Published at 17th of September 2024 11:56 am

Chapter 60 Kakashi, Shadows of the Past: 5 The Lost Souls of Aokigahara

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The shadows of Aokigahara seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy as Kakashi and Yukari hurried through the crumbling streets to find Shinji. The air was thick with tension, the darkness pressing in on them like a living force. Every corner of the village seemed to whisper, calling to them with the voices of the dead.

“There’s something wrong with this place,” Yukari said, her Byakugan still active. “It’s not just the curse. The villagers… they’re not just trapped. They’re part of the curse itself, bound to it.”

Kakashi glanced at her, his mind still reeling from the encounter with Obito’s voice. “Whatever’s holding them here, we need to break it. This place has been a tomb for far too long.”

They reached the western side of the village, where Shinji was waiting near an old stone well. His kikaichu swarmed around him, buzzing with nervous energy.

“Kakashi, Yukari, I found something,” Shinji said, gesturing to the well. “There’s a strange chakra coming from below. I think this is where the villagers were taken.”

Kakashi approached the well, peering down into the darkness. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and a faint green glow emanated from deep within. His Sharingan activated instinctively, allowing him to see the faint traces of chakra snaking through the walls of the well, leading underground.

“This must be where the Sealed Ones are,” Kakashi muttered. “And the villagers’ souls are connected to it somehow.”

Yukari knelt beside the well, her Byakugan scanning the depths. “There’s a chamber below, filled with that same dark chakra we encountered at the seal. I can’t tell how deep it goes, but it’s definitely connected to whatever cursed this village.”

“We need to go down,” Kakashi said. “That’s the only way to break the curse and free the villagers.”

Without hesitation, Kakashi secured a rope and began to descend into the well, the darkness swallowing him as he went deeper. Yukari and Shinji followed close behind, their faces grim with determination.

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The chamber at the bottom of the well was vast and ancient, its walls carved with the same symbols they had seen throughout the village. In the center of the room stood a massive stone altar, similar to the one Yukari had found in the temple. But this one was different—larger, more imposing, and covered in the glowing green symbols of the curse.

Kakashi could feel the oppressive weight of the dark chakra emanating from the altar. It was as if the very air in the chamber was saturated with malice. The villagers’ souls were bound here, trapped within the curse, their voices faint but present.

Suddenly, the shadows in the chamber began to shift, coalescing into a familiar figure—the robed man they had encountered earlier. His face was hidden beneath his hood, but his voice was unmistakable.

“You should not have come here,” the figure hissed, his voice dripping with malice. “You cannot break the curse. It is eternal.”

Kakashi stepped forward, his Sharingan flaring. “We’re ending this, one way or another. The villagers deserve peace.”

The figure laughed, a cold, hollow sound. “Peace? There is no peace here, only darkness. The Sealed Ones will rise again, and this world will be consumed.”

Without warning, the robed figure lunged at Kakashi, his hand crackling with dark energy. Kakashi blocked the attack with a kunai, the force of the impact sending him skidding back across the chamber.

Yukari and Shinji sprang into action, flanking the figure on either side. Yukari’s chakra needles flew through the air, aiming for the figure’s pressure points, while Shinji’s kikaichu swarmed around him, seeking to drain his chakra.

But the figure was faster than they anticipated. He dodged Yukari’s attack with ease, his movements fluid and unnatural. With a flick of his wrist, he summoned a wave of shadow, which crashed into Shinji, knocking him back.

Kakashi gritted his teeth. This wasn’t an ordinary shinobi—they were dealing with someone who had fully embraced the curse’s dark power. He needed to find a way to counter it.

His mind raced as he recalled the ancient texts he had studied about seals and curses. The Sealed Ones’ power wasn’t just physical—it was tied to the villagers’ souls, feeding off their suffering. If they could sever that connection, they might be able to weaken the curse.

“Yukari, Shinji!” Kakashi called out, dodging another attack from the figure. “We need to break the connection between the villagers and the curse. Target the symbols on the altar—they’re the key.”

Yukari nodded, her Byakugan locking onto the glowing symbols. “I see them. There’s a chakra network running through the altar, binding the villagers’ souls to it. If we disrupt it, we might be able to sever the connection.”

Shinji’s kikaichu swarmed toward the altar, attacking the symbols with precision. Yukari followed suit, focusing her chakra needles on the weakest points in the network. The altar began to pulse, its green glow flickering as the chakra network wavered.

The robed figure screamed in fury, his form distorting as the curse’s power began to weaken. “No! You cannot break the seal! The Sealed Ones will not be denied!”

Kakashi seized the opportunity, charging toward the altar with a Chidori in hand. The crackling blue lightning lit up the chamber as he drove the attack into the center of the altar, shattering the remaining symbols.

A deafening roar filled the chamber as the altar collapsed, the dark chakra dissipating into the air. The robed figure let out one final scream before dissolving into the shadows, his form vanishing into nothingness.

For a moment, the chamber was silent, the oppressive weight of the curse lifting. Kakashi, Yukari, and Shinji stood in the aftermath, their breaths heavy with exhaustion.

“It’s over,” Kakashi said quietly, his voice barely audible in the stillness. “The curse is broken.”

Yukari closed her eyes, her Byakugan fading as she scanned the area one last time. “The villagers’ souls… they’re gone. They’ve been released.”

Shinji knelt beside the shattered altar, his kikaichu buzzing softly. “Whatever power was binding them here, it’s gone now. They’re free.”

Kakashi took a deep breath, relief washing over him. The villagers of Aokigahara had finally found peace after decades of suffering. But as he looked around the ruined chamber, he couldn’t shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. The Sealed Ones may have been contained, but their presence was still a shadow over the world.

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As the team emerged from the well and made their way back through the village, the mist began to lift, revealing the desolation in the light of day. The oppressive atmosphere that had weighed on them for so long was finally gone.

“We should report back to the Hokage,” Kakashi said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion. “There’s more going on here than we realized. The Sealed Ones… someone will try to release them again.”

Yukari and Shinji nodded, their faces set with determination.

But for now, their mission was complete. The village of Aokigahara could finally rest.

End ;

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