Morning came.
Shion woke up, glanced at everyone who had gathered around her, and let out a soft hum. She rose and joined the others in washing up. Ao activated his Byakugan, scanning the surroundings.
"There's nothing unusual within a kilometer. No need to worry."
"In that case, let's not waste time. We should head out."
After finishing breakfast, Sakura once again carried Shion on her back. The group set off toward the Land of Swamps.
By late morning, Kiyosuke and Ao suddenly stopped in their tracks—Killer Bee halted as well.
Ao said, "I'll leave it to you two."
"Alright."
"Count on me! I'll blow them away! Yow! Yoho! Yeah!"
The two stayed behind while the others continued on.
Kiyosuke muttered, "Only five of them? Looks like they don't even take us seriously."
"Yooo, I'll make them regret it! Fool! Ya fool! Don't you dare hold me back, ya know!" Killer Bee snapped.
"Hmph, look who's talking—my defeated opponent."
"Bastard, you tryin' to start something with me?"
"Bring it on!"
The two started bickering, when five figures appeared.
They wore white garb resembling hospital gowns. Their faces were twisted, less human and more monstrous, with distorted features, strange markings etched across their skin, and pitch-black eyes devoid of whites. Their presence was unsettling, sending chills through the air.
Earlier, after dissecting one of the strange insects, Sakura had discovered that they could indeed transmit chakra. They even altered a person's natural chakra nature. Over time, though, they would tear a person's body apart.
These people… had already abandoned their own lives, all for the sake of greater power.
"For Yomi-sama, we offer our lives!"
The one leading them shouted, his white coat flaring.
"Then go join Yomi in the underworld!"
Kiyosuke snorted, springing forward with explosive speed.
"So fast!"
The man's heart skipped a beat, instinctively leaping back—but too late.
Kiyosuke's hand clamped tightly over his skull, pain lancing through his head as if his skull was about to be torn open.
From the man's collar, several lamprey-like worms wriggled out, biting into Kiyosuke's fingers.
But it was useless. The worms passed through his arm, only to be instantly scorched by fire, filling the air with a sharp, nauseating odor.
The smell of burning protein.
Crack!
The man's skull gave way under the crushing force. His brain destroyed, life snuffed out, Kiyosuke flung him aside like garbage.
"I'm up next! Fool! Ya fool!"
Killer Bee charged forward with a flamboyant pose. Raising his arm, he slammed into a blonde-haired woman.
"Lariat!!!"
Like a runaway train, he plowed straight through, crushing her throat. His arm, honed like a blade, sliced clean through her neck. Blood sprayed the air.
Without pausing, he spun, drawing one of the short swords strapped to his back. Lightning chakra crackled along its edge before he hurled it with all his might.
Thud!
The lightning-forged blade skewered another enemy.
"Yo! It's me, the invincible Killer Bee-sama!!!"
Kiyosuke chuckled, spreading his hand. A soft green light glowed from his palm.
Tiny glowing orbs like fireflies floated from his hand, circling the enemy before gathering around his body.
"What… what is this?! It burns! It hurts!!!"
Snap!
A finger snap echoed.
Boom!
The fireflies exploded, snuffing out the enemy's life in a single instant.
Killer Bee and Kiyosuke turned their eyes to the last remaining man.
"D-Don't come near me!!!"
Panicked, he leapt back.
"Hey now, don't run. We'll make sure you don't suffer."
Kiyosuke conjured a flaming spear in his hand. Bee tightened his grip on another blade, ready to strike.
But the man darted toward his fallen comrade—the one Kiyosuke had crushed.
Ripping open the corpse's clothing, he yanked out three more worms, shoving them into his mouth and swallowing them whole.
"Disgusting."
"You actually eat that crap?"
"Even if it were edible, I wouldn't touch it."
Kiyosuke shook his head. "His chakra's swelling, but it's nothing but a desperate surge. When time runs out, he'll die on his own."
No sooner had he spoken than the man's body began to twist. Bulges writhed beneath his clothing, his limbs elongating grotesquely. Extra arms and legs sprouted from his back, his chin sharpened, and his skin darkened pitch black.
Before them stood a monster, spider-like and hideous.
"I'll kill you! Kill you! Kill you all!!!"
Consumed by bloodlust, the creature could think of nothing but tearing Kiyosuke and Bee apart.
Its eight legs launched it skyward, massive arms slamming down and shattering the trees where they had stood.
Crash!
The forest shook as trees toppled. Kiyosuke and Bee landed on another trunk nearby.
"Tch. That chakra output… at least fifteen or twenty Kakashis' worth."
"Yo! Leave it to me, the one and only Bee! Yooo!!!"
Two octopus tentacles sprouted from his back, lashing out to seize the monster's leg. With a mighty heave, he flung it across the forest.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The beast smashed through tree after tree, yet rose again as if nothing had happened. Its neck twisted, bones cracking audibly, but it showed no sign of pain.
With a single stomp, it slammed the ground.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Whip Technique!"
No hand seals. Above its head, a massive water sphere appeared, releasing countless whips of water that lashed out in all directions, targeting both men.
They leapt high to dodge, but the whips curved unnaturally midair, homing in on them.
Kiyosuke, however, already had a plan. Turning alongside Bee, they slipped past the attacks, surging straight for the monster.
"Lariat!!!"
Their taijutsu struck in unison, toppling the beast. Both retreated at once as the pursuing whips slammed into the creature itself.
Crack!
"Hm?"
When the dust cleared, the monster still stood. Something flaked off its body—it was armor.
During their attack, it had coated itself with earth chakra, forming a protective shell. Their strikes had hit only the armor, not the flesh beneath.
"So it still has some awareness left?"
"Doesn't matter. Let's just finish this."
"Yeah… I've got a bad feeling about this. We end it now!"