Chapter 62: Sacrifice?
The immense chakra reaction almost completely shielded Kakashi's sensory abilities. This Dragon Vein's chakra was several times greater than that of the Three-Tails he had once seen. Kakashi paused for a moment; Sara was trapped in the center of the unsealing process, while Mei Terumi, on the outer ring, was bombarding the chakra pillar surging from the ground with powerful Water Release and Boil Release techniques.
The Dragon Vein's power swept through everything around, trapping Kakashi and Mei Terumi within the pillar of light as well.
Looking at Sara, who was still unsealing, she was currently in a strange state, indifferent to everything happening around her, continuing to release the Dragon Vein's chakra.
"There's no other way."
Taking out the Coordinate Teleport he had already exchanged and prepared, Kakashi instantly teleported to Sara's side, pulled her away, and interrupted the Dragon Vein's release.
"What's going on?!"
"I don't know…" Sara seemed very flustered. She ran to the seal and carefully observed the sealing formula. Her tied-up ponytail came undone, and she paid no mind to the blood seeping from the unhealed wound on her foot due to the strenuous movement.
"How could this happen? It's exactly as recorded, I didn't make any mistakes!"
"Think carefully again, I'll buy you some time!"
Using his own chakra to hold back the seal, Kakashi, though prepared for the seal's power, found it far exceeded his imagination. He felt this Dragon Vein wasn't something left behind by the Ōtsutsuki clan at all, but a miracle of nature, just like Thunder Valley.
And also a natural disaster.
The most basic chakra color was blue, Tailed Beast chakra was red, and this Dragon Vein's color was purple.
A thought flashed through Kakashi's mind: if he could completely replace the chakra in his body with the Dragon Vein's chakra, could he, like with Sage Mode, obtain a power completely different from that of a ninja?
「System, is it possible to replace the chakra in my body?」
「Possible.」
Receiving an affirmative answer, Kakashi didn't make an immediate decision. The system didn't provide side effects or the replacement method. If the total amount remained unchanged after replacement, but the chakra nature changed, that would be truly terrible.
The orange-haired young woman paced anxiously outside the pillar of light. She couldn't break through it with her own strength; neither her Water Release nor her Kekkei Genkai could diminish its defense in the slightest.
「Don't worry.」
Using hand signs to reassure the anxious Mei Terumi, the silver-haired youth continued to output chakra at high power to suppress the seal.
"Have you figured it out?"
"No…"
The utterly dejected Queen of Rouran knelt on the ground, her eyes vacant.
"I'm not a qualified queen. I clearly remember all the steps, but why is this still happening…"
"You! Saying discouraging things now is useless! Quickly think of a way, I can't hold on much longer!"
Seeing this, Kakashi also grew a bit impatient. If he continued to output like this, even if he saved two Kcal to exchange for another Coordinate Teleport, he could only take her away. Mei Terumi would undoubtedly die outside.
Channeling chakra, the silver-haired youth suddenly felt something was amiss. Ever since he arrived in Rouran, he had felt as if a large hand was constantly pushing him towards this place. The Sand ninja had had so much time to move the Dragon Vein, yet they sent so many ninja now, and it just so happened to be at a level he could easily handle without finding it strange.
Sara's appearance just now… she looked like she was under a genjutsu!
With his left hand, he pulled the withdrawn Queen of Rouran to his side, injecting energy into her to change the original flow of chakra in her body.
"You really were under a genjutsu. Someone is plotting against us, damn it!"
Looking down at the entire city from high above, all the ninja were drawn by the pillar of light, rushing towards the third entrance of the Dragon Vein.
Ordinary people didn't know the actual situation, but that didn't stop them from being terrified by the sudden appearance of the Sand ninja.
Under the gray sky, murderous intent lay hidden.
A handsome youth manipulated his exquisite puppet, his eyes revealing an indifference to life and a pursuit of art.
"Has it begun?"
"It's your turn to appear."
"No, it's not my turn yet." The handsome youth named Sasori watched the chaotic scene inside Rouran through the half-vanished barrier from outside. "A Kazekage controlled by genjutsu, what right does he have to command me?"
The Third Kazekage's abnormal eyes, ringed with patterns, stared directly at this genius puppet master of Sunagakure.
"You, you're a decent piece of cannon fodder."
"Cannon fodder? Yes, in your eyes, fighting someone with Magnet Release like you in the desert is extremely foolish. But I'm different from other puppet masters."
"How are you different?"
"I hate waiting."
Within Rouran city, panic began to spread among the residents. Many recognized the purple pillar of light as the Dragon Vein they depended on for survival. A sense of despair filled everyone's hearts.
"Everyone, calm down! Her Majesty the Queen will surely handle everything!"
"Where is Her Majesty?"
"To the royal palace! Let's go to the royal palace to find Her Majesty!"
"What time is it now? Run!"
"Help!"
The ensuing chaos and riots caused the people of Rouran to rush desperately into the royal palace, searching for the only queen who could suppress the Dragon Vein. When they reached the royal palace, the empty scene and traces of battle made everyone hold their breath.
Unsuppressible sobs began to spread.
"Your Majesty, please save your people!"
An old woman knelt on the ground, praying to the heavens. The barrier had cracked halfway, and sand was already pouring into Rouran city.
More and more people realized that Rouran's doom had truly arrived. The pillar of light showed no signs of shrinking. At the same time, after the barrier disappeared, they also saw the Iron Sand obscuring the sky outside Rouran city, and the puppet master fighting against it.
There was no escape. Hundreds of miles around were desert. Unless one was a ninja and well-prepared, trying to escape Rouran, which had lost its Dragon Vein, on their own was just wishful thinking.
Inside the third entrance, Kakashi's endurance was also reaching its limit. He no longer expected Sara to come up with a solution; this wasn't something she could solve.
"I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, I'm the one who got everyone killed…"
"Don't cry. Later, after the pillar of light disappears, run immediately with Mei Terumi. Run as far as you can. Take this."
The youth handed over a bamboo slip, engraved with teleportation coordinates.
These words, as if he intended to sacrifice himself to seal the pillar of light, stunned the weeping Sara.
"What are you going to do?"
"I should be able to stop it. But there are people outside targeting you and Mei Terumi. Don't cause me any trouble. Take the bamboo slip, find Mei Terumi, and then crush it!"
As soon as his voice fell, Kakashi's body emitted a purple light identical to the Dragon Vein's. The pillar of light surging from the ground shrank rapidly, and at the same time, the silver-haired youth's body became increasingly ethereal. Sara raised her finger, wanting to grab the youth's hand, but it passed through without resistance.
A few seconds later, the pillar of light and the youth completely disappeared.
Mistaking that Kakashi had sacrificed himself to seal the Dragon Vein, an indescribable feeling surged through the Queen of Rouran's heart.
"Kakashi!!!!"
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