Chapter 943 : Missing Memories!

“I… failed?”

Unable to digest his failure, Ketsueki remained rooted to the same spot, frozen like a statue, while the events of the ritual kept replaying in his mind. Despite recalling every minute detail hundreds of times, he couldn't understand where he went wrong. It was only three days later that Ketsueki finally moved—not because he had accepted the situation, but because his legs could no longer hold his weight.

Collapsed and devoid of energy, Ketsueki finally consoled himself, ‘Lord Jashin's Seed is still in my soul. It hasn't been damaged. This must be a message from Lord Jashin. He wasn't qualified enough to be my Grand Priest…’

——

Ketsueki eventually moved on and began seeking other capable candidates for the position of the Grand Priest. Years later, he stood in a similar cave, facing a similarly grotesque scene. Unlike the first time, his expression no longer contained shock or disbelief. Instead, it was exhaustion… and a quiet, dull acceptance.

The hope in Ketsueki’s heart was rapidly evaporating as he muttered, “This is the eighth failure… Is there any hope? Is my devotion to Lord Jashin lacking? His Holiness didn't mention anyone else failing as many times as me…”

His breathing became rougher as he collapsed on the ground, realizing, ‘My life force has grown too weak due to repeated failures. I have only two more attempts. Then I'll die irrespective of whether my ritual succeeds or fails…’

Just as the last embers of hope in his soul were about to flicker out, a whisper brushed against his ears—soft, cold, and incomprehensibly ancient.

“Keep going…”

Ketsueki froze.

His breath hitched.

His heart stopped.

‘What… was that?’

His gaze darted around the cavern, searching for the source, but there was no one. No chakra signature. No sound. No illusion. Only silence.

“…Who…?” he murmured, his voice trembling.

Again, the whisper came. This time clearer.

“Keep going…”

Ketsueki’s mind reeled. Realization crashed down upon him like a tidal wave. It was not a hallucination. It was not a delusion. It was Him! The divine being he had worshipped his entire life. Jashin Himself!

A shudder ran through Ketsueki’s entire body. His eyes widened, first in disbelief, then in a rising tide of awe. Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as an uncontrollable tremble overtook him.

“He… spoke to me,” he whispered.

“Lord Jashin chose to speak to me.”

A choked laugh escaped his throat. Then another. His laughter grew louder, unhinged, echoing off the cavern walls as tears streamed down his blood-spattered cheeks. Gone was the exhaustion. Gone was the despair. All that remained was ecstasy.

‘Lord Jashin acknowledged me…! My faith… my sacrifices… they weren’t in vain!’ New strength surged into Ketsueki’s limbs. His back straightened and his heart pounded. Not bothering to rest, Ketsueki continued his search with renewed vigor.

——

‘Zankoku… He's the one… My soul can feel it… He should satisfy Lord Jashin…’ Half a year later, Ketsueki met Zankoku in the Land of Bats and realized he satisfied all the requirements. The boy’s natural disposition, the turmoil in his heart, and the darkness lurking within made him a perfect vessel. Zankoku soon embraced Jashin’s path and quickly grew fanatical in his worship. However, Ketsueki soon faced a blockade.

Ketsueki analyzed, ‘Zankoku's devotion to Lord Jashin is increasing, but he refuses to offer his clan to Lord Jashin… Even if he decides to do so, he isn't strong enough. Even with my assistance, it's too risky. If I make a mistake and fall, I'll have failed Lord Jashin. I need external aid…’

Ketsueki turned his attention to the neighboring Land of Eagles. Unlike his previous attempts, Ketsueki no longer rushed. Over the course of several years, he subtly spread discord among their leadership by using the chaotic nature of the times, manipulating tensions and orchestrating decisions that would ultimately bring disaster.. Eventually, his efforts bore fruits. The leadership of the Land of Eagles struck out violently and the Hidden Bat Village was annihilated.

Zankoku was left broken. The pain of losing his home, his kin, and everything he held dear swallowed him whole. It was as if he had been cast into the endless abyss… One from which no soul could return unchanged. That abyss, fueled by his pain, loss, sorrow and rage, became the perfect fuel for the ritual.

