The black mist dissipated, revealing the true form of the魍魉 (Wǎngliǎng). Dozens of ugly purple tentacles danced in the air, each tipped with a face resembling a demonic snake.
Kurama let out a scoff, "So ugly!"
"How dare a mere beast mock me, you court death!"
Seeing that even a fox dared to mock him, the魍魉 immediately attacked with its numerous tentacles.
*Shk!*
Kurama landed on all fours, baring its fangs. A dark sphere rapidly condensed.
Then... *whoosh!*
A violent explosion resounded again. The attacking tentacles of the魍魉 were instantly annihilated. As the魍魉 looked on in horror, the Tailed Beast Bomb directly hit its body.
Who fights with their ultimate move right at the start! This is unfair!
*Boom!*
The palace, already ravaged once, was further renovated. This time, there was no trace of the palace left, only a desolate expanse and a giant crater.
Miroku, holding Shion, hid behind Kurama, avoiding the impact of the Tailed Beast Bomb's aftershock. Her bloodless face was filled with deep shock. Who were this man and beast?
The powerful魍魉 that their shrine maidens seemed to hold in awe was being utterly dominated.
Kurama turned and snorted at Lin Yu, "He can be considered my brother? He can't even withstand a tiny attack."
Lin Yu didn't answer. In the ninja world, failing to withstand a Tailed Beast Bomb indeed marked one as a lower-tier ninja.
Lin Yu had initially thought that this demon, the魍魉, capable of nearly destroying the world, must possess power at least below the Six Paths level.
Now it seemed, aside from its tentacle attacks and the ability to create armies of puppet monsters, its strength was barely at the Kage level.
If not for the fact that only shrine maidens could seal it, this would have been a powerful summoning beast.
In the crater amidst the ruins, the魍魉, scattered by the Tailed Beast Bomb, reformed its main body, though it was slightly smaller than before.
"Damn it!"
The魍魉's resentful gaze was undisguised. It was immortal, and given time, it would grow strong enough to destroy the ninja world!
Today, it would spare these people for now. One day, the魍魉 would return.
The barrier had already been broken by Lin Yu, and the魍魉 started thinking of escape again.
"Lord Lin Yu, please help me seal the魍魉. It can absorb negative emotions from humanity and grow stronger. Then the ninja world will be in danger."
Miroku released Shion's wrist and picked up her scepter again, her beautiful eyes filled with resolve.
"Shion, remember what your mother told you. Always stay true to yourself, no matter what."
"Mother!"
Shion watched her mother walk towards the魍魉. She wanted to rush forward and stop her, but her mother's words echoed in her mind: this was a shrine maiden's responsibility!
A deep sorrow filled Shion's heart. Tears silently traced paths down her fair cheeks. Shion felt utterly useless, unable to do anything but watch her mother's resolute back.
She suddenly loathed her own weakness.
Shion crouched down, burying her head. Her eyes were tightly shut. In this moment, she felt despair.
"What? Giving up already?"
Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around her legs, lifting her up. Shion raised her tear-streaked, delicate face and asked weakly, "Bad man, can you kill that monster and save my mother?"
"Probably not."
Shion's pupils dimmed. Only shrine maidens could seal the魍魉; it was their destiny.
Indeed, everything was already set in stone. Even if the bad man was powerful, it was useless.
Lin Yu looked at Shion curled up in his arms and said softly, "I can't, but you can, Shion."
"Can I?"
Shion shook her head and cried into Lin Yu's chest, "I can't! I'm a weak and useless shrine maiden!"
"You..."
Just as Lin Yu was about to boost Shion's confidence, he saw Miroku on the other side raising her scepter to seal the魍魉. He quickly grabbed Shion and teleported over to stop Miroku.
"Hey, why the rush? Let Kurama play for a bit longer."
Lin Yu winked at Kurama, who was lying on the ground preparing to sleep. The latter snorted and pounced, tangling with the魍魉 that was trying to escape.
I'll beat you to death, you disgrace among Tailed Beasts!
Miroku stared at Lin Yu, dumbfounded. She was about to seal the魍魉, and she had a plan: seal its soul in the Land of Demons and its body in the Land of Marshes.
Once this was done, the Land of Demons would welcome another period of peace, enough for Shion to grow.
But all of this was suddenly interrupted by Lin Yu. What's more, he actually made her daughter cry! Thinking of how her palace had been utterly destroyed by this man and beast, she became enraged!
Miroku angrily questioned Lin Yu, "What more do you want from us, mother and daughter!"
"This, I..."
"I am sacrificing myself, and you, you go and make my daughter cry when I'm not looking!"
"Wuwuwu!" Shion wailed appropriately, forcing out a few tears. She buried herself in Lin Yu's chest, looking like she had been bullied.
Although Shion didn't know what was happening, it seemed her mother no longer had to sacrifice herself to seal the demon!
"See! Why did you make my daughter cry?!"
Faced with Miroku's accusation, Lin Yu was bewildered. It was your daughter who cried because she saw you sacrificing yourself, what does it have to do with him!
Suddenly, Lin Yu remembered the shrine maiden's palace that had "vanished into thin air." He had the truth!
"Mother, he hurt me. He was so rough!"
Shion reached out and touched the back of her legs, her eyes red. Miroku's heart ached. She quickly snatched Shion from Lin Yu's embrace.
"Shion, where does it hurt? Let mother rub it for you."
Shion rubbed her red eyes and whispered, "Mother, please don't leave Shion, okay?"
Miroku paused for a moment and held Shion tightly. She didn't want to, but this was the destiny of their shrine maidens.
The soft warmth in her arms left. Lin Yu looked at the tender moment between mother and daughter, then glanced at the "Kurama's Binding Seduction!" on the other side.
Did this signify something?
"You disgusting thing, why are you always clinging to me!"
Kurama was disgusted by the seemingly sticky tentacles wrapped around its fluffy fur. This was fur it had meticulously cared for, meant to attract female foxes in the future.
The魍魉 roared a few times and shrieked, "Let me go! When I return, I'll make you my great general!"
"Go to hell with your great general! You must be dreaming, you trash!"
Kurama could no longer stand the entanglement of the tentacles. Its nine tails behind it instantly stood up, lengthening, and pierced the魍魉's body, pinning it to the ground.
The scene at this moment was so beautiful. The魍魉 lay spread-eagled on the ground, while Kurama, which had locked it down, approached its core with a monstrous maw.
"You, what are you going to do to me!"
The魍魉's roar awakened Shion and her mother, who turned their heads to look at this "indecent" scene. Miroku understood at a glance and lightly scoffed. This man and beast didn't look like good people!
Shion, with her wide, dazed eyes, curiously explored the unknown realm until a pair of hands covered her eyes.
"Children can't watch this!"