The ghoul leader, its gaze now fixed on a distant point beyond the village, began to recount the sinister plot of the Murmur family. It spoke of dark rituals, ancient pacts marriage, and a looming catastrophe that threatened not only Lita's life but the very fabric of their world.
As Sin absorbed the ghoul leader's revelations, he knew that their journey had taken a darker and more perilous turn. The Murmur family, a name synonymous with malevolence, had cast its ominous shadow over their quest.
The ghoul leader's weary sigh resonated through the tense air of the village. It had finally made its decision, and with a tone that carried both resignation and urgency, it divulged the unsettling truth about Lita's fate. According to the ghoul leader, Lita Woodenburg had already been taken into custody by the Chief Knight, a formidable figure who served under Count Murmur—the enigmatic and ominous noble who had become a central figure in their quest.
Sin's piercing gaze remained locked onto the ghoul leader, his Sharingan flickering with intensity as he absorbed the gravity of the revelation. The name "Count Murmur" had become synonymous with malevolence and sinister intent, casting a looming shadow over their pursuit of Lita. The fact that she was now in the clutches of the Chief Knight only added another layer of complexity and danger to their mission.
Sin nodded solemnly, his mind racing with thoughts and calculations. The situation had taken a dire turn, and they were now faced with the challenge of infiltrating the Murmur portal—a place shrouded in mystery and foreboding. The Chief Knight, a formidable adversary by all accounts, was likely to be guarding the portal with utmost vigilance.
As the ghoul leader continued to speak, it revealed that the Murmur portal was believed to be a gateway to come forth and back for the devil Count Murmur's airship.
Upon hearing the ghoul leader's unsettling revelation, Sin's instincts kicked in, and he knew he needed to take decisive action. With a swift and calculated movement, he summoned his Wood Style technique—a manifestation of his formidable abilities. Thick, gnarled vines and branches emerged from the ground, their jagged edges resembling the gnashing teeth of a beast. Sin had mastered this technique, and he wielded it with precision.
The ghoul leader, now trapped within this organic cage of wood, found itself impaled from all sides by the piercing spikes. The agonized cries of the ghoul leader filled the air, a stark reminder of the perilous situation that had unfolded. Sin, however, remained focused on his mission.
As he observed the ghoul leader writhing in agony, Sin's Sharingan eye flickered with a renewed intensity. In the midst of this confrontation, a subtle message from his mysterious system appeared before him. It read, "Congratulations! You have acquired a new skill, Whisper of the Death. With this, you can speak to the soul before its death. It can't lie to you; it will reply to whatever you ask."
Sin's curiosity piqued, he contemplated the implications of this newfound ability. The Whisper of the Death skill offered a unique opportunity—an opportunity to glean information directly from a departing soul, unclouded by deceit or subterfuge. It was a tool that could potentially unlock hidden secrets and provide vital insights into their quest.
However, before Sin could explore this newfound skill, a pressing matter demanded his immediate attention. The revelation regarding the Chief Knight's whereabouts and the fate of Lita weighed heavily on his mind. Sin had not yet obtained the crucial information he sought—the precise direction in which the Chief Knight had taken Lita.
With a determined focus, Sin directed his attention back to the imprisoned life-less ghoul leader. Despite the creature's anguish, it remained a potential source of answers. Sin extended his arm, and his Sharingan eye bore into the eyes of the dead eyes of the ghoul leader. It was a chilling and intimate connection, one that transcended the physical realm.
With the Whisper of the Death skill now at his disposal, Sin wasted no time in putting it to the test. The ghoul leader, ensnared within the wooden prison of Sin's Wood Style technique, had revealed the crucial information that Count Murmur's Chief Knight had taken Lita. Yet, the specific location remained a mystery, and time was of the essence. Sin needed answers, and he needed them swiftly.
As he invoked the newfound skill, a subtle transformation occurred within the chamber of their confrontation. A spectral presence, shrouded in an ethereal green glow, began to rise from the ghoul leader's body. It was the manifestation of a departing soul, a wisp of consciousness detached from its corporeal vessel. Sin's Sharingan eye focused intently on this spectral entity, and the connection between them was established.
Sin's inquiry echoed within the chamber, a question laced with urgency and purpose. "Where is the Chief Knight who has taken Lita?" he implored, directing his query toward the ethereal soul hovering before him. The soul, bearing the unmistakable aura of truth, prepared to divulge its knowledge.
With a voice that transcended the realm of the living, the soul responded to Sin's inquiry. Its words carried an otherworldly resonance, an eerie and solemn cadence that befitted the gravity of the situation. "The Chief Knight... atop the hill," it murmured, its spectral voice tinged with a sense of finality.
Upon hearing the soul's revelation, Sin's expression remained resolute, but a spark of recognition and determination flickered in his eyes. The hill—the very location hinted at earlier by a village guard. It appeared that their path had been illuminated, and a clear destination had emerged from the shadows of uncertainty.
Nodding in acknowledgment of the soul's words, Sin turned his gaze toward his companions—Sia, Julia, and Fatty Jack. Each of them bore a unique mix of emotions, from relief at the newfound lead to an unyielding resolve to continue their mission. Lita's fate hung in the balance, and every moment counted.
As Julia approached Sin, curiosity sparked in her eyes. She inquired about whom he was addressing, her voice tinged with a hint of concern. Sin, with a calm demeanor, responded to her question by asking whether she could perceive the ethereal presence of the soul that lingered nearby. Julia, puzzled, tilted her head slightly, her gaze scanning the surroundings in a futile attempt to spot the elusive entity that seemed to occupy Sin's attention exclusively. Realization dawned upon Sin as he comprehended that the ability to perceive the soul was his unique privilege.