In the light drizzle, everyone returned to the canyon.
Because Shinji had taken Shion with him to break through and drawn the enemy's attention away, quite a few of the Land of Demons guards who had remained in the canyon had survived the battle.
Everyone worked together to clear the rocks blocking the canyon, then set off again.
This time, the convoy reached the Land of Demons without incident.
After arriving at the shrine maiden's palace, nearly everyone in the convoy, including Kakashi and the others who had joined later, breathed a sigh of relief. Some even wept tears of joy.
Shion's death prophecy had hung over everyone like a shadow throughout the journey.
Only now did everyone finally relax, certain that Shion's never-before-failed death prophecy had truly been broken this time!
Watching the Land of Demons guards embrace and weep, Sasuke, his hands in his pockets, curled his lips. "I really don't know what they were worried about. They actually believed Shion's unreliable prophecy!"
Light flickered in Neji's eyes.
He had always firmly believed in fate, thinking it impossible to resist, just as he could not resist the Caged Bird on his forehead, and his father could not resist the orders of the village and clan.
But after everything he had experienced on this journey, he saw hope.
"As long as one is strong enough, even fate can be shattered!"
At that moment, the figure standing beneath the golden Susanoo flashed through his mind—the figure that had looked down upon the monster like a god!
Shion happened to hear Sasuke's words as she climbed down from the carriage. She snorted. "Even if my prophecy was broken, you weren't the one who broke it. What are you so pleased about?"
Sasuke glanced at Shion, the corners of his lips lifting.