Naruto: I, who fooled the ninja world, was hailed as a savior.

Chapter 176 Praise be to my Lord! Death is new life!
The border of the Land of Hot Springs.

The icy rain pounded against the scorched earth and the remains of kunai and shuriken submerged within it, producing a monotonous and irritating "patter" sound.

The air was filled with a nauseating, pungent stench: the stench of blood, the putrid smell of decaying corpses, and the acrid smell of gunpowder, all intertwined to create an aura of death that even rain could not wash away.

This was once a bustling trade route in the Land of Hot Water, but now it has become a meat grinder piled high with corpses, layer upon layer on the muddy ground.

Besides the ninjas dressed in the styles of Kumogakure and Konoha, there were also many dressed as commoners from the Land of Hot Springs...

Their bodies were contorted in various ways; some were blown to pieces and mangled beyond recognition, some were pierced by sharp weapons and died with their eyes wide open, and some were pale and shriveled as if they had been drained of blood...

Rainwater washed away the congealed dark red blood clots, forming winding streams of blood that flowed into low-lying areas, creating chilling pools of blood.

A few emaciated wild dogs lingered in the distance, whimpering in a low, hungry voice, but dared not approach this area shrouded in death.

But a small, thin figure appeared at the edge of the battlefield, wrapped in a tattered, barely covering garment, crawling cautiously among the piles of corpses and wreckage.

His face, covered in mud, barely revealed that he was only twelve or thirteen years old, and his bloodshot eyes, filled with hunger and fear, shone brightly.

"Where are the ration pills, medicine, food... where are they?" he murmured unconsciously.

He knew this place was dangerous, full of traps like explosive tags, and that he could die at any moment, but he had no choice.

The father, a businessman, was caught in the battle between Konoha and Kumogakure a few months ago, and his remains were never found. Now, only he, his mother who is running a high fever, and his five-year-old sister remain.

His experience is not an isolated case. The Land of Hot Springs, once a prosperous place known for its hot springs and commerce, is now ravaged by the tug-of-war between the two great ninja villages of Kumogakure and Konoha.

The tragedies that once occurred in the Land of Rain are now being repeated in the Land of Hot Water: towns are being destroyed, farmland is being abandoned, and people are being displaced and left homeless.

The most obvious difference between the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Rain is that the latter still has Hanzo and Amegakure standing up, while the Land of Hot Water has long been known as "the village that has forgotten war".

Whether it was the leader of Yugakure or the daimyo of the Land of Hot Water, they all chose to cover their ears and close their eyes to the war between the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning, praying that Konoha and Kumogakure would leave as soon as possible.

The young man who ventured onto the battlefield to loot corpses was just one of many desperate people.

The family had been without food for many days, the mother's condition was getting worse, and the younger sister didn't even have the strength to cry.

He had no choice but to risk coming to the edge of this hellish battlefield, hoping to find some food, medicine, or something of value.

The boy trembled as he approached a relatively intact corpse of a Cloud Village ninja, suppressing his fear and the churning in his stomach. He carefully used a twig to pry open the corpse's ninja tool pouch and began to search for it.

But, that's it.

"Hey."

A calm voice, without warning, rang out from behind him.

The boy's body stiffened instantly, his blood seemingly freezing in a flash.

He didn't even dare to turn around, only stiffly raising his hand, his voice trembling with fear as he said, "M-Master, spare me! I...I'm not a ninja, I didn't take anything, I'll leave right now, I'll leave right now..."

He thought he had encountered ninjas who had come to clean up the battlefield, but the expected scolding or attack did not come.

Instead, a long, thin black bread loaf appeared in his peripheral vision, and the familiar yet long-lost aroma of baking wafted into his nostrils.

The recipe for this black bread is quite simple, using only four basic ingredients: flour, water, salt, and yeast. No sugar, oil, or wheat flour are added.

It's so hard it's inedible and has to be soaked in water to soften. Its only advantage is that it's filling and easy to store.

"Gudong!"

The boy's saliva flowed uncontrollably, and he swallowed unconsciously as his dry throat tightened.

He turned his head cautiously, glancing back out of the corner of his eye.

