69novels Chapter 276 Phantom Flute
Chapter 276 Phantom Flute
The illusion circle of Otogakure Village glowed an eerie crimson in the night. Tayuya knelt at its center, the magic flute "Yellow Spring" pressed to her lips, but she couldn't produce a complete melody. Her fingertips shone with lavender cursed chakra as she attempted to dispel the Soul-Eating Curse invading the circle. However, every time the magic sound touched the cursed energy, it was distorted. Three hours ago, remnants of the Akatsuki had raided with the Soul-Eating Curse Talisman, contaminating the core of the illusion circle and controlling dozens of villagers, forcing them to walk like puppets towards the mineral vein, leaving only a trail of cursed black feathers strewn across the ground.
"No... My illusion won't cleanse it!" Tayuya's voice trembled, the lines of the curse seal on the magic flute graying from excessive consumption. She could clearly "hear" the villagers' screams of agony, tortured by the cursed energy. These sounds traveled through the illusion circle into her mind, resonating with the seal within her body, making it nearly impossible to control her chakra. "This Soul-Eating Curse and my seal share the same origin. The more I resist, the more I'll be attacked!"
"Your curse seal isn't a shackle, it's a key." Yin Zhu's voice echoed from the edge of the formation's core. His black windbreaker swept the talisman fragments on the ground. In his hand, he held a "Phantom Sound Crystal" tinged with crimson and lavender. The system panel flashed before his eyes: [Tayuya's curse seal fusion degree is 85%, and the hidden Uchiha bloodline is activated at 30%. You need to use "Empathic Phantom Sound" as a guide to break through the mental barrier of "curse seal = pain."] "You are always afraid of the power of the curse seal, but you forget that when Orochimaru transformed you, he integrated the Uchiha illusion gene into the curse seal. Your magic flute is naturally able to resonate with the Uchiha eye technique."
Tayuya's head shot up, her eyes red. "I'm not scared!" She raised her magic flute again, but as she played "Magic Flute: Fantasy Dance," she suddenly convulsed. The power of the Soul-Eating Curse surged through her veins, and she saw images of the villagers being controlled: children crying for their mothers, elderly people slumped to the ground. These scenes pierced her heart like needles, preventing her from playing any more. "I just... I don't want to use the power of the curse to hurt anyone again!"
Yin Zhu walked up to her and placed the Phantom Sound Crystal in her palm. "This crystal contains the Uchiha illusion energy left by your mother. She was also a genjutsu ninja back then, but she was able to transform the pain of the curse seal into a 'phantom sound' that purifies the evil curse." He tapped Tayuya's brow with his fingertips, and gentle system chakra flowed along her meridians. "Try to transform the 'resistance seal' into a 'guiding seal'—your magic sound is not an 'attack', it's an 'awakening'; your curse seal is not 'pain', it's 'resonance'. The villagers are still conscious, and they are waiting for you to use the phantom sound to wake them."
Tayuya clutched the Phantom Sound Crystal, lavender cursed chakra intertwining with crimson Uchiha energy in her palm. She closed her eyes, forcing herself to no longer avoid the pain of the cursed seal. Indeed, within the villagers' roars, subtle "waves of consciousness" were hidden: the child's cry carried the vague call of "Sister Tayuya," the elderly's panting carried fragments of memories of the "illusion circle." These were the "keys" she could use to awaken them.
"Ah—!" Tayuya's screams mingled with the demonic sound, and a blend of crimson and lavender light erupted from her eyes. She slowly opened her eyes, revealing a unique "illusion-type kaleidoscope"—a flute-shaped pupil surrounded by six "Uchiha fan blades" etched with sonic patterns, each blade rotating to the rhythm of the demonic sound. The system panel instantly refreshed: [Tayuya's kaleidoscope has been awakened successfully, unlocking the unique ability "Illusionary Sound? Soul Awakening" (which allows her to resonate with the demonic sound through her pupil technique, purifying the curse and awakening the controlled subject's consciousness). The curse seal and bloodline fusion are now 100% complete.]
"Now, use your phantom sound to connect with the villagers' consciousness." Ototake's voice was encouraging. Neji, Kimimaro, and Karin instantly appeared next to the center of the formation, ready for battle. Neji's Byakugan locked onto the remnants in the distance, Kimimaro's bone blade condensed chakra, and Karin's sensory network covered the entire village, providing Tayuya with information on the villagers' location.
