-
Toho Hiroshi's pupils constricted slightly.
The insight of the Rinnegan allowed him to see more
—those traces were not merely simple resentment, but were mixed with a sense of despair from being forcibly "stripped away" and "siphoned off."
"It seems historical records obscured the truth."
Toho Hiroshi's voice was cold, "Prince Sawara might not have starved himself willingly."
"His life, his power, and even his 'existence' were forcibly taken by something."
He was the first to step into the cave entrance, with Uro following closely behind.
The passage extended downward. The interior space was slightly wider than expected, but still oppressive.
The walls were covered in dark brown, dried splatter marks
—bloodstains that had not faded for a thousand years.
On the ground, an ancient formation was inscribed, long defunct but still recognizable by its ferocious structure.
The core of the Formation Array was not a ritual vessel for sacrifice, but a skeleton bound by heavy chains, long since turned to white bone.
The skeleton's posture was twisted, preserving its final struggles before death, and there was an irregular, gaping hole in the chest cavity, as if it had been violently ripped open.
On the stone wall next to the skeleton, markings in ancient Japanese were left in blood that had long turned black, fragmented and filled with endless hatred: ["Father... why..."]
["Stealing my life... taking my fate... inheriting your will..."]
["I am unwilling... I Curse it... it will surely devour..."]
Seeing these markings and sensing the resentment within, which was sourced from Tengen yet filled with betrayal and hatred, Toho Hiroshi instantly understood everything.
"So that's it..."
He murmured to himself, a flash of realization and solemnity in his Rinnegan, "Prince Sawara was also a Star Plasma Vessel."
"But Tengen, for its so-called 'ambition' of 'optimizing Cursed Energy' and 'guarding the Barrier,' or rather, for the continuation and elevation of its own existence, stole Prince Sawara's 'Heavenly Mandate' as an imperial descendant and his massive life energy, using it as the foundation for deep fusion with the Barrier, achieving near-eternal existence."
"Prince Sawara's 'death by starvation' was merely a cover-up for this bloody sacrifice. His true cause of death was being devoured by Tengen."
"And his resentment, which persisted for a thousand years, stemmed not only from the pain of being killed but also from the betrayal of a close relative."
"He cursed Tengen, and swore to inherit and twist Tengen's 'ambition'
—not to optimize Cursed Energy to protect humanity, but to become a Divine Cursed Spirit controlling the 'Imperial Fate' and 'National Destiny,' dragging this land completely into the eternal darkness of hatred under his dominion."
Uro listened to Toho Hiroshi's deduction, watching the gruesome scene before him, his face pale, and he couldn't help but gasp.
He finally understood why the clues his sister tracked were so perilous, and why the Curse was so stubborn.
They were facing a thousand-year-old vengeful spirit, betrayed and tortured to death by a close relative, whose resentment ran deeper than imagination.
Toho Hiroshi closed his eyes, as if he could hear the desperate and unwilling wails echoing here from a thousand years ago.
When he opened them again, his eyes had become incredibly sharp and determined.
"Tengen is destroyed, but the consequences of its evil deeds must be borne by those who follow."
He looked at the skeleton, as if meeting the gaze of the tragic prince across time and space, "Sawara, I acknowledge your hatred. But your revenge should not involve the innocent, nor should it come at the cost of devouring the future of this land."
"Mei Mei's Curse must be broken."
He raised his hand, and the Truth-Seeking Orbs reappeared, but this time, instead of destroying anything, he transformed them into pure Sealing Power, enveloping the skeleton and the entire altar.
Toho Hiroshi said gravely to Uro, "We've found its lair. Next, it's time to completely end this tragedy that has lasted for a thousand years."
He turned, his black cloak billowing in the cold wind, like a banner announcing the final judgment.
"It's time to drag this 'Crown Prince' who has been hiding for a thousand years down from his 'Divine Throne.'"
...Guided by the lingering resentment from the hidden altar, Toho Hiroshi and Uro finally pinpointed an ancient shrine ruin near Kyoto, concealed by multiple Barriers and spatial distortion
—the Snake Bone Hall.
The concentration of Cursed Energy permeating this place far exceeded any previous location. The air seemed to flow with viscous malice, and even the wind carried hoarse, serpentine whispers.
When Toho Hiroshi forcibly tore open the outer Barrier and stepped into the core area, the sight he beheld was chilling.
The shrine was long dilapidated, but in the center stood a massive altar constructed from countless skeletons and resentment.
Prince Sawara's indistinct figure, condensed from pure resentment and Imperial Fate, hovered above the altar. His face was twisted, and his eyes burned with a thousand years of hateful fire.
However, what was more striking was the gigantic, mountain-like shadow coiled deep within the altar
—a Cursed Womb radiating suffocating pressure.
The surface of the Cursed Womb was covered in dark, metallic scales, and eight massive serpentine head outlines could vaguely be seen writhing inside. Every pulsation caused the surrounding space to tremble, like the beating of a heart.
Merely the aura it emitted made Uro almost unable to breathe; it was a terror belonging to an ancient calamity, far surpassing a Special Grade Cursed Spirit.
"Yamata no Orochi..."
Toho Hiroshi's expression was grave as he recognized this legendary existence.
He hadn't expected that Prince Sawara was not only transforming himself into a Divine Cursed Spirit but was also attempting to awaken and control such a ferocious entity!
"Toho Hiroshi!"
Prince Sawara's voice was sharp and piercing, carrying endless hatred, "It was you! You destroyed Tengen! You destroyed the cornerstone of my revenge! But it doesn't matter, as long as I can merge with this Ancient Demon God, I will gain power surpassing Tengen! I will reshape this filthy world!"
Without the slightest hesitation, battle erupted instantly.
Prince Sawara controlled the polluted Imperial Fate and the Power of the Earth Veins, turning them into countless dragon-shaped shockwaves wrapped in black energy that smashed down overwhelmingly toward Toho Hiroshi.
At the same time, he channeled the power of the Yamata no Orochi Cursed Womb, and dark purple corrosive energy poured down like a waterfall.
Toho Hiroshi moved like lightning, weaving through the dense attacks.
His snow-white long hair fluttered in the torrent of violent energy, and the Rinnegan calmly analyzed everything.
The Truth-Seeking Orbs transformed into a black Barrier, easily blocking the Imperial Fate shockwaves; the Six Paths Staff swung, cleaving the corrosive energy.
Every move he made carried the great power to shake space, dismantling Prince Sawara's offensive again and again.
"It's useless! In this place, I am connected to the Earth Veins, and my resentment is inexhaustible!"
Prince Sawara roared, his dissipated form reforming repeatedly. Although his aura was chaotic, it did not weaken.
"Then I will sever the Earth Veins along with you!"
Toho Hiroshi shouted coldly. The nine Truth-Seeking Orbs behind him shot out simultaneously, turning into nine black streams of light that instantly pierced the nine nodes surrounding the altar!
"Seal!"
RUMBLE—!
The earth violently shook, and the connection between the altar and the Earth Veins was forcibly severed and sealed!
Prince Sawara's reforming figure suddenly froze, and his aura instantly withered by more than half!
He stared at Toho Hiroshi in disbelief, fear appearing in his eyes for the first time.
He realized that even with the partial power of the Yamata no Orochi Cursed Womb, he was far from being a match for this white-haired man!
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