บท 37: Chapter 37 - The end...?

"Alright, big guy," Wang Zi muttered, flexing his fingers as he eyed the black goo monstrosity lumbering toward him.

The Rinnegan in his eyes gleamed ominously, their intricate rings reflecting the faint glow of the soul orb still hovering mid-air. He had pieced it together: the shadowy figures above weren't just spectators, they were the ones sustaining this guardian.

"If I take you down without addressing your little masters up there," Wang Zi mused aloud, "you'll just keep coming back."

He glanced toward the chameleon, still cloaked and watching from the shadows. Alicia's faintly glowing soul orb was barely hanging on within the transparent tubes. If the black goo surged again, it could very well destroy her essence entirely.

"Change of plans," Wang Zi barked, his voice carrying a commanding tone. "Chameleon! Take her. Hide her. Now!"

The chameleon shimmered into view momentarily, its massive form dwarfing the drained soul orb. It opened its gaping maw and carefully "swallowed" the pod containing Alicia's essence, vanishing once more as it activated its stealth ability. Wang Zi's Rinnegan shared vision confirmed that the soul was secure, hidden far from harm's way.

"One less thing to worry about," Wang Zi muttered, a smirk playing on his lips. "Now, let's prep the stage."

"Shuradō." Wang Zi whispered.

Two additional arms erupted from his back, each equipped with missile launchers and mechanical cannons. His shoulders rotated as mechanical appendages extended, their barrels glowing with impending devastation.

"Time to stir the pot!" Wang Zi declared.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Missiles shot out in rapid succession, detonating against the walls and floor of the chamber. The explosions shook the pyramid, sending tremors rippling outward as chunks of stone and debris rained down from above. Smoke billowed in thick clouds, blanketing the battlefield and obscuring both the black goo giant and the shadowy figures above.

With the room plunged into disarray, Wang Zi focused inward, drawing upon the vast reserves of his newly-enhanced Rinnegan.

He took a deep breath, activating Sun Breathing. His chest expanded as he inhaled mana from the air around him, pulling it into himself.

A red aura began to shimmer around his body, intensifying with each breath he took. The flames of his Sun Breathing merged with the gravitational energy of the Rinnegan, creating an almost otherworldly blend of fiery red and deep, pulsating black.

Wang Zi slowly raised his hands, bringing them together in a focused motion. His palms hovered inches apart as he began to condense the immense energy needed for his upcoming move. His eyes closed as he concentrated, his face tightening with effort.

The mana around him surged wildly, swirling into a vortex centered on his hands. Loose stones, dust, and debris began to tremble and rise off the ground, caught in the gravitational field forming around him.

"Grrrhh…" Wang Zi grunted, his body trembling under the immense strain. The ground beneath his feet cracked and buckled, unable to withstand the gravity he was generating.

His hands shook violently as the energy coalesced into a small, dense black orb between his palms. The orb pulsated ominously, radiating power that made even the air feel heavier.

Sweat dripped down his face, mixing with blood trickling from his nose. His teeth clenched, and a low growl escaped his throat as he fought to maintain control over the volatile energy.

"Hrrmph!" he muttered through gritted teeth, his voice strained.

The environment responded to his growing power. The walls of the pyramid creaked and groaned, fissures snaking up their surfaces. Even the shadowy figures above seemed to pause their incessant whispering, their attention now fully on Wang Zi.

With a guttural roar, Wang Zi thrust the black orb into the air above him.

"CHIBAKU TENSEI!"

The orb shot upward, and the gravitational pull it generated exploded outward. The pyramid's insides were thrown into chaos as everything, stones, rubble, and even the goo itself, was violently ripped from the ground and drawn toward the orb.

The ground trembled as chunks of the pyramid's structure were torn away, spiraling into the growing satellite above.

"ROARRRR!"

The black goo giant let out a guttural roar as it was caught in the pull, its massive body being shredded piece by piece. Tendrils of goo clawed at the ground in a futile attempt to anchor themselves, but the pull was too strong. The monstrosity was ripped apart, its fragmented form spiraling upward to join the growing mass of debris.

The satellite grew larger and denser, a terrifying monument of destruction suspended above the battlefield. The gravitational field distorted the air, creating visible ripples that radiated outward.

"Uff, uff..."

Wang Zi fell to one knee, panting heavily as the strain of the technique took its toll on his body. Blood dripped steadily from his nose, and his hands trembled from overexertion.

The shadowy figures above were visibly startled, their whispering silenced for a moment. One of them tilted its head, as though scrutinizing Wang Zi with newfound curiosity.

