Strongest Hidden Mist Village [140]

"So, ever since Rōran was destroyed, you've just been drifting around, living a nomadic life?"

Yoru gave Sāra a strange look. No wonder a kingdom that once flourished had now dwindled to just eighty-three people, including its queen and newborn princess.

Living day to day with no guarantee of the next meal, barely clothed and always hungry... and yet you can still tell me, 'Even though Rōran was destroyed, everyone's doing quite well'?

Come on. There's a limit to self-delusion.

Perhaps Yoru's gaze was just too bizarre—Sāra looked visibly uncomfortable. She couldn't help retorting, "At least—at least everyone is free now, isn't that something? You have no idea what life was like under Anrokuzan's control!"

"But Anrokuzan is already dead, isn't he?"

Yoru spoke coolly. "It's been years since his death. As queen, you don't even consider how to restore your kingdom—not even to lead your people to settle down and rebuild?..."

"I'm only offering you a place of refuge because I'm soft-hearted. Otherwise, in a few more years, the so-called survivors of Rōran would probably be extinct."

"…Forget it. There's no point in scolding you."

Seeing Sāra sink deeper into shame, Yoru didn't press further. Instead, he picked up the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Where's the child's father?"

"There is no father," Sāra murmured, then quickly added, "Our royal bloodline is special. We're a unique clan that can give birth without physical union." (Author's note: Secondary setting)

"I see," Yoru nodded, unfazed.

In the ninja world, asexual reproduction or self-conception wasn't unheard of. The priestess Miroku, for instance, could do the same. To many, children weren't just born of life—they were the vessels of inherited power. The Goddess Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, for example, was said to have birthed twins through the prayers and blessings of her people. (Manga lore)

As they spoke casually, Yoru and the caravan of Rōran survivors made their way toward the Land of Water.

Thanks to the power of Garganta's Senkaimon, Yoru had whisked them out of the Land of Wind—but couldn't teleport them directly to the Land of Water. Not because he couldn't, but because it wasn't viable.

Most of the Rōran people were civilians. Long-distance spatial transfer placed huge strain on the body. Ninja with chakra could handle it; regular folk couldn't.

Fortunately, their horse-drawn carriages weren't slow. They had already passed through several minor nations and entered the Land of Hot Water. Once they crossed it, they would be in the Land of Water.

"Your Majesty! Bad news!"

A panicked Rōran citizen ran over. "We're under attack! Rontouga and the others have been killed!"

"What?!" the Queen gasped. "Do you know who the attackers are? Are they ninja?!"

If it were just bandits, maybe they could resist. But if it were ninja...

With the Ryūmyaku sealed and Rōran toppled, its scattered people had become ordinary. Even fending off wild beasts was tough. Ninja were simply unbeatable.

"They wore Hot Water Village forehead protectors! They're ninja from Yugakure!"

This is bad!

Sāra's face went pale. She instinctively wanted to call for retreat—but then her gaze snapped to Yoru, full of desperation.

This man had subdued the Ryūmyaku and annihilated six Sunagakure jōnin in seconds. If anyone could help them now, it was him.

"Please… help us!" Sāra pleaded, eyes glistening. "We've already joined the Land of Water, haven't we? The people of Rōran can't afford to shrink any further. I beg you…"

"If you had shown this resolve earlier, would your people have ended up like this?" Yoru said with a soft chuckle. "No matter. Since you now call yourself part of the Land of Water, I can't just stand by."

"Th-thank you, sir!"

Sensing two weak chakra signatures, Yoru vanished.

When he reappeared, three Yugakure ninja stood before him. Judging by their chakra levels, they were only chūnin. Without hesitation, Yoru flicked his fingers—two bolts of Hakurai lightning streaked out, piercing their hearts before the stunned eyes of the Rōran survivors.

And then—something terrifying happened.

Two of the ninja collapsed and died instantly. But the third—despite having his heart pierced—staggered back to his feet as if nothing had happened.

"G-gh-ghost!"

