For a creature who had survived for thousands of years, being humiliated by a lowly human with mere words was undoubtedly a cause for anger. However, anger proved to be of no use, it's irritated voice gradually calmee down. With careful thoughts, Moryo realized the despicable nature of the human, understanding that succumbing to anger would only play into the hands of the insect.
"Human worm, you've won with your move. But, what're you going to do with these two women?"
Moryo suppressed the anger boiling within and let out a cold laugh. Indeed, he had been blinded by rage. But having calmed down, he spotted the problem. With no chakra, there was no need to worry. After all, how could a ninja effectively fight without Chakra? Rely on natural energy? While it was special, it alone would not pose a lethal threat.
Therefore, even if Shiraishi had a method that could block the dark power, at best it would only protect himself. More importantly, the two women likely didn't possess the special method to resist its encroaching darkness.
Observing Ruri and Ayane, who had collapsed when the dark torrent washed over them, slowly get back to their feet. Thick black mist swirled over their bodies like a surging stream. The Sharingan and Byakugan transformed into a boundless darkness, radiating a terrifying sense of dread upon a mere glance.
"Humans always acting without hesitation. Or are these two women worthless to you? Regardless, I'll witness the despair on your face after being killed by them. Witness the truth with your own eyes."
The two new chess pieces were most impressive. Among the humans it had controlled over the years, these two women ranked among the strongest. Together now, they would be even more powerful.
As Ruri and Ayane stood up from the ground, their eyes grew vacant under the eroding darkness, like a calm, stagnant pool. But filled with murderous intent, their stance spelled great danger for any foe.
Seeing this, Shiraishi fell silent for a moment, watching calmly.
To Moryo, Shiraishi was merely acting composed. He was likely having regrets. It had long seen through the weakness and incompetence inherent in humans.
"Go ahead. Kill him!"
Moryo commanded imperiously. Humans eroded by his origin darkness could not act against its will. They would only panic, tremble, scream, and cry in despair under his dark domination. This was ingrained knowledge.
Struggling to stand, Ruri's body trembled violently. She lowered her head deeply, her long hair falling loosely, and she clutched her forehead with one hand, feeling intense pain. Ayane mirrored her motions, struggling desperately to break free from the shackles of the demon
By utilizing the pupil power from their Sharingan and Byakugan, they tried to fight against the darkness eroding their bodies. But the all-consuming darkness was no mere trifle for the human body to withstand.
On Ruri's body, the Susanoo's chakra manifestation slowly condensed once more. However, this time it wasn't a bright, blood red, but rather overlaid by dark energy - turning an ominous, dark crimson approaching true darkness.
The colossal sword was also pulled from thin air, reforged into a novel jet black sword far denser and sharper than any previous chakra construct from the past. Gazing upon the sword would infect the mind with darkness, releasing powerful genjutsy that dredged up their deepest fears unconsciously.
The dark dark sword was raised high, stopping at its highest point as if frozen there for aeons, not striking for the longest time.
"Kill-"
Moryo's command, tinged with the pleasure of destruction, echoed in Ruri's mind through the link once more.
Afterwards, the dark red sword light, an embodiment of destruction, tore through the atmospheric barriers, charging like a liberated wild horse ruthlessly through the rocky terrain below.
The underground magma area split into two halves as the dark red sword light directly struck Moryo hidden inside the magma.
A wretched howl escaped Moryo as countless writhing tentacles protruded out from the magma, thrashing wildly. The sword's slash caused it unbearable suffering beyond control. Only through such exaggerated contortions could it vent but a fraction of the suddenly inflicted pain. Yet far more infuriating than the abrupt pain was Ruri's defiance against its will.
"Why—No, impossible! How could a human—How—Why?"
impossible. This was absolutely impossible! That man could resist its dark erosion by cutting off his chakra which was understandable. But how could a human with its dark energy inside directly attack its master against its command? Such an outcome was beyond conceivable.
"A mere human—"
Could there truly exist a human in this world who could stare straight at the darkness in their own heart? If so, what meaning was there left in its birth? This was impossible.
"Is it you!!!? human worm, are you the one behind this trickery?!"
Moryo turned its attention to Shiraishi as countless pitch-black tentacles burst forth, piercing through the magma's blockade. Shiraishi must have sabotaged its control. As long as the wretched insect died, everything would be restored to normal.
