Bonus Chapter at 300 Power Stones!
A/N: I'm not proud of this mini arc, and for this chapter and the next it might be a bit painfully boring since Shisui is just doing normal Shinobi scouting before the actual fighting for this chapter, and next chapter is mainly just taking out the cannon fodder easily. The ending is when we finally see him fight with Khathros.
"Normal Dialogue"
'Inner thoughts'
[Year X788]
~ With Shisui ~
Shisui finished his meal quickly, gathering what additional details he could about the tunnels, the cathedral, and the pattern of disappearances. He left the tavern as the patrons began their anxious journey home, glancing nervously into shadows.
Instead of seeking lodging, Shisui moved through the town. Cracks in the earth appeared to radiate from the eastern side, growing wider and deeper as they approached one of the old mine entrances. The abandoned section of town showed signs of hasty departure as doors were left open, personal belongings scattered, meals still set on tables as if the occupants had fled mid-bite.
Near the eastern perimeter, Shisui discovered an entrance to the caverns that seemed less monitored than the main mining shafts. A narrow fissure that had widened during recent tremors, now large enough for a person to slip through.
Inside, the passageway descended steeply, opening into a wider tunnel that bore signs of both natural formation and human modification. What immediately caught Shisui's attention were the veins of dark lacrima running along the walls. Black crystal formations pulsing with an eerie purple light.
The air grew noticeably colder as he progressed deeper, carrying a metallic scent that reminded him vaguely of blood. The lacrima veins grew thicker, their pulsing becoming more evident, creating an effect like a diseased heartbeat echoing through the tunnels.
A low growl stopped Shisui in his tracks. From a side passage emerged the creature he recognized from the old miner's sketch. A bear-like beast nearly twice the size of a normal specimen. Its fur was patchy, revealing skin that had hardened into a carapace in places. Most distinctive were the crystalline growths protruding from its back and shoulders, matching the dark lacrima in the walls but seemed to have fused with the creature's flesh.
Its eyes glowed with the same purple light, devoid of any natural animal intelligence. It registered Shisui's presence and charged with unnatural speed.
Shisui side-stepped the initial rush, noting how the beast moved. It was powerful but uncoordinated,. He avoided using lethal force, curious about the nature of the corruption and whether it might be reversible. Instead, he redirected the creature's momentum, using his surroundings to his advantage.
The beast roared in pain and confusion as Shisui appeared behind it, with a chakra enhanced fist, he delivered a heavy blow towards the back of the creature. It staggered, tried to turn, but Shisui was already moving, delivering another heavy hit without hesitation. Within moments, the massive beast crashed to the ground. It's body could no longer move, though it was still conscious.
Examining it more closely now, Shisui noticed that the crystal formations seemed to be growing from within, pushing outward through skin and muscle. '
This is definitely above my pay-grade. I'll just give the headache of trying to figure out the ins and outs of this mutation to Warrod.'
Leaving the temporarily immobilized creature, Shisui ventured deeper into the tunnels. The passage eventually opened into a larger chamber where the evidence he sought was unmistakable. Carved into the stone walls were sigils he recognized from Warrod's descriptions of Zeref's work. The ancient symbols glowed faintly with energy, arranged in patterns that suggested a ritual space.
Shisui's eyes narrowed as he studied the markings. These weren't just remnants from centuries past. They were freshly carved.
'The Obsidian Fang hasn't just discovered Khathros's resting place... They are actively preparing for its resurrection in a way that was affecting the entire region.'
The implications were beginning to be clear. This situation was far worse than Warrod had anticipated. The demon's influence was already leaking into the world, corrupting everything it touched. Judging by the progression of events the townspeople described, that influence was growing stronger by the day.
~ Later ~
Night had fully claimed the sky as Shisui now made his approach toward the cathedral. His investigation of the cavern cutting short when he ran into a dead end.
Perched atop the main mine entrance, the once-sacred building stood like a wound. Its stone walls blackened from some recent burning, its spire leaning slightly to one side. The tremors had clearly taken their toll on the structure, but it was the deliberate desecration that made Shisui pause.
Even from a distance, he could see that the original religious symbols had been chiseled away, replaced with markings similar to those he'd found in the caverns earlier.
Shisui circled the perimeter, staying low and moving in silence. Two guards stood at the main entrance, wearing dark robes with purple trim.
The cathedral's western wall offered the best approach as it was partially collapsed from the tremors and shadowed by an overgrown tree that had somehow survived the corruption spreading through the area. Using chakra to enhance his movements, Shisui leapt off the ground.
