The Taste of the Witch

"Finally here."

Except for Might Guy, the few youngsters were all listless.

The situation for this mission was urgent, necessitating travel at full speed, and Genichi still hadn't managed to secure a carriage during the journey.

Obito: "We've only been eating military rations this whole way. I can't take it anymore; I want a feast. Kakashi, hurry up and go grill some fish for Lord Obito."

Kakashi: "If you want to eat, just wait for the Land of Demons officials to arrange the inn. Teacher Minato should be back soon."

Hearing the mention of an inn, the three girls also revealed expressions of anticipation. They had been traveling through the wilderness for days, covered in dust, and the three clean-freak girls felt sticky all over.

At this moment, Minato returned with the guards of the Land of Demons: "Genichi, the ninjas from the other countries haven't arrived yet. Let's head to the inn to rest first."

Without letting his guard down, Genichi first entered Sage Mode to carefully inspect the surroundings before taking turns with Minato to keep watch. The night passed without incident.

Early the next morning, yesterday's guard came knocking: "Ninja-sama, the ninjas for this mission have all arrived. The Priestess requests everyone to head to the palace to discuss the details of the mission."

Genichi led the group to the main hall. The Priestess sat high above, while the various groups of ninjas below were clearly demarcated. Comparing them against the intelligence in his memory, Genichi identified them one by one:

Sunagakure: Rasa, Baki, and an unknown jonin.

Cloud Village: Fourth A, Killer B, and Dodai.

Rock Ninja: Kitsuchi and two unknown jonin.

They were all standard three-man squads. And taking advantage of this joint mission, were they all letting the second generation of their villages gain experience, or were they here to build their reputations?

"Konoha ninjas, it's one thing to be the last to arrive, but bringing six children? Are you here to play house?" Rasa was the first to stir up trouble. The casualties of the Second Ninja War were still fresh in his mind; there was no need to elaborate on the grievances between Sunagakure and Konoha.

Genichi gestured lightly, pulling Hatake Kakashi to the front before speaking: "His father, White Fang, killed the son and daughter-in-law of your village's Elder Chiyo."

"Who asked you about that? I'm saying, do you even take the Priestess's mission to heart?" Mentioning the death of his village's predecessor made Rasa feel a surge of anger.

Genichi's tone remained devoid of fluctuation as he repeated: "His father, White Fang, killed the son and daughter-in-law of your village's Elder Chiyo."

"Hmph, this mission is very dangerous. You'd better keep an eye on this White Fang's child; one careless moment and he might be gone." Receiving no response and feeling slighted, Rasa directly issued a harsh threat.

Only then did Genichi speak: "How is it that we haven't even seen the enemy, yet you're already threatening your allies? Are you here to carry out the Priestess's mission, or have you already defected to Moryo?"

"You!" Before Rasa could retort, Dodai of the Cloud Village interrupted:

"Enough! Sunagakure ninjas, don't make a fool of yourselves here. This is the 'White-Clad Death God' who carved out a fearsome reputation on the battlefield of the Land of Rain. He doesn't even take a nameless ninja like you to heart."

He was ostensibly mediating, but secretly planting thorns.

"Yo yo, the Konoha ninja is so arrogant, the Sunagakure ninja is so naughty, naughty~." Killer B chimed in with a laugh.

The honest Kitsuchi also followed up: "That's right, let's not have internal strife. The Priestess's mission is what's important."

Rasa also knew this wasn't the place for a fight and could only hold back his temper.

Once the scene gradually quieted down, the Priestess, seated high above, spoke slowly. Her ethereal voice echoed through the hall: "First, I thank you all for coming to the Land of Demons from so far away.

The cause of this matter is a ninja named Yomi who, coveting the power of 'Moryo,' lurked for many years before finally breaking the seal and releasing the demon.

Moryo possesses the power to influence human hearts and can summon and command an army of the undead. It will endanger the Ninja World at any time, and I hope everyone can work together to help me complete the seal."

Kitsuchi: "Then what should we do? Where is the enemy hiding now?"

The Priestess's tone was calm and unwavering: "We only need to wait. The feud between the Priestess and Moryo is long-standing, and I have mastered the techniques specifically for sealing demons. Once it recovers a bit of strength, it will be unable to wait to kill me.

I hope that during this period, you can protect my safety, reduce the threat of the undead army, and preferably use ninjutsu to weaken its state before I seal Moryo."

Rasa immediately chimed in: "The Magnet Release of my teacher, the Third Kazekage, is enough to suppress Tailed Beasts. I don't think a mere Moryo will be my match."

The Fourth A also spoke: "I'm not interested in any demons or undead armies. In short, the mastermind is that ninja named Yomi, right? Once he appears, I will kill him."

Kitsuchi also said: "Our squad excels at large-scale Earth Release; we can contain the undead army and buy time for you."

Watching everyone distribute the mission in a few words, Genichi wasn't in a hurry: "In that case, Minato, you take them and follow behind the Rock Ninjas to cover their blind spots.

