Chapet 37 Caged Bird
Ninja School.
In her office, Tsunade was busy organizing teaching materials when she heard footsteps nearby. She didn't need to guess to know who it was.
"Kid, you're a bit late today... What's up with your face? Why do you look so awful?"
Tsunade turned her head to see Shiroshi's pale face. He looked extremely weak, which startled her. She quickly asked him what had happened.
"Yesterday, I ate something that upset my stomach."
Without blinking, Shiroshi came up with this excuse.
"Upset stomach doesn't cause this kind of expression." Tsunade sighed and walked over, patting Shiroshi on the shoulder. She spoke with a serious tone, "Living under the same roof with young men and women, I can understand things getting heated, especially since you're all teenagers. But you're a medical ninja, and you should know that even ninja bodies have limits. Exercise some restraint."
"..."
"By the way, have you taken any safety measures? Before getting married, make sure you don't make some girl pregnant."
Tsunade leaned in close to Shiroshi's ear, whispering as if afraid someone might be eavesdropping.
But Shiroshi could clearly see the mischief in Tsunade's eyes.
"Don't worry, Tsunade-sensei. My health has always been fine."
"In other words, you did take precautions?"
"...If you spread rumors, I'll complain to the Hokage."
"You really have no sense of humor, do you?"
"I indeed lack a sense of humor, but I don't think that's relevant."
Seeing Shiroshi's weary appearance, Tsunade quickly lost interest.
"However, are you really okay like this? Do you need to rest here?"
Truth be told, Shiroshi's current state was concerning. There was a fear he might collapse suddenly while working.
"Thanks for your concern, but it's not a big issue. I'll head back to the classroom in a while."
After some consideration, Shiroshi realized Tsunade's concern was necessary. The aftermath of the genjutsu attack he had experienced yesterday when he used the Spiritual Manifestation Technique on that Sharingan user was still haunting him. It had left him feeling weak since the morning.
"In that case, rest here properly. Don't force yourself."
Tsunade didn't ask what Shiroshi had done yesterday to end up like this. Everyone had secrets they wouldn't share with others, and she was no exception.
Watching Tsunade leave, Shiroshi was left alone in the office.
Because of his weakened state, he lay back in his chair, closed his eyes, and cleared his mind.
After about half an hour, feeling much more comfortable than when he arrived, he slowly got up from the chair and walked toward the direction of the Medical Ninja training class.
After the training class ended, Shiroshi exchanged greetings with Tsunade and then headed toward the exit of the ninja school. There, at the school gates, he saw Rui waiting.
Dressed in that black form-fitting shinobi attire that showcased her attractive figure, she stood there looking pleasant. Shiroshi could recognize her at a glance.
"Rui, why are you here?"
Shiroshi approached, a bit puzzled.
"Just passing by, don't overthink it."
Rui glanced at Shiroshi's slightly pale complexion, her tone not fluctuating much.
"Did you have an early dismissal today?"
"I had someone cover my shift."
Saying that, Rui took out a thermos and handed it to Shiroshi.
Shiroshi accepted the thermos, unscrewed the lid, and as expected, it contained clean, drinkable hot water.
"Thanks, I was actually feeling a bit thirsty."
"Don't overthink it. I just happened to bring it from the security team."
Hearing Rui's explanation, Shiroshi just smiled in understanding.
After taking a sip of the hot water, he asked Rui, "Are we going back together now?"
He knew that Rui waiting for him at the entrance of the ninja school was her way of ensuring his safety. There was a kind of unspoken warmth in his heart.
But speaking directly about her concern for him might be a bit difficult for Rui. She wasn't always very candid.
Sometimes she wasn't all that straightforward.
If it were Ayane, she would probably say something surprising with a straight face, pretending innocence.
"Yeah."
Rui didn't object.
Indeed, she was worried about Shiroshi's well-being. His mental state right now wasn't great either.
Even within the village, there were times when safety wasn't guaranteed.
Shiroshi had come to the ninja school to work two hours ago, and Rui had been waiting here all that time.
