In the Witch's palace, a final battle was unfolding between the Witch and a demon. From the black mist, a pair of evil eyes intently watched Miroku, who held the Witch's scepter. The demon feared Miroku, as only the Witch could seal it.
"Miroku, why bother? We are one and the same. You cannot kill me."
Miroku stood before Shion, her scepter in hand and a crown upon her head. Her already dignified and beautiful face now radiated an even greater sanctity.
Shion stared blankly at her mother, a strong unease in her light purple eyes. She had a premonition that her mother was about to leave her.
"This is the Witch's destiny."
As Miroku spoke, the power of the Witch emanated from her body in a dazzling light. Facing this power, the Moegui could only retreat step by step. Fear flickered in its yellow eyes. Was Miroku about to use her life to seal it?
It wasn't foolish. Its gaze shifted to Shion, hiding behind Miroku. The next generation Witch had been born, and Miroku's Witch power would soon vanish as Shion grew.
Compared to the mature and steady Miroku, the Moegui preferred to fight the silly little girl.
"Fine, I don't need your power to conquer the ninja world."
As the Moegui finished speaking, a black energy descended from the sky, rushing towards Shion, while the Moegui itself prepared to withdraw.
*Jingle, jingle...*
The sound of a bell echoed, and a transparent protective shield appeared around Shion. The Moegui's attack dissipated completely. Shion opened her cute purple eyes, completely unaware of what had just happened.
"The Witch's amulet. Miroku, it seems you really are at your limit."
The Moegui did not wish to engage in a direct confrontation with Miroku in her current state. It only needed to wait for Miroku to be at her weakest before attacking, and then it could seize the opportunity to devour the new generation Witch before she had fully grown.
"Release, formation, deploy!"
Miroku chanted, and a purple barrier instantly rose around the palace, preventing the Moegui from retreating.
"Moegui, let's settle this."
A sense of dread washed over the Moegui, but it quickly recovered, letting out a cackling laugh. "Miroku, you truly are at your limit, to have to rely on a pre-arranged formation to create a barrier. You've trapped me, but isn't this area a bit too large?"
*Rumble!*
As if responding to the Moegui's command, a large swarm of demon puppets broke through the guards' defenses and appeared before the Moegui, starkly contrasting with the two figures, one large and one small, facing them.
Miroku's gaze remained steady. The demon puppets all depended on the Moegui for survival. Once the Moegui was sealed, they would automatically dissipate. But what about these living people, whom the Moegui had deluded?
Miroku saw ninjas with ferocious faces among the demon army, and her heart filled with worry. She could seal the Moegui with her life, but could Shion handle what came after?
"Attack! Capture her!"
The mindless demon army marched in perfect step towards Miroku. They relied on the Moegui for their existence; as long as the Moegui lived, they were immortal.
Miroku shielded Shion, constantly retreating. White light emanated from her body, blocking the demons' attacks, but her inner Witch power was being continuously depleted. Fine beads of sweat appeared on her solemn and saintly face.
Miroku knew she couldn't continue to be worn down like this, or failure would be her only outcome.
Just as Miroku was about to risk her life in a desperate battle with the Moegui, a piercing buzzing sound, approaching from afar, reached her ears.
This sounded like... it was coming from outside the barrier. How was that possible!
"Great Spiraling Ring of Death!"
*Boom!*
The barrier instantly shattered. A pitch-black sphere, encircled by two white rings, broke through the barrier and landed amidst the Moegui's demon army.
With a deafening roar, a world-destroying wave swept through the entire Witch's palace. The demon army was annihilated like foam, and the ninjas deluded by the Moegui were not spared, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness.
The violent shockwave surged forward. Miroku could only watch helplessly as her palace was destroyed, her heart weeping. It had only been partially damaged before, but now it was all gone!
Was this the end she foresaw, to die by this move?
Just as Miroku was about to muster all her strength to protect Shion behind her, a gentle male voice whispered in her ear.
"Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Miroku's heart trembled. She pursed her red lips, but seeing the man pick up her daughter, Shion, she realized the words weren't meant for her.
"Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique!"
A green, fanged ghoul-faced wooden shield blocked all the fluctuations. When everything calmed down, only the corner behind the three of them remained intact in the Witch's palace; the rest was a ruin.
Shion slightly opened her eyes and saw her tender little hands clutching the neck of the man in front of her. She quickly withdrew them, and without bothering to get out of his embrace, she looked at her mother with concern.
"Mother, are you alright?"
"I'm fine..." Miroku dispelled the white light surrounding her. Her face was pale. She had forcibly channeled her Witch power with her life, and was at the end of her rope. She had intended to use it to seal the Moegui, but it seemed that was no longer necessary.
Red hair, a Konoha forehead protector tied at her waist, a young man with a delicate face – was this the man in her prophecy who would look after Shion?
"I am Uzumaki Hayate, a Leaf ninja who accepted this mission."
Hayate glanced around the surroundings and then asked Miroku, "Esteemed Witch, what is the mission this time?"
Miroku: "......"
Looking at the palace, utterly destroyed by the man before her, Miroku felt utterly drained. Her lips moved slightly. "Protect the safety of my mother and daughter."
Hayate looked surprised. "That simple?"
Seeing his flippant tone, Miroku's anger flared. "And compensate me for my palace."
"Um... consider me as if I never came. I'm not taking this mission!"
Hayate, holding Shion, tried to leave, but the girl in his arms clung tightly to his arm, anger flashing in her light purple eyes.
"Bad guy! Put me down! I want to be with Mother!"
*Pat, pat.*
Shion kicked Hayate twice with her delicate feet, but it seemed her aim was off, causing Hayate to gasp in pain. He quickly put Shion down and turned around, his expression shifting countless times.
"Mother!"
Shion acted as if she knew nothing, wriggling out of his grasp and falling into Miroku's arms, a look of contentment on her face.
Miroku saw everything. Although it was a bit awkward, she thought he wouldn't make things difficult for a little girl, right?
Wrong!
Hayate was furious. No matter how powerful he was, that area was very fragile. While it wasn't a major injury, he still needed to teach her a lesson!
Gazing at those delicate, white, and tender, dainty feet, Hayate thought fiercely to himself, hanging her up and beating her for three days wouldn't be too much, would it?
"Damn it! Who is it!"
From the ruins, a ball of black mist re-condensed and drifted out. The Moegui's yellow eyes glared fiercely at the suddenly appearing Hayate. It, the Moegui, only feared the Witch. All other ninjas were mere ants in its eyes.
"Wo neng die... uh, that won't do, it's too ugly."
Hayate quickly retracted his words. He couldn't just claim kinship carelessly; it would cause problems!
"Die!"
The black mist dissipated, revealing the Moegui's true form: tentacles, hideous, dozens of tentacles with monstrous faces roaring at Hayate.
*Bang!*
A massive orange creature descended from the sky. With a swing of its sharp claws, the tentacles were severed. Its nine tails thrashed wildly, and a pair of blood-red demonic eyes snapped open. It grinned and said,
"Heard you're my brother?"