"What is it? Yoko-san, what did you see?" Inoshita Rino rushed over and supported the girl named Yoko, asking her urgently.
Yoko looked like she was about to cry. "I... I think I just saw a shadow flash past the window..." she sobbed.
"What!" "Are you serious!" "Yoko, don't scare me..."
The students instantly erupted in a panic, scrambling away from the window where the shadow had appeared. A large empty space was immediately cleared in the room. Inoshita Rino stared grimly at the window for a while but saw nothing. The students, however, were starting to lose control. One of them clutched his sleeve, practically hanging off him. "Rino-sensei, is there really something... out there?" The other students huddled together, their faces showing the same fear.
Inoshita Rino didn't speak, his vigilance raised to the highest level, his gaze darting between the two windows. Shangguan Mo shook his head imperceptibly, worried about the quality of these academy students. Children in the ninja world matured early, and at ten, they should be more sensible. In three years, they would graduate and become Genin, but he didn't see a shred of a ninja's quality in them.
After observing for a while longer and seeing nothing, their instructor sighed in relief. "Everyone, don't panic. There are so many of us. That guy wouldn't dare to come in! Besides, I'm right here with you. What is there to be afraid of?"
Although he spoke lightly, from Shangguan Mo's experienced perspective, it was clear he was just trying to comfort them. "He probably has no confidence himself..." he thought.
After this "ghostly shadow" incident, the atmosphere in the room became tense again. Some of the more timid students didn't even dare to look at the windows.
At that moment, outside the window they had all turned their backs to, the darkness seemed to thicken. A pitch-black shadow materialized, seemingly without substance. An inconspicuous hand reached into the window and instantly grabbed the collar of a boy who had been pushed against the wall.
Swish!
He didn't even have time to scream. The others only felt a cold draft on their backs. They turned around curiously and saw a small empty space where their classmate had been.
"R-R-Rino-sensei, Kawa... Kawa is gone!" After a few seconds of silence, a student finally stammered.
"That guy is just toying with us. It's definitely someone from the Cult of Jashin. Otherwise, they wouldn't be so twisted!" Shangguan Mo gritted his teeth. "They're my classmates, after all. I can't just stand by and watch them die..."
After a moment's thought, he sighed, pulled Li along, and squeezed his way to their instructor's side. He had decided to step up. If he couldn't lie low, then he wouldn't.
"Rino-sensei, this isn't working. Let's each watch a window. If we see anything, we attack immediately!"
Inoshita Rino was taken aback. Seeing his serious face, he nodded helplessly. He was just a retired Chunin. An old injury had weakened him, and now, his strength was only slightly better than an average Genin's. Against the mysterious figure who had snatched two of his students, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness.
A few minutes later, in front of Shangguan Mo, the darkness outside the window seemed to grow even deeper. The next moment, a hand shot in from outside!
Ch, ch, ch!
The three shuriken Shangguan Mo had been holding were instantly thrown. "Ah!" A cry of disbelief and pain came from outside, and the black hand immediately retracted.
Shangguan Mo moved, leaping straight out of the window. His instructor was shocked and was about to follow when a hurried voice, rapidly moving away, came from the darkness, making him hesitate. "Rino-sensei, don't come out! In case there are others..." The rest of the words were lost, but he understood the meaning. Looking at the terrified but surprised students around him, he sighed softly. Beside him, Li watched Shangguan Mo disappear into the darkness, her face filled with worry. She clasped her hands together, praying for his safe return. "Mo-kun, you have to be okay..."
In the darkness, Shangguan Mo tailed the black figure. He had his reasons for daring to give chase. The ground beneath his feet was subtly rising with his steps; the Earth Dragon Beast and the Iron Hedgehog were following him closely. The Earth Beetle on his head had also received his command, ready to activate its ability at any moment.
He was like a ghost in the night. Under the dim moonlight, his figure was just a fleeting shadow. But the figure in front was even faster. In just a dozen seconds, he could barely make out its blurry form. Just as he was about to give up, the shadow suddenly stopped.
Shangguan Mo paused. The next moment, he seemed to understand something, a cold smile forming on his lips. "You want to take me out? Then let's see who takes out whom!"
With that thought, he slowed his pace to conserve his energy. He mentally commanded the Earth Dragon Beast to burrow deeper underground.
When he was about ten meters away from the figure, he finally got a clear look at it. The person wore a black robe and a狰狞demon mask, with only a pair of dark, amused eyes visible in the moonlight. "You've got a lot of nerve, kid..."
Shangguan Mo remained silent. To the Jashinist Genin, it looked like he was just putting on a brave face. After a long moment, he finally asked in a low voice, "My two classmates? What did you do to..."
"Of course... they have returned to the embrace of the great Lord Jashin. They have experienced the most wonderful form of death, having all their blood drained by me..."
"You deserve to die!" An uncontrollable rage surged within Shangguan Mo, his eyes fixed on the cruel cultist before him.
"Hehehe... kid, so... by chasing me alone, have you chosen to throw yourself into Lord Jashin's embrace as well?" the Jashinist Genin let out a hoarse laugh. The powerless rage of the dying was pure pleasure to him.
"Die!" Shangguan Mo roared, as if driven mad by his nonchalant attitude, and charged at him with his kunai.
"Interesting, very interesting! You're really different from your classmates, kid! I almost can't bear to kill you," the Jashinist Genin said, easily dodging all of his attacks, a look of surprise in his eyes as he chattered on. "I've changed my mind. What do you say, kid? Interested in joining me? Join the Cult of Jashin? Believe in Jashin, and you shall receive eternal life! For someone so young to have such an outstanding mind, and to have the strength of a Genin in your third year of the academy... if you learned ninjutsu, even I would find you a bit troublesome..."
Seeing Shangguan Mo continue his silent, frenzied attack, a sharp glint flashed in the man's eyes, and he finally grew impatient. "Kid! There's no future for you in a place like Yugakure. I'm giving you one last chance. Believe in Jashin..."
"I believe in your mother!" Shangguan Mo suddenly roared, simultaneously giving the attack command to the Earth Dragon Beast.
"Are you serious? My mother has also been sacrificed to Lord Jashin!" the Jashinist Genin said, his eyes dark, his face a mask of pathological glee.
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