Chapter 191: 187: Miroku and Shion

Chapter 191: 187: Miroku and Shion

Shiraishi arrived home in the evening. He had met with Yagura in the morning, discussed their future plans, had lunch with him as well, and then saw him off from the Land of Demons.

After all, Yagura's identity was sensitive, and even though he came to the Land Of Demons as an official visiting envoy this time, staying too long might raise suspicions.

When dealing with the five great powers, Shiraishi always remained a cautious approach, not daring to be careless.

He worked for what seemed like half a day in the afternoon, but, in reality, he had finished his tasks by three o'clock.

Three years ago, when Shiraishi first arrived in the Land of Demons, he was swamped with government affairs. Now, with his subordinates handling their responsibilities efficiently, he had more free time.

In their villa, Raimei lazed in the pet house in the courtyard, Ameyu tended to house chores, and Soryu shrunk his size swimming comfortably in the pool.. The three clones constantly guarding the house provided Shiraishi with peace of mind.

Upon entering the room, he didn't find Ruri, only Ayane in the living room, while Ameyu prepared dinner in the kitchen.

"Welcome back, Shiraishi-kun. You've been returning earlier these days." Ayane said with a smile.

"Because my subordinates can handle things well over there. I didn't raise incompetent subordinates who only know how to eat and can't work."

This was Shiraishi's view. Subordinates had varying levels of ability and dedication, but having a sense of participation was crucial. It instilled a sense of identity among the team.

"Isn't Ruri at home?"

"Ruri went to Aunt Miyoko's and won't be back tonight. Asuka and Kazuhime also went with her."

Asuka and Kazuhime were the names of Shiraishi and Ruri children. Following the idea that sons take their mother's surname and daughters take their father's surname, their names were Uchiha Asuka and Chiba Kazuhime.

Different from an alien like Kazuhime, Asuka was no different from ordinary Uchiha babies. While Asuka was a typical Uchiha, Kazuhime's unique abilities made her stand out even among the Uchiha clan.

Shiraishi nodded in understanding but didn't press further.

"So, it's just the two of us tonight... Shiraishi-kun, you can take advantage of me as you wish." Ayane said with a mischievous smile, seemingly trying to seduce him.

After Ruri's departure, Ayane found it challenging to restrain her agitated heart and body.

"Let's save that for later tonight. My stomach is a bit empty now."

Shiraishi replied with a wry smile, knowing that tonight was another evening of official duties, and he hoped Ayane wouldn't keep him up too late.

"Ameyu has already prepared dinner. By the way, things have been calmer outside recently. Konoha seems to be sailing smoothly. I would really like to go and fan the flames to make Konoha's new leaves burn even brighter."

Ayane said expressing her concern about Konoha's affairs.

With Suna withdrawing from the Konoha battlefield and Iwa signing an armistice agreement, only Kumo and Konoha remained in war.

Considering Konoha's recent successes, Kumo may not secure any advantages in its dealings with Konoha.

"Don't stir trouble at this time; I have more important things for you to do. Konoha has already suffered significant casualties in the ongoing war. Even they defeat Kumo, they won't have the freedom to engage with us for the next few years."

This was because Konoha was currently on the brink of complex internal political strife, rendering their ability to achieve internal unity, let alone external deterrence, highly questionable.

Based on the information relayed by Kakashi, Shiraishi was already aware that the leader of the Root, Shimura Danzo, was secretly preparing to take action.

The post-war challenges involving the Uchiha and Hyuga clans were sufficient to give the Hokage a considerable headache for the foreseeable future.

"What about the Land of Water?"

Ayane had no choice but to suppress her heart itching for action.

"Yagura discussed it with me this morning, and he needs more time to prepare. For now, we should proceed with our plans here step by step. We should avoid unnecessary complications before taking any official action."

"If I recall correctly, the next step should be dealing with the Land of Wind. Is it truly necessary to take action against that country filled with sand?" Ayane lacked a favorable impression of the Land of Wind, seeing it as a desolate wasteland covered in sand.

"I've already dispatched secretly people to gather information. There are important resources there that we urgently need. However, before we make a move against the Land of Wind, we need to clear some obstacles along the way, and I'll arrange for that soon."

Ayane believed Shiraishi could handle these tasks competently. The man had never disappointed, except in one aspect. Hence, she no longer had any concerns. Today was a rare moment for just the two of them, and Ayane refrained from discussing these unpleasant matters related to work.

After enjoying the sumptuous dinner prepared by Ameyu, Shiraishi and Ayane spent some time reading in the study before heading to the bedroom to enjoy a wonderful night together.

In terms of Ayane's body, Shiraishi had become intimately familiar with it over time, yet everytime it gave him a unique and thrilling experience.

The way her body could envelop a man's, almost drowning him, was an experience that Ruri couldn't match.

Well... to sum it up, it was nothing short of majestic.

...

May quickly arrived.

The clash between Konoha and Kumo had escalated dramatically.

Kumo's strength proved more difficult than Iwa's, and they possessed ninja skilled in advanced space-time ninjutsu, allowing them to move supplies within their camp effortlessly. It was rumored that Konoha's Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato, had launched several attacks on Kumo's camp but failed to disrupt their supplies.

Kumo's actions undoubtedly proved a crucial point – Konoha's tactics against other ninja villages were ineffective against them. It was likely that other ninja villages were hesitant to assist Konoha due to Kumo's powerful force.

Before engaging Kumo, Konoha had battled Suna and Iwa for a long time, leaving them exhausted. Repelling Suna and Iwa's ninja had also taken a significant toll on their forces. Under these circumstances, Konoha's overall strength was in decline, and even the Yellow Flash's involvement in the Kumo battlefield couldn't change this reality.

