After dealing a heavy blow to the Cult of Yomi and resolving the issue of constant ninja harassment, the next step was to escort the shrine maiden to the Sealed Demon Mountain in the Land of Marshes. The mission could now proceed without delay.
Before departure, the shrine maiden hid little Shion in a secret chamber beneath the palace.
No one knew exactly what the shrine maiden had told Shion in that secret room, but it was clear that despite Hyuga Kagami's assurances, the shrine maiden was prepared to sacrifice herself in this journey to the Land of Marshes.
With all preparations complete, the squad formed up. Yakura from the Hidden Sand, who possessed the Scorch Release kekkei genkai, was tasked with leading the way. Team 11 of the Hidden Leaf's ANBU, skilled in a variety of techniques, would protect the shrine maiden directly. The Hidden Stone's Decapitation Unit, experts in Earth Release, would bring up the rear.
The group quickly broke through the surrounding army of terracotta puppets outside the palace and raced toward the Land of Marshes.
During the journey, the shrine maiden guided them while maintaining a remote spiritual connection with the demon, Moryo.
According to her sensing, the group was shocked to learn that the monster behind them was moving at an incredible pace—on par with elite ninja.
It was fortunate that during the battle with the Cult of Yomi, Moryo had not appeared. Had it stood guard outside the palace's barrier, their breakout would have been far more dangerous.
But now, with the distance between them and Moryo rapidly decreasing, the captain of the Hidden Stone's unit grew agitated. "Hey! This isn't going to work at this rate!"
He wasn't the only one growing uneasy.
Yakura from the Hidden Sand nodded. "At this pace, we're burning through too much chakra. Even if we reach Sealed Demon Mountain, we might not have the strength left to fight that thing."
Unlike the tireless Moryo, the group was rapidly expending chakra. If they couldn't shake the creature soon, the situation would only grow more precarious.
Kakashi, as leader of Team 11, offered a suggestion. "Then let's pick a spot and ambush it."
The shrine maiden, carried on Gai's back, thought for a moment before replying hesitantly, "I can set up a temporary sealing barrier. If it works, we might be able to trap Moryo for a little while."
Yakura responded, "We'll leave it to you then."
With the decision made, the team moved quickly into action.
They chose a steep canyon with a winding river as the ambush site.
With help from the others, the shrine maiden inscribed sealing formulas onto the canyon walls.
The complexity of these seal arrays was astounding. Even a casual glance caused dizziness in onlookers. Even Hyuga Kagami, who possessed the Tenseigan, felt discomfort upon closely inspecting the seals—an indication of their formidable power.
Soon, the monster that had been pursuing them appeared.
Moryo looked like a bizarre cross between a dragon and a crocodile. Its entire body was deep purple, emitting a black mist that shifted between illusion and reality. Most of its body remained hidden in the mist, making it difficult to discern its exact form.
Previously, the palace's barrier prevented Moryo and its puppet soldiers from approaching. The Cult of Yomi had to rely on its human followers to attack the palace and the shrine maiden.
Now that the maiden was outside the barrier, Moryo no longer held back.
"W-What is that size?!"
Everyone gasped as they looked up at the towering form of Moryo.
Though most of its body remained obscured by mist, just its head alone showed it was on par with a Tailed Beast—a true monster.
Yakura frowned. Giant foes weren't her specialty.
Kakashi and Gai exchanged uneasy looks. The moment they saw Moryo, unpleasant memories surfaced—this beast reminded them of the Nine-Tails' rampage half a year ago.
There was no doubt: giant monsters like the Tailed Beasts or Moryo were nightmares for most ninja. Even some Kage-level shinobi struggled to deal with creatures of such immense size.
So the group's shocked reaction was only natural.
Among them, the only ones who weren't entirely shocked were the shrine maiden—who knew something of Moryo's origins—and Hyuga Kagami, who retained vague memories of a past life.
As for Shisui, although he possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan, he was hesitant to use its abilities. His eye techniques were too feared; if exposed, the village's leadership might never allow him peace.
As Moryo entered the ambush zone, the calm Hyuga Kagami shouted, "Now! Begin the attack!"
The others quickly focused and launched the assault as planned.
"Earth Style: Great Mud River!"
"Earth Style: Quagmire of Yomi!"
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
"Earth Style: Landslide!"
The four members of the Hidden Stone's Decapitation Unit, stationed on both sides of the canyon, formed hand seals and unleashed a chained sequence of Earth Release techniques.
In an instant—
Mudflows, quicksand, earthen walls, and massive stone pillars erupted from every direction, trapping Moryo within the canyon.
ROARRR—
A soul-shaking roar burst from Moryo's mouth, stunning everyone with its sheer intensity.
The shrine maiden warned, "Everyone stay alert! Don't get too close!"
Moryo struggled violently, soon breaking through the stone walls pressing against it. However, it couldn't immediately escape the quagmire beneath.
"Scorch Release: Superheated Kill!"
To keep Moryo trapped, Yakura unleashed her ultimate technique, striking Moryo's head and forcing it deeper into the mire below.
At that moment, the shrine maiden began to chant a sacred incantation.
As her chant rose, the sealing formulas on the canyon walls began to glow faintly. A barrier, thin as a dragonfly's wing, materialized and enclosed Moryo.
Gai asked urgently, "Did it work?!"
The shrine maiden weakly nodded.
Even a temporary barrier was a significant drain on her strength.
Kakashi wasted no time. "Let's move! We don't know how long this seal will last. We need to reach Sealed Demon Mountain immediately!"
In an instant, the scattered group reformed into a strike formation and raced off.
BOOM... BOOM...
Loud crashing sounds echoed behind them. Moryo was furiously trying to break free from the seal. With each impact, the entire canyon trembled—proof of its unimaginable power.
The shrine maiden, still on Gai's back, weakly warned the others, "Moryo can manipulate the mind. Don't get too close to it, or you may become its puppet."
Everyone shivered at the thought.
No one wanted to deal with a monster like that—but in the face of this crisis, retreat was no longer an option...