"Let's bring them back to Konoha. These children are living proof of the Jashin's cult's atrocities. That should be acceptable, right, Kagami-senpai?"
Orochimaru paused for a moment, but ultimately decided to leave this matter to Sarutobi Hiruzen. After all, Hiruzen was the Hokage. Their job was to carry out the mission—he would handle the aftermath.
"Yes. This is probably the best course of action. I'm sure Hiruzen will make the right decision."
Uchiha Kagami nodded in agreement. The cult that could have posed a threat to Konoha was now destroyed. The remaining children should be handed over to the Hokage for proper handling.
"That Ice Release sure is convenient..."
Namikaze Minato sounded more than a little envious. He wished he had a kekkei genkai of his own. He wondered—was it even possible to acquire one through training?
"These guys were just... weird. Their power levels weren't all that impressive. At most, they were on the level of chunin. Even the guy in the fanciest robes only had chakra barely at jonin level."
Kaien had already dispelled his ice wings, and his eyes had returned to their regular black. However, the ice prison he created hadn't dissipated. It was a disaster crafted from the combination of Mangekyō power and sealing techniques—one that could last indefinitely.
"I'm guessing this is the high priest. Should I unseal his head and make him talk?"
Kaien figured that was the simplest way. A bit of genjutsu would be enough to extract all the information he wanted.
"Yeah, we should interrogate him. Even though we didn't get to fight them, their abilities are still worth investigating."
Kaien didn't hesitate. He released the seal on the priest's head—but almost immediately regretted it.
Because the man wouldn't shut up.
"You dare disrespect the Jashin?! You will all be punished! I'll sacrifice you to our lord!"
The so-called high priest seemed to be… not particularly intelligent. Everyone present frowned in annoyance. Couldn't he at least act like a proper cult leader?
Just mindless ranting and curses—it honestly made him seem completely pathetic.
"You crazy old head, quit yelling already. You're just a disembodied head—what makes you think you're in any position to bark threats?"
"Orochimaru-sensei, maybe we should just skip to genjutsu interrogation. With his mental state, I doubt he'll give us anything coherent."
"Agreed. Go ahead, Kaien—put him under."
Orochimaru also didn't think communication was possible with this guy. Better to control him directly.
And the man's spit was getting on everyone's nerves. Even though none of them had been hit yet, they all instinctively stepped back.
Kaien's Mangekyō Sharingan reappeared not long after. He walked forward—just close enough to avoid the high priest's flying saliva—and began casting his genjutsu.
Honestly, if even one drop landed on him, Kaien didn't think the man would survive. So, for the high priest's own safety, Kaien kept a polite distance.
In the depths of his eyes, hidden behind the spinning Mangekyō pattern, a faint glow of ghostly purple flickered to life.
[Alluring Gaze] activated.
Considering the high priest might have some kind of seal preventing him from revealing the truth—whether imposed by another or self-inflicted—Kaien decided to double the effect.
Mangekyō Sharingan + [Alluring Gaze]. This combo was foolproof.
Sure enough, it didn't take long before the man started spilling everything.
"I'm the high priest of the Jashin cult. The immortality experiments… I was the one conducting them."
"When I was young, I was nothing but a street thug. But one day, while mining, I discovered an ancient tome. It described a method to summon the Jashin."
"Luckily, I had just enough education to read most of it. I knew it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to change my destiny. I didn't hesitate—I went all in."
"Somehow, I succeeded. But I also failed. Because of my limited understanding, I couldn't replicate the ritual exactly. I could hear the Jashin's whispers, but I couldn't summon him."
"Even so, I gained unimaginable power. I became immortal."
"At first, my immortality wasn't as strong as it is now. But the more sacrifices I made to the Jashin, the stronger I became. Eventually, even getting decapitated wouldn't kill me immediately."
As the high priest rambled on, it became clear to everyone—he really was the high priest. And apparently, he'd been committing atrocities for over a decade.
"My traits were average, so I started off working solo. I'd sacrifice offerings to the Jashin alone."
"Each time I performed a ritual, my immortality strengthened. That feedback was addicting. That's when I started recruiting followers."
"The Jashin guided me. Ahahaha! If you join the cult now, you too could receive his blessings! Ahahahaha!"
As he began babbling about conversions, his demeanor suddenly twisted into something crazed. He even showed signs of breaking free from the genjutsu.
'No way!'
Kaien's eyes widened. With [Alluring Gaze] enhancing his Mangekyō genjutsu, it should be on par with an Eternal Mangekyō—yet this man was resisting?
...
As Kaien processed what was happening, the priest's aura suddenly shifted.
The air grew heavy. A dark, abyssal presence burst forth from the priest's body, sweeping over everyone. Even Kaien's ice started to melt under the pressure.
Then, the priest opened his mouth—and let out a cryptic, garbled whisper:
"En...thrall...power...god..."
And with that, the high priest fell silent.
It was clear now—something else had just descended through him. But the priest's body couldn't withstand it for long.
More disturbingly, had that presence noticed the power of [Alluring Gaze]?
A bead of cold sweat ran down Kaien's forehead.
It was the first time anyone had seen through one of his traits. Could it be that the native gods of the shinobi world were just as terrifying?
Thankfully, he had the protection of [True Intent of the Self]. That likely saved him from suffering any deeper effects.
When facing the unknown, respect was vital. That was perhaps the biggest lesson they had learned today.
Kaien glanced over at the others. They were all visibly shaken. Kagami looked the least affected. Minato, on the other hand, had collapsed to his knees, unable to stand.
"Was that… the Jashin?" Orochimaru asked. His voice was rough—like his vocal cords had been torn.
The cult itself might not have been powerful, but that presence—even if it had only lasted a moment—was undeniably lethal.
The truth behind the Jashin cult was far more overwhelming than they'd imagined.
"Take the priest's body. We're heading back to Konoha!"
Kagami made the call without hesitation. Strange patterns flickered in his eyes. Something told him this wasn't over.
When the presence struck, his Mangekyō Sharingan had activated on its own.
"Kaien, are you alright?"
That was Kagami's biggest concern. Minato was already down, but Kaien had been the closest to that entity. If anyone had been affected the worst, it would be him.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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