Published at 21st of September 2024 12:12 pm

Chapter 146 Echoes of the Forgotten Clan: 4 In the Madness of the Past.

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The storm had passed by the time Ryo reached the foothills of the northern mountains. The air was cool and damp, the scent of wet earth clinging to the dense forest around him. His body ached from the battle with the masked shinobi, but he couldn’t afford to stop. Too many questions remained unanswered, and he could feel time slipping through his fingers.

The shrine, if Sari’s information was correct, lay deep within the mountain range—hidden from the eyes of the world for generations. It was a place of ancient power, where his ancestors had sealed away the Takeda clan’s most dangerous jutsu. Ryo had heard whispers of the shrine as a child, in stories passed down through the clan’s elders, but he had never been told the full truth. Now, with enemies closing in, it was the only place left where he might find the answers he needed.

Ryo moved carefully through the dense foliage, his senses alert for any signs of danger. The rain had washed away most of the tracks left by the masked shinobi, but he knew they wouldn’t be far behind. If they had been able to find him in the Hidden Leaf, they would have no trouble tracking him here.

His thoughts lingered on the shinobi who had attacked him. Their strange markings, the way they had amplified their chakra—it all pointed to something far more sinister than rogue ninja seeking power. Whoever they were, they were well-organized, well-trained, and they had one goal: eliminating him.

After several hours of trekking through the forest, the trees began to thin, giving way to a rocky, mountainous landscape. The air grew colder, and Ryo could see his breath fogging in the cool air. His chakra reserves were still low from the battle, and the strain of using the Void Release weighed heavily on his body. He had to be careful—one mistake out here could cost him his life.

As he climbed higher into the mountains, Ryo’s thoughts drifted back to his father. The man who had left the village years ago, vanishing without a trace. Growing up, Ryo had idolized him, believing he was out there on some grand mission for the clan. But as he grew older, the truth became harder to ignore. His father had known about the dangers of the Void Release. He had warned Ryo’s mother, even warned the clan, but no one had listened.

And then he had disappeared.

The shrine had to hold the key. Ryo could feel it in his bones. If his father had been searching for a way to control the Void, this was where he would have gone.

The path grew steeper as Ryo climbed, the sharp cliffs and jagged rocks making progress slow. The wind picked up, howling through the narrow passages between the peaks. But finally, after hours of climbing, Ryo spotted it—a narrow, hidden opening between two massive stone pillars. The entrance to the shrine.

Ryo’s heart raced as he approached, his eyes scanning the ancient stone carvings that marked the pillars. The symbols were familiar—Takeda clan seals, etched into the rock to keep outsiders from entering. They were old, worn down by time, but the power within them was still strong.

He took a deep breath and stepped through the narrow opening, into the darkness beyond.

The shrine was a vast underground chamber, dimly lit by the faint glow of crystals embedded in the walls. The air was thick with the smell of dust and ancient stone, and Ryo could feel the weight of centuries pressing down on him. The chamber was silent, save for the faint dripping of water from the ceiling, and the echo of his footsteps as he made his way deeper inside.

At the center of the chamber stood a stone altar, surrounded by more of the glowing crystals. Ancient scrolls and relics lay scattered across the floor, untouched for what seemed like decades. But it was the large, sealed door at the far end of the chamber that caught Ryo’s attention. It was covered in more clan symbols, glowing faintly with chakra.

“This is it,” Ryo whispered to himself, stepping toward the sealed door. He could feel the power radiating from it—the energy of the Void Release, sealed away long ago by his ancestors.

But as he approached, a sudden chill ran down his spine. Ryo froze, his hand instinctively reaching for his kunai. The air in the chamber shifted, and he sensed it—he wasn’t alone.

From the shadows, a figure emerged, cloaked in black, their face hidden beneath a mask. Ryo’s heart skipped a beat. It wasn’t one of the shinobi who had attacked him earlier. This figure moved differently—more calculated, more deliberate.

“I knew you’d come here, Ryo Takeda,” the figure said, their voice low and calm. “The last of the Takeda clan, seeking the power that your ancestors sealed away.”

Ryo’s grip on his kunai tightened. “Who are you?”

The figure stepped closer, their presence radiating a dark, oppressive energy. “I am one who understands the Void better than you ever will. Your ancestors were fools. They feared the very power they possessed, and in their fear, they hid it away.”

Ryo glared at the figure. “They did what they had to. The Void Release is too dangerous. It could destroy everything.”

The masked figure chuckled softly. “Dangerous? Perhaps. But only to those who cannot control it. You, Ryo, are on the verge of something greater than you realize. The Void doesn’t just consume—it creates. It can bend the very fabric of reality, reshape the world as you see fit.”

Ryo shook his head. “I won’t let that happen.”

“You don’t have a choice,” the figure said, their voice growing colder. “You were born into this legacy. The Void flows through your veins. It’s only a matter of time before you give in to its power.”

The air around Ryo began to distort, the familiar sensation of the Void Release stirring within him. His body trembled as the pull of the Void grew stronger, the darkness within him pushing to the surface. He could feel it—the temptation to let go, to unleash the full force of the Void and erase the figure standing before him.

But he resisted. He couldn’t lose control, not now.

The figure tilted their head, as if sensing Ryo’s struggle. “You’re stronger than I thought. But even you won’t be able to hold it back forever. The Void will consume you, just as it consumed your father.”

Ryo’s eyes widened. “What do you know about my father?”

The figure didn’t answer. Instead, they raised a hand, and the space around them seemed to ripple. “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Before Ryo could react, the figure vanished, disappearing into the shadows as if they had never been there.

Ryo stood frozen for a moment, his mind racing. The figure’s words echoed in his head. His father—the Void—what was the connection? And who was this mysterious figure that seemed to know so much about his clan?

He turned back to the sealed door at the far end of the chamber, his resolve hardening. He didn’t have all the answers yet, but one thing was clear: the power of the Void was more dangerous than he had ever realized.

But he couldn’t stop now. He had come too far.

With a deep breath, Ryo approached the door and placed his hand on the glowing symbols. The door responded to his chakra, and with a low rumble, it began to open.

Whatever lay beyond this door, it would hold the answers he sought.

And he was ready to face it.

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