In the palace of the Land of Demons, a shrine maiden named Shion gazed at the bright full moon in the sky, her face filled with confusion.
"Mother, I've been having a strange dream lately. A silver-haired boy keeps appearing in it. But the strange thing is... he isn't dead."
Since childhood, Shion had the ability to foresee the life and death of others. Everyone whose death she foresaw met their fate without exception.
Her dreams were always full of death, but this time it was different. This time, there was none. This left Shion deeply puzzled.
"And I feel like the seal on Mōryō has disappeared... Maybe soon, I'll have to take on the duties of a shrine maiden, just like you did, Mother. When that time comes, will I be as brave as you?"
Shion murmured softly, her fingers brushing the sealing bell left behind by her late mother.
"Lady Shion! Something terrible has happened!"
As Shion lost herself in thought, her guard, Ashihō, came running in.
"What is it?"
Shion steadied her emotions and turned to face the guard.
"The seal on Mōryō... Mōryō's seal has been broken by Yomi! He's using Mōryō's power to create an army of stone warriors. They're launching a massive attack on the Land of Demons, and the frontlines can't hold them off! In less than three days, these warriors will overrun the entire nation."
Ashihō spoke anxiously.
"I see."
Shion had foreseen this long ago.
Once Mōryō awakened, its first target would be the shrine maiden with the power to seal it.
But its ambitions wouldn't stop with the Land of Demons. Mōryō sought domination over the entire ninja world.
"Send word to the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire. Request their assistance. My mother once had a strong alliance with them. They'll help us seal Mōryō again."
"Understood, Lady Shion!"
"A shrine maiden doesn't necessarily have to rely on the Hidden Leaf to deal with Mōryō. The Akatsuki organization can help too."
Just then, a figure clad in a black cloak adorned with red clouds appeared behind Shion. It was Kimimaro.
"Who are you?"
Ashihō was alarmed and moved to block him.
With a snap of Kimimaro's fingers, Ashihō's limbs were bound by an invisible force.
"Bakudō #1: Sai!"
"Curse you! Let me go! Lady Shion, run!"
Ashihō struggled desperately, yelling for help.
"Don't be alarmed. I mean no harm," Kimimaro explained calmly, though Ashihō continued to shout and struggle.
"Hado #11: Silence."
With that, Kimimaro silenced Ashihō, leaving him unable to speak.
"Now we can have a proper conversation." Kimimaro turned to Shion with a slight smile.
"It's you!"
Shion recognized him immediately as the boy from her dream.
"You know me?"
"I've seen you in my dreams."
"In your dreams?"
Kimimaro was momentarily surprised before recalling Shion's ability to foresee death. He smirked and asked, "In your dream, did you see my death?"
Shion shook her head.
"No. In my dream, you were alive."
"Oh? Then what role did I play in your dream?"
"I can't remember clearly. When you appeared in my dream, the future became hazy."
Shion glanced at Ashihō.
Before Kimimaro's arrival, she had foreseen Ashihō's death. But the moment Kimimaro appeared, that vision vanished.
"Can this boy alter fate?"
The thought sent a chill through Shion.
"Hazy? Interesting. Let's set that aside for now and discuss Mōryō."
"You want to help me deal with Mōryō?"
"Indeed."
"Mōryō's power is beyond human comprehension. Are you confident you can handle it?"
"I have some confidence. And I'm not alone—my comrade is already holding off the army of stone warriors. With him buying us time, we have at least an extra day to act."
"Your comrade can hold off the stone army? How many people are with him?"
Shion was astonished.
"Just one."
"One person?"
Shion was shocked.
"He alone is worth an entire army," Kimimaro said with a faint smile.
Meanwhile, deep in the Land of Demons, a squad of a hundred stood against thousands of stone warriors.
On closer inspection, the squad was composed entirely of puppets.
Their controller was Sasori of the Red Sand.
"These stone warriors are quite troublesome. Even when broken, they can regenerate. So this is Mōryō's power? Impressive. If I could harness this power and infuse it into myself, perhaps I could truly achieve the perfect artificial body Kimimaro envisioned for me."
Excitement welled up in Sasori.
"After Kimimaro's modifications, my strength has already reached a new level. With Mōryō's power, I might even rival the leader."
With that thought, Sasori launched an even fiercer attack.
Group combat was his specialty.
Though the stone warriors were immortal, their strength was mediocre compared to his puppets.
By narrowing the battlefront and focusing on delaying them, Sasori could easily hold them off for a day.
"Secret Red Technique: Performance of a Hundred Puppets!"
The puppets moved in perfect coordination, each taking down multiple stone warriors and holding back the army's advance.
From a distance, Yomi watched the battle unfold in silence.
"Sasori of the Red Sand from the Akatsuki? Why is he here? Could the Land of Demons have sought help from the Akatsuki?"
Yomi's face darkened.
He had heard of the Akatsuki organization.
A mysterious group like that wasn't someone he wanted to antagonize—not yet, at least. Once he fully gained the power of Moryo, even the Akatsuki wouldn't concern him.
"Yomi-sama, let us four go and deal with that guy," said his top subordinate, Jiusha.
"No, avoid clashing with the Akatsuki members if possible. Besides, with your current strength, you're likely no match for him. Instead, the four of you bypass him and head straight for the palace in the Land of Demons. Kill the priestess Shion!"
As Yomi spoke, he extended his right hand, and four long, purple serpents emerged, slithering into the bodies of his subordinates.
In an instant, an incredible amount of chakra surged from them.
"Thank you for bestowing us with power, Yomi-sama," the four said in unison, kneeling respectfully.