Walking together, Rui suddenly remembered something and said softly:
"By the way, during the day, I checked with the security team, reviewed the information of every clan member again, but no matter what, I couldn't find anyone with a stronger Sharingan power than mine, like you said."
This statement wasn't Rui being conceited. Her understanding of the Sharingan indeed surpassed that of most Uchiha clan members.
Even disregarding the Sharingan, her Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, and Genjutsu were all top-notch, with Taijutsu and Ninjutsu being particularly strong, while her Genjutsu was a bit lacking.
Trying to find a Sharingan wielder who was far above her through investigating the security team's personnel information, Rui was completely clueless.
"If you can't find it, then don't force yourself. I also think that the person behind the scenes might not necessarily be hidden within the village."
Shiroshi Expresses His Views.
"Not in the village?"
Rui didn't quite understand the meaning behind Shiroshi's statement.
"What do you think of Teacher Sakumo's strength?"
Shiroshi replied with a counter-question.
"Above mine."
"In what specific aspects?"
"If we were to fight to the death, I'd probably die, and Teacher Sakumo would be severely injured."
Rui said this without self-deprecation.
Indeed, her strength had already reached that level.
Sakumo excelled in swordsmanship and possessed incredibly swift Body Flicker Technique, combined with exquisite sword skills that made him almost unbeatable. However, due to his specialization in swordsmanship, Sakumo lacked versatility in dealing with opponents.
Rui might be the type Sakumo found most challenging to handle – a flawless all-rounder, excelling in Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu.
With Taijutsu, Body Flicker, and the three tomoe Sharingan, she could match Sakumo's speed and reflexes. However, due to his swordsmanship, Rui felt she might be at a disadvantage in close combat.
But she also had advantages Sakumo lacked: wide-range Fire Release and mysterious, unpredictable Genjutsu that could restrict his movements.
Hearing this, Shiroshi nodded and offered his opinion:
"The chakra displayed by that Sharingan, the immense pressure it brought upon me, it's even stronger than Professor Sakumo's. And this is just a comparison of Sharingan abilities. He's far superior to you in that aspect, and in others, he's probably stronger than you too."
"Is that so? There indeed isn't such an expert among the Uchiha of today, but is it too hasty to conclude that this person isn't within Konoha?"
"Why not consider it from a different angle? If there truly is such a high-level expert among the Uchiha clan in the village, our secrets would likely have been exposed long ago. We wouldn't be calm until now. After all, the other side has highly skilled infiltrators. Our secrets wouldn't remain hidden."
Rui furrowed her brows.
"If that white creature can be sensed by natural energy, it means the person wasn't monitoring us before I discovered the nature energy. The first contact was coincidentally detected by Akatsuki. Soon after, that unique white creature came to Konoha, infiltrating the Uchiha clan's territory. The mastermind behind this, targeting Konoha, probably began acting recently. As for Akatsuki..."
He had sent his subordinates to make contact with Akatsuki nearly a couple of months ago.
When the person behind the scenes began monitoring Akatsuki, Shiroshi didn't know.
But having deduced this was enough.
Uchiha ninja not in Konoha.
Connected to Tailed Beasts, related to Wood Release, a Sharingan prowess that surpassed Rui, sending subordinates to infiltrate Uchiha clan's territory for information gathering.
These were key pieces of information from the correct interpretation.
Rui clearly understood this too.
Yet, despite having so much crucial information, Rui found it challenging to ascertain which Uchiha ninja was the mastermind.
"By the way, have any Uchiha defected or left Konoha in the past?"
"Over the last thirty years, only Uchiha Madara."
Rui gave an answer that sounded like a fairy tale.
"This answer is absurd. Uchiha Madara died at the hands of the First Hokage after the battle at the Valley of the End. This is widely known..."
A smile spread across Shiroshi's face as he shook his head.
But what exactly he was thinking, only he knew.
After all, wasn't there a probability like that?
Wood Release, Tailed Beasts, Sharingan.
These were not the Ninjutsu Uchiha Madara employed in his battles. They were the techniques he controlled, or the powers he possessed.
