Thank you to Tarlock, Viswa Venkat Mounish Vadlapudi, ZxSleep, Julien Dieujuste, General, kiddeath1998 for their support and becoming a patron on p@treon.
You can read 40+ chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.
P@TREON - p@treon.com/lessaservantofcosmos
(just replace the "@" with "a")
Check Out My Latest Works: Jujutsu Kaisen: Verdandi
ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Shino and Saki immediately followed his footsteps, closely behind.
The three of them walked slowly toward the interior of the altar.
Meanwhile!
Near the Wind Shrine, several Sand shinobi were looking towards the direction of the altar with astonishment.
The intense explosion sound from earlier had caught their attention!
"Lord Yoruichi! Could the recent... explosion indicate an issue with the Jinchūriki!?"
A Sand shinobi with a slightly worried expression glanced at the man beside him, whose face was partly covered by a veil. He asked with a trembling voice.
Hearing this, the man named Yoruichi, a Sand shinobi, wore a solemn expression and said in a deep voice,
"While I don't know exactly what's happening, if it's related to the altar, the situation might be grave..."
"You, immediately return to the village! Report the situation here to the Kazekage. I'll take a few people and investigate first!"
"Understood!"
Upon hearing his orders, the Sand shinobi responded in a low voice before promptly disappearing from the scene.
Sand shinobi Yoruichi continued to gaze seriously in the direction of the altar, muttering to himself.
"I hope it's not a problem with Shukaku... Otherwise, that would be a misfortune for the Land of Wind..."
........
Sōsuke and his two companions entered the grand and expansive interior of the shrine.
The space within the shrine was quite large.
"Drip!" "Drip!"...
The three walked along the wide corridor, moving at a relaxed pace.
Suddenly, some peculiar images drew their attention.
On the stone walls inside the shrine, there were countless murals, each depicting scenes from different eras.
However, among these murals from various periods, a common figure appeared without surprise!
A gigantic tanuki covered in various seals and markings!
In the murals, it appeared enormous, creating a stark contrast with the smaller figures around it!
"Is this... the legendary Tailed Beast!?"
Standing in the corridor, Saki's face displayed shock as he gazed at the murals, clearly astonished.
Sōsuke, observing the murals on the wall, his eyes glinted with a sharp light. He smiled slightly and said softly,
"It's likely so. The legend says it grows in the Desert, growing by absorbing the grudges of the desert..."
"Let's move on, continue forward. Let's see the true face of the so-called One-Tail Shukaku."
Sōsuke's words also snapped Shino, who was still awestruck by Shukaku's immense form, back to attention.
Upon hearing Sōsuke's words, he gazed at the depths of the shrine with a serious expression.
The three continued onward.
After traversing a lengthy corridor, they arrived at a spacious area.
The ground was covered with various symbols and seals, extending from the edges to a circular platform in the center!
On that platform, a middle-aged monk was currently seated cross-legged, eyes closed.
Seeing him, both Saki and Shino were slightly surprised. Meanwhile, Sōsuke's lips gently curled into a hint of a smile.
As expected... the Sand Village is conducting the so-called Jinchūriki experiment...
At this moment!
"Who are you people!? How dare you intrude upon the shrine without permission!"
From an entrance to a nearby passage, several figures dressed like Impressionist painters suddenly appeared and scolded Sōsuke and his companions.
Hearing their words, Sōsuke's eyes remained fixed on the monk, his smile unchanged. He said softly,
"Leave one useful person behind. The rest of you, I don't want any irrelevant individuals present at this moment."
"Yes, Captain Aizen!"
Hearing Sōsuke's words, Saki, who had been coldly observing the newcomers, responded with a stern voice.
Those who dare to offend Captain Aizen have only the path of death!
In an instant!
Shino and Saki immediately sprang into action!
"Ah!" "Ah!"...
"Who are you people to dare... Ah!!"
A chorus of screams erupted on the scene!
Simultaneously, the monk seated on the circular platform seemed to hear the cries, slowly opening his eyes.
Clearly, when he saw the scene of blood and gore before him, a hint of astonishment flickered in his cloudy eyes as he exclaimed,
"Wh... who are... you people..."
It had been a long time since he had spoken, and his words sounded awkward as they left his lips.
"If I'm not mistaken, the One-Tail Shukaku should be within you."
Sōsuke walked forward slowly, looking at the monk and speaking softly.
The monk, looking at the young Sōsuke, seemed dazed, unable to fathom that all of this was orchestrated by the polite and refined youth before him.
"You... you're still... just a child. If your hands are stained with blood at this moment, have you considered whether future consequences will follow?"
The monk didn't answer Sōsuke's question. Instead, he spoke words unrelated to Sōsuke's query.
Seeing the pity in the monk's cloudy eyes, Sōsuke's smiling expression faded, and he said softly,
"This world is inherently imperfect, neither real nor false. The concept of karma is just a deception propagated by Buddha to mislead the world. For most people, powerless as they are, they can only accept such teachings and affirm their own existence."
At this point, Sōsuke's eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint smile returned to his face as he continued,
"However, with sufficient power, why bother affirming oneself this way? In my presence, even Buddha must bow."
Hearing Sōsuke's words, the monk's eyes flashed with shock!
He couldn't fathom why this youth before him dared to speak such audacious words.
Meanwhile!
Beside them, Shino and Saki brought a trembling researcher, his clothes splattered with bits of flesh and blood, to Sōsuke's side.
Sōsuke didn't engage in further conversation with the monk. He glanced briefly at the researcher who had been brought over and said softly,
"I want to know how to release Shukaku. Can you do that?"
Hearing his words, the monk's expression turned to one of shock!
Even Shino's face beside him slightly tensed.
The researcher's face turned pale, and his lips trembled, not knowing what to say.
These individuals had just displayed what it meant to kill without hesitation. If they weren't pleased now, their own fates would surely not end well!
Thinking this, he made up his mind and said with a trembling voice,
"I can! Please give me some time..."
Hearing his words, Sōsuke replied gently,
"Oh, is that so? I'm glad for your answer. Please proceed."
Hearing Sōsuke's conversation with them, the monk remained silent. He closed his eyes once more, as if everything in this world was of no concern to him.
Soon, Sōsuke followed the researcher to a spacious room that resembled a control center.
In the room, the researcher frantically operated various ancient instruments.
Observing him, Sōsuke softly asked,
"Is that person the Jinchūriki of your Sand Village?"
Hearing Sōsuke's words, the researcher's forehead became covered in cold sweat, and he responded with a trembling voice,
"Yes... yes, he's called Bunpuku. He was already here before I arrived at this shrine."
Seeing his trembling, Sōsuke chuckled lightly and spoke gently,
"Don't worry, follow my instructions, and I won't take your life."
Hearing Sōsuke's words, the researcher breathed a sigh of relief.
After a series of actions.
With a "whoosh," the researcher ceased his activities, wiping the sweat off his forehead. His voice trembled as he said,
"I... I'm done..."
Hearing his words, a smile appeared on Sōsuke's face as he walked slowly back to the previous plaza.
Meanwhile!
Around the circular platform where the monk Bunpuku was situated!
The densely inscribed runes on the ground gradually faded away as they approached the erected columns...