Tayuya's kaleidoscope suddenly lit up, and the magic flute "Yellow Spring" blasted out a passionate melody. A lavender phantom sound chakra spread along the illusion circle, resonating with the cursed energy within the villagers' bodies. The controlled villagers suddenly stopped, their eyes gradually clearing. The soul-devouring cursed energy that had invaded the circle was like ice and snow encountering sunlight, gradually purified by the phantom sound, transforming into harmless water vapor.
"It's not over yet!" Seeing the situation was not good, the remnant of the Akatsuki organization took out the "Soul Devouring Curse Wand" and swung a black curse chain in the direction of Tayuya, "Let's see how long you can purify it!"
Karin's sensory network instantly issued an alert: "Tayuya, left!" Neji's Bagua Palm slapped out in time, and the golden chakra shattered the curse chain, but he didn't expect that the remnants had a trick up their sleeve - another curse chain bypassed the defense and pierced Tayuya's back.
"Be careful!" Kimimaro's bone blade suddenly pierced through the ground, entangling the cursed chain, but the cursed energy corroded it, leaving tiny cracks. Tayuya's demonic voice suddenly changed pitch, and the sonic ripples within her kaleidoscope accelerated—she transformed "Phantom Sound: Soul Awakening" into "Phantom Sound: Binding." Pale purple sonic chakra transformed into chains, entangling the remnant's cursed staff. Simultaneously, she injected the phantom sound into his consciousness, causing him to lapse into a state of "cursed backlash."
"Ah! My head!" The remnant screamed, clutching his head. The curse staff fell to the ground, and the power of the Soul-Eating Curse instantly dissipated. Kimimaro took the opportunity to step forward, pressing the bone blade against the remnant's throat, subduing him.
As the battle ended, the dark red of the illusion gradually faded, returning to a soft, lavender glow. Tayuya's kaleidoscope gradually closed, and the cursed patterns on the magic flute, "Yellow Spring," glowed with a gentle light. She approached the awakened villagers. Children threw themselves into her arms, crying, "Sister Tayuya, I was so scared just now." Elders held her hands, gratefully saying, "Thank you for waking us."
Tayuya squatted down, touched the child's head, her eyes red but she smiled and said: "Don't be afraid, I will use the magic sound in the future to protect everyone's consciousness and never let the bad guys control us again." She looked at her hands, looked at the kaleidoscope in her eyes, and suddenly understood - the power of this curse seal is not Orochimaru's "transformation", but a "gift" left by her mother; this magic flute is not a "tool of killing", but a "guardian instrument"; her illusion is not a "means of harm", but a "voice of awakening".
Yin Zhu stepped forward and handed over a bottle of lavender potion. "This is the 'Cursed Seal Nourishing Potion,' which will help stabilize the power of your Mangekyo and prevent your Phantom Sound from overexerting itself." He pointed at Tayuya's Mangekyo. "From now on, your Phantom Sound will no longer be 'defensive,' but 'offensive.' Your Mangekyo will become the 'consciousness barrier' of Otogakure, the key to protecting the villagers."
Tayuya took the potion, gripping it tightly in her hand. The lights of Otogakure Village shone brightly in the night, and the villagers were helping each other home. Her eyes reflected the smiles of her companions—Neiji's Byakugan irises shone with a gentle light, Kimimaro's bone blades softened their sharpness, and Karin's sensory network enveloped the entire village like a warm veil. She suddenly felt that she was no longer the "experimental subject" controlled by the curse, no longer a "illusionist" who could only hide behind her companions, but a powerful being who could fight alongside them, protecting everything with her phantom sound and Mangekyō.
"From now on, no matter how powerful the evil curse is, I can purify it with my phantom sound!" Tayuya raised the magic flute, and the sound wave patterns in the Mangekyo spun gently. "I will become the 'Soul Awakener' of the Sound Village, and never let my friends and villagers suffer the pain of having their consciousness controlled again!"
Yin Zhu smiled and nodded. A new notification popped up on the system panel: [Tayuya's mental transformation is complete, from "Fear Curse" to "Mastering Illusionary Sound," Bond Value +42%]. He knew that the Otogakure Village's "protective camp" had gained a new core member. This illusion-type Mangekyo, born of "empathy and awakening," would eventually play a never-ending "song of protection" for his companions amidst the darkness of the ninja world.