"Brother, what kind of festival is this? It's our first time here—we didn't know it was so lively," Hyūga Hikaru asked curiously.
"It's the Sea God's wedding ceremony!" the drunken man at the next table replied cheerfully.
"The Sea God's wedding?" Hikaru frowned. "What does that mean?"
"Every year, on the fifteenth day of the third month, we hold a grand marriage ceremony for the Sea God. Several young women, dressed as brides, are placed on bamboo rafts and sent ten kilometers into the sea while the mist is thick. The Sea God himself comes to take his brides. If all of them vanish, it means he's satisfied. But if even one returns or escapes—he'll be enraged!"
"That's murder!" Hikaru blurted out. "You push living women into the ocean. Do any of them ever come back alive?"
Hyūga Hiashi frowned slightly and shook his head. "It's their local custom. Outsiders like us shouldn't comment carelessly."
Hikaru fell silent. The three finished their meal and left the restaurant.
Shigeo, seated nearby, had heard everything. By the time he finished eating, he understood the full picture.
Moon City lay between two mountains in a deep gorge. The city itself wasn't on a mountain slope but still stood at a high elevation.
Seven years ago, it had been peaceful—until a tsunami struck, devastating the valley. To pray for safety, the people began an annual Sea Festival.
At first, offerings were simple—livestock, fruit, and grain. But three years ago, things changed.
Before the festival that year, townsfolk began dreaming of the Sea God demanding brides. The rumors spread rapidly through Moon City and nearby villages, but everyone knew that sacrificing humans was forbidden—murder, plain and simple.
So they ignored the dreams. That year's festival went on as usual, with the usual offerings.
But three days later, a violent earthquake struck the Moon Bay directly facing the city. Then came a colossal tsunami that drowned Moon City and its surrounding farmlands.
The devastation was unimaginable. Countless lives lost, wealth wiped away.
Afterward, to "appease" the Sea God, the seven great families of Moon City began selecting women as living offerings—brides for the Sea God.
And strangely, since then, as long as all the "brides" vanished during the ritual, the city remained peaceful. But if one escaped or survived, disaster struck again—floods, quakes, storms.
"Brother," Shigeo asked one of the locals, "no one ever called for shinobi to investigate this? What if it's someone manipulating the town?"
"Of course we've hired ninja. The Land of Water's daimyō himself even ordered an investigation," the man said, shaking his head. "But what can they do? This is the will of Moon City's people! And every ninja who came up empty-handed left without answers. Look around—the city's full of shinobi again this year, all hoping to earn the daimyō's bounty for solving it."
The men drank on, lamenting.
Finishing his meal, Shigeo set out into the city. Indeed, shinobi from every land crowded the streets. Rumor said anyone who could uncover the truth behind the Sea God's curse could claim a massive reward from the daimyō.
But countless had already died at sea chasing that prize.
No one knew how.
The whispers said it was divine punishment.
Shigeo checked into a small inn, then slipped out that night toward the estates of the Seven Families—he wanted to see the so-called "brides" himself.
Three days remained before the ceremony, so each clan still kept their chosen maidens guarded within their homes.
He began with the Yamada family. Their mansion sprawled across a wide courtyard filled with servants and guards.
Past the front garden lay the inner residence—the most lavishly decorated section, clearly where the "brides" were kept.
From afar, he heard the sound of a girl weeping.
Silently, Shigeo leapt to a window and slipped inside.
"Stop crying, girl," an old woman's harsh voice said. "This is your fate. Think of your parents—they took Yamada money. The least you can do is obey. In three days, you'll board the bridal raft. Whether you live or die, that's what was decided. If you resist or kill yourself, your family will lose everything—and the townsfolk might take revenge on them."
Through the Sharingan, Shigeo saw the girl on the bed, wiping tears from her face—an ordinary civilian.
He checked the next courtyard. Another girl, also ordinary. Terrified but compliant.
He inspected all seven clans. Every single "bride" was a local girl, handpicked by their families—none were Blue Gate members or trained kunoichi.
That meant the Moon City ritual had nothing to do with the recent Blue Gate disappearances.
If that was true, then there was no need for him to interfere.
…
Under the dark sky, Shigeo left quietly. But just as he crossed the gorge outskirts, he sensed chakra flaring nearby.
In the distant hills—a fight.
When he arrived, he found a battle raging: a group of warriors encircling three figures.
They fought in rotation—those exhausted withdrew while fresh fighters surged forward.
Even the strongest shinobi couldn't endure a never-ending swarm.
The Second Hokage himself had once fallen to such a battle of attrition.
Now, Shigeo watched the same scenario unfold.
The three trapped fighters were already struggling, breath ragged.
When Shigeo got closer, he froze.
He recognized them all—Hyūga Hiashi, Hyūga Hikaru, and another member of the Hyūga clan.
Their sunglasses were gone, and their activated Byakugan gleamed white in the moonlight.
(End of Chapter)
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