Weren't all the conditions met?
Seeing Rui deep in thought, she was probably also pondering whether the ancestral Uchiha figure truly died.
Shiroshi opened his thermos again, took a sip of hot water, and chuckled, "Alright, don't show that gloomy expression. Whether the person is dead or alive, as long as we don't get involved with them, it's fine. You said it yourself, it's better to focus our time and energy on strengthening ourselves, rather than speculating about useless matters, right?"
"No, I was just thinking that if he's truly alive... I'd really like to witness the legendary power that can shape the world."
Rui clenched her fist.
In the past, when people mentioned the Uchiha clan, they didn't think of the Sharingan first, but of Uchiha Madara.
That name was a symbol of power even purer than the Sharingan.
But nowadays, when people mention the Uchiha, they think of the Sharingan, not a specific Uchiha ninja.
Rui saw that as her goal to surpass.
"Your style really matches this situation. It seems my worries were for nothing."
"Are you looking down on me? Besides, that old fossil, even if he's alive, he's probably too old to move now."
"I didn't say that. And besides, this is just speculation, not conclusive evidence."
Seeing Rui pouting again, Shiroshi explained with a smile.
"Hmph."
Rui turned her head, indicating that she didn't want to pay him any attention.
The sky gradually dimmed, and the beautiful sunset was slowly sinking beyond the western forest.
Shiroshi and Rui were strolling along a path beside a river.
The weather in May had warmed up a bit, and the gentle breeze brought a sense of comfort while relieving any irritations within.
The streetlights along the path had already lit up. Looking into the distance, one could see the central area of the village where the bustling night market was about to begin. Lights were gradually illuminating one after another.
On this path, only Shiroshi and Rui walked together.
However, on the embankment of the river, there were some ninja academy kids who hadn't gone home yet, tirelessly playing ninja games.
Observing this scene, Shiroshi halted his steps.
"What's wrong?"
Rui also stopped and turned her head to look at his face.
"Nothing, it's just that seeing them like this makes me nostalgic for the past."
Shiroshi gazed at the students playing ninja games on the embankment, his face filled with a sense of emotion.
In a fleeting moment, Shiroshi recalled something else.
"Speaking of which, we used to depart from the ninja academy and then return home together. It's as if we've truly gone back to our student days."
After Shiroshi said these words, it also triggered Rui's memories of the past.
Because her parents were often away on business, her childhood and her current teenage years had made Shiroshi an irreplaceable figure in her life.
During their time at the ninja academy, it was indeed as Shiroshi said. They always went to school together, returned together, and were nearly inseparable every day.
"Why bring up this kind of thing all of a sudden?"
"I was thinking... it would be great if things continued like this in the future. Because we're the best partners."
Shiroshi looked up at the distant sunset. Under its glow, his face appeared even gentler than usual.
Hearing Shiroshi's words, Rui suddenly felt awkward, sensing a strange emptiness inside her, as if something was missing.
Just partners?
"Hurry up, let's go back. We still need to..."
Rui planned to quicken her pace back home, but at this moment, her hand was suddenly enveloped by something.
This prevented her from taking a step forward, leaving her standing still.
Rui's expression froze, and she turned her head slightly downward.
It was a broad and gentle hand, a man's hand.
It held her hand carefully and tenderly, rendering her unable to break free.
"To be honest, many times, I'm not sure how to approach this. But after I said that earlier, I thought carefully. Maybe the term 'partners' can't fully define the relationship between us. How about turning it into something more intimate than partners?"
Shiroshi's face broke into a calm and composed smile as he asked for Rui's opinion.
"I don't understand what you're talking about. Let's go back."
Rui's face had turned a bit red by now. She turned her head away, feigning indifference, yet she allowed Shiroshi to take the lead.
"Let's take a walk there together. We finished work early today, so we should have enough time."
"Don't ask me about these things. You're the one who's under the weather. You decide. Just make sure you don't catch a cold tomorrow."
Rui turned her head away and didn't look at Shiroshi. Despite her words about going back, when her hand was held, she let Shiroshi take control.
