Konoha's Mission Master

At the same time, he secretly guarded against the blood-red crystal, continuously compressing the remaining energy torrent in an attempt to completely destroy it.

Suddenly, the center of the crimson crystal energy surge began to shake up and down.

A few drops of crimson energy were squeezed out, dancing around the blood-red crystal. It was pure ethereal energy, so pure that it even instilled fear in Yakumo. This was definitely not the kind of energy that Kushina Uzumaki could control.

Yakumo instantly realized that this crimson crystal was a gift bestowed by that sovereign.

Swah...

Blood flames burned, enveloping the crimson crystal, instantly increasing its speed. Under the influence of the blood flames, the crimson crystal slowly pierced through the torrent of energy.

Yakumo plunged the Demon-Slaying Blade into the energy storm, causing it to spin rapidly. Energy torrents from other directions were channeled into the blade's interior, quickly compressing it... The silver blade was gradually tinged with an ominous gray.

Finally, the crimson crystal broke through successfully and accelerated directly toward the Ten-Tails. Its speed had already exceeded the speed of sound, but it did not cause an explosion, leaving only a series of crimson afterimages.

Swish.

Yakumo used teleportation to catch up with the crimson crystal, directly predicting its movement trajectory.

A hundred slashes were delivered in a flash, but the effect was very limited. Although the speed of the crimson crystal slowed down, it was still flying towards the Ten-Tails. At the same time, the damaged Ten-Tails also repelled the others and quickly moved closer to the crimson crystal.

"We can't let them make contact, stop them!" Yakumo transmitted his voice to the others, estimating that if the two made contact, Kushina Uzumaki could use the Ten-Tails' energy to reassemble her body, and then all his previous efforts would be in vain.

Swish.

Yakumo flashed continuously, constantly drawing his sword and slashing at the blood-red crystal.

"Faster, faster, faster!" Yakumo couldn't help but feel a little impatient.

"One life to clear the game!"

Swish, swish, swish...

The others were also desperately trying to hold off the Ten-Tails and delay the time for the two to meet.

As Yakumo watched the crimson crystal disappear from his sight, he continued to activate his teleportation ability. However, this time he felt significant pressure as he moved. The prolonged battle and continuous teleportation had already taken a toll on his body.

'No, I can't stop, I absolutely can't, I can't...'

At this moment, his eyes were bloodshot, his bones were cracking as if they were about to break, most of his internal organs were nearing their limit, and his legs and arms felt as heavy as lead.

"Don't stop, don't stop, don't stop!"

"I can't have a limit, at the very least... I can't fall down now!"

Yakumo manipulated the power of space and moved again, his muscles aching even more. At the same time, he appeared in front of the blood-red crystal and slashed down with his gray blade once more.

This time, he only managed eighty strikes in a single breath; his speed was indeed slowing down...

'I'm a gaming genius; I won't lose to the boss.'

At the very least... we can't afford to lose yet.

With a whoosh, Yakumo moved again, numbly swinging his sword, seventy strikes per second.

Sweat dripped down his cheeks, and the blade slowed down even more.

With a flash of light and shadow, Yakumo followed again. At this moment, the blood-red crystal was only a hundred meters away from the Ten-Tails!

Yakumo had no time to think. This time, he appeared directly in front of the crimson crystal, his eyes fixed on his target with unwavering determination. His body and soul would be the barrier that blocked the crimson crystal.

Energy surged from an unknown source, and with a casual swing of his sword, a burst of bright golden light erupted.

"Breaking Army Mode: Ultimate - Guardian!"

The golden barrier, like molten lava, even suppressed the flames on the surface of the crimson crystal.

The demon-subduing creature suddenly descended, striking precisely the surface of the blood-red crystal.

Ding!

The two collided with an incredibly crisp sound.

As Yakumo felt the power surging from the crimson crystal, he couldn't help but spit out blood again.

"Push harder, there's still time!" Yakumo gritted his teeth and squeezed his body without any skill. The blade actually slowed down the high-speed flying blood crystal.

"Yes, you can! You definitely can!"

However, the next second, the blood-red crystal squeezed out another drop of crimson blood.

The blood flames burned fiercely, accelerating once more.

Click, click.

Yakumo's wrist was snapped by the sudden burst of immense force, and even Fuma was knocked away.

call out!

The crimson crystal accelerated, piercing directly through Yakumo's right chest and flying towards the Ten-Tails not far away.

"Cough cough."

Yakumo was injured again and spat out a mouthful of blood. He immediately turned around and looked at the blood-red crystal.

"It's too late...there's no chance anymore."

Even now, Yakumo still hasn't given up and directly communicates with the power of space once again.

But he failed; the space did not respond to Yakumo, and he lost his teleportation ability.

He could only watch helplessly as the crimson crystal flew toward the Ten-Tails. He immediately released the seal on his wrist, and a steady stream of energy flowed back into his body, preparing him for the upcoming battle.

