"Meow! Pfft! So this is where you are! I finally found you!"
A cat's meow startled Nagato's senses, followed by a voice that was somewhat neutral but leaned towards feminine.
This completely snapped Nagato out of his daze, making him wonder if he was hallucinating in his final moments.
Soon, a cat engulfed in blue-black flames swaggered in from outside the "sanctuary," walking lightly on its paws.
The blue-black flames on the cat's body were dim, but they were the only light in this darkness.
Seeing this light, Nagato realized for the first time how precious light was.
As his eyes quickly adapted to the glow, he saw the creature before him. It was a cat—or rather, it wasn't entirely accurate to call it a cat. Its size was far too large, resembling a leopard instead.
"Is he dead?" Nekomata stepped forward, using the soft pads of its forepaw to nudge Shisui, who was lying opposite Nagato.
After carefully sensing for a moment and confirming that Shisui was still alive, it let out a slight sigh of relief.
It seemed it had arrived just in time.
"He's still alive. I can feel his breath and vitality!" Nagato quickly said. His voice was weak, but compared to Shisui, who was barely conscious, Nagato's condition was much better.
"I know. You two are really lucky!" Nekomata remarked, its eyes shifting to Nagato, who was struggling to stand.
"You're Lord Kagetsu's summoning beast, aren't you? Where is he?" Nagato's heart was filled with joy. Though he had been slowly resigning himself to his fate during these days of captivity, surprises often came unexpectedly.
"I am the soul beast that guides souls between the worlds of life and death. Come, I'll take you both away from here." Nekomata pressed its paw firmly against the ground.
From the spot where its paw made contact, a black square emerged and expanded outward like a replication, spreading until it formed a black door seamlessly connected to the ground.
Shisui and Nagato, both almost powerless, fell through the black door. Their vision turned from darkness to light, and the world around them completely changed.
As his body hit the ground, Nagato let out a soft grunt of pain. But he couldn't dwell on his discomfort. Instead, he was overwhelmed with joy as he sensed everything familiar around him.
And Lord Kagetsu and Anko.
"My task is complete. Do you have any other orders for me?"
Nekomata suddenly appeared from midair, using Nagato's body as a cushion for its landing.
With a graceful leap, it landed beside Kagetsu, stretched out its forepaws, arched its back, and gave a big yawn. It then retracted its blue-black flames and licked its paw while looking at Kagetsu.
"Thank you for your hard work," Kagetsu said, waving at Nekomata.
"These are two high-quality, powerful souls! I can't help but feel that their presence in Hueco Mundo will further enhance my power."
Nekomata cast a regretful glance at Nagato, who was clutching his stomach in pain, and Shisui, who was barely alive. After grumbling softly, it jumped and disappeared into the still-open Garganta (Black Cavity) in the sky.
"Nekomata's aura has grown even stronger!" Anko remarked enviously, looking at the spot where Nekomata vanished.
This fragment of Matatabi's being had undergone a remarkable transformation. Its power had evolved far beyond its origins, and its connection to Matatabi had shifted from that of a mere extension to a relationship akin to separate beings sharing a bloodline. Thɪs chapter is updated by novel⟡fire.net
In the past, Matatabi might have been able to reclaim this severed chakra, but now? Nekomata's power had changed so drastically that it was no longer feasible.
Unless, of course, Matatabi was reforged into the Ten-Tails, returning to its primordial state.
Although she didn't dislike snakes, if there was a cat that was both powerful and beautiful as a summoning beast, Anko wouldn't mind signing an additional summoning contract.
As for summoning beasts fighting? Anko couldn't guarantee the Sage's strength in the Ryūchi Cave, but at least Nekomata had a strong suppressive power over snakes.
Seeing Kagetsu crouch beside Shisui, placing his hand on his body, glowing with a vibrant green light full of life, Nagato, with Anko's help, half-sat up to support himself and quietly asked.
"He's very weak, but there's no danger to his life," Kagetsu replied after checking, using medical ninjutsu to maintain and adjust Shisui's condition.
"Is that so?" Nagato's face relaxed at the news. Even though they knew that Kagetsu's appearance meant their lives were no longer in danger, hearing the confirmation from Kagetsu himself made them feel more at ease.
"His physical condition will recover without issue. The real problem is his eyes. His Mangekyō Sharingan is close to running out of power."
Nagato paused, confused by Kagetsu's words.
"To put it simply, his eyes are already blind! Even if they recover, he won't be able to see. He can no longer use the Sharingan or Mangekyō abilities," Kagetsu said softly.
Shisui's Mangekyō was a very powerful one, but unfortunately, it could no longer be used. Even if Kagetsu could restore its power, it would require enough time, and there was still a risk of blindness again.
Nagato's brief joy of survival quickly faded. After everything that happened this past year, he had learned well what power meant in the ninja world.
And with Shisui losing his Sharingan and Mangekyō, there was no doubt his strength would drastically drop!
Kagetsu adjusted Shisui's body and then pulled out a needle filled with a green liquid, which she carefully injected into Shisui's neck.
The nutrient-rich liquid entered Shisui's body. Under the guidance of the medical ninjutsu of Kagetsu, it quickly turned into nourishment, strengthening Shisui's incredibly weak body.
Shisui's body, in turn, desperately absorbed the external nutrients. In a short amount of time, his pale face became flushed, regaining some color. His heart, beating strongly in his chest, and his life force, grew much stronger as well.
In Nagato's perception, Shisui's life force was no longer like a flickering candle in the wind, barely hanging on. Instead, it had become resilient and strong.
"Next is you." Kagetsu handed Shisui, still unconscious, to Konan for care and moved to the equally weak Nagato.
After checking Nagato's body, Kagetsu could only admire the strength of the Uzumaki clan's constitution.
Especially Nagato—despite having not drunk a drop of water for a long time and his body being extremely empty, he wasn't weak to the point of collapsing or failing.
Even without Kagetsu's help, Nagato could use his remaining strength to search for food. With just the nourishment from food, he could quickly restore his condition.
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