The dark purple waters seemed endless. Beneath their feet, the softness of water had given way to a thick, sucking resistance. The rot and whispers permeating the air grew ever more distinct, constantly trying to burrow into their minds and stir their deepest fears and negative emotions. Had Ling's steady outpouring of pure senjutsu chakra not anchored the team's minds like a beacon, someone would surely have succumbed already.
"There's something underwater!" Neji's Byakugan remained fixed on the depths, a trace of tension in his voice. "A lot of them... far too many! They're gathered below us, but they aren't attacking. It's as though they're... waiting for orders."
"Stay alert. Keep moving." Ling's voice was steady, as though the threat beneath their feet barely warranted mention. His senjutsu perception "saw" the underwater scene more clearly than the Byakugan: hundreds of densely packed Corpse Puppets lay dormant like a sleeping army deep in the murky swamp. A powerful will held them in check, keeping them silent for now.
The team glided cautiously over the water. They moved slowly, yet with an unstoppable resolve. The closer they drew to the central stretch of land shrouded in black mist, the more violent the surrounding energy became. Distorted visions of agonized human faces even began to appear on the dark purple surface, their mouths open in silent wails.
At last, they stepped onto the land at the heart of the area. The ground beneath them was an unsettling pitch-black, yielding softly underfoot as though they were treading on the rotting flesh of some enormous creature. More pale trees loomed around them like the skeletons of giant beasts, their twisted branches pointing toward the gray sky.
They passed through a stand of dead trees, and the sight before them made everyone draw a sharp breath.