Like Muku before him, Ryuran's world shattered the moment he saw his village's elders join the slaughter.
Realizing the situation had spiraled out of control, he knew the only option left was to evacuate as many people as possible from the village.
Outside Grass Village…
After meeting with Ichiro Hirayama, the elder of the "Flower of Grass" faction, the Hidden Leaf team refrained from infiltrating Grass Village recklessly.
After all, the "Flower of Grass" faction's influence within Grass Village had been nearly eradicated. For outsiders like them to venture in risked alerting the enemy.
Instead, they chose to remain hidden outside the village, relying on the "Flower of Grass" faction to covertly gather intelligence.
Suddenly, a blazing inferno illuminated Grass Village in the distance!
The firelight was stark against the night sky, and Yakumo, on lookout duty, was the first to notice, quickly issuing a warning.
Hidden in the grove, Tsunade and Kakashi leapt to the treetops upon hearing the alert.
Grass Village was not only engulfed in flames but also filled with darting figures on the streets. The sounds of wails and screams could be faintly heard even from miles away.
Tsunade frowned. "What's going on?"
Yakumo, fully activating her Koryugan, grew increasingly grave. "Teacher, it seems a large-scale riot has broken out in Grass Village!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Before Yakumo could finish, a series of explosions echoed from Grass Village!
Clearly, some Grass shinobi had begun to fight back, employing various ninjutsu, ninja tools, and explosive tags.
In an instant, the once-quiet Grass Village transformed into a battlefield!
Kakashi said, "This is bad. Could the Akatsuki infiltrating Grass Village have sensed something and launched a coup preemptively?"
Shizune, slightly panicked, asked, "Lady Tsunade, what do we do now?"
Tsunade hesitated.
If they stood by and let Grass Village fall into the Akatsuki's hands, the subsequent encirclement would likely become a grueling battle. After all, Grass Village was the largest shinobi village outside the five great nations. If fully mobilized, it could muster thousands of shinobi.
But with the situation unclear and only two four-man teams at her disposal, rushing in might accomplish little and could cost them dearly.
Yakumo, who had been monitoring Grass Village, suddenly raised her voice. "Trouble! Someone's charging toward us!"
The group focused their attention and saw several dark figures speeding toward their grove, moving with ghostly swiftness.
"No, they're…"
Yakumo faltered, unsure how to explain to Tsunade what she saw through her Koryugan.
Her dojutsu not only granted clairvoyance but also insight into and control over blood. The blood within these demons was unnaturally vibrant.
"Retreat!"
Their hiding spot had been exposed so quickly, indicating the enemy was well-prepared. With no room for optimism, Tsunade issued the order without hesitation.
Selected for the reconnaissance team, these were Hidden Leaf's seasoned elites. If there was any weak link, it was likely Shinji, who had been forced into the team by the Advisory Council and could be considered a rookie. Thus, when Tsunade gave the command, the team swiftly shifted formation and began their retreat.
Among them, Shinji glanced at the demons rapidly closing in under the cover of night, his expression darkening.
This wasn't his first or second encounter with demons, so based on instinct and the polluted aura they carried, he knew these aggressive demons were no pushovers. Their demeanor suggested they were all on the cusp of Upper Moon-level strength.
A Lower Moon demon, gorged on blood and brimming with chakra, could match a jonin with its terrifying regeneration and eerie Blood Demon Arts. An Upper Moon, at peak condition and chakra-saturated, could overpower most jonin.
With seven or eight such demons charging toward them, even Shinji would find it challenging to handle them alone.
Moreover, the situation in Grass Village remained unclear, and his "Lamp" gave no warning, suggesting the mysterious "Lampbearer" from the Demon Slayer world might be nearby, using their senior authority to suppress the area and temporarily disable his "Lamp."
Without hesitation, Shinji glanced back once before retracting his gaze and following the team in their retreat.
Soon, under the cold moonlight, a chase erupted!
The demons' speed surpassed Tsunade and the others' expectations. The reconnaissance team hadn't retreated far from the grove before the demons caught up.
Combat broke out immediately.
Boom!
With a deafening roar that stung the ears, Tsunade, using her monstrous strength, sent a demon twice her size flying.
But in the blink of an eye, the demon twisted its neck and rose from the ground.
Hiss…
The team collectively gasped.
Tsunade's punch had clearly struck the demon's skull, caving in its head. Such an injury would be fatal not only to the shinobi present but even to one of the Five Kage.
Yet this mysterious enemy simply staggered to its feet, twisted its neck, and fully recovered in moments.
"Those monsters again!" Tsunade's expression darkened. She pulled a vial from her ninja tool pouch and instructed Shizune, "Distribute the antidote!"
Shizune quickly handed out vials to the team, cautioning as she did, "Don't panic, everyone. These monsters were created by the Akatsuki and possess extreme regenerative abilities. The drug I'm distributing is a potent toxin developed by Lady Tsunade to suppress flesh regeneration. Be careful when using it!"
Taking the vial, Shinji glanced at Tsunade, silently marveling, You can't underestimate shinobi!
In prior joint operations, the elites of the five great villages had clashed with demons and suffered losses due to their unfamiliarity with demonic traits.
Yet, this time, upon encountering demons, Tsunade had already produced a poison capable of countering their regeneration.
One demon sneered, "This batch of blood fodder looks tricky!"
Another licked its lips. "I love it when food fights back. The more they resist, the more excited I get!"
"Enough talk! This fragrant blood fodder belongs to whoever claims it!"
The demon Tsunade had punched couldn't hold back and lunged again.
As it attacked, the other six demons followed suit, and the battle fully erupted.