"Aaaaaah!!"
Aoki Yoru's scream tore through the air as he rolled across the ground, clutching his head in unbearable agony.
It felt as though countless invisible ants were gnawing at his soul.
The pain wasn't merely physical—it seeped deep into his very spirit, invading every corner of his consciousness. It was a torment that went beyond flesh and bone, drilling straight into the essence of his being.
Cold.
Sharp.
Relentless.
The black energy coiled around his spirit like a living parasite, devouring him bit by bit.
Even his marrow seemed to tremble under its assault.
Despite the overwhelming pain, Aoki Yoru did not completely lose his sanity.
His mind clung desperately to clarity.
'This… cannot continue…'
Even as his body convulsed, his thoughts remained sharp.
He understood one thing clearly:
If he couldn't sever the connection between this black energy and the Evil God…
Then everything else was meaningless.
"Do not panic… steady your mind…"
His voice was hoarse, barely audible, yet he forced himself to speak.
"Guard your consciousness… If the heart is as clear as ice… even if the heavens collapse… there is nothing to fear…"
He repeated the mantra again and again.
Each word was like a lifeline, anchoring him against the storm threatening to tear him apart.
Suddenly—
His eyes snapped open.
They were blood-red.
Veins bulged violently across his skin, crawling like twisted serpents.
Within his inner world, his spiritual body surged into motion.
It grasped at the surrounding Natural Energy, pulling it inward with desperate force.
At the same time, he condensed every last trace of Natural Energy within his body.
Compressing it.
Forcing it tighter.
Sharper.
More concentrated.
"…Not enough…"
His voice cracked.
Pain distorted every syllable.
His fists clenched so tightly that his knuckles turned white, veins swelling like coiled dragons beneath his skin.
There was only one option left.
Life force.
Normally, Aoki Yoru treasured it above everything else.
Even using a single drop would make him hesitate.
But now—
This was life or death.
There was no room for hesitation.
With a low growl, he forcibly extracted his own life energy.
It surged out like a burning current, raw and untamed.
Without pause, he slammed it into the condensed mass of Natural Energy.
The two forces collided.
Merged.
Exploded into a terrifying, compressed power.
"Break—!"
With a final roar, Aoki Yoru drove that power straight into the black energy entwined around his spirit.
Snap.
Something shattered.
He felt it.
The connection—
The invisible link between that black energy and the Evil God—
Was severed.
"Pfft—!"
Aoki Yoru spat out a mouthful of black blood.
His body trembled violently.
For a brief moment—
There was relief.
Then—
Despair.
The connection had been cut.
But the black energy remained.
And now—
He had nothing left.
His strength was gone.
His life force… nearly exhausted.
The remaining black energy continued to gnaw at his spirit, like a starving beast unwilling to let go of its prey.
"If I had known…"
His voice was faint.
"…I wouldn't have been so reckless…"
Regret flickered through his fading consciousness.
He had underestimated the danger.
Underestimated the cost.
"I hope… the contingency plan… works…"
His vision blurred.
Darkness crept in from the edges of his sight.
The power around his body dissipated completely.
His eyes lost their focus.
Then—
His body collapsed.
Everything went black.
Ten Kilometers Away
High in the sky—
Yatagarasu soared through the clouds.
On its back, Aoki Yoru's shadow clone sat casually, tending to a small fire.
A piece of venison sizzled over the flames, releasing a rich, mouthwatering aroma.
"See, Nao," the clone said proudly, "this is what real cooking looks like. Perfect heat control, perfect seasoning—"
Before he could finish—
"Poof!"
The clone vanished.
Nao froze.
A piece of roasted meat hung halfway to her mouth.
Her eyes widened.
Her pupils shrank.
For a split second—
Silence.
Then—
Understanding dawned.
She remembered.
Every word Aoki Yoru had told her.
Without hesitation, she threw the meat aside and scrambled to pull out a scroll from her clothes.
Her hands trembled—but her movements were fast.
Decisive.
She opened the scroll.