Shiraishi observed the large number of tentacles hurtling towards him, yet he stood motionless, calmly watching the demon in the magma. The demon displayed a pitiable struggle, appearing ridiculous.
Boom!
An enormous boulder plunged from above as Ayane leapt to the cave's ceiling. With the superior vision granted by her dōjutsu, she accurately struck the load-bearing point, exposing the endless night sky outside.
The massive block nearly crushed Shiraishi as it grazed him, crashing into the magma.
Before the lashing tentacles could reach Shiraishi, they were pulverized under the rubble, spraying blue-black blood as they lifelessly plopped into the magma.
The magma roiled and splattered everywhere while the boulder sunk in, smashing into the Moryo's body, eliciting another agonized wail.
While the impact wasn't enough to deal a fatal blow to the demon, it undoubtedly constituted as a significant mental assault on the demon's psyche. It could no longer maintain the calm composure it should possess.
How could mere human ants—
Victory was supposed to be in sight—
Why was this happening? Why did they keep resisting from control?
Amidst the extremes of rage and humiliation, Moryo's mind grew as frenzied as the magma enveloping its body. But to onlookers, its madness was merely the last desperate struggles of a doomed beast before the butcher's knife.
The dark-red sword swept once more, severing every last protruding tentacle from the magmaand leaving none behind.
Ruri's mind was clouded, but with her formidable willpower she could vaguely understand the situation. This darkness was heavier than any she had witnessed with the Sharingan. And this was merely a fraction of the demon's true power. It was hard to fathom what unimaginable burden this demon called Moryo had shouldered to survive thus far.
Even Ruri could not help but pity the Demon. Yet pity aside, she had no intention of showing mercy. Fighting the demon was tremendously dangerous. Its true threat lay not in its vast chakra or endless regeneration, but in its darkness. For humans, this darkness was like a lethal virus too difficult to resist.
Even if she willed her mind not to succumb to this darkness, it clung like tenacious maggots. Eradicating them once they infiltrated the body was extremely difficult, and these tendrils remained uncontrollable within the recesses of her heart, which also influenced her mind.
Unless one did as Shiraishi did, temporarily abandoning his chakra and cutting off the channel through which the demon could corrupt them. But wouldn't that signal defeat at the hands of her own inner darkness?
After enduring the malice of her Sharingan, there was nothing that is supposed to scare her in this world. Presently, she faced a darkness heavier than Sharingan, and it was premature to make her surrender.
Ayane felt much the same.
The Hyūga clan had hammered the duty of self-sacrifice for the clan since her childhood. She had endured over a decade of such mental conditioning and walked her own path regardless.
Moreover, if the Sharingan woman could withstand it, wouldn't her failing only prove she was weaker than her?
This was even more unacceptable to Ayane than being controlled by the demon. Not losing to the Sharingan woman was all she cared about.
The pained murmurs escaping Ruri and Ayane seemed to indicate they neared their limit. Their Dōjutsu was now actively trying to engulf the residual darkness, trying to assimilate the demon's energy to empower themselves.
Moryo roared furiously, sensing the intentions of these two ignorant human women. Using its power for themselves? Unforgivable!
While their incredible willpower initially resisted the darkness, attempting to assimilate it into a part of their power was viewed by the demon as the last madness of human self-destruction.
But what if... Indeed, what if? Although Moryo remained unwilling to acknowledge a special existence among humans capable of withstanding its darkness, the trio repeatedly defied expectations with unconventional actions.
If the women succeeded in converting its energy through their dōjutsu, unforeseeable accidents could occur beyond its control. It could no longer tolerate what was beyond its control.
Moryo promptly took action, releasing more dark torrents from the magma, hurtling towards Ruri and Ayane.
The dark red blade swung out but had no effect. The dark torrents pierced through it. It was a manifestation of darkness and primitiveness, not a conventional force that could be countered.
Moryo didn't believe they could continue devouring its darkness without limits. Soon their bodies would reach a breaking point, whereupon they would die on the spot, restoring the balance of power.
Under no circumstances could these two humans be allowed to succeed. Its dark kingdom would be where humans were forbidden to tread.
Just as the dark torrent approached Ruri and Ayane's bodies, a miraculous light suddenly illuminated.
"!?"
Moryo's blood-red pupils abruptly shifted to a specific location.
Somehow, the ancient stone gate from the Shrine in the Land of Demons now stood within the ravaged cave. The sealed container housing the demon was summoned, appearing at this moment.
