**Chapter 68: Died, But Not Completely Dead**
Roshi was not actually a Perfect Jinchuriki and could not perfectly control the Four-Tails' power.
Injecting a large amount of Lava Release power into the Underground Volcano had already caused him immense exhaustion, so much so that visible sweat trickled down his forehead.
"That Four-Tails guy is starting to get restless, sensing my weakness and trying to take control of my body."
Roshi felt the surging restlessness within his body and was under immense pressure. He was simultaneously stimulating the Ley Lines, dealing with a powerful opponent like Kato Dan, and guarding against a Four-Tails rampage.
Even a slight misstep would lead to complete collapse.
But for now, it seems this gamble is worth it. This battle destroyed an entire unit of the Hidden Leaf Village, and it will surely deal a heavy blow to Konoha's military strength and morale.
It would have been even better if Kato Dan hadn't sacrificed himself to stop them; perhaps he could have annihilated two thousand Konoha ninja in the Land of Hot Water.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh! As the Lava Release: Scorching Stream Rock Technique was unleashed, fiery Lava Spheres suddenly flew out, tracing scorching arcs through the air, adding fuel to the already hot and humid environment.
Roshi wasn't using this technique to attack Kato Dan's Spirit Body, but rather to directly attack Kato Dan's physical body!
If the body dies, the Spirit Body will naturally die too!
Kato Dan's Spirit Body swiftly weaved through the rain of lava and fire, his translucent form blurred and distorted by the scorching airflow.
He glimpsed his physical body beneath the trajectory of the lava projectiles, then turned his head to see Roshi's cold face.
"With this, the battle ends. Among Konoha's forces, you are the most difficult to deal with. Killing you is the greatest gain from this operation."
Roshi slammed his palms to the ground, and Four-Tails Chakra erupted skyward like a volcanic geyser, ready to counter Kato Dan's Spirit Body invasion.
Kato Dan's Spirit Body suddenly accelerated, reaching Roshi before the Lava Spheres could strike his body.
"Come on!" Roshi roared.
As the lava-covered fist, enveloped in a Tailed Beast shroud, slammed down, in that split second, Kato Dan's Spirit Body transformed into a streak of light and surged into Roshi's forehead, initiating the most brutal battle of Souls.
The Spirit Transformation Secret Technique was like a superior form of the Mind Transfer Jutsu.
The standard Mind Transfer Jutsu involves transferring one's own Consciousness into an opponent's body, suppressing their Consciousness, and thereby controlling their body.
The Spirit Transformation Secret Technique, however, directly sends one's Soul out of their body, allowing them to possess and control an enemy's actions, or even eradicate the enemy's Consciousness.
As the two Souls clashed within Roshi's body, it wasn't just a battle of Chakra quantity, but a confrontation of Yin Release Mental Energy. In that instant, countless thoughts fiercely collided, and both their Consciousnesses experienced a brief moment of disorientation.
"I failed..."
Within Roshi's Mindscape, Kato Dan let out a deep sigh.
Failing to immediately severely wound or even kill Roshi's Consciousness meant he had failed, because his body would be destroyed by the Scorching Stream Rock Technique.
"However, even without considering my body being attacked, I probably had no chance of victory. I can't deal with two enemies at once."
Kato Dan sensed the Four-Tails' will. Although he could tell that the Four-Tails held no affection for Roshi and was even covetously eyeing him, wishing for Roshi's fate to be even more miserable, this didn't mean the Four-Tails would side with Kato Dan.
If the Jinchuriki dies, the Tailed Beast inside them will die too.
Boom! A Lava Sphere had already slammed into Kato Dan's body. The terrifying impact force and high temperature instantly annihilated a part of Kato Dan's body.
The shattered body was flung high like a broken kite, then plummeted towards the ground.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Roshi stumbled to his knees, his Lava Armor and Four-Tails Chakra fiercely clashing against the attack originating from his Soul.
A muffled rumble echoed from deep underground. The excessive injection of Lava Release Chakra had finally triggered a backlash from the Ley Lines, and sulfurous poisonous mist spewed from the cracks in the ground, dragging the battlefield into an even worse situation.
Earthquakes, volcanoes, lava, poisonous gas—it was as if all the most treacherous elements had converged here.
"It's over, Konoha's Kato Dan, I win!"
Roshi's head throbbed, and he let out pained roars, his face contorted in a grimace as he said, "Your body is already dead. How much longer can your Soul endure inside my body?!"
"Not too long. The remaining oxygen in my body can probably give me a few tens of seconds, but that's enough! Turning you into a vegetable is also a victory!" Kato Dan grew increasingly wild—for a man usually so refined, this was his first fit of madness, and if nothing unexpected happened, it would also be his last.
"My apologies, Tsunade, and my comrades. This is where I reach my limit. But before I die, I can buy more time for you all."
If he could cripple Roshi's Spirit and force him to withdraw from the War, it would undoubtedly be a crucial aid to the Village.
Kato Dan tried to uphold the Will of Fire with his last ounce of strength, enduring the instinctive pressure on his Soul—he had used the Spirit Transformation Secret Technique too many times; even if his body hadn't been attacked, his Spirit Body should have been forced back to his Main Body by now.
"Huh?" Suddenly, Kato Dan's Spirit Body thought it had seen wrong.
Numerous figures were rapidly approaching! Just then, beneath the shattered body that was about to fall into the Lava, a figure suddenly appeared, propping itself up on the lava and catching Kato Dan's remnants.
In a flash, this Zombie forcefully flung Kato Dan's body away, then plunged into the Lava itself, dissolving.
Another figure had already leaped over, catching it mid-air. In an instant, they completed Hand Kaedegns with one hand.
"Corpse Shift: Void World Jutsu!"
Tsukasa Kaede, carrying Kato Dan's remnants, completed a Space-Time swap with a Zombie located in a safe area, his clothes only ceasing their gentle sway as his stance stabilized.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Although the situation was critical, Tsukasa Kaede had pushed himself to the limit, at the very least recovering Kato Dan's main body parts.
As for the missing ones...
"How tragic. Most of his chest and back are just gone."
Tsukasa Kaede glanced down, sighing. Such injuries would normally be fatal; Medical Ninjutsu couldn't save him.
"Lord Kato Dan, it's not time to give up yet. Your Spirit Body needs to return to your Main Body." Tsukasa Kaede looked at Roshi, who was struggling painfully atop a massive lava rock.
He immediately assessed the current situation. Although he arrived a bit late, it wasn't the worst possible moment.
"No, you shouldn't have come. If I used my last strength to attack the enemy, I might have been able to—" Kato Dan's Spirit Body was nearing its limit, detaching from Roshi's body and instinctively moving towards his physical body's location.
With each passing second, the already dim Spirit Body grew even darker, like a rapidly desiccating sponge.
"Don't worry about the enemy. We are not so weak that you need to bear all the pressure alone."
Tsukasa Kaede lifted the remnants of the body, receiving Kato Dan's returning Spirit Body.
(end of chapter)