"It's back. It's back."
Shion lost herself for a moment, repeating the words under her breath.
"Ah!"
Shinji sighed.
The Miko and Moryo were two sides of the same coin. As long as the Miko remained, Moryo would be immortal, so this was bound to happen. There was no stopping it!
Even so, seeing little Shion tormented by fear still pained Shinji.
He patted Shion's head. "Don't be afraid. I'm here!"
Shion, her face streaked with tears, suddenly looked up and stared blankly at him. "Shinji, you'll always stay by my side, right?"
"Mm!"
Shinji smiled.
Shion clung to Shinji, crying and laughing like a child. Passersby kept glancing over and whispering among themselves.
Shinji hurriedly said, "All right, stop crying. If you keep it up, everyone will think I'm bullying you!"
Shion wiped her tears. "Then I won't cry!"
After considering his words, Shinji slowly said, "There is a way to deal with Moryo. If we find the right opportunity, we can seal it. It's just..."
Shion asked urgently, "Just what?"
Shinji replied calmly, "Even if we manage to seal it, that would only treat the symptoms, not the cause. A seal will eventually weaken, and it'll break free in the end, just like this time!"
"Isn't there any way to destroy it for good?"
Shion was discouraged.
Shinji looked at her. "No! Because it's a part of you. There's only one way to make it disappear: you have to accept it again!"
Shion's eyes widened. "Accept it?!"
"Mm!" Shinji nodded and explained, "You and it would become one again, making you a complete Miko!"
Shion shook her head vigorously. "I-I don't want to become one with a monster like that!"
Shinji didn't try to persuade her. He only sighed again.
Shion was in the same year as Naruto