175.One Step Away
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The faint sunlight gently illuminated the scene, a landscape of devastation with shattered trees, giant craters, and uneven ground full of trenches. However, at the edge, there was a dense forest, contrasting sharply with the chaos on the battlefield.
A gentle breeze swept over the field, lifting a few dust particles and carrying a sense of desolation.
Near the edge, Dan focused his gaze on Sōsuke in the distance, his expression serious.
As he completed intricate hand seals, his body suddenly emitted a sparkling light of pale blue.
"Soul Transmutation Jutsu!"
Sōsuke, standing in the distance, had a faint smile on his lips, looking at him with casual interest, showing no intention of interrupting his actions.
Suddenly, a transparent pale blue figure rose from Dan's body!
Dan, at the edge of the chaotic field, closed his eyes lightly, seemingly detached from everything happening around him.
However, the translucent figure of Dan in his soul state rapidly flew towards Sōsuke!
Watching this scene, a glint of interest flashed in Sōsuke's eyes, and the smile on his lips became more pronounced. He murmured softly,
"To freely allow the soul to enter and exit the body, what an amazing technique."
Continuing, he looked at Dan approaching him with a blue light, and said casually,
"So, is this the Soul Transmutation Jutsu you developed? Apart from the long preparation time, it's truly astonishing."
Looking at Sōsuke, who seemed relaxed and indifferent, Dan's face showed a hint of anger, and he said in a deep voice,
"Soul Transmutation Jutsu is a technique I improved based on the precious ninjutsu left by the Second Hokage. Since you're so confident in making me use it, it means everything is over. Prepare to face the consequences!"
Hearing his words, Sōsuke's lips curled up slightly, and he chuckled softly.
"Oh, consequences?"
"It seems you're quite confident in this move. In that case, it might be troublesome if I let you touch me."
Saying this, his eyes slightly narrowed, and he whispered,
"Then, grovel before me."
As he spoke, the entire space seemed to vibrate slightly, and there was a microsecond change in the air.
The translucent blue figure of Dan, about to fly towards Sōsuke, suddenly fell to the ground!
In his soul state, he plummeted from the sky, showing no visible change as he landed on the ground.
However, the once elegant and graceful posture in the air was gone.
Instead, he wore a shocked expression, full of disbelief, struggling to lift his body from the ground. But everything was in vain.
"Plap, plap!"
At this moment, a slow footsteps sound gradually approached him.
He struggled to lift his head, looking up at the tall and upright figure against the sunlight.
Due to the sunlight, he couldn't see the expression of that figure clearly, but he seemed to discern a faint curve at the corner of the mouth.
"Hmm? It's just a step away, can't touch it?"
At this point, a magnetic, gentle laughter slowly entered Dan's ears.
Hearing this, anger flashed in his eyes!
His body trembled slightly, his expression extremely painful, trying to reach out and touch that figure so close!
However, reality was still cruel.
Under this terrifying pressure, his body was almost immobile. He could barely raise his head, and reaching out to touch that figure was an impossible feat, even if just a centimeter away.
Dan's eyes were filled with helpless pain. Looking at his own hands, he painfully thought,
How can this be? How could the Soul Transmutation Jutsu be broken?
The ninjutsu I've been striving for is so powerless in front of this guy.
Who is this guy?
Sōsuke stood in front of him, eyes flickering with a smile, lips slightly curved. He said softly,
"It seems that with this, all your actions are meaningless."
"If I destroy this soul body, your existence will probably disappear from this world forever."
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Dan's face trembled, looking at Sōsuke in shock.
"What are you trying to do, you bastard!"
Sōsuke paid no attention to his words. Instead, he glanced gently towards the distance, where Shino's expression was tangled and constantly changing. There was a strange gleam in his eyes as he spoke in a mild tone.
"Shino, destroy this guy's body with your own hands. I hope to see your determination."
"That determination born for our plan or, should I say, for the sake of your beloved sister."
With a glint in his eyes, he murmured softly,
"Don't disappoint me."
Upon hearing Sōsuke's words, both Dan and Shino were stunned, followed by a pallid complexion!
Shino's face lost its color, hesitating, his eyes unnaturally shifting. His face, once cold and ruthless, now resembled that of a lost child.
Seeing his indecision, Sōsuke's lips curled up slightly, and his eyes carried a hint of amusement. His tone remained very gentle.
"It seems that intimate friends are more important to you than your dear sister in times like these."
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Shino's face shook, abruptly interrupting him.
"I-I will go and kill him!"
Shino spoke as if relieved, then slowly moved forward with weak and powerless steps, approaching Dan, who remained motionless.
The season in the sky changed unpredictably, like the delicate face of an infant. Unnoticed, a few turbulent dark clouds floated from a distance, gradually obscuring the brilliant sunlight.
The clear sky turned gradually dark, and a strong wind rose on the field. The air carried a slightly moist scent of rain.
Shino's face was covered by long black bangs, making it impossible to see his expression.
Step by step, swaying with fatigue, he finally reached the unmoving Dan.
Witnessing this scene, Dan, who was lying on the ground unable to move, looked somewhat trance-like, as if recalling scenes of fighting alongside this cold friend over the years.
Memories gradually became blurred, while reality became clearer.
Looking at Shino's heavy figure, Dan suddenly struggled, lifting himself from the ground. It seemed as if he remembered all the years they had fought side by side with this ruthless friend.
He struggled to take a breath and shouted loudly,
"Shino!"
"Remember, I have never regretted becoming friends with you at any time!"
"Although I don't know what you want to do, go ahead! Just remember, we are ninja of Konoha, no matter what, don't betray the village!"
He seemed to be struggling to say these words, and after hearing them, Sōsuke just glanced at him lightly. His body instantly fell to the ground again!
Unable to move at all!
Shino didn't turn back after hearing these words. He lowered his head, slowly took out a kunai from his pouch, and without hesitation, stabbed it into Dan's heart.
"Splat!"
Red blood splattered from Dan's chest onto Shino's pale cheek, his expression hidden behind his black bangs.
However, his lips kept trembling, as if murmuring,
"I-I'm sorry."
Boom!
With a thunderous roar, heavy rain suddenly poured from the sky.
"Splish, splash!"
Beside the fallen body of Dan, the soft soil was suddenly soaked by droplets of liquid.
Then, a torrential rain flooded the earth.
Next to Dan's lifeless body, the figure standing there under the pouring rain seemed extremely heavy, as if bearing something. The once tall and upright posture seemed to collapse a bit.
In the distance, from the moment his heart was shattered, Dan's faint blue soul began to slowly dissipate. Under the gloomy sky, the pale blue luminescence appeared exceptionally beautiful.
Beside him, Sōsuke stood upright in the curtain of rain.
A faint smile lingered on his lips, and the eyes beneath the frames took in everything on the field. His eyes glittered strangely, and he thought to himself,
"Everything is quite interesting, isn't it?"