This scalp-numbing scene appeared right before everyone's eyes.
The ground beneath their feet had actually collapsed downward into a funnel shape. Buildings that had already been reduced to ruins by the explosion suddenly found a point of discharge and poured into the collapsing hole.
It was as if someone had poked a hole through the bottom of a sand table. With just a light prod, all the grains of sand collapsed toward the hollow below.
Countless stones tumbled into the deep pit. The thunderous rumbling filled their ears, sounding like some gigantic creature chewing its food.
"What's going on?"
"How could the ground suddenly collapse?"
Everyone kept using instant movement to retreat farther from the center of the collapse, staring into the distance with uncertain and shocked expressions.
But it was like waves crashing against the sea, amid roaring noise and splashing debris, everything burst into a frenzy. An uncontrollable gale lifted smoke and dust more than ten meters high, completely obscuring their vision.
Only when the rumbling inside the dust gradually subsided did everyone stop and stare fixedly toward its center. Rain dripped from their temples and shattered against the hands forming seals. Their instincts told them something seemed to be inside…
The remaining lights had already gone out. Darkness enveloped the rainy night. No one panicked, but no one spoke either. Everything fell into deathly silence, leaving only the sound of breathing, the wind and rain.
"Could this be the work of Kumogakure?"
Akimichi Todo stared solemnly into the dust while glancing sideways at the distant Toroi. Yet on that blood-smeared face he saw the same grim expression.
'So it was still those guys from Iwagakure?'
'But what would be the point?'
"S-Senior Todo."
Just as doubt arose in Todo's mind, a voice sounded beside him.
The trembling voice even carried a trace of fear.
He subconsciously turned his head and saw Arata staring into the distance with his Byakugan activated. A drop, whether rain or sweat, gathered at his temple and flowed down to his chin.
"Something… is coming out!" Arata said in a trembling voice.
Lightning struck across the night sky at that moment. Branch-like bolts spread everywhere like twisted limbs.
Under the blazing white light, a figure flashed briefly within the dust in the distance.
Boom!
Thunder rolled down from the faraway night sky. This clap was especially deafening, as if the heavens themselves were enraged and disgusted.
Enraged at what?
No one needed to guess.
Because the answer had already stepped out.
Tap… tap…
The sound of footsteps entered their ears, clear and hollow. There was nothing strange about it, yet it struck straight into their hearts. Every step caused the air to vibrate, and their eardrums, scalps, and even their bones trembled with it.
Reflected in their pupils, a figure slowly walked out.
They finally saw the approaching silhouette clearly. It wore a black robe as dark as the stormy night itself. Looking at it was like staring at an empty shadow, a shadow that exuded fear, decay, and the aura of an abyss.
Only the eyes… those blue-white eyes glimmered faintly within the shadows, as if suppressing something.
"…"
At that moment, Toroi suddenly had a strange intuition, an intuition he didn't know where it came from.
Even if he attacked now, he would probably only cut through that flowing black shadow. His blade wouldn't touch even a drop of blood or flesh.
And he had always trusted his instincts. His entire body tensed.
'That guy… wasn't right.'
"You…"
Ryoma narrowed his eyes and opened his mouth as if to say something.
The Root ninja in front of him subconsciously raised their hands, gripping their kunai and short blades…
At that moment, those originally hollow and unfocused eyes suddenly seemed to find their focus. They looked toward Aburame Ryoma and casually lifted a hand, waving it lightly.
"Get out of the way!"
Ryoma felt his scalp go numb. That invisible, bone-piercing chill caused the insects inside his body to erupt in agitation. He shouted and retreated without hesitation.
Sss-
An invisible wind blade shaped like a full moon tore open the air before them. In an instant, an arc of light several meters long extended outward, slashing toward the several Root ninjas ahead.
Those Root ninjas who had just begun to move suddenly froze as if time had solidified. They stood motionless without warning. Beneath their masks, their faces looked stunned.
Time itself seemed to pause for a fleeting moment.
Gradually, the separated airflow filled back in bit by bit, and the sharp whistle of the slash stretched long… and longer.
Splurt! Splurt! Splurt!
In the next moment, a storm-like current swept across them like a blade. The few people "standing" before them were cut in half at the waist as though an invisible sword had passed through.
The upper halves of those Root ninjas separated from their lower bodies. Their upper torsos, faces filled with confusion and helplessness, slid to the ground.
They looked like blood-red wheat stalks cut down by a sickle.
Blood erupted violently from the severed waists, spraying upward into the rainy night like a horrifying crimson rain.
Soon it pooled into a spreading lake of blood, reflecting the stunned expressions on everyone's faces.
"Ahhh!!"
The Root ninjas who had been cut in half did not die immediately. The unbearable pain finally reached their nervous systems, and horrifying screams of agony and terror erupted.
"Wh-what kind of ninjutsu is that?"
"Wind Release?"
The screams seemed to snap everyone out of their shock. Akimichi Todo suddenly came back to his senses, shuddering violently.
"Are you kidding me? How could something like that exist?"
Hundreds of meters away, yet it took only a single second.
How did that guy do it?!
Shocking amounts of blood were still gushing out like a ruptured artery. Thick crimson fluid flooded their vision until everything they saw was drenched in eerie red.
Wind, rain, thunder, and screams merged together like the background music of a demon reveling in cruel torture.
In the distance, that figure slowly raised his hands and spread his arms. His black robe lifted like great wings.
"Killing, death, blood, hatred, fear, despair, pain, screams, wailing…"
A hoarse voice rose gradually from a murmur until it became clearly audible with a hint of pleasure.
"What a noisy night again."
He truly seemed to treat the screams of those Root ninjas as background music. He had deliberately prevented them from dying immediately. The horror, madness, and pleasure in his voice sent chills through everyone's bodies.
Lightning flashed again within the dark clouds, turning the world gray-white once more. The lightning illuminated everyone's pale faces.
They had no idea who the person before them was.
But that didn't stop them from recognizing the undeniable truth before them.
A monster.
The figure that had suddenly appeared was absolutely a monster.
A monster that fed on killing, death, despair, pain, screams, and wailing, and possessed terrifying strength.