The Monster-like Appearance

"Who are you?" the young girl asked, her emerald eyes filled with curiosity. On the surface, she appeared to be a normal, sunny, and cheerful girl, yet she exuded an underlying sense of gloom.

Yura smiled faintly and cut straight to the point: "Do you want to leave with me? Leave this cage behind."

The blonde girl froze, a sudden brilliance erupting in her eyes. After a moment of thought, she asked, "Aren't you afraid of me?"

"Why?" Yura tilted her head in confusion. "Why would I be afraid of you?"

"I'm a monster," the girl said with a sunny smile. "A monster that manipulates the human heart."

"What a coincidence," Yura laughed. "I am a monster too—a monster that plunders the human heart."

Well, plundering the heart in the literal sense; after mastering Earth Grudge Fear, it was a matter of course.

She grew unsettled.

Clearly, she had been startled by Yura's words. She shrank back, a pair of translucent, fairy-like wings behind her waist fluttering slightly. Then, lowering her head, she murmured gloomily: "I hate everything..."

Yura stared at her, puzzled.

If she could have hidden the extreme fear and panic deep within her heart, she might have actually managed to intimidate Yura.

Seeing that Yura gave no reaction and remained silent, she tried again: "I hate everything..."

She was trying very hard to perform the gloomy tone of a monster.

For a moment, the atmosphere turned cold. Yura watched her performance quietly, while the girl stole glances at Yura's face.

After a long while, the girl hesitantly asked: "Are you really a monster?"

Yura nodded.

Probably, anyway.

She believed it.

Because she hadn't detected even a shred of fear in the depths of Yura's heart.

To her, Yura was an unknown, profound, and indescribable black hole; it was impossible to provoke any sense of fear within her.

"Then..." the girl said, "I won't go with you!"

"That isn't up to you," Yura smiled faintly, then slashed her blade against the barrier.

A massive gap tore open, accompanied by a harsh, screeching sound of metal scraping. With a shriek, the girl jumped up, rushed back into the shrine without looking back, and slammed the door shut. She pressed her back against the wood, her heart pounding with nervous intensity.

I'm dead, I'm dead! What do I do!

A real monster has come!

Yura curled her lips. Through close-range observation, she had already determined that the girl before her was a typical individual possessing immense spiritual power, capable of enduring vast amounts of negative emotion and thus stably ignoring the mental influence of Tailed Beasts.

Born into a clan of madmen, hatred was her camouflage.

Her personality was just like that of the Tailed Beasts.

It was quite interesting; whether it was Fu or those before her, there had been no rumors or whispers of a Jinchuriki going berserk throughout the sixty-plus years of Takigakure's history.

In this regard, they were undoubtedly much better off than the suffering Five Great Nations.

Was it because the people of the village were kind and loving, and the Jinchuriki had been inspired by them?

Given the level of filth among the upper echelons of Takigakure during the early days of the Five Great Nations, that was impossible. Without a doubt, it was the Jinchuriki's own outstanding personal qualities and abilities that had allowed Takigakure to enjoy such long-lasting stability.

Yura raised her foot and kicked the door open.

One must remember, Yura was a monster, and she possessed quite a bit of strength.

"Ouch..." With an unexpected cry of pain, Lucy tumbled like a rolling gourd. After rolling a short distance, she huddled in the corner of the shrine, looking up at Yura.

Tears welled up in her eyes before she even realized it, hanging precariously on her lashes.

She was super weak...

Yura was speechless. If one ignored that subtle, invisible power in the air—which had no effect on Yura but could influence the mental state of others—she was undoubtedly super weak.

It was like a mouse meeting a cat; a natural predator.

Therefore, even though her acting was clumsy, she could still influence the emotions of others, causing them to spiral into madness and self-destruction without them even realizing it. This was the fundamental reason why she was feared by the Uji Clan.

Yura was quite curious about this method of utilizing negative emotions. Although she could absorb negative emotions to use as her own sustenance, she lacked any particularly effective way to weaponize them.

"Do you not know any ninja techniques?" Yura asked.

Looking at Yura, Lucy nodded hesitantly and said, "No one taught me."

"What did they teach you?" Yura asked.

"Hour of the Ox Worship," Lucy gestured, saying, "I think it's called Summoning Jutsu. It's a cute little thing, and it's pretty simple to use."

"Stand up," Yura said calmly.

"Oh..." Lucy responded weakly and stood up, looking somewhat apprehensive.

Is she going to eat me?

A sixteen-year-old girl with messy, shoulder-length golden hair, dressed in red and white shrine maiden robes, with emerald eyes. After looking her up and down carefully, Yura asked: "Dressed in those robes, what god do you serve?"