"So... even the weak ones can wield such power," one whispered, though its voice was audible only to its companions.

The remnants of the pyramid's interior were unrecognizable. Walls had collapsed, pillars had crumbled, and the very ground was uneven and scarred from the gravitational upheaval. The black goo giant was gone, completely consumed by the Chibaku Tensei's pull.

Wang Zi finally stood, wiping the blood from his face with a shaky hand. His red aura still glowed faintly, the embers of his Sun Breathing technique flickering around him.

"Fuck! How did Nagato do it? I really need to get stronger..." he muttered, his lips curling into a tired grin. His eyes glanced upward at the satellite still floating ominously above.

He turned his gaze toward the shadowy figures, his Rinnegan gleaming menacingly.

"You're next."

The shadowy figures didn't respond directly, but the faintest murmur of their whispers resumed.

The figures didn't flinch, their whispers growing faintly louder as if mocking his declaration. Wang Zi's brows furrowed, his annoyance spurring him into action.

With a deep inhale of mana, he crouched and launched himself into the air, his bulky frame moving with surprising speed and agility.

His outstretched hand shot toward one of the shadowy figures, fingers reaching for what he assumed was its core. But as soon as his hand touched its indistinct form, it passed right through. The figure's featureless face seemed to smirk at him, its empty gaze meeting his Rinnegan head-on.

"Tsk." Wang Zi muttered, his frustration mounting as he flipped midair and propelled himself off the ceiling toward another figure.

"Ningendō!"

This time, he activated the Human Path of the Rinnegan, attempting to rip its soul from its body...

But nothing happened.

Wang Zi's eyes widened in shock, his first failure with Ningendō leaving him momentarily stunned.

The shadowy figure remained unscathed, its whispers continuing as though mocking his efforts.

"What the hell are you?" Wang Zi muttered under his breath, his mind racing.

He flipped back to the ground, landing with a force that sent a small shockwave rippling through the rubble.

As Wang Zi stood there, the whispers grew louder, almost jeering. The figures remained above, their forms seeming to shift and blur in ways that defied logic.

"Something from another plane of existence?" he speculated, his Rinnegan analyzing the strange movements of the figures.

"They're here, but not fully…"

A grin spread across his face, eerie and confident. He wiped the sweat and blood from his brow, looking up at the figures with renewed determination.

"If you're not in this plane," he whispered, "then I have just the thing for you."

Wang Zi crouched slightly, his Rinnegan focusing intensely as he whispered:

"Limbo: Border Jail."

Behind him, a shadow materialized, silent and foreboding. The air grew colder as the shadow shifted, its form vaguely resembling Wang Zi but darker, more primal.

The shadow moved without hesitation, shooting upward like a predator unleashed.

One of the figures turned to observe the shadow's approach, its whispers ceasing for a fraction of a second. The moment was enough for Wang Zi's Limbo shadow to strike, its hand skewering the figure's ethereal form.

Wang Zi's Limbo shadow struck with precision and force, its dark form phasing through the shadowy figure as if nothing could stop it. There was no sound from the figure at first - just an eerie stillness as the strike landed.

"KKKKKYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHH"

Then, with a sudden and almost deafening screech, the figure exploded into formless wisps of black mist, dissipating into the air like smoke snuffed out by a gale.

The other shadowy figures froze in place, their whispers abruptly silenced. Wang Zi's eyes narrowed as he looked up, his Rinnegan swirling with intent.

"So, you're not untouchable after all." he said with a low, dark chuckle.

For a moment, the remaining figures seemed to assess him, their indistinct forms rippling like shadows cast by flickering flames. Then, without warning, they vanished.

Their disappearance wasn't dramatic, no sound, no residual trace, but it was absolute. They seemed to melt into the pyramid's walls and floor, as if retreating to somewhere deep below.

Wang Zi's smile faltered for a moment as his eyes darted to the floor beneath him.

"Running away, huh?" he muttered, his voice tinged with suspicion.

"You're hiding something down there… and it's not just this pyramid."

He closed his eyes for a brief moment, steadying his breathing. There was a throbbing in his temples from the intense strain of the fight, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task ahead.

Wang Zi turned his attention back to the sealed black goo giant, now floating in the sky as a large, jagged sphere of debris held together by his Chibaku Tensei. With a sharp exhale, he raised one hand and unclasped his fingers, releasing the gravity holding the structure together.

"Release," he said, his voice firm.

