Jigen roared and threw a punch at Kashin Koji.
Koji clenched his fist as well, meeting Jigen's head-on.
But the instant their fists collided, Jigen suddenly vanished. Three sharp black rods immediately pierced Koji's eyes and mouth.
Bang!
Koji's body dissolved into smoke.
Jigen reappeared and gave a cold snort. "A Shadow Clone?"
Koji's voice came from behind him.
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
Facing the scorching flames rushing toward him, Jigen casually raised a hand.
The massive fireball vanished in an instant.
Seeing that, Koji continued forming hand seals without pause.
"Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!"
Even larger and hotter waves of fire surged toward Jigen one after another. He did not bother avoiding them, merely swinging his arms and scattering every flame.
Koji's expression turned grave.
"Useless. Ninjutsu like this has no effect on someone with Karma."
Before Koji could think any further, Jigen vanished again.
Squelch!
Several black rods pierced through Koji's chest.
Bang!
"Another Shadow Clone?"
"How much longer are you planning to keep playing these little tricks?"
Watching Koji disperse before him, Jigen spoke impatiently.
At the same time, Koji appeared directly above him.
"Toad Oil!"
Viscous yellow toad oil poured from Koji's mouth, drenching Jigen from head to toe.
Jigen frowned in disgust. Always one to value elegance, he could not help but complain, "What a disgusting technique."
"Croak! Croak! Croak!"
Several toads stuck to Jigen along with the oil let out shrill cries before their bodies exploded.
The blast ignited the toad oil, swallowing Jigen in roaring flames.
Koji silently watched the motionless inferno.
"What is it, Leader?"
"An attack of this level should not be enough to defeat you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Jigen's voice came from within the flames.
"I was merely wondering why you chose to betray me."
The Karma on Jigen's body absorbed every flame again, revealing his figure.
This time, black Karma markings covered his body, while a sharp horn had grown from his head.
Koji's voice turned icy.
"It is simple. Your real goal is to destroy the entire shinobi world."
Jigen narrowed his eyes without saying another word.
With a thought, he appeared before Koji in an instant.
Bang!
A sweeping kick sent Koji flying.
"His speed increased this much..."
Koji immediately got back on his feet. Seeing Jigen charging at him again, he slammed both palms onto the ground.
"Earth Style: Swamp of the Underworld!"
The solid ground transformed into a swamp, and Jigen instantly sank into it.
Looking at Koji, Jigen said disdainfully, "You do not think this can trap me, do you?"
"Of course not."
Koji brought his hands together. The swamp suddenly vanished, revealing a pre-carved formation beneath Jigen's feet.
"True Fire of Mount Flames!"
The ground erupted like a volcano.
Terrifying flames shot into the sky and completely swallowed Jigen.
"Fire again? You have run out of tricks."
Jigen snorted and activated his Karma, intending to absorb the flames.
But his expression abruptly changed.
"I cannot absorb it. How is that possible?"
Koji snorted coldly.
"This is the true fire directly summoned from Mount Flames through a summoning formation. It is not ordinary fire created from chakra, so the Karma on your body cannot absorb it."
"Damn you..."
Jigen glared at Koji from within the flames as cracks slowly began spreading over his body.
"No. This body can no longer hold on."
Feeling his body nearing its limit, Jigen slowly closed his eyes.
The Karma markings on his body began emitting an eerie glow.
In an instant, all the flames vanished into thin air.
"Sukunahikona..."
Koji muttered.
The ability to instantly shrink or restore anything within his sight was truly difficult to deal with.
Before long, the smoke cleared.
A man with skin so pale it seemed utterly bloodless appeared.
He had a horn on his head. One of his eyes was golden, while the other was a Byakugan.
His expression was cold, and his entire bearing carried the air of someone looking down upon all things.
Koji's pupils constricted upon seeing him.
He could sense an overwhelmingly powerful force from the man's body.
"You have finally shown yourself, Jigen... no, that is not right. I should call you Ōtsutsuki Isshiki now."
Isshiki did not respond. He merely gave Koji a cold glance.
The next second, enormous stone pillars around them began shrinking one after another before disappearing.
Seeing this, Koji immediately attacked Isshiki.
He did not know what Isshiki intended to do, but in this situation, striking first was his only option.
"Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
"Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!"
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizō!"
"Sage Art: Massive Rasengan!"
"..."
Koji launched attack after attack at Isshiki without pause, yet he could not even touch the edge of his robes.
"Useless. The power I possess is beyond anything you can imagine."
As Isshiki spoke, a massive stone pillar appeared as though from nowhere and violently smashed Koji into the ground.
"No... we are not even on the same level..."
Koji coughed up blood and instantly accepted reality.
After reincarnating, the power Isshiki possessed was worlds apart from that of the former Jigen.
"Secret Technique: Daikokuten."
"That was an ordinary stone pillar standing there just moments ago. Now, it will become your tombstone."
Bang!
Just as Isshiki prepared to kill Koji, his body suddenly vanished.
"He prepared in advance and used the Reverse Summoning Technique when his life was in danger?"
"What a cautious little bug."
Although he had failed to kill Koji, Isshiki had no intention of wasting time pursuing him.
Kawaki had already been found. Whether the members of Kara lived or died no longer mattered.
Once he successfully reincarnated and destroyed the shinobi world, those who had betrayed him would naturally perish alongside it.
What mattered most now was reclaiming Kawaki.
Jigen's body was not a perfect vessel and could barely withstand his current power.
If he could not find Kawaki and reincarnate within three days, he would disappear together with Jigen's body.
"I will make a trip to Konoha first."
Isshiki murmured.
A spatial rift opened, and his figure vanished from the spot.