In the ninja world, there is no shortage of things like Shinigami or evil gods.

"Uh..." Lucy paused, then said, "The Sage of Six Paths."

Yura narrowed her eyes. Was the Uji Clan a ninja clan passed down since the era of the Ninjutsu Sect?

"As a yokai, is it appropriate for you to serve the Sage?" Yura asked subtly.

"Is... is it?" Lucy said. "The family told me to serve him..." She curled her toes into her soles in embarrassment and added, "I don't even know what the Sage of Six Paths looks like, or if he's a yokai or something else..."

"The Sage of Six Paths looks quite like a yokai," Yura replied. "Since you are a yokai too, you're peers with the Sage."

"Have you seen him?" Lucy asked in surprise.

"I suppose I have," Yura said. "In any case, he doesn't look human."

"So amazing..." Lucy flattered, her eyes darting around. She was clearly up to something, likely trying to figure out how to escape.

Just then, a voice echoed deep within Lucy's mind—it was the voice of Chomei, the Seven-Tails.

"Lucy." A handsome male voice spoke; it was Chomei. "She says she has seen the Sage of Six Paths. Ask her for the Sage's name."

Yura raised her eyelids...

She had sensed the fluctuation of emotions.

"Um, do you know the name of the Sage of Six Paths?" Lucy asked.

"You and your Tailed Beast get along quite well, don't you..." Yura laughed. "Let me think, is it like this..."

A strand of hair gently touched the seal on Lucy's abdomen. As a surge of demonic power poured in, the next second, the intrusion connected to that vast reservoir of chakra.

With a roar, the world turned upside down. The scene before them shifted drastically, and Yura brought Lucy into the world of her mind.

The seal was far too crude, allowing Chomei to lounge leisurely in a mental landscape filled with birdsong, flowers, and bright sunshine.

Yura turned her head, her scarlet eyes locking onto Chomei, the Seven-Tails.

"You..." The Seven-Tails flapped its wings, its voice filled with shock.

"Do you have any questions for me, Chomei?"

She knows my name.

For a thousand years, only the Tailed Beasts and the Sage of Six Paths had known the names of the beasts.

There was no need for further words. The Seven-Tails lay back down, watching Yura with wariness.

This was not the first time Lucy had been here. After a brief moment of shock, she scurried over to hide behind Chomei's thick armor, glaring fiercely at Yura.

"This big guy is a ferocious Tailed Beast! Known as a natural disaster! Scared yet?!"

"Wait, Lucy," Chomei said in a deep voice.

Ignoring Lucy's antics, Yura looked at Chomei and said, "Perfect, I have some questions for you."

"Please ask, powerful ninja," Chomei said. "If I know the answer."

"What is going on with this girl?" Yura pointed at Lucy. "Is her power a Kekkei Genkai?"

Chomei shook his head. "In terms of power, it would be more accurate to call it a Kekkei Tōta. If I am not mistaken, this is a weakened version of the power the Sage of Six Paths used to connect the hearts of people."

So that was it.

"The Bridge Clan?" Yura mused. The connection between people could be metaphorically called a bridge.

People connecting and understanding one another sounded beautiful, but in reality, because of the darkness deep within the human heart, situations like Lucy's would arise—mutual contamination, one infecting another.

Lucy possessed such vast negative emotions because she had absorbed the feelings of others over time. The only reason she hadn't gone insane was that her own mental fortitude was exceptionally strong and resilient. As a massive source of negative emotional pollution, she would unconsciously contaminate those around her, driving them mad.

No wonder this play of human connection had come to an abrupt end during the era of the Ninjutsu Sect, collectively abandoned by the ninjas.

In such a state, even if the Sage of Six Paths were alive, he would have nothing to say but to feel despair.

The records of the Bridge Clan must have been destroyed during that time.

Watching Yura ignore her, Lucy stomped her feet, feeling slighted but not daring to approach.

"Then you must be aware that if this continues, she will go mad sooner or later," Yura said. "Especially since you are staying with her long-term."

"I know," Chomei said in a deep voice. "But powerful ninja, it seems you have a solution."

"Yura is my name," Yura said. "Follow me, and I will keep her safe."

After a moment of silence, Chomei said, "Very well."

"Eh!" Lucy looked up, staring at the big bug Chomei in disbelief. "What are you doing! Big Bug!"

"Follow her, Lucy," Chomei said. "Otherwise, you won't live long."

What a mature, good bug.

Yura nodded and closed her eyes, returning to the real world. She left them to bicker amongst themselves and looked at the still-closed eyes of Lucy.