He screamed. There was nothing else to do, nothing that could force its way past his mind, past the agony searing through his shoulder. His heels scrabbled against the ground, trying to get traction, to throw the other jounin off. It didn't work. Nothing worked. Shiki screamed again.

He took a breath and spat defiance into a white-masked face. "That's right, shinobi. Keep me alive while your friends die from injuries. That's true loyalty."