Naruto: Call of Cthulhu

"Deep One?"

"Yes, Orochimaru-sama refers to this creature as a Deep One. Though, judging by intuition, it seems more like some sort of fish-man or merfolk."

"Are you with Orochimaru?" Jūzō suddenly asked.

"Yes, is that a problem?"

"That weirdo..."

He didn't know much about Orochimaru, but his snake-like appearance gave him the creeps.

However, his comment clearly annoyed Guren. She shot a cold glare at him. "I'd watch my tongue if I were you, Jūzō. Orochimaru-sama isn't someone you want as an enemy."

"So, about those creatures, they are amphibious, and they look just like what's shown in this picture. They usually dwell deep in the ocean, though a few individuals occasionally wander ashore late at night."

"How often do they come ashore?" Itachi inquired, his face impassive but his eyes sharp with interest.

"Rarely. They usually dwell deep in the ocean, though a few individuals occasionally wander ashore late at night."

"Their individual combat power is not very strong. Given your strength, you should be able to capture them easily. However, the one you're tasked with capturing is not an ordinary Deep One but a pure-blood."

"Pure-blood?"

"Yes," Guren nodded. "The Deep One species is divided into pure-bloods and hybrids."

"Pure-blood Deep Ones possess the most authentic lineage, and they are extremely rare. I haven't come across any in all the time I've been observing them."

Jūzō smirked. "So we're chasing after some kind of Deep One royalty?"

"In a sense, yes. They're the key to understanding the species. Hybrids, on the other hand, have human blood in them. They make up the vast majority of the species."

At this point, both Jūzō and Itachi widened their eyes in disbelief.

"What did you just say?"

"Did you mention human blood?" Jūzō asked, baring his sharp teeth.

Guren, who wasn't particularly patient with him, nonetheless continued explaining due to Orochimaru's orders. "Deep Ones can mate with humans, and they can also assimilate humans who have prolonged contact with them."

"In other words, as long as humans exist, it's difficult to completely eradicate their species."

Jūzō was even more shocked, pointing to the picture of the Deep One. "Who on earth would want to do that with such an ugly creature?"

"You'd be surprised what people are capable of, given the right motivation," Guren said coldly.

"And your other mission target has more information."

"You're talking about Kojiro?" Itachi asked.

"Yes. In the Land of Gods, which was formerly the Land of Waves, Kojiro has established the Esoteric Order of Dagon."

"As Dagon, he not only serves as an elder among the hybrids, commanding a large number of them, but he also uses the influence of his cult to control numerous ordinary people who follow the faith."

"Now, his cult doesn't just exist within the Land of Gods. Many island nations around the Land of Water also have followers."

Jūzō's face darkened. "How did this happen right under the Mizukage's nose?"

"Never underestimate the power of faith... and greed," Guren replied ominously.

"They spread their teachings through trade ships, with Deep Ones performing miracles to impress mortals."

"And for those not swayed by faith?"

"Gold," Guren confirmed. "They bribe officials with coins minted in the Land of Gods, legitimizing their cult."

"In some more remote villages, the cult has become the community's entire way of life, and everyone follows the cult's orders, regularly holding sacrificial rituals to the god they worship."

"Those bastards! Using people like puppets!" Jūzō growled.

"It's more complex than that," Guren countered. "Many willingly follow, believing they'll gain power or immortality."

Hearing this, both Jūzō and Itachi were visibly stunned.

How could things have changed so much while I was gone?

Jūzō hadn't realized that, during his absence from the Land of Water, such a massive cult had been growing so rapidly in the surrounding area.

Meanwhile, Itachi was more intrigued by the mention of the sacrificial rituals. "What kind of sacrificial rituals are these?"

"Hmm, you're getting to the core of it," Guren responded. "The cult holds regular sacrificial rituals to offer living humans to their god."

"That god is known as Cthulhu."

"Cthulhu?"

"Cthulhu."

Both Jūzō and Itachi repeated the strange and twisted name, trying to memorize it.

Seeing that they had processed the information, Guren continued, "I've personally witnessed some of these rituals in smaller villages."

"They call it a sacrifice to their god, but in truth, it's just a way for them to eliminate non-believers. Those sacrificed are always people who refuse to follow the cult."

"Control through fear..." Jūzō muttered.

"Precisely," Guren confirmed. "The sacrifices are always non-believers. It keeps the rest in line."

"However, the sacrifices in the Land of Gods are different. Since the island is almost entirely made up of cult members, they don't need to hold sacrificial rituals to purge non-believers."

"But once a year, the cult holds a three-day event called mating season."

"Let me guess, it's exactly what it sounds like?" Jūzō wanted to puke.

"Indeed," Guren nodded. "During these three days, the Land of Gods is closed off to all outsiders. The Deep Ones come ashore in large numbers to mate with humans."

"And on the first night, Dagon will personally preside over the birthing ceremony for the hybrid offspring born that night."

"It's said that Dagon uses the birth of new life, and the continuation of the species, to offer prayers to his god. But I don't know any more specifics."

"Only that this year's mating season starts tonight."

"Talk about cutting it close," Jūzō grumbled. "Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"Information isn't always readily available, Jūzō."

"You should understand what this means for your mission, right?"

After Guren finished speaking, Jūzō and Itachi fell into deep thought.

Although they couldn't fully grasp the complex connections between Dagon, the cult, and the god Cthulhu, the mating season clearly presented an opportunity for their mission.

Deep Ones rarely come ashore, and those who do are mostly hybrids. Capturing a pure-blood under normal circumstances would be nearly impossible.

However, during the mating season, many Deep Ones would come ashore, increasing the chances of finding a pure-blood. Furthermore, Kojiro would appear at the birthing ceremony, saving them the trouble of searching for him.

This made it clear that tonight was their best chance to accomplish both the mission for the Land of Water and their mission within Akatsuki.

Just then, they remembered that it had already been evening when they met Guren at the rendezvous point. Time was running out.

"Don't worry. The mating season starts in the middle of the night, and there's still some time before then."

"During this time, you can't go out, because the village ahead is controlled by the cult. Going there would only expose you."

And so, the three of them sat in the cramped basement, waiting.

Stuck in this damn hole while those freaks prepare their sick ritual. This waiting is killing me, Jūzō thought.

Suddenly, a rumbling sound broke the silence, and everyone looked toward his stomach.

"After traveling all day, I'm a bit hungry," he said as he scratched his head in embarrassment.

Guren glared at him but then reluctantly pulled a box out from under the bed, taking out a black pill and handing it to Jūzō.

"Here, this is a military ration pill."

"Ah, thanks a lot."

He gratefully accepted the pill, but just as he was about to eat it, he stopped. It wasn't that he was worried the pill was poisoned, but rather he noticed that Guren had handed a can of food to Itachi.

"Hey, why does he get a can, and I only get a ration pill?"

Guren turned her head and glared at Jūzō angrily. "Because you insulted Orochimaru-sama."

"For someone who disrespects him, you shouldn't be complaining about getting a ration pill. You should be worried about whether or not the pill is poisoned."

In the end, the soldier pill didn't contain any poison.

Well, at least I'm not dead. But damn, this pill doesn't do much, Jūzō thought, rubbing his still empty stomach.

"You'd think with all that science, they could make these things actually fill you up," he grumbled.

Guren shot him a cold look again. "It's meant for sustenance, not satisfaction."

"Here. We need to be at our best for the mission," Itachi said quietly, offering half of his canned food.

Jūzō looked surprised. "Thanks, kid. Maybe you're not so bad after all."

Guren observed Itachi's actions but didn't stop him, simply snorting and turning her head away. Sentiment. It'll get them killed one day.

After waiting for a long time in the cellar, she finally announced that it was time.

"Get ready to move out."

Jūzō, who had been curled up on the ground, stood up, stretched, and prepared to walk out. "Finally. I was starting to grow roots down here."

But Guren immediately stopped him.

"Hey, are you planning to just walk out like that?" She pointed at his clothes. It was obvious that the red cloud black cloak of Akatsuki was too conspicuous.

Jūzō looked down at himself, confused. "What's wrong with how I look?"

Guren rolled her eyes. "Oh nothing, if you want to announce to everyone that you're from Akatsuki."

She took out a box from under the bed, opened it, and handed two sets of robes to Jūzō and Itachi.

"These are the uniforms of the cult members. They're robes too, so you should be able to wear them comfortably."

Itachi examined the robe carefully. "Interesting design. The color scheme is quite... unique."

The uniforms were long robes, but unlike Akatsuki's, they didn't have buttons in the front. You had to slip them on from the bottom.

Since he was smaller in stature, he could easily wear the cult robe over his Akatsuki cloak without issue.

However, Jūzō's larger frame made it impossible to wear both robes. Even if he forced them on, parts of the Akatsuki uniform would show, making it easy to spot.

Moreover, he had to hide his sword on his back, and without removing the Akatsuki cloak, the sword's handle would be too obvious.

"What a hassle. I have to take my clothes off," Jūzō grumbled, removing his Akatsuki cloak and putting on the Dagon cult uniform.

"Would you prefer to be discovered and skinned alive by Deep Ones?" Guren asked sarcastically.

"Maybe."

After they both changed, Guren inspected them from all angles, feeling something was still missing. "You look like cultists, but not devoted ones."

She rummaged through the bedside drawer for a moment and found two golden necklaces. Then, she put the necklaces on both of them and pulled up their hoods. After examining them for a bit, she nodded in satisfaction.

"Now you look the part."

Itachi glanced at the heavy golden necklace around his neck. It was large, with no expense spared, and had an unusual gold pendant shaped like an eye. The eye's corners crossed over each other, and the pupil wasn't carved in great detail, likely due to technical limitations.

"Is this common among the cultists?" Itachi asked, still examining the necklace.

"More common than you'd think. The Land of Gods is rich in gold."

As for the cult robes, they were black and purple with two thick golden lines, one vertical and one horizontal, running across the entire robe.

"These lines represent your rank within the cult, but actually they indicate the stage of transformation into a Deep One."

"I've said before, Deep Ones can assimilate humans they come into prolonged contact with. The longer the contact, the more human traits disappear."

"Transformation?" Jūzō's eyes widened in alarm. "You didn't say anything about turning into one of those things!"

"Relax. It's just for show," Guren assured him. "Though if you stayed long enough..."

"The time varies from person to person—some take years to fully transform, while others take just one or two months. But for everyone, the transformation process is divided into seven stages, represented by seven gold lines."

"Don't worry. Your uniforms indicate the second stage, so you still retain most human characteristics. You'll be fine. But when you reach the island, it's best not to take off your hoods. Your faces will definitely be unfamiliar there."

"What if we're asked to remove them?"

"Then you better have a damn good excuse ready," Guren said grimly.

"Lastly, before you land, you'll need to learn some phrases."

With that, she taught them some phrases to praise Cthulhu and Dagon, which were used as greetings among the cult members. Not knowing them would easily expose them.

"They're used as greetings among cultists," she explained.

"Great, now we need a secret handshake too?" Jūzō muttered.

Guren ignored him. "Listen carefully. Your life might depend on this."

"Praise the High Priest of the Cult, Elder of the Deep Ones, Father Dagon."

"Praise our Heavenly Father and Savior, the Great Evil God Cthulhu."

"In His house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming!"

After hearing the phrases once, Itachi recited them back perfectly. Guren nodded approvingly but commented, "Not bad, but your tone is too flat. When you actually say them, add some fervor. That's more like a true cultist."

After coaching him, she turned to Jūzō. "What about you?"

Jūzō scratched his head and only managed to mutter three words.

"I, can't, do it."

"You!" Guren was about to get angry but then shook her head. "Forget it, it's your mission on that island anyway. Not my problem."

And so, the group left the cellar.

Before setting out, she found a wooden box hidden beneath some scrap wood in the dilapidated house. Inside the box was a gray-green skin with a strong fishy smell.

"This thing reeks. I wouldn't dare keep it in the cellar."

"I think I know what this is," Itachi said, raising a finger.

"Yes, it's Deep One skin," Guren confirmed.

"I hunted a hybrid and made a disguise from its skin. The Deep Ones don't have great night vision but rely on their sense of smell. This can fool them."

"How disgusting," Jūzō pinched his nose and turned away. "I think I prefer the cult robes after all."

"Your bravery is truly inspiring, Jūzō."

Guren rolled her eyes at him, donned the Deep One skin, and led them towards a small town ahead.

"Stay close and stay quiet. We're entering dangerous territory now," she warned as they set out.

"How far is the ferry town?" Itachi asked.

"Not far. But every step brings us closer to the heart of the cult's influence."

Before crossing the sea into the Land of Gods, they had to pass through a small ferry town. Though it was called a town, it was even smaller than a village.

Even though it wasn't on the island, it was right on the edge of the Land of Gods. Most of the town's business was with the islanders, so from here on, they were under surveillance.

"Don't speak, don't look around. Just follow me," Guren instructed, leading them through the town while wearing the Deep One skin.

"Great. I love being a mindless sheep," Jūzō whispered sarcastically.

The small town was brightly lit, with candles placed in windows and doorways, making the dim town seem like a starlit road. But despite the festive lighting, the streets were completely empty. The only people visible were the disguised Guren, Jūzō, and Itachi.

As they walked down the main road towards the coast, Itachi felt many eyes watching them. A slight glance revealed that the curtains in the wooden houses weren't fully drawn. Through the gaps, pairs of eyes were staring at them.

The emotions behind those eyes shocked Itachi.

The eyes weren't filled with fear or curiosity.

They were filled with pure fanaticism!