"Finally… it's my turn for the grand entrance, right?"
Outside the battlefield, Madara cracked his knuckles eagerly. Watching Kakuzu's Bijuu Knight form struggling against the red monster, he could hardly contain his excitent. This was his chance to make a dazzling appearance.
This small town lay within the Land of Fire. As one of Konoha's leaders, Madara felt it was his duty to deal with such a monster harming the people.
"Step. Step. Step…"
But just as he was about to stride in, space rippled before Kakuzu and the others. A deep black void split open, and out stepped a figure clad in red, blue, and gold armor, echoing footsteps punctuating the silence.
"…You've got to be kidding ."
Madara's teeth nearly cracked from clenching. His fists trembled white-knuckled, veins bulging across his forehead.
All he wanted was to show off a little—but no, one interrupter after another. Couldn't anyone respect the proper order of dramatic entrances?
It should have been him first!
"Let's see who dares steal my mont."
Madara's Sharingan flared, his senses extending toward the rabbit-headed knight. He expected to feel the chakra of so Bijuu. Instead—nothing.
"…No Bijuu chakra? What is this guy?"
His frown deepened. His Sharingan peered harder—but all he saw was darkness. A bottomless void. Not human, not beast. Sothing else entirely.
For the first ti in years, Madara's confidence wavered. Even with Hashirama, his eternal rival, he could still sense limits. This man? Nothing.
"Could this be… the 'Decade Rider' cousin spoke of?"
He rembered whispers from his elder cousin's report years ago, about a mysterious Rider whose re presence crushed the will of all present.
On the battlefield, Kakuzu froze when he heard that familiar voice. Sweat dripped beneath his mask, his big face pale. His throat clicked as he forced out words, almost deferential:
"D-De… Decade Rider… I-I'm just making a living, didn't do anything else!"
"Ya-re ya-re… you sound nervous."
Kakuzu trembled. He rembered well the Rider Code, laid down years ago under the shadow of this very man. Never misuse Rider power for invasion. Never betray the code. And here he was, caught in the middle of chaos.
Gin tilted his head, curious. In his mory, Kakuzu was the kind who'd sell teammates without blinking. Yet here, he hadn't abandoned anyone. Hm… maybe soone had leverage over him?
"No! I've always been upright! Clear conscience! Please, Decade Rider, believe !"
Gin's crimson compound eyes glimred with strange light. Kakuzu shivered—he felt stripped bare, every secret in his heart laid open.
"Truly nothing?"
"I-I shouldn't have… taken kids' New Year money…"
Under the crushing pressure, Kakuzu cracked instantly, spilling his sins.
"You dare?!"
Gin's gaze hardened. Stealing from his nephew? That crossed the line.
"I was wrong! Here—take it all back!"
With trembling hands, Kakuzu pulled out a scroll stuffed with gold bricks. His heart bled as he handed it over.
"Hmph. If I catch you robbing again, it won't end with just confiscation."
Kakuzu bowed frantically, stomach churning. Refunds might co late, but they never failed to arrive.
With the gold reclaid, Gin turned his eyes toward the battered youth nearby.
"This one's your partner?"
Kakuzu swallowed hard. "…Temporary hire."
Gin crouched, studying the pale, bleeding youth. His chakra was fading rapidly—he wouldn't last long.
"…This guy's almost dead. Will you even get paid?"
"W-what?! My thirty-five million!!"
Kakuzu nearly scread. His contract demanded the target alive. Dead ant worthless. His bounty was vanishing before his eyes.
Gin sighed. "…Fine. Since you've behaved today, I'll give you a hand."
He pressed a palm to Kamibi's head, flooding his ruined body with vivid green chakra.
"AHHHH!"
Kamibi's scream tore the night, but wounds began to knit, flesh flushing back to life. His breath steadied, eyes regaining focus.
"…You… are?"
He blinked upward at the knight above him.
Gin smirked. At last. His mont.
"Hmph. I am but a passing Kan Ri—"
"GYAAAHHH!!"
The scarlet demon screeched, diving with claws poised to rip Gin apart, interrupting his glorious line.
"Tch…"
Gin's eyes narrowed. His rare joy shattered.
The beast's claws flashed—then suddenly, a vast hand materialized from nowhere.
SLAP!
The monster's head snapped sideways, sent flying like a ragdoll.
Everyone froze.
"W-was that… on purpose?" Kakuzu asked, stunned.
Gin shot him a flat look. "Maybe. Maybe not."
The red demon staggered upright, green eyes flickering dangerously.
"Jinako!!"
Rejuvenated, Kamibi staggered forward, calling desperately. Inside the monster, sothing stirred. For a mont, the girl's true voice quivered out.
"Kamibi…?"
She blinked, her pale face visible through the cracking carapace.
"Jinako!" Kamibi sobbed, rushing closer. Months of separation, endless tornt—finally, she was there again.
"Kamibi, I…"
Her smile was soft, pure. Kamibi lted, reaching to touch her face.
"I'll give you anything you want!"
"…I just want you."
She leaned in sweetly. He lost all guard, drowning in bliss.
Gin tilted his head, bored. His malicious-sense scread louder than ever. If this was a script, then Kamibi's death flag was waving high.
And indeed—while Kamibi's eyes were dreamy, claws twitched upward, ready to pierce his heart.
"Fools…"
The demon smirked inwardly, already tasting his despair.
SLAP!
But before it struck, Gin's hand intercepted again, cracking across her face. A bright red mark blood on her pale cheek.
"You—what are you doing?!" Kamibi roared in shock.
"You dare!" the demon howled in fury.
Gin ignored them both, tossing Kamibi aside like trash.
"I'm starting to regret saving you, brat."
He pinned the monster's claw beneath his grip, staring down at her with glowing crimson eyes.
"You were one step from breaking free…"
This ti, the girl's mouth twisted, a man's hoarse voice seething out:
"You ddling pest! Do you know who I am? I am Go, sealed in the Box of Bliss!"
Gin snorted. "…So it was you."
"Human! Kneel before ! Submit, and I'll give you your dreams!"
"Dreams, huh? Sorry. I already live my dream life as a salted fish."
Go's eyes narrowed, malice seeping outward.
"Then die!"
The girl's skin hardened once more, body warping, swelling. Wings sprouted, claws thickened. The monster shed its humanoid shell, dropping onto all fours, a crimson beast snarling, malice rolling like a storm.
"GYAAA!!"
It blurred, faster than before, charging Gin with impossible speed.
"Decade Rider—look out!" Kakuzu shouted, freezing before throwing his blade.
But Gin only smirked.
"…Perfect. This thing will make a fine card."
The beast's claw struck down. Gin lifted his hand—
Snap.
And the ground beneath Go split into a black maw, swallowing him whole.
"…Wha—?!"
The monster blinked, stunned. It spun wildly, searching for Gin.
anwhile, Kamibi slumped against rubble, despair hollowing his eyes.
"Jinako… is gone."
"Oi, brat."
A voice cut in. Gin stood over him, calm and unreadable.
"…Any thoughts?"
"…It's all my fault. I let her… I let her eat people. If I hadn't, this monster—none of this…"
Gin's eyes glead. "…So you still have a card to play."
"…Yes. One last jutsu. My forbidden art."
He pulled off his tattered shirt, revealing black chain-like markings etched deep into his skin.
"Tengoku no Rou (Heavenly Prison). A jutsu I carved into my own body… One that can kill her."
(End of Chapter)
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