Shrine of Sealing / Damn It, I Became a Third Wheel

As they were talking.

The group walked through the waterfall and headed straight for the back of the mountain.

Sakura carried Shion on her back, and the others left without looking back.

However, holding Sakura prompted Shion to remark, "Are you really a girl? Isn't your body a bit too stiff...?"

I'm fucking idiot!

Sakura's expression immediately became extremely interesting.

Chapter 271 The Shrine of Sealing

After traveling through the forest for some time.

A figure appeared before them; it was none other than the abandoned Ashihō.

Seeing this, Naruto and the others had no choice but to stop.

Ashihō, wearing glasses, looked calmly at Shion on Sakura's back and spoke without any displeasure.

"I must never leave Miss Shion's side, no matter what. That is my duty."

But Shion replied rather irritably.

"Get back here! You're just a hindrance!"

But Ashihō remained calm and replied.

"I will never go back!"

With a struggle, Naruto and the others had no choice but to continue their journey.

Until nightfall.

None of them chose to go to sleep; instead, they stood guard around Shion.

As for Naruto, he came to the edge of the cliff alone, looked at Ashihō sitting not far away, and handed her the rice ball.

"You've been traveling all day, you can't go on without eating something."

However, Naruto then asked with some curiosity, "Isn't there any way to avoid the prophecy?"

Faced with this gesture of goodwill, Ashihō calmly replied, "Prophecy cannot be avoided, but those who are prophesied to be the ones willing to sacrifice themselves for Miss Shion."

If they had chosen to live a life of ignominy, Miss Shion might already be dead...

Even the villagers were terrified of Miss Shion's prophecy, so whether the prophecy would come true depended on the will of the person whose prophecy was being foretold.

These words are practically telling Naruto that as long as he stays away from Shion, the prophecy will fail.

However, this did not shake Naruto's will at all. Instead, he recalled his past and realized that he had also been ostracized by others.

I couldn't help but feel a lot.

Until the Sunrise rises in the east.

The group then continued their journey towards the Land of Swamps, encountering no further enemies along the way.

This also surprised Naruto and his friends.

In just two days, they arrived near the cave of the Shrine of Sealing.

Just then, night fell.

At that moment, Asuramaru's voice suddenly rang in Naruto's mind, "It seems that Moryo will arrive at the Shrine of Sealing before you."

"Has the other side arrived yet?"

Upon hearing this, Naruto frowned and quickly reminded everyone, "The Moryo has arrived at the Shrine of Sealing, everyone be careful!"

"They haven't made a move for two days, so they were waiting here. Are they planning to have a decisive battle right away?" Neji's expression changed, and he immediately activated his Byakugan to look ahead.

Meanwhile, Rock Lee, standing beside him, stared wide-eyed and said, "I wonder how things are going with Teacher Kai and the others."

As for Sakura at the very back, she offered a suggestion.

"Since the enemy is here, let Naruto escort Shion to the Shrine of Sealing. He's the strongest and fastest among us."

Naruto readily accepted the suggestion.

"Leave it to me."

As they were talking.

The group of people stopped in their tracks as if by unspoken agreement.

Naruto took Shion from him and continued onward.

Meanwhile, Shion, lying on his back, felt a sense of relief.

Every time she saw someone die protecting her, it tormented her immensely; now, finally, it can all end...

In no time at all.

Neji finally spotted the enemy through his Byakugan. "They don't seem to be human. They must be the Undead Army that the Naruto mentioned. I estimate there are over a thousand of them!"

Upon hearing this, Sakura also perked up and quickly replied.

"We'll handle these Undead Army. As for Shion, I'll leave her to you, Naruto!"

Even Rock Lee echoed this sentiment.

"You must come back alive, Naruto!"

Faced with everyone's hopes and expectations, Naruto smiled confidently and said, "Although the prophecy is a bit troublesome, I believe I will come back alive!"

Seeing this, everyone felt relieved.

Ashihō watched Shion's retreating figure without saying a word; all he could do now was to join these ninjas in resisting the Undead Army.

When the Undead Army came into view, Sakura and the others immediately rushed forward to draw attention to them.

Naruto gently reminded him.

"Hold on tight, Shion!"

After saying that, he used his Instantaneous Movement technique, his figure flashing continuously through the forest.

They soon arrived at the Shrine of Sealing.

But after passing the Undead Army and entering the entrance to the Shrine of Sealing, they stood in the passageway.

Shion jumped off Naruto's back and suddenly said, "You should leave. That way you won't die."

But Naruto smiled gently upon hearing this.

