Chapter 81: Ritual of the Evil God—The Source of Tragedy
Half a year ago, in the Land of Hot Water—
Two figures, one large and one small, wearing traveler's hats, slowly walked along a mountain path that stretched toward the horizon.
They crossed the snow-draped bridge at the border of the Land of Iron.
They passed through the bustling capital of Hot Water, where music and laughter filled the air.
They walked through forests of lush greenery swaying in the breeze.
Traversing this long journey home, though exhausted, their eyes were filled with hope.
The smaller figure quickened his pace, stepping ahead to block the burly man's path.
"Master Hayato, are we almost there?"
Hidan asked with a bright grin.
"Yes," the burly middle-aged man known as Master Hayato raised his head slightly.
"Almost. My hometown is just ahead."
He half-closed his eyes, unable to resist the smile that crept across his face as he gazed toward the nearby village, a glint of tenderness and longing in his expression.
Tōgō Hayato then shook his head and pressed his hand on Hidan's forehead. Looking at his disheveled, dust-covered face and tattered clothes, he said with exasperation:
"You idiot, you're such a handful."
"Chasing after stray animals along the way, picking fights with bandits in the forest for no good reason."
"You can't even perform water-walking yet. I really don't know why you insist on showing off and meddling in other people's business!"
Hidan scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "Isn't Master Hayato here? Master is a jōnin from Yugakure! Super powerful!"
Tōgō Hayato sighed and couldn't help but smile helplessly.
"When we get to the village, I'll have my wife sew you a new set of clothes. Try not to destroy them immediately."
"And Ryoko—she keeps asking when she can play with her big brother again."
"You idiot, when you get back, you better act like a proper role model!"
Hidan grinned carelessly and patted his chest.
"Of course! After all, I'm the man who'll become the Yukage!"
Hearing this answer, Tōgō Hayato wanted to tell him that aside from the Five Great Nations, no other ninja village had the right to use the title of 'Kage.'
This was a disparity in strength, as well as a disparity in national power.
But after thinking it over, he decided not to say such a disheartening thing. Instead, he smiled and said:
"Really? Then starting tomorrow, we begin serious training—starting with water-walking!"
Hidan's face fell at this prospect.
With a nervous laugh, he immediately turned and sprinted toward the village.
But the next moment—
BOOM!
"Yagura, give up your resistance!"
"Sorry, but for the greater good, I can't die here!"
"Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"
With such a youthful yet powerful voice—
A vast ocean suddenly rose from the plains, waves towering over ten meters high like a savage beast charging forward.
A mortal was like an ant before such terrifying ninjutsu.
Hidan's smile froze on his face.
His running pace went from brisk to stumbling, and finally he was saved from falling by Tōgō Hayato's timely grasp on his shoulders from behind.
The sky instantly darkened, the wind howled, and the massive waves surged forward, instantly engulfing the entire village.
Then blue lightning roared across the sky, and the earth cracked beneath the water's weight.
The small village, already modest in size, was like a tiny boat in a hurricane—without even a sound of protest, it vanished from this world.
Hidan's ears suddenly lost all sound, and his mind went blank.
Tōgō Hayato, standing behind him, suddenly had a glazed expression, his eyes bloodshot.
After a long, silent moment, Hidan turned his head numbly, his expression grim and pale, his teeth clenched, his entire body trembling.
He stared wide-eyed and stammered to Tōgō Hayato:
"Master."
"What... what was that? Is that what ninja from the Great Nations can do?"
Tōgō Hayato was startled awake by these words. He looked at the hellish scene before them, at the group of ninja fighting fiercely on the water's surface, and at the Kirigakure forehead protectors they wore—three wavy lines etched into metal.
Finally, his eyes settled on the one who had destroyed their hometown.
The captain of Kirigakure's Jōnin Corps—Yagura Karatachi.
A man worthy of the title 'Kage.'
Tōgō Hayato wanted to say something, but his mouth went dry and his heart felt hollow, as if a massive piece had been torn out.
The harsh truths and comforting words that were about to leave his mouth became lodged in his throat when he saw that man's power.
His forehead was covered with cold sweat, and twisted anger flickered in his eyes.
Yet he dared not direct his hatred at that figure.
He wanted to laugh, but couldn't.
He wanted to cry, to wail, but he had to hold it together with his student watching.
The rage spread like wildfire, consuming his heart, causing him to gasp for air, his eyes gradually turning bloodshot—as if he was about to charge forward recklessly.
At that moment—
Hidan raised his head again, pointing at the destroyed village.
He pointed at the dozens of corpses and debris floating in the water, his head tilted at an unnatural angle.
His expression had darkened, the skin around his eyes stretched taut as if it might tear. He stared at Tōgō Hayato with wide eyes and asked in a hollow voice:
"Teacher, why didn't you save them?"
"You told me you were the strongest ninja in Yugakure, didn't you?"
"With your abilities, you could do it, right? You could defeat those chūnin who massacred civilians, right? You could kill them, erase all traces, and escape, right?"
Hidan gritted his teeth, his face trembling, tears streaming down his cheeks. He sobbed:
"Kill them! Why didn't you kill them?!"
Tōgō Hayato's heart was pierced by Hidan's question. He opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat for several seconds.
Finally, he took one last look at the young man standing on the water, performing devastating ninjutsu on the waves, his eyes gleaming with confidence, his smile as radiant as the sun.
That was Yagura Karatachi.
Really... why didn't I kill them?
Tōgō Hayato fell silent for a moment, his gaze unconsciously dropping to the ninja tool pouch at his waist, settling on a pitch-black scroll.
It was a tome he had discovered recently while exploring ancient ruins for a nobleman of the Land of Hot Water. It contained records of numerous forbidden techniques—
"The Jashin Ritual Codex."
The secret arts contained within were quite powerful, but the bloody rituals described were simply too horrifying.
Such a thing should be destroyed.
Tōgō Hayato took a deep breath, then grabbed Hidan and strode away, gritting his teeth as he said:
"Hidan, those people have nothing to do with us. I told you—don't meddle in affairs beyond your ability."
Two weeks later—
The flames of the Third Great Ninja War spread to the Land of Hot Water.
Yugakure was tasked with defending the territories and properties of the nation's nobility.
The rest of the civilian population was abandoned, left to fend for themselves.
Suffering from the aftermath of war, Yugakure sustained heavy losses, with reports of casualties and defections arriving daily.
The conflict within the village between peace-seeking and militaristic factions grew increasingly irreconcilable.
Frustrated with the weakened Yugakure, Hidan left.
That same day, three battle-hardened Kumogakure ninja stormed the village, brutally defeating Tōgō Hayato and several other Yugakure jōnin, forcing them into servitude.
The departure of his student, the pressure of war, and the pain of losing everything piled upon him like a suffocating weight.
Tōgō Hayato tossed and turned each night, struggling to breathe.
Every night, he would wake with a start, gasping for air as he recalled that devastating day.
That day when Hidan pointed at the dozens of corpses and debris floating in the water, at the ninja of the Great Nations who had caused it all—
And tilted his head.
He asked:
"Kill them? Why didn't you kill them?"
Finally—
On that night, amidst howling wind and eerie stillness where even the birds and insects were silent—
A pair of bloodshot, maddened eyes opened.
Tōgō Hayato unfolded the scroll he had read countless times.
The twisted smile on his face grew wider and wider, more deranged!
He formed hand seals, cut his palms deeply with a kunai, and pressed his bloody hands hard against the scroll!
"Kill. Kill them all."
"Hahahahahahahaha! Kill them all!"
"Ninja, daimyō, nobles, commoners—since you are all born into this world of pain, why not place all this suffering on the scales for me to weigh!"
"Who suffers more! Who deserves more! Who hurts the most!!!"
The paper windows and doors were swept by wind, rattling wildly!
Tōgō Hayato clenched his teeth, madness blazing in his eyes as he sought to destroy everything.
He bared his teeth and roared with hatred:
"All of you—die!"
"I will curse this world!"
"I'll perform the blood sacrifice and drag everyone down with me!"
End of Chapter 81
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