Persuading Shion

Facing the naked threat from Chen, the group of samurai all wore expressions of fury.

However, recalling how Chen had controlled everyone just now using only his Shadow Clone Technique, they dared not make a move.

Everyone looked as if they were angry but dared not speak, appearing quite comical.

"Hey, these people are too cowardly. If they had all rushed up together, they might have had a chance to take you down."

The system spoke up with dissatisfaction; she knew everything.

Just now, Chen had appeared to control everyone in an instant, but in reality, he had not only used the Shadow Clone Technique but also genjutsu.

Facing these samurai, while Chen could win, it would inevitably be a bitter struggle, as Chen was currently only a genin.

"Stop it, all of you! What do you think you look like?"

The Daimyo Kurai Seiichi spoke up hurriedly. He was genuinely worried that if Chen acted, he would end up a Daimyo without any guards, or perhaps even lose his own life.

With the Daimyo speaking up, the samurai took the opportunity to back down.

"Someone, take..."

Kurai Seiichi wanted to have someone take Chen to see the shrine maiden, but he suddenly realized he didn't even know the name of the person before him.

"You may call me Blood Moon."

"Very well, take Lord Blood Moon to see Lady Shrine Maiden."

After this series of events, Kurai Seiichi chose to bow his head.

And so, Chen was led by the samurai to see the shrine maiden.

"Lady Shrine Maiden, the ninja lord sent to escort you to the sealing grounds has arrived."

"I'm not going. You don't need to say anything more; I absolutely will not go."

Shion's voice came from inside the room. Her mother's passing had dealt her a heavy blow.

Currently, Shion felt both deep hatred and fear toward Moryo, while simultaneously resenting her own identity and that of her mother, the shrine maiden.

If her mother hadn't been a shrine maiden, she never would have died.

Because of this, Shion was filled with resentment toward the identity of a shrine maiden, and even toward her current self.

The samurai felt very awkward hearing the voice from the room and wanted to say something, but was stopped by Chen.

"Leave it to me."

As he spoke, Chen walked directly into the room.

Hearing the door open, Shion became even more displeased. She was just about to speak when she saw a boy of similar age to her walk in.

"Who are you?"

"The ninja protecting you on your way to the Moryo shrine."

"You're lying. You look even younger than me; how could you be a ninja?"

"How about this?"

Chen immediately performed the Shadow Clone Technique, which was clearly a symbol of a ninja.

"You really are a ninja?"

"What else?"

"So what if you're a ninja? In any case, I'm not going. No matter what you say, I won't go."

Although she remained very curious about how Chen had become a ninja at such a young age, Shion was still unwilling to go to that place of sorrow.

"Not going to the shrine to seal Moryo might indeed avoid revisiting a place of sadness and tears, but is that really for the best?"

"What do you mean?"

"That is the place where your mother passed away. Perhaps she is still there; you might even be able to see her."

"How is that possible? My mother..."

"If it were anyone else, death would be the end of it. But for Shrine Maiden Miroku, that might not be the case.

Although she sacrificed her life to seal Moryo, as a mother, she must want to see her daughter one last time.

She possessed the power of a shrine maiden. While she may not be able to return from the dead, I believe she would have used every ounce of her strength to wait for her most beloved daughter."

Facing Chen's words, Shion fell silent.

Losing her mother caused her unbearable pain, for she loved her mother deeply.

Although she suspected Chen was lying, this lie tugged at her heart.

"My mission this time is to escort you to retrieve the relic of the former shrine maiden—your mother.

I feel that regardless of whether you can see your mother again, as her daughter, you should keep her belongings safe.

Even if that item isn't something to seal Moryo, to you, it is the most precious thing your mother left behind."

"What do you know! My mother died precisely because of sealing Moryo! You've never lost a mother, what do you know!"

Hearing the mention of Moryo, Shion suddenly became furious.

"Who says I don't understand?"

"My parents both died not long ago. If I weren't an orphan, do you think I'd be out here running missions to support myself?"

"Compared to me, you are much luckier."

"When my parents died, I was only one year old. I have almost no memories of them, let alone any recollection of their affection for me."

"As for you, at least Miroku the Priestess accompanied you for four years, didn't she?"

Hearing Chen's words, Shion was stunned. She had originally just been venting her dissatisfaction, never expecting to hear such things.

"Your parents... don't you feel sad or heartbroken?"

"To be honest, I don't. After all, I don't have many memories of them."

"Besides, I know that if my parents' spirits are in heaven, they wouldn't want to see me sad or heartbroken."

"Your mother died to seal Moryo, but do you know why?"

"Why? Isn't it just to save this world? There are so many people in this world, why did it have to be my mother who was sacrificed!"

Speaking of this, Shion's eyes were already wet. Recalling the bits and pieces from her memories, all the sorrow and grief surged up once again.

"While that is indeed a reason, I don't think it's the primary one."

"What?"

"Although your mother's actions did indeed save the world and prevent its destruction, I think she cared more about her daughter than the world itself."

"If the world were destroyed, even if she were still alive, she wouldn't be able to protect her daughter."

"Sacrificing herself to ensure her daughter's survival—I believe that is the reason she was willing to go and seal Moryo."

Hearing this, Shion froze in place. People around her had always said her mother sacrificed her life for the world, a reason that only ever filled her with anger.

Now, hearing the reason Chen provided, Shion suddenly felt as if her mother had been protecting her all along.

"Who did you learn this smooth-talking from? You managed to hoodwink this girl in just a few sentences."

"And you, you obviously don't care about your parents; after all, you have no emotional attachment to the parents of this life anyway."

The system's voice rang out, clearly holding Chen in great disdain.

"In my previous life on Earth, I was an orphan too. And what I said was the truth; I had no intention of hoodwinking her."

"Human nature is selfish. To sacrifice oneself for the sake of the so-called world—not that many people can actually do it."

"Miroku might have possessed such noble integrity, but I believe she was driven more by the desire for her daughter to live. Otherwise, she wouldn't have left behind that bell to prevent Shion's power from running wild."

Although the situation in the Land of Demons differed slightly from what he knew, Chen believed that Miroku's love for Shion would never change.

Ding, system notification: Special mission initiated. Successfully kiss Shion. Mission success rewards: Ninjutsu Sexy Technique. Failure: XXXXXXX.