What came into view was not the fierce ninja one might have imagined, but a young man dressed in ordinary clothes, with a friendly smile that made people feel inexplicably relaxed.

Rainwater soaked his hair, which clung to his forehead, and his old-fashioned round-framed glasses were fogged up by the rain, making him look somewhat disheveled.

The only thing that seemed somewhat special to the boy was a strangely shaped necklace around his neck, with a metal plate that was round on the outside and triangular on the inside.

"Are you hungry?"

Kabuto smiled at the boy in front of him, then pushed the tempting black bread in his hand forward, almost touching the boy's nose, and asked, "Want some?"

The boy's heart pounded wildly, a fierce battle raging within him between immense temptation and instinctive fear.

Finally, he reached out with trembling hands and grabbed the bread almost as fast as he could, clutching it tightly to his chest as if afraid it would fly away.

"Thank you, thank you, sir..."

His voice trembled slightly, still carrying a hint of caution, but the rough texture and aroma of the bread almost brought him to tears. He tentatively asked, "What...what do you want me to do?"

"Do you want to never go hungry again?"

Kabuto slowly crouched down, his gaze level with the boy's. His smiling eyes looked directly at him as he asked, "Do you want someone to protect you, to protect your family?"

A flicker of longing flashed in the boy's eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper wariness.

"If you'd like, join us."

Kabuto Yakushi's voice seemed to possess a strange, seductive power as he laughed, "By believing in my Lord and joining the cult, we have plenty of food and many homeless companions like you."

"God, God's religion?" The boy paused for a moment, then repeated blankly.

“Yes, the Cult of Gods.” Kabuto nodded, his smile unchanged. “However, some people outside like to call us the ‘Cult of Evil Gods’.”

Evil cult? !

These three words made the boy tremble violently, and he almost dropped the bread in his hand into the pool of blood.

The ninjas of Yugakure and the elders of the Land of Hot Water have recounted the deeds of the "Evil God Cult" countless times.

In their mouths, the followers of the Evil God Cult are all madmen who use living people as sacrifices and eat flesh and blood raw. They are terrifying beings that even the ninja masters of Yugakure fear!
"You and I……"

Thinking of the rumored evil cult, countless bloody and terrifying images flashed through the boy's mind, and his face turned ashen.

He stared in horror at the bespectacled young man in front of him, instinctively trying to create distance and run away, one hand behind his back.

But the gentle smile on the other person's face, the life-saving black bread in his arms, and that sincere tone...

Why is all of this so different from the bloodthirsty, grotesque evil god cult members I've heard about since childhood?
Isn't it said that all cultists are crazy?
Didn't they say they would kidnap children and rip out their hearts and lungs?

Why is this person in front of me...?

"Do you still believe the lies of the Daimyo of the Land of Hot Springs and the leader of the Hidden Hot Springs Village?"

Kabuto saw the boy's fear and naturally shook his head and sighed, "They said they would protect us. If they really did, why would you and I be here?"

"If you don't believe me, come with me and see what we really look like."

Without waiting for the boy's reply, Kabuto Yakushi stood up and walked straight to the other side.

"..."

The boy watched helplessly as the figure receded into the distance, a fierce struggle between immense fear and the instinct for survival tearing at his heart.

Finally, the desire to survive for himself and his family overcame the fear, and the faint hope of "not having to go hungry" triumphed over everything.

He shakily got to his feet, as if pulled by an invisible thread, and carefully followed behind Yakushi Kabuto, moving step by step away from this bloody land of corpses.

Kabuto led him through the forest to the top of a high hill.

Although far from the battlefield, this place offers a wide view, allowing for a clear overview of what lies below.

They saw the brightly lit and heavily guarded Cloud Village camp in the north, and the equally somber Konoha camp in the south.

Hundreds of people had gathered on the hillside, dressed in uniform black, standing like a silent flock of crows in the wind and rain.

They held uniformly shaped scythes in their hands, their eyes fixed on the Konoha and Kumogakure camps.

Deep within those hundreds of eyes burned a chilling hatred and longing.

