Evil God * Fury

Bishamonten laughed.

"Then there's no need for you all to trouble yourselves," he said, his tone carrying a confident certainty. "We obtained blood samples from all three thousand people at that meeting."

There was a moment of silence under the corridor.

The Military Advisors exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions shifting from skepticism to disbelief. The representative from the Land of Water froze, his teacup hanging in mid-air, while the representative from the Land of Lightning stopped tapping his knee with his fingers.

Tobirama lay prone on the veranda ceiling, his pupils slightly contracted.

Have you obtained blood samples from all three thousand people?

The Summer Festival venue was bustling with people—vendors, tourists, performers, guards, and all sorts of people.

Collecting blood from three thousand people without causing a disturbance is no easy task that can be accomplished quickly.

How many people and how much preparation did this require? And when did the setup begin?

No, that's not right. This is an impossible task because the Summer Festival has very frequent staff changes, and it's almost impossible to know in advance. You can't include people who leave early or can't come for other reasons in the count.

If he wanted to achieve the "feat" of silently killing three thousand people, he would have to resort to other means.

Izuna followed that person for about ten minutes.

The man crept along the narrow gap under the eaves, circling around several times, moving very quickly, as if afraid someone was following him.

However, Izuna wasn't afraid of getting lost at all. Once he opened the Shitty Map, he would go ahead and wait if he couldn't see anyone.

Mokushō originally wanted to teach him how to eliminate his aura, but he saw that Izuna had already suppressed his breathing to an extremely fine frequency and his footsteps landed silently.

He pressed himself against the shadows, as if he had melted into them.

Mokushō frowned and followed.

The man walked hurriedly through the streets and alleys, his steps hurried and fragmented, glancing back every now and then.

Izuna followed on the rooftop, his figure as light as a leaf blown by the wind. The person turned around several times but failed to notice anyone above him.

Finally, the man turned into an alleyway adorned with red lanterns.

Izuna stood on the rooftop at the alley entrance, glanced down, and immediately knew where he was.

Pleasure Quarter.

The daytime Pleasure Quarter are also lively, especially today, as the arrival of the Summer Festival gives people the opportunity to go out and have fun during the day.

The Shamisen and laughter drifted from the buildings on both sides, the scent of cosmetics mingling with the smell of alcohol, wafting in the wind.

The man kept his head down and walked steadily toward the large Cherry Blossom tree in the center of the Pleasure Quarter.

Izuna stood on the rooftop, his gaze passing over the layers of eaves and landing on the tree.

The tree was huge, its trunk so thick that it would take two or three people to encircle it, and its branches, covered with green leaves, spread out in all directions, casting shadows over the surrounding buildings.

Izuna with a strange expression, "Does Pleasure Quarter have this kind of scenery?"

"What was he doing over there by the Cherry Blossom tree?" Mokushō asked in a low voice.

"Who knows?" Izuna said. "Let's follow them and see."

Then Izuna realized that he wasn't the only one following that person.

Someone was moving very quickly through the alley, looking around.

A few groups of people were still scattered along the Pleasure Quarter, standing in twos and threes under the lanterns, their eyes scanning the passing crowds.

As soon as they saw the blonde woman pass by, someone would immediately approach her, block her path, whisper a few questions, and then let her go.

Even those who act suspiciously will be stopped and subjected to a rough search before being released.

Izuna's gaze swept over the groups of people, and he noticed the bright Clan Crests on their bodies.

"Tsuchigumo Clan?"

They're looking for someone with blonde hair, and the blonde one among them must be that young lady.

But Tobirama said the Tsuchigumo Clan was preparing to relocate to the Land of Hot Water, right? That means the marriage should be going to happen, so why is that young lady running off alone?

And why arrest her?

Izuna's intuition told him that those Tsuchigumo had ill intentions.

He walked around the alley with his hat pulled down low, his forehead covered in sweat.

She activated her senses and tried to avoid all her tribesmen.

The streets of the Summer Festival were bustling with people dressed in all sorts of clothes, but her blonde hair was too eye-catching; even with a hat on, it didn't cover much of it.

She walked close to the wall, and as soon as she heard familiar footsteps in the distance, she immediately turned into a side road. She turned and turned again, until she almost forgot where she was going.

"We must find Mr. Tamaro as soon as possible..." she muttered to herself, biting her lip.

Why look for Tamaro?

Startled by the sudden sound, he jumped in fright and, without thinking, pulled a Kunai from his sleeve and threw it in the direction of the sound.

The Kunai shot out into the air, but before it had flown very far, it was gently pinched by two fingers.

Upon seeing who it was, his eyes widened. "Lord Izuna! What are you doing here?"

Izuna casually stuffed the Kunai into his pocket. "I should be asking you, why are you dressed like this running around Summer Festival?"

