The gates and walls of the palace were engraved with a ghastly pattern that made people shudder.
Although the palace was grand, it exuded a cold and gloomy aura.
Rock Lee, who had not seen the face of death, suddenly quieted down, and the muscles under the black robe tensed up, ready to attack at any time.
Naruto studied the palace that was far grander than Hokage's building and could not help but sigh in his heart.
Even a small country has the ability to collect money more than Konoha.
No, to be precise, it should be a religious country with a terrifying ability.
Naruto had learned about materialism and idealism from the knowledge of the modern world.
The modern world of science and technology was the representative of materialism.
The fundamental point of materialism is to admit that the essence of the world is material. There is material in the world first, then consciousness. The material determines consciousness, and consciousness is the reflection of the material.
In that world, humans advocate science and do not believe in the existence of ghosts.
They blame all the unknown and strange things on divine science.
And the representative of idealism is religion.
Consciousness determines all things and from their birth, gods, ghosts, and other things that humans in the technological world think are material that Hollow does not have.
And religion is undoubtedly the ability to amass wealth.
Loyal believers view faith as everything and are willing to pay anything.
Including the body and money.
Unlike Ninja Village, which would set up a strict tax system to achieve balance.
Naruto was not interested in these things. He cared more about the priestess' ability.
It was said that priestesses could predict the future.
He did not know if she could see through his future.
After passing through the layers of corridors, they soon arrived at the main hall.
The three of them were still dressed in black robes, looking extremely mysterious.
On the throne at the back of the main hall, a white long hair slowly stood up, her voice noble and inviolable. "Welcome to Oni no Kuni."
"I am the current priestess, Shion."
Looking at Shion's proud appearance, she was a bit like a noble swan.
"We are Konoha's Root Ninja. My name is Shinigami. This is our companion, Sage, and Insect Queen." Naruto introduced them one by one.
"Konoha's territory is vast. It's Shinobi's world's most well-known village. It shouldn't be that he doesn't even reveal his real name." Shion's beautiful eyebrows were wrinkled together, and her expression was a bit unhappy.
"We, Root, are the most powerful department in Konoha. We will never show our true face to the public. Please forgive us." Naruto's voice was full of magnetism, and his tone was warm.
Although his face was covered, it was easy to guess that he was a handsome man behind the mask.
Shion did not dwell on this point and nodded coldly.
After a simple self-introduction, Shion also began to tell the more detailed content of the mission to Naruto's team.
"This time, we asked Konoha's Ninja for help because our Oni no Kuni traitor unlocked the seal on Sprites and allowed him to possess his body, obtaining great power. After Sprites was resurrected, the ghost army he created also came back to life."
"Soon, they will launch a fierce attack on Oni no Kuni. I need you to help me resist Demon's attack. I will seal Sprites." Shion said expressionlessly.
In the past, the priestess needed to use their life to seal Sprites.
This also meant that Shion was ready to meet her death.
At her prime, she had not even experienced the feelings between a man and a woman.
Her eyes were calm as she spoke.
"This is different from the entrustment we received in the beginning. Please report that you only sensed Sprites' unusual movements, but did not say that the seal has been removed." Naruto asked in confusion.
"The news will always be outdated. Moreover, it was you, Root Ninja, who came into contact with us first. A few days after your Ninja left, Sprites was resurrected. Do you want to cancel the commission? Your reputation in Konoha is very high. You won't do such a thing, right?" Faced with the questioning, Shion frowned slightly and suppressed her anger.
In the past, priestess sealed Sprites in Oni no Kuni's underground palace and the ancestral hall of the neighboring marsh country.
But now, Sprites was resurrected and resurrected his own army. Soon, he would attack Oni no Kuni.
For an ordinary Ninja, this crisis would cost him their lives.
Shion had already ordered her subordinates to go to the other villages to issue a commission.
They needed the help of various countries.
If Sprites broke through Oni no Kuni, it would be like the past, and the continent would be plunged into chaos.
She felt a little uneasy, afraid that Naruto would turn around and leave.
After all, Konoha was the strongest village in Shinobi world.
However, to her surprise, the focus of Naruto's team was on the ghost.
"Sugoi, I haven't fought with the ghost! I don't know if they can withstand my Konoha's Root Whirlwind." Rock Lee said in high spirits.
"Ghost? Do you have a body? Can you collect a body tissue? It's good to catch one and study it." Neri's eyes lit up, and the bugs in his body danced excitedly.
"Ghost Army? It's another manifestation of the soul. It seems that Oni no Kuni has some connection with the Pure Land." Naruto chuckled, his eyes filled with anticipation and excitement.
"Don't worry, priestess Shion. We will protect you well."
He calmly looked at Shion and elegantly extended his hand. "Happy cooperation."
Hearing this, Shion breathed a sigh of relief. She raised her proud and clean neck and reached out her hand to hold Naruto's warm palm like a dragonfly touching the water.
She was quite arrogant, like a willful child.
Naruto chuckled and did not care.
