City Blindman once said.
There are no living legends in Golin City.
Iwamine Yako accepted her fate. She was already satisfied, having destroyed the barrier and saved millions from a mire of depression and despair, and dared not ask for more.
"Since Golin City needs a legend, and no one is willing to be one."
"Then I will be it."
Iwamine Yako's soul was already soaring into the sky along with the fiery blast of the explosive tags, her heart ceasing its beat.
She felt that dying here might be the best ending for her.
Becoming a legend, perhaps... it could let her live forever in Linto's heart.
But—
"I've come to take you home."
A short sentence, at this moment, like a red-gold flame tearing open the dark tide, illuminated Iwamine Yako's heart.
Her silent heart, meeting the gaze of the person before her, Setsuna, pounded fiercely.
"Grab my hand!" Linto said.
Starlight burst forth in Iwamine Yako's eyes.
"Yes."
The two hands, under the impact of golden light and the dark tide, clasped tightly together.
Linto pulled hard, drawing Iwamine Yako out and into his embrace.
The dark, murky tide was made of negative emotions, wild and chaotic, filled with violent desires for destruction.
Previously, under the barrier's control, it had obediently flowed into the pipes.
Now, with the barrier shattered, a massive amount of dark tide surged upwards, carrying with it overwhelming anger, pain, sadness, and mania, rushing towards Linto, who had provoked them.
Twisted, grotesque ghost faces appeared in the dark tide, as if all the fears of the world were merged within them.
They were roaring, shouting, and venting boundless rage, the entire underground space seeming to transform into a netherworld.
City Blindman, who had been running with his camera, had long forgotten to escape. His ears were filled with terrifying screams. He licked his dry lips:
"Damn it... I think I can hear my idiotic old man, who's been dead for half my life."
City Blindman's sensory ninjutsu had completely collapsed. He could only vaguely sense that countless cold, dead "ghosts" were rushing towards the sky.
The Big Sister and the man who had just saved her were their targets.
The besieging Air Ninja Legion also quickly retreated to a distance. As core personnel managing the barrier, they knew better than anyone the danger of these dark tides—
Touch them, and you die.
Because Linto had arrived too quickly, the Air Ninja Legion hadn't clearly seen who it was.
But it didn't matter. With the dark tide now out of control, everyone within several kilometers was doomed.
They had to escape immediately, flee this purgatory on earth.
So the Air Ninja Legion ninjas thought, and they manipulated their flying ninja tools to leave. The squad leader glanced back one last time towards Linto's direction.
A wisp of golden flame burning at his hair tips illuminated the darkness underground, for the first time fully revealing Linto's profile.
"Wait!"
The squad leader froze on the spot and shouted, "He... is Linto?!"
As soon as he said this, everyone present instinctively held their breath, their pupils trembling. All the evil spirits in the sky, the roaring of the barrier collapsing, none of it could compare to the back of the man before them.
That's right, the evil spirits, composed of countless negative emotions, were burning with a rage that incinerated all life.
But...
Evil spirits?
Could they compare to the "malevolent spirits" Linto had summoned?
Rage?
Could it compare to those wisps of golden flames, like falling suns?
Countless ghost faces approached, circling in the air, their black eyes staring intently at Linto.
Everyone swallowed.
Their gazes swept over the surging dark tide towards Linto, who was surrounded and attacked, waiting for his response, guessing what means the legendary Linto would use.
Linto embraced Iwamine Yako, and a ball of golden flame appeared in his right palm. He casually swiped the flame into the air, and at the same time...
Star Platinum appeared.
Fists harder and more powerful than diamonds, coated in golden flames, swept their gaze, locking onto all targets simultaneously, and the next second—
"Ora Ora Ora Ora!"
"Ora Ora Ora Ora!"
A whirlwind of flames appeared in the sky.
Fist winds mixed with blazing fire, crushing every incoming terrifying ghost face.
Countless dark tides exploded, and screams were heard. The dark tide was actually broken by a flurry of punches!
Only now did the Air Ninja Legion ninjas, standing in place, snap back to reality. They ignored their shock at Linto's actions and all turned to look at the captain who had shouted "Wait."
Are you crazy!
Everyone realized it was Linto, yet instead of escaping quickly, you shouted for them to wait?!
"Since we can't escape."
The squad leader gritted his teeth, tore off his jacket, revealing an inner lining covered in explosive tags—this was almost standard equipment for Air Ninja Legion ninjas—he shouted:
"Land of the Sky! Long live!"
The squad leader shouted, about to set an example for his subordinates. He pulled a string, igniting all the explosive tags on his body, and was about to charge towards Linto.
Suddenly, a stealthy voice appeared behind him.
"Yo, you're in such a hurry, eager to visit your own grave?"
Just as the squad leader was about to turn around, White Snake slapped the back of his head, and two discs popped out.
"Since you're going to die anyway, might as well put me to good use, right?"
Speaking, after taking out the memory discs, it turned and kicked the squad leader, who had become a vegetative state, away, causing him to fall into the deep pit that had previously held the dark tide.
A moment later, the roar of an explosion echoed.
White Snake spun the discs in its hand and looked back at the remaining twenty-odd members of the Air Ninja Legion: "What do you guys say?"
They exchanged glances, slowly put down their weapons, and knelt on the ground.
The so-called "suicide attacks" were like this. Their willingness to die was not because they were fearless, nor because some firm ideal provided them with motivation.
The reason countless Air Ninja Legion soldiers could pull their detonators was pure brainwashing and the herd effect.
When humans are in danger, their brains freeze and they lose the ability to think. At this point, everyone else will follow whatever the leader does. Coupled with years of brainwashing, this creates an army that seems unafraid of death.
But this fearlessness is as fragile as a wafer when faced with a truly firm conviction.
Linto and Iwamine Yako slowly descended.
City Blindman ran over, his old face streaked with tears and smiles, combined with his empty eyes, making him look more terrifying than the ghost faces in the dark tide.
But the sincerity in his tears and smiles was undeniable.
"Big Sister! I knew you wouldn't die today!"
City Blindman shouted excitedly.
Iwamine Yako smiled calmly.
Linto looked at the scars on her face: "It seems you've been through a lot."
She reached up and touched the thin scar, her smile as carefree as ever, and looked back at the shattered barrier:
"Perhaps... this is what you call a blessing in disguise."
If not for Yukiho Arima, Iwamine Yako would not have encountered so many difficulties and hardships. But if not for these obstacles, she could not have reached this point and gained the trust of so many people.
They exchanged information.
Iwamine Yako pondered and said:
"In that case, the increase in barrier energy fluctuations we sensed this morning was likely because the Air Ninja Legion learned of your arrival in Sunagakure Village.
To deal with you, they accelerated the extraction of negative emotions... What should we do next?"
Linto picked up the disc of the squad leader who had self-destructed earlier.
"The Air Ninja Legion formed a partnership with Golin City six months ago and set up this barrier. Their base is in the desert between the two oases."
Iwamine Yako asked: "Then should we attack the Air Ninja Legion's base?"
"No. I need to find the City Lord first."
Linto said, "Shinno might not know who is secretly funding the Air Ninja Legion, but the City Lord, as the liaison, will definitely have clues in his memory."
"I need to get his memory first."