I will be responsible for protecting the Priestess's safety. Besides, I am proficient in the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki Clan; perhaps I can be of help when sealing Moryo."

Genichi was very interested in both the Priestess and Moryo.

Everyone looked at each other, feeling that this distribution of the mission was acceptable. If they were really to fight side-by-side, they would still have to guard against the kunai behind their backs.

Late at night, everyone returned to the inn to rest.

Genichi suppressed his aura alone and headed straight for the Priestess's bedchamber.

Having sensed traces of natural energy on the Priestess during the day, combined with his curiosity about the Priestess's sealing techniques and her "precognition of death" ability, Genichi decided to have a good chat with her tonight.

The Priestess had not yet rested. She was not dressed as formally as she had been during the day; her daily attire was more form-fitting. Moonlight filtered through the window, falling upon her plain white priestess robes and outlining a perfectly proportioned silhouette. The vermilion knot slid along her slender yet not thin shoulder line toward her waist, which could be spanned by a single hand. Looking further down, one could see the plump, upturned curves pressing against the edge of the bed.

"Priestess." Genichi spoke softly.

Miroku was startled. The Priestess, though appearing delicate, was not an ordinary person in the general sense. This was the first time someone had approached her to this extent without her noticing.

But the Priestess was also a visual creature. Seeing the dashing Genichi, she wasn't all that angry. After calming down, she asked in a tone tinged with slight reproach:

"Konoha ninja, what is your business? Coming to my bedchamber at this hour, don't you think it's a bit improper?"

Genichi didn't mind the Priestess's attitude: "My apologies, Priestess-sama. I am simply very interested in the matter of you and Moryo. I heard that the Priestess and Moryo were originally one entity, which is why the legend exists that the Priestess can seal Moryo but Moryo cannot be killed. Am I correct?"

"How could you know that?" Miroku was extremely surprised. The affairs of the first Priestess dated back over a thousand years; how could a ninja of this era possibly know?

Chiba Genichi explained casually, "I am a contractor of Ryūchi Cave. Have you heard of the White Snake Sage? She has lived for over a thousand years, and she is the one who told me all of this. However, I don't know the specifics. Could you please elaborate, Priestess?"

"Perhaps I can be of help. I don't believe that sealing Moryo necessarily requires sacrificing one's life."

The Priestess's cultivation is related to natural energy. Miroku used her techniques to enter an ethereal state, her heart returning to tranquility. "I have already clearly seen the vision of myself sacrificing my life to seal Moryo. Please return; each of us only needs to fulfill our own duty."

"Your daughter is still young, isn't she? If you sacrifice yourself now to seal Moryo, and Moryo breaks free again in the future, will your daughter have to sacrifice her life as well?" Chiba Genichi asked. "If you truly believe the future cannot be changed, what does it matter if you tell me about it?"

The Priestess is a unique existence; she does not need a partner to leave behind offspring.

Miroku thought of her young daughter, Shion, and felt deeply worried. Because the events had unfolded so suddenly, much of the inheritance regarding the Priestess could not be directly passed on to her. She did not know what the future held for the child.

In the end, Miroku could not help but sigh and said, "Since you wish to know, I will tell you. In exchange, once the next generation of Priestess—my daughter Shion—comes of age, you must pass this knowledge on to her."

"I am all ears."

The Priestess seemed to be recalling something, speaking slowly in a voice that remained ethereal and pleasant. "Over a thousand years ago, the first Priestess achieved great success in her cultivation and traveled the Ninja World, only to accidentally encounter a demon from another world."

"This demon created an undead army to wreak havoc, and it could stir up the evil side of people's hearts to draw power from it. Its vitality was extremely vigorous, making it difficult to destroy. Ultimately, relying on her powerful cultivation, the first Priestess forcibly erased the demon's consciousness."

"However, in the process, the demon's power was pervasive. It gradually infected the Priestess's heart, forming a negative personality filled with desires for destruction and ruin, while inheriting the demon's ability to infect hearts and control the undead army."

"For the rest of her life, the Priestess suppressed the newborn demon within her, and the two gradually merged into one. Although she still appeared human, in reality, the Priestess had become a special life form."

"Until her later years, the Priestess never found a way to completely destroy the demon. In the end, she could only separate the evil part within her and seal it—that is the Moryo we must deal with now."

"As for the good part, it has gradually been passed down through the generations by reproducing through special methods."

Chiba Genichi asked curiously, "Since the powers of the Priestess and Moryo share the same origin, if it can devour you, why can't you devour it?"

Miroku replied helplessly, "If it were the first Priestess, she might have had a chance to merge with Moryo and advance further. I, however, cannot. Over the past thousand years, the demon's power has been constantly accumulating, while the Priestess's power has been constantly reincarnating, and even declining."

