"Honestly, though my earlier proposal was genuinely sincere, ultimately, even if you'd actually agreed to the deal and handed over Spirit Transformation, I probably wouldn't dare believe it was accurate."
Accompanying Hii Kōri's suddenly cold tone as if he'd become a different person the barrier-constructed combat staff hummed faintly, emitting a blood-like glow.
"Techniques concerning the soul—the slightest bias is enough to lead to unspeakable tragedy... Ah, even I'm starting to doubt the very act of trading. This era truly is hopeless. Don't you think, Katō-kun?"
Not a trace of sarcasm or provocation in those words instead, a puzzling melancholy.
If the earlier frenzy and brutality were merely disguised, then the 'Crimson of Agony' as an enemy was far too terrifying.
Not in terms of strength, but mentally.
Realizing his actions had been consistently influenced by the other, Katō Dan's expression darkened.
As we all know, chakra is a versatile, three-dimensional, collective, mass-damage, nation-building force quite convenient energy.
Depending on the user's preferences, tendencies, and development methods, it can achieve almost anything imaginable. And because spiritual energy is mixed into its composition, even without bias Yin Release, chakra itself possesses to some degree the property of 'mind over matter.'
Barrier techniques and sealing techniques epitomize this property.
Despite various constraints and conditions, barrier and sealing techniques remain effective against opponents far beyond the user's strength. Without knowing the relief method, before reaching a cliff-like gap in power, a barrier's obstructive effect is nearly 'absolute.'
Even Katō Dan's spirit form couldn't save this.
The barrier erupting from the device Hii Kōri had thrown earlier might be dismissed as a 'disposable tool.' But now, that humming combat staff shattered any illusion.
His lover Tsunade's grandmother, Uzumaki Mito, was the current Nine-Tails jinchūriki and the strongest known sealing technique user.
Though Tsunade hadn't fully inherited her grandmother's sealing and barrier techniques, she'd learned some of the essence.
And Katō Dan, as Tsunade's lover, was quite knowledgeable in this area.
This barrier construction alone proved the 'Crimson of Agony's' mastery in barrier techniques.
"Judging by your expression, you're not in the mood for discussion... Fine. Then let's do this the way ninjas adapt best—shall we?"
Blackish-blue flames slowly ignited on the staff. Hii Kōri suddenly swung, the staff carving a shrill arc as it smashed down toward Katō Dan.
"Let's curse each other!"
Katō Dan sharply dodged sideways, easily evading such a wide swing. Yet the barrier staff, after splitting the earth, rebounded upward as if possessing undue elasticity, then was swept horizontally by Hii Kōri.
"Tch!"
Sensing the almost tangible, bizarre cold energy wrapping around the staff, Katō Dan's expression grew increasingly condensed.
By now, how could he not feel that this blackish-blue cold flame was precisely the power that had been influencing his mental state all along? And now, no longer seeking subtle influence, this curse-like power constantly stirred Katō Dan's nerves.
Suppressing the increasingly harsh agitation and agitation with ninja rationality, Katō Dan still inevitably felt anxious.
Armed with a weapon that could touch his spirit, Hii Kōri's superb taijutsu posed a genuine threat. Katō Dan had no doubt that one solid hit would leave him utterly defenseless under a storm of blows.
Conversely, Hii Kōri was equally in a state where one solid touch from him would result in possession and loss of body control.
Thus, this was a one-hit-kill duel.
Forget reinforcing the other battlefield—whoever revealed an opening, whether him or Hii Kōri, would step into irredeemable ruin.
'But with my spirit provoked by that curse-fire, I probably won't have the advantage in neutral combat...'
Feeling emotions on the verge of ignition, even as a disembodied spirit, Katō Dan couldn't help breaking out in cold sweat.
Amid the unrelenting storm of staff strikes like pouring rain, he repeatedly retreated, widening distance, relying on his superior speed to replan his attack.
Seizing a moment when Hii Kōri withdrew his staff, Katō Dan concealed himself and cut in a twisted stance close to the ground, right hand forming a knife-hand aimed at his chest. "Think I'm unprepared?"
Ding—
Katō Dan's knife-hand collided with a small, hexagonal barrier, unable to advance.
Strike failed, the still-invisible spirit immediately withdrew. Several assaults were blocked by tiny barriers or evaded by sudden displacement. Then Katō Dan ceased attacking rashly, instead launching probing strikes.
The swift staff strikes whipped up winds nearly indistinguishable from powerful Wind Release techniques, carving ferocious scars into the mud, instantly covered by raging slashes.
In moments, the dense forest was leveled by this wild staff dance.
Even with Katō Dan's agility, he nearly was hit by this unrestrained chaos several times. Yet his goal was achieved.
Hii Kōri's earlier mobility relied partly on full-body enhanced state, partly on those chakra threads for three-dimensional maneuvers and hyper-angle reentry. Without connection points, he couldn't pursue and evade so quickly Katō Dan judged thus.
But a dozen thumbnail-sized iron sand spheres emerged in mid-air, announcing the failure of his plan.
"You can maintain stability with just these iron sand?!"
Katō Dan's pupils contracted. He sharply rolled right to evade a barrier-enshrouded knee strike, then dived underground.
"Tch—"
Hii Kōri grunted displeasedly but had to admit this move was quite effective.
Once invisible, even his perception struggled to accurately track Katō Dan, and after diving underground, confirming his presence became even harder.
Without hesitation, Hii Kōri buried all remaining iron sand in the earth, forming tiny nuclei at unavoidable intervals.
