The small corridor became an isolated island, cut off by the Silence of death.
The alarm's red light flickered eerily, but it couldn't penetrate the "Coffin of Silence" that Shikamaru maintained with all his might.
Inside the coffin, there was a suffocating slaughter that only sight could capture.
Ginny's war hammer transformed into a pink storm; each silent swing brought forth fragments of flesh and blood.
She precisely avoided vital points, aiming to stun rather than kill, but under the heavy force, the muffled sound of crushing bones was swallowed by the Silence, leaving only the sight of the guards collapsing in twisted heaps.
Her eyes burned with the fire of anger, yet her movements were as efficient as a precise machine—she had to end the fight before more guards poured in!
Bing Sanlang was another silent thunderbolt.
The blade light of his "oathkeeper" carved deadly cold arcs under the red light; each slash precisely severed weapons, destroyed joints, or landed on the guards' pressure points to induce unconsciousness.
His swordsmanship had reached the threshold of a Great Swordsman; no shouts were needed to accompany his movements, every step, every breath perfectly integrated with his blade's momentum.
He stood like a rock in front of Ginny and Shikamaru, silently stifling any attack that attempted to breach their defense.
Blood splattered on his resolute face, adding to his grim aura.
Shikamaru stood at the back, his small body trembling slightly, his clothes already soaked with sweat.
Sweat beads rolled down his forehead, blurring his vision, but his deep, ink-colored pupils stared intently at the battlefield, his mental power like a taut bowstring, desperately maintaining the realm that isolated all sound.
The ability of "Annihilation" could not be used continuously under such high intensity; he could only dedicate all his strength to maintaining the Silent Realm.
(Inner Monologue: The third heartbeat on the left is accelerating… he's going to ambush Sister Ginny!)
Although Shikamaru couldn't make a sound to warn others, his perception of biological vibrations within the realm had reached an unparalleled level!
This perception ability was like Observation Haki in Pirate King, allowing him to detect the enemy's attack intentions and direction in advance.
At this critical moment, Shikamaru unhesitatingly swung his arm sharply towards Ginny's direction!
Ginny, as if by telepathy, swept her war hammer backward at an incredible angle!
"Bang!"
A dull, extremely muffled impact, swallowed by the realm!
A guard attempting to pounce from the shadows was violently smashed away, hitting the wall and sliding down, completely knocked unconscious.
Ginny didn't even turn back, just gave a barely perceptible nod in Shikamaru's direction.
"Got it!"
Ginny's voice was like a thunderclap in Shikamaru's mind—she used Shikamaru's realm as a medium for an extremely brief mental message!
This was the tacit understanding they had developed through many collaborations.
She quickly stuffed the miniature camera and the drawn map into a waterproof tube and tucked it into her embrace.
"Withdraw!"
Bing Sanlang's thought was also transmitted through the realm, concise and to the point.
His blade stance changed from precise strikes to a furious charge; his blade light was like a bolt of silk, forcefully tearing open a bloody path through the surging crowd of guards!
Shikamaru immediately adjusted the range of the realm, enveloping their retreat path.
The team members followed closely behind Bing Sanlang, with Ginny bringing up the rear, smashing away pursuing guards with swings of her war hammer.
The entire process still unfolded in absolute dead Silence; only the sights of body collisions, weapon breakages, and falling bodies played out silently under the alarm's red light, eerily chilling to the bone.
They rapidly retreated along the ventilation duct they had come through. The duct was narrow.
"Quick!" Ginny urged anxiously from behind Shikamaru, feeling his body trembling violently.
Bing Sanlang led the way, cutting through obstacles with his sword, picking up speed.
Finally, they emerged from the vent, returning to the shadows at the cliff edge.
As the cold night wind blew, Shikamaru's taut nerves suddenly relaxed.
"Pfft!"
He could no longer hold on, his vision went black, and the Silent Realm instantly dissipated!
"Shikamaru!" Ginny exclaimed, catching his collapsing body.
"Whoosh—!!!" The deafening alarm, the shouts of guards, and the sounds of explosions inside the castle (seemingly an escalation of the chaos triggered by the earlier alarm) instantly flooded everyone's ears like a torrent!
"Go!" Bing Sanlang growled, his eyes scanning the surroundings like lightning, confirming that no pursuers had discovered their corner for the moment.
He scooped up the weak Shikamaru, with Ginny following closely behind; the team, like an arrow shot from a bow, used the cover of night to rapidly descend the steep cliff face.
It wasn't until they were completely out of the Iron Thorn Fortress's Vigilance range and boarded the waiting Revolutionary Army speedboat in a hidden cove that everyone truly breathed a sigh of relief.
The speedboat cut through the waves, speeding towards the West Blue.
Inside the cabin, a medic quickly examined the exhausted and unconscious Shikamaru and gave him an intravenous drip.
Ginny leaned tiredly against the cabin wall, her face smudged with blood, but her eyes were bright.