And at long last… Ketsueki succeeded in fulfilling his mission. He successfully passed the Seed of Jashin to Zankoku, grafting a living seal on Zankoku's soul! His life was extinguished soon after…

——

Fujin finally released Ketsueki’s soul, allowing it to return to the reanimated body. His eyes remained distant, his expression thoughtful as he silently processed and organized the flood of information he had just uncovered.

Over the years, Fujin had delved into the minds of countless shinobi—some insignificant while others very influential. Each set of memories had offered him insight and value. Zankoku’s thoughts had deepened his understanding of the Jashin faith. Kabuto's memories helped Fujin extend his expertise in medical ninjutsu in a new direction. Dodaii’s recollections had led him to the Third Raikage’s private research on Black Lightning and the Lightning Chakra Mode. Deidara’s memories not only expanded Fujin’s understanding of the Explosion Release but also confirmed his memories about Akatsuki. And most recently, Fujin also gained Danzo's memories, which contained several forbidden techniques including the Edo Tensei jutsu, along with knowledge of the countless schemes running in the ninja world post the First Great Ninja War!

Fujin believed Danzo's memories would be his most impactful gain, at least until he could peek into Orochimaru's brain. Yet, in just a few days, he witnessed another set of memories that completely outmatched even Danzo's memories!

Taking a deep breath, Fujin muttered, “1 Pontiff, 3 Elders, 15 Guardians… That little shithole has nearly 20 rank S ninjas!”

Fujin had long stopped being afraid of rank S ninjas. With his current strength, he didn't mind facing peak rank S ninjas either even without using several of his hidden cards. Yet, the prospect of facing 19 rank S ninjas, most with unknown abilities, seemed insurmountable even for Fujin!

Fujin analyzed, ‘And, that number might have grown further since then. Ketsueki left the island years before the Second Great Ninja War broke out. They didn't participate in devastating wars unlike the ninja villages. Nor has their lifestyle changed like the ninja world…

Before the formation of the ninja villages, every clan had to fend for itself. It was undoubtedly gruesome and the world was far more cruel, but the clans were forced to adopt extreme measures to ensure their survival. The tough times also gave rise to several powerful ninjas in each clan. Even without Hashirama and Madara, the cult simply stood no chance in the ninja world.

But now… The experts that survived the Warring States Period were mostly all wiped out during the First Great Ninja War. The generations that followed simply didn't have the environment to raise that many top tier ninjas. The situation of the various clans show how drastic the fall is. For instance, the Hyuga clan, one of the great clans during the Warring States Period, has been without a single rank S ninja for several decades!’

Fujin sighed, ‘If they haven't experienced a fall in strength as well, then the Jashin cult possesses enough strength to almost be as big of a nuisance as Akatsuki. Yet, they still haven't stepped out in the open. And admirable restraint. Without the required numbers, they'll end up being defeated just like Akatsuki eventually was in the original story.

I'm surprised they never appeared during the Fourth Great Ninja War or later… Hmm, on second thought, it's understandable. Despite their strength, they wouldn't have made much of an impact against the Ten Tails’ Jinchurikis. Irrespective of whether they win or lose, they'd have been wiped out at the end of the war…’

Fujin felt a slight headache as he continued analyzing, ‘Strength aside, there're a lot of problems in his memories… They started right from the very beginning! It's the first time I've seen something like this since I mastered the Spirit Transformation jutsu and learnt how to read memories directly from the soul…’

Fujin gazed at the reanimated Ketsueki with a hint of wariness in his eyes. He thought, ‘He has no memories of his life before becoming a Bishop… It ain't amnesia… Even if memories are deleted from the brain, they'll stay in the soul. Not to mention, he still possessed the knowledge of his past life. He knew who his friends were and everything about them. He also knew he was a genius at Fuinjutsu. Yet, he contained no memories of his past…’

There was only one explanation. Ketsueki’s soul had been tampered with! Not moving his gaze away, Fujin understood, ‘The Seed of Jashin… An imprint on his very soul. In addition to creating a living seal, it also wipes out all memories of the previous life, including the process of becoming a Bishop, while retaining the knowledge a person has. Not bad… Not bad at all… As expected from a cult that practices Fuinjutsu a level above that of the ninja world!’