"How is that possible?! He won't die!"

"Run!!"

The Rōran survivors panicked and fled in terror. Even Yoru frowned. He could clearly sense the man's chakra—an ordinary chūnin, with no special traits. This wasn't a clone. His White Lightning had struck the heart dead-on.

"You bastard! How dare you defy the great—"

ZAP! Another bolt of White Lightning.

This time it punched through his forehead, frying brain tissue, leaving the stench of burnt flesh and protein in the air.

No living being—zombie or not—could survive that.

And yet... the ninja slowly got up again, eyes blazing with rage.

"That hurt, you bastard!"

His forehead protector clattered to the ground, revealing a glowing, blood-red triangle sigil seared into his skin.

"That mark..." Yoru's brow furrowed.

"Behold the glory of Jashin! Tremble in madness and despair before his might, and DIE—!"

"Alright, enough." Yoru raised a hand, freezing the man in place like a puppet. "Introduce yourself."

"I am Unit 3208 of Yugakure, and the most faithful servant of the great Jashin. I am Chūnin Masato Koyama."

Jashin?

Hearing the name, Yoru felt a flicker of recognition. That forehead symbol… wasn't it the same one used by Hidan, the Akatsuki's notorious immortal?

"What exactly is the Jashin Cult?" Yoru asked darkly.

Hidan was a rogue from Yugakure—a known zealot of the Jashin Cult. Though unimpressive in rank, his abilities were frightening. According to the Naruto databook, his powers came from communing with Jashin through a ritual. It was either a gift or a curse from a god.

A fanatical immortal who glorified pain and death.

And immortality? That was no small thing.

In the shinobi world, many had achieved versions of it—Sasori's Puppet Reincarnation, Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear, or Orochimaru's Living Corpse...

But those were workarounds. They required new hosts or bodies to continue living.

Hidan, however—he simply couldn't die.

Heart stabbed? Head crushed? Limbs removed?

Still alive.

A power that broke all known rules of the ninja world—like the enchanted stone soldier of Mōryō, only acting upon flesh and blood, not stone.

Fascinating. Deeply relevant to Yoru's research into the Shinigami.

"The great Jashin is everything! The absolute truth! The—"

"Okay, okay. I didn't ask for a sermon. Just tell me about the cult, and how you gained your immortality."

"..."

The fanatic, interrupted mid-chant by Yoru, paused, then began to speak plainly.

"Several years ago, the great Lord Jashin came to me in a dream," Masato began, voice reverent. "He revealed the truth and guided me to the Jashin Cult."

"Lord Jashin is a divine being who commands the power of immortality and rules over the realm of the dead. Through unwavering faith, one can receive His blessing—an immortal body, eternal life... even power that surpasses a Kage."

"I offered myself to the ritual of sacrifice. Blood, soul, belief—all laid bare. Though my transformation wasn't as complete as the 'first case,' I was still chosen. I still gained the power of immortality"

The fanatic went on and on, pouring out everything he knew—details about the Jashin Cult's current state, its internal hierarchy, the sacrificial rites used to invoke power, and the twisted doctrines behind them. The more he spoke, the deeper Yoru's frown became.

According to this guy's description, the Jashin Cult performed dual sacrifices—offering up both living flesh and souls—guided by the unwavering belief of the ritualists. Through this gruesome devotion, they sought to commune with Jashin. The outcome of the ritual varied: those with greater spiritual potential and deeper faith would receive stronger blessings.

These so-called blessings took many forms—true immortality, limb regeneration, eternal youth, and other powers that defied the laws of the shinobi world.

But to Yoru, these methods were far more grotesque—and far more dangerous—than anything in his own Shinigami experiments.

The cult's rituals had no order, no structure—just blind death and faith thrown into the void, in hopes of drawing the attention of their so-called god. There was no science to it, no refinement. Just mass sacrifice and fanaticism.

And yet... it worked.

