The others had not expected the hideous-looking monster to be subdued so easily. Judging by its appearance, it had simply been large. Yamanaka Takuma and Hyuga Qi, both skilled at sensing, looked surprised. They had sensed an enormous amount of chakra within the monster, so it should not have fallen like this.
Kazemori Masaki watched the monster's body slowly shrivel, revealing the original corpse. Perhaps because of its transformation, the corpse looked as though every drop of moisture had been drained from it. It was utterly desiccated, its appearance even more horrifying. Like the others, Kazemori Masaki was surprised by how easily the monster had been defeated. It seemed the Evil God's ritual did require a specific price; not just any sacrifice would do.
Still, Kazemori Masaki felt it could not be that simple. Would a ritual the Evil God Leader had sacrificed himself to perform really produce something so easily destroyed?
Through the sensory vision granted by the sage realm, Kazemori Masaki could faintly make out some strange ripples. However, he could not understand the way they changed, and they did not seem to cause any visible effects.
"Captain Kazemori, what are you thinking about?" Yamanaka Takuma and Hyuga Qi shared his doubts. Seeing Kazemori Masaki staring silently at the corpse, Hyuga Qi could not help asking.
"...Nothing," Kazemori Masaki said after a while.
"Do you think something is wrong, Captain Kazemori?" Yamanaka Takuma asked solemnly. "I keep feeling this won't end so easily."
"Whatever the case, the Evil God Worshippers have all been wiped out. As for any lingering effects of the ritual, we have no way to confirm them right now," Kazemori Masaki said. "For now, let's take the child back and tell the Shrine Maiden what happened here."
"Understood." Hyuga Qi nodded slightly. Though he still