He glanced at him up and down. He saw that he was indeed wearing a cloak, his hat pulled low, and his hair tucked inside. But he had been running so fast that a few strands of golden hair peeked out from under the brim of his hat, catching the eye in the sunlight.

"If you run like that, anyone who knows you will recognize you immediately."

She opened her mouth, about to say something, when Izuna suddenly turned his head and looked over her shoulder towards the other end of the alley.

"Alright," he said, lowering his voice, "Someone's coming this way. I'll take you away first."

"Lord Izuna!" Shin nodded immediately.

Izuna grabbed Shin's arm and lifted her onto the roof in one go.

Zhen was startled again. The reason she hadn't gone up to the roof was because there was no cover on the roof, making it impossible for her to hide.

However, after Izuna lifted her up, those people didn't notice at all and simply ignored them.

I only breathed a sigh of relief when I saw them actually leave.

"Lord Izuna, what are you doing here?"

"Going shopping? What about you? Why are you out all alone?"

Shin grabbed Izuna's sleeve, saying urgently, "Because it seems my clansmen are about to do something big!"

Izuna looked down at her, his tone indifferent. "Oh, what is it?"

She opened her mouth, then swallowed it back.

This is something that can't be said casually. The Fury Technique is Forbidden Techniques of the Tsuchigumo Clan. She absolutely cannot let anyone know that she is the key to activating the Fury Technique, otherwise her life will be in danger.

But Izuna scrutinized her expression, he suddenly spoke, "Hmm, are your clansmen trying to unleash the 'Fury Technique,' and you have a seal on you?"

His eyes widened suddenly.

How did you know?!

Izuna paused for a moment, then looked away. "Um, just consider me incredibly resourceful."

"Can..."

Tell me first if that's really the case.

"Yes..."

So you want to go to Tamaro and tell him about this?

"Yes," Shin said. "Or go find Lady Tamamo-no-Mae, or Lord Hiroyama. They tried to drug me last night, but luckily I was quick enough to dodge."

Izuna frowned as he looked at the faint dark circles under her eyes.

"So you've been hiding from them all this time?"

"Yes."

Izuna sighed, "Damn it, I feel tired just looking at you. I'll take you to find Tamaro."

He grabbed her arm, genuinely thinking they were going to walk across the roof. He was about to say, "I can walk by myself," when suddenly his footing gave way, and he floated off the ground.

She looked down and saw the ground rapidly shrinking; alleyways, eaves, lanterns, and crowds all converged into a colorful patchwork beneath her feet. Before she could react, Izuna had already lifted her into the air.

His mouth was really open, and he couldn't close it for a long time.

The streets and alleys beneath her feet swept past, the rooftops forming a winding line, disappearing in the blink of an eye. The wind rushed in through her ears, making it hard for her to open her eyes.

They crossed the huge Pleasure Quarter in the blink of an eye.

Izuna grabbed her by the back of her collar, like lifting a frightened cat, and gently landed her in the backyard of Tamamoya.

Several empty flowerpots were piled up against the wall in the backyard, and a row of washed cloths were drying in the corner.

An elderly woman was squatting by the flowerbed tending to the plants when she heard a noise. She looked up and saw two people falling from mid-air, their flower shovels hanging in the air for a long time before finally landing.

She stared blankly at them. Izuna nodded to her, then, carrying Makoto, they walked around the back corridor and went in through the back door.

Tamamo-no-Mae paused for a moment when she saw them.

"Why are you all here?" She glanced at Izuna, then at Shin. "Wait, why didn't anyone tell me?"

"Oh, we didn't go through the main entrance," Izuna replied. "To make a long story short, this child is being watched. Quickly call your brother to protect her."

Tamamo-no-Mae frowned slightly, her gaze falling on the real person.

Zhen shrank back, standing half a step behind Izuna, her fingers gripping the edge of her cloak.

"That's possible," Tamamo-no-Mae, placing her pen on the low table by the doorframe. "But shouldn't she be protected by her own clan? She's not even married into the family yet; it's inappropriate for her to be in my house like this."

"Her people want to harm her," Izuna said bluntly.

Tamamo-no-Mae's expression paused for a moment.

Then she gave a cold laugh. "I knew they'd cause trouble. Alright, come in."

Izuna stepped aside, pushed Makoto out from behind, and shoved him into the doorway.

"Then I'll leave her here. I still have to go to the Summer Festival."

Zhen turned around abruptly, her face filled with disbelief. "You just left me here like this?"

"Mm." Izuna nodded, his tone quite natural.

"You..."

"I'm leaving now." Izuna waved to her, nodded to Tamamo-no-Mae, and turned to walk towards the end of the corridor, his steps light and quick.

Tamamo-no-Mae leaned against the doorframe and waved to his retreating figure. "Take care~"

Oh dear, every time I see this young man, I feel so happy. He's so handsome and refined, it's a real treat to look at. The feng shui of the Land of Fire must be very good for people.

