In the next instant, a massive purple beam of light roared toward the place where the boy stood, carrying the force to obliterate everything in its path. Every tree, rock, and object it grazed dissolved into nothingness, erased without a trace.
Kaito's face darkened. He immediately tried to retreat with the girl in his arms, but before he could move far, countless purple dragon heads erupted from the skies, raining down energy that blocked every escape route.
"Damn it!" Kaito muttered through clenched teeth.
With a sharp thought, thick vines burst from the earth and twined upward, growing larger and denser, forming a wall of living wood to shield them from the incoming storm. But danger suddenly surged from below. His eyes widened, and without hesitation, he propelled himself into the air, carrying the girl away from the incoming strike.
Boom!
A colossal purple beam split the heavens, swallowing Kaito's defenses in a single instant. The massive vines vanished as if they had never existed.
Boom!
No sooner had Kaito shifted direction than another torrent of energy spewed from the mouths of the purple dragon heads, crashing toward him and the girl.
This time, there was no space to dodge. Though swift in the air, the sky itself had become a cage.
With no hesitation, Kaito hurled the girl toward a nearby opening in the cavern wall, his body twisting back to meet the barrage head-on.
Boom!
The beams struck. In the blink of an eye, his body was covered in blood and torn wounds.
Pfft!
One of the purple dragon heads lashed out like a spear, piercing straight through Kaito's chest. Hot blood burst into the air, spraying across his face. The jagged energy coiled at his heart like a writhing tentacle.
"Kaito!" the girl cried from afar, her voice breaking into tears as she watched helplessly.
"Go!" Kaito roared, summoning the last of his strength. His eyes closed, and his body went slack, limp in the storm of destruction.
"Kaito!" Her anguished scream echoed across the cavern, filled with despair.
...
"Kaito!!!"
The girl woke with a start, heart hammering violently. Pain, raw and soul-tearing, still lingered in her chest. Her body trembled as she sat up in the lavish yet cold room. Sweat and tears soaked through her clothes and sheets, her breathing ragged and uneven.
She stumbled to the table, poured a glass of water, and drank it in one gulp. Her hands trembled as she gripped the cup tightly, her wide eyes still clouded with fear.
"This... what was that? How could I have such a dream?" her voice cracked softly.
Moonlight spilled through the window as the storm outside cleared. Her pale yellow hair shimmered in the silver glow, framing her violet eyes. The lonely figure she cast in the empty room seemed even more fragile beneath the moonlight.
...
Far away, in the Land of Ghosts—a small nation between the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth, and far from Konoha—Ayanami Kaito carried Kushina in his arms as he raced across the forests. The scent of her hair brushed against him as the trees blurred into streaks, vanishing behind them in the blink of an eye.
In his mind, he reviewed the history of their destination. The Land of Ghosts was unlike other nations. Its warriors were samurai, not shinobi. Yet despite having no ninja forces, it had never been invaded during the wars.
The reason was simple—the priestesses of the Land of Ghosts. For generations, every shrine maiden possessed two gifts: the power to glimpse the future and the ability to seal malevolent forces.
The last priestess had sealed away a terrifying entity known as the Sprite, splitting its body and soul. The soul was sealed beneath the underground palace of the Land of Ghosts, while the body was bound within the Land of Swamps. Only the priestesses could keep such a being suppressed, which was why none of the Great Nations dared to move against the Land of Ghosts.
Now, however, disaster had struck. Four followers of the rogue shinobi Shinnō had breached the underground palace. Shinnō himself had allowed the Sprite's soul to inhabit his body, gaining the power to raise an undead army. If he reached the Land of Swamps and united the Sprite's body with its soul, the result could rival the calamities of the Great Ninja Wars.
Kaito's expression grew grim as he thought it through. Everything now rested on the current priestess of the Land of Ghosts.
After an hour of swift travel, Kaito and Kushina finally arrived near the borders of the land. All around them, they witnessed chaos—shinobi clashing with hordes of stone warriors. Terracotta soldiers marched forward without end, their only goal the direction of the Land of Swamps.
Perched atop a cliff, Kaito gazed down at the palace below. His brows furrowed. "Such weak defenses... The Sprite's seal is already broken, yet only a few samurai stand guard?"
"What do you expect?" Kushina retorted, flicking her crimson hair and rolling her eyes. "The Land of Ghosts never had ninja. Only samurai. If they did have shinobi, we wouldn't even need to be here. Not everyone's like the Land of Fire, you know."
Kaito gave a wry smile. "Still, after all this time since the Sage of Six Paths, you'd think they'd train ninja of their own. Depending on samurai alone feels reckless."
She snorted. "Samurai can't compare to shinobi, and you know it. Against a proper ninja, it would be a massacre."
"Maybe," Kaito said lightly, his eyes still scanning the distance.
Kushina's expression shifted, irritation giving way to a small pout. "Instead of worrying about their politics, maybe you should think about how you'll explain yourself to your other girlfriends when they find out."
Kaito chuckled. "Ah, I didn't think you'd get jealous so quickly. If not for the situation, I'd—"
"Enough!" Her face turned slightly red, and she quickly cut him off. "We're here to protect the priestess, remember?"
"Of course," he replied warmly. "Let's spread our senses and keep watch. If anything happens, I can get to the palace in an instant."
"It's already dark," Kaito continued, his tone thoughtful. "Even if they want to head to the Land of Swamps, they'll wait until morning. Priestesses are careful by nature."
Kushina sighed, her sharpness softening into a small smile. "Fine. Let's do it your way."
The two of them released their chakra senses. Kushina's perception enveloped the palace itself, while Kaito extended his awareness across the entire Land of Ghosts, ready for the coming storm.