Published at 17th of September 2024 7:39 pm

Chapter 105 The Queen’s Path: 13 The Shadow’s Awakening

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The moment they resurfaced from the tunnels, the once-celebratory mood in Rōran turned grim. Sāra’s heart pounded with the realization that they had not escaped unscathed. Her visions of the dark figure and the ominous whispers of the Ryuumyaku energy gnawed at her, refusing to fade.

As the group gathered to catch their breath, Ryū leaned heavily on his knees, drenched in sweat. “That... wasn’t what we expected.” His voice was low, but there was an edge of alarm in it.

Sāra wiped the dust from her face, her eyes filled with concern. “There’s something down there, Ryū. Something more than just fragments of the Ryuumyaku.”

Ryū met her gaze, his usually calm demeanor now troubled. “What do you think it was?”

“I don’t know,” Sāra admitted, her voice quivering. “But it felt... wrong. It felt like Mukade. Not him exactly, but his presence, his essence. The energy was almost alive.”

Hana, who had been standing nearby, overheard their conversation and stepped forward. “Mukade?” she repeated, her expression tightening. “But he’s dead. Naruto and his team defeated him years ago. How could his presence still be here?”

Sāra shook her head. “I’m not sure. But the Ryuumyaku’s energy—it felt corrupted. Like it was trying to reform itself, like Mukade’s influence is still lingering in some way.”

Ryū stood tall, his brow furrowed. “Then we can’t take any more chances. We need to lock those tunnels permanently. No one should ever go down there again.”

Sāra considered his words, but a deep unease stirred within her. Sealing the tunnels might keep the Ryuumyaku from reaching the surface, but it wouldn’t eliminate the threat entirely. She couldn’t shake the feeling that simply hiding the problem wouldn’t be enough.

“No,” she said, her voice more determined than before. “We can’t just bury it. There’s something more down there, and if we don’t deal with it, it will find a way to resurface. We need to figure out what’s happening—what the Ryuumyaku is trying to become.”

Ryū’s face darkened, but he nodded. “If you’re right, then we’re dealing with more than just leftover fragments. It could be the beginning of something worse.”

Sāra looked at the small group of fighters and scouts who had accompanied them into the tunnels. “We need to send word to Naruto and the Hidden Leaf Village. They helped us before with Mukade, and they’ll know what to do.”

Hana crossed her arms, concern etched on her face. “Do you think they’ll come again? It’s been years, and Naruto’s responsibilities as Hokage are greater than ever.”

“I don’t know,” Sāra replied. “But we have to try. If the Ryuumyaku is waking up again, we can’t face it alone.”

_______________________________________________________________

The following days were filled with preparations. Ryū led teams to secure the ruins and ensure that no one wandered near the collapsed tunnels, while Sāra and Hana organized a message to be sent to the Hidden Leaf Village. Every moment felt heavier, burdened by the knowledge of the growing danger beneath their feet.

Sāra found herself staring at the message, written on a scroll, before it was sent off. Her hands trembled slightly as she reread the words:

To Lord Seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzumaki,

Rōran faces a threat once thought to be defeated. The remnants of the Ryuumyaku have begun to stir, and there are signs of Mukade’s lingering influence. We humbly ask for your guidance and assistance in addressing this danger, as we fear that this is a threat beyond what Rōran can handle alone.

Your help was invaluable once before, and we hope that you will find it within your power to aid us again.

Sāra, Queen of Rōran

She handed the scroll to a trusted messenger, watching as he disappeared into the desert, heading toward the Hidden Leaf Village. With the message sent, all Sāra could do was wait and hope.

_______________________________________________________________

The days dragged on, each one more anxious than the last. Sāra tried to focus on her duties, but the sense of impending doom hung over her like a dark cloud. Even the people of Rōran, who had been so uplifted by the celebration, began to feel the weight of the unspoken danger beneath their city.

Late one evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Ryū found Sāra sitting alone at the edge of the camp, her gaze fixed on the distant ruins.

“I thought you’d be with the others,” Ryū said as he approached.

Sāra shook her head. “I needed some time to think.”

Ryū sat beside her, the silence between them thick with unspoken tension. After a moment, he broke it. “You’re worried Naruto won’t come.”

Sāra sighed. “It’s not that I doubt him. It’s just... he has his own village to protect. He’s not the same boy who helped us years ago. He’s the Hokage now. And even if he does come, I’m not sure we can stop this.”

Ryū frowned, his jaw clenched. “We’ve faced worse before. We’ll face this too.”

Sāra turned to look at him, her eyes filled with uncertainty. “But what if this is different? What if the Ryuumyaku’s power is beyond anything we can handle? What if Mukade’s influence still lives, stronger than ever?”

Ryū was silent for a moment, then he placed a hand on her shoulder. “Whatever happens, we’ll face it together. You’re not alone in this, Sāra.”

His words, though simple, brought her some comfort. She nodded, though the knot in her stomach remained.

As the night deepened, the wind began to pick up, swirling dust and sand through the air. Ryū stood and offered Sāra a hand. “Come on, let’s head back.”

But before she could take his hand, a sharp whistle pierced the air, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.

“Sāra!” a scout shouted as he sprinted toward them, breathless. “There’s movement near the tunnels!”

Sāra was on her feet in an instant, her heart racing. “What kind of movement?”

The scout swallowed hard, his face pale. “The ground... it’s glowing. Like the Ryuumyaku’s energy is pulsing through it again.”

Without another word, Sāra and Ryū raced toward the ruins, a sense of dread tightening around them with every step. When they arrived at the collapsed entrance to the tunnels, what they saw made Sāra’s blood run cold.

The earth around the tunnels had begun to glow with a faint, eerie blue light—the same light that had once emanated from the Ryuumyaku itself. It pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat, and the air around them was thick with energy.

Ryū cursed under his breath. “It’s waking up. Whatever’s down there... it’s coming back.”

Sāra’s mind raced as she tried to process what was happening. The Ryuumyaku wasn’t just stirring—it was responding to something, or someone. And the pulsing energy felt disturbingly familiar, echoing the dark presence she had sensed in the cavern.

“We can’t let this happen,” Sāra whispered, her voice filled with urgency. “We need to stop it now, before it’s too late.”

Ryū nodded, his face grim. “But how? We don’t even know what’s causing it.”

Sāra’s gaze hardened. “We have to find out. If Mukade’s influence is still down there, we need to confront it head-on.”

Ryū looked at her, his eyes filled with concern. “You’re not thinking of going back down there, are you?”

Sāra met his gaze, her resolve unwavering. “I don’t have a choice. If this energy is waking up, then it’s already too late to just seal it away. We need to stop it at the source.”

Ryū clenched his fists, his jaw tight. “Then I’m coming with you.”

Sāra nodded, grateful for his support. “We’ll gather the others. This time, we need to be ready for anything.”

As they turned to head back to camp, the pulsing glow of the Ryuumyaku continued to grow brighter, casting long shadows across the ruins. Whatever lay beneath the surface, it was no longer content to stay hidden.

The Ryuumyaku’s power was awakening—and the shadow of Mukade loomed larger than ever.

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