"?!"

Shiraishi's reaction was a mix of confusion and shock. The unexpected news left him momentarily stunned. "Preg- Pregnant?"He stammered,

After his initial surprise, he managed to regain his composure and resisted the urge to complain. He asked, "Well ...Miroku-sama, may I ask about the identity of the child's father?"

To his knowledge, the Miko had maintained her purity and had never had any intimate relations with any man so far. The sudden revelation of her pregnancy left him confused about the child's origins.

"I have no husband, and there has been no one special."

Shiraishi remained silent, and a chill crept down his spine.

"The child will be a girl and her name will be Shion.. She will be born nineteen months from."

The Miko's statement left Shiraishi completely shocked. His eyes widened in disbelief. 'Nineteen months from now? Birth?'

A Human woman gestation typically lasts about ten months, so nineteen months... How could the timing be so precise? Even the gender confirmed?

'This Miko... were they truly human?' Shiraishi couldn't jelp but question the true nature of these priestesses. From long ago, he had a vague suspicion she might not be entirely human, but it had always been just a feeling, without any concrete evidence. Now, with the Miko making such claims, if there was nothing wrong with her brain, it suggested that she might not be human, at least not in the general sense.

"It iss entirely normal for Shiraishi-san to be surprised, and this is the reaction one would expect from a regular human."

"...Miroku-sama... could you simplify your words a bit?"

"I am not human... including my mother and all the previous Miko. In terms that Shiraishi-san can understand, we're asexual." The priestess carefully revealed these secrets to Shiraishi, who Miko himself lost in thought.

The revelation of inhuman brings serving as the Miko in this shrine was initially shocking, but considering the toad on Mount Myobuku, who sought to select a child of prophecy from amongst humans to save the world and establish a peaceful and prosperous era, the idea of inhuman Miko didn't seem unacceptable.

"Miroku-sama, after sharing this information, what is it that you seek from me?" Shiraishi took a deep breath, aware that she had revealed these secrets for a reason.

"I hope Shiraishi-san will accept Shion as his goddaughter. She holds great importance for humanity."

"I see...." Shiraishi lowered his head in thought for a moment, then met the Priestess's gaze and nodded in agreement.

While he didn't fully understand her motivations, her words "holds great importance for humanity" interested Shiraishi. It made him wonder if the uniqueness of the Miko had a broader significance for all of humanity. Moreover, she had provided him with a huge assistance, and requesting him to acknowledge her daughter was a small favor in return.

"As a token of gratitude for agreeing to this, Shiraishi-san need not consult me for decisions concerning the Land of Demons in the future. You are free to make your own choices."

Her words essentially granted Shiraishi the leadership of the Land of Demons, superseding the supreme status of the priestess.

"Is it acceptable to make such an offer?"

Overwhelmed by the sudden turn of events, Shiraishi struggled to adapt, but he couldn't discern the Priestess's underlying intentions. Giving all their power to someone else felt like surrendering their destiny.

"No issue, as the Land of Demons is essentially a country without a true owner."

"An unowned country?"

Shiraishi had never heard such a statement before, but the Priestess avoided his questions, evidently avoiding something that might be connected to the founding of the Land of Demons and the origin of the Priestess.

"Is there anything else, Shiraishi-san?"

"No.... it's fine. Let's call it a day. I'll take my leave, Miroku-sama."

Shiraishi rose from his sit, preparing to leave.

"By the way, there's one more thing I almost forgot to mention. Before my child is born, that is, over the next nineteen months, Shiraishi-san should avoid approaching the shrine. I can't guarantee your safety if you do."

The way she mentioned the danger made it seem trivial, but it was a clear warning. The shrine would become dangerous during this period.

"Understood."

Inwardly, Shiraishi sighed. It seemed that the empty palace today indicated that others had already been expelled by the priestess.

Having her child must be a significant threat. Could this truly pose such a danger?

For the next nineteen months, he would be unable to visit Miko. Then, after that time, he could ask about the truth. As he walked away from the palace, he planned to descend the mountain, but something made him glance back at the shrine.

A strange purple mist, exuding unprecedented evil, had enshrouded the entire palace. He could hear the monstrous howls within the palace, filled with rage directed at the Priestess. The voices emanated all sorts of evil thoughts, unsettling him and making him feel instinctively feel danger and uncomfortable.

Although it was daytime, the sacred shrine now appeared eerie in the sunlight, evoking images of ghosts and monsters. Pausing to look at the shrine for a while, the evil cries of the voices grew louder. He snapped out of his momentary confusion and quickened his pace down the mountain.

Just a moment ago, a twisted desire to ruthlessly kill people and wreak havoc had surfaced in his mind. Clearly, his will had been unconsciously influenced by some unknown presence. If he continued staying here any longer, he feared he would be further ensnared by these evil thoughts.

"Could that be the demon from the ancient legends?"

He had previously come across tales of the demon in the Land of Demons and had amassed some information to support his conjectures. However, when it came to this demon, data and information were fragmented, and many details remained unverifiable.

All he knew was, an undead monster only the Miko could confront. The demon had a mysterious power and could command armies of warriors. Stories of large-scale invasions into the world, with the terracotta warriors laying waste to various lands.

The furious and tumultuous presence of the demon in the palace, which Shiraishi had just experienced, seemed like a evil thoughts borne from humanity. If this was indeed the true form of the demon, it promised to be an interesting discovery.The thought of dissecting it on a table genuinely piqued his curiosity.

----

You can support me and read 130 advanced chapters on my Patreon.

patreon .com/chizihn