Near the top, his momentum stopped as he stuck himself beneath a window frame where a black cloth covered the opening. Carefully, he eased aside just enough of the material to peer inside.
The cathedral's interior had been transformed into a ritual space. Rows of pews had been pushed against the walls, clearing the central nave where an elaborate magic circle had been inscribed on the floor. A purple glow arising from dozens of dark lacrima crystals positioned at strategic points throughout the chamber, with at least twenty robed figures moving about the space.
At the far end, where an altar would normally stand, a raised platform held what appeared to be torn pages arranged in a specific pattern. Even from this distance, Shisui recognized them as what looked to be fragments from one of Zeref's books, their edges giving off a faint, sickly aura.
Shisui slipped through the window, blending immediately into the deep shadows cast by a support pillar. The cathedral's high ceiling and numerous alcoves provided ample hiding places, while the cultists' focus on their ritual work made them less attentive to their surroundings.
Moving silently from pillar to pillar, Shisui made his way closer to the ritual circle. The cultists were chanting in a language he didn't recognize. Their bodies swayed in unison, hands tracing symbols in the air that briefly glowed purple before fading.
A guard patrol approached his position. Two robed figures carrying crystalline spears that pulsed with the same energy as the lacrima. Without making a sound, Shisui activated his Sharingan, making brief eye contact with the first guard.
The man's steps faltered as the subtle genjutsu took hold, making him see nothing but an empty corridor where Shisui stood. As the second guard turned to ask what was wrong, Shisui was already behind him, knocking out the guard cleanly. The guard collapsed silently, and before his companion could react, Shisui had already neutralized him as well.
He dragged both unconscious body into a nearby alcove, positioning them to look as if they'd fallen asleep on duty. The deception wouldn't hold for long, but he needed only enough time to complete his reconnaissance and preparation.
Moving deeper into the cathedral, Shisui began placing small explosive seals at key structural points, where load-bearing columns met the walls, beneath major support arches, beside the foundations of the toppling spire.
Each seal was barely larger than a playing card, sticking to the stone with a touch and set to detonate only when he channeled chakra to activate them remotely. Unlike the flashy paper bombs commonly used in combat, these were designed for timed demolition, capable of bringing down the entire structure with minimal force if detonated in the correct sequence.
As he worked his way around the cathedral's perimeter, Shisui caught fragments of conversation from cultists preparing materials near the ritual circle.
"—should be ready by midnight," one said, carefully measuring a purple powder into small bowls positioned around the circle's edge. "Veran says the alignment will be perfect then."
"Will the vessel hold?" another asked, voice hushed with a mixture of fear and reverence. "The last three subjects died before the transference was complete."
"Veran has prepared himself this time," the first replied. "He spent three days in the deep chamber with the heart fragment. Says he can hear Khathros speaking to him now."
The second cultist shuddered visibly. "I don't envy him that honor. Did you see what happened to Ezrin when he touched the heart? His bones came right through his skin."
"Better to serve as witnesses than vessels," the first agreed. "Now hurry. We have less than two hours until the summoning begins."
Shisui cataloged this information as he continued placing his seals. Midnight. Two hours. A ritual involving a "heart fragment" that presumably belonged to the sealed demon.
Most concerning was the mention of Veran having prepared himself as a vessel, suggesting the guild leader intended to merge with the demon somehow, rather than simply resurrecting it as a separate entity.
A tremor, stronger than those he'd felt in town, shook the cathedral. Dust and small stones rained from the ceiling. The cultists paused in their work, faces turning upward with expressions of unease. The unnatural tremor passed, and they resumed their preparations with renewed urgency.
Having placed the last of his explosive seals and gathered sufficient intelligence, Shisui made his way back toward his entry point to think of a plan. A frontal assault against so many cultists would be inefficient.
Better to disrupt the ritual at its most vulnerable point and deal with Veran directly before he could complete whatever fusion he intended with Khathros. The explosive seals would serve as both distraction and contingency. If the ritual began before he could prevent it, bringing down the cathedral might at least contain whatever emerged.
Slipping back through the window, Shisui descended the outer wall and disappeared into the darkness surrounding the cathedral.
As he settled into position, another tremor rippled through the ground, this one accompanied by a low, distant sound that might have been the wind. Or it might have been the first stirrings of something awakening deep below.
~ End of Chapter 27 ~