Chapter 166: Weak, You're Too Weak, Sukuna.
Black and crimson smoke surged upward.
Strange, eerie notes danced irregularly.
Even the moon's silvery surface was tinted faintly blood-red.
A crazed murderous aura became tangible, filling the air.
---
Orochimaru took a deep breath and quickly retreated behind the others.
He knew a terrifying monster lurked within Uchiha Kagami.
On that night, he clearly felt the creature's existence.
For a period of time, that monster had even taken over Kagami's body. At that moment, Orochimaru had chosen to flee with Jiraiya.
He originally assumed that, given Kagami's current strength, he should have expelled the monster long ago.
But now…
Had he completely subdued it and deliberately kept it sealed within his body?
Orochimaru didn't fully understand the details.
However, he knew one thing clearly—there was no harm in keeping his distance for now.
---
Within Kagami's spiritual realm.
Boom!
The heavy seal gate burst open, an endless sea of blood flooding the space.
Standing atop the Six Paths stone monument, Kagami casually reached out a hand and smiled faintly.
"How's the vessel I prepared for you?"
Splash... Splash... Splash...
Walking through the crimson sea, Sukuna stepped forward through the seal gate.
He did not laugh wildly or roar fiercely.
Instead, Sukuna looked up at Kagami, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
"It's still far inferior to your body."
Kagami tilted his head and chuckled lightly. "Don't spout such nonsense."
"No one has the right to compare themselves with me."
---
Outside, black and crimson flames completely engulfed Ōtsutsuki Toneri's body.
From within this searing inferno, a tall figure gradually emerged.
Thump!
Everyone, not just Orochimaru, suddenly felt their hearts violently constrict. They instinctively recognized the fatal threat!
Swish!
Nagato instantly grabbed Konan and Jiraiya, leaping away from the area.
If alone, he wouldn't hesitate to confront this terrifying existence. But with Konan nearby, he couldn't risk it.
Hashirama Senju furrowed his brows, spotting Orochimaru rapidly retreating with Earth Release. Immediately catching up, he asked urgently, "Do you know what that thing is?"
Orochimaru's expression was grim as he replied, "If my deduction is correct…"
"Similar to how each village has its tailed beasts, Kagami-kun is also a Jinchūriki—but for something entirely unknown."
"That thing…is the monster sealed inside Kagami!"
!!
After seeing Nagato and Orochimaru's reactions, even the slower participants understood immediately—it was time to run!
In an instant, they also realized what the final game was about.
A deadly game of survival.
That monster definitely wasn't something they could confront head-on, even as a group. The key to this final round was ensuring their own survival as one of the last five.
Shisui didn't recklessly stay either; he immediately grabbed Hatake Sakumo and Kakashi, using Flying Thunder God to vanish from the scene.
---
Tap—
Whoosh!
A foot stepped out of the flames, creating a violent gust that dispersed the inferno.
Ryomen Sukuna.
The evil god who once reigned over mountains of corpses and seas of blood had, for the first time, genuinely escaped Kagami's inner realm and stepped into the world.
He had short purplish-red hair, a twisted face with two distinct expressions and four eyes. His tall figure and four robust arms were covered with mysterious black markings.
On his abdomen was a massive mouth, opening and closing as though chewing something.
He stood so tall that he had to slightly lower his head to meet Kagami's gaze.
"Magnificent… From this angle, you truly are a flawless masterpiece," Sukuna praised hoarsely, his voice filled with genuine admiration.
Kagami smiled gently, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Who gave you permission to look down on me?"
"You mongrel."
Boom!
An overwhelming pressure descended upon Sukuna, heavy as the world itself!
Crash!
Sukuna's knees instantly hit the ground, shattering it beneath him.
To put it simply…
He was kneeling in front of Kagami.
---
"You bastard!!"
Sukuna roared furiously. His abdominal mouth chanted twisted syllables.
Zing— Zing—
Black and crimson slashes surged forth from the mouth—precisely the "Release: Black Slash!"
Two slashes intertwined, spinning violently to form a massive dark blade, tearing through the air with explosive force.
Crack—
Kagami raised one hand and caught the solidified slash mid-air.
Crack…crack…
Starting from Kagami's fingertips, the huge slash cracked inch by inch, shattering into countless black shards resembling broken mirrors.
Kagami extended two fingers, slicing downward.
Ka-chak!
Thunder flashed through the air, and a blade-like strike slammed onto Sukuna's neck like a guillotine.
Boom!
Sukuna's head smashed violently against the ground.
Kagami's disdainful voice echoed in Sukuna's ears:
"Is that all you've got, Sukuna?"
"If that's the extent of your power, you don't even deserve to look me in the eyes."
Swish!
Sukuna vanished instantly, reappearing directly before Kagami!
One of Sukuna's eyes had transformed, black lines shaping into a six-spoked wheel—Ōtsutsuki Isshiki's Dharma Wheel Eye.
A massive fist slammed into Kagami's chest, the impact sending Kagami flying hundreds of meters away!
Simultaneously, the sky darkened as a pure-black "lid" materialized overhead.
In an instant!
The "lid" crashed down, sealing Kagami inside an enormous coffin-like container!
Snap!
Sukuna's four hands clasped together, shouting a chant loudly:
"Murky, Darkened,"
"Dual-Star Descent: Sound of Heaven's Fall,"
"Eightfold!"
Not merely Isshiki's Sealing Cauldron, once this seal activated, it triggered an "Eightfold" slash within, annihilating everything trapped inside, including the fabric of space-time itself.
This technique surpassed any Sukuna had used previously.
Simply put, it was a closed-domain space-slash capable of total annihilation!
No one understood Kagami's strength better than Sukuna himself.
He had only one chance. Against Kagami, probing was meaningless. He immediately unleashed his most powerful ability.
Moreover, he wasn't concerned about damaging Kagami's precious body.
Because…
Crack—
The sealing coffin cracked wide open.
Kagami's hand appeared at the edge, calmly stepping out.
His clothes were slightly torn, revealing smooth skin with faint white marks beneath.
"Dragon Scale,"
"Reverse Release,"
"Twin Meteors!"
Not even hesitating for a fraction of a second, Sukuna immediately launched another complete space-slash the instant Kagami emerged.
Boom—
Kagami nonchalantly raised a hand, unleashing his own black-crimson slash—countering slash with slash.
Kaboom!!!
Shockwaves roared violently across the moon's surface, kicking up endless dust clouds!
Residual slashes sliced deep fissures across the terrain.
Sukuna maintained an expressionless face as he rapidly released high-frequency slashes to counter Kagami's attack.
His four arms drew back like an archer preparing a bow, crimson flames materializing into an arrow.
Having performed "Release" and "Eightfold," now…
"Open!"
The arrow of infernal flame shot forth, burning brightly and dominating the entire field of vision!
Yet Kagami, completely unfazed, calmly formed a one-handed seal.
"Slash Release: Eightfold."
A strike calibrated precisely according to the energy gap—a single, decisive slash.
Swish!
An invisible, colorless blade effortlessly split the fiery arrow, annihilating it instantly!
By the time Sukuna realized the presence of this slash, it was too late.
From his left shoulder to his right abdomen, a thin red line appeared.
As Sukuna's upper torso began sliding down, a hand caught him by the hair.
Kagami's ice-cold voice whispered into Sukuna's ear:
"Didn't you once mock me as just a mortal who stole your power?"
"What's wrong, Sukuna?"
"How is it that your slash has become so pathetically weak?"
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