Chapter 59: Tremors of the Earth
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The City of a Thousand Towers began to collapse.
This city was built entirely upon the power of the Dragon Vein.
Sasori's eyes widened in disbelief, his understanding of the world turned upside down.
Someone…
Someone had truly managed to harness the Dragon Vein!
There was no elaborate ritual, no visible struggle.
The Earth's lifeblood, the Dragon Vein, was swallowed into the body of that young man as though it were nothing more than a drop of water disappearing into the ocean.
For a fleeting moment, Sasori thought he glimpsed a fantastical scene—
A celestial dragon coiled above a blood-red sea.
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Far away in the Land of Demons
The shrine maiden line had long been entrusted with sealing away a malevolent entity known as Moryo.
Moryo's power came from the darkness in human hearts.
Inside her palace, the shrine maiden Miroku sat meditating.
Suddenly, her body trembled violently. A torrent of malevolent intent invaded her mind.
Within her consciousness, a spectral demon head roared:
"Shrine Maiden! You felt it, didn't you?!"
"The Earth's seal has vanished!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"You can no longer confine me! Soon, I will shatter this seal!"
"This world is mine to destroy!"
"I will obliterate everything and build my Thousand Kings Empire!"
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Grass Village
In the infamous Hozuki Castle, a prison built by the Grass Village to detain rogue shinobi, a strange black box lay hidden in secrecy.
The box, known as the Box of Ultimate Bliss, bore four faces—joy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure.
A relic of the Sage of Six Paths' era, it was said to be the ultimate weapon capable of granting any wish, fueled by sufficient negative energy.
It was rumored that, in ancient times, the Grass Village nearly used it to conquer the entire world.
The box now glowed ominously, radiating dark light.
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Such phenomena began to unfold across the shinobi world.
Long-sealed evils and monsters stirred from their slumber, driven by the disturbance of the Dragon Vein.
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On the Moon
A millennium ago, after sealing Kaguya, the brothers Hagoromo and Hamura went their separate ways.
Hagoromo stayed on Earth to establish the shinobi world, while Hamura departed with his clansmen to the Moon to guard their mother's prison.
Within a grand palace on the Moon, a pale-skinned, blue-haired middle-aged man held an infant in his arms.
His pure white eyes gazed down upon the blue planet below, his brows furrowed.
"What is happening in the shinobi world…?"
"First, the Gedo Statue was summoned years ago. And now…"
"The world created by the Sage of Six Paths grows ever more corrupt."
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In the Realm Between Life and Death
The progenitor of the shinobi world, the Sage of Six Paths, slowly opened his eyes.
Those faint purple orbs, the Rinnegan, radiated infinite power.
For centuries, he had existed as a chakra-based form, guarding the afterlife and observing the shinobi world.
He had remained silent even when Uchiha Madara awakened the Rinnegan and summoned the Gedo Statue.
But now, something equally significant had occurred.
The Dragon Vein, which played a crucial role in stabilizing the Earth and sealing countless evils, had been disturbed.
"Uchiha Kagami…"
The Sage murmured the name softly, his voice carrying a weight of contemplation.
He couldn't fathom how this descendant had accomplished such a feat.
Should he intervene now, forcing Kagami to return the Dragon Vein?
Yet once again, he hesitated.
The prophesized child, the one destined to guide the shinobi world, had not yet appeared.
If he interfered too soon…
The Sage sighed deeply.
He chose to trust the prophecy, to trust that the world would one day meet its savior.
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Back in Roran
The once-proud city had been reduced to ruins.
Survivors wandered amidst the debris, trembling, crying, and wailing in despair.
Ignoring the devastation around him, Kagami Uchiha leapt down from the shattered sealing platform.
The Dragon Vein's absorption had unleashed chaotic repercussions.
In the shadows, unseen forces howled in fury, their wrath stirred by Kagami's actions.
He glanced at the fractured earth beneath him, noting with some satisfaction that the tremors had not spread further.
Sasori, still reeling from the shock, finally spoke:
"Uchiha Kagami… You… you actually did it."
Patting Sasori's shoulder casually, Kagami chuckled.
"There's no need to be so surprised. Just standard procedure."
He turned his gaze toward Sasori, a glint of interest in his eyes.
"Sasori, you're quite interesting. Ever thought about becoming my subordinate?"
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After a moment of silence, Sasori shook his head.
"Your strength and spirit are admirable, but I'm a man driven by vengeance. Until I kill that man, I walk my path alone."
"What a pity…" Kagami mused, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"I doubt you'll succeed against Hatake Sakumo, though."
He shrugged and let the matter drop. Sasori's allegiance wasn't worth pressing for.
"Suit yourself. I'm leaving. Once you've scavenged whatever scraps you want, I suggest you do the same. This place feels like it's about to collapse entirely."
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Sasori clenched his fists beneath his cloak, his resolve hardening.
Not aligning with Kagami was undoubtedly the right decision.
The thought of such overwhelming power made his puppet heart falter.
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Summoning a massive eagle, Kagami soared into the sky, the wind tossing his hair.
The Dragon Vein's energy was vast, but it wasn't ready for immediate use.
While the natural energy could be utilized for Sage Mode, Kagami had other plans.
There was no need to rely on those "beasts" and their teachings.
The Sharingan itself will suffice.
His crimson eyes gleamed as they pierced the clouds, gazing toward the distant horizon.
The Third Great Ninja War was about to reach its peak.
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