Chapter 224: The Jashin Cult
"You said he told you: 'You are not Brother Minato'?" Masahiko asked slowly, pronouncing each word clearly, his expression grave.
Minato was startled but nodded.
Masahiko closed his eyes slightly and sighed.
"What kind of melodramatic nonsense is this? The longer one lives, the more one sees." Masahiko shook his head with a bitter expression.
The phrase "Brother Minato" brought his thoughts back thirty years. At that time, there was also a young boy who called him that. If an accident hadn't occurred, that boy would have likely been his fourth disciple.
"What's wrong, Great-Great-Grandpa?" Kushina asked.
Masahiko let out a breath and shook his head. "Nothing. Take good care of Minato; I'm going out for a bit."
He both hoped that person was Naka and hoped he wasn't.
"Fate plays tricks on people; it's truly terrifying..."
Even at a time like this, Masahiko still had the mood to mock himself.
Putting aside visiting his daughter for now, Masahiko flew directly to the Hot Water Village (Yugakure). Back when the Land of Hot Water was destroyed by the Land of Rivers under the command of the Gold and Silver Brothers, Masahiko thought that such a peaceful hot spring nation would never exist again. He didn't expect that so many years after the death of the Gold and Silver Brothers, Yugakure would once again become "the village that forgot war."
The traces of ninjutsu left by Team Minato were still there. However, even though a ninja battle had occurred within the village, the villagers didn't seem nervous; they had merely cleaned up casually.
"Interesting. The most peace-loving place in the Naruto world is probably the former Land of Hot Water, the current Yugakure."
Except for the probing attack on Konoha under the control of the Gold and Silver Brothers during the First Great Ninja War, they hadn't participated in any subsequent wars.
Sensing slightly, Masahiko discovered that there weren't even many ninjas in the ninja village. truly a strange village and country.
"Kagura Shingan (Mind's Eye of the Kagura)!" Masahiko closed his eyes and focused his perception.
He didn't find anyone with chakra levels matching an Akatsuki member, but he did sense Jiraiya and Orochimaru's chakra.
In a guesthouse not far away, Masahiko saw Jiraiya and Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, are you reliable or not? We've already been delayed for a day."
When Masahiko arrived, Jiraiya was complaining.
"Senior, long time no see." Orochimaru greeted him first.
"What do you mean long time no see..." Masahiko was about to speak, but suddenly realized that whenever the two met him recently, he had been using the identity of Hagoromo. So, naturally, it had been a long time.
"Senior, how is Minato?" Seeing Masahiko, Jiraiya was startled at first, then quickly asked.
"He's fine. He's already awake and should be fully recovered in another two days," Masahiko comforted.
Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief and muttered, "Tsunade's medical ninjutsu has improved again."
Masahiko didn't explain. Let the matter of him treating Minato end here...
"You two have been staying here for the past two days?" Masahiko said, and for some reason, suddenly wanted to add, "Staying in the same room?"
Jiraiya had black lines on his face. "Senior, I'm not you."
Masahiko choked. "I'm asking if you two have found anything. Did you find any traces of the Akatsuki organization?"
Jiraiya glanced sideways, signaling Masahiko to ask Orochimaru.
Orochimaru spoke slowly. "We have a lead. Follow me." Saying that, he walked out.
Masahiko followed quickly, leaving a dumbfounded Jiraiya behind. He and Orochimaru had wasted a whole day here, yet the moment Masahiko arrived, there was progress...
"Wait for me!"
Masahiko followed Orochimaru out of Yugakure. Two li (approx. 1 km) away from the village, they found a... well?
"Underwater, there is a passage leading underground," Orochimaru said slowly.
Masahiko nodded. He didn't ask how Orochimaru knew; he guessed Orochimaru must have sent out many snakes for reconnaissance.
Releasing gravitational force, the water in the well rose rapidly and was poured out dozens of meters away.
Once the well was completely dry, Masahiko jumped down, followed closely by Orochimaru.
Sure enough, there was a cave of wonders inside the well. After moving forward for a dozen meters, Masahiko saw a slightly familiar large door.
"This material is exactly the same as Tobirama's experimental base back then. It's this stuff that blocked my perception..." Masahiko frowned deeply. He had a guess as to what this place was. He also felt that sometimes relying solely on sensory abilities was too limiting; he couldn't depend on it all the time and needed other reconnaissance methods.
"Orochimaru uses snakes; should I use slugs?" Masahiko smiled bitterly. Katsuyu didn't look like a summoning beast suitable for reconnaissance.
While he was thinking, with a thud, Jiraiya followed them down.
"What is this place?"
Masahiko waved his hand. "I'm going to open the door. Get ready for battle." Inside was likely the base of the Jashin cult. Although it was unlikely a group of immortal ninjas would rush out, there should still be necessary defensive forces.
"It doesn't matter, Senior." Orochimaru pushed open the door with both hands. "There are no living people inside anymore."
Masahiko was startled. The smell of blood that wafted out after the door opened made him understand Orochimaru's meaning.
Jiraiya also lost his playful mood. Before them lay nearly a hundred corpses, ranging from children to the elderly.
He went forward to check, shook his head slightly, indicating there really were no survivors, and added, "Time of death should be three to five days ago."
Masahiko didn't dwell on why Jiraiya knew how to examine corpses; having seen so many dead people, one could tell at a glance.
Masahiko sighed and scanned the attire of these people. Their clothes were not uniform, but everyone wore a slightly familiar necklace around their necks—it should be the symbol of the Jashin cult.
"One of the most mysterious organizations in Naruto, and the moment I see them, they're just a bunch of corpses?" Masahiko shook his head with a bitter smile.
Stomping his foot hard, the ground in front of him overturned, burying these corpses underground. The smell of so many bleeding corpses in this enclosed underground space was very unpleasant.
"Senior, you..." Jiraiya's expression changed. He had wanted to find some information from these corpses.
"It doesn't matter. The wounds on their bodies match the one on Minato's abdomen. One look and you can tell it was done by that Akatsuki member. No need to look further."
"There's still something further in." Orochimaru said hoarsely and walked deeper inside.
There were no more corpses inside, only hideous statues one after another. Masahiko smiled helplessly.
"Is this what Jashin looks like? Quite scary..." Masahiko mocked inwardly. He didn't believe in these gods and ghosts, especially after dealing with that laughable Shinigami (Death God).
Behind these statues were rooms, likely the living quarters of these Jashin cultists.
The three of them didn't search these rooms for the time being and walked all the way to the deepest part.
It wasn't until they saw a blood-stained altar in the deepest room that they stopped...
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