Terumi Mei's temper was short.
If those hostile ninjas hadn't appeared to intercept the investigators, Hyūga Shigeo might have believed the sharks were merely attacking to feed. But the moment those enemy ninja revealed themselves—and the sharks emerged from the same location where they had disappeared—he understood: the sharks had been summoned.
They weren't hunting.
They were transporting the sacrificial brides.
The purpose was clear: a test. The enemy wanted to confirm who among the brides were actually ninja. If anyone resisted, they would expose themselves. If not, they would be taken away—alive.
But now that Terumi Mei had revealed her power, would she ruin their plan?
Shigeo stayed hidden, observing the battle carefully.
Behind the reef, the sea began to stir again. Hundreds of sharks burst forth together, surging toward Terumi Mei like a living tide.
On the surface, the remaining eleven brides screamed and wept uncontrollably, clinging to their rafts, terrified they would be next.
Meanwhile, Hikaru and Nami, though silent, had turned their heads slightly, peering through the mist, trying to see what was happening underwater.
They didn't realize they had already been exposed. The maids kneeling beside them moved suddenly—their vacant eyes flashing for an instant—each raising a kunai and pressing the tip to the back of the disguised men's necks.
So that was why the maids were actually ninja, controlled like puppets. They existed to instantly execute any impostors among the brides.
Shigeo's brow furrowed. He wasn't worried. Hikaru and Nami were no amateurs; if they could be killed that easily, the Hyūga name would be meaningless.
Indeed, at the moment the kunai descended, the two men reacted.
Their wedding robes flew off, talismans tearing away with them, releasing the chakra suppression seals.
Their Byakugan flared open—pale veins spreading from their temples—as they counterattacked.
The two puppet maids lunged again, their movements unnaturally fast.
"Beautiful ladies, no need to be so heartless! First time meeting, I promise I'll go easy on you—hey! That's a bit rough!" Hikaru laughed even while dodging, his tone teasing, though his smile faltered when one of the kunai sliced across his abdomen, spilling a thin line of blood.
On the other raft, Nami fought with sharper precision.
He caught one maid's wrist, twisting it aside, but the second kicked hard toward his face.
The Hyūga clan was famous for taijutsu. Jūken (Gentle Fist), Hakke Rokujūyon Shō (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms), Hakkeshō Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Rotation)—close combat was their domain.
Within moments, the two controlled maids were completely overpowered.
But from the black ship at the lead, several enemy ninjas leapt into the sea, rushing toward them.
The enemy now had confirmation: three of the fourteen brides were ninja. The rest were harmless sacrifices.
The swarm split.
Half the sharks went for Terumi Mei.
The others dove toward the rafts carrying the helpless brides.
From behind the reef, Shigeo's heartbeat quickened. He gambled that these sharks were not meant to eat anyone. If this ritual were just mass feeding, it wouldn't have been wrapped in so much secrecy.
But he couldn't be sure. All he could do was watch and react.
The sea roared as the sharks darted forward like arrows loosed from a bow.
Underwater, Terumi Mei launched Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu (Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique). Massive serpentine torrents clashed with the oncoming beasts. She fought fiercely, but there were too many, and she could protect only herself.
Meanwhile, eleven massive sharks opened their jaws beneath the other rafts.
"They're going to eat them!"
Shigeo's body tensed. He dashed from cover, slicing through the water—yet something still didn't add up.
If this was a true offering of lives, why go through such elaborate means?
A moment later, his question was answered.
The eleven sharks engulfed the rafts whole—brides, maids, and all—and sank into the depths, swimming swiftly in the same direction.
Not scattered.
Organized.
The rest of the sharks stayed behind, clashing with Terumi Mei, Hikaru, and Nami.
Shigeo's eyes widened in realization.
He was right. These creatures weren't feeding—they were transporting.
He moved instantly, using Suiton (Water Release) propulsion to follow the school of sharks into the deep.
If they had truly been feeding, the sea would now be painted red.
Instead, every shark that swallowed a bride was swimming deliberately toward one location.
After several minutes of pursuit, the school curved through the maze of coral and rock, then dove toward a massive stone gate embedded in the seabed.
The gate opened. The sharks slipped inside.
Shigeo followed silently.
Behind him, far back in the deep, a violent explosion shook the water—an enormous Yōton (Lava Release) detonation flared, turning the sea into boiling fire.
Hikaru and Nami, overwhelmed by the combined attacks of sharks and puppet maids, had fallen into the sea.
Ordinary ninja would have drowned.
But they were Hyūga. Their Byakugan allowed them to see and breathe rhythmically underwater, their chakra finely tuned to survive.
Two gigantic sharks swallowed them whole—and began swimming toward the same hidden gate.
On the surface, Terumi Mei slew the remaining sharks, her boiling mist devouring flesh and scale alike.
But as the last corpse sank, she realized her mistake.
Every other raft was gone.
Every person missing.
The storm raged again. The sea that had just been full of sound and chaos fell eerily silent.
Thunder rolled across the black clouds.
Rain hammered the surface in endless sheets.
Terumi Mei stood alone upon the heaving sea, fists clenched, striking the air in fury.
She had planned this operation for half a month, gathering intelligence, forming a team, and now—within minutes—everything had vanished.
For a kunoichi who had completed multiple S-rank missions and was considered a future Kage candidate, this failure would stain her record heavily in the eyes of the Hidden Mist elders.
No matter what, she would not let the truth of this ritual remain buried.
Years ago, the elders had suspected the Sea God Sacrifice was linked to the roaming Three-Tails. After investigation, they concluded there was no connection.
And yet, every year, the Moon City still sacrificed dozens of people to this so-called god.
Even worse—two Anbu from the Mist who came to investigate months earlier had disappeared.
One mystery after another.
No wonder she was angry.
(End of Chapter)
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