"What if I told you I have a sealing technique that can perfectly seal a Tailed Beast, and slowly release its power, allowing the jinchūriki to gradually adapt and become stronger?" Chiba Genichi was referring to the Eight-Trigrams Seal.

Miroku thought about how, if she could slowly merge with Moryo's power, it might actually be feasible, but she immediately shook her head. "General sealing techniques are useless against Moryo. The seal designed by the first Priestess utilized the natural energy of Heaven and Earth; this is something you ninjas do not..."

Before she could finish, a light red eyeshadow appeared on Chiba Genichi's face. He had already entered Sage Mode, and a massive amount of natural energy gathered, leaving the Priestess so shocked that she forgot what she was about to say.

Moryo's combat performance was only at the level of a low-tailed beast. Chiba Genichi didn't take it to heart; his only concern was whether these monsters appearing from the movies had any disgusting mechanics.

"If this is the natural energy you speak of, then I happen to know a thing or two." Chiba Genichi smiled calmly. So, it was solved using natural energy; it seemed dealing with Moryo was even simpler than he had imagined.

Feeling the affinity radiating from the person before her, it was undoubtedly the same natural energy the Priestess cultivated daily.

"How is this possible?" the Priestess muttered to herself.

"Priestess, in order to seal Moryo, let us exchange sealing techniques. This way, you won't have to sacrifice your life and can watch your daughter grow up in the future." Chiba Genichi was also curious about this power system native to the Ninja World that did not involve chakra.

"The results of the prophecy have never been wrong." Thinking of this, the Priestess used her ability to foresee death on Chiba Genichi, however...

Nothing happened, as if the ability had never been activated.

Chiba Genichi felt a faint sense of being watched and guessed that the Priestess was using her death-forecasting ability, so he asked, "Priestess, did you see how I die?"

"No, I saw nothing. Ninja, what is your name?" Miroku asked in shock.

"Chiba Genichi."

She had originally been able to calmly accept her own death, but if she could see a glimmer of hope to live and slowly raise Shion, her once-still heart began to ripple, becoming increasingly shaken until it surged like waves.

If it were this person who transcended prophecy, who could even refuse death, possessed special sealing techniques, and had the ability to manipulate natural energy—if it were him, perhaps he could truly change the Priestess's fate.

Miroku's heart stirred. Having made a certain decision, she stood up and walked over to Chiba Genichi.

"Moryo might arrive as early as tomorrow. Sealing techniques are inherently complex, and I fear there is no time to learn them slowly. Next, let me teach you this series of sealing techniques using the Priestess's method of inheritance."

The Priestess was tall, only a head shorter than Chiba Genichi. Chiba Genichi saw the Priestess stand on her tiptoes and lift her head, her beautiful face, which carried an aura of sacred inviolability, gradually drawing closer.

Ah, I intended to avoid this.

Chiba Genichi, who could calmly react to the Flying Thunder God in Sage Mode, did not know why he failed to react.

Immediately after, their foreheads touched gently, and their spiritual realms slightly overlapped.

"So this is the method." Before he could even sigh, Chiba Genichi's attention was captured by the vast amount of exquisite sealing knowledge—different from that of the Uzumaki Clan—that suddenly appeared in his mind.

Lost in the inheritance, Chiba Genichi's body instinctively pulled the Priestess closer, one hand resting on her shoulder and the other wrapping around her lower back, the two pressed tightly together.

Miroku, who had never been so intimate with a man, felt a flush rise to her face. She felt a scorching breath wash over her, her chest felt tight, and she lacked the strength to resist, collapsing entirely against Chiba Genichi.

He is immersed in the inheritance. He is doing this to save me. It's fine, just wait a little longer. Not wanting to interrupt the inheritance, the Priestess could only comfort herself in her heart.

I do not know how much time passed; the moon had already shifted its position.

Coming to his senses, Chiba Genichi felt the wonderful sensation in his arms. Before he could marvel at the exquisiteness of the sealing techniques, he instinctively lowered his head.

The Priestess, already in the state, responded passionately.

Unlike the slightly inexperienced Mikoto and Kushina, the Priestess was like a ripened fruit, possessing a unique flavor.

"I will take responsibility." Chiba Genichi sat on the bed, holding the Priestess in his arms, and said softly.

"It was just a kiss." The Priestess bit her lip, her heart in total disarray. "This was my first time using this inheritance technique; I didn't expect it to briefly link our spirits as well. Oh, your hand."

"I couldn't help myself, haha. Let's talk about something happy instead. I already have a plan for Moryo: I will layer the Priestess's [Nature Seal] inside the [Eight-Trigrams Seal]." Chiba Genichi recalled the various intricacies of the Priestess's inheritance in his mind, feeling full of confidence.

"Now, we just need to wait for Moryo to deliver itself to our doorstep."

Miroku leaned quietly in Chiba Genichi's arms, feeling the affinity radiating from his body. She felt incredibly at peace, as if both Moryo and death were gradually drifting away from her.