A man sitting atop the stone platform spoke first:
"Long time no see, Shion."
"I don't know if you still remember me," Shion began, her voice sharp, "years ago, when I gained the power of the Mōryō and was about to unify the entire continent, your mother, Miroku, destroyed everything…"
Shion glared at Yomi, shouting:
"My mother was right! The Mōryō should never have existed in this world!"
Yomi smirked mockingly:
"Oh? Is that so? Then, why don't you try coming over to seal me?"
"Of course."
Immediately, furious, Shion exchanged a glance with the nearby Shinju Naruto, then slowly stepped toward the center of the stone platform.
Along the way, the warrior statues guarding Yomi relentlessly attacked her.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—"
Spears fell from above.
With no means to defend herself, Shion instinctively covered her head in fear.
At that moment—
"Whoaa!" A wooden pillar shot up from the ground, intercepting the warrior statues' weapons!
"Clang! Clang!"
Every attack was completely blocked by Shinju's Wood Release!
Shion turned and met Shinju's clear, unwavering gaze.
Those eyes… that red hair… it gave her a profound sense of relief.
"Just keep moving forward. I'll protect you from behind," Shinju said earnestly.
Hearing this, Shion's heart involuntarily fluttered.
She pressed her lips together, then nodded:
"All right."
Facing each other, Yomi's eyes flickered with surprise.
First, because Shion had no visible means of defense.
That shouldn't be the case; the previous priestess, Miroku, Shion's mother, was not only skilled in sealing techniques but also highly proficient in combat.
Second, because the red-haired boy in front of her could actually use Wood Release!
"The Leaf Village's young genius?" Yomi murmured.
"Perfect. You'll be the first sacrifice for the Mōryō lord's return!"
…
Soon, under Shinju's Wood Release protection, Shion stepped onto the stone platform, confronting Yomi directly.
As she approached, Shion realized that this evil ninja had grown emaciated—nothing but skin and bones!
A grotesque stitched wound ran across his chest.
"Sealing the Mōryō's soul inside his own body… truly insane," Shion murmured, her hands forming intricate seals.
At the same time, she began chanting a series of complex, arcane incantations.
During this process, Shion's hair floated as if blown by an invisible wind, and her body hovered in midair!
As time passed, a protective barrier of light formed around her.
The purple glow enclosed both her and Yomi inside.
"Release… the formation…"
Shion's incantations continued.
Within the barrier, the sealing stone designed to trap the Mōryō gradually appeared.
By the time she finished chanting, beads of sweat dotted her forehead.
"Sealing the Mōryō must be difficult. Just look at Shion, all sweaty," Naruto remarked.
Shinju observed Shion's movements closely, and by the end, his brows furrowed.
Why, after so long, hadn't the Mōryō's power parasitically residing in Yomi weakened at all?
Inside the formation, Shion's concentrated spirit caused drops of sweat to fall one by one.
She gritted her teeth and persisted.
Suddenly, Yomi spoke from the side:
"You can't figure it out, can you?"
"You don't understand why the sealing formation you cast can't trap me."
"Then I'll tell you."
"The so-called 'seal'… is actually you and me merging into one."
"Just like your mother, Miroku, who is still inside my body now."
"So, you can't harm me, and I can't harm you."
"Hohohoho—"
"Whoaa!!!"
In an instant, Yomi dashed forward, right next to Shion!
Panicked, Shion froze, unable to complete her hand seals.
The next moment, she realized something was wrong and lunged toward the sealing stone!
But it was too late.
The purplish-black soul of the Mōryō burst from Yomi's chest and dove straight into the sealing stone.
"Swish!!"
Before disappearing, the Mōryō's voice echoed through the entire space:
"Thank you for helping me unseal my body."
"Next, once I reclaim my body, you will witness my domination of the continent!"
The Mōryō vanished.
Shion collapsed, powerless, onto the ground.
"I'm sorry for the sacrifices you've made. I'm useless…"
As a priestess, Shion possessed not only the power to seal the Mōryō but also the prophecy of death.
She could foresee the deaths of those around her.
In reality, removing the death prophecy was simple—just leave her side.
But then, the prophecy would fall on Shion herself, and she would die.
Shion, as the continent's only priestess capable of sealing the Mōryō, carried immense expectations.
Thus, she intentionally portrayed a haughty demeanor to distance herself from others, preventing anyone close from dying because of her…
"Did the seal work?"
Naruto asked, dumbfounded, after seeing the Mōryō enter the stone.
Shinju shook his head:
"Look at the priestess's sorrowful expression. Clearly, it failed."
"Ah… I see…" Naruto murmured.
Shinju's eyes darkened as he stepped toward the stone platform:
"Let's go see."
Shion, half-kneeling, looked dejected.
As Shinju neared the barrier, Shion quickly warned:
"This sealing formation won't disappear once activated, unless either I or the Mōryō inside it is consumed."
Hearing this, Shinju touched the barrier and began thinking…
The next moment—
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Chakra erupted within the shrine!
Suddenly, countless black tendrils seeped up from the floor!!
"The Mōryō has reclaimed its body!"
Shion panicked.
The Mōryō, fully merged with its corporeal form, was terrifying—it had nearly unified the entire continent once before!
Shion had already made up her mind: she would, like her mother, merge with the Mōryō in a seal to end this war…
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh—!!"
The Mōryō's black tendrils lashed toward Shinju and Naruto inside the shrine!
Shinju remained with eyes closed, deep in thought.
Naruto struggled, trying to break free from the tendrils:
"Shinju! Any ideas?!"
Shinju did not respond.
Then—
"Whoo—!!"
Inside the barrier, a dark aura appeared behind Shion!
The Mōryō's evil, obscured face manifested within it!
At the same time, the small bell Shion had always worn began to emit a faint glow.
The Mōryō murmured regretfully:
"As long as this bell exists, I cannot devour you."
Shinju, eyes still closed, suddenly opened them.
"Shion, the bell! The bell has sealed your power!"
He struck the purple barrier with one palm!
"Whoosh—"
Invisible chakra rippled through the barrier.
Half a second later, it shattered!
"Shinju!"
Helpless, Shion darted into Shinju's arms like a bird returning to its nest, pressing against his chest.
Shinju held her firmly and gently removed the bell from her collar…
"Chirrr—!!!"
Centered on Shinju and Shion, chakra surged violently!!!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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