Published at 16th of September 2024 11:30 pm

Chapter 50 The Trials of the Forgotten Shrine: 1 The Whispering Winds

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

The sun hung low over the Hidden Leaf Village, casting long shadows that danced across the streets as villagers bustled with the day's final tasks. In the Hokage's office, Naruto Uzumaki, the Seventh Hokage, sat behind his cluttered desk, barely paying attention to the pile of paperwork in front of him. His eyes wandered to the village he had sworn to protect, the place that had once scorned him but now trusted him with its future.

Just as Naruto was about to call it a day, the door to his office swung open. Shikamaru, his trusted advisor and friend, stepped in, his usual laid-back demeanor absent. His brow was furrowed in concern.

“We’ve got something serious, Naruto.”

Naruto perked up immediately, sensing the tension in Shikamaru's voice. “What’s going on?”

Shikamaru tossed a scroll onto the desk, and Naruto grabbed it, unrolling it with curiosity. His eyes scanned the document, widening as he read the details. It was a report from one of the outlying territories near the Land of Fire's borders—specifically, the Forgotten Shrine, an ancient temple that had been abandoned for centuries. The locals claimed that the winds around the shrine had begun to whisper, strange lights were seen at night, and several travelers had gone missing.

"Whispering winds?" Naruto muttered, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like one of those ghost stories Granny Tsunade used to scare me with."

“It’s more than just stories,” Shikamaru replied, sitting down in front of the desk. “The reports are coming from reliable sources. Several shinobi we sent to investigate never returned. The villagers nearby are panicking, and there are rumors that Akatsuki-like figures have been seen around the shrine.”

Naruto stiffened at the mention of Akatsuki. The organization had been destroyed years ago, but remnants of its influence sometimes cropped up in rogue factions and individuals with sinister agendas.

"We need to take this seriously, Naruto. This shrine has a dark history, and the legends say it houses a power beyond anything we’ve dealt with."

Naruto stood up, his blue eyes steely with determination. “Alright. I’ll go check it out.”

“I had a feeling you’d say that,” Shikamaru sighed. “I’ve already assembled a team.”

_______________________________________________________________

The next morning, Naruto met his team at the village gates. It wasn’t the usual squad; this mission required specific skills. Alongside Naruto were Hinata, who was essential for her Byakugan’s ability to see through the mysterious fog that surrounded the shrine; Sai, for his aerial reconnaissance and stealth; and Yamato, whose control over wood release jutsu would help them navigate any ancient traps or obstacles.

“You ready for this?” Naruto asked, tightening his headband as they gathered.

Hinata nodded, her white eyes filled with quiet determination. Sai smiled politely, though his expression remained unreadable as usual. Yamato’s face was grim, his eyes scanning the forest in the distance as if he could already sense something was off.

"The Forgotten Shrine is about two days' travel from here," Yamato began, his voice calm but serious. "We'll need to be on guard from the moment we enter the forest. The locals say that strange occurrences begin once you're within a mile of the shrine."

Naruto, ever the optimist, punched his fist into his palm. "Whatever it is, we'll take care of it. Let's go!"

The journey started smoothly, with the team moving swiftly through the dense forests surrounding Konoha. Naruto kept the atmosphere light, cracking jokes and talking about Boruto’s latest antics in the village. However, as they neared the shrine’s location, the mood shifted.

The air grew colder, and the once vibrant forest became eerily quiet. The leaves on the trees turned brittle, and the ground beneath them felt unnaturally soft, like walking on ash. A thick fog began to creep through the woods, making it hard to see more than a few feet ahead.

Hinata activated her Byakugan, scanning the area as they continued forward. "There’s something strange about this place," she whispered. "I can’t see too far ahead. It’s like the chakra here is... distorted."

Naruto frowned but pressed on. The whispers that the villagers had mentioned were growing louder. At first, they were barely noticeable—a faint breeze brushing past their ears—but soon they became clearer. It was as if the wind itself was speaking to them, murmuring unintelligible words.

They reached the base of the Forgotten Shrine just as the sun began to set. The shrine was massive, carved into the side of a mountain, its stone steps leading up to a dark entrance flanked by statues of fearsome, ancient deities. Vines wrapped around the weathered stone, and the once magnificent structure was now a shadow of its former self, forgotten by time.

Naruto couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine. “Creepy place. Looks like it hasn’t seen visitors in years.”

Yamato knelt down, touching the earth near the base of the stairs. “There’s residual chakra here. Powerful, and old. Whatever’s inside the shrine, it’s been lying dormant for a long time.”

Suddenly, a gust of wind swept through the clearing, stronger and colder than before. This time, the whispers were unmistakable. Words in an ancient language filled the air, each syllable dripping with malice.

Hinata’s eyes widened. “Naruto… something’s coming.”

From the shadows of the shrine’s entrance, figures emerged. They wore long cloaks and masks, their forms barely visible in the dim light of the evening. There were six of them, moving in perfect unison, their chakra signatures pulsing with an eerie familiarity.

Naruto’s eyes narrowed. “Akatsuki…?"

One of the figures stepped forward, his voice like a hiss. "Not quite. We are the Children of the Shrine. And you, Hokage, have trespassed where you do not belong."

Naruto clenched his fists, his body tensing as he prepared for battle. “I don’t care who you are. If you’re threatening my village, I’ll stop you here and now!”

The figure chuckled, a dark, hollow sound. "You do not understand. The power within this shrine… it is not something you can fight. It is something you will succumb to."

With that, the figures vanished into the fog, leaving behind only their chilling laughter and the growing sense of dread in the air.

Naruto’s team stood in silence, the weight of their task settling heavily on their shoulders. The Forgotten Shrine was not just a relic of the past—it was a gateway to something far more dangerous. And they were the only ones who could stop it.

“We move in,” Naruto commanded, his voice firm. “Whatever's waiting for us inside, we’ll face it together.”

And with that, they climbed the steps of the Forgotten Shrine, ready to uncover the secrets that had been hidden away for centuries. But as they ascended, none of them could shake the feeling that they were walking into a trap from which there might be no escape.

_______________________________________________________________

End of Chapter 1

Share