The stone gate stood fully open, revealing a different space and time blended with purple and black hues.
Moryo's body trembled restlessly. The space was precisely the 'cage' it had known for thousands of years.
For thousands of years, it had broken free from the seal repeatedly, only to be resealed by the Miko, enduring endless loneliness and despair in solitude.
It was a world only suitable for it. The 'Paradise' specially created by the Miko for it. Once inside, its darkness couldn't touch the human world. For the demon, there was no place more boring than that fragment of space.
Before the stone gate stood the Miko, her body radiated a sacred white light, distinct from the demon's darkness. It embodied a warm power that dissipated the darkness upon appearing. It wasn't precisely warmth but a purification of a higher order.
Seeing this scene, Shiraishi rushed to Ruri and Ayane, taking them to a safer distance. Even if the Miko wasn't intentionally targeting them, exposure to the light would severely harm the two, who were assimilating with the dark aspect of the demon. Unless they could entirely absorb the darkness and convert it into their own power. However, this wasn't a quick resolution.
The trio had completed the work as the 'container' and fulfilled their tasks. For the final touches, they had to trust the Miko.
However, this was far from favorable for the demon. The darkness transformed into a torrent, continuously overflowing from the Moryo's body, being compelled to flow into the stone gate behind the Miko. The turbulent dark wave passed by her, causing her beautiful, shining long hair to flutter.
"So... those three humans came here to share the darkness for you... The Miko believe in humans, and humans also trust the Miko who are no longer human... How could i lose to the power of trust..."
[Power of friendship remains the ultimate.]
At this moment, Moryo suddenly realized the humans hadn't came to fight but to serve as the Miko's sealed container, dispersing the excess darkness on it.
Because the Miko's power at this moment was insufficient to seal such a heavy darkness. They could only rely on spreading the darkness, letting the three share part of the pressure, and finally, the Miko would seal the remaining root consciousness.
But, realizing this now seemed a bit late. From the start, the battle rhythm was entirely dictated by the opponent. Its unsightly appearance was also part of their calculation.
Despite having a more powerful darkness than before, why did it fail repeatedly? Was its failure truly just a random defeat against thr humans and the Miko? If it were accidental, how could one explain the countless failures over the past thousand years?
Moryo was filled with such doubts.
Countless dark tentacles danced in the air, losing their vitality and transforming into lifeless objects that fell into the magma, eventually being consumed without a trace.
A massive darkness flew over the Miko's head, morphing into two arms that tightly grasped the edge of the stone door, from being drawn into it.
Confused? Unwilling? Perhaps both. Did fate need to repeat itself?
At this moment, asking such questions seemed meaningless. Why would the Miko, who belonged to the same kind, aid humanity in this way?
They were just a group of hopeless insects. It seemed that in the past, the Miko ancestors also posed this question, questioning why it was unwilling to believe in humans.
Moryo remembered scoffing at the question.
Having absorbed the darkness of humans and grown stronger, it understood the ignorance and selfishness of humans better than anyone. Why should it trust such fools?
Within its scarlet eyes swirled boundless longing for the surface world and pity for Miko Maitreya.
Longing for beautiful things was the instinctive pursuit of nature. Not only humans but also those superior to humans naturally harbored this desire.
Moryo opened its mouth but couldn't say anything, grappling with an inexplicable feeling of uncertainty. It chose to release its grip willingly, and the body transformed into darkness lost its support, descending into the endless alternate world.
There, it would endure eternal solitude as before, waiting patiently for the next time to come into the world. Next time, it wouldn't release its hold so easily.
"Sorry, Moryo," The Miko uttered calmly.
The ancient stone gate slowly closed, restoring calm to the world, and the darkness vanished.
.....
The demon had been sealed once again, but there were still follow-up issues to deal with.
During the battle with the moryo, the Ghost Army it controlled inflicted serious damage to many areas in the Land of Demons. Particularly, the main roads of some crucial towns were trampled by stone soldiers, leading to the collapse of the road surfaces.
Some towns also faced invasions by the stone soldiers, which oroved difficult to resist for the stationed ninjas. As a result, the decision was made to abandon these towns and evacuate the residents.
The damaged towns now require quick restoration and rebuilding. While this might be a daunting project for other countries, it poses no significant challenge for the Land of Demons.
