A pinkish-purple glow gradually began covering the ninja blade in Kiyoshi's hand.
The flames that had originally only wrapped around the blade now seemed to have been fed with fuel, violently expanding outward.
While Kiyoshi guided his own chakra to maintain the stability of "Chakra Flow · Fire Release," he simultaneously intertwined the shrine maiden's pink chakra around the sword.
As long as the chakra remained outside the body, there was no need to worry about the limits of the body's chakra pathways. They could continue stacking chakra onto the blade endlessly.
The only requirement was for it to pass through Kiyoshi's body briefly as a medium.
Miroku stared in astonishment as her chakra was utilized by Kiyoshi.
It wasn't that nobody had thought of such an idea before—but every previous attempt had failed.
Only Kiyoshi could stabilize the balance between the chakras while continuing to amplify it.
"Stop them!"
All the tentacles Mōryō extended toward them were intercepted by the purple chakra swirling around the shrine maiden.
However, every impact from Mōryō weakened the pink chakra layer slightly. Eventually, it would certainly dissipate.
Still, for the moment, it couldn't be broken through.
Naturally, Mōryō had no intention of sitting still and waiting to die. He could already sense danger from the growing power. If the barrier shattered only after the enemy finished charging their attack, wouldn't that be game over?
Thus, more clay soldiers were awakened, charging toward Kiyoshi and Miroku in massive waves.
"What's going on?"
Minato Namikaze noticed that the clay soldiers were completely ignoring them.
Even when soldiers slashed them apart or ninjas shattered them with attacks, the remaining intact soldiers continued rushing toward the entrance of the Shrine of Sealing.
The ninjas of the Land of Demons looked utterly confused.
Yomi was the first to react, immediately leading the Land of Demons ninjas into the cave.
"It seems something happened inside. We should hurry in as well."
The Sand Village jōnin leader, Kiku, spoke.
Clearly, Mōryō had encountered danger inside, otherwise he wouldn't have summoned all the clay soldiers inward.
So this is the strength of an Uchiha ninja…
No wonder he had defeated Pakura.
Kiku silently hoped that Pakura wouldn't be crushed by a single defeat.
"Sensei Minato, did Kiyoshi succeed?"
Rin Nohara asked while catching her breath, shouting toward Minato in the distance.
There were too many injured people. As a medical ninja, she simply couldn't keep up.
"Probably close."
Minato intercepted Yomi while simultaneously extending his sensory perception into the cave during battle.
He sensed a cold chakra being wrapped within a gentle chakra. The two merged together and expanded at an unbelievable speed.
"It's the shrine maiden's chakra."
Although Minato didn't know the exact situation inside, he understood one thing clearly:
They needed to get there fast.
Inside the cave—
Miroku stared at the blade in Kiyoshi's hand.
The pink-purple flames had already extended dozens of meters, resembling a gigantic burning spear.
Kiyoshi hadn't lied to her.
That was the conclusion Miroku reached.
But… the method he used was something she found impossible to accept.
If not for the sudden crisis… if not for the people of the Land of Demons…
She would rather die than do something so disgraceful.
Completely abandoning dignity and shame.
Kiyoshi poured most of the chakra he could currently refine into the blade, veins bulging along his arm.
Within an extremely short span of time, he had released an enormous amount of chakra through the chakra points in his palm.
If it had been Asuma or Kakashi doing this, their hands would likely already feel tearing pain.
Yet Kiyoshi only felt a slight swelling sensation.
You have acquired the trait: [Shrine Maiden's Chakra (Green)]
Trait: Shrine Maiden's Chakra (Green)
Requirement: Come into contact with the unique chakra of the shrine maiden of the Land of Demons.
Progress: (Completed)
Effect: Your body has learned the sealing power within the shrine maiden's chakra. Your training speed in sealing techniques increases by 20%.
Note: Further evolution possible.
Evolution Path 1: Combine with
[ Shrine Maiden Above (Green) ] +
[ Shrine Maiden Sealing Formula (Green) ] +
[ Solid Foundations (Green) ]
to evolve into [ Reborn Shrine Maiden (Blue) ].
Hearing the trait notification, Kiyoshi chose to temporarily ignore it.
BOOM!
The blade in his hand became scorching hot.
Feeling that the sword had already reached its limit, Kiyoshi grabbed Miroku and leapt toward Mōryō.
The dozens-of-meters-long flame blade required almost no aiming at all.
It slashed directly into Mōryō's enormous body.
"Super Chakra Flow · Fire Release!"
To Kiyoshi, it felt like slicing butter with a heated knife.
The attack cut effortlessly through Mōryō, splitting him in two.
"AAAAAAAHHHHH!!"
Mōryō let out a horrifying scream of agony.
Just like how Naruto's Super Chakra Rasengan, empowered by Shion's chakra, could injure him—
Kiyoshi's technique was equally effective.
As soon as Yomi entered, he witnessed the being he believed could only ever be sealed by the shrine maiden being utterly overwhelmed by Kiyoshi.
The Land of Demons ninjas beside him were completely numb with shock.
Their power all originated from Mōryō—
And now Mōryō was being beaten down by Kiyoshi?
With the shrine maiden practically hanging from him like an accessory?
Not only them—even Minato, Kakashi, Kurenai, and the others froze at the sight.
Wait…
Kiyoshi had been hiding an even stronger trump card this whole time?
"Th-That move… I'll definitely learn it someday too!"
Obito confidently pointed at the dozens-of-meters-long flame blade in Kiyoshi's hand.
At this point, only the tiny sword handle remained visible in Kiyoshi's grip, making it seem as though he was wielding pure fire itself.
"Idiot. He already awakened a two-tomoe Sharingan."
"Ah?!"
Obito stared blankly before looking carefully.
Sure enough, just as Kakashi said—
Kiyoshi's right eye now possessed two tomoe.
They were all from the same class.
So how had Kiyoshi already left them this far behind?
Obito found it difficult to accept.
"…Why is Kiyoshi hugging that shrine maiden?"
For some reason, Kurenai felt an uncomfortable tightness in her chest.
Only she should be the one held by Kiyoshi…
Not these shameless wom—
Realizing what she was thinking, Kurenai hurriedly shook her head.
"What am I even thinking…"
She clenched her small fists.
While everyone stood there stunned, Mōryō continued burning beneath the flames.
The cut surfaces were covered by the fire like parasites clinging to flesh.
The pink-purple flames spread relentlessly across him.
Mōryō rolled violently, trying desperately to extinguish them.
"You can never kill me!"
Mōryō roared furiously.
At worst, he would merely be sealed again.
Soon, however, his body began shrinking.
The once thick, dark-purple form gradually thinned into mist.
Like an old man losing all vitality after once being strong.
"Really?"
Kiyoshi's lips curled upward.
Mōryō's soul, of course, had no need to continue existing.
As for his body…
It could still be reused.
As experimental material.