Chapter 209: Not Just One Wedding

Screams echoed from all directions.

Shion's face turned pale as she stared at the monstrous, purple-black creature before her.

It resembled an octopus, with countless tentacles and a body shrouded in mist, radiating a sinister aura. The immense chakra emanating from it left the surrounding Iwagakure and Kumogakure shinobi struggling to survive their assault.

This was the extradimensional demon, Moryo.

Its power was unparalleled, capable of destroying the entire shinobi world.

The only way to stop it was for the priestess to sacrifice her life to seal it.

Ten years ago, Shion's mother, Miroku, had done precisely that. Now it was Shion's turn.

Clutching the bell at her chest, Shion felt as if she couldn't breathe.

She had been raised with the idea of self-sacrifice to seal Moryo drilled into her mind. She had accepted it, even prepared for it, but the fear still gripped her.

Just then, her eyes widened.

The invincible Moryo fell!

Amid the flames, a figure stood, stepping firmly on Moryo's writhing form.

That person was…

…

The intricate floral patterns in Shion's eyes faded as her vision cleared.

She stared blankly at Shinho Aburame standing before her.

"W-Who are you?"

Shion suddenly sat up straight, clutching Shinho's hand tightly as if it were her lifeline.

No one wanted to die.

For generations, each time Moryo had broken free, it had cost the life of a priestess to reseal it. 

This cursed fate weighed heavily on Shion. Even if she didn't consider herself, she had to think about her daughter's future.

Now, for the first time, she saw hope.

Karin noticed Shion's actions and immediately frowned.

What's the meaning of this? Are you taking advantage of the situation?

However, without Shinho's orders, she didn't dare act rashly. Instead, she glared daggers at Shion, ready to intervene if things escalated further.

Nearby, the priestess's guard, Ashiho, was utterly baffled.

This was the first time he had seen Lady Shion lose her composure.

Could it be... she foresaw her death?

Ashiho sighed inwardly. This was the fate of the priestess lineage, after all.

In the Land of Demons, the priestess was revered so high, not just because she was a savior but also a sacrificial lamb.

"I am Shinho Aburame," he said with a gentle smile. "Why? Did you foresee my death?"

"No… no."

Shion shook her head instinctively.

After regaining her composure, she suddenly realized she was still holding his hand.

Embarrassed, she quickly released it.

"My apologies," she murmured, lowering her gaze. "Please forgive me, Lord Hokage."

It dawned on her then—this man was the Sixth Hokage of Konoha.

She hadn't expected the Hokage to personally take on this mission.

Moreover, he was the man who, in her vision, would defeat Moryo.

The notion was so extraordinary that it made her question the reliability of her premonition for the first time. Still, her foresight had never been wrong.

"No harm done," Shinho replied, already piecing together the nature of her vision from her reaction.

"Welcome to the Land of Demons, Lord Hokage," Shion said, exhaling deeply and offering a rare smile.

Ashiho blinked in disbelief.

Am I under a genjutsu? Did Lady Shion just smile?

Karin, on the other hand, was grinding her teeth in frustration.

Her intuition screamed that Shion was trouble. Then again, competition wasn't new—she already had to deal with the likes of Ino Yamanaka and Hinata Hyuga.

"What's next, Lady Priestess?" Shinho asked with a slight bow.

"Rest for today," Shion replied, her smile fading into a calm expression. She turned to Ashiho. "Escort our guests to the side hall."

"This way, please."

Ashiho bowed low before leading them to a wing of the shrine.

"Everyone, please have a good rest." Ashiho said respectfully, "I will contact you immediealy once Her highness Shion gives out an order."

Once Ashiho left, Karin couldn't contain her curiosity.

"Shinho-kun," she asked, "what was that all about with the priestess?"

"She probably foresaw something shocking," Shinho said, tapping her forehead lightly. "Be more composed next time."

"I know!" Karin pouted but quickly seized his hand, grinning mischievously.

"I'm going to rest."

Sasuke turned and entered the room assigned to him, which was adjacent to theirs.

Shinho, too, sensed multiple presences around the side hall. It wasn't just them—Iwagakure and Kumogakure shinobi were also quartered nearby.

"I was just worried about you," Karin muttered as she stepped closer, hugging his arm tightly.

"Aren't you tired?" Shinho asked, glancing at her.

