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Horyu's plan was risky, balancing on a fine line between breaking and bolstering the seal. But Horyu was no stranger to risk. If anything, it was just another challenge to overcome.
As he delved deeper into the structure of the seal, he realized the complexity of Uzumaki's work. "These guys didn't mess around," Horyu muttered, impressed despite himself. The chains were not just a set of random seals; they were interwoven with the island's very essence, a masterpiece of sealing jutsu.
Day by day, he chipped away at the mystery, Toru occasionally breaking the monotony with a fish or two. Horyu's makeshift camp on the boat became a mix of a study and a lab, scrolls and seal diagrams scattered around as he worked tirelessly.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity but was just under a week, Horyu had his eureka moment. "Got it!" he exclaimed, startling Toru from its perch. He found a way to tweak the seal, strengthening the chains binding the specters while creating a small, controlled gap in the barrier.
"Ready to test this out?" Horyu asked, looking up at Toru with a smirk.
The owl returned his look with a skeptical tilt of its head. "As ready as I'll ever be," Toru replied, bracing itself for what was to come.
With a deep breath, Horyu began the delicate process of applying his modifications. Channeling his chakra carefully, he touched the seal, his modifications weaving into the existing structure. The air around them thickened, the sea below grew turbulent, but Horyu remained focused, his hands steady.
The moment the seal accepted his modifications, the chains around the specters glowed brighter, tightening. The specters themselves howled in frustration, their forms flickering as the enhanced chains sapped what little strength they had left.
"But first, let's deal with our ghostly friends," Horyu said, turning his attention back to the specters. With the chains now reinforced, their demise was only a matter of time. The specters, realizing their fate, howled and wailed, but to no avail.
As Horyu watched some fade, a sense of satisfaction washed over him. "One problem down," he said, turning to Toru. "Now, let's see what secrets this place holds."
"And now for the barrier," Horyu murmured, turning his attention to the invisible wall that had kept them at bay. Using a similar technique, he carefully manipulated the seal, weakening it just enough to create a passage.
As the barrier thinned, Toru gave Horyu an apprehensive look. "You first," the owl said, not entirely joking.
Horyu chuckled, stepping forward. The moment he crossed the threshold, the pressure of the barrier was palpable, like wading through thick water. But he pushed through, and on the other side, the island awaited, untouched and serene.
Turning back, he gestured for Toru to follow. The owl, with a deep breath, plunged through the barrier, emerging beside Horyu with a relieved huff. "Not doing that again anytime soon," Toru grumbled.
As they stepped onto the land, Horyu swiftly tucked the boat back into his inventory, his gaze sweeping across the landscape before him. What lay ahead was beyond belief. "How is this possible?" he wondered aloud, his voice laced with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.
Toru, perched on a nearby outcrop, shared his astonishment. "I've got no idea," the owl admitted, scanning the horizon. The scene was surreal—a village seemingly frozen in time. Buildings, homes, and other structures stood silent, untouched by war's devastation. "Wasn't the Uzumaki Clan obliterated in a battle against the Cloud, Mist, and Stone?" Horyu questioned, seeking some logic in the chaos.
Leaping onto Toru's back, they soared above the village, gaining a bird's-eye view of the anomaly. Everywhere they looked, the village seemed preserved, a stark contrast to the tales of destruction and ruin. "It's like time stopped here," Horyu muttered, his brow furrowed in thought.
As they approached the village's heart, a chilling sensation gripped Horyu. He turned his attention towards a building shrouded in an almost tangible cold, its surface crawling with layers of intricate seals. "Is that...?" Toru's voice trailed off, uncertainty evident.
Horyu nodded, his gaze fixed on the ominous structure. "It looks like it," he confirmed. "Shinigami must be sealed inside there."
They landed at the village's edge, proceeding on foot towards the center. With each step, the air grew colder, heavier, as if the very atmosphere was laden with ancient secrets and forbidden knowledge. Horyu's steps were deliberate, his senses heightened to any sign of danger.
Reaching the sealed building, Horyu examined the layers of seals more closely. "This is Uzumaki work," he observed, his voice barely above a whisper. "Incredible... but why is there no sign of battle? No destruction?"
"It doesn't add up," Toru agreed, his eyes scanning the surroundings. The village, for all its eerie silence, was a ghost of its former self—intact, yet utterly devoid of life.
He ignored the sealed building for now. The Brigade mentioned that the Uzumaki Matriarch made a sacrifice to seal the Shinigami. But what about the rest of the Uzumaki people? Where had they gone? He doubted the three attacking villages could have taken them all without leaving any trace. No matter how powerful those villages were, they couldn't just swoop in, take what they wanted, and leave without leaving a single footprint behind.
"Could they have escaped before the villages arrived?" Toru speculated, looking around the untouched village with a mix of curiosity and unease.
Horyu shook his head, dismissing the idea. "Three villages never made it here. Look at that," he pointed towards a building that caught his eye—a library, its windows revealing shelves upon shelves of untouched scrolls and books. "This place is still intact. If those villages had managed to enter, they'd have ransacked that library for any secrets or powerful jutsu hidden inside."
Toru nodded, seemingly convinced by Horyu's reasoning. They walked toward the library, with Horyu leading the way, his steps measured and cautious. "It's clear, despite my decent skills in sealing techniques, I wouldn't have understood the barrier around this village without the toolkit I received from the quest. If not for that, finding a way in would've been impossible," Horyu thought to himself. It was no wonder that no one else had been able to penetrate the barrier.
Entering the library, they were greeted by the musty scent of old paper and ink—a smell that spoke of centuries of knowledge stored within these walls. Horyu's eyes gleamed with a mix of excitement and reverence. Here, in this silent hall of wisdom, lay the secrets of the Uzumaki Clan, waiting to be uncovered.
Horyu browsed through the scrolls and books, his hands respectful yet eager as he examined each piece. "This is a gold mine," he murmured, more to himself than to Toru. The owl, perched on a nearby table, watched Horyu with an expression that was mixture of amusement and helplessness. Toru was more interested in brutal strength, he had no desire to learn seals or history.
"I can't believe it's all just left here, untouched," Toru commented, his head tilting from side to side as he observed Horyu's methodical examination of the texts.
Horyu nodded, deeply engrossed in thought. "This suggests the Uzumaki left in a hurry, without taking anything with them. But where to? And why leave if the attacking villages never actually reached this place? How did they even know the Uzumaki were defeated?" He couldn't wrap his head around the complete absence of conflict within the village's limits. It was as if the Uzumaki had simply vanished into thin air, leaving behind a ghost town.
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