Chapter 429: Side Story Part 9: Redaku Arc: Release of Umibozu
Later at nearly midnight.
The townsfolk retreated to the safe shelter homes after getting drunk or washed out from the conclusion of the seven-day-long Shirodo festival.
In a luxurious room in the Uzu n inn, Izuna silently gazes out of the window.
It was nearly midnight, and the night sky was picturesque. A ck-to-navy gradient was the backdrop for a full moon; the night sky so clear you could almost see every crater on the surface of the moon. The giant blue moon casts arge, loomed ethereal glow on the surroundings.
The ocean wavesppedzily at the shore, a jumble of navy and royal blue that glistened in the night. White foam crested the top of the waves as they approached, spilling onto the sand like a being cast.
Izuna raises his head and nces in a direction.
"So, it''s about to start." He mumbles to himself.
On the outskirts of Shirodo town.
Whoosh whoosh
Multiple masked ck-robed figures gather at a gulf close to the town. A tall figure with a bozu mask leads the group.
"The century-long wait is about to end. Finally, our sacred priest will rise from his slumber."
He bows and makes a praying gesture. The rest of the ck-robe figures follow his gesture.
The bozu masked priest produces a harp and plucks its strings. The melody of the harp paired with the gentle sound of the waves hitting the beach sounded almost like a luby.
Soon, the tune of the harp echoes through the entire Shirodo town.
Creak Creak
One by one, the tightly closed gates of various houses and inns open, and the townsfolk slowly walk in the direction of the gulf with a mesmerized looks in their eye. The bozu priest vigorously plucks the strings of the harp.
Fwish
A ck curse seal in the shape of an anchor appears around the neck of the townsfolk. The curse seal activates and dark red energy seeps out from the bodies of the townsfolk and enters the gulf.
Wham
A gigantic Fuinjutsu seal appears on top of the gulf. With every note, the gentle luby slowly turns into a bloodthirsty rhapsody that slowly draws the soul of the townsfolk.
The blood energy from the people enters the seal and slowly corrupts it.
In the Uzu n inn,
Akai, Yuri, Viktor, and a few other Uzu nsmen are assembled in the secret meeting room.
Akai and Yuri have a grave expression on their face as they stare at the gigantic Fuinjutsu seal in the gulf.
"So, it has started. Those vile people" Viktor grits his teeth.
"To think they will use the innocent people as a sacrifice!" Akai clenches her fist.
"I have already sent our nsmen to intercept them. Now our only hope lies withdy Yuri."
He nces at Yuri, who is purifying and strengthening the seal by sacrificing a portion of her blood with other n members.
Back at the gulf
Hmm
Izuna, who is also among the townsfolk, slowly opens his eyes and looks around.
''That''s quite a crude method of breaking a seal.'' He remarks as the bozu priest uses the blood energy of the townsfolk to slowly corrupt the essence of the seal.
''This seal is a product of the Blood Fuinjutsu. Its strength depends on the purity of the bloodline of the caster. So, using the impure blood of this townsfolk will dilute the restriction imposed by the power of the bloodline of the Uzu n. However, the amount of blood required to break this seal I am afraid none of them will survive.'' Izuna nces at the bozu priest.
Soon, a tug-of-war starts between the two sides. The bozu priest corrupts the seal in an attempt to break it while Yuri strengthens the seal by sacrificing her blood.
"Stop them! We mustn''t let them break this seal." The members of the Uzu n reach the mouth of the gulf. They immediately get into a formation and attack the members of the evil cult.
"KILL KILL THEM! We can''t let these heretics disrupt the ns of our holy priest." The masked members of the evil cult attack the Uzu n members in a frenzy.
Both sides are engaged in a heated battle as casualties start to appear. With Izuna''s sneaky aid, the Uzu n members avoid the fate of death. However, injuries start to pile up on them.
''Hmm looks like it''s about time I make my move.''
Izuna draws a few fuinjutsu seals in mid-air. He infuses his chakra into the seal and sends them toward the giant Fuinjutsu seal.
''The purifying force of the blue moon and the corruption of the blood energy have reached an equilibrium. I will just shatter this frail bnce with some explosive chakra.''
The seal enters into the gigantic pool of energy and just like a spark of me in gasoline, it explodes in contact.
BOOM Rumble rumble.
A surge of violent blood energy shrouds the entire gulf and pushes away the nearby onlookers.
Bleurgh
Yuri and the rest of the Uzu n members who are strengthening the seal spits out a mouthful of blood from the bacsh.
"YURI!"
Akai and Viktor hurriedly rush toward Yuri to support her.
"YURI! My daughter are you alright?" Aksi holds Yuri in her arms.
"Mmm Mom we we failed!" Yuri slowly opens her eyes. Tears flow from them.
Back at the gulf, the massive storm of blood energy morphs into a vortex. The giant Fuinjutsu seal cracks in multiple ces and shatters into fragments.
Shuaa
Multiple dark ck shadows eject out of the gulf and envelop the blood vortex. Violent winds blow across the gulf as the shadows and the blood mingle with each other.
"Hahaha I did it! I finally did it." The bozu priest cackles inughter as the giant vortex slowly condenses into a giant humanoid form.
"That that''s Umibozu!"
The eyes of Akai, Viktor, and the rest of the Uzu n members widen as they recognize the figure of Umibozu from the legend. A feeling of despair and helplessness overwhelms them as all of their past efforts and hardships are all for naught.
YAAa!!
The evil shadow releases a powerful scream. Ripples spread across the water in the gulf as the Umibozu slowly opens its deep red bloodshot eyes.
Crackle crackle
Dark ck clouds with red lining suddenly appear on the horizon. Red bolts of lightning strike down from the sky as a massive surge of curse energy rises from Umibozu''s body and enters the sky.
Hmm
Izuna curiously sizes up the enormous figure of Umibozu.
''It''s almost the same size as a tailed beast. And this energy it''s neither chakra nor nature energy. It is sinister and is almost simr to the negative chakra. However''
Izuna ponders for a while.
''The only being with a simr nature that I might think of is the Zero-tails. I have yet toe across it since it has been avoiding my pursuit for a while; however, wraith has managed to get some fragments of its body. So, does it have the same origin as the Zero-tails?''
Izuna erects a barrier and protects the nearby civilians from the violent energy of the Umibozu.
"Hey, who are you?" The members of the Uzu n and the evil cult notice his action.
"Now isn''t the time to question who I am. We have to evacuate these people." Izuna replies to the Uzu n members.
"Haha give up. These people are under my control. As long as I have this harp, I can control them as I see fit." The bozu priest smugly holds the harp in his hand.
Swish sh
Izuna throws a wind-infused kunai toward the bozu priest and slices the harp in half.
"Thanks for the reminder!"
"Ah!" The bozu priest is stunned by the sudden action of Izuna. Before he couldprehend what happened; Izuna dispels the trigger for the authority seal.
"Argh where are we?" The townsfolk slowly open their eyes in confusion.
"Why do I feel so weak? I was on my first round." One of the semi-naked person mumbles.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan," Izuna casts arge scale genjutsu on the vigers. He orders them to move towards the town square.
"This this who are you?" The eyes of the bozu priest widen.
"There is no need for you to know everything."
YAAa!!
The Umibozu releases another scream and aimlessly attacks everything in its surroundings.