"Not one bit!" Karin declared proudly. "I'm from the Uzumaki clan! I have incredible stamina. Days and nights without rest would be no problem!"

Shinho raised an eyebrow, recalling the original series.

That was an understatement.

"Shinho-nii, are you tired?" Karin asked, her eyes sparkling with expectation. "I can give you a massage!"

After a moment's thought, Shinho agreed—it wasn't as though there was anything else to do.

"Come here, Shinho-nii."

Karin sat down on the sofa, patting her lap. Her posture accentuated her full thighs, one encased in black thigh-high stockings, the other bare and fair-skinned.

Resting his head on her lap, Shinho closed his eyes. Karin's hands began gently massaging his temples.

As the soothing scent around her lulled him into a light daze, a knock at the door interrupted the moment.

"Who's disturbing us now?" Karin grumbled, her brows furrowing.

"I'll check."

Shinho stood up, ruffling her hair playfully before heading to the door.

When he opened it, his eyes lit up.

Standing outside were two shinobi. One was C, the sensory ninja from Kumogakure he had seen earlier.

The other immediately caught his attention.

With her strikingly cold yet beautiful features, golden bobbed hair, and a figure that defied belief, Samui was an attention capturing sight.

Her light gray top, patterned with mesh, seemed to strain under the pressure of her ample bust. Below, her long legs were clad in a short black skirt and high black boots.

Though it was their first meeting, Shinho recognized her instantly thanks to her distinctive appearance.

"Lord Hokage, it's been a long time," C said with a warm smile. "After hearing your name from Ashiho, I decided to come and greet an old friend."

Years ago, during the Exploding Bug incident, C had witnessed Shinho's genius as a child when he successfully assisted in removing the bugs from the Fourth Raikage and Karui.

Back then, Mabui had said that if Shinho survived, he would one day become a significant threat to Kumogakure.

And now, that prediction had come true.

"I wish Mabui were here," Shinho remarked casually.

After becoming Hokage, he had even received a congratulatory letter from Mabui. Of course, it was more a diplomatic formality than a reflection of personal goodwill.

"Mabui is the Raikage's secretary, so her duties are overwhelming. She couldn't step away," C explained, shaking his head. "If she knew the Hokage himself came, she'd definitely regret not being here. She's always wanted to meet you."

Meet me?

Is she still holding a grudge over the Heavenly Transfer Technique and the 35 million ryo?

Shinho replied casually, "There'll be opportunities in the future."

"I'll be sure to pass that along," C said with a polite smile. "Now that I've caught up with an old acquaintance, we won't disturb your rest, Hokage."

He turned to leave, with Samui following silently behind.

From beginning to end, Samui remained quiet, her demeanor matching her reputation.

In the original story, Samui was an outwardly cold but inwardly warm kunoichi. She rarely showed emotion, except when it came to close friends. Clearly, Shinho wasn't one of them.

Given the strained relationship between Konoha and Kumogakure, calling them enemies wouldn't be too far-fetched.

"I never expected that little boy to truly rise to this level," C mused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Samui, do you think this young Hokage could fall to Moryo?"

C wasn't optimistic about Shinho and his team.

Both Karin and Sasuke looked too young, likely no more than chunin-level. 

As for Shinho, though rumored to have defeated Raiga Kurosuki, he was primarily known as a medical ninja, and rumors were hard to verify.

But Moryo was no ordinary enemy. It was leagues above the Seven Swordsmen of the Mist.

Ten years ago, Moryo and its undead army swept through the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Demons, leaving devastating losses in their wake.

"It's unlikely," Samui responded flatly. "He's young, but he became Hokage for a reason. If he's here personally, he must have confidence."

"That may be, but we're talking about Moryo," C remarked, his gaze sharpening. "If an opportunity arises, we shouldn't waste it."

If the Hokage were to die, chaos would engulf Konoha. Knowing the Fourth Raikage's temperament, war would undoubtedly follow.

"I recommend we inform Mabui," Samui suggested coolly. "As I recall, she has high regard for Shinho."

"Good idea."

C nodded in agreement.

Kumogakure wasn't far, and with the uncertain timeline of the mission, they had time to communicate with Mabui.

…

Inside his room, Shinho leaned back in thought.

The pretense of "catching up" was transparent—they had likely come to confirm his identity.

Still, in a world governed by strength, their schemes didn't worry him.