At the very front of the crowd on the cliff edge, a figure of modest stature stood out, his gray hair particularly striking in the night, a small, ornamental sickle dangling from his wrist.

He simply kept his back to Yakushi Kabuto and the boy, seemingly unaware of their arrival.

He stared intently at the blood-soaked land below, as if admiring a masterpiece painted by death.

"Is that the evil god... the leader of the cult?"

Noticing the reverence in the eyes of others as they looked at that figure, the boy felt his heart pounding so hard it almost jumped out of his throat.

He doesn't look tall or imposing; in fact, he looks rather...ordinary?
But the lingering, chilling aura instilled a sense of instinctive fear in the boy.

Just then, Kabuto slowly stepped forward, stopped behind the figure, lowered his head slightly, and said respectfully in his expression and tone, "Master."

The gray-haired figure seemed to have just awakened from some state of deep concentration.

"Oh, Kabuto's back?" Hidan grinned at Kabuto beside him and asked, "How was the intelligence gathering?"

Yakushi Kabuto pushed up his round-framed glasses, which were wet with rain. The lenses obscured the glint in his eyes, but he still wore that gentle and harmless smile as he said, "Reporting to the Master."

"The negotiations between Kumogakure and Konoha have failed again. Now, war-weariness is rampant on both sides, and it seems that Konoha will launch a desperate all-out offensive tomorrow morning. Kumogakure seems to share the same idea."

Upon hearing this, Hidan's eyes lit up, and he licked his lips as if he could already see the scene of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, a morbid ecstasy appearing on his face.

He suppressed his excitement and looked at Kabuto Yakushi, his eyes gleaming with eagerness, and asked, "Will you help Konoha kill Kumogakure like last time?"

Kabuto Yakushi's smile remained unchanged. He bowed slightly and said humbly, "You are the leader, and all actions are naturally decided by you."

"Fine, fine." Hidan scoffed. "For your sake, I'll try my best not to attack the Konoha ninjas."

He emphasized the word "as much as possible," a glint of cunning and cruelty flashing in his eyes.

If they're not careful enough and run into my sickle...

Then don't blame me!
Hehehe...

"Your Excellency is wise!"

Without hesitation, Kabuto Yakushi took a step back, knelt on one knee, and lowered his head deeply. His voice suddenly rose and was filled with reverence: "Your decision will surely guide us toward 'rebirth'!" With Kabuto Yakushi's actions and words, the hundreds of silent cultists on the hillside knelt on one knee in unison, their heads bowed.

"Your Excellency is wise!!"

Hundreds of voices converged into a frenzied torrent, breaking through the rain and echoing in the sky!
"This……"

Upon seeing this, the boy was stunned for a moment before instinctively kneeling down on one knee.

Hidan glanced at Kabuto Yakushi indifferently.

He knew this guy had ulterior motives and wasn't truly a believer in the evil god.

However, in order to complete the task assigned by Lord Jashin, to recruit more followers, to strengthen the Jashin Cult, and to let Lord Jashin's glory spread throughout the ninja world, he does need Kabuto Yakushi's help.

Hidan wasn't really stupid; he was just too lazy to think too much. If something could be solved with fighting, he wouldn't bother to rack his brains to think about it.

He knew his "specialty" was killing, and the thought of forming a sect, managing believers, and gathering intelligence was too tedious and complicated to bear.

So before he met Kabuto Yakushi, he had made a mess of the Jashin Cult and apologized to the Jashin every day.

Later, when he encountered this suspicious-looking guy wearing glasses, he could tell at a glance that the guy had ill intentions. He originally wanted to kill the rat with a sickle.

But at that time, the divine weapon "Four-Sickle Child" bestowed upon him by the evil god stopped him, guiding him to spare Kabuto Yakushi's life and even leading Kabuto to join the evil god cult.

As it turns out, the will of the evil god was absolutely correct.

Despite his deep and calculating nature, under his influence, the Jashin Cult grew increasingly powerful.

As the leader, what Hidan needs to do is...

Nature is a manifestation of God's grace.

Hidan's gaze fell on the trembling boy who was hiding behind Kabuto Yakushi, clutching a black bread tightly.

