Chapter 493: True Lord

In truth, with Shinichi's current sensory abilities, he could not yet detect the people ahead from such a distance in this stormy environment.

However, whenever he had his clone perform miracles before others, he never forgot to elevate his own reputation in the process.

"Then should we take a detour, or continue forward?" Shikaku asked.

According to his own preference, they should naturally take a detour and contact the Land of Iron directly to request an escort. There was no need to invite unnecessary complications.

However, Shinichi remained the overall leader of the delegation, so the final decision was his.

"Since the other party is waiting here specifically for us, then they must seek something and also have something to offer."

Shinichi spoke calmly. "There are not many people in this world who could make Monk Genjo use the words of a noble person beyond words. Since they are noble guests, there is no need to avoid them. They have gone out of their way to wait for us, so it would be rude to disregard their goodwill. Let us continue forward."

At this moment, Shinichi had already roughly guessed who was waiting ahead. Through the sensory perspective of Genjo, he could clearly perceive the chakra fluctuations of the group before them.

Most of the accompanying guards possessed only lower- to middle-Chunin-level strength, but among them was one chakra signature that was extraordinarily immense and equally unique.

That person's body was clearly no different from an ordinary human's, yet the quantity of chakra they possessed was astonishingly vast, ranking among the very highest Shinichi had ever seen.

Within the ordinary chakra system, which is based on the fusion of Physical and Spiritual energy, it was truly incredible for a normal human body to contain such an enormous amount of chakra.

This indicated that the person's chakra was highly unusual. Taking all these characteristics into account, the visitor was most likely Miroku, the current shrine maiden of the Land of Demons, and the representative of the final profession system that Shinichi had previously theorized his system panel recognized: the priest class, a profession system dominated overwhelmingly by Spiritual energy.

Every profession system was extremely important to Shinichi.

And after experiencing the Monk Occupation through his Genjo, Shinichi had come to deeply appreciate the importance of having connections.

Compared to the route taken by his main body and Isshin, which required participating in various competitions and gradually earning promotions through achievements, Genjo had relied on his connections at the Fire Temple and directly become an elder-level figure.

At least for the first several levels of the Monk Occupation, the official recognition of professional authority had already been secured in one step, leaving only the accumulation of public recognition.

Such convenience forced Shinichi to take the matter seriously.

Therefore, regarding Miroku, the person most likely to represent the official authority of the Priest occupation system in today's Shinobi World, he absolutely had to establish a good relationship with her.

The only thing he did not understand was why the current shrine maiden had specifically waited here for him.

Had she foreseen something?

Shinichi thought to himself. He had not yet come into contact with these mysterious abilities, but he was determined to master them in the future.

After all, prophetic abilities, or perhaps time-related abilities, were simply too useful.

...

A short while later, amid the endless snowstorm, the two groups gradually approached each other.

After their initial contact, both sides exchanged identities.

The current shrine maiden, Miroku, who had remained silent all this time, slowly swept her gaze across the Konoha group. She first looked at Shinichi Higashino, then at Monk Genjo, who stood smiling without speaking.

A thoughtful look flashed through her eyes before she finally spoke: "Shinichi-sama, Monk Genjo, there is something I would like to ask the two of you. Would you be willing to step into the carriage and speak privately?"

"Your Highness is too courteous."

Shinichi gave a slight nod.

"Since Your Highness has specifically waited here, I presume there is an important matter you wish to discuss. We shall naturally comply."

"Exactly."

Genjo nodded with a smile.

After the two entered the carriage, Miroku pondered for a moment. Her gaze moved back and forth between them before she finally spoke: "May I ask whether Shinichi-sama and Monk Genjo know of a person called the True Lord?"

As she spoke, Miroku watched their reactions intently.

To be honest, when she saw from afar that the newcomers were the Konoha delegation, and especially when she saw that the leader was the renowned Shinichi Higashino, she had almost instinctively reached a conclusion: Shinichi Higashino was the True Lord from her dream.

But after observing him more carefully, she felt that something was off. Their temperament, bearing, physique, and overall silhouette were simply far too different.

Unless Shinichi Higashino underwent a complete transformation in both appearance and aura over the next few years, it would be impossible for him to become the True Lord from her dream.

Although Shinichi Higashino's appearance and demeanor were indeed striking enough that even Miroku could not help but marvel upon meeting him for the first time, and she had even developed a faint favorable impression of him, the aura of a human around Shinichi Higashino was simply too strong.

In the future, he might attain an unimaginably exalted status. He might even become a supreme figure like the first Hokage, someone capable of suppressing the entire Shinobi World through his own strength alone. But in the end, he would still merely represent the pinnacle of humanity.

The True Lord from her dream, however, seemed innately divine. Merely standing within the darkness, he was like the sun and moon traversing the heavens. Every movement he made carried a transcendent bearing that did not belong to the mortal world.

It was difficult to describe that feeling with words, yet it inspired reverence at first sight, as though what stood before her was not a person, but a Deity walking among the world of men.

By comparison, Genjo beside him actually bore a certain resemblance in bearing to that True Lord.

However, although Genjo also possessed an otherworldly air, he still retained the warmth and sharp edges that belonged to a human being.

Compared to that awe-inspiring True Lord, who seemed like a God of War descending upon the world, Genjo's temperament leaned more toward the wisdom and enlightenment of an awakened one. He was a sage, not a warrior.

"The True Lord?"

"Is it the same True Lord that I am thinking of?"

Upon hearing those words, countless thoughts flashed through Shinichi's mind, yet none of them showed on his face. He merely shook his head calmly.

Genjo, on the other hand, still wore that faint smile at the corner of his lips, looking as though nothing in the world could escape his knowledge.

Upon hearing the question, he simply nodded gently.

This did not mean that Shinichi was somehow inferior to Genjo. It was simply because their personas had been designed that way.

Isshin was created to present himself to the world as a battle-crazed madman who delighted in combat and lived only for battle.

Genjo, meanwhile, was created to present himself as a mysterious monk of unfathomable origins and unknown purpose, someone who nevertheless seemed to know everything. To put it more simply, he was meant to resemble the archetypal mystical charlatan.

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