CHAPTER 34— "THE SHADOW AWAKENS"
Ashura collapsed — body limp, purple flame snuffed.
Right eye glowed violet — unblinking, empty.
Temari rushed forward, hands glowing with Wind Mend.
Temari:
"Ashura! Stay with me!"
Shoto stood guard, voice cracking.
Shoto:
"He's… not moving…"
Kagemaru tilted his head, smile razor-thin.
Kagemaru:
"Fascinating.
The 深淵の影の遺物 stirs…
But the vessel is asleep."
He stepped closer — mist coiling like serpents.
Kagemaru:
"Let's wake it properly."
Mist surged — colossal serpent, towering, purple flame dripping from fangs.
Kagemaru:
"Crush him."
**Serpent CRASHED DOWN — stone exploded, dust swallowed everything.
Temari screamed:
"ASHURA!!!"
Shoto shielded his eyes — debris flying.
Silence.
Kagemaru smiled wider.
Kagemaru:
"Pathetic."
**Purple aura EXPLODED — above Kagemaru.
Ashura hovered — body limp, head lolling, right eye OPEN WIDE.
Shadow tattoos crawled from left hand → right eye — veins of void.
Left eye closed — Ashura unconscious.
Right eye IGNITED — violet abyss, no pupil, no emotion.
**Purple aura swirled — shadow wings, flames coiling like divine judgment.
Ashura (relic influenced distorted voice, cold, superior):
" Don't get cocky. Know your place… inferior creature."
Kagemaru looked up — smile frozen.
Ashura (distorted voice, cold, superior):
"影術・影界."
(Eijutsu: Kagekai.)
Shadow Domain erupted — black dome swallowed the shrine, purple flame rained in perfect silence.
Ashura hovered higher — **purple aura pulsing, shadow wings spread wide.
Ashura (relic influenced distorted voice, cold, superior):
(voice, flat, superior):
"You dare strike this vessel?
You gravel beneath me."
"影術・黒曜槍."
(Eijutsu: Kokuyōsō.)
Obsidian Spears materialized — hundreds, shadow-forged, tipped with purple flame.
Launched from above — no sound, no wind, just death.
Kagemaru dodged — mist body flickering, smile gone.
Kagemaru:
"Impossible—"
"影術・瞬影."
(Eijutsu: Shungei.)
Ashura teleported — above Kagemaru, shadow claw descending.
Kagemaru blocked with mist shield — shattered instantly.
Ashura (relic influenced distorted voice, cold, superior):
"Futile.
Burn."
**Purple flame EXPLODED — engulfed Kagemaru, burned through mist.
Kagemaru screamed — mist body reforming slower.
Kagemaru raised both hands.
Mist cage formed — compressed, squeezed the Shadow Domain.
Kagemaru:
"Enough.
You'll kill your allies at this rate."
**Purple flame rained toward Temari and Shoto — uncontrolled, silent.
Temari threw up wind shield — shattered instantly.
Temari:
"ASHURA, STOP!"
**Relic paused — **right eye turned to her — no recognition.
Ashura (relic influenced distorted voice, cold, superior):
"…Irrelevant.
Acceptable losses."
Kagemaru snapped.
Mist chains wrapped Ashura — forced him to ground.
Kagemaru:
"Sleep.
Grow.
I want the true god next time."
**Shadow Domain collapsed — **purple flame extinguished — silent.
Ashura fell — unconscious, right eye closed.
Kagemaru tossed the scroll to Temari.
Kagemaru:
"Take it.
Let him ripen in despair."
Shrine rumbled violently — ceiling collapsing, walls cracking.
Temari grabbed Ashura — Shoto supported his other side.
Temari:
"We have to GO!"
They bolted — do
dging falling stone, purple flame embers still burning.
Kagemaru watched, smile returning.
Kagemaru (thinking):
Danzi will be pleased…
indeed
Kagemaru fades into the mist