《God-Tier Kazekage: Building》Chapter 87: The Hall of Masks

Before long, the central area of the burial mound had been completely cleared of stones, revealing a stone coffin within.

The coffin was made entirely of a grayish-white stone material, its surface engraved with intricate, unknown runic patterns.

Sōmi exchanged a glance with Sasori, and the two leapt onto the golden cloud. Only then did Sasori command the Black Ant puppet to push open the coffin lid.

Creak... creak...

A low, grinding sound echoed as the stone lid was slowly pushed aside, revealing a smaller stone coffin within—this was the true resting place of the remains.

Sōmi's heart skipped a beat. He knew this was the critical moment. Instinctively, he raised the golden cloud higher, ensuring they would have enough distance to escape should anything unexpected occur.

The Black Ant puppet, unfeeling and fearless, continued its mechanical task. Using all six of its arms, it quickly removed the stone slab covering the inner coffin.

"Hm?"

Sōmi's sharp eyes immediately caught something unusual.

His surprise wasn't due to any hidden traps or mechanisms. Instead, it was because the coffin was... completely empty!

"How could this be..."

Sōmi murmured, a sense of disappointment washing over him. The bitter sting of dashed hopes was hard to bear.

He quickly guided the golden cloud closer to confirm.

Indeed, it was empty.

The Black Ant puppet thoroughly inspected the entire coffin, but no hidden compartments or mechanisms were found.

"Could it have been Kushina Uzumaki?"

After some thought, Sōmi concluded that the only plausible explanation was that a direct descendant of the Uzumaki Clan—someone like Kushina—had relocated the remains.

If the remains weren't here, then they were likely in Konohagakure...

Sōmi quickly composed himself. After returning the stone coffin to its original state and using Earth Release to restore the burial mound, he left the site.

After a while, Sōmi and Sasori found themselves walking along a shaded forest path. The dirt road beneath their feet felt unusually firm, as if it had been reinforced with Earth Release techniques. It was also free of weeds.

The road was flanked by lush, verdant trees, and at the end of the path stood a shrine-like structure.

Looking up, the first thing that caught their eyes was a tall, vermilion torii gate, its beams wrapped with coiled shimenawa ropes. The gate seemed to exude an air of foreboding, as if it were suppressing some terrible calamity within.

The shimenawa ropes, along with the zigzagging white paper streamers (shide), were covered in a thick layer of dust.

The shrine itself featured an inverted triangular roof adorned with the Uzumaki Clan's distinctive emblem. However, the structure had long since collapsed at an angle, leaning precariously.

Whoosh...

A gentle breeze swept through the forest. Whether due to psychological suggestion or something else, Sōmi felt a sudden chill in the air.

"Hm?!"

Even Shukaku, who had been dozing in Sōmi's sealed space, shuddered. The One-Tail stood upright, peering out through Sōmi's perspective with a piercing gaze.

"Kid..."

"This place isn't ordinary!"

"Of course it isn't," Sōmi replied. "This place holds unimaginable power..."

As Sōmi conversed with Shukaku, they arrived at a wall adorned with numerous masks.

This was the Uzumaki Clan's Hall of Masks!

White hemp cloth, resembling curtains, hung from the top of the hall. However, due to the passage of time, the edges of the cloth had frayed into strands.

The Hall of Masks consisted of a dark red wooden wall supported by two stone pillars. The pillar on the right bore a large, gaping hole, as if it had been punched through by someone.

The wooden wall itself displayed three rows of masks, each row containing nine masks for a total of twenty-seven. Below the masks, the wall was decorated with a ring of black flame patterns.

The flames seemed to represent the burning fire of sin, scorching the wicked gods depicted above. Alternatively, they might symbolize the hellfire summoned by these malevolent deities, intent on purging the world of its impurities.

The materials used to craft the masks were unknown, but they were remarkably pristine, untouched by even a speck of dust. It was as if an invisible force shielded them.

"Shukaku, do you know what these are?"

Sōmi asked the One-Tail with a serious expression.

"I don't..."

"These masks give off an eerie, ethereal aura, but there's also a sinister power emanating from them..."

"Kid, what are you planning? Don't tell me you're thinking of taking one of these masks!"

"These things could bring you misfortune!"

Shukaku warned gravely.

"Relax. I wouldn't dare touch something I don't understand," Sōmi reassured him.

"However... there is one among them that I'm confident I can use."

With that, Sōmi extended his right hand.

What happened next was astonishing—his human arm transformed into a ferocious claw encased in sand, a clear indication of partial Tailed Beast transformation using Shukaku's Chakra.

The fact that Sōmi could perform such a transformation demonstrated his exceptional control over Shukaku's Chakra.

"Sōmi?"

Even Sasori, standing nearby, couldn't help but voice his concern. The ominous atmosphere clearly made him uneasy.

However, after Sōmi gave him a reassuring nod, Sasori refrained from intervening. Their years of camaraderie had built a deep trust; Sasori knew Sōmi wouldn't act recklessly.

Soon, Sōmi's beastly claw reached for the third mask on the right in the top row. Like the others, this mask had pointed horns atop its head and a twisted grin, as if mocking the frailty of humanity.

"Let's go."

"There's nothing else here."

Sōmi gently stroked the mask in his hand. Its cold surface sent a chill through his palm, tightening his chest ever so slightly.

By the time Sōmi and Sasori returned to the golden cloud, the sky was painted with the hues of dusk. The blood-red sun clung stubbornly to the horizon, reluctant to part with the world's beauty.

As they passed the ruins of Uzushiogakure, the evening breeze rippled across the river, creating waves that reflected the crimson glow of the setting sun. The water shimmered like a river of red agate, radiant and dazzling.

The crumbling remnants of the village, bathed in the blood-red light, stood as solemn witnesses to the passage of time.

The clouds mirrored the sunset, their rosy hues blending with the deepening twilight. The cool spring breeze carried the scent of nightfall, while fallen leaves danced in the air, evoking a poignant, indescribable beauty.

Sōmi silently touched the scroll strapped to his back. Fortunately, this trip hadn't been entirely fruitless. However, the remains they had found were all from public graves—clearly not anyone of significance...

As for the more ornate tombs, their remains had long since been relocated.

"Huh? Is it raining?"

As the golden cloud raced through the sky, Sōmi suddenly noticed fine raindrops landing on his face.

The light drizzle was hardly an inconvenience. Sōmi conjured a large umbrella from the cloud to shield himself and Sasori, and they continued their journey through the air.

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

Explore More Amazing Fanfiction on My Patreon!

Unlock 30+ Advance Chapters and Enjoy Exclusive Stories Early!

��� patreon.com/GoldenLong