Though a chill still lingered in the Shrine, the suffocating pressure of evil had dissipated. All that remained was the dark purple core on the altar, bound by chains of light and pulsing slowly, and faint motes of energy drifting through the air.
The silence lasted several minutes before Shikamaru broke it with a long exhale.
"Finally... dealt with it for now... What a pain. This is taking years off my life..." He slumped on the floor, unwilling to move even a finger.
Choji sprawled flat on his back and rummaged through his Ninja Tool Pouch. Somehow, he actually found a flattened but unopened bag of chips and began crunching away, as though replenishing his departed soul.
Ino carefully helped the exhausted Shion up and gave her some water. Shion's face was still pale, but her eyes held a brightness and resolve that had never been there before. She looked at the altar, then at Ling's back, silently clenching her small hands.
Ling stood where he was, closing his eyes to sense the surroundings for a moment. He confirmed that the seal was stable for now and that Moryo's consciousness had been forcibly suppressed. The senjutsu chakra he had expended was rapidly recovering, but the slight disturbance caused by Tobirama's deliberate release of spiritual pressure still needed time to settle.
[The seal is more fragile than we expected.] Tobirama's voice had regained its usual composure. [Reinforcing it this time was only a stopgap. The resonance between Moryo's soul and body far exceeds Miroku's expectations. We must deal with his soul as soon as possible, or the seal will break within six months.]
Six months... Ling repeated inwardly. Time was running short.
He turned, his gaze sweeping over his exhausted but unharmed teammates before settling on Shion. "Can you move?"
With