"come over."

Hidan's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable commanding tone, clearly reaching the boy's ears.

The boy's body stiffened abruptly, and immense fear gripped him instantly.

He looked at Kabuto Yakushi for help, but Kabuto just smiled and nodded at him, his eyes full of encouragement.

Under the gaze of hundreds of fervent eyes, the boy felt as if he had been stripped naked and thrown into the freezing snow, and he stood up stiffly.

My legs felt as heavy as lead, and every step was incredibly difficult.

He could clearly feel those gazes—some friendly, some curious, some scrutinizing—but mostly, they were filled with envy and jealousy, as if he were about to receive some great blessing.

Finally, like a walking corpse, he walked up to Hidan, his knees buckled, and he knelt down involuntarily, his head bowed low, unable to meet Hidan's eyes.

"Raise your head," Hidan's voice rang out again. "Open your mouth."

The boy, like a puppet on a string, subconsciously raised his head, his mind blank, and instinctively opened his mouth.

Hidan raised his right hand, and the miniature "Four-Sided Scythe Boy" on his wrist, which resembled a pendant, slid into his palm and gently swiped across his outstretched hand.

laugh!
With a soft, audible sound as flesh was cut, a wound appeared in Hidan's palm, and bright red blood gushed out instantly!

Strangely, the gushing blood did not emit a strong bloody smell; instead, it filled the boy's nostrils with an indescribable sweet fragrance.

Hidan slowly moved the bleeding hand above the boy's open mouth.

The boy's pupils suddenly contracted, and his body instinctively tried to back away and shut his mouth in fear, but the strange sweet fragrance seemed to have a deadly magic power, instantly shattering his will.

Tick-tock...tick-tock...

The bright red blood dripped down, drop by drop.

The first drop of blood landed on the boy's tongue, and his throat involuntarily twitched.

"Gudong!"

Instantly, a sweet and satisfying feeling that penetrated to the bone marrow, accompanied by a warm current, flowed through his entire body, as if a long-parched desert had received sweet rain.

The burning emptiness in my stomach was gradually replaced by the satisfaction of being full, and my limbs, which had been weak due to malnutrition, seemed to be injected with new vitality!

The biting chill brought by the rain was dispelled, and my body became warm and comfortable. The few small cuts on my arm scabbed over and fell off at a speed visible to the naked eye, revealing perfectly intact skin!

Even the sallow complexion caused by prolonged hunger regained a touch of rosiness at this moment!
"What, what is this?!"

Feeling the power and warmth filling his body, the boy's eyes were filled with unbelievable shock.

This scene was clearly witnessed by all the believers, whose envy and jealousy turned into fanaticism, and they even trembled with excitement.

miracle!

The Cult Leader is the Divine Child!
Looking at the fanatical believers, Hidan withdrew his hand with satisfaction.

The wound on his palm healed rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye, disappearing without a trace in the blink of an eye, leaving only a faint red mark.

This is of course a "miracle," bestowed by the evil god, the power of the "Four-Sickle Child."

As one of the first to obtain this weapon, Hidan had been feeding it with his soul during this time, which had already caused the "Four-Sided Scythe Boy" to undergo a transformation.

"Size change" is just the most basic ability of this weapon. In addition to his original "immortality", he also has a powerful self-healing ability that can be used without hand seals.

This knife can accelerate self-healing by absorbing the blood of others. As long as enough blood is absorbed, severed limbs can be regenerated. It can also be used to feed blood to others to strengthen their physique and heal their injuries.

Hidan could sense that the "Four-Scythe Child" bestowed upon him by the Jashin had not yet been used at its full potential.

As long as the name of the Evil God continues to be spread, as long as more people believe in the Evil God, as long as more powerful souls are offered up...

Thinking of this, Hidan looked at the blank-faced boy and asked, "What's your name?"

The boy suddenly came to his senses, looked up at Hidan's face, pursed his scarlet lips, and replied, "Master, my name is Nora."

"Nora, from now on you are a follower of the cult and one of our companions."

Hidan grinned and said, "If you have any family members, you can bring them along. Everyone will get food. If you have any injuries or illnesses, come find me."

