"Don't rush."
"Before I fulfill my promise to you, there's one thing I absolutely have to take care of…"
As it spoke, the purple-black mass that was "Moryo" began to shrink. Its colossal, tailed-beast-like form, towering dozens of meters high, condensed into a humanoid shape just two or three meters tall.
But it was only vaguely humanoid.
Countless thick, writhing tentacles still swirled around it, and its purple-black body radiated an aura of ferocious malice, as if it wanted to obliterate everything in sight. Combined with the surrounding carnage of blood and bodies, the sight was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
"…The shrine maiden of the Land of Demons has the power to seal me. Only by killing and devouring her can I eliminate any threats and exist in this world forever. Once that's done, whether it's conquering the world or killing whoever you want, I'll make it happen."
Maybe it was the long years of being sealed away, or perhaps because it wasn't human to begin with, Moryo's voice sounded hoarse and awkward, like a savage just learning to speak. It grated on the ears, unsettling in a way that was hard to describe.
Obito, clad in his black-and-red-clouded robe with his face hidden behind a mask, frowned slightly. In a low, measured tone, he asked, "What's your plan?"
"If it's about infiltrating the palace for an assassination, I can make things easier for you."
With his Kamui Sharingan, sneaking into the palace or manipulating others with genjutsu was child's play for Obito.
But…
Moryo had other ideas.
"Heh."
"No need for you to handle this."
"Before I was sealed last time, I foresaw this day and prepared some contingencies… Now, it's time to awaken them."
As it spoke, purple-black runes slithered out of Moryo's body like tiny snakes, burrowing into the corpses of the cavalry scattered around, their insides hollowed out.
The bodies touched by these "snakes" began to blacken and harden, their surfaces forming a rocky, keratin-like layer. Gradually, an aura similar to Moryo's emanated from them, growing stronger by the second.
Crack, crack—
Amid spine-chilling sounds, the corpses began to rise.
They no longer resembled their living selves. Instead, they had transformed into armored, humanoid puppets. Where their heads and hearts should have been, there were no faces or chests—just flickering clusters of black-purple flames, like ghostly spirits from a story.
"This is…"
"The Ghost Corps!"
The leader of the Yomi Cult recognized them.
Moryo wasn't being unsealed for the first time, nor was it its first release.
Compared to Moryo's own tailed-beast-level power, these "Ghost Corps" were far more terrifying.
They looked like lifeless puppets, but each one possessed the strength to shatter stone. They followed Moryo's orders without question. Even more fearsome, no matter how many times they were broken, their bodies would regenerate and keep fighting until everything in their path was destroyed.
Legend had it that centuries ago, during the Warring States period, Moryo led the Ghost Corps to devastate the Land of Demons and wreak havoc on neighboring nations.
Now, that nightmare from the history books was reborn.
"You lot," Moryo said, turning to the Yomi Cult members. "As a reward for finding me after all these years and freeing me from Sealed Demon Mountain, I'll grant you a bit of my power."
With that, more purple-black snakes split off from Moryo's body, burrowing into the cultists.
Almost instantly, the cultists felt their bodies heat up, as if an endless surge of power was welling up inside them. One ninja tentatively clenched his fist and punched a nearby wall, watching it crumble effortlessly. A rocky layer, similar to the Ghost Corps', had formed on his hand.
"This is what power feels like! It's incredible!"
"My body feels so light…"
"Lord Moryo, thank you for your gift! The Yomi Cult will follow you to the end and kill that shrine maiden who threatens you!"
The cultists' expressions grew even more fanatical, their confidence skyrocketing, as if they were ready to take on the Kage of the Five Great Nations.
On the other side, Obito narrowed his eyes, cautiously studying the cultists.
Though his Sharingan wasn't as perceptive as the Byakugan, he could sense that their chakra levels had tripled in mere moments. From average Jonin or even Chunin-level strength, they'd leapt to elite Jonin. The Yomi Cult leader, Meido, already near Kage-level, had been boosted to the realm of a strong Kage.
The boost was staggering.
But the drawbacks were obvious.
Their bodies and talents weren't equipped to handle such immense chakra. They might be fine for now, but over time, their bodies would collapse under the strain.
Not that it mattered.
The Akatsuki only cared about Moryo's power anyway.
"It's time to move," Moryo declared. "Before facing this generation's shrine maiden, I'll have a little appetizer to regain some strength…"
At its command, the puppet soldiers formed dense ranks and marched forward with heavy, thunderous steps, like an army of thousands.
…
Early in the morning, Uchiha Hikari woke from her sleep. As usual, she brushed her teeth and washed up in the bathroom, then woke Eri, who was sleeping in the same room. Together, they headed downstairs for breakfast.
As for Esdeath…
She was staying in the same room, of course. But, having served in the Empire's army, she was used to waking up early. By the time Hikari and Eri reached the dining area, Esdeath had already finished eating and was wiping her mouth with a napkin.
"How's the food, Esdeath? You getting used to it?" Hikari asked with a grin, sitting down with her tray.
