Demon-Sealing Mountain

Everyone's expressions shifted slightly at those words.

But with the situation forcing their hand, they could only grit their teeth and press on.

Moryo roared in shock and fury as he thrashed wildly, but he could not escape the canyon anytime soon.

"Scorch Release: Flame Explosion!"

Pakura, the Scorch Release ninja, gave a sharp cry. Forming hand seals with both hands, she released a huge orange-red fireball that landed on Moryo's head and exploded violently, forcing him down into the canyon in one blow.

Meanwhile, the priestess had also finished her preparations and was rapidly chanting an incantation.

The next instant, the sealing jutsu the priestess had laid down shone with a hazy glow. A transparent barrier appeared without warning, trapping Moryo inside like an overturned bowl.

Casting the sealing barrier took a heavy toll on the priestess.

After finishing, she was weak all over and nearly collapsed.

Douyang hurried forward and caught Miroku, supporting her.

Boom! Boom!

Rumbles kept rising from the depths of the canyon as Moryo slammed fiercely against the sealing barrier.

Each impact sent masses of boulders tumbling from the cliffs.

At that moment, Toroi asked, "Does that mean we've trapped him?"

Leaning in Douyang's arms, the hair on her forehead soaked with sweat, Miroku nodded and said, "It will take him at least three days to break out."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Three days was enough time for the team to reach Demon-Sealing Mountain.

After a brief rest, Kakashi urged, "Time waits for no one. Move out now!"

The three scattered squads quickly formed up and raced toward the Land of Swamps.

After a thousand-li dash, the team finally reached their destination on the fourth day.

Demon-Sealing Mountain towered majestically, like a massive black sword piercing the clouds.

Not a blade of grass grew at its foot.

Only scorched black rock lay exposed, and an air of decay hung in the air, sending chills down their spines.

Kakashi looked up at the impossibly high peak, his dead-fish eyes narrowing slightly. Suppressing his unease, he murmured, "So this is... Demon-Sealing Mountain?"

Priestess Miroku stood beside Douyang, a trace of exhaustion showing on her delicate, beautiful face.

She nodded gently, her voice low and solemn.

"My predecessors discovered a lava pool inside Demon-Sealing Mountain. The scorching lava can suppress Moryo's chakra, so they chose this place to seal him."

Pakura folded her arms, her brow furrowed. Her usual arrogance was gone from her voice. "Lady Miroku, what do you need us to do next?"

Only one final step remained before Moryo could be sealed.

The faces of the Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Konoha ninja alike were solemn.

Having witnessed Moryo's terrifying power, none of them dared take this mission lightly anymore.

The priestess raised a slender finger and pointed toward the deep, dark cave entrance at the foot of the mountain.

"As long as you help me lure Moryo into the lava pool inside Demon-Sealing Mountain, I'm confident I can separate his soul from his body and seal his body here."

Toroi noticed something they had overlooked, and a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes. "Why only seal Moryo's body?"

"Moryo is very powerful. His chakra is evil, dark, and highly corrosive. If he is sealed whole, he will break free within seven or eight years and emerge into the world again.

"Only by separating Moryo's soul from his body and sealing them individually can we prevent his resurrection forever."

Kakashi stared at the churning dark-purple mist on the horizon and said gravely, "Everyone, we're running out of time. We have to act now."

Just then, Uchiha Douyang stepped forward, his voice calm. "You guard the entrance. As for the final sealing... I'll help the priestess complete it."

Everyone was startled by his words.

Only one last step remained before they completed the mission.

But it was also the hardest step.

They could not quite understand what gave Uchiha Douyang the confidence to volunteer.

"Douyang, I'll help you."

Shisui Uchiha stepped forward, first addressing Uchiha Douyang, then bowing slightly to everyone. "Everyone, I stake the Uchiha name on this. We won't let you down."

Kakashi and Might Guy looked at Douyang and Shisui in puzzlement.

Even if the two had trump cards against Moryo,

there was no need for them to take on the most dangerous part themselves.

Pakura stared at them, a trace of confusion flashing in her eyes, and muttered, "You two had better not be pushing yourselves."

Toroi also sneered and said skeptically, "If Moryo were that easy to deal with, the Five Great Nations wouldn't all have sent people."

Uchiha Douyang said, "Numbers won't help seal Moryo. I have a way to deal with him. Trust me."

Pakura gave Uchiha Douyang and Shisui Uchiha a meaningful look, then finally snorted. "If the mission fails, Konoha takes full responsibility."

Kakashi was somewhat worried. He glanced at Uchiha Douyang, and after receiving an assuring look, he nodded in silence.

Toroi's expression shifted uncertainly, but seeing that Pakura and Kakashi had both agreed, he could only grit his teeth and compromise.

Once their roles were settled, the team immediately went into action.

Uchiha Douyang looked at Kakashi and said gravely, "Kakashi, once Moryo enters Demon-Sealing Mountain, you and Guy hold off the Ghost Army. Whatever happens inside the mountain, don't come in."

Kakashi had his reservations and said hesitantly, "If you're in danger, Guy and I can't just ignore it."

Uchiha Douyang smiled and said, "Shisui and I both have trump cards against Moryo. Trust us."

Seeing how confident Uchiha Douyang was, Kakashi finally nodded. "All right. I'll do as you say."

After reassuring Kakashi, Douyang, Shisui, and Miroku headed toward Demon-Sealing Mountain.

Douyang glanced at Shisui. "Shisui, thank you."

This fellow's heart lay with the village, but he was still quite reliable as a teammate.

Shisui rubbed the back of his head, a faint smile on his lips, but said nothing.

Once they reached the mountain's interior, Douyang looked at Miroku and asked, "Lady Miroku, how much time do you need to prepare?"

Miroku had already worked it out in her mind and spoke rapidly. "Setting up the sealing array won't take long, but activating it and sealing Moryo will take at least twenty minutes."

Uchiha Douyang was somewhat surprised. "That long?"

The priestess sighed helplessly.

The difficulty of the sealing lay in needing someone to hold Moryo off for at least twenty minutes.

Miroku did not know whether Douyang and Shisui were strong enough.

If not, she could only stake everything on taking Moryo down with her.

At that moment, she thought of Shion, far away at the shrine.

Ah!

If I die, how will Shion live all alone?

Shisui bit his lip and said, "Douyang, I'll suppress Moryo. You support me."

Douyang shook his head. "In your current condition, you can't maintain the Mangekyō Sharingan for twenty minutes."

As those words fell,

Shisui's expression froze slightly.

How did Douyang know I had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?

Before Shisui could say anything, Uchiha Douyang's right eye turned golden, with a pattern shaped like the character 米.

"Shisui, you only need to suppress him for five minutes. Leave the rest to me."