The Ruler of the Land of Death

Others like Yahiko, Konan, and Kenji also expressed their desire to fight alongside Horyu. They were determined, their resolve clear, but Horyu shook his head firmly.

"You can't," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I need you all to stay back."

Horyu then turned his gaze to Himawari, who stood a few steps away, looking pale as a ghost. Her usually vibrant expression was replaced with one of fear, her eyes wide with an unsettling realization. She could sense it—something terrible was approaching.

"What do you feel?" Horyu asked her directly.

Himawari bit her lip, her voice trembling as she spoke. "Dead... Death is upon us. They're coming... stronger than anything we've faced."

Horyu nodded, having felt the presence long before Himawari's warning. The strongest of the specters, the ones who ruled over the others, had locked onto their location. This was no longer about dealing with the foot soldiers; this was the real threat. The kind that could wipe them all out if they weren't prepared.

"They're not ordinary specters anymore," Horyu said, his voice cold. "These are the elites, and I can't protect all of you while fighting them at full strength."

There was a brief silence as his words sank in. The others looked at him with a mix of fear and determination, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"Let me fight with everything I have," Horyu continued, his gaze sweeping across the group. "You need to trust me on this. If you stay and try to help, it'll only slow me down. I need to be free to use all my power without holding back."

Kurenai, who had been at Horyu's side through everything, frowned but didn't argue. She knew better than anyone what he was capable of when unrestrained. The others, though hesitant, began to nod in agreement. They understood that this wasn't a battle they could all survive if they stayed in his way.

Horyu stood before the group, his eyes sharp and unyielding as he tapped into every source of power he possessed. His body began to transform as Kurohana Owl Sage Mode, Specter Sage Mode, Demon of Flames, and God of Fire modes all merged within him. His skin darkened to a deep, obsidian hue, veins of molten lava pulsing beneath the surface. His eyes, once crimson with the Sharingan, now burned with an intense orange glow, the flames of his Demon of Flames mode dancing within them. Black, white and red markings spiraled across his body, glowing faintly as the combined forces within him surged to their peak.

A massive pair of wings, dark as midnight and white, pristine and holy, edged with crimson flames, erupted from his back, their sheer presence casting shadows over the group. His hair, now longer and wilder, crackled with fiery energy, streaks of white and black coursing through it. The horns of the Demon of Flames extended from his forehead, curving back menacingly. He had become a walking inferno, a terrifying blend of power that none could ignore.

The air around him grew dense, charged with an overwhelming energy that pressed down on everyone like a weight. The sheer force of his presence made the others instinctively step back, their breaths caught in their throats. Even those who had stood by his side through countless battles—Kurenai, Ino, Hinata—found themselves unable to look directly at him, their hearts pounding with a mixture of awe and fear.

Horyu raised his hand, and with a simple wave, a swirling portal appeared behind him. The portal shimmered with dark energy, its edges crackling with spectral flames. Beyond it lay the hidden dimension of the Kurohana Tribe, Twilight Realm, a safe haven untouched by the specters.

"Go," Horyu commanded, his voice deeper, resonating with the combined power of his forms. "In ten seconds, this place will become the land of the dead."

There was no hesitation in his words, no room for argument. The others could feel the truth in his statement. The ground beneath their feet trembled as the specters, drawn by Horyu's immense power, began to close in. The sky darkened further, swirling with ominous clouds, as if the world itself was reacting to the impending doom.

Kurenai was the first to move, grabbing Hinata and Hanabi by the arms and pulling them toward the portal. "We need to go, now," she urged, her voice firm despite the lingering fear.

Ino followed, her eyes lingering on Horyu for a moment longer before she stepped through the portal, trusting him completely. The others quickly followed suit, their instincts screaming at them to escape before it was too late.

As the last of them disappeared into the portal, Horyu turned his gaze to the horizon. The specters were closing in, their twisted forms barely visible through the thickening darkness. He could feel their hatred, their hunger for destruction, but it no longer mattered.

With a final, powerful step, Horyu shifted his stance, his wings spreading wide as flames erupted around him. The ground beneath him cracked and split, unable to withstand the sheer energy coursing through his body.

The ten seconds were up.

The specters surged forward, their ghastly cries filling the air as they lunged toward him. But Horyu stood firm, his eyes locked on the approaching horde. With a single, devastating slash of his sword, the sky itself seemed to split open. A wave of fire and darkness exploded from him, consuming everything in its path.

The land of the dead had arrived, and Horyu was its ruler.

Horyu finally unleashed the Specter Chakra, his emotions boiling over. He had avoided using it while the others were around, but now, with only his enemies before him, he let everything loose. His pride surged as he floated above the battlefield, surveying the chaos below.

The Lord-Rank Specters moved with precision, following the commands of the Realm Masters with terrifying obedience. These were the strongest specters, just beneath the true ruler of the Realm of Specters, the Specter God, who still lingered in its own dimension, observing with a bored detachment waiting the final play and the final promise.

Horyu's body pulsed with the dark energy of the Specter Chakra. His skin, once marked by the various modes he had merged, now took on an even darker, almost obsidian hue, crackling with the power he wielded. The air around him grew heavier, charged with the oppressive energy that leaked from his very being. His eyes, now glowing with a sinister orange-red light, reflected the pure, unfiltered wrath that filled him.

The Lord-Rank Specters hesitated for a moment, sensing the shift in power. Horyu's presence was overwhelming, even for these powerful beings. They weren't used to facing someone who commanded such a raw, uncontrollable force. The Realm Masters exchanged a brief glance, silently communicating their unease.

A twisted smile played on Horyu's lips as he observed them. He could feel the fear emanating from the specters, and it only fueled his arrogance. These creatures, once so feared, were now nothing more than prey before him. And he would hunt them down with no mercy.

With a wave of his hand, the air around him rippled, distorting as the Specter Chakra bent reality to his will. The Lord-Rank Specters began to move, driven by the command of their masters, but Horyu was faster. He vanished, reappearing in front of the nearest specter in a blur of dark energy. Before it could react, Horyu's hand shot out, grabbing it by the throat.

The specter's hollow eyes widened in shock as it felt the searing heat of Horyu's grip. It struggled, but the power Horyu now wielded was far beyond anything it had encountered. With a quick, brutal motion, Horyu squeezed, and the specter's form shattered into a cloud of dark mist, dissipating into nothingness.