The world of Akame ga Kill had a mix of Eastern and Western influences, but its cuisine leaned heavily Western. Meanwhile, the Naruto world's food, especially in the Land of Demons, was distinctly Japanese—miso soup, grilled fish, vegetable porridge. It was quite different from what Esdeath was used to.
"It's fine," Esdeath replied coolly.
After a pause, she turned to Hikari, her tone sharp. "Where's that demon you mentioned? Why haven't we seen it yet?"
"I know you're itching to fight, but hold your horses," Hikari said, popping a piece of grilled fish into her mouth and chewing before continuing. "That thing's probably coming out soon… or maybe it's already been released and is just lying low somewhere.
Tsunade's almost fully recovered, so we'll head to the capital today. That's likely where Moryo's headed too. If it doesn't show up, I'll spar with you myself. Sound good?"
"…It better," Esdeath said, unimpressed.
As Hikari ate, she opened the chat group.
[Unnamed @Kikyo: Hey, Kikyo, you ready?]
[Kikyo: …Yes, I've gone over everything with Shiori, Blue, and the others. I can head out whenever you're ready, Hikari.]
"Blue" was the name of the half-demon from Hourai Island. Kikyo had paused her quest for the Sacred Jewel to stay on the island, studying the Cauldron of Resonance in the volcano and working to repair the island's barrier. Part of this was to honor her promise to the previous shrine maiden, Kanade, and part was because Kikyo secretly adored kids—human or half-demon alike. Shiori and the others, despite their tough pasts, were well-behaved and got along wonderfully with her.
Back in the ninja world, Hikari finished her meal slowly, asked Kikyo to pass on her greetings to Shiori, and returned to her room. She opened Kikyo's request.
[Kikyo requests to enter Unnamed's world]
[Unnamed has approved the request]
A flash of white light later, Kikyo appeared in the inn, dressed in her red-and-white shrine maiden outfit, her calm and elegant aura filling the room.
"…So this is your world, Hikari? It feels a little similar to mine," Kikyo said, glancing around curiously before her eyes settled on Eri.
Eri raised her little notebook: "Hi, Kikyo-nee!"
"You must be Eri," Kikyo said, smiling softly. "Just call me Kikyo. Nice to meet you."
It was indeed their first meeting. Kikyo, with her quiet personality, wasn't much for adventuring and had only visited Yoriko's world besides her own. Eri had only been to Hikari's and Brand's worlds, so their interactions had been limited to the chat group. Still, they weren't complete strangers.
After some quick introductions, Hikari introduced Kikyo to Esdeath.
"…A friend from another land?" Esdeath raised an eyebrow, surprised by Kikyo's sudden appearance but not dwelling on it.
Unaware of the chat group, Esdeath assumed Hikari, Eri, Bulma, and now Kikyo were all from the same world, with Kikyo simply teleported in via Hikari's "Shangri-La."
Esdeath was far more interested in their strength than their origins.
"Kikyo? Kind of a tricky name, like Akame's… But you've got the aura of a warrior. Want to spar?" Esdeath asked.
"Sure," Kikyo replied with a gentle smile. "Hikari's told me a bit about you. If a fight would make you happy, I'm game. But we might need to hold off a bit since the trouble in this country isn't resolved yet. And, please go easy on me—I might not be your match."
As the strongest shrine maiden in the Inuyasha world, Kikyo was no slouch. Her masterful archery and barrier techniques, combined with top-tier spiritual power, let her hold her own against even great demons. But Esdeath's strength rivaled or surpassed that of Inuyasha's great demons.
Seeing Kikyo accept the challenge so readily, Esdeath nodded approvingly.
By afternoon, while Hikari was in Tsunade's room watching her check Eri's health, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from the end of the street, stopping at the inn.
Several armored cavalrymen dismounted and rushed to the front desk, questioning the staff before heading upstairs to Tsunade's room and knocking.
"…Pardon me, are you Lady Tsunade of the Leaf?" one asked.
"That's me. And you are…?" Tsunade replied.
"I'm Endo Sakumo of the Land of Demons. We saw your name on the entry registry and learned that one of the legendary Sannin had come to our country. It's an honor… Our esteemed shrine maiden wishes to meet with you."
"Huh?" Tsunade blinked, caught off guard.
Unaware of Moryo's revival, Tsunade had come to the Land of Demons by chance and didn't know the shrine maiden. Puzzled, she ventured, "Is… someone in the palace sick and needs me to heal them?"
"No, that's not it…" Endo Sakumo hesitated, glancing at Hikari, Eri, and Shizune, as if unsure whether to speak freely.
After Tsunade assured him that Hikari and Shizune weren't outsiders, the minister spoke. "It's about a demon named 'Moryo,' sealed in the Land of Swamps by the previous shrine maiden… The Land of Demons has already requested aid from several major ninja villages, including the Leaf. Were you not informed?"
"Uh…" Tsunade coughed, not mentioning her semi-estranged status with the Leaf, but her brow furrowed. "Moryo? I think I've read that name in some old Leaf archives."
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