The energy sealed at the wrist takes about fifteen seconds to recover half of its original value.

As his energy replenished, the wounds on his chest and inside his body began to heal slowly, but the depletion of his soul and willpower could not be compensated for. At this point, Yakumo could only be considered to have recovered some of his combat strength.

"Unfortunately... it's too late." Yakumo sighed softly, somewhat unwilling.

After days of planning, it all came to nothing.

However, Reiko Aoyama suddenly appeared between the crimson crystal and the Ten-Tails, and the surrounding air, aided by the Ring of the Sky Emperor, compressed and coalesced to form a barrier.

Her face was very resolute, and there seemed to be a glimmer in her eyes.

As time went on, the speed at which the crimson crystal moved actually began to slow down.

Despite Yakumo's repeated attempts to stop it, the energy within the crimson crystal was nearly exhausted.

"Go for it, sister!" Yakumo gripped Fuma and moved swiftly, chasing after the blood-red afterimage.

It's as if they're chasing after an unattainable phantom.

Yakumo knew that the crimson crystal was also nearing its limit and had not yet been replenished. As long as he could get close again and deliver a few more consecutive slashes, he could defeat Kushina Uzumaki.

Yakumo's eyes lit up slightly; this was an opportunity.

The crimson crystal suddenly squeezed out a drop of crimson blood. Pure ethereal energy provided power for the crimson crystal, which accelerated again... breaking free of the thick air wall.

Reiko Aoyama stared at the blood-red crystal, her expression unchanged, looking extremely serious. Memories of Yakumo flashed before her eyes, from their first meeting to the present.

Memories flashed back, and the conviction in my heart grew stronger.

The next second, the air was like a blade, slicing through Reiko Aoyama's fair skin.

Blood mixed with the air, along with ethereal energy. The silver Void Emperor's Ring was stained with a layer of blood, and the originally nearly transparent air wall was also stained with a layer of blood.

Meanwhile, more blood continued to gush from the wound in his palm.

The air wall gradually closed, forming a blood cocoon that enveloped the crimson crystal.

At this moment, the blood cocoon seemed to become the center of heaven and earth. The resistance of the Ten-Tails in the distance became less intense, as if it had resigned itself to its fate and allowed Mori Masako and Yukotsu Chiyuki to attack it.

Above the sky, a pair of blood-red eyes coldly gazed at the blood cocoon below.

Yakumo's smile gradually disappeared as he instinctively sensed something was wrong, because Aoyama Reiko's bleeding was far too excessive.

"I offer my blood, flesh, and soul as a sacrifice in exchange for supreme power."

The Ring of the Void Emperor detached from Aoyama Reiko's finger and continued to expand. The patterns on the surface of the ring began to grow rapidly, and three pure white gemstones emerged. When it flew to the top of Aoyama Reiko's head, it had transformed into an incomparably magnificent crown.

It flickers slightly, like it's breathing.

The next second, Aoyama Reiko shattered like a broken balloon, her bright red blood and pale bone fragments all merging into the blood cocoon in front of her until no trace remained.

With a whoosh, Yakumo appeared beside the Blood Cocoon, gazing at the Ring of the Void Emperor, unable to conceal his sorrow.

But he remained calm and analytical.

Thanks to his enhanced hearing, he clearly heard the eulogy spoken by Aoyama Reiko.

This is a sacrifice; the cause of the current upheaval lies in the Ring of the Void Emperor.

"Why didn't I know that the Ring of the Void Emperor could trigger a sacrifice?"

Yakumo immediately realized that he had been tricked; it was the system, and Runyu, who had deceived him.

A powerful rationality suppressed his anger and controlled his grief; Yakumo still held onto a sliver of hope.

The surface of the blood cocoon was flowing with blood and terrifying air currents, like thousands of butcher knives, the sounds of cutting and colliding intertwined, like a chaotic yet stirring funeral dirge in Yakumo's ears.

Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding!!

The countless sounds of collision pierced Yakumo's heart like nails.

Yakumo made no move, simply gazing silently at the blood cocoon, as if fighting alongside her.

His eyes gradually became vacant, as if he were staring blankly, or perhaps reminiscing.

In reality, it was a sorrow that reason could not fully control, flowing out in streams, seeping into the heart, and becoming incredibly bitter.

Everything around them became blurry, leaving only the increasingly eerie light emanating from the blood cocoon.

Finally, after three minutes, the blood cocoon thinned and quickly disappeared.

The land surrounding the blood cocoon had been completely turned into sand, as if all its energy had been drained.

The surrounding world became incredibly quiet, without even the sound of wind from any gas movement.

Staying in place...

Only a blood-red key remained floating in mid-air; that gentle figure was nowhere to be found.

The world will never find Reiko Aoyama again.

In the distance, the Ten-Tails also began to dissipate, and the blood-red light spots slowly merged into the void.

Yakumo stepped forward and grasped the blood-red key.