"Sealing talismans," said Hyūga Shigeo. "Stick them on the girls you replace. The moment they're triggered, I'll sense it and act."
Hyūga Hikaru stared at the slips, lips twitching. "Couldn't you just not use us for this? You could send your clones—"
"Enough talking," interrupted Hiashi coldly. "Do as he says."
"Yes, sir…" The two disguised "brides" left the room stiffly, faces still burning beneath their makeup.
Outside, the parade continued down the moonlit main avenue. The long line of fourteen carriages gleamed like a white river under the sea of lanterns. The air was thick with incense and chants. Bells rang, and drums echoed from the temple district ahead.
The people watched in silence. None dared to speak loudly, afraid that even their breath might offend the so-called Sea God.
From the tavern balcony, Shigeo watched carefully. His Rinnegan-enhanced vision traced chakra threads across the city. Though thousands filled the streets, a subtle distortion pulsed beneath the cobblestones, like a living network hidden under the earth.
So that's where the "Sea God" dwells, he thought.
Moments later, Hikaru and Nami slipped into the crowd, blending among the procession's attendants. They approached one of the carriages, moving precisely as rehearsed.
Then, faint mist began to creep along the ground.
The weather had been clear, yet a dense fog rose from nowhere, swallowing the entire street in seconds.
"Now."
With that whispered command transmitted by chakra, both infiltrators leapt onto the carriages, using the concealment to replace the brides. Each touched the sealing tag to a captive's shoulder. The talisman flared faintly, then vanished beneath the skin as the girls were silently teleported to safety by Shigeo's prepared technique.
No one in the crowd noticed; they could see only a blur of white through the haze.
Meanwhile, on the last carriage, the supposed "bride" Terumi Mei sat straight-backed, calm amid the chaos. Through the mist she caught sight of a silhouette on the tavern's roof—tall, long-haired, wrapped in an aura of quiet dominance.
A faint smile curved her lips. So you came too, Hyūga Shigeo.
The fog thickened again. From beneath the ground came a low, rumbling vibration, like the growl of some massive creature stirring from sleep.
Then, without warning—
Boom!
The leading carriage shattered. White horses screamed as something erupted from the cobblestones below: a pillar of black water, twisting upward like a serpent. Screams broke the silence.
"The Sea God's wrath!" someone shouted.
Dozens of armed guards rushed forward, but the water struck like a whip, sending men flying.
From the tavern roof, Shigeo's voice cut through the din. "Formation! Protect the civilians!"
His clones dropped into the fog, intercepting attacks, while his main body flashed forward, appearing atop the destroyed carriage. Rinnegan rings rotated in his eyes as he raised one hand.
"Suiton: Suirō no Jutsu (Water Prison Technique)!"
The roaring black water froze in place, locked within a giant transparent sphere that hovered in the air. Inside, a distorted shape writhed—its body humanoid but deformed, covered in dark coral scales.
"That's no god," Shigeo muttered. "That's a summoned construct."
Hiashi and the others joined him, each activating Byakugan to scan the creature.
"I see chakra lines," said Hiashi grimly. "Someone underground is controlling it."
"Found them." Shigeo's eyes flashed. "Hikaru, Nami—hold the front. I'm going down."
He pressed his palm to the street. The ground rippled open, swallowing him in silence.
Beneath the city was a vast network of stone tunnels. Torches burned blue with a chemical flame. And there—in a circular chamber surrounded by bone totems—stood men and women in black orchid-embroidered robes.
Their leader, a thin man with sea-green eyes, turned as Shigeo appeared. "You shouldn't have come, Shadow of the South Ink."
Shigeo smiled faintly. "Then I came to the right place."
The cultists raised their hands in unison. "For the Sea God's rebirth—offer your soul!"
Hundreds of black seals lit up on the walls. Chakra gathered, forming a swirling vortex of seawater above the altar.
Shigeo's cloak snapped in the gust. "Mokuton: Jukai Kōtan (Deep Forest Emergence)!"
Wood exploded from the floor, piercing through cultists like spears. Roots crushed stone and sealed the altar, halting the ritual in seconds.
Aboveground, the fog cleared, revealing the moon again. The monstrous water construct disintegrated, raining harmless droplets across the terrified crowd.
The citizens stared in awe, not knowing whether to bow or flee.
On the street below, Terumi Mei raised her veil slightly, smiling toward the collapsing temple. "Looks like the Sea God lost his bride."
Shigeo emerged from the fissure, brushing dust from his cloak. "It's over."
Hiashi exhaled heavily. "We should burn the underground chamber before more of them escape."
Shigeo nodded once. "Do it. I'll question the survivors."
(End of Chapter)
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