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Naruto: IHCS Ch. 114
🕑 Added 2025-09-09 15:21:06 +0000 UTCBy Shiratori's side, Nagato's gaze sharpened. Without a second thought, he thrust his hands toward Ryūga. Invisible ripples spread through his pupils, releasing a faint violet glow. A formless force burst forth from his palms. The hooked claw froze in front of Shiratori for a split second, then suddenly reversed and shot back toward Ryūga.
His pupils shook as he staggered backward. The claw he had been wielding slammed deep into the wall behind him.
"I won't let anyone harm him!"
Nagato's cold eyes locked onto Ryūga.
Shock filled his gaze. He steadied himself, his expression growing grave as he stared at Nagato.
He never expected a brat could be this strong!
A fierce wind swept from behind Shiratori.
[Killing Intent detected: Rasa +2000 points]
[Curse Growth - Killing Intent: 2%]
Shiratori turned, his eyes boiling with murderous intent clashing against Ryūga's.
The ringing hum of metal resounded through the room. From behind him, his long blade was unsheathed. The sword clashed with Ranga's short blade, sparks flying.
The reflection in the steel showed Ranga's feral, beast-like eyes.
Blue cursed energy erupted along Shiratori's long sword, completely enveloping the blade.
With a swift turn, he gripped the sword tightly and brought it crashing down toward Ranga.
His pupils contracted. So fast!
Could a mere brat really move at such speed?
Instinctively, he raised his short blade across his chest to block the incoming strike.
Boom!
A violent shockwave burst between them.
A sharp cracking sound followed.
Ranga stared at his short blade, his hands trembling violently. The overwhelming force coming through the long sword was beyond comprehension.
How could a brat possess such power?
In the next instant, a clear fracture appeared across the blade.
The crack spread, and with a shattering boom, the short blade broke apart.
His grip loosened, the hilt clattering to the ground.
Before he could even react, the sword's glow was already upon him, inescapable.
"Ahhh!"
A miserable scream tore from his throat.
His body crashed to the ground. He wasn't dead. Shiratori hadn't killed him, but instead severed the tendons in his arms and legs.
Blood dripped from the blade onto the floor. He spun around without hesitation and charged toward Ryūga.
His strength was clearly a tier above Ranga's.
As he was now, Nagato could barely hold his own against Ryūga.
Such grand techniques as Shinra Tensei couldn't be unleashed continuously, and coupled with Nagato's lack of battle experience, it was only a matter of time before Ryūga killed him.
Shiratori could not gamble with Nagato's life.
He had only copied one of the Rinnegan's abilities so far. Nagato must not die.
"Nagato! Leave this to me!"
He stepped in front of Nagato.
Ryūga arched a brow, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
"How touching! Don't worry, I'll send you both to hell together!"
"..."
This guy's arrogance was through the roof.
Ryūga swung both arms fiercely, his twin hooked claws entwining like venomous serpents as they howled toward him.
The chains linking the claws were lined with tiny blades, their edges glowing purple with poison.
Shiratori's movements were swift, weaving between the flying claws. At the same time, he thrust his hands toward Ryūga.
Blood spurted from his fingertips.
In midair, it reshaped, forming dozens of razor-thin, spinning blood blades. The blood blades howled outward, deflecting every hooked claw that encircled him, pinning them firmly into the walls on both sides.
Shiratori pressed his hands together. His blood compressed to the limit, condensed like bullets, and shot toward Ryūga.
A flash of crimson light expanded rapidly within his pupils.
Boom!
Ryūga crashed to the floor, droplets of blood spraying through the air.
One of his ears had been torn apart, blood streaming down his entire face. Clenching his teeth against the searing pain, he forced himself back onto his feet.
Shattered strands of black hair drifted down through the air.
Impossible!
His shock turned to fury as he staggered back rapidly. Clutching his torn ear, he realized one thing: This brat's standing in Ame was anything but ordinary!
Otherwise, how could he be this strong?
In a flash, lightning streaked through his mind. A name surfaced.
"You're Hanzō's student, Shiratori!" Ryūga roared at him.
Of course he knew!
Not long ago, on the battlefield, the ninja who turned the tide and secured victory for Ame was none other than this boy.
Step by step, Shiratori advanced toward Ryūga.
[Killing Intent detected: Ryūga +3000 points]
[Curse Growth - Killing Intent: 2.3%]
Suddenly, his eyes flared with intense murderous intent. He whipped a short blade from his boot and lunged at Shiratori.
"Shiratori!"
The distance between them was too short, Nagato and the others couldn't possibly intercept in time.
[Fear detected]
[Multiple sources: +5000 points each]
[Total accumulated: 15,000 points]
[Energy transferred to Hanami]
[Development progress: 92.2%]
"This is the end!"
The gap between Ryūga and Shiratori closed to less than a meter.
But he stood his ground, the corner of his lips curling upward. In his pupils reflected Ryūga's frenzied smile.
"Straw Doll Technique: Resonance."
Before him, a straw doll appeared.
Thick iron nails pierced into the doll's limbs.
"Aaaahhhh!"
A shrill scream echoed through the room.
Ryūga's short blade clattered to the floor as his body collapsed at his feet. Blood gushed from his shattered limbs, he could no longer move.
"This... is the true end."
Shiratori gazed at Ryūga's blood-drained face, his voice calm and steady.