"Priestess Shion, I have a few questions that I want to ask," Naruto asked politely.
After receiving Shion's nod, he continued to ask, "What do you think about the soul and pure land?"
"Why are you asking this?"
Hearing this, Shion's expression immediately turned cold.
"I was just curious."
"I advise you not to know too much about this. It is not a good thing for you." Shion's tone became a lot stiffer, but she still told Naruto what she knew.
"After a person dies, the soul will go to the Pure Land. It is a land full of death. It is a barren land. All humans who enter the Pure Land through various means can not leave. As for Sprites, he can be regarded as a soul that has been infected with the aura of the Pure Land."
"He has powerful strength and terrifying negative emotions. Ordinary people will be awakened by the fear in their hearts when they see him."
"Then, may I ask how to enter the Pure Land?" Naruto asked.
"Ordinary people will immediately be polluted and lose their lives after entering the Pure Land." Shion narrowed her eyes.
She did not expect that there would be humans who tried to enter the Pure Land.
This was undoubtedly suicide.
"For human beings, the Pure Land is never a place to covet. It is full of danger."
"From another perspective, what will happen if human beings enter the place where the souls live? I think the consequences are clear."
"I advise you to give up the idea of entering the Pure Land."
She looked deeply at Naruto and said coldly.
Seeing this, Naruto did not ask.
Anyway, there was still a lot of time.
From Shion's performance, she should know the way to enter the Pure Land.
For ordinary people, the Pure Land was a forbidden place.
However, for Naruto, who had Reiatsu, the Pure Land was a place where his strength could advance by leaps and bounds.
"The ghost army will launch an attack in three days. During this period, please rest here for a while. You only need to protect me in the sealed land. I will use my ability to eliminate Sprites. You don't need to fight Sprites face to face." Shion said expressionlessly.
"Eh Can't fight with Sprites? What a pity." Rock Lee held his forehead in regret.
"Then I will watch from the side. I hope that I can collect the body tissue. Emmmm, Sprites should be considered a dead soul. It seems that there is no body tissue. What should I do? I don't seem to have a container to store the soul. How about I find a way to collect the priestess' body?" Neri was expressionless. Her eyes were calm, but her brain was spinning rapidly.
"We are very interested in Sprites. Don't worry, it won't affect you sealing Sprites." Naruto smiled, his tone full of confidence.
"I suggest not. Sprites are not someone you, Ninja, can deal with. He is not human." Shion shook his head, slightly disdainful.
During the last time when Sprites went berserk, there were also Ninjas who attempted to challenge Sprites, but the consequences were very miserable.
"Up to you. If you are not afraid of death, then do as you please." Shion nodded coldly, then turned around and walked toward the back of the hall.
"I am tired. You should rest first. After that, there will be a fierce battle."
Seeing Shion's graceful figure disappear from his sight, Naruto still wore a warm smile under his mask as he looked at Rock Lee and Neri.
"Let's go."
Under the leadership of the guards, they temporarily stayed in the same room as Naruto and Rock Lee.
Rock Lee was naked, his hands wrapped in bandages, and he was doing push-ups seriously.
Naruto leaned against the wall and looked at the ancient buildings outside the window. His eyes were deep, as if he was thinking about something.
"One thousand two hundred and thirty-one, one thousand two hundred and thirty-two." Rock Lee stopped and looked at Naruto curiously. He asked casually,
"Naruto, what are you thinking about?"
"I am thinking of a way to enter the Pure Land." Naruto casually replied.
"Enter the Pure Land? Naruto, why are you entering the Pure Land? Didn't you hear what Shion and priestess said? Humans will die if they enter the Pure Land." Rock Lee was puzzled.
"Because the Pure Land is very important to me." Naruto focused on the buildings outside the window.
In his mind, he was thinking about how to make Shion put down his guard against him.
Late at night.
Shion lay on the bed, covered with a thin quilt.
Her brows were tightly furrowed, her curvaceous figure constantly rising and falling, and beads of sweat were seeping out of her forehead.
In a cave filled with red light, a group of believers knelt.
The aura of death constantly floated out, passing through the crowd and lingering above the magma in the cave.
A black shadow cut open the chest of the believer.
An ominous aura gushed out.
At this point, Shion painfully twisted her body, her body dripping with fragrant sweat.
"Pa, ta." Suddenly, crisp footsteps sounded, and a tall figure stood in front of the black shadow.
"Kneel down, despicable creature." A faint voice sounded.
The figure slowly turned around.
Through the mask, Shion saw the pair of deep and cool blue eyes with white light flowing.
It was a pair of eyes that did not belong to the Shinobi world.
It was a pair of eyes that made her tremble.
"Bang!!" The entire world suddenly collapsed, and her consciousness seemed to fall into endless hell.
Fear and panic shrouded Shion.
"That pair of eyes, that aura!"
"Who is he? Does the Pure Land have anything to do with him?"
Shion suddenly woke up and stood up. Only then did she realize that her back was covered in fragrant sweat. She screamed,
"Prophecy!!!"