Even if unable to cause damage, when Katō Dan's spirit passed through objects under his control, the chakra within would still be perceived. That time would suffice for reaction.
If Katō Dan didn't strike within five seconds, Hii Kōri would immediately have his iron sand clone use reverse summoning to attack the original body's location.
Truth be told, after exposing his 'Crimson of Agony' identity, achieving Crimson of Agony like before was difficult.
The ninja profession, in a sense, is like Green Lanterns. Solo action is feasible; team coordination even better. As the system is unanimously implemented by major villages, tacit teams maximize member strength.
But gathering hundreds or thousands together hinders each other.
That's why Hii Kōri dared to raid an entire camp but didn't want to face Katō Dan's entire squad at once.
After witnessing how Hanzō, his cards revealed, was comprehensively countered, Hii Kōri's need for trump cards was unprecedentedly high. Likewise, he wouldn't hesitate to speculate whether enemies held similar stunts.
As the team guarding the Spirit Transformation user's body, though not all elite jōnin, each certainly had unique skills.
But isn't that what combat is?
Basic hard power, a bit of luck, probing intelligence in battle, then 'fighting spirit.'
In this, jujutsu sorcerers and ninjas are no different.
Though sorcerers often choose 'technique revelation' for temporary enhancement, revealed intelligence and actual manifestation always differ considerably abilities depend on how you use them.
Mr. Flamingo's words truly are famous quotes.
Of course, Hii Kōri could also directly lower a 'Curtain,' filling the barrier with curses, forcing transforming Katō Dan's spirit into a cursed spirit.
But once transformed, soul memories would inevitably suffer irreversible distortion. And this world wasn't his previous life large-scale releasing curses in a world constantly at war, littered with corpses, would inevitably or rather, absolutely beget extremely terrifying curses.
This was why Hii Kōri only used cursed energy himself, never teaching similar techniques to others. Even when releasing curses, he chose methods that rapidly spread without accumulation in one spot.
Yet Katō Dan ultimately didn't give Hii Kōri five seconds. The moment iron sand upturned muddy soil, before muddrops could fall, the barely visible soul struck like a dormant viper, rising from beneath Hii Kōri's feet.
Using Wind Release jet points to swoop forward, evading this raid, Hii Kōri twisted and swept his staff horizontally. But Katō Dan didn't continue evade.
The hazy spirit sprinted, seized the gap in the staff's sweep, and cut again before Hii Kōri.
Tiny barrier fragments reappeared—but this time Katō Dan didn't strike Hii Kōri. Instead, he turned and kicked the staff in his hands. Already exhausted from the swing, enduring this extra force, the staff flew from his grasp.
If barriers could obstruct Katō Dan's movement, then his spirit could contact these barrier constructs.
Thus, better to disarm Hii Kōri first.
Seeing his strike succeed, Katō Dan's eyes flashed self-satisfaction. He turned and accelerated, attempting to touch Hii Kōri.
"But have you forgotten—this 'weapon' was something I casually created?"
Accompanied by cold muttering, the sheet-barrier blocking Hii Kōri's chest shot out like a shuriken. Simultaneously, two blood-red glows rose from his palm as condensed barriers rapidly formed between his fingers, becoming forearm-length, blood-red-glowing short rods.
This wasn't Katō Dan being too slow—even Hii Kōri's students took over a month to adapt to barrier constructs. Affected by curses, Katō Dan being misled by weapon shape and not reacting in time was understandable.
Unfortunately, this mistake was quite fatal.
"You should have kicked my wrist instead!"
Ten-plus barrier shuriken all pierced Katō Dan's spirit. Hii Kōri's arms stabbed like viper fangs, the short rods—more like large awls—wrapped in piercing wind, viciously thrust at Katō Dan's chest.
Compared to swinging strikes, Hii Kōri always preferred this method—opening holes in things.
"Ugh!"
Forcibly enduring the barrier shuriken tore his spirit, Katō Dan twisted and dove at the last moment, but was blocked by barriers unfolding from iron sand nuclei lurking in the earth.
Hii Kōri's eyes flashed cold light. The staff kicked away was yanked back by Spirit Thread Nerves, crashing down toward Katō Dan's nape and spine with a shriek.
Simultaneously, the short rods in his hands, like taiko drumsticks at a festival, ceaselessly beat the invisible wandering soul.
"Cough—!"
The storm of blows sent Katō Dan's spirit kept trembling; even concealing himself became impossible.
Yet, forcibly enduring the repeated forging pain, his eyes churned with indescribable light as he blatantly seized Hii Kōri's hands.
"Got you now! Crimson of Agony!"
Seeing the makeshift barrier on Hii Kōri's wrists nearly crushed by his grip, Katō Dan's spirit seemed to emit black evil spirits, his eyes stained with twisted satisfaction.
Thus roaring, Katō Dan simply headbutted Hii Kōri's mask, attempting to possess his body.
"Yes... you caught me. But I caught you."
"Nonsense?! At this distance, you can't release a barrier in time!"
The spirit had already begun possession. This almost negative distance fusion meant Katō Dan and Hii Kōri didn't even need to speak—consciousness alone sufficed for this exchange.
"Wait?! What is this?!"
It also let Katō Dan know his defeat was certain.
The shadow beneath Hii Kōri surged, transforming into a living quagmire. Then, the shadow swallowed both Hii Kōri and Katō Dan, leaving only this bland utterance calling its name.
"Rashōmon."
***
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