After watching Izuna's figure disappear around the corner of the corridor, Tamamo-no-Mae withdrew her gaze and glanced down at Shin, who was standing at the door looking completely bewildered.

"Alright," she said, stepping aside to let the doorway open and gesturing with her chin towards the inner room. "You stay here for now, I'll send someone to fetch my brother."

Zhen stood still, blinking her eyes beneath the brim of her hat. "Aren't you going to ask why my people want to harm me?"

Tamamo-no-Mae, she didn't turn back, her tone carrying a knowing air of someone who had been through it all.

"Given their character, I don't even need to consider it."

As soon as Izuna stepped off the steps outside the mansion, he frowned.

Mokushō appeared behind him unnoticed, his fox mask peeking out from the shadows in the corner. "What exactly does this Tsuchigumo Clan want?"

"Didn't we say so before?" Izuna walked out of the alley, "We're going to unleash the Fury."

Mokushō caught up. "They're tired of living, that's why they'd do this. Offending the Five Great Nations, are they trying to wipe out their entire race?"

"Yes," Izuna nodded, "They're already moving here; causing trouble at this time would be cutting off their own escape route."

I don't understand.

"Why not just arrest one person and ask them?"

Upon hearing this, Mokushō stroked his chin. "Good idea, but we need to be discreet."

"Then go ahead."

"Huh?" Mokushō paused for two seconds. "Oh, right, I'm Shikigami. Okay, I'll go then."

Mokushō's figure flashed into the depths of the alley and disappeared.

Izuna leaned against the wall, idly counting the sparrows perched on the eaves of the opposite house.

When the third one flew away, Mokushō returned.

He had a person on his shoulder, limbs dangling, head tilted to one side. Mokushō put the person down on the ground and clapped his hands.

Izuna glanced at it, speechless. "How am I supposed to question you if you knocked someone unconscious?"

Mokushō waved his hand. "No need to wake him, I'll teach you a method."

Izuna's eyes lit up. "Search the soul?"

Mokushō paused for a moment, his gaze shifting slowly from behind the fox mask. "This isn't a fantasy film."

"But doesn't the Yamanaka Clan exist in Hokage?" Izuna persisted, "The ones who can read minds..."

"Then you still won't be able to learn this." Mokushō interrupted him, squatted down, and placed his hand on the man's forehead. "Alright, I'll teach you."

"Put your hands up here, yes, palms to your forehead, and then channel your Mental Power into them. Not too much, just a little. Imagine you're throwing a pebble into a pool of water; as the ripples spread, you can see what's underneath."

Izuna squatted down and did as he was told, placing his palm on the man's forehead.

The Mental Power, like a fine thread, seeped from the fingertips and seeped into the person's skin.

At first, I couldn't feel anything, only a blurry darkness.

Then he tried to imagine the pebble falling, and sure enough, ripples appeared in the darkness, spreading out in concentric circles.

This is...

Izuna opened his eyes, and everything in front of him was foggy, as if he were looking through a layer of glass that hadn't been wiped clean. The edges of his vision were tinged with a fuzzy white light, while the center was clearer, but there was always an indescribable sense of distortion.

He looked down at himself and couldn't see his hands or feet. He felt as if he were soaking in lukewarm water, with only his consciousness floating around.

[Mokushō?]

He tried to speak, but his voice came out muffled and unclear, as if something had covered it.

"[It's me.]" Mokushō's voice drifted from a direction, also shrouded in mist. "[Looks like you've gotten in successfully.]"

Izuna looked around.

This place feels like some kind of infinitely extending space.

Various things are scattered on the gray-white background.

A low table, scrolls, Ninja Tool Pouches, Kunai, and some other odds and ends he couldn't name were piled up in the corner, the objects far apart, floating forlornly.

Could this be Mindscape?

[That's right.] Mokushō's voice came from all directions, indistinguishable from any particular direction, [and it was coming from this person's Mindscape. He seems like a very traditional person.]

Izuna tried taking two steps forward. He couldn't feel anything under his feet, but his vision was definitely moving.

He crouched down to look at a Ninja Tool Pouch floating in mid-air. The pouch was open, and inside were several crookedly folded pieces of paper. He tried to reach in and rummage through it, but his hand slipped right through.

"[How amazing.]" He withdrew his hand, his tone filled with undisguised wonder. "[It's a bit like a dream.]"

[After all, it's the Mindscape.]

As soon as he finished speaking, Izuna seemed to be suddenly attacked, and his gaze jerked violently.

Everything in my field of vision appeared skewed, elongated, and distorted.

Izuna steadied himself and looked up.

A person appeared not far ahead.

The man looked very similar to the guy outside who had been knocked unconscious by Mokushō; their facial features and body structure were alike.

But he was younger, with no signs of hardship on his face, his skin firm, and he stared at him expressionlessly.