White flakes of snow fell all around us, and we could see the brightly decorated shops and the happy faces of people as they enjoyed the festive atmosphere. The cold air was invigorating, and it was easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holiday season.
Shiroshi felt a bit strange, as he realized that, after spending so many years with Rui, this was the first time he held such significant control.
He was moved to the point of tears.
"It's already May. How could I possibly catch a cold? No problem."
His body wasn't that weak. While the weather did get colder at night compared to the daytime, with a bit of caution, it shouldn't be a big issue.
Gripping Rui's hand tightly, their skin transmitted each other's body warmth.
Shiroshi could clearly sense that Rui's body had become quite warm.
Hand in hand with Rui, Shiroshi led her toward the center of the village, where the night market was about to come alive.
Shiroshi could distinctly see the evident smile of joy on Rui's face.
In that moment, for some unknown reason, a sense of guilt welled up inside him.
In his mind, there might be another woman.
For him, she might be an equally important 'partner'.
But today, he should belong to Rui.
With this thought, the guilt dissolved somewhat in his self-reassurance.
The Next Day...
Shiroshi caught a cold.
Because he came home very late last night, when he woke up this morning, he realized he had caught a cold.
He was lying on a futon with a blanket over him. He felt his head was heavy, and his body was cold.
"Seriously, you kept saying you were fine, and now look at you. Your physical condition is worse than I thought."
Rui was at home wearing casual clothes instead of her usual black ninja attire. She was sitting by Shiroshi's futon, kneeling there and scolding him in a slightly disgusted tone.
"...I didn't expect things to turn out like this... By the way, this is actually the first time I've caught a cold..."
Shiroshi could only accept this defeat.
Indeed, he shouldn't have pushed himself so hard last night.
But in that situation yesterday, if he had just returned without doing anything, he might have regretted it even more.
Seeing Rui taking care of him so attentively, and even skipping work again today, Shiroshi felt embarrassed, but he also thought that even catching a severe cold today wouldn't be such a bad thing.
"I've already explained the situation to Tsunade. Just stay at home and rest today. I'll be here to protect you."
Rui stood up from the floor and went to the nearby cabinet, searching for something while speaking to Shiroshi.
"Thank you. Honestly, I don't think the cold is that serious. In the afternoon..."
"Rest at home today. Do you want me to say it for the third time?"
Rui's expression remained unchanged, but her voice became more serious.
Shiroshi, trembling, dared not speak further.
Rui took out a medicine bottle from the cabinet and removed a few pills from it. She also prepared a cup of hot water.
"This is the cold medicine you developed before it entered the market. It's unexpected that after developing it, you became its first user. What are your thoughts on your own medicine?"
"...If possible, I'd rather not offer any evaluation."
In the midst of complex emotions, Shiroshi took the cold medicine he had once developed.
…
On the sea route from the Land of Waves to the Land of Fire, a small boat parted the water waves as it approached the coastal port of the Land of Fire.
There were four individuals on the small boat, all of them ninja from the Hidden Leaf Village.
Leading them was a Hidden Leaf ninja wearing a jonin uniform, while the other three were wearing chunin uniforms.
This was a team led by a jonin, with three chunin members.
Even within the Hidden Leaf Village, this fell under the category of an elite squad.
Most teams consisted of one jonin and three genin, or one jonin, one chunin, and two genin.
This time, their mission was to go to the neighboring Land of Waves to eliminate an illegal rogue ninja organization. This organization had been marauding villages within the Land of Waves, and following a request from the daimyo of the Land of Waves, the Hidden Leaf had dispatched this team to deal with the illegal ninja activity within the Land of Waves.
For the Hidden Leaf, situations like this were already commonplace.
Not only during the Great Ninja War, but even in the aftermath, smaller countries lacking ninja power were frequently plagued by marauding ninja organizations. Such occurrences had become all too familiar.
This team from the Hidden Leaf consisted of one jonin and three chunin. After a fierce battle, they had successfully eradicated the rogue ninja organization and were now preparing to return to the Land of Fire.
