Lily and Kaguya, who were watching the battle from the rear, both noticed Isshiki's decline. Lily appeared relatively calm—she had some understanding of Carl's strength, after all.
Kaguya was different. At this moment, her Byakugan eyes were filled with shock she couldn't conceal.
That was Ōtsutsuki Isshiki at his peak!
Even back when her own power hadn't waned, she wouldn't have gained the slightest advantage against an Isshiki like this—if anything, the odds of her losing would have been even greater.
And yet, such an Ōtsutsuki Isshiki was being suppressed right before her eyes. If this continued, his defeat at Carl's hands was practically inevitable.
...
Boom!!
With a thunderous explosion, Isshiki was blasted away once more by Carl, smashing into a distant mountain.
By sheer coincidence, that mountain was exactly where Terumī Mei's group had retreated after sensing danger.
The massive boulders sent flying by Isshiki's impact alone caused Terumī Mei and the others no small amount of trouble. She even used Lava Release, but despite that, the ninja from Kirigakure were still injured to varying degrees—some even lost the ability to move entirely.
Before Terumī Mei could properly arrange care for the wounded, she saw Isshiki slowly rise into the air from a massive collapse site.
Setting aside the terrifying aura radiating from Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, just his ability to float effortlessly and his unique appearance were enough to show how extraordinary he was. Moreover, having smashed such a deep crater with his body alone, Terumī Mei's group was already questioning whether the being before them was even human.
Isshiki flew out of the pit clutching his abdomen, purple blood seeping through his fingers. Even with the Ōtsutsuki clan's recovery ability, this wound couldn't heal in a short time—proof of how devastating Carl's earlier strike had been.
Isshiki's brows furrowed tightly. He had forcibly completed his reincarnation using Jigen's substandard body, leaving him with less than three days of life. After battling Carl and suffering such severe injuries, he could clearly feel his lifespan shrinking further—maintaining even a single day would be difficult.
Realizing this, Isshiki's expression grew extremely ugly. Among the subordinates he had gathered was a scientist named Amado, who had already begun creating a suitable "vessel" for him. But not long ago, all the core members Isshiki had summoned back were casually annihilated by Carl in a single strike—Amado included.
It was at this moment that Isshiki noticed Terumī Mei's group below, and his eyes immediately lit up.
He completely ignored the other Kirigakure ninja, fixing his gaze on Terumī Mei at the front. Having lurked in the ninja world for many years, he recognized her—the Mizukage of Kirigakure.
In Isshiki's eyes, even the leader of one of the Five Great Ninja Villages was nothing more than a slightly larger ant. But times had changed. Now driven into a corner, he urgently needed a new vessel to prolong his life, and Terumī Mei's body was currently the optimal choice.
Even taking ten thousand steps back, an Kage-level ninja was still far better than Jigen, who possessed almost no power at all.
Below, when Terumī Mei noticed Isshiki looking at her, her ninja instincts flared violently, sending chills down her spine.
"Not good! Retreat—now!"
Terumī Mei was no reckless fool. Facing an unknown enemy of unfathomable strength, she immediately ordered the Kirigakure forces to withdraw.
The moment her words left her mouth, Isshiki—who had just been in the air—was already upon them. His speed far exceeded anything these Kirigakure ninja could comprehend.
As the Mizukage, and the only woman among the current Five Kage, Terumī Mei had earned her position through genuine strength. When Isshiki closed in from behind, she spun around sharply and spewed forth a large mouthful of highly corrosive liquid.
"Lava Release: Melting Apparition Technique!"
However, her famed ninjutsu was little more than a joke before Isshiki. It vanished without a trace before it could even brush his clothes.
Seeing such a bizarre phenomenon for the first time, Terumī Mei's eyes widened as she cried out in disbelief,
"What!? How is this possible!?"
That brief moment of shock was all Isshiki needed. He hurled a Yin–Yang black rod that pierced straight into Terumī Mei's wrist, and she instantly felt her chakra circulation slow to a crawl.
She raised her other hand, trying to shatter the black rod embedded in her wrist—but Isshiki had no intention of giving her that chance.
His movements were blindingly fast, the entire exchange occurring in an instant. By the time the Kirigakure ninja reacted, their Mizukage had already been kicked hard into the ground.
Seeing this, they immediately rushed forward to provide support, only to be stopped by Terumī Mei, who struggled to her feet and shouted sternly,
"Run! He's not an enemy you can fight!!"
But it was clearly too late. Without even turning his head, Isshiki flicked his hand, sending countless Yin–Yang black rods flying. He showed no such "gentleness" toward these fodder—those charging Kirigakure ninja were wiped out in an instant. Only a few with slightly greater strength avoided vital spots, but even they were skewered and left bleeding heavily, collapsing with severe injuries.
Witnessing this, despair filled Terumī Mei's eyes. She was, after all, a woman—and one who had only recently become Mizukage. Facing an Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, an enemy an entire dimension above the current ninja world's level, it was impossible for her not to feel fear.
Yet, as her life seemed on the verge of ending, a strange thought surfaced in her mind against all reason.
"So… this is the end? Oh no… I haven't even gotten married yet…"
Isshiki had already prepared to activate the dōjutsu of his left eye, Sukunahikona—just as he had done to Jigen centuries ago. First, he would shrink his body, enter the host through the ear, and then wait patiently for the perfect moment to complete his reincarnation.
He charged once more toward Terumī Mei, who had lost all ability to resist and was like a lamb awaiting slaughter.
But just as his dōjutsu was activated—
Carl's figure abruptly appeared in front of Terumī Mei. He raised his hand and delivered a single slap, swatting the shrunken Isshiki away as if he were nothing more than a fly.
Terumī Mei stared blankly up at the tall man who had suddenly appeared before her, momentarily believing she had already died and that this was a fantasy world conjured after death.
Could it be that the afterlife fulfilled one's final wishes—like granting her, at this very moment, such a handsome man?
Only when she saw Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, who had been sent flying by that slap and restored to his original size, did Terumī Mei realize she wasn't dead. The unfamiliar man before her had just saved her.
From his attire and facial features, Carl also recognized Terumī Mei's identity. However, he had no time to deal with her right now. Turning his head toward Isshiki, whose expression was dark not far away, he said calmly,
"Still want to keep living as a parasite? I won't give you that chance."
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+85 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg