Chapter 172: Shion's Introduction, The Sage of Six Paths' Investment
"This... Is it already over?"
In Konoha, the ninja force, which had already assembled and was ready to depart to assist the Land of Demons, suddenly received news: the calamity of Mōryō in the Land of Demons had already ended.
The ninja, who had just been preparing for deployment, were instantly dumbfounded.
Naruto Uzumaki, in particular, who envied Sasuke Uchiha's strength and, after much persistence, was finally taken by Jiraiya to Mount Myōboku to train in senjutsu, was preparing to make a good impression during this mission. Upon learning that Izayoi had resolved the crisis in the Land of Demons, his expression instantly became one of dumbfounded disbelief.
Sasuke Uchiha was also slightly startled, then he snorted softly, a slight smirk on his lips. "That arrogant guy, he's just afraid people won't know he did it. How boring."
After speaking, Sasuke Uchiha turned and left.
In truth, his heart was churning with stormy waves.
That terrifying chakra from earlier, even if he had transplanted Hashirama cells and his chakra had surged over the past two years, Sasuke Uchiha would still be far from matching it, even if multiplied by a hundred.
He had thought his strength had progressed miraculously fast.
He never expected Izayoi to be even more astonishing than himself.
Did that guy truly have no limits?
"So, Lord Izayoi made a move. No wonder the Mōryō calamity was resolved so quickly."
"As expected of Lord Izayoi, even the immortal Mōryō was no match for him!"
"So, Lord Izayoi's chakra just now was transmitted from the Land of Demons?"
"Hiss... If I remember correctly, the Land of Demons is located near the Land of Lightning and the Land of Earth, right? It's separated from our Land of Fire by several countries. How many kilometers is that?"
"If it could be sensed so clearly even here, doesn't that mean all countries could sense Lord Izayoi's chakra?"
"Is this super-tier combat strength? Simply by bursting out chakra, it almost affected the entire ninja continent?"
"Too strong! As long as Lord Izayoi is here, our Konoha will fear neither Uchiha Madara nor Ōtsutsuki Toneri!"
"..."
Cheers instantly spread throughout Konoha.
After the villagers understood the situation, they quickly joined in.
Izayoi's prestige rose again.
And this time, Izayoi's prestige not only increased in Konoha, but the influence of this event also rapidly spread throughout the ninja world, even reaching the islands.
Those who sensed Izayoi's chakra, learning that it had affected the entire ninja continent, and that even the distant Land of Water could clearly perceive it, were all greatly shocked.
The level of shock was even comparable to the moon being cut.
"Compared to this, even the God of Shinobi might not measure up!"
This sentence, uttered by an unknown person, spread throughout the ninja world at an astonishing speed and gained the approval of countless people.
The ninja world had many famous battles that created renowned figures.
For example, Hanzō vs. the Sannin, where the Konoha Sannin were glorious even in defeat.
Like Minato Namikaze instantly killing dozens of Iwa ninja, or the Third Raikage fighting ten thousand Iwa ninja alone...
But the influence of these battles was far less than the Valley of the End battle between the God of Shinobi and the Shinobi World's Asura.
Because the plains were transformed into the Valley of the End, and the map almost rewritten, the strength of the God of Shinobi and the Shinobi World's Asura belonged to a unique, super-tier existence.
Only two battles came close to this one: the Akatsuki Leader vs. Ōtsutsuki Toneri, and Izayoi vs. the Akatsuki Leader.
Even so, the destruction and influence caused by these two battles were still less than the Valley of the End battle.
However, the commotion at the Valley of the End did not affect the entire ninja world.
But whether it was the moon being cut or Izayoi's chakra burst, they were both on a scale that the entire ninja world could see and feel.
Even Hashirama Senju, during his lifetime, never displayed such power.
To be able to do what those before him could not, meant he had surpassed them.
Izayoi, once again, with his astonishing display, distanced himself from the Akatsuki Leader, who was once on par with him, and ascended to the level of Uchiha Madara and Ōtsutsuki Toneri.
Among the four super-tier combatants, Nagato was now at the bottom.
The Daimyō of the Land of Fire, upon hearing this news, once again dispatched officials to Konoha, this time almost explicitly urging Tsunade to abdicate as soon as possible.
And this time, Tsunade hesitated.
She wondered whether to train Izayoi for two more years or to hand over the position of Hokage to him early.
With Izayoi's current strength, even if he had no political skill, no one would dare defy his will.
As the ruler of a military base, Izayoi's strength was his best weapon.
Izayoi was unaware of these high-level affairs and didn't concern himself with them.
After returning to Konoha from the island, Izayoi began to set a trap for Shion.
These past few days, Izayoi, on Konoha's behalf, entertained the "long-distance traveler," the Miko. He used a simple Wood Clone Transformation Jutsu disguise and took turns with Hinata and the other two girls to tour Konoha with Shion. The Miko, who was like a jinchuriki in being ostracized in the Land of Demons and had lived in a shrine since childhood, quickly fell in love with this prosperous village, much like a country bumpkin entering the city.
Shion, who had no friends, quickly became very good friends with Hinata and Karin.
The gentle Hinata, after learning about Shion's past, felt a sense of empathy again, as if seeing her own self before meeting Izayoi, and was filled with affection for Shion.
There was no need to mention Karin. Before meeting Izayoi, she felt like she was in hell. Let alone friends, she was already very content to simply live a few more healthy years.
Both girls could empathize with and understand Shion's loneliness. As three girls of the same kind, they naturally got along without any barriers.
Even Hanabi developed a strong liking for this older sister who looked remarkably similar to her own.
Shion felt the same way. All Miko in her lineage only gave birth to daughters, and they were all only children.
Hanabi's appearance made her experience what it felt like to be an older sister.
In just a few days, Shion had completely fallen in love with Konoha, as well as Hinata and the two girls, to the point of forgetting her identity as a Miko and her own country.
Her initial aloofness had long since transformed into a lively version of Hinata; her personality was actually similar to Hanabi's.
If her brown-tea hair turned black and her purple eyes became Byakugan, then Shion and Hanabi would look even more like real sisters.
Seeing that Shion had already fallen in love with Konoha, and had found friendship and an "adopted sister," Izayoi finally revealed his intentions.
"Eh! Join Konoha?"
Shion was surprised that Izayoi would invite her to join Konoha, and a look of delight unconsciously appeared on her small face.
However, these words also seemed to awaken Shion, making her recall her identity. Her eyes dimmed, and she forced a smile, saying, "I'm very happy to receive your invitation, but I am the Miko of the Land of Demons, bearing the responsibility of protecting the Land of Demons."
"No, your responsibility as a Miko was only to seal Mōryō," Izayoi reminded her with a smile. "Now that Mōryō is dead, and you've gained the power of the Progenitor Miko, you've broken a destiny that no Miko before you could break. You are now a free person."
"Broken destiny, a free person..." Shion's expression was somewhat dazed, then her beautiful eyes gradually lit up.
Was this what it felt like to break destiny?
It turned out that not only Izayoi could do it; she had also done it without realizing.
Destiny was not predetermined; even the deaths seen in prophecies could be changed.
Just as Izayoi rewrote Foot-Hah's destiny!
However, thinking of the residents of the Land of Demons, who, though they feared her, still worshipped the Miko, Shion fell into hesitation again.
Just then, Izayoi added a powerful incentive: "If you can't let go of the Land of Demons, then you don't have to. The Land of Demons' geographical location is very remote, destined not to become a place of great power conflict. If you join Konoha, I can represent Konoha and sign an alliance treaty with the Land of Demons. If the Land of Demons encounters a crisis, I will personally resolve it. With my Space-Time Ninjutsu abilities, I can reach the Land of Demons instantly."
"I will also help you fully master the Miko's power. Then, if you wish to go back and help the residents of the Land of Demons, you can also use my power."
Hearing Izayoi's promise, Shion's beautiful eyes shone brighter.
The reason she couldn't let go of the Land of Demons was precisely because the Land of Demons had no ninja villages and had always believed in the Miko.
She, who wielded the Miko's power, was the guardian of the Land of Demons.
Now that the Land of Demons no longer had Mōryō, its greatest threat, the biggest enemy of the Land of Demons was no longer the Mōryō calamity, but the surrounding countries.
As a guardian, she still had the responsibility to protect this country, even if her strength was not great.
For the sake of the Land of Demons, no matter how much she liked Konoha, she couldn't convince herself to abandon it.
But now, Izayoi had promised to protect the Land of Demons.
Having witnessed Izayoi's strength and learned about his status in recent days, as well as the magnitude of that day's commotion, even if Shion hadn't seen Izayoi fight, she understood how important the protection of the strongest individual among the Five Great Shinobi Villages was.
If it meant "sacrificing" herself to bring an incredibly powerful ally to the Land of Demons, Shion felt it was worth it.
Shion was tempted but still hadn't made a decision.
