The Land of Demons.
The morning sunlight streamed into the guest rooms through the shrine's windows.
Hoshino opened her eyes, got up, and pushed open the window.
The morning mist in the Land of Demons had not yet dissipated, and the distant mountains appeared and disappeared in the thin mist, like a traditional Chinese ink painting.
A maid knocked gently on the door and said respectfully, "Lord Hoshino, the Shrine Maiden invites you to breakfast."
Hoshino nodded, straightened his robes, and followed the maid through the corridor.
In the courtyard, Shion was sitting at a stone table with a delicate breakfast laid out in front of her.
She changed into a light purple casual outfit today, and her long hair was casually tied into a ponytail, making her look more lively than yesterday.
"Good morning, Hoshino!" Shion waved, a little jam still on her lips.
Hoshino couldn't help but laugh, "My lady, where's your decorum?"
Shion pouted and wiped her mouth with her sleeve. "Anyway, there's no one else here."
The two chatted as they ate.
Shion was filled with curiosity about the cybernetic technology of Sunagakure and kept asking about the details.
Hoshino patiently answered questions, occasionally using the tableware at hand to demonstrate simple principles, which made Shion giggle.
Just then, Hoshino's communication device suddenly received a message from Maki.
" Karin has been found without alerting other ninja villages, and is being secretly sent to Sunagakure."
Hoshino's eyes flickered slightly, and he quickly replied, "Maintain concealment. Upon arrival, send him directly to the Scientific Research Department."
Shion noticed the change in his expression and tilted her head to ask, "What's wrong? Is there trouble?"
Hoshino shook his head and said casually, "It was just some village affairs, and it's already been taken care of."
Shion blinked, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she just picked up a piece of pastry and put it in her mouth.
"Fine, anyway, you ninjas are always so secretive."
In the afternoon, Hoshino, led by Shion, visited the library of the shrine in the Land of Demons.
Ancient scrolls were neatly arranged on the bookshelf, many of which recorded secrets about the Priestess Power and Moryo.
Shion tiptoed and took down a yellowed bamboo scroll from the top floor.
"These are the notes left by the First priestess," she said, unfolding them carefully.
"It mentions that the power of the Moryo is not purely evil, but rather originates from the same source as the Priestess Power, only it has been distorted."
Hoshino took the bamboo slip and read it carefully.
The text above is obscure and difficult to understand, but one can vaguely discern a method for attempting to balance the two forces.
He said thoughtfully, "If this is true, perhaps we really can find a way to solve the problem of the Moryo."
Shion nodded, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, "My mother tried too, but she didn't have time to finish..."
Hoshino gently patted her shoulder, "With us here, we'll definitely succeed."
As evening fell, the two climbed to the observation deck behind the shrine.
The setting sun bathed the entire Land of Demons in gold, and the distant farmlands and villages appeared peaceful and serene.
Shion leaned against the railing and suddenly asked, " Hoshino, do you think the Shinobi World can really be at peace?"
Hoshino gazed at the sunset on the horizon and said slowly, "Peace is never achieved overnight, but as long as someone is willing to work for it, there is always hope."
You always speak so seriously.
"What kind of answer does the priestess hope I will give?"
Shion cleared her throat, feigning seriousness. "You should say, with this genius around, peace is just around the corner!"
The two smiled at each other, the afterglow of the setting sun shining on them, as if coating the moment with a warm halo.
The days in the Land of Demons flowed by quietly like water, and in the blink of an eye, Hoshino had been there for more than half a month.
Every morning, he would have breakfast with Shion in the shrine's courtyard, and then they would study ancient texts together, exploring the mysteries of the Priestess Power and the Moryo.
In the afternoon, the two would either stroll through the woods behind the shrine or climb the observation deck to gaze at the scenery of the Land of Demons.
Shion's lively personality and Hoshino's calm temperament complement each other wonderfully, making this time feel exceptionally peaceful and fulfilling.
However, this tranquility is ultimately just an illusion.
The turmoil in the Shinobi World world never ceases, and even in this remote Land of Demons, news from the outside world floods in like a tide.
After the complete fall of the Land of Grass, the sphere of influence of the Shinobi Alliance expanded once again. The small country that once served as a buffer zone has now been completely divided up by the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
The Kumogakure occupied the mineral-rich mountainous region in the north, the Iwagakure controlled the granaries of the eastern plains, the Sunagakure took over the southern trade route hub, and the Sound Ninja needed manpower.
As for Konoha, it only symbolically accepted a few border towns on the surface.
In reality, they secretly supported puppet nobles, using the guise of 'maintaining order' to completely control the intelligence network of the Land of Grass.
The nobles of the Land of Grass had repeatedly protested to the daimyo of the Five Great Nations, denouncing the atrocities of the Shinobi Alliance, but their voices were so weak in the face of such an absolute disparity in strength.
The Daimyo of the Land of Lightning even openly supported the Kumogakure's tough measures, while the Land of Earth tacitly approved of its own village's actions.
After all, by seizing resources from other small countries, the ninja village would more or less transfer some of those resources to the nobles.
Only the Reform Society completely ignored the Daimyo of the Land of Wind, and even assassinated several nobles as a warning.
The Daimyo of the Land of Fire, out of consideration for appearances, symbolically restrained Konoha, but secretly, Konoha's Anbu continued to operate within the Land of Grass to ensure their interests were not harmed.
The situation in the Land of Iron is equally delicate.
Once a neutral nation, warriors defended their dignity with swords.
But now, the Shinobi Alliance's Chakra Cannon and Prosthetic Corps have long surpassed the limits of traditional samurai.
Mifune did not dare to openly resist, so the resources of the Land of Iron have been firmly controlled by the Shinobi Alliance.
Iron ore and rare metals were continuously transported to the Five Great Shinobi Villages, while the samurai could only silently accept reality.
At this moment, Hoshino once again stood between the seals at the deepest part of the shrine, gazing at the dark purple energy in the center, which was entangled with talismans.
Shion once said...
The First priestess split the Moryo in two, imprisoning its soul within and suppressing its body in the underground temple of the Land of Swamps.
On the surface, this was to prevent the resurrection of the Moryo, but Hoshino sensed the deliberate intent behind it.
Perhaps separating the soul from the body is not just for sealing, but also for research.
The previous priestess Miroku may have already tried to utilize the power of the Moryo, but ultimately failed.
Now, Hoshino stands on the same path, gathering Chakra at his fingertips, cautiously touching the edge of the seal.
In an instant, a chilling will surged upwards, attempting to erode his spirit.
Hoshino quickly cut off the communication, his brows furrowing slightly.
Even though it's just a fragment of a soul, the Moryo's Chakra still possesses extremely strong corrosive properties, which is exactly what he needs.
The Moryo are not simply monsters; they are the 'reverse flow' of Chakra, the opposite of the Priestess Power, and the distorted manifestation of the world's energy.
The Sunagakure's Scientific Research Department has been exploring the essence of Chakra, and while the power of the Moryo and the Priestess Power share the same origin, they are also completely different.
If we could unravel its mysteries, we might be able to develop an energy system that surpasses existing Ninjutsu.