The sphere trembled before the fragments began to fall, crashing back into the ground in an ear-shattering cascade of rubble and dust. As the debris cleared, Wang Zi's eyes widened. There, in the center of the chaos, was the true treasure of the room, a massive and brilliantly glowing soul core, pulsating with energy.

The orb radiated an otherworldly light, brighter than anything he had seen before, its surface shimmering like liquid starlight.

Wang Zi stepped forward slowly, his breath quickening as the energy from the core seemed to call out to him, beckoning him closer.

He reached out, his hand trembling slightly, not from fear, but from anticipation.

"Finally." He murmured.

As soon as his palm touched the orb's surface, a surge of energy shot through his body, making his entire frame shudder. Mana spiraled around him, drawn into a vortex centered on the core.

His Rinnegan began to glow even brighter, the usual purple hue shifting into a vibrant blueish tint as the energy from the orb merged with him.

The power was intoxicating. His senses sharpened, his control over the Rinnegan's paths became seamless, and the burdensome drain he usually felt from using its abilities seemed to lift almost entirely.

He clenched his fists, feeling the sheer strength coursing through him.

As the energy settled within him, he glanced at a nearby reflective shard of the shattered obelisk. His Rinnegan's usual rippling purple pattern now carried a faint blueish sheen, a testament to the immense power he had just absorbed.

"Hmm... blue huh. I was expecting maybe some magatama to show up... I guess I'll need to get a sharingan and fuse them together or something. The sharingan's illusions are handy, and so is Susanoo."

Wang Zi flexed his fingers experimentally, marveling at how light and responsive his body felt. Even his thoughts seemed clearer, sharper.

The Rinnegan had evolved, becoming something stronger once again.

"Very good. This should be enough to solve the problems of the Demon Slay-"

His thoughts were interrupted by a faint tremor beneath his feet. He stilled, his Rinnegan scanning the area.

Something was still below him, stirring.

"Hm? More treasures?"

Wang Zi surveyed the aftermath of the battle, the faint glow of dissipating souls fading like embers extinguished in the dark.

The oppressive mana that had once cloaked the pyramid seemed to have vanished along with the shadowy figures. The chamber, eerily silent now, felt almost like a tomb.

He glanced at the black marble floor beneath him, smooth and reflective yet completely unyielding. Wang Zi crouched, placing a hand on its surface, feeling no mana, no energy, just cold, lifeless stone.

His Rinnegan scanned for any hidden traces of power or pathways, but even its all-seeing gaze found nothing. The floor was just... there.

"Of course," he muttered, standing up and dusting off his hands.

"A mysterious ancient artifact and it doesn't even leave me a door. Typical."

Wang Zi frowned, his mind racing. His first thought was to brute-force his way through, something he excelled at now with his fully awakened Rinnegan. Stretching his hand forward, he summoned the Asura Path, his arm morphing into a sleek, cannon-like appendage.

With a flick of his wrist, he charged up an energy blast.

"BOOM!"

The shockwave reverberated through the chamber, shaking the walls, but as the smoke cleared, the black marble floor remained untouched, not a scratch marring its surface. Wang Zi's eyebrow twitched.

"Oh?" he muttered, his frustration bubbling up.

He activated the Deva Path, intending to use gravitational forces to tear the floor apart. But no matter how much pressure he applied, the floor didn't budge, remaining impervious and annoyingly pristine.

Wang Zi sighed heavily, dismissing the paths and folding his arms.

"Well, if brute force doesn't work, then I'll just… leave." He scratched his head, annoyed but with no choice.

"No point wasting my time. Besides, I've made plenty of gains here. A massive soul core absorbed, my Rinnegan powered up, and whatever those creepy shadow guys were, I've definitely got something interesting to report back."

As he turned to leave, his eyes flicked back to the unyielding floor one last time. There was something about it that felt wrong.

The absence of mana, the way even his most powerful attacks couldn't leave a mark, it all pointed to... Something.

"Fine," he said with a smirk, his tone light despite the annoyance.

"You win this round, creepy artifact."

Before exiting the pyramid, Wang Zi made a mental note to report his findings. The silent observers outside needed to know about the shadowy figures, the strange unbreakable floor, and whatever lay below.

"If this thing is tied to the Silent Ones, they better reward me for giving them intel. I'm not risking my neck for free." Wang Zi thought to himself.

"At least I got to flex a bit," he said, a smug grin on his face. "And hey, the chameleon got some action, too." As he approached the pyramid's entrance, Wang Zi let out a small chuckle.

With that, he blasted through the doorway, leaving the chamber behind, its secrets locked away... At least for now.