobia.

"Tsunade-hime…"

Tsunade collapsed to the ground, her pretty face pale, unable even to conceal her presence.

At the center of the ritual, a tall figure cloaked in black suddenly turned toward them. His gaze locked on Tsunade and Yoru.

"Intruders!"

"Seize them and offer them to our god!"

The cultists below the altar immediately surged forward, encircling the two.

Yoru raised an eyebrow, his eyes lingering on Tsunade.

The once mighty princess of Konoha now looked ghostly pale and limp. She couldn't even handle a regular civilian at this point—let alone fight.

"You owe me a life now, Tsunade-hime."

Seeing the mob approaching, Yoru grabbed Tsunade's arm and hauled her into his arms, holding her close. Then—vanished.

The cultists lunged but caught only air.

"Where are they?!"

The black-robed priest's killing intent surged. He leaped at Yoru.

Yoru spun Tsunade behind him. One hand steadied her rear, the other unleashed a Sōkatsui (Pale Fire Crash).

The priest dodged, but those behind him weren't so lucky. The blast exploded—limbs and blood flew in all directions.

Seeing this, Tsunade, clinging to Yoru's back, trembled even more violently.

"Don't shake so much. You're making this really hard to manage."

Her soft body pressed against his back, trembling nonstop. A real test of willpower.

Yoru gave her rear a firm smack and cast White Lightning. The bolt struck the priest's head, blowing it open like a watermelon.

But then—

The blood on the altar began to writhe strangely.

A flash of red light, and that blood energy surged into the priest's body.

In just seconds, his exploded head reformed—restored as if nothing had happened.

"I am immortal, blessed by Jashin!"

"Seize them and offer them to our god!"

The cultists, previously wary of Yoru's power, now looked deranged after seeing their priest rise again. Like zealots, they rushed forward.

At this point, death no longer frightened them. They hadn't received Jashin's blessing yet, but their obsession with immortality had erased all reason.

"For the Jashin God!"

"Die, heretics!"

"Glory to the great Jashin!"

They swarmed.

Yoru looked at Tsunade, her face buried in his neck, and spoke softly:

"Lift your head."

Tsunade's body twitched. Her phobia screamed not to look—but his voice somehow compelled her.

She looked.

And instantly, a spray of blood filled her vision.

Gouts of crimson erupted from the cultists' bodies. The air reeked of rusted iron.

Her stomach churned. Her pupils dilated.

She was back on that old battlefield again.

Her hand shot to the crystal pendant on her chest. She wanted to close her eyes—but every time she tried, Yoru's voice echoed.

"Keep them open."

"Watch it. All of it."

Yoru waved his hand. From his palm burst a blade-like arc of energy. Wherever it passed, cultists were sliced clean in half.

Tsunade trembled even harder.

Yoru could feel how tightly she clung to his back. Her body was rigid with tension.

"No… don't… please…"

Her voice was faint, trembling.

Yoru felt something damp against his neck. He turned—Tsunade's eyes were full of tears.

"Still can't handle it, huh."

He said quietly into her ear:

"Every time you see blood, it takes you back to that night, doesn't it? To the people you lost."

His tone was calm. It wasn't encouragement—it was truth. Cold and cruel.

But instead of helping her face it, it only pushed her closer to the edge.

"Forget it. I won't force you."

Yoru sighed. His figure vanished—reappearing atop the rocky ledge above the altar, overlooking the cultists.

There were still plenty of them.

The priest wasn't alone. Other robed figures continued chanting on the altar.

Maybe they were that devout. Or maybe they just didn't take Yoru seriously.

Not that it mattered.

Yoru felt playful.

"If they worship a god, then I'll show them some divine power."

He muttered, and before Tsunade's stunned eyes, his eyes turned blood-red—three tomoe forming into two twisted Mangekyō patterns.

One was a four-pointed windmill. The other, a pitch-black shuriken.

Two different Mangekyō in one body—what kind of Susanoo would it create?

Yoru's chakra surged. A green skeletal figure rose from blazing light.

Muscles, tendons, and armor rapidly formed. In an instant, his Susanoo reached third stage.

"S-Susanoo…" Tsunade gasped in disbelief.

That legendary Uchiha power now stood in front of her.

"You're Uchiha? Did the village send you to find me?!"

"This is Uchiha power—but I'm not Konoha's Uchiha."

Yoru spoke calmly.

The towering green giant stood at the crater's edge like a god of death—radiating overwhelming destructive force.

Below, cultists froze in awe.

Even the black-robed priest hesitated. This aura—this form—resembled their god too closely.

But that hesitation quickly vanished.

"Just chakra. A fake god."

"I have Jashin's blessing. I will be strongest."

Yoru's red eyes glowed. Wind whipped his hair back.

He couldn't do the classic crossed-arm Uchiha pose—he was still piggybacking a "milk tank" (Tsunade).

Oh well.

"Not the strongest form, but pretty damn flashy. No wonder the Uchiha always act like they're invincible…"

Yoru raised Susanoo's arms. A storm of green chakra gathered—forming a string of connected magatama.

"Yasakani no Magatama!" (Eight Slopes Curved Jewel)

"Boom!!!"