She carefully took out the waterproof tube from her embrace, confirmed that the intelligence inside was intact, and only then truly relaxed.
"How is he?"
Ginny asked the medic, her gaze falling on Shikamaru, who was pale and breathing faintly.
"Severe mental and physical exhaustion, but no irreversible internal injuries. He needs time for rest and recovery," the medic replied.
"This kid…"
Ginny walked over to Shikamaru, looking at his tightly furrowed brow even in unconsciousness, and gently wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Her eyes were filled with complex emotions—tenderness, concern, pride, and a hint of lingering fear.
"…He did too beautifully. Without his 'Silence,' we wouldn't have even gotten the intelligence, let alone gotten past the first wall, let alone escaped unscathed after being exposed."
Bing Sanlang sat silently to the side, carefully wiping blood from the blade of his "oathkeeper" with a cloth.
His gaze also rested on Shikamaru, filled with deep concern and inexpressible admiration.
The young master's growth rate far exceeded his imagination.
That resilient will, bursting forth in desperation to protect his comrades and the mission, made him see the shadow of his former lord, Shimotsuki Ushimaru.
"His ability, 'Annihilation'…"
Bing Sanlang spoke in a deep voice, breaking the Silence in the cabin, "Silent, controlling heartbeats… This is more terrifying than mere sound insulation."
As a top swordsman, he was extremely sensitive to life force; within the Silent Realm, he clearly "perceived" the moment that guard's heart abruptly stopped.
Ginny's eyes sharpened, and she nodded: "Yes, that's his trump card, his ultimate move.
But it consumes a huge amount of energy and shouldn't be used lightly unless absolutely necessary.
His performance on this mission… I will report it in detail to Mr. Dragon.
His ability holds strategic significance for our future operations!"
A few days later, Shikamaru woke up in a familiar bed at the Sorbet base.
Sunlight streamed through the window, and the air was filled with a faint herbal scent.
There was a dull ache in his old left arm injury, a sequela of overexertion, but the mental fatigue had largely subsided.
"Awake?" A gentle, low voice sounded.
Kuma's huge figure sat in a chair not far from the bed, still holding his massive "BIBLE."
Ginny and Bing Sanlang were also nearby.
"Mr. Kuma, Sister Ginny, Big Brother Bing Sanlang…" Shikamaru struggled to sit up.
"Lie down."
Kuma's voice carried an undeniable concern, "You did very well. I read the mission report."
Ginny grinned and leaned closer, holding a steaming bowl of meat porridge: "Our little hero is awake? Eat something quickly!
You've rendered great service!
Mr. Dragon personally sent a message commending our East Army team, specifically mentioning your 'Silence ability' has opened up new possibilities for the Revolutionary cause!"
Her eyes sparkled with excitement, "The intelligence is extremely valuable; we successfully pinpointed several key informants and even uncovered another secret World Government base in the West Blue by following the clues!"
Bing Sanlang also showed a rare smile and nodded.
Shikamaru quietly drank the porridge; the warm current not only warmed his stomach but also soothed his heart.
He looked at Kuma: "Mr. Kuma, my… that move 'Annihilation,' it consumes too much, and…"
"Power itself has no good or evil; the key lies in the heart of the user."
Kuma interrupted him, his deep gaze seemingly able to see through Shikamaru's inner worries, "That you could, in a critical moment, choose to use it to protect your comrades, to stop the killing, rather than indulging in the pleasure of power, already proves your capacity.
Remember this feeling, remember what you fight for."
Shikamaru nodded heavily. Kuma's words were like a stabilizing anchor, dispelling the trace of confusion in his heart about the unknown power.
(Inner Monologue: For protection… for change… to prevent another tragedy like Wano Country! This power will become my sword, my shield!)
During his recovery, Shikamaru was not entirely idle.
With Kuma's tacit approval and guidance, he began to more systematically explore the boundaries of the Silence Fruit's abilities.
Besides maintaining the Silent Realm and "Annihilation," he experimented with: directional sound insulation—could he only isolate sounds from specific directions or sources? For example, only disabling enemy communicators?
Ultimate self-control—integrating the instinct of silent movement into his bones, reducing the consumption of maintaining the Silent Realm? How to maintain precise control over the realm during intense combat.
The combination of Silence Fruit ability and Observation Haki.
Could the Silent Realm interfere with the enemy's Observation Haki perception? Could Armament Haki be integrated into silent attacks?
Each attempt was accompanied by a drastic consumption of mental power and the risk of failure, but Shikamaru's eyes grew brighter and brighter.
He knew this path was difficult but full of possibilities.
His "Silence" was far more than just support; it would eventually become a "silent killing intent" that would strike fear into the hearts of enemies on the battlefield.
Meanwhile, in Wano Country, the fate of Onimaru, who was left behind, finally began to turn.
A vague rumor about the "Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Great Monk Form," like a stone dropped into an ancient well, rippled imperceptibly in a forgotten corner.