This feeling…
Neji's brows furrowed as he stared at the shadowy figure. A chill ran down his spine it was interfering with his spiritual form. But more disturbing was the sense that… this thing didn't belong to their world.
That's impossible!
Neji stood up abruptly. A soul not of the Shinobi World just like him?
No… something's wrong. This presence is far too twisted, far too ancient. What kind of world breeds such corruption?
Activating his Byakugan, chakra flared from his body as he readied himself. But even with his all-seeing eyes, what he saw was no different from what was visible to the naked eye.
So this is its true form…
Neji's voice was low and tense. "I don't care what you are. You dare intrude on my domain you'd better be prepared to face the consequences."
He wove hand signs swiftly. Without a shred of intel, rushing in with taijutsu would be reckless.
"Kehehehehe…"
The shadow laughed a distorted, skin-crawling sound that seemed to twist even the air around them. Its very presence was a corruption of the soul, monstrous and terrifying. Yet Neji remained outwardly calm.
"Who would've thought someone else could step into this interspatial realm like me? Hm… I see. We're not in the same dimension, so you can't hear me? Hah, interesting… very interesting."
The shadow trembled violently it was laughing, full of manic excitement.
"I can feel it… the seal that binds me is weakening. Soon, I'll be free and I'll come find you."
Their eyes met or at least Neji thought they did. The shadow continued trembling, but no chakra struck out, no jutsu flared. Even the flames that surrounded Neji passed harmlessly through the figure. Only then did he confirm: this was a projection, a cross-dimensional interference. They were still in separate spaces, unable to affect each other.
Moments later, the shadow slowly faded. But instead of relief, Neji grew more uneasy.
Without hesitation, he withdrew from the void space. He had to understand where he'd ended up.
"Kagura Mind's Eye."
He raised both hands before his face, activating the advanced perception technique. A wave of sensory energy spread in all directions.
"So that's it… bordering the Land of Snow."
Neji muttered to himself. His sensing had revealed that this place was not far from the Land of Snow another nation was near.
"A small country," he mused. His sensing range was immense far beyond the capability of ordinary shinobi and it covered the entire area. But still, he had no idea which country this was.
I have to figure out what's going on here.
With that, Neji made his way toward the nearest human presence. He needed answers.
Down in a quiet valley, a gentle stream trickled over smooth stones. A young girl with light blonde hair had dipped her bare feet into the cool water, splashing moodily as she kicked at the surface.
"This is so boring… Being a priestess sucks."
Day after day, the same dull rituals. An empty shrine with no playmates. The weight of responsibilities no girl her age should bear. Even leaving the shrine meant sneaking around.
Pouting, she kept kicking at the stream, sending droplets flying as if to vent her frustration.
Just then, footsteps reached her ears. She looked up eyes a striking violet that gleamed in the sunlight and found herself face to face with a boy.
But almost instantly, she withdrew her feet, stood up in a huff, and marched off in the other direction.
"I get it, I get it! I'll go already!" she muttered, grumbling to herself.
Neji paused mid-step, caught off guard by the sight of the girl flouncing away. She just walked off like that? Sure, his Byakugan made him look a bit strange to normal people, but he wasn't exactly ugly. So what was that supposed to mean?
A twitch formed at his temple, a few dark lines appearing on his forehead.
With a flash of movement, Neji reappeared in front of the girl, blocking her path.
"Wh-what do you want?" the girl asked, startled by his sudden appearance. She eyed him warily, her tone defensive.
"What is this place?" Neji asked bluntly. He wasn't in the mood for niceties not after what he'd just experienced. The shadow's origin, more than its presence, had rattled him deeply. Creatures from other dimensions weren't exactly common in the Shinobi World.
"Hmph!"
The girl snorted. His demanding tone didn't sit well with her. She'd been treated like royalty her whole life she didn't take orders from strangers. Arms crossed, she plopped down dramatically and declared, "I'm hungry. Go get me something to eat."
"…Tch."
Neji took a silent breath, reminding himself she was just a child. No need to argue.
With a wave of his hand, he retrieved a plate of fish from his system storage and handed it over.
Why fish? Please. Neji would never mistreat his own stomach. The whole 'ninjas must endure hardship' thing only applied when you had no other choice. With a spatial system like his, why suffer? Especially with the backing of both the Hyuga Clan and the Land of Snow's financial power might as well enjoy the perks.
The girl watched, wide-eyed, as a steaming plate of food seemingly appeared out of thin air. Her eyes sparkled. Without waiting for him to say a word, she snatched the plate and dug in with delight.
"Mmm! So good!"
Clearly satisfied, she happily polished off the entire dish in record time.
"Now," Neji asked again, "can you tell me where we are?"
But before she could answer, it was his system that responded first.
"You gave Shion a plate of fish. Reward: [Seal Stone] acquired."
Seal Stone: A crimson gem containing immense sealing power. Can suppress most of the wearer's strength while simultaneously shielding them from external harm.
Shion handed him the now-empty plate with a contented sigh.
"I'm full. Go wash this, will you?" she said, voice sweet and innocent, patting her stomach.
Her eyes were softer now, her tone no longer so prickly.
Neji stared at her, stunned.
Shion. The priestess from the Land of Demons. The only person in the Shinobi World capable of sealing beings from other realms.
It all made sense now. That shadow it was none other than the future otherworldly demon, Mōryō. And by pure accident, he'd stumbled into the domain of the Land of Demons.
Staring at the girl who'd been won over by a single dish, Neji couldn't help but feel like the world had turned upside down.
But still
"You've got to be kidding me with this attitude."
He took the plate from her hands then crushed it with a crack, shards falling to the ground.
Glaring at her, he said flatly, "A little respect wouldn't kill you."
He wasn't that Neji the one from this world who treated Shion with reverence. No, he came from elsewhere. And it was time this spoiled priestess learned a thing or two.
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