Chapter 949 : 32 years...

Fujin's gaze focused on one spot. In Ketsueki’s memories, the cave where the Pontiff performed his duties should have had an entrance there. Fujin wondered, ‘Will this have any secrets? Or are the traces here wiped out too?’

Fujin's eyes glowed as he concentrated chakra in them. As he expected, he failed to see anything unusual. He couldn't even sense any seals behind the mountain walls. It looked normal and completely natural. Despite not feeling any danger, Fujin had no intention of taking any unnecessary risks.

He created a Shadow Clone, who grabbed a couple of nearby branches and used the Earth Release: Earth Military Movement jutsu to move through the ground and enter the mountain wall! Just like in Ketsueki’s memories, a cave truly existed there!

Fujin's clone stepped inside and concentrated chakra in his eyes, observing the cave more closely. He observed, ‘The structure of the cave is the same. But once again… There are no seals… Did they truly pack up and leave? Or am I too ignorant to detect their seals?’

To say he felt a headache was an understatement. Despite it not being long since he first set foot on the island, the disgust Fujin felt was comparable to the day he chased after Hidan.

Lighting fire to one of the branches and using it as a torch, Fujin's clone thought, ‘You better have evacuated and left. Otherwise, I doubt I can control myself much…’

Countless ideas, of how he would mess with the cult if he ever found them, popped in Fujin's clone's mind at that very moment. If he were to truly engage in a hit and run guerilla warfare, Fujin would let them experience the terror of the Spectral Swordsman.

As the burning branch lit the cave, Fujin's clone finally got a proper look at the interior. He spotted the spots used to light black candles. However, neither the candles were there nor was there any residue wax. Fujin also noticed a spot where the ground was slightly higher than the remaining cave, which used to be the raised dais where the Pontiff used to stand on. He also observed the remaining details, which were very similar to Ketsueki’s memories.

Fujin's clone thought, ‘The only difference is that the place seems abandoned for years… Sigh, the clues were useless long before I obtained them… My only gains from reanimating Ketsueki are gaining information about the strength, structure and workings of the cult and learning a new set of seals. Unfortunately…’

He sighed, ‘Both are relatively useless for me right now. Ketsueki didn't learn Fuinjutsu to enhance his battle strength. It was solely for conducting the ritual to create the Grand Priest. But without knowing what the Living Seal truly is and finding means to recreate it without the involvement of Jashin, I can't get those phenomenal abilities.

Of course, I could find ways to use these new seals in battle. Considering no one knows of them, I might get a few very good results, at least until the existence of such seals is leaked among other villages. However, I'll need a lot of time to do so even with my Shadow Clones… A luxury I do not have. Akatsuki should start going after Jinchurikis soon and things will get heated quickly. If I ain't ready by then, I may have to kill a Jinchuriki or two to delay them.

It's the same with the knowledge of this cult. They didn't make any appearance in the original story. I doubt they'd change that, especially if they're aware of someone looking into them. I'm unsure when the Bishop who made Hidan a Grand Priest left the cult. But if it was only a few years ago, they wouldn't send out another Bishop for over a decade at least. Sigh…’

Fujin's clone was done checking the cave while lost in his thoughts. Other than getting more proof of Ketsueki’s memories being real, he didn't find anything else. He left the cave and dispelled himself, transferring the memories back to Fujin.

A frown appeared on Fujin's face as he kept standing in the shadows of the trees, invisible to the villagers who were ignorant of his presence so close to them. Several minutes passed as Fujin considered every angle.

In the end, he concluded, ‘There's nothing… No presence of seals… No feeling of danger… No signs of any mystical abilities, or even basic abilities of refining chakra… Just some civilians… However, why do I feel something off about the situation? What am I missing?’

Fujin knew he had considered every possibility. The chances of the Jashin cult still being on the island were almost non-existent. If they were, then they had hidden so well that Fujin couldn't find them. Looking around blindly would not only be fruitless, but could also prove fatal if he were to unknowingly walk into a trap.

Fujin's eyes fell on a couple of kids who veered close to him while chasing after each other but didn't spot him. Fujin decided, ‘It's not like I have anything else to do for now. As frustrating as this may be, they have successfully aroused my curiosity. To solve this mystery, I should start by focusing on the oddest aspect here…’

Needless to say, the villagers, who were no different from ordinary citizens, living on such a remote island that once housed the terrifying cult were the biggest peculiarity.

Fujin's figure disappeared. Within seconds, he reappeared in the fields where a few villagers were farming. He immediately spotted a man in his fifties working in the fields. Just like what Fujin had seen before, the man was quite far from others and not in their line of sight.

The old man suddenly felt drowsy. Within moments, he collapsed in the field, his mind unable to resist the simple Genjutsu used on him. While he fell asleep, Fujin created a few Shadow Clones to keep watch and turn away anyone coming to that area. He stepped forward and placed his palm on the old man's head and inserted Yin chakra into his brain to read his memories.

Though Fujin didn't face any resistance and rapidly read his memories, the process in itself was time consuming. His clones kept an eye on the area, both to look out for cultists appearing to check the abnormalities and the villagers who may stumble accidentally.

Once again, they didn't find any traces of the Jashin cult. Only a couple of villagers tried approaching twice, but both were subtly turned away with the help of Genjutsu. Fujin was undisturbed for over half an hour when he finally pulled his hand back. His expression was even more complicated than before.

He analyzed, ‘32 years… They are originally from a small village in a country that used to exist between the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth. When the turmoil leading up to the Second Great Ninja War became too much, they decided to escape and migrate far away.

They reached this island 32 years ago and found it abandoned and very suitable for agriculture and sustaining life… They have been living here peacefully since then. The old people, who have seen the outside world, consider this island a paradise…’

Fujin fell deeper into thought as he noticed several issues. He questioned, ‘I can understand why they feel this is a paradise. However, there are several issues with his memories. Escaping to the West makes sense, but it is well known throughout the ninja world that the lands are barren for miles towards the seas in that direction.

Why didn't they stop before entering the barren land? It was already far enough from the wars and the turmoil, though they could still be vulnerable to bandits. Even so, continuing ahead was very risky. No sane village would agree to do so unanimously. Yet, they did so.

Despite travelling for hundreds of kilometers, they didn't run into a single bandit group or a rogue ninja. When they reached the shores, they constructed a boat and set sail. And, in under an hour, they found this island and settled here… Hehehe, only a fool would believe that there weren't any external forces involved.’

Fujin immediately understood that there was a hidden hand behind their long distance migration. A hand belonging to the Jashin cult! However, Fujin couldn't make sense of their decision or find any logic behind them.

He glanced at the sleeping old man and wondered, ‘What makes these villagers special? Or were they just lucky or unlucky to be chosen randomly? Did the cult want to have some local and easy to access sacrifices for their rituals? After all, these people wouldn't even realize if their kids or even the adults went missing thanks to Shiranui's Genjutsu.

That could explain why they're hiding, assuming that is indeed the case. Perhaps their numbers were far greater, but he doesn't remember it due to the cult's Genjutsu.

Also, 32 years ago was around the time Ketsueki failed for the eighth time and heard Jashin's voice for the first time. Could their migration be related to it?’

The questions in Fujin's mind had only increased, the mystery only deepened. However, he finally had a direction to proceed. Glancing at the unconscious villager, Fujin decided, ‘If I want to uncover the secret on this island, I'll first have to start with the villagers. But before I do…’

Fujin extended his hand towards the old man once again…

[A/N: Sorry guys. Couldn't do a double. But I have sorted the issues out. Chapters should be consistent moving forward.]