Whatever Kumogakure might plan would ultimately be meaningless.

"Shinho-nii, how do you know shinobi from Kumogakure?" Karin asked curiously.

"That was a long time ago."

Shinho briefly recounted the events involving the Exploding Bug incident.

"Wow, you're amazing!"

Karin's eyes sparkled with admiration, her expression one of pure adoration—like a devoted fan.

"Get some rest."

Shinho smiled, patting her head affectionately.

It felt nice to have someone who cared for him wholeheartedly.

"I… okay."

Karin hesitated briefly, then obediently returned to her room.

Shinho found her reaction odd but didn't dwell on it.

With everything prepared, the only thing left was to wait.

To ensure nothing went wrong, he had already dispatched ANBU to monitor the sealing shrine.

…

Night fell.

The priestess shrine was ablaze with light.

Seated on a tatami mat in her ceremonial garb, Shion gazed at the main doors, lost in thought.

Before Shinho's arrival, her visions had been fragmented—showing only Moryo breaking free and battling the shinobi from Kumogakure and Iwagakure.

Thus, she had sent requests for aid to all five great nations.

But after seeing Shinho, the prophecy had become complete.

The clarity was almost surreal.

Could the cursed fate of the priestesses sacrificing their lives to seal Moryo finally end?

"Who's there?"

Shion's voice rang out sharply as her instincts alerted her to a presence.

Turning toward the window, she caught sight of crimson hair.

"Good evening, Lady Priestess," Karin greeted warmly, stepping through the window. "I'm Karin, a kunoichi from Konoha."

"Is there something you need?"

Shion's expression regained its composure.

Karin's abrupt intrusion warranted calling for guards, but her connection to Shinho made Shion hesitate.

"Can you look into my future?" Karin clasped her hands together in a plea. "Specifically… will I marry Shinho?"

"Marry?"

The word caught Shion off guard.

As a priestess, the concept of marriage was foreign to her.

During their maiden years, priestesses were required to maintain physical and spiritual purity to serve the gods. 

Marriage was only allowed after retirement, typically between the ages of 25 and 30.

Moreover, the unique abilities of the priestess lineage, akin to a kekkei genkai, demanded that potential spouses be exceptional.

"Can you do it?" Karin asked eagerly.

After a moment's hesitation, Shion nodded.

With Shinho being her sole hope against Moryo, the last thing she wanted was to offend Konoha.

"Thank you, Lady Priestess!"

Karin quickly positioned herself before Shion.

Raising her head, Shion activated her clairvoyant powers. Intricate patterns appeared in her pale eyes.

Moments later, a vivid vision filled her mind.

Shion's hand flew to her mouth, her cheeks flushing red.

"What's wrong?" Karin asked, puzzled by her reaction.

"You… you'll marry him," Shion stammered.

"Really?! That's wonderful!"

Karin jumped with joy, her excitement uncontainable.

Shion hesitated, unsure whether to reveal everything.

In the vision, Karin wasn't the only bride.

The sight baffled and overwhelmed Shion, but one thing was clear—Karin had accepted the situation.

"I'm heading back!" Karin declared, her grin stretching from ear to ear.

After she left, Shion clutched her head in exasperation.

She had chosen to withhold the truth, finding it unnecessary to complicate matters further.

…

[Achievement Unlocked: "Pure Love Warrior Knockout" — Reward: Water Curtain Skyflower Gu]

[Water Curtain Skyflower Gu: Rank 4, creates a massive spherical water barrier with extraordinary defense, capable of withstanding Rank 5 attacks.]

…

The sudden notification startled Shinho awake.

Where had that achievement come from? Had Shion triggered it?

Pondering the mystery, he examined the reward.

The Water Curtain Skyflower Gu was undoubtedly powerful, though it came with a drawback.

The spherical barrier was immobile, and nothing could pass through it except the user.

It was essentially a fortress defense mechanism—a "guardian array" often seen in wuxia or xianxia stories.

As Hokage, Shinho saw immediate utility for this Gu.

Konoha's existing barriers couldn't withstand attacks from true powerhouses, like members of the Akatsuki.

But the Water Curtain Skyflower Gu was different. Capable of enduring even Rank 5 assaults, it could safeguard the village against catastrophic threats like Pain's invasion.

In dire times, it would be an invaluable shield.

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