Chapter 561 The Lecher

Deep within the Priestess's Palace in the Land of Demons, the atmosphere was so heavy it felt as if water could drip from it.

Shion, the priestess, only fourteen years old, sat at the head of the table.

She wore luxurious and intricate priestess attire, her long yellow hair meticulously styled. Her delicate face still held a hint of childishness, but her purple eyes were unusually calm, even somewhat vacant.

She had already received the news.

Naruto Uzumaki, the Sixth Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village, who had stirred up endless wars in the Shinobi World, occupied eighty percent of its territory, and was revered or feared by countless people, had arrived in the Land of Demons and was about to visit the priestess.

The news struck like a thunderbolt.

If Jiraiya and Kato Dan hadn't left earlier, they wouldn't have been so panicked.

Kato Dan was considered the teacher of the Priestess-sama, and they also held the Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya, in high esteem.

If the two of them were still here, there might have been some room for struggle.

However, the two had left not long ago. Under normal circumstances, they should not have reached Hidden Leaf Village yet, but the Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village had already arrived.

The last time they heard about him, he had just annihilated Kumogakure.

So, his purpose for coming here was self-evident.

Taruho's forehead was now covered in fine beads of sweat. He paced back and forth, unable to hide his inner anxiety.

"The Sixth Hokage, the man who easily took down the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Lightning, bringing the capital cities of all three Great Daimyo under his control...

Why would he suddenly come to a small country like our Land of Demons?"

Fear, like icy vines, coiled around everyone's hearts.

The Land of Demons had no Ninja Village, no massive Ninja army, and its national power was weak. Its only reliance was the priestess, who inherited the power to Seal the demon Moryo and the ability to prophesy from generation to generation, along with a limited number of guardian samurai by her side.

Facing Hidden Leaf Village's military might, which even the three great nations couldn't withstand, the Land of Demons was like a leaf in a Wind, utterly defenseless.

Unless Priestess-sama used her powerful Sealing Jutsu, originating from her bloodline, there might be a chance to temporarily Seal this legendary Hokage.

However, this thought was instantly drowned out by deeper despair.

Because the current Priestess-sama had not yet left behind an heir.

Shion was too young, unmarried, let alone having given birth to the next generation who would inherit the priestess's bloodline and power.

If she were to use her full power to confront the Sixth Hokage at this moment, regardless of victory or defeat, she herself would very likely suffer misfortune.

And once Shion died, the Inheritance of the priestess would be completely severed.

Without the next priestess, the ancient demon Moryo, sealed in the shadows and stirring restlessly, would eventually break free and drag the entire Land of Demons into the abyss of destruction.

Taruho stopped, his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword.

Fighting, they couldn't win, and it might even sever their Inheritance and lead to self-destruction; not fighting, letting the opponent do as they pleased, the destruction of their country and Clan seemed inevitable anyway.

What was this called? A single path had become a dead end.

No matter what they chose, the Land of Demons saw no way out.

Now, the only hope seemed to rest on the mood of that Sixth Hokage.

If he was in a good mood, perhaps he was just passing by; if he had other motives, perhaps they could negotiate; but if he was truly interested in the land of the Land of Demons...

Then, the doomsday of the Land of Demons was probably at hand.

"The spy who recently returned from Hidden Leaf Village reported that..."

Shion finally spoke, her voice clear and calm, without a trace of fear.

"The Sixth Hokage is a lecher, surrounded by many beautiful women."

This news gave Taruho an ominous premonition.

Could it be!

Shion slowly raised her eyes, calmly gazing in the direction of the palace gate, as if she could see the arriving golden figure through the heavy doors.

Her tone remained unruffled:

"If he truly wants to destroy the Land of Demons... then hand me over to him."

"Priestess Shion!"

Taruho and the other guardians cried out in alarm.

Shion continued, her voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears: "Use me to exchange for the peace of the Land of Demons.

I hope he can spare the people and land of the Land of Demons."

In her understanding, the "peace" that Naruto Uzumaki advocated was achieved by eliminating other Ninja Villages and taking over the Daimyo's capital cities.

This was a "unified peace" under absolute power. The Land of Demons had no Ninja Village, only a priestess and guardians.

Therefore, according to this Sixth Hokage's "logic," if he wanted to take over the Land of Demons, he would inevitably launch an "attack" on the capital city and the Priestess's Palace.

So, actively offering something that the other party might be "interested" in might avoid warfare and secure a sliver of hope.

Even if that sliver of hope required her to sacrifice herself.

"Priestess Shion! Absolutely not!" Taruho excitedly took two steps forward, knelt on one knee, and looked up at the young priestess, his eyes filled with sorrow and determination. "Please let me... use that Jutsu!"

"That Jutsu" referred to a secret technique passed down through Taruho's Clan for generations, which could, to a certain extent, alter one's appearance, creating an almost perfect disguise. However, this Jutsu could only be used once in a lifetime and came at a considerable cost.

Shion gently shook her head, rejecting the proposal. Her gaze fell on Taruho, with an insight beyond her years: "You can change your face, but you can't change your body."

Her meaning was clear: Taruho was male, and even if he temporarily disguised himself as a female through secret techniques, his physical structure would ultimately be different.

"When the other party realizes they've been deceived..."

Shion paused, her voice still calm, yet it sent a chill through everyone's hearts.

"The Land of Demons will suffer greater wrath than if we directly refused."

No one dared to gamble.

To gamble whether the Sixth Hokage, with his heaven-defying strength, upon eagerly seeing a "beauty" only to discover "she" was actually a man, would "ecstatically" accept this "surprise" or be enraged at being fooled.

Of course, the latter was far more likely, and the consequences far more severe.

Shion's calmness was not because she had seen through life and death like the mature priestesses of previous generations, possessing a fearless spirit of sacrifice.

On the contrary, it was because she had no other options.

They couldn't win, couldn't escape, couldn't deceive, and begging for mercy might not work.

All paths seemed to be blocked.

When despair reaches its peak, it can instead give rise to a kind of numb calm.

She was merely stating the only possibility she could think of that might slightly alter the situation, which was to sacrifice herself.

A dead silence fell over the palace.

Only the heavy breathing and frantic heartbeats of everyone could be heard.

Invisible pressure, like a mountain, weighed on everyone's hearts.

They waited, waiting for the arrival of the Sixth Hokage, who would decide the fate of the Land of Demons, and also for their young priestess's heartbreaking "choice of destiny."

Footsteps from outside grew clearer, approaching. Each step seemed to tread upon the taut nerves of the people of the Land of Demons.

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