---
Everyone near Muzan was torn apart in an instant by an invisible force. The scene was gruesome, with severed limbs scattered everywhere, and the air was thick with the stench of blood. A small stream formed from the pooling blood as Muzan stood in the middle of it all, watching with indifference.
"A rather unique method," he muttered to himself. "More troublesome than any Genjutsu."
Ninjutsu without hand seals—especially outside of Konoha—was rare. Given the situation, it had to be some kind of special technique.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bomb!"
Several Iwa-nin cast their Earth Style jutsu, aiming to bombard Muzan's location. Accompanied by exploding tags, the barrage was relentless. They were convinced that no one could survive such devastation.
"Boom!"
The series of explosions caught the attention of shinobi battling in the distance, though none were close enough to intervene.
"What's happening with the breakthrough team up front?"
"I'm not sure, but we need to maintain the diversion to buy them time to destroy the Kannabi Bridge."
"There aren't any particularly strong shinobi over there. I'm worried about the breakthrough team's chances."
The relentless blasts were a grim reminder that their mission's success was still uncertain. As long as the explosions continued, there was hope the target would be eliminated. The destruction was essential for the bridge's demolition.
The shockwaves from the explosions turned the surrounding forest into a barren wasteland. The Iwa-nin, crouched together, anxiously observed the blast zone.
"That level of firepower… He has to be dead."
"There's no way anyone could survive that!"
But as the smoke began to clear, their confidence wavered. A black silhouette slowly emerged from the haze. Before the explosion, Muzan had transformed his hands into thorny extensions and used Earth Style to sink into the ground. The thorns created a barrier that absorbed most of the damage.
"That actually hurt," Muzan said, his tone calm.
His hands had turned into bloody, rotting masses, but within moments, they healed completely. He stood there, unharmed, as the last wisps of smoke vanished. The veteran Iwa-nin stared in disbelief.
"How... how is he still alive?"
The doubt and fear gnawed at the Iwa-nin, dampening their resolve. Muzan's strange abilities and attacks left them unnerved. The thought of fighting someone who seemed invulnerable terrified them.
One of the Iwa-nin, Akatsuchi, narrowed his eyes at Muzan's chakra-infused dagger and quickly formed hand seals as Muzan began to approach.
"Earth Style: Petrification!"
Akatsuchi's skin turned to stone, bolstering his defense. His greatest concern was Muzan's unseen attacks. If he was caught off guard, he wasn't sure if his body would hold up. Just then, he noticed a thin white line on his leg—he had barely activated his jutsu in time.
"I can't see his attacks… I need to close the distance."
As his feet hit the ground, he left behind a clump of soil.
"Earth Style: Earth Substitution!"
Using the soil as a medium, Akatsuchi vanished into the nearby trees, a spear of compressed earth materializing in his hands. The spear glinted like polished steel—he was confident it could pierce Muzan's defenses.
Moving silently through the shadows, Akatsuchi reappeared behind Muzan in an instant, using the assassination techniques taught to every elite Jounin.
Muzan sensed the danger—his eyes caught the dark shadow on the ground, and he felt a faint breeze behind him.
"Boom!"
Muzan spun around at the last second, meeting Akatsuchi's vicious grin head-on, convinced that his next strike would kill the monster.
"Bingo!"
Akatsuchi's spear thrust through Muzan's chest, pinning him to the ground. The impact was powerful enough to kill any shinobi, even battlefield medics.
But Muzan wasn't just any shinobi—he was a monster.
"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"
The spear struck Muzan's heart. Akatsuchi was sure this would end him.
"Finally," Akatsuchi murmured, preparing to leave.
But something wasn't right. Muzan's face… he was smiling—a slow, unsettling grin. His blood dripped onto the ground, adding to the eerie scene.
"If there's blood, this can't be a Shadow Clone…"
Yet Muzan remained standing, despite the injury. How could this be?
"This is absurd," Akatsuchi thought, rattled by Muzan's tenacity. He had expected a quick, decisive kill. Muzan's reactions had been fast, but Akatsuchi had been faster—this fight should have been over.
Another spear impaled Muzan.
"Crack!"
The sound of breaking bones echoed as Muzan slowly rose, the spears still embedded in him.
"What kind of demon is this?" Akatsuchi whispered, now terrified.
"Blood-red eyes… an unkillable monster…"
A horrifying realization dawned on him. There were rumors of a terrifying figure called the Scarlet Moon who had once appeared in Kirigakure and clashed with the Mizukage. Though the Mizukage had managed to repel him, the legend of that power remained.
"You're the Scarlet Moon!" Akatsuchi gasped.
"Congratulations," Muzan said coldly. "But no prize for you."
Muzan glanced at the remaining Iwa-nin. To protect his identity, he needed to leave no survivors.
"I refuse to believe you can't die!" Akatsuchi shouted. "Earth Style: Rock Collapse!"
Despite his words, Akatsuchi focus had shifted from killing Muzan. Now, he aimed to destroy the terrain and bury him alive. He couldn't pinpoint a weakness, so this was the next best option.
The ground shattered as trees and rocks fell around Muzan, trapping him.
"Strange Fist!"
Muzan's punch obliterated the rising earth wall. His speed and strength had increased exponentially, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared before Akatsuchi.
"Boom!"
The earth cracked as Muzan's kick connected, sending Akatsuchi flying.
----------------------------------------
Get early access to the next 15 chapters by joining my Patreon. Support my work and dive deeper into the story by becoming a member today!
Patreon.com/Shinchan_37