Don't use superstition to test a ninja's judgment. She believed that whatever had been haunting Moon City for the past three years was no sea god—it was people.
Mei returned to the shore, gathered the other ninjas, and restarted the investigation.
Deep beneath the sea, Shigeo had already infiltrated the hidden cave, following a dozen sharks slowly into the darkness.
Light splashes echoed from above, droplets falling rhythmically into the water. That meant the upper part of the cave contained air.
Finally, the group of sharks halted in unison. They lined up neatly and opened their mouths. Inside were bamboo rafts carrying the brides and their maids—all unconscious. Among them were also Hyuga Hikaru and Hyuga Nami.
"Didn't expect them to catch two from the Hyuga clan this time."
On the shore, someone spoke softly.
"Yeah, what a surprise. The Experiment Division will be thrilled."
"Heh, no doubt."
The two of them were the first to carry off Hyuga Hikaru and Hyuga Nami, while the other brides and maids were taken elsewhere by another group.
As the sharks returned to their enclosures, mechanical grinding echoed through the cave. Soon after, a shout came from one of the tunnels:
"By the Sect Leader's command—tonight, we open the path between heaven and earth! All members proceed to the central temple!"
Central temple? Path between heaven and earth?
Shigeo frowned. Finding no immediate threat around him, he quietly climbed ashore. He scanned the labyrinth of tunnels, sensing chakra signatures in nearly every passage. Picking one at random, he moved in.
Once he left the water, his Suiton: Suimon (Water Concealment) faded, exposing him. He alternated between Doton: Iwayakure no Jutsu (Earth Concealment Technique), Mujin Mise (Dustless Maze), and spatial transfers to evade patrols. Before learning the truth, he had to stay cautious and avoid alarming the enemy.
But he couldn't just hide forever. To uncover what this place was really about, he needed to blend in.
Finally, he spotted a lone figure ahead. In one swift move, he knocked the man unconscious and dragged him into a subspace pocket, stripping his uniform.
Inside that subspace…
The two brides from earlier had already awakened. They were trapped inside wooden cages, unaware of where they were. Their cries for help went unanswered.
Suddenly, a handsome man appeared—dragging another man and immediately starting to undress him. The two women froze, stunned.
One bride gasped and covered her mouth, eyes wide.
The other looked regretful. "Didn't expect such a pretty man to… like men."
Hearing them, Shigeo raised his head slightly, a teasing smile curving his lips. "Actually, I like women too. Want to find out?"
He began removing his own clothes. His well-built physique came into view. The two women screamed, covering their eyes—but after a moment, curiosity won. They peeked through their fingers. Gay or not, he looked amazing.
But when they looked again, he was already dressed—in the unconscious man's uniform. Then they realized he'd only been changing disguises.
Once done, Shigeo used Kūkan Ten'i (Spatial Transfer) to toss the man into the Wind Country's desert, waved casually at the two brides, and emerged from the subspace into the Orchid Sect's cavern.
Inside, everyone was moving in one direction. They murmured softly as they walked, their voices low and muffled, but Shigeo's sharp ears caught the words:
"Through heaven and earth, moon god, demon and spirit, with blood we bless the Orchid Faith."
Each person repeated the chant under their breath, throats tight as if afraid to be heard.
The tunnel widened ahead, revealing a vast chamber filled with a dark, dense crowd.
Security seemed much stricter here. Everyone lined up for inspection before entering the open square.
Blending into the queue, Shigeo advanced slowly.
At the entrance, ten elite jōnin stood guard—five on each side—checking everyone one by one.
When it was his turn, one ninja eyed him suspiciously. Shigeo noticed that each person ahead said something to the examiner, who would then nod and let them through.
A password, then.
The Orchid Sect really did guard against infiltration at every turn. No wonder they'd evaded capture for three years, using the Sea God festival to murder innocents unchecked.
"You…"
The suspicious guard frowned. Shigeo had taken too long to respond—three times longer than the others. The people behind him had already passed through.
The man raised his whistle to sound the alarm—
but Shigeo leaned in and whispered,
"Through heaven and earth, moon god, demon and spirit, with blood we bless the Orchid Faith."
The guard's suspicion vanished instantly. He waved Shigeo through.
Inside, the hall opened into a circular space, where hundreds of people were circling a massive round platform as though performing some ritual.
Each wore a cloak with a hood drawn low. From the center of the dais came an eerie, resonant wail—like wind howling or wolves crying.
One by one, the participants completed their circuits and filled the chamber.
The tunnel sealed shut. Lights flared around the cavern. Everyone stopped and raised their heads toward the dais.
There stood the old shrine maiden who had led the rafts earlier, her legs trembling as she hobbled forward. Her deformed body twisted grotesquely as she reached the center and began chanting.
Her voice rose and fell like a dirge. After three minutes, she lifted the bell in her hand and began to shake it rhythmically.
Because the hall was circular and the walls solid rock, the bell's sound rippled around them, echoing back in long, haunting waves—ethereal and distant, like it came from the heavens themselves.
Then, accompanied by that bell's resonance, a man appeared on the stage. He wore a tight crimson outfit, his face painted with garish red markings, purple hair spiking upward.
He spoke with authority:
"Four branch sects. Eight guardians. Step forward!"
At once, twelve figures appeared around the dais, leaping into position to guard its twelve directions.
(End of Chapter)
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