"Poof!"
A burst of blue smoke erupted.
And from within it—
Aoki Yoru appeared.
"Brother Yoru!" Nao exclaimed instinctively, her face lighting up.
But—
The figure did not respond.
Instead, he nodded slightly.
His expression was grave.
Serious.
Because he knew.
If he had been summoned—
Then the original body…
Was in danger.
Without wasting a second, he formed hand seals.
His fingers blurred.
Then—
He slammed his palm onto Yatagarasu's back.
"Summoning Technique!"
"Poof!"
White smoke exploded outward.
And from it—
A body fell.
Aoki Yoru.
But—
He was unrecognizable.
His skin was pale and withered.
His breathing was faint.
His body looked like a dried husk, as though all vitality had been drained away.
The temperature around them seemed to drop instantly.
The clone's expression darkened.
He rushed forward and placed a hand on Aoki Yoru's body.
His Chakra entered.
Probing.
Searching.
What he found—
Made his heart sink.
A cold, sinister energy clung to Aoki Yoru's spirit.
Relentless.
Devouring.
Though the body was resisting—
Using the last remnants of life force—
It was futile.
The life force was too weak.
Too little.
At this rate—
He would die.
Beside him—
Nao stood frozen.
Tears streamed silently down her face.
She covered her mouth tightly, afraid that even the smallest sound might disrupt the fragile situation.
The clone turned toward her.
His voice was steady.
But urgent.
"Nao… listen carefully."
"You must remember every word I say."
"After I disappear… you will ride Yatagarasu to the Town of Hot Water."
"Yatagarasu knows the way."
"When you arrive… lower your altitude."
"Then shout—loudly—"
"'Lady Tsunade of the Sannin! Jiraiya is dying! Please come and help!'"
"Do you understand?"
"You must keep shouting."
"Make sure everyone hears you."
Nao nodded immediately.
Her face was filled with determination.
"I understand! I'll shout as loudly as I can!"
The clone gave a small nod.
He had made his decision.
Going to Konoha was pointless.
No one there could treat this.
Only one person could.
Tsunade.
And to reach her—
He had to gamble.
A gamble on her relationship with Jiraiya.
If she was distracted…
If she was gambling…
If she was ignoring everything else—
Only Jiraiya's name would move her.
The clone turned to Yatagarasu.
"Little Ba… you heard everything."
"Fly at full speed."
"To the Town of Hot Water."
"Caw—!"
Yatagarasu cried out.
Its wings spread wide.
Then—
It shot forward like an arrow.
The wind roared.
Its feathers rose, forming a protective barrier around them, shielding them from the violent airflow.
Without hesitation—
The clone crouched beside Aoki Yoru.
Then—
He dissolved.
Turning into pure Chakra—
And entering Aoki Yoru's body.
Inside—
He wrapped himself around the weakened spirit.
Protecting it.
Holding it together.
Fighting against the encroaching darkness.
Nao clasped her hands tightly.
Her lips trembled.
Her eyes never left Aoki Yoru.
"Please…"
"Please hold on…"
Time felt unbearably slow.
"Why aren't we there yet…?"
Her voice broke.
Aoki Yoru's breathing grew weaker.
His face grew paler.
Nao's heart tightened.
Then—
Her expression changed.
Resolve.
Without hesitation—
She rolled up her sleeve.
Revealing her thin, pale arm.
She gently opened Aoki Yoru's mouth.
Then—
Placed her arm against it.
"Mmm—!"
She bit her lip.
Pain shot through her arm as his teeth pierced her skin.
But she didn't pull away.
Instead—
She guided her life force through the wound.
Her energy—
Weak.
But pure.
It flowed into Aoki Yoru's body.
Slowly—
His complexion improved.
Just a little.
Nao's tense body relaxed slightly.
A faint smile appeared on her pale face.
"As long as it helps…"
She whispered softly.
"Caw—!"
A sharp cry rang out.
The feathers around them parted.
Below—
The Town of Hot Water came into view.
They had arrived.
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