Light flared.

Explosions roared.

The altar shattered. Lava erupted. Everything was engulfed.

Cultists turned to ash, the ritual collapsed, the entire cavern shook.

They watched in silence as death came for them—powerless, terrified.

But more than anything—they were bitter.

Bitter they hadn't received Jashin's blessing. That they still weren't immortal.

"I am immortal! I am Jashin's chosen!"

The priest howled, crushing a lava boulder beneath him.

"My future won't end here! Jashin, grant me your power—!"

The altar glowed red again. Blood churned.

But before it could finish, another Magatama blast obliterated him.

"I am immortal—"

"Yeah, yeah. We get it."

Yoru reached down and grabbed the priest's head with Susanoo's hand. Their eyes met, and the Sharingan's genjutsu activated, silencing the barking.

"This guy's beyond a normal ninja," Tsunade said quietly, staring at the severed, still-living head.

"To be able to move so lively without the necessary support of vital limbs and organs... and most importantly, what sustains all of this isn't chakra; there are no traces of chakra on him."

"Not chakra—natural energy," Yoru corrected. "As someone who inherited the power of the Shikkotsu Forest, one of the three great Sage Regions, you should be able to sense the residual natural energy on him, right?"

"What?" Tsunade was startled and quickly focused her senses.

Sure enough—his entire head was brimming with natural energy.

But also something else.

"Spiritual energy…"

Yoru scanned the cavern.

He understood now.

This so-called blessing combined natural energy and spiritual energy—just like Mōryō's ghost army.

Which meant Jashin was likely on the same level as pre-split Miroku.

A Sage-class being.

"Where's your god?"

His Mangekyō spun. Genjutsu bound the head.

"Our god is everywhere… the lava is his blood… the mountain is his flesh…"

"Blood and souls are his food… when he wakes, all will perish!"

"We pray beneath Akakyu, longing for his favor…"

Rants poured from the head's mouth. Even under genjutsu, it wouldn't stop.

Yoru clicked his tongue.

"True zealot."

"Wait… we're inside their god?" Tsunade whispered.

"Maybe not literally," Yoru said. "But Jashin's somewhere inside Akakyu."

"And this cult? It's big."

"More than half of Hot Water's ninja are in it. Including their Kage."

"If we don't end Jashin, this'll spread."

"Then let's kill him!" Tsunade declared, fist raised.

Even drunk and retired, she couldn't ignore something like this.

"You? You faint at the sight of blood."

Yoru chuckled, patting her butt.

"Hold this head. I'll handle it."

"You—!"

Her face turned crimson—but she couldn't argue.

Hemophobia was her greatest flaw.

Until she overcame it, she couldn't fight at full strength.

Yoru said no more.

He passed her the priest's head—then leapt straight into the lava.

"Hey! Are you crazy?!"

Even with the Hundred Healings, someone like her wouldn't last long in magma.

Yet he jumped in headfirst?

He had to have a plan.

Still… what did he mean, "not Konoha's Uchiha"?

There couldn't be other Uchiha with Mangekyō, could there?

Tsunade stood there silently, holding the head, lost in thought.

Meanwhile, on the other side—

Searing winds howled past his ears as Yoru's body slid down the tunnel.

As he drew closer to the subterranean lava world, the air grew hotter and hotter. Ordinary chakra couldn't withstand lava's extreme heat. Even Naruto and Sasuke, in the later stages, had to stop short when facing Kaguya's lava dimension.

But Yoru was different.

A thick layer of Reiryoku formed a protective membrane over his body, shielding him from the high temperatures. Following the energy signal from the head, he leapt straight into the lava and dove deeper.

Akakyu Mountain was immense. Once inside, Yoru felt as though he'd entered a world of molten rock. Heat and pressure surged in from all sides.

Fortunately, the Reiryoku barrier kept him unharmed.

Enveloped in it, Yoru swam like a fish through the thick lava. The faint, bluish glow of Reiryoku made him stand out like a thin, glowing film in this fiery-red world.

Ten minutes later, a strange lava cave came into view.

The energy signal was coming from within.

Without hesitation, Yoru entered.

After a few more moments of swimming, his vision suddenly brightened—he emerged from the lava.

Instantly, his brows furrowed as he activated his Sharingan and surveyed the surroundings.

The cave was vast—dozens of meters high and hundreds wide.

Dim flames flickered along the walls, casting light and a faintly eerie atmosphere across the space. Within that glow, a figure slowly came into view.

It was tall, with a black body and white face, covered head to toe in black-and-white markings—resembling Hidan in his ritual state.

It sat high upon a throne of obsidian, head bowed, as if in slumber.

But even from a distance, Yoru clearly saw the pitch-black rod piercing its chest—impaling the heart, pinning it permanently to the throne.

"A dead person?"

Yoru frowned.

How could a corpse possess such a massive energy signature—let alone grant others immortality?

He stepped forward cautiously.

But suddenly, the black-and-white figure snapped its head up.

Its blood-red eyes locked onto Yoru.

And in that instant—

A black spear shot down from above, piercing through Yoru's heart and pinning him to the ground...

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin