The footsteps coming from the passage were clearly calm and gentle, yet they sounded inexplicably determined, causing Mōryō and Shinnō to turn their heads towards the entrance of the passage.
Mifune, saved by Haku, had eyes full of confusion.
He had thought of reinforcements, but he never expected that the one who saved him from Mōryō's tentacles would be Akatsuki's 'C'!
Immediately, he braced himself, turning his head to look at the distant entrance of the passage, immensely curious about who the owner of those footsteps was.
Who was walking so determinately, step by step, towards this hellish mountain belly!
Before long, the figure of the footstep's owner appeared in everyone's view.
It was an Akatsuki member like 'C', wearing a mask and a hooded red cloud cloak. But the mask on her face was not the familiar cat, fox, snake, or eagle, but a ferocious monster baring its fangs and claws!
"Monster mask... who is she?"
More doubts surged in Mifune's mind.
Not only Mifune, even Mōryō and Shinnō were baffled at this moment, because they had never heard of an Akatsuki member with a monster pattern mask.
What made Mōryō and Shinnō feel even more wrong was that the monster depicted on the opponent's mask bore a striking resemblance to Mōryō in his complete form!
Mōryō immediately said angrily: "You also came to seek death?"
"Hmph!"
Haku snorted coldly, then exhaled lightly. 'Water Breathing' began to operate at full power, and chakra also adhered to the long sword in his hand.
The long sword in his hand that could easily sever Mōryō's tentacles was not the one he usually used, but the Kusanagi Sword seized by the village from Orochimaru before!
Considering that Haku, who had undergone orthodox swordsman training in the Demon Slayer World, was not only superb in ninjutsu but also outstanding in taijutsu and kenjutsu, Shinji stole this divine weapon from the village's secret vault and gave it to Haku.
Seeing 'C' about to make a move, even the arrogant Mōryō braced himself. His evil dark purple chakra surged, and Shinnō in the distance assumed a stance, ready for battle.
They knew very well that 'C' was not an ordinary ninja. Although not as famous as 'A' and 'B', he was definitely not an opponent to be dismissed easily.
Just then, the Akatsuki member wearing the monster mask standing at the entrance of the passage said with an incredibly firm tone: "'C', he is mine!"
Neither Mōryō, Shinnō, nor even Mifune in the mountain belly expected that under the ferocious monster mask, the voice that came out was that of a light and clear young girl.
Subsequently, the girl wearing the monster mask pulled down her hood, then took out a dazzling crown from her shoulder bag!
"Miko's Crown!?" Mōryō's eyes widened first, then realizing something, a look of frenzied joy appeared on his face: "Little Shion, so it's you! Hahaha, I haven't gone looking for you yet, and you actually delivered yourself to my door!"
Undoubtedly.
This Akatsuki member wearing the monster mask was Shion, the Miko of the Land of Demons, given the codename 'X' by Shinji.
And as she took out the 'Miko's Crown', her identity was immediately recognized by Mōryō.
Shinnō was stunned for a moment: "Miko of the Land of Demons? Wasn't she hiding in the Hidden Leaf all along? When did she join the Akatsuki organization?"
Unlike Mōryō who fell into ecstasy after discovering it was Shion, he still maintained his reason.
The situation in front of him was obviously a bit wrong. The Miko of the Land of Demons was clearly hiding in the Hidden Leaf, how did she suddenly get involved with the Akatsuki organization?
At the same time, he remembered clearly that as the dark side of the Miko, the demon Mōryō could sense the Miko's location in real-time.
But the Miko of the Land of Demons had already walked right in front of them just now, yet Mōryō didn't recognize her. Only after the opponent took out the 'Miko's Crown' did Mōryō realize it belatedly. This was obviously wrong!
Moreover, shouldn't the Miko be hiding from Mōryō, the demon? Why deliver herself to the door actively?
Various doubts made Shinnō couldn't help but remind: "Be careful!"
Facing Shinnō's warning, Mōryō turned a deaf ear.
He, a dignified world-destroying level demon, joined the Akatsuki organization and became Nagato's running dog, wasn't it just to use the organization's power to devour the Miko and become his complete self!
Now that the Miko delivered herself to the door, let alone Shinnō, even if Nagato were on the scene, he couldn't care about that much.
Rumble...
Instantly, the demonic chakra inside Mōryō surged uncontrollably with the agitation of his emotions, escaping as if having substance.
Before long, that palpitating dark purple chakra almost filled the entire mountain belly!
"Monster!"
The injured Mifune felt shocked.
As Mōryō's chakra filled the entire mountain belly space, a fear originating from biological instinct appeared in his heart, as if encountering a natural predator, and his whole person couldn't help but tremble.
Only until this moment did he understand that in the several battles before, the demon in front of him hadn't been serious at all!
A look of worry also appeared on Haku's face.
Mōryō merely displaying chakra made him feel bad. He began to worry whether Shion, who was usually unreliable, could deal with such a terrifying demon.
Just as Haku was worrying if Shion would drop the ball, Shion slowly put the 'Miko's Crown' on her head.
Then, under the gaze of several people, she raised her right hand and gently pressed it on the monster mask she was wearing on her face.
Crack...
With a shattering sound, the monster mask Shion wore on her face was crushed by her own hand!
As the monster mask shattered and fell bit by bit, Shion's delicate and immature face behind the mask slowly revealed itself in everyone's view.
It was just different from what everyone imagined. Facing such a terrifying demon, there was no fear or hesitation on Shion's face.
At this moment, the realization rooted in her bloodline as the Miko protecting the Ninja World allowed her to suppress the panic in her heart and forget the fear in her spirit.
And with the awakening of her realization, the majestic Miko power in her body also erupted at this moment!
Swish...
Dazzling chakra projected from Shion's body. Coupled with the 'Miko's Crown' she just put on, her whole person was instantly wrapped in a gentle light, entering a special chakra mode similar to Naruto's 'Nine-Tails Chakra Mode'.
"How is this possible!?"
Mōryō, who was incredibly arrogant a moment ago, showed a trace of panic at this moment.
The painful memories of being sealed time and again by generations of Mikos who sacrificed themselves fearlessly all flooded into his heart at once!
Swish!
No nonsense, no hesitation. The moment she sensed Mōryō's wavering heart, Shion, who entered 'Miko Chakra Mode', launched an attack instantly...