As if seeing through the young girl's feigned reluctance, Izayoi extended his palm to her and genuinely smiled, "Join Konoha, Shion! The current situation in the ninja world is very chaotic; it could welcome a doomsday calamity at any moment. My current state needs your power to help me. Come with me to save this world!"
These words were a fatal blow to the Miko, who had been instilled with the idea of saving the world by her mother since childhood.
Especially when the person who needed her help was someone whose future she couldn't see, who had helped her break her destiny, and for whom she had a very strong affection.
If she weren't afraid of being eliminated by Hinata, Shion would have already expressed this affection.
The Miko's courage in this regard completely overshadowed that of a high-class young lady.
"...Mm!"
Looking at Izayoi, who, in her Miko power's perception, held no ill will towards her, only kindness and affection, Shion's heart was touched again. Then, with a flushed face, she raised her small hand and placed it on Izayoi's, nodding vigorously.
Thus, the Miko formally joined Konoha.
Meanwhile, in the past few days, Uchiha Madara's true body had returned to the Land of Demons.
He first randomly read the memory of a Land of Demons resident, learned that a Mōryō calamity had erupted in the Land of Demons, and immediately rushed to the temple where Mōryō was sealed, confirming that the seal had been opened and Mōryō had disappeared.
So, Uchiha Madara mobilized his White Zetsu clones. It took him several days to find the Yomi's subordinates that Izayoi had defeated. He used Impure World Reincarnation to summon them back, then used the Human Path of his Rinnegan to read their memories, locating the volcanic cave.
"Another ancient jutsu..."
Standing on the altar that sealed Mōryō, and also where the Miko and Mōryō's two extremes unified, Uchiha Madara examined the characters and seals of the jutsu array. He muttered with a slight frown, "What did that brat get here? Why did his chakra surge so dramatically?"
"The Mōryō calamity has been resolved. Is that immortal Mōryō dead or sealed?"
"Could it be that brat's chakra came from Mōryō?"
Proud Uchiha Madara was somewhat unwilling to admit the latter.
Otherwise, it would mean he had missed a treasure.
Moreover, he had also used the Rinnegan's ability to absorb Mōryō but couldn't make that power his own.
More critically, Mōryō's power was filled with negative emotions, and Izayoi's chakra, which affected the ninja continent, did not have such an aura.
Clearly, there was an unknown secret hidden here.
Thinking this, Uchiha Madara was about to leave to continue exploring.
Just then, an inexplicable emotion suddenly washed over Uchiha Madara.
It was like a flash of insight, or a summoning, or perhaps akin to a Sharingan genjutsu hypnosis...
Uchiha Madara looked down at the altar's jutsu array beneath his feet, then suddenly crouched down. He channeled his chakra into the stone slab, which had existed for who knows how many years and had not been destroyed even when Izayoi unleashed his chakra.
Whoosh—
The next second, a dazzling white light illuminated the area.
These white lights formed a cylindrical barrier, rising from the altar, then rapidly expanding and changing from white to transparent, enveloping the entire volcano.
At this moment, Izayoi's Wood Clone, responsible for monitoring Uchiha Madara, instantly changed expression.
Because his Tenseigan penetration could no longer see inside the volcanic cave.
Only Six Paths-level abilities could counter Six Paths-level abilities.
Rinnegan of the same level couldn't even block the Tenseigan's long-range vision and penetration.
Only power that ventured further into the otherworldly realm could block the Tenseigan's penetration!
"How is this possible?!"
Receiving the information from his Wood Clone, Izayoi was also astonished, his eyes filled with disbelief as he thought, "My Six Paths Sage Mode stacked with Tenseigan Chakra Mode only saw that stone slab as a sealing and transformation jutsu array, and it only targeted Miko power."
"How could Uchiha Madara's chakra activate that jutsu array?"
"What exactly is going on?!"
Izayoi once again experienced the feeling of things spiraling out of control.
The last time was when Nagato recovered to his full strength, gained clarity of mind, and unleashed his pent-up abilities.
Even then, Izayoi still had more than one way to deal with it.
But now, Izayoi felt a hint of unease, his mood incredibly heavy.
Izayoi really wanted to absorb Shion's Miko power, enter Six Paths Sage Mode, and go investigate.
However, Six Paths Sage Mode could only last for a few minutes. Izayoi worried about unexpected situations and hesitated for a moment.
"This is..."
Inside the volcanic cave, Uchiha Madara's eyes widened as he looked at the ancient characters glowing on the wall.
"The Sage of Six Paths' inheritance!"
....
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