As soon as Asuma's words left his mouth, a wave of chaos swept through the group.
The man in the white robe frowned.
"Who are you?!"
Bang!
Asuma dispelled his transformation jutsu and immediately hurled a kunai toward the man.
"I'm here to take your life!"
The white-robed man swiftly dodged the kunai and, after spotting Asuma's uniform, sneered.
"So, you leaf shinobi won't give up, huh? You five great nations are all the same!"
Some of the women who hadn't yet consumed the "holy water" started panicking, backing into the corners of the cave. Ren, still blending in with the crowd, remained calm and unnoticed.
The black-robed cultists shed their cloaks, revealing combat gear underneath. It was clear that they had been prepared for a battle all along.
Asuma drew his Flying Swallow twin blades and leaped forward, clashing with three of the black-robed cultists. Meanwhile, the white-robed man moved toward the altar, activating a hidden mechanism.
Suddenly, the walls of the cave lit up with numerous sealing symbols, casting an eerie glow.
Asuma had intended to finish the battle quickly, but he found himself struggling against the three cultists, who were surprisingly strong—easily at least Chūnin-level.
Meanwhile, Ren subtly guided the girls toward safety and began snapping the women out of the genjutsu-induced trance.
Asuma, still locked in combat, felt the seal markings on the cave walls shift once more. Black tendrils began emerging and rushed toward him, aiming to bind him.
"Sealing technique!" Asuma shouted, feeling his legs grow heavy and unable to move.
The three black-robed cultists seized the opportunity, charging at Asuma with deadly intent.
But Asuma, steeling himself, threw his twin Flying Swallow blades into the air, and with swift hand seals, he inhaled deeply.
"Wind Style: Dust Cloud Technique!"
Asuma exhaled a thick, black cloud of smoke that spread rapidly, shrouding the entire battlefield and cutting off visibility for everyone.
The three attackers hesitated, unsure of how to proceed in the blinding smoke.
"Wind Style: Rising Gale Slash!"
Asuma's Flying Swallow blades, now infused with blue chakra, spun through the smoke as if drawn by an invisible force, cutting through the air.
Slash!
Screams of agony echoed through the cave as the blades found their marks, piercing the chests of the three cultists.
When the smoke finally cleared, their bodies lay lifeless on the ground, impaled by the chakra-imbued blades.
Asuma, breathing heavily, called the chakara blades back to his hands.
That left just one more target…
Asuma turned toward the white-robed man, gripping his blades tightly.
This next move would end it.
Blue chakra wrapped around Asuma's twin blades, forming an enormous blade of chakra.
Whoosh!
He threw the Flying Swallow again, and his hands quickly formed hand seals.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In mid-air, the Flying Swallow blades multiplied into dozens of identical chakra-infused blades, creating a wave of steel that surged toward the white-robed man.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The blades collided with the walls and the floor, sending debris flying in all directions. The cave's stone steps were left in complete disarray.
Aaaargh!
A bloodcurdling scream echoed, mingling with the sound of the Flying Swallow's destruction before fading away.
That was impressive...
Ren, who had just finished guiding the women to safety, observed the aftermath. It appeared that the battle was over. Ren couldn't help but note that Asuma's strength far exceeded those like Genma.
However, despite defeating the enemy, Asuma found himself still bound by the sealing jutsu, unable to move. He sighed in frustration.
"How do I get rid of this sealing technique…?"
He retrieved his Flying Swallow blades, pondering his next move.
"Heh heh heh…"
Suddenly, an eerie laugh echoed through the cave. To Asuma's shock, the white-robed man rose again from behind the stone altar. His body was a grotesque sight—bloodied and torn apart by the chakra blades, his flesh shredded beyond recognition. Yet, he still stood, his eyes fixed menacingly on Asuma.
"How is this possible…?" Asuma muttered, his mind reeling at the impossible sight before him.
How could someone survive after being fatally struck?
Both the man's throat and heart had been pierced by the Flying Swallow blades.
"Did you think the legend of the Deathless God was a lie?" The white-robed man sneered.
"You've disrupted my ritual, but now you will see what happens to those from the Five Great Nations who come here! I'll offer your life to the great god of death!"
In a panic, Asuma threw his Flying Swallow again. This time, the chakra blade buried itself deep into the man's forehead, enough to pierce through his skull.
But the white-robed man didn't fall. With a grunt, he pulled the blade from his head, blood and brain matter spilling from the wound.
"What kind of monster is this?!" Asuma gasped, watching as the man approached.
"My immortality is not yet perfected, but I don't need it fully to destroy you!" the man growled, his hand gripping Asuma's throat as his eyes blazed with madness. He raised the Flying Swallow, aiming it at Asuma's chest.
"Die!"
Just as the blade was about to plunge into Asuma's heart, it abruptly stopped. The white-robed man's expression twisted with confusion and shock.
"What… What's happening? I can't move!"
Asuma, regaining his composure, pried the man's hand from his neck and gasped for air. Then, looking over his shoulder, he saw the woman who had saved him.
"Who are you?!" the white-robed man screamed in terror, glaring at the mysterious figure behind Asuma.
Asuma, equally startled, turned toward Ren, realizing that this person had just saved his life.
"You're…"
Bang.
Ren dispelled the Transformation Jutsu, revealing his true self.
"It's you!" Asuma exclaimed in surprise.
"Another Leaf shinobi! Damn it! I won't let you escape!" the white-robed man roared in fury.
Ignoring both of them, Ren calmly walked over to the stone altar and examined the mechanism behind the cave's sealing jutsu.
A variant of the Kōsofu Sealing Formation, huh…
The seal wasn't overly complicated. Similar to genjutsu, sealing techniques were taught in the ninja academy, and Ren understood the method to undo it.
After performing several hand seals, Ren pressed his hands against the seal's activation point.
The markings on the cave walls began to shift, and Asuma felt the restraints on his body finally lift.
"What should we do with him?" Asuma asked, stretching his limbs now that the danger had passed.
"You can't kill me!" the white-robed man taunted with a chilling smile.
"Prepare to face the wrath of the god of death!"
Asuma frowned. The man was right—he couldn't be killed. The only option would be to seal him and bring him back to the village.
"Burn him," Ren suggested flatly.
The white-robed man's face twisted in horror.
"No! You can't do this!" he shrieked, panic rising in his voice.
"Damn it! The Deathless God will punish you all!"
That's… not a bad idea…
Asuma thought to himself. He rummaged through the man's belongings until he found a scroll. After scanning the cave for anything valuable and finding nothing, Asuma decided to act.
He used a Fire Style jutsu, engulfing the man in flames. The agonizing screams of the white-robed man echoed through the cave as his body turned to ash.
Asuma and Ren stood together, watching the man burn to nothing.
"Thanks," Asuma finally said, turning to Ren.
"Thank the Hokage," Ren replied curtly.
"…"
Asuma fell silent, knowing full well that Ren had been sent by his father to protect him. Normally, Asuma would have been irritated by his father's interference, but given the situation, he realized his father had saved his life.
Maybe his father wasn't entirely wrong…
Asuma mulled over the thought, beginning to understand the reasoning behind the Third Hokage's actions.
"Still, you saved my life. I owe you a lot," Asuma said, offering Ren a grateful smile.
"No need."
Ren turned away and left the cave.
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[Name]: Sarutobi Asuma
[Gender]: Male
[Age]: 21
[Affection Rating]: 80
[Relationship]: Benefactor
[Bond Path]: Chooseable
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