Seated at the bow of the boat was the jonin leader, his straight black hair cascading down to his waist.
He wore a forehead protector and had pure white eyes.
He was a jonin from a branch family of the Hyuga Clan.
His name was Hyuga Satoru, and even within the Hyuga branch family, he was considered a rather outstanding jonin.
Because the seas of the Land of Waves were shrouded in fog throughout the year, Hyuga Satoru frequently activated his Byakugan to observe the surrounding waters, guarding against any sudden changes.
In his Byakugan's field of vision, about two kilometers ahead, five individuals on a boat were approaching.
Their chakra levels were very low, making it safe to assume they were ordinary civilians, not to be feared.
Moreover, these people carried no weapons and had only a small amount of money with them.
Undoubtedly, they were ordinary civilians heading to the Land of Waves.
Before long, the boat carrying the five civilians approached.
Hyuga Satoru and the other three Hidden Leaf chunin just glanced at them and then shifted their attention elsewhere.
As the boat brushed past them, suddenly the five people on that boat sped up aggressively.
Almost only a blur was visible as they moved. The three Hidden Leaf chunin let out agonizing screams, completely unprepared for this attack. They fell into the sea, disappearing without a trace.
Hyuga Satoru's face abruptly changed, as this scene shattered his worldview. These guys hardly had any chakra within them, but what was the terrifying speed and power they had just displayed?
Quickly jumping off the boat, Hyuga Satoru focused his chakra in his feet, stabilizing himself on the undulating surface of the sea. He assumed a defensive stance, readying himself for any attacks.
He could no longer afford to consider the condition of his three companions. The five individuals surrounding him were all far from ordinary.
Based solely on the speed and power they displayed just now, if they were to combine their strength, even he wouldn't dare claim absolute certainty of victory.
"Who are you people? Why are you attacking us, the Leaf Village ninja?"
Hyuga Satoru tried to engage in conversation while channeling chakra within himself. He needed to find a way out, or at least understand the identity of these individuals.
However, to his surprise, these five individuals maintained an unwavering expression throughout, remaining silent. They radiated intense hostility, clearly directed at Satoru.
"Attack."
With this simple command, the five of them tacitly advanced towards Hyuga Satoru to encircle him.
Seeing himself surrounded by enemies, Hyuga Satoru remained unfazed. His extensive combat experience, coupled with his Byakugan and Gentle Fist techniques, gave him the confidence to confront these adversaries.
However, after their initial exchange, he realized that these five had immense physical strength. Moreover, his ability to use pressure point attacks was ineffective unless he managed to strike them in the chest.
Though it seemed incredible, these individuals weren't relying on chakra to employ their powerful body techniques. They were utilizing their inherent physical capabilities.
Despite his years of executing missions, Hyuga Satoru was encountering this kind of opponent for the first time.
Damn it! Cold sweat broke out on Hyuga Satoru's forehead involuntarily.
This situation rendered his Gentle Fist almost negligible against these foes.
For most Hyuga Clan ninja, their strength lay predominantly in their Gentle Fist techniques and pressure points.
This situation posed a grave challenge for them, as Hyuga Clan members specialized in these skills.
If he were versed in the unique Gentle Fist technique, "Eight Trigrams: Heavenly Rotation," he might have a chance. This technique offered absolute defense from all angles and could counterattack, creating an opening for escape.
However, as a branch family member, he wasn't qualified to learn this technique, even as a jonin.
It was a highly confidential technique taught only to the main family and a few selected branch family ninja.
For now, his Byakugan was his only defense against surprise attacks. But if the fight continued for an extended period, the odds would still be against him.
"Ah!"
Ignoring the intricate pressure point techniques embedded within his Gentle Fist, his opponent exchanged injuries for injuries, delivering a punch to his face that sent him flying.
Two others quickly positioned themselves where he was about to land. One threw a punch, while the other aimed a kick, brutally assaulting him.
Rolling on the surface of the sea, Hyuga Satoru inadvertently swallowed the salty and bitter seawater that mixed with the blood in his mouth.
His once elegant appearance was now marred, and within him