"Go, and don't disappoint me."
"Yes, Yomi-sama!"
Yomi's four elites sprang into action.
"Akatsuki... what is your goal?" Yomi murmured as he watched Sasori of the Red Sand single-handedly hold off his stone golem army.
The scene shifted back to the palace.
Shion was stunned by Kimimaro's words, but her instincts told her he was telling the truth.
For a priestess, intuition was something to be trusted.
"What do you want? I've heard of Akatsuki. You're a mercenary group, and I doubt you're doing this without expecting something in return."
"Smart. I want something from you."
"What is it?"
"The sealing bell you're wearing."
Shion froze, clutching the bell around her neck. She couldn't understand why Kimimaro was fixated on it.
"This bell belongs to the priestess. What do you want it for?"
"I have a friend whose body is in an unusual state. This bell is key to curing him. Plus, losing it benefits you as well. It suppresses most of your powers with its sealing strength. If you keep holding onto it, you'll never be able to fight Moryo."
"The bell suppresses my powers? That's impossible! This was a gift from my mother. She wouldn't do something like that."
Shion couldn't believe it.
Kimimaro activated his dojutsu, and his green eyes turned pure white.
The Byakugan.
For a moment, Shion felt as if Kimimaro had seen through her entirely.
"It's because your powers are immense. Without the bell suppressing them, your younger self wouldn't have been able to control them. But now, things are different. You're an adult capable of handling the priestess's powers. If you don't believe me, you can try removing the bell now."
Shion was curious. Could it be true, as Kimimaro claimed, that the bell suppressed her strength?
Having witnessed Kimimaro's capabilities, she knew he had no reason to deceive her.
She hesitated for a moment before placing the bell aside. Almost immediately, she felt an overwhelming surge of power from within her.
Boom!
A radiant light enveloped her as her hair rose upward, forming a glowing halo. Paint-like markings appeared on her face, giving her an aura of mystery and majesty.
"So, this is the power of the priestess?" Shion looked at her transformed self in disbelief.
Futo, who had been immobilized, was equally stunned. He had never seen Shion look so divine and mysterious. Overwhelmed, he felt tears welling up.
"What do you think? Was I wrong?" Kimimaro said with a smile.
Shion met Kimimaro's gaze, his white eyes making her uneasy.
"Your eyes... it's like they can see the future. Who are you?"
"Kaguya Kimimaro, a ninja pursuing immortality."
"Immortality?" Shion was taken aback.
Moments later, her newfound power receded, leaving her feeling weak. She staggered, nearly falling.
Kimimaro quickly caught her.
"It's your first time releasing such immense power. Your body isn't used to it yet. Next time will be easier."
"Th-thank you," Shion stammered, her cheeks reddening as she steadied herself and stepped away from his embrace.
Kimimaro extended his hand, and the bell flew into his palm.
"I'll take you to the place where Moryo's body is sealed. The bell will belong to me. Agreed?"
"Alright. As long as you take me there, the bell is yours," Shion replied reluctantly. Now that she knew its secret, she couldn't keep it with her anyway.
"Deal."
Kimimaro snapped his fingers, and the restraints binding Futo vanished. Futo quickly stood and rushed to Shion's side.
"Shion-sama, don't trust this mysterious man so easily! We should seek help from Konoha's Hokage instead."
"Futo, I've made up my mind. He isn't ordinary—this might even be part of my mother's divine plan. I choose to trust him."
"Shion-sama..." Futo knew he couldn't dissuade her.
"In that case, I'll go with you, Shion-sama. If he wants to harm you, he'll have to get through me first!"
Though Futo knew he was no match for Kimimaro, he refused to abandon Shion.
Shion sighed, understanding Futo's stubbornness. "Fine, you can come. Kimimaro, let's leave now. The sooner we seal Moryo, the less the Land of Demons will suffer."
"Of course."
Kimimaro picked up Shion in one swift motion, catching her off guard.
"What are you doing?!" Shion exclaimed.
"This way of traveling is faster, and you won't feel uncomfortable."
"Put Shion-sama down!" Futo yelled, drawing his sword in anger.
"Apologies, but I'm in a hurry." Kimimaro leaped off the balcony, leaving the palace.
As Shion screamed, Kimimaro soared through the air.
"Stop yelling. Look around—the night view is breathtaking," he said.
Shion hesitated, then slowly opened her eyes.
The enormous moon loomed close, as if she could reach out and touch its cold light.
"So beautiful," she murmured.
The gentle night breeze swayed their hair. Kimimaro's close proximity and unfamiliar scent made Shion blush.
"Hold on tight. I'm speeding up."
At his words, Kimimaro increased his speed. Shion instinctively tightened her arms around his neck, not daring to let go. High above, a fall would be fatal.
As the stars and moon blurred past, Shion felt like she was dreaming. The white-haired boy before her seemed like a figure straight out of her imagination.
Time seemed to stand still.
The demon she was meant to face felt far less intimidating.
Unaware of Shion's thoughts, Kimimaro focused solely on efficiency.
"Given this speed, we'll reach Moryo's seal in two hours," he calculated. Then, his Byakugan detected four unfamiliar figures approaching.
"Four unusual chakras... Yomi's men?"
Unlike normal chakra, theirs had a sinister quality.
Shion noticed his change in expression. "What's wrong?" she asked.
"It seems Yomi sent people to intercept us. They're fast."
"What do we do? Should we avoid them?"
"No need. They're just minor obstacles."
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes and sped up.
The six soon confronted each other head-on.
"Stop right there!" shouted Jiusha.
But Kimimaro paid no heed.