Chapter 145: Found You, Yakushi Nōyu
The heavy iron gate completely closed behind Menma, blocking Bishamon’s pathetic figure collapsed on the ground and Uchiha Hikari’s calm, emotionless Mangekyo Sharingan eyes.
The lingering cold killing intent and illusion technique’s aftereffects in the air had not fully dissipated when Menma’s figure already vanished into the dim passage.
Flying Thunder God Technique.
A distance of over a thousand kilometers was crossed in an instant; the previous moment still in the Land of Stars’ cold underground prison, the next moment, dry wind carrying grains of sand already hit his face.
The border between the Land of Earth and the Land of Rain, desolate as if forgotten by the world.
Jagged rocks cast long, distorted shadows under the twilight glow.
A crude outpost built against a natural rock wall, like a beetle crouching on a giant beast’s back, with a few wisps of cooking smoke rising—the only sign of life in this deathly silent land.
Outside the outpost, several Stone Ninja were patrolling alertly, their earthy yellow vests looking somewhat dull in the wind and sand.
Inside the outpost, in a room crudely built from rough rocks that barely blocked the wind, the air was filled with the scent of herbs and a faint blood scent.
Several injured Stone Ninja leaned on simple sickbeds, some bandaged with blood-seeping bandages, others breathing with pale faces.
A woman dressed in Stone Village attire was kneeling beside a severely wounded man.
Her hands covered with gentle green chakra glow, pressing on a ferocious laceration wound on the wounded man’s abdomen.
The muscle tissue near the wound was wriggling and slowly healing at a visible speed under the medical ninjutsu.
She slightly lowered her head, a few strands of chestnut hair falling down, covering part of her side face, revealing only a focused and calm expression.
Her name here was Suzuhara Ai.
A wandering ninja who had joined Stone Village not long ago.
The wounded man’s painful groans gradually subsided, his breathing becoming steady.
The woman withdrew her hands, the chakra glow fading.
She gently exhaled, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.
A nearby Stone Ninja handed her a waterskin; she softly said thanks, her voice gentle.
At that moment, a short, shrill scream suddenly came from outside the outpost, followed by the explosive sound of rocks being shattered by immense force!
The entire outpost seemed to shake, dust rustling down from the rock ceiling.
“Enemy attack—!!!”
The sharp alarm tore through the twilight tranquility.
The Stone Ninja inside the outpost instantly erupted into chaos, the wounded struggling to grab weapons beside them.
The Stone Jonin in charge of alert drastically changed expression, roaring harshly: “Defensive formation! Sensory Division! Report position and numbers!”
“Suzuhara Ai’s” body tensed imperceptibly for an instant; deep in those gentle eyes, the sharp glint of a top spy flashed by.
She quickly stood, retreating between the wounded and the wall; her movements seemed panicked seeking shelter, but actually positioned her for the best view of the overall situation, while her fingers quietly gripped several poisoned shuriken hidden in her sleeve.
However, there was no response from the Sensory Division, nor any more explosions.
Only a suffocating, tangible cold oppression, like viscous ink, instantly soaked every inch of space inside and outside the outpost!
The air seemed to solidify, even the wind stopping its flow.
A figure appeared without warning in the only relatively flat open space at the outpost’s center.
The black robe silently billowed in the suddenly swirling eerie airflow, the mysterious Nine-Faced Beast pattern on the cape faintly visible.
The worn white three-eyed fox mask was like a nightmare branded into the eyes of every Stone Ninja present.
The eerie three-eyed fox, its hollow eye sockets seemingly staring into everyone’s soul.
“Shu… Shura?!” The Stone Jonin who had given the order had a voice dry as sandpaper friction, his hand gripping the kunai trembling uncontrollably.
The horrific deeds tied to this name had long spread through the Ninja World.
Under the mask, Menma’s gaze instantly swept over every panicked face in the outpost, finally locking onto that seemingly unremarkable woman.
He ignored the surrounding Stone Ninja who were on high alert yet dared not act lightly due to fear, striding forward one step.
That step was light, yet felt like it stepped on everyone’s heart.
A cold voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation pierced the suffocating silence, ringing clearly, each word like an ice spike crashing down:
“Found you, Nono Yakushi.”
The woman’s body stiffened the instant the masked man uttered this name.
The feigned panic on her face instantly froze, then peeled away like a shattered mask, leaving only incredulous shock and a deeply hidden chill of being thoroughly exposed.
She abruptly raised her head; under the chestnut hair, the gentle eyes of “Suzuhara Ai” vanished, replaced by the scalpel-sharp, icy cold glint of “wandering miko” Nono Yakushi.
Her identity exposed, the disguise meaningless.
“Attack! Protect the medical ninja!” The Stone Jonin finally broke free of extreme fear with a shred of reason, roaring hoarsely!
He didn’t understand the significance of the name Shura mentioned.
But as the highest leader of this outpost, he couldn’t sit idly by!
With the command given, the Stone Ninja inside and outside the outpost—whether patrolling, on alert, or wounded—erupted simultaneously at this moment!
“Earth Style: Rock Pillar Spears!”
“Earth Style: Earth Surge Spears!”
“Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!”
Amid the angry roars, the ground shook violently!
Sharp rock spears burst from the earth, stabbing toward the dark red figure at the center like a thorn forest! The massive blazing fireball carried rolling heat waves, howling down!
Several Chunin fearlessly charged with kunai and long swords from various angles!
They tried to overwhelm the enemy before them with numbers and the instant burst of attacks!
Facing this combined assault enough to tear an ordinary Jonin to shreds, Menma didn’t even turn his head.
His left hand hanging at his side casually lifted, fingers spread, palm upward, as if cradling invisible air.
“Nine-Face Sūvarṇa—”
The low voice came from under the white three-eyed fox mask.
An array extended from his feet, expanding into nine sequentially connected arrays, each containing one character.
【Azure, White, Vermilion, Black, Void, South, North, Three, Jade】
“Northern Dipper Immortal!”
The “North” character lit up; no earth-shattering light or shadow, only a heavy, solid power like the earth’s core descending with a boom!
Hum—!
The air issued a burdened wail.
An enormous, semi-transparent rhomboid barrier like an inverted giant bowl instantly expanded outward with Shura at the center!
The barrier walls emanated an indestructible heavy aura, blocking all incoming attacks entirely!
Boom boom boom boom—！！！
The sharp rock spears viciously stabbed the pale yellow barrier walls, issuing teeth-grinding impact sounds!
Rocks shattered, fragments scattering, yet only leaving faint ripples on the barrier!
The howling massive fireball crashed into the barrier like waves on a reef, exploding violently; the blazing flames flowed along the smooth barrier walls, scattering without shaking it in the slightest!
“What?!” The Stone Ninja were shocked!