[Fear detected: Sakikawa +5000 points]
[Energy transferred to Hanami]
[Development progress: 92.25%]
He turned around and looked at the innkeeper and the man who were frozen in place.
Under his gaze, they began to step back little by little, their faces filled with terror and panic.
"Don't kill us..."
"Don't kill us!"
The man trembled as he begged for mercy. His legs went weak, his face pale as he kept retreating while staring at him in fear.
He moved his hand, and the black shadow at his feet spread outward like a swamp.
From the darkness, a giant snake slithered out, opening its bloody maw and letting out a thunderous roar toward the man and the innkeeper.
Thud.
The man completely lost the strength to resist and collapsed onto the ground, staring at the serpent in horror.
Behind him, the innkeeper bit her lip hard, forcing herself not to collapse.
The serpent's massive body slid forward, coiling around the two. Its vertical pupils locked onto them as its forked tongue flickered, sending a cold breath onto their skin. Both of them shivered.
Before Shiratori could even interrogate, the man spilled everything like beans from a jar.
"We were forced! We're no match for the ninjas, if we didn't do what they said, we would've been killed!"
"We didn't want to do this, but we had no choice!"
"We don't want to die! We don't want to be used as ingredients for their experiments!"
Crying with snot and tears, the man wailed: "All we did was deliver anyone who entered Tatashina to them! We never took part in anything else! Please, great ninja, spare our lives!"
The man dropped to his knees before him, kowtowing desperately.
Yahiko watched the scene before him with a grave expression, while Konan's eyes flashed with a trace of pity.
She turned her head toward Shiratori, bit her lip, and pleaded, "They're just ordinary people who were forced into this... Can't you let them go?"
Yahiko also turned his gaze to him.
Nagato said nothing, his eyes fixed coldly on the man before him.
From Yahiko and Konan's looks, Shiratori understood their intent. He gave them a small smile and said helplessly, "I never intended to hurt them in the first place. What kind of person do you take me for?"
Yahiko's face immediately flushed red. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly:
"Sorry... I misunderstood."
Konan froze, then let out a sigh of relief.
[Guilt detected]
[Yahiko: +1000 points]
[Konan: +1000 points]
[Energy transferred to Guilt]
[Development progress: 48%]
"Thank you!"
"Thank you!"
Hearing his words, the man's face lit up with overwhelming relief and joy.
Ryūga spat disdainfully as he watched the man grovel before Shiratori:
"Spineless!"
The man pretended not to hear and continued explaining, "Please understand! We were originally just ordinary villagers of Tatashina. It was those ninjas who came here, seized the land, and enslaved us to do their bidding! If we didn't obey, they would kill us! More than half of our village has already died at their hands..."
Yahiko's brows furrowed tightly. He glared at the immobilized Ryūga and Ranga lying on the ground, his eyes burning with anger.
"Which village are you from?" Shiratori, far calmer than Yahiko, fixed his gaze on Ryūga and asked.
He let out a cold laugh.
"If you've got the guts, kill me. To lose to a brat like you, I'll accept my fate!"
"Why did you kill people?!"
Yahiko shouted furiously at Ryūga, unable to hold back his anger.
Shiratori glanced sideways at Yahiko, who was on edge.
His agitation only rattled Ryūga further, who was already mentally unstable.
"Because if I don't kill, then I'll be killed!"
Ryūga roared back at Yahiko.
My eardrums are about to burst. Can't they just talk like normal people?
"Why can't you sit down and talk it out? Why must everything be solved through killing?"
Yahiko clenched his fists, his eyes red with fury as he shouted the question.
Seeing Yahiko's earnest face, Ryūga snorted and gradually calmed down. Lying on the ground, his eyes full of disdain, he sneered, "I've been on the battlefield. Have you?"
Yahiko froze. He hadn't, though he had seen the cruelty of war firsthand.
He didn't answer. Ryūga pressed on with mocking questions.
"I've had a blade pierce straight through my chest. Have you?"
Yahiko's breath caught. He lowered his gaze to his chest. No such wound had ever scarred him.
And Shiratori...? Has he endured that kind of pain, like this man says?
Ryūga already knew the answer in his heart. Of the four children present, only Shiratori had truly walked the battlefield.
"I've come close to dying. Have you?"
"On the battlefield, I've killed men. Have you?"
He burst out laughing, the sound bitter and bleak.
"If you've never experienced any of this, what right do you have to lecture me?"
Yahiko was left dumbstruck. He looked at Shiratori, unable to form a single word.
"All that you say... it's true, I've never experienced it..."
"But I can understand your pain!"
Yahiko suddenly erupted, shouting at Ryūga with all his heart.
Now it was Shiratori's turn to be dumbstruck.
How did he suddenly jump to understanding him?
"It's precisely because war brings us pain that we must stop trying to solve everything through violence!"
"If everyone could talk peacefully, then there would be no more suffering born in the shinobi world!"
Yahiko spoke earnestly, his eyes shimmering with tears.
Ryūga stared at him in shock, shaken to his core by this young boy.
"You're out of your damn mind!"
"Who would ever want to sit down and talk peacefully with you?"
"You think the enemy will give you that chance?"
"On the battlefield, someone like you would be cut down in seconds!"
He finally lost control, roaring angrily at Yahiko.
Shiratori let out a long sigh of relief.
Finally, someone said what I was thinking.
Of course, he didn't completely agree with Ryūga's words.
There was one point worth correcting, Yahiko wouldn't last seconds on the battlefield. Not even close.