Upon hearing this, Nora's body trembled involuntarily, a sickly red flush rose to his face, and he lowered his head deeply, saying excitedly, "Thank you! Thank you, Master!"

Hidan looked at the group of Jashin cult followers, his voice suddenly becoming loud and inflammatory: "Tell us about our new comrades!"

"Who is it that has made you homeless and displaced, forced to scavenge among corpses like stray dogs?!"

"It's ninjas!" Hundreds of believers roared in unison, their voices filled with hatred, making eardrums buzz.

"Who is it!" Hidan's voice grew even more impassioned as his gaze swept across the believers' faces. "Who stole your loved ones, your homes, everything you own?!"

"It's a ninja!!"

The believers' roars grew even more violent, their eyes bloodshot with rage, and many of them trembled slightly, as if they were about to unleash the resentment that had been building up in their hearts!
"Who is it again!" Hidan suddenly spread his arms wide, his voice filled with fanaticism, "I grant you the power to rebel against these high and mighty ninjas and reclaim everything you have lost!"

"It is the Lord!!"

This response was like a tsunami, filled with unparalleled fervor and faith.

“That’s right!” Hidan’s lips curled into a maniacal grin. “It’s our ‘Lord’! Our great ‘Lord’!”

After saying this, he slowly raised his newly healed hand and solemnly and devoutly touched his forehead and shoulders, drawing an equilateral triangle with meticulous and sacred ritualistic movements.

"Praise be to my Lord."

Hidan's voice lowered, yet carried a chilling piety and fervor, like a devout believer whispering: "Death is rebirth, return to the embrace of my Lord."

Hundreds of believers simultaneously raised their right hands and drew the same equilateral triangle on their bodies.

"Praise be to my Lord! Death is a new life; return to the embrace of the Lord!"

Their voices were unified, their heads bowed deeply, like the most humble lambs, as they chanted the prayer in unison:
"Only the Lord is with me in this desolate and hopeless place..."

"The Lord has bestowed abundant blessings upon me; I offer my faith to the Lord..."

The prayers began in a low voice, then gradually rose in pitch, becoming fervent and devout.

Yakushi Kabuto also bowed his head deeply and whispered devoutly, but his eyes behind his glasses were very calm.

To ensure the orphanage's continued existence, and for the sake of Director Nonou and the children, he chose to become a Konoha intelligence agent, infiltrating various ninja countries for several years.

The reason he joined Hidan's Jashin Cult now is naturally to use the Jashin Cult's power to help Konoha defeat Kumogakure in the Land of Hot Springs.

This was the last order given by the Root leader.

However, he did not expect Hidan to possess such a bizarre ability, and the speed at which the Jashin Cult grew was somewhat beyond his expectations.

"..."

Thinking of the countless human tragedies he had witnessed in the Land of Hot Springs recently, Kabuto Yakushi slowly closed his eyes to calm his turbulent heart.

The reason why the originally small-scale evil god cult has grown so rapidly is because the war has ravaged and caused suffering to the land of Tang.

These followers who joined the cult were once ordinary civilians. Did they really stay here because they believed in some "God"?

No.

Having witnessed the growth and expansion of the evil cult firsthand, Kabuto Yakushi knew that these people joined the "cult" not because of some vague "master".

It's because only here do they live like human beings, instead of vultures and wild dogs scavenging among rotting corpses!

Only here can one gain power, instead of living in constant fear and being accidentally injured or killed by ninja techniques!
Countless desperate people were thus drawn in, and after witnessing Hidan's abilities and gaining power, they developed faith. The Jashin Cult grew wildly, like a poisonous fungus feeding on rotting flesh.

"Now I can't leave even if I want to." Yakushi Kabuto sighed inwardly.

At least if he stays here, it will prevent Hidan and the Jashin Cult from attacking Konoha. If he leaves, this madman will probably attack both Konoha and Kumogakure at the same time.

We can only hope that the war between Kumogakure and Konoha will end soon, so that Konoha can then free up its resources to eliminate the entrenched Jashin Cult.

(besides)
(End of this chapter)