Ch246- New Power!
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He had already marked Kurenai, so with a thought, he was back beside her. Kurenai startled, not yet used to his Sage Mode appearance. His skin was pale, dark marks around his eyes, and his red irises glowed intensely.
"Am I scary?" Horyu asked with a smirk, moving closer and holding her waist.
Kurenai rolled her eyes. "No, you just have terrible fashion sense," she teased, a small smile playing on her lips.
Horyu chuckled softly, then, without warning, flashed back to the gate. He held her hand firmly, guiding her toward the swirling portal. "Are you ready?" he asked, his voice steady and reassuring.
Kurenai nodded, her grip tightening on his hand. Together, they stepped into the portal.
On the other side, they expected resistance of Shinobi Forces. Instead, they found only blood, gore, and a few specters aimlessly drifting. The scene was horrifying. The ground was soaked in blood, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of death. Broken weapons and torn banners littered the battlefield, evidence of a fierce struggle.
Horyu scanned the area, his Sharingan activated, searching for any signs of life. Kurenai stayed close, her senses on high alert. They moved cautiously through the carnage, their footsteps echoing in the eerie silence.
"We need to find survivors," Horyu said, his voice low but determined.
Kurenai nodded, her expression serious. "If there are any left," she replied, her eyes scanning the horizon.
Horyu soon found his Brigades through their connection and moved towards them. As he appeared, the Brigades shivered in fear. During the invasion, they had lingered at the back, avoiding humans to evade retribution from their master. Feeling the strong Specter Force in Horyu, they initially thought a Realm Master had found them and they would be punished for avoiding killing. But then they recognized him.
"Master," the leading specter knelt, relief evident in his voice.
Horyu nodded, his expression serious. "Tell me the situation. Where are the Shinobi forces?"
The leading specter hesitated before speaking, his voice trembling. "The Shinigami escaped from its restraints and hunted down the strongest shinobi—Hashirama, Tobirama, and Mito. The Shinobi forces were overwhelmed and fled in defeat. They are all hiding now. The specters have already covered Shinobi World, hunting every human they can find."
Horyu's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information. "How did the Shinigami hunt when he is restricted by the rules?"
"It used the souls trapped within its stomach to hunt others," the specter explained. "Every time a soul is consumed, the Shinigami gains more seals. It can free one soul to make them use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal again, gaining another soul in the process. Its power grows endlessly."
Horyu had to admit, it was a clever strategy but he had guessed. Over the past months, he had learned much about the Specters. For example, he had always wondered how Hidan evaded death, and it turned out it was due to the Specters bestowing him the ability to summon one of them through a blood ritual. This allowed Hidan to sacrifice his opponents to that particular specter in exchange for immortality. Though, over time, when he couldn't offer any more souls, his immortality would wane.
But Horyu was still angry. "Tobirama is mine. Only I can punish him. The Shinigami will either release him willingly, or I will take him by force."
The specters exchanged nervous glances, unsure of what to say. Horyu's resolve was unwavering. "Go around and find any shinobi," he commanded. He touched the foreheads of his brigade members, projecting the images of Ino, Hinata, Karin, Hanabi, Himawari and Tsunade into their minds. "If you find any of these six, let me know."
The brigade members nodded and dispersed into the shadows, their forms blending seamlessly with the darkness of the realm. Horyu then drew the Uchiha Ancestral Sword, feeling the familiar weight of the blade in his hand. He glanced at Kurenai, who held Chucky, his trusted chakra sword that he had given her. "Let's hunt some specters."
Kurenai smiled, the anticipation of battle lighting up her eyes. "Ready when you are," she said, gripping the hilt of Chucky with determination.
Horyu's Sharingan spin, the red hues swirling in his eyes as he focused on the task at hand. "Stay close," he advised. "We need to clear this area before the main force arrives."
They moved swiftly through the desolate landscape, their senses heightened. The ground was littered with remnants of the battle, and the air was thick with the stench of death. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional whisper of the wind.
Horyu spotted movement ahead and signaled for Kurenai to stop. He activated his Spectral Rend technique and Immortal Slayer Title, a skill he had acquired after battling the League of Immortals. This technique allowed him to sever the spiritual essence of his enemies, a deadly move against the specters. As the first specter emerged from the shadows, Horyu swung his sword with precision, the blade glowing with a dark energy. The specter let out a guttural scream as it was cleaved in two, its essence dissipating into the air.
Kurenai moved beside him, her chakra flaring as she activated a powerful genjutsu. The specters around them faltered, their movements becoming erratic as they were caught in her illusion. She used the Spectral Chakra to amplify her techniques, creating an eerie, disorienting effect that left the specters vulnerable. She attacked one of them, Chucky slicing through the ghostly creature easily.
Horyu took advantage of their confusion and attacked others, his movements fluid and deadly. He cut through the specters with ruthless efficiency, each strike of his sword releasing a burst of dark fire. The Uchiha Ancestral Sword resonated with his chakra, enhancing his attacks and making each strike more lethal.
The specters were relentless, but Horyu and Kurenai fought with a synchronization born of their deep bond and mutual trust. They moved as one, covering each other’s weaknesses and exploiting the vulnerabilities of their enemies. Horyu’s Sharingan allowed him to predict the specters’ movements, while Kurenai’s genjutsu kept them off balance.
Soon, they saw a large group of specters ahead. Horyu turned to Kurenai. "Stand back," he instructed. She nodded and took a few steps back, her eyes watching him intently.
Horyu's bracelet, Noir, began to shimmer and melt, transforming into a pitch-black shuriken, easily ten times bigger than himself. Holding the giant shuriken, Horyu channeled Spectral Sage Chakra into it, the edges glowing with the deadly energy of his Spectral Rend technique. With a powerful leap, he soared high into the air, the shuriken spinning menacingly in his hand.
As he reached the peak of his jump, Horyu hurled the massive shuriken toward the group of specters below. The air crackled with energy as the shuriken spun faster, its edges cutting through the fabric of the Spectral Realm itself. The specters, sensing the imminent danger, began to scatter, but it was too late.
The shuriken struck the ground with a thunderous impact, releasing a shockwave of dark energy. The force of the explosion obliterated the specters in its path, their forms disintegrating into nothingness. The ground shook violently, and a dark crater formed where the shuriken had landed, the residual energy pulsing ominously.
Horyu landed gracefully, his Sharingan scanning the area for any remaining threats. The few specters that had survived the initial attack were quickly dispatched by Kurenai’s genjutsu, their movements becoming sluggish and disoriented before they were engulfed in flames.
This was Kurenai's new ability. Her illusions could now alter reality. It consumed a lot of Spectral Chakra, but the smile on her face told him it was worth it. Horyu watched her with a mix of admiration and concern. Her new skill, although powerful, was draining and risky. But Kurenai had embraced it, pushing herself to the limits to master the Spectral Chakra.
"Good job, Kurenai," Horyu said as Noir turned back into bracelet. "Just remember not to overdo it."
Kurenai nodded, her breathing heavy. "I know, but this power... it can change the tide of battle."
Horyu gave her a small smile. "Just be careful."
Spectral Sage Mode;
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