The country established a specialized ninja engineering team early on. Members of this team may not excel in combat, but they are skilled in various construction-friendly techniques and boast a decade of construction experience.
Their manual reconstruction speed surpassed that of ordinary people. By collaborating with regular workers, the efficiency of road and town reconstruction was significantly enhanced.
The Shrine.
Upon Shiraishi's arrival, the atmosphere felt entirely new and devoid of the previously oppressive aura. This change could be attributed to the demon's re-sealing. Additionally, with its darkness divided, it could no longer extend its influence through the sealed stone gate into the human world.
Standing alone in the stone stream of the mountain behind the shrine, the Miko presented a lonely silhouette against the desolate world.
For reasons unknown, Shiraishi sensed the Miko's presence had become faint, even more illusory. Was it due to the sealing? Shiraishi pondered.
Nevertheless, Shiraishi preferred interpreting the Miko's state as the price paid to counterbalance the demon's darkness compared to the sealing.
While the demon claimed the Miko was of the same kind, their roots differed significantly.
Moryo was a chakra-generated creature rooted in the darkness of human heart, whereas thr Miko, in her original form, is a genuine human being.
Their shared nature was a result of forming special bonds that resonate through unique methods, which was also why the demon was drawn to the Miko.
Even Moryo experienced loneliness and craved for understanding. For it, the Miko is a unique presence capable of prying open its mind.
Neither can kill the other, leading to an endless cycle of fate where they remain entangled with each other. In this world, no one was more aware of the Miko's existence than Moryo
"Shiraishi-san, have those two shown any improvement?"
The Miko turned as she asked. Shiraishi understood she was referring to Ruri and Ayane. The two were in a unique state of unconsciousness after absorbing the darkness, undergoing an unknown transformation.
Unable to assist in such condition, Shiraishi could only ensure their safe retreat should they fail resisting the darkness.
"So far, there's been no accident. However, I'm uncertain of their success. Despite using the negative energy from the Zero Tail to give them simulated training, the darkness of the young Zero Tail pales in comparison to the demon."
To prepare them for the demon, Shiraishi had focused Ruri and Ayane's training accordingly. With intact monsters so rare in the Shinobi world, only the Zero-Tails under his control presented opportunities.
But having been sealed young when first uncovered decades ago by the Land of Sky, the Zero Tail power was then quite weak. It was no match for a millennia-old monster.
Shiraishi stimulated and strengthened Zero-Tails in various ways, but approximating the demon's level might well take lifetimes. Difference existed between monsters as well.
Nonetheless, it provided a direction. If both monsters utilized darkness to manipulate hearts, targeted exposure could impart resilience. Shiraishi had repeatedly tested this by extracting fragments from the Zero Tails to craft drugs that woud fortify their willpower, allowing Ruri and Ayane to adapt to monsters' darkness beforehand while exercising formidable mental fortitude beyond normal humans. Aside from some physical defect, his approach proved largely correct.
""While I've sealed the demon's root consciousness in a different dimension, the remaining darkness in this world remains a powerful threat to ordinary people. Shiraishi-san, I urge you to take care this power with utmost caution. Not every life can withstand the erosion of darkness." The Miko warned, her gaze deep and unwavering, fixed on Shiraishi.
Shiraishi nodded and reassured, "Please be rest assured about this. I've already figured out how to deal with that part of the darkness."
"Then I leave the rest to you,...."
The Miko smiled slightly, expressing a touch of care.
Shiraishi's heart stirred as he observed her gentle expression. "Are you... leaving?"
Miko Maitreya nodded, no sadness on her face.
"For us each life is but part of the reincarnation's cycle. My life's mission is now over..From now on, Shion will carry on the mission. Despite her willfulness, I'm sure she will perform excellently."
Born into this sacred duty, she pondered if Shion's fate was a blessing or a burden. Yet, before the path unfolded, the responsibility fell squarely on the young miko's shoulders.
"I see... I wish you the very best then."
Shiraishi said, his voice tinged with resignation as he turned away, his steps echoing with resolute purpose.
For her who had seen everything in the world, she didn't need an outsider's comfort. For her, sleeping peacefully embraced by the land of her birth was ceremony enough.
The Miko's final destination remained a mystery, one Shiraishi chose not to unravel. The truth, he feared, might be too harsh to bear. In this world, some chose to move forward with burdens heavy on their hearts.