"Don't worry, none of us will die."

Looking at the person in front of her, Shion turned her head away, unwilling to face him. "It's no use. Fate is predetermined. One of us is destined to die here."

Sensing the other person's inner turmoil, Naruto stepped forward, leaned close, and said with a smile, "Trust me this once, and I'll protect you."

At such a close distance.

Shion couldn't help but turn her head away, not understanding why she was facing away from him, until she turned back again, just about to say something.

He met Naruto's resolute gaze.

At this moment, Shion seemed to have given in...

He said softly, "Naruto, it's a promise then..."

Facing Shion, Naruto replied earnestly, "I'm betting my ninja way and my promise to you, we absolutely cannot lose!"

Asuramaru, who was inside the sword, watched the scene unfold and couldn't help but smile slightly. "Of all the sword masters I've ever had, I would call you the strongest when it comes to flirting!"

Continue looking outwards.

Naruto and his companion quickly passed through the passage and finally reached the end, where they were greeted by a crisscrossing road surface that resembled a volcano crater.

Below is molten lava.

At the end of the crater, the Moryo possessing a human sat on a stone chair and spoke in a deep voice.

"I never expected that other people would come here. Young priestess, didn't you want to seal me away? Let me tell you the truth: sealing is simply merging you and me into one."

Your mother, Miroku, is the same; she is currently inside me, her heart and mind divided in two, living with mutual resentment...

But Shion had made up her mind and walked straight up to the sealing platform, saying, "Now that things have come to this, do you still want to bewitch me?!"

As he spoke, he immediately began to form hand seals.

Although Naruto really wanted to try and kill his opponent with a single strike, he ultimately decided to play it safe and didn't make a move.

But the moment the sealing technique was activated.

A barrier was erected, and the Moryo suddenly burst into laughter.

"You're still too impatient, priestess. Once the barrier is activated, it won't disappear until we take control of the other side, and that will be determined by chakra."

Right now, I am deeply grateful to you; I can't do without you...

Just as the Moryo was getting excited...

A dazzling golden flash suddenly appeared in front of Shion.

Chapter 272 Oh no, I'm a third wheel!

The next moment, Naruto suddenly appeared in front of Shion, drew his sword, and shouted, "Dance of the Fire God: Round Dance!"

Blazing flames erupted from the blade as it slashed forward, the burning blade cutting through the body of the Moryo.

They severed his head.

Everything happened so suddenly that even the Moryo hadn't had time to react before Naruto beheaded it with a single strike.

But the Moryo did not die; its soul remained in the human body, yet the blow also wounded its soul.

It couldn't help but let out a painful howl.

"Aaaaaah... My soul! That knife in your hand could actually harm my soul! Unforgivable!"

The scene before her eyes left Shion speechless for a long time.

Seeing that his blade was effective, Naruto did not hesitate to step forward and swiftly unleash several more slashes, completely destroying the headless body.

However, Asuramaru reminded him at this moment.

"Its soul has left this body."

The words had barely left his mouth.

From among the shattered corpses, a strange, pitch-black energy entity burrowed straight into the opened underground passage.

"Damn ninja, do you think you can stop me with that broken sword in your hand?! No one can stop my resurrection, return, my body!"

The moment the soul entered the passage, the barrier dissipated, and then the ground beneath our feet began to tremble violently.

Seeing this, Naruto didn't have time to think. He immediately turned around and grabbed Shion, then Flying Thunder God to return to the entrance he had come from.

He quickly reminded her.

"Shion, you stay here and be careful. I'll go deal with the Moryo."

Upon hearing this, Shion, who had been lost in thought, finally came to her senses. At that moment, she felt as if the world had collapsed, and she was completely devastated.

Tears streamed down her face as she broke down in tears.

"Why... why save me... I did nothing... Those who died protecting me were worthless... I had no value to be protected at all..."

Upon hearing this, Naruto looked at the frail girl in front of him with his sky-blue eyes, and suddenly stretched out his index finger and pressed it against her forehead.

He smiled brightly.

"We haven't failed yet. Remember what we agreed on? We staked my ninja way and our promise to you, and we will never lose!"

I will defeat the Moryo!

Looking at the gentle Naruto before her, Shion's shattered heart gradually calmed down. "But this is where you died..."

Before she could finish speaking, Naruto interrupted with a smile, "Don't worry, I will never die before I become Naruto!"

While listening to Naruto flirt with girls, Asuramaru in his sword didn't pay much attention. Instead, he was extremely interested in the special aura he sensed.