The fact that true immortals had emerged from these rituals only fueled belief. More and more people were drawn in. Now, over half of Yugakure had converted to Jashin Cult. Even the current Hot Water Kage had joined the cult, desperate to obtain an immortal body for himself...

"…Looks like I need to investigate the Jashin Cult thoroughly," Yoru muttered.

. . .

The Land of Hot Water was renowned throughout the shinobi world, its unique hot springs drawing praise from every corner of the continent. Anyone who visited came away impressed.

Its hidden village, Yugakure, had long embraced a pacifist philosophy, earning it the nickname "The Village That Forgets War." Though not officially neutral, it held a distinct and respected position among the Five Great Nations.

"This mountain must be Akakyu Mountain. The largest city in the Land of Hot Water—Akakyu City—is located within it."

Yoru looked toward the mountain ahead, then pulled out a black crystal and handed it to Sāra. His voice was calm.

"Take your people and settle there for now. Rest. Once I've taken care of a few things, I'll come find you."

"If you encounter enemies or trouble, just crush this crystal."

"Yes."

She took the crystal and led the Rōran people into Akakyu City, with Yoru following.

As the nation's most prosperous city, Akakyu was split into two zones: the outer city, bustling with tourists and hot springs, and the inner city, home to Yugakure.

Even during war, the outer city's influx never ceased, fueling the economy and providing Yugakure with countless missions—lost pets, bodyguards, guides, and more. Simple, well-paid, and low-risk.

But that massive foot traffic also meant one thing for the Jashin Cult:

Sacrifices. Living ones.

After settling Sāra and her people, Yoru began gathering intel.

The city was packed with bathhouses, each staffed by alluring hostesses in bathrobes calling out to passersby. Besides bathhouses, taverns and casinos dominated the outer city.

Sex, gambling, drugs—the oldest and richest trades in the world. And Akakyu had them all.

"Welcome~ Come relax~"

"Alright, alright, I'm coming~"

Welcomed by a cheerful girl, Yoru entered a bathhouse—not to enjoy himself, but to observe.

The famed Akakyu Springs truly lived up to their reputation, like a roaring crimson whirlpool from the depths of hell, washing away every trace of fatigue.

Hot Water Village really knew their stuff.

"Come again soon~"

"Definitely," Yoru said with a smile—then his expression turned cold.

He wasn't here for leisure. As the saying goes: "The wise hide in plain sight." If the Jashin Cult was embedded in Yugakure, he had to get close.

One bath was all it took to find something fishy.

Soon, Yoru stood outside a dazzling casino.

Jashin Casino.

Golden letters gleamed above the door. Inside, luxury and lust mingled. Neon lights, glittering chandeliers, and staff in sultry uniforms. Excitement and despair echoed from every gaming table.

Yoru scanned the room—and spotted something off.

"Damn it, lost again! Why is my luck so bad today?!"

A gambler groaned, rising to leave—only to be stopped by uniformed staff.

"You owe us 1.68 million ryō. With interest, that's 2.52 million. Settle it."

"W-what?! How?!"

He tried to plead for time—but a Yugakure ninja stepped out of the shadows.

"If you don't pay today, you're not leaving."

One strike. The gambler collapsed. The ninja handed him off like baggage.

"Don't kill him. Fresh sacrifices make for better rituals and will please Lord Jashin!"

"Yes, sir! Lord Jashin will be pleased!"

The ninja nodded, then added: "Keep things quiet. Don't go too far. Just collect debts for now."

"But… sacrifices will drop!"

"Can't be helped. 'The Big Mark' just arrived in Akakyu. Although that guy is a spendthrift, their background is extremely powerful, so keep your hands clean!"

"…Understood."

"Big mark?" Yoru's eyes narrowed. He looked toward the entrance.

"…No way."

Golden hair tied in a ponytail. A tight brown outfit barely concealing her ample curves. Cleavage that could bury a fist.

With a swish of her coat, she strode inside, full of swagger.

"Shizune! Bring the money! I'm on fire today!"

"Yes, Lady Tsunade!"

PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin