Well, this took a turn.
Just moments ago, Shion was thinking that Uchiha Hikari didn't seem like a villain.
But now, Hikari had expressionlessly, mercilessly, and torturously burned three enemies alive with black flames that clearly weren't in the "Hero's Handbook."
Hikari noticed the change in Shion's gaze—fear and judgment.
Normally, Hikari wouldn't give a damn about Shion's opinion.
However, to make Makoto's mission proceed more smoothly, and to practice her "Social Skills" (which were currently at Level 1), Hikari decided to improvise.
She activated her Mangekyo again.
"Kagutsuchi."
Kagutsuchi cannot control ordinary fire, but by blending her chakra into Amaterasu, she can shape the black flames at will.
Hikari used a Phoenix Fire Technique, sending numerous small fireballs raining down onto the screaming, burning men.
These small fireballs didn't cause damage.
Because the black flames of Amaterasu now acted as a container.
The fireballs merged into the black flames, and under Hikari's control, they compressed, swirled, and...
BANG!
The three burning men were lifted into the air and exploded into dazzling fireworks!
Red, black, and orange sparks scattered across the sky in beautiful flower patterns.
(Deidara would be jealous).
"Wow..."
Shion watched the beautiful fireworks in the sky, her eyes wide open, mouth agape.
In the backward Land of Demons, she had only seen her biological mother ascend to heaven—this was her first time seeing Human Fireworks ascend to heaven!
As for Shion's previous moral outrage?
She immediately ignored the "those were people screaming in agony" part and began appreciating the light show instead.
Lesson learned: Shion is still a child.
And children are sociopaths.
One moment they cry and beg you not to kill the cute bunny; the next moment, they are happily devouring a chicken leg.
This story teaches us one thing: Morality is optional as long as your moves look cool.
...
Makoto's group arrived before the massive stone gate sealing Moryo, which was covered in hundreds of paper tags.
Anyone unaware might think it contained a world-ending calamity.
"What do we do now?"
FWOOSH.
With a mere glance from Uchiha Hikari, Amaterasu incinerated all the tags on the gate in a split second.
The damage efficiency of Amaterasu is actually quite inconsistent.
It instantly burned through the incredibly durable Toad Stomach.
Yet it took five minutes to burn through Sasuke's curse-mark wings.
When Sasuke burned a Tailed Beast Cloak, the cloak was simply shed.
But against paper? It's super effective.
"Honored Guests!"
Thud.
A figure leaped down from the cliff, landing behind Makoto and the others, and immediately performed a dramatic sliding kneel.
This person was the leader of the earlier attackers, the main antagonist of this movie—Yomi.
In the original story, Yomi was quite peculiar.
Moryo had been sealed for decades, yet he never considered helping to break the seal earlier.
When the plot reached its critical moment, he went to the shrine and declared, "I observed the stars tonight—now is the time."
Good grief, he even came with Astrology skills!
In any case, when Yomi saw Makoto's group arriving with the Priestess, he assumed they were enemies and sent three subordinates to attack.
They were instantly turned into fireworks instead.
Yomi didn't dare show himself, hiding in the background to observe.
Only after he saw Hikari burn the seal did he realize: 'Wait, they want to unseal Moryo too? Are they... my new best friends?'
So he made his dramatic entrance.
"Honored Guests! My Dark Medical Ninjutsu can retrieve Lord Moryo's soul safely! Please allow me to proceed!"
Yomi didn't know who these people were, but his goal was singular: liberate Moryo, let Moryo possess him, and conquer the world!
Yomi's sudden appearance frightened Shion, who hid behind Makoto's legs.
"Let him do it?" Hikari looked at Makoto, seeking his opinion.
"Let him. He's kindly offering to do the manual labor, how can we refuse such goodwill?" Makoto smiled faintly.
The group stepped back a few paces, giving Yomi the stage.
"..."
Yomi was somewhat bewildered.
He had been mentally preparing various arguments.
Such as swearing loyalty, or fabricating some tragic backstory to gain their trust.
But they agreed directly?
Are they stupid?
They killed his men instantly, but now they trust him?
'Whatever, a win is a win.'
Yomi suppressed his excitement and began the ritual.
Finally, he took out a pair of surgical scalpels, cut open his own chest, allowed the dark purple chakra of Moryo to enter his body, and then quickly sutured the wound shut with chakra threads.
"Is this Dark Medical Ninjutsu?"
Tsunade, the literal God of Medicine, crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Where's the 'Dark' part? That's just a sloppy self-surgery technique. I've seen Genin stitch better than that."
"He just stuffed a ghost inside his chest cavity."
"Hehehe... KAHAHAHAHA!"
After completing the fusion with Moryo, Yomi felt the power surging.
He threw his head back and began a signature villainous laugh.
Slap.
Makoto stepped forward and backhanded him across the face.
"Shut the fuck up. What are you laughing at? Why aren't you moving yet?"
"..."
Yomi's laugh died in his throat.
He touched his stinging cheek, his eyes twitching.
"Honored Guests... since you serve Lord Moryo, why not eliminate the Priestess who poses the greatest threat to him first?"
Yomi smirked sinisterly at the group, trying to regain control of the situation.
His gaze finally settled on Shion standing behind Makoto.
"If you won't do it... I will!"
"Tch. What a nuisance."
Makoto turned around and covered Shion's eyes with his hand.
"Don't look, kid."
Crunch.
Kurotsuchi stomped on the ground, using Earth Release to form a sharp stone blade, and tossed it to Hikari.
Fwoosh.
Hikari used Kagutsuchi to coat the stone blade with black flames.
Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash.
With four swift strikes, she severed Yomi's arms and legs, reducing him to a Human Stick in less than a second.
"GAAAAHHH!"
Yomi screamed as he fell to the ground.... as a torso with a head.
"Ugh, so messy."
Tsunade stepped forward.
Her hands glowed green with Medical Ninjutsu.
She touched the four stumps and instantly cauterized the wounds, stopping the bleeding to prevent him from dying of shock.
Then, she opened an empty luggage bag she had been carrying.
She picked up the screaming torso of Yomi and stuffed him inside.
She zipped it shut.
All in one fluid motion!
"If you ask me, this is what you call Dark Medical Ninjutsu. Dark enough for you? Huh?"
Tsunade closed the luggage and stomped on it once to make it fit.
Yomi was utterly bewildered.
'What kind of psychopaths are these people?!'
How could they suddenly attack and turn him into a nugget without any warning speech?!
They didn't even give him a chance to use his new power!
"Secure the package."
Kurotsuchi used Earth Release again to encase the luggage in rock, forming it into a perfect sphere.
To prevent this guy from rolling away or biting people.
Like a Chibaku Tensei: Lite Edition!
---------
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator