Article 11 - Chapter 8 - The Descent Into Madness

Warnings: I do not own Naruto, it's intellectual property is owned by none other than Masashi Kishimoto. I own the OC's that I've added to the story and nothing more.

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Pre-Notes: This chapter gives you a look inside Mina's mind and how it's changed since the match. I teased some stuff in the latest chapters that she seemed apprehensive about. That apprehension has mostly faded now with her single minded goal of staying safe through gathering power. Hope you all enjoy!

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(6 Months after my loss in the Arena - Age: 4 Years, 10 Months. )

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I continued with my plans for the future. I created a complex substitution cypher that was a cross between english and latin. I also added a series of dead symbols throughout the text to enhance confusion.

I could finally make notebooks with hidden information without much care especially since each page was just filled with journal entries to the normal eye. I hid the real content behind the text, writing with chakra infused transparent ink.

I couldn't keep the notebooks in my families compound however, instead I had it hidden away in a standard storage seal on my person. I had managed to swipe one that wasn't being used some time ago, and I'm a small girl, I could easily just say that I didn't want anyone to read my journal.

I wasn't sure, but it made theoretical sense that people needed incredible sensory perception such as the byakugan to even notice it, and even after they found it it was unlikely they could crack it. Still

My physical training was coming along very well. Hiashi said that since my display in the exhibition match that it would be impossible to stall my entry into the academy.

I didn't believe him, but then again, I didn't need to. In the end I also want to join the academy this year. Sure, It would be annoying sitting through so much content that I would have already known, but I want to graduate early, just not too early. My goal is to be promoted just enough to make it into Neji's year and we would be able to be placed on the same team.

I didn't fully understand the team selection process, but I gleamed as much information as possible while trying to remain low-key.

I tried to think about any notable people in Neji's year but the only two that were relevant to me were Rock Lee and Neji. My Ideal team would be both of them and myself, along with Gai-sensei.

The inner gates was not a technique to scoff at. Any type of technique that was a power multiplier would place it's ranking of importance much higher than most. They were basically broken. They were the Meta.

Those who fell behind in canon were simply because their power scaling didn't include enough of these types of techniques. Sage Mode, Jugo's Curse Mark, the 8 inner gates, tailed beast chakra cloak, the Tenseigan's chakra cloak, ect…

If the world contained all of my knowledge, I doubted many would disagree with me..

The nearest possible power amplifier I could see myself acquiring would be the 8 inner gates, and the downsides of the technique could at least be partially negated due to Shikotsumyaku. It made the most sense.

-But before that I will have already secretly exploited the Uchiha Massacre. I wanted the Sharingan and I believed myself to make a plan with a high enough projected chance of success.

There was only one problem that plagued me. There was something I needed to learn and it was doubtful the information even existed at all within the walls of Konoha. I was either going to need to travel to Sunagakure, or I would need to undergo a few preliminary trials.

My heart thumped in my chest at the thought, like it were trying to be my conscience. Like I needed to tell me what was right from wrong.

-But it was Being-X that had redefined my morality. Many people would die, and there was little I could do about it. I could make sure their sacrifices aren't in vein, but what if that means I have to sacrifice additional people just to utilize the opportunity?

The answer was clear. I was calm. I would do terrible things if it meant I could gain power. I wouldn't like it, only monsters would find joy in such inhumane acts, but I could still do it.

I was equipped from head to toe in my ninja equipment.

I stared at the pipes mouth which spilled foul smelling sewage into a lake.

My last world's EPA would have had a heart attack seeing this. The ecosystem surrounding the pipe was withering away. It was highly likely the nitrogen content of the ground was far too high to support wildlife here now… but that's a completely different type of atrocity.

""Eww…" I whispered to myself looking at the pipe.

My resolve wasn't enough to falter and turn back, but I would need a second to prepare me for the horrors.

I drove a stake into the ground and wrapped some string around it tying it tight.

Some type of way to determine where the exit was would be helpful if I somehow managed to get lost. I had the byakugan but anything was possible, Being-X was still alive.

I jumped onto the mouth of the pipe. I didn't want to continue walking through the stream that oozed out of the pipe if I could prevent it, so I used the tree walking technique to walk along the top of the pipe.

Whenever the pipes would diverge I would draw an outline, like a basic map. I entered deeper into the labyrinth of the pipe systems until reaching a corridor. With my byakugan active I could see through the walls noting new pathways that branched off from each other, dead ends, and afew hidden rooms.

I hurried along to get closer to the hidden room I'd spotted, running with damp footsteps echoing loudly around me. I had made my bone density quite low, but the sound amplification from such an environment still caused my movements to be loud and carry.

I arrived at a wall, and behind it I could see some type of laboratory. I felt the walls but it didn't seem that there was any mechanism to open the room to me.

I laid my hand on the wall and made as thin of bone as I could.

I would be implementing the principle behind how plants could manage to grow through solid concrete.

I sent steady pressure on the thin bone pushing it into the wall. Little by little it wriggled through the small crack I lined my palm on and it began tunneling through. The bone reached the other side and I thickened the bone causing cracks to spread out from the initial crack in several directions. I kicked at the weakened area and it gave way, falling through to the other side.

Dust rose and had gotten into my eyes, it was uncomfortable. As the dust settled I squeezed my petite body through the opening wiggling my way to the other side. The room was eerie and contained many operating tabled stained with blood. Tools laid out rusted over from the damp environment and age.

There were several broken capsule chambers with their glass spread along the floor.

I noticed a desk in the far corner with papers spread along it and I walked over to it still weary of my environment.

This was likely one of Orochimaru's abandoned laboratories. The type of fanatic I remembered would be the same one to leave several traps one could walk into.

No hint of traps from my byakugan, but that just served to make me more nervous.

I hardened the exoskeleton under my skin, especially around my vital points.

I arrived at the desk and the papers were too caked in dust. I blew on them carefully trying to retain its quality and not lose information to damage.

The paper became legible after careful attention to it.

They weren't all related, but there were research papers on the principles of innate chakra natures, Diagrams of the body with notes crammed in the margins explaining different reactions the body could undergo with infusal of outside DNA. There were papers regarding the transference of a soul to a new body, and many other papers that seemed more basic or less interesting.

I had found a treasure trove of knowledge, but the notes I kept scanning through didn't have any direct information regarding what I was looking for. It would still no doubt be helpful, and working from established baselines that I considered to likely be credible would greatly help diminish the amount of time I would need to invest for the plan.

I started tracing the diagram of the body onto sheets of paper I had brought with me. I kept re-reading over the paper regarding soul transfer hoping to find some type of hint. Something that I overlooked.

It said that the soul resided in the 8th gate and the way to transfer it (or at least the way described on this paper), was with… a much more complicated version of substitution which would destroy their soul.

...There were also references back to a different paper about the basics of Yamanaka jutsu.

Okay… so the soul resides in the 8th gate, and if you wanted to permanently project your own consciousness into another body you would substitute their soul with your own. It makes sense.

-But what if I needed to learn how to capture the soul? To seal it into an object? How would one go about doing something like that?

I frowned.

It would seem there was still much work to do.

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I made my way out of the tunnels and back to the outside world. It felt refreshing to finally be out. To see the sky in all its glory.

I might have found some good stuff, but with my family basically all having the byakugan, I couldn't afford to leave them in the compound. I couldn't think of a good place to put them and I refused to put them into the only storage seal I had. If I was caught with them on my person it would become very unpleasant.

I ran to the nearest stream and bathed myself, changing into civilian clothes after I was finished. I needed to blend into my next destination. I needed to glide past people's perception based on their 5 senses. I covered myself to be less identifiable. I used non fragrant cleanser to wash myself. I needed this to go perfect, I could only get caught red handed going to store these illegal documents, so this needed to go perfect.

I snuck into the hospital and picked the lock of its medical library by conforming my bone to the lock. This was the entry level collection and would be a decent hiding spot that I could control.

I needed to find archives that were closed for at least 10 years with the most dull subject matter to slip these papers into.

My heart pounded as I thought about being caught inside here with these documents.

It was a thrill. I felt alive.

I picked up my pace slipping into the records archives room that was filled with dust.

Perfect.

I dug through the drawers fingering the file headers looking at the dates. I found one cabinet which everything was dated over 20 years ago and I saw it.

Thesis: The similarity of agricultural and medical uses of nutrient replacement.

It sounded perfect. What kind of freak would ever go looking for a 20 year old document of agricultural and medical similarities.

I slipped the files inside besides the notes I took personally that I had left behind in the laboratory.

When I join the academy I can freely waltz into this area after getting a pass from the school. After I join I would spend time translating all the notes into my cyper code and destroy the originals. It was a good enough plan. Even if for whatever reason the notes were found before I could make my way back to them, they were all likely in Orochimaru's handwriting, in an area I didn't yet have access to, and in an area Orochimaru had access to long after the file was stored. It was the perfect plan. I couldn't see a way even Being-X could screw this up for me.

I felt my surroundings for chakra signatures before slipping out of the library unnoticed.

I started walking to the exit of the hospital with the sense of a huge burden released from me. I genuinely smiled from the successful-ness of my mission, and the ease of execution.

I made it to the doors, and they flung open into me.

I almost was knocked backwards but I caught my balance before I could tumble over.

I saw the form of someone that I knew, but not personally.

A ninja equipped with the black pants favored by the anbu. He towered over me and I briefly caught myself admiring his hair which was a bit darker than mine. Where mine was white as snow, his was a bleached color of grey. An eye was covered with his headband.

"My apologies." he said before realizing who I was.

I could tell he knew who I was, just by the way his pupil stopped on me.

"It's okay!" I said putting on a brave face.

He continued walking past me and I scurried out the door.

"Kakashi Hatake" I whispered to myself as I ran home.

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The next day I snuck downstairs in the morning on my toes. I had lightened my skeletal structure to quiet myself further and started to gather my things. Ayasha-san had made a new rule that my training equipment be kept in cubbies next to the door so I couldn't just sneak out my window in the mornings anymore.

I didn't like the rule but I couldn't see fault with its intended purpose. Ayasha-san liked knowing when I left and where I was going. She used to be more lenient but it seems after some time she realized if she didn't exercise her parental rights I would simply do whatever I wanted.

"It's nice to see you this morning." I heard over my shoulder.

I gulped.

I turned around to see an irritated Ayasha. Her face could said it all. "So your trying to give me the slip again are you?" I could imagine.

"N..Nice to see you too Ayasha-san! I didn't want to wake you so that you could get your sleep."

An eyebrow twitched at my words and I knew she wasn't buying it.

"Really? You are sneaking around for my benefit now?" she said but without letting me even answer the question she continued with "So where were you off to?"

"I'm just gonna go train." I said with a smile.

"Trying to escape from my cooking?" she asked incredulously.

This woman was trying to fatten me up. She had no context of the nutritional guidelines and how to build a body with nutrition. She just has wonderful genetics that stores fat along her chest and butt, but I couldn't afford setbacks and I didn't have the hormones necessary to distribute fat to the more ideal places because I've yet to enter puberty.

"Maybe only a little bit?" I said whole holding up my thumb and index finger to indicate the smallest amount.

She sighed.

"It's not your talent. Your food tastes amazing!"

She looked back like I wasn't telling the whole truth but that wasn't stretching the truth at all. She was a skilled cook and her dishes always tasted good, but she would load them with many unhealthy ingredients and cook so much that there was always excess.

"Then what?" she said while tapping her foot impatiently.

"It's just… You make me eat too much of nutrient rich food and I start putting on too much weight."

She looked offended.

"You are a growing girl! You need all the food you can to grow into your body and become a strong kunoichi. I swear, the only feminine trait you acquired is this unrealistic expectation of body image. It isn't healthy." She argued.

"I plan my meals to have enough energy to replace what I use in exercise and account for my growing body. Packing on fat will reduce flexibility and speed."

Her eyes narrowed… I think I may have inadvertently insulted her.

She closed her eyes and sighed pitching and rubbing above the bridge of her nose.

I will admit that I may not be the most fun child to raise.

"Come over here…" she said before bending down with her arms open.

I didn't dare try to tempt her and walked into her embrace.

"You're too smart for your own good… you know that?" I heard her say with a sniffle.

I wrapped my arms around her harder… not for me, but for her. It would seem I would need to comfort her. I wouldn't accept her coddling normally and I'm sure it's had negative effects on her. She probably thinks she is a bad mother or something. I would need to help her overcome this affliction or I will never get my time back to myself.

"I love you mom."

I didn't like dropping these sentimental lines often. They left a bad taste in my mouth and made me feel empty after saying them. I spent so much effort to stop myself from developing feelings. They sounded to me like empty words and that I was a monster to say those empty words.

But it was for the best, I could tell by the way she clung to me harder. She was making it a bit difficult to breath so I poked at her armpit and made her giggle.

I continued my attack and tickled her until she was hysterical. She picked me up and brought me to the kitchen where she started cooking. This time, she asked for my input for what I wanted to eat and I designed the breakfast we'd both eat.

When we sat down, I started digging into my food ferociously.

"Mind your manners. You will eat befitting of a lady of the Hyuga."

I couldn't argue with her so I slowed my pace and straightened my back.

"... I don't see how you could eat this over and over. You know there is more to life than just training?" she asked.

"Mhmm…" I said finishing the food in my mouth. "I still do some things just for me that isn't training… like for fun, but I want to become the strongest kunoichi to ever come from the leaf village so I can't afford to slack off." I said.

"Well… speaking about that… You have an appointment today I need to bring you to. You will be getting an advanced physical before attending the academy entrance exams."

"Mhmm…" I hummed with my mouth full of food while nodding to her.

Ayasha-san began giggling and I gave her a puzzled look.

"It's nothing." she insisted.

I dropped the matter and turned my attention back to the plate before me.

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I underwent my advanced physical. They tested my blood, checked my reflexes, and examined my naked body. I didn't feel particularly embarrassed or exposed. If anything it felt strange that a woman was my physician as this had been done by men in my past life.

After the initial health tests, they moved into the chakra evaluation to which they stated that I contained much more chakra than they had expected for someone at such a young age, but even more than that my Spiritual energy part was much more developed than even my physical. They told me that I already had the Chakra reserves of an average genin to low chunin, and my Spiritual energy was as high as several among the special-Jōnin ranks.

The evaluation made sense, especially with some of the notes that I had gotten my hands on yesterday about chakra natures. It seemed each nature had a different ratio to spiritual and physical energies.

If that's true then I would have a good affinity for Yin release as far as I could tell.

Ayasha-san paid extra for them to be able to tell me my native nature affinity. The woman told me to grab onto this slip of paper and funnel chakra to it. I listened and the paper wrinkled and folded in my hand.

"Ah, lightning affinity, congratulations."

At this point of time I couldn't say whether it was the best release to be my primary but I wasn't complaining. Lightning would suit me fine.

Ayasha-san took my hand and lead me back to the compound.

"You are not to start working on any nature transformation until the clan approves it… but I know how your always planning ahead, so I figured I could give you this gift to help you plan for the future."

"Okay, Thanks!" I said bringing a smile to my face.

She stopped and turned around. She took a knee looking me dead in the eye. "I'm serious. You are to under no circumstances begin your nature transformation training until approved by the clan, do you understand me?"

I nodded as the smile left my face. She was dead serious. Something told me that she was going against the wishes of the clan just to allow me to know what my affinity was… why was this?

She tugged on my arm again setting the pace back to the compound again.

"Ayasha-san gave me this gift… or is this some prank from Being-X to flaunt more material I would need to wait before learning… Whatever it was I would heed the words for now. Simply out of the respect of Ayasha-san." I thought.

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Authors Notes: Zemptai-sama again, Mina is plotting her rise to power and I doubt you guys will realize her true plan yet. I left some hints across several of the last chapters and the first to guess it I will award with a cookie.

Enjoy the story and I earnestly ask anyone who is willing to, to write me a review. I will cherish each and every one of them and respond as best as I can. I write so I can share with you guys, and it warms my heart to hear your opinions and interact with the readers.

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**SPECIAL THANKS to the great people below who left me a review, It means a lot!**

-Pandora (thanks for the multiple reviews. I could see the gears in your head turning trying to figure out where the story was going after each one, fun stuff.)

-Irina Akashira (thanks for your in depth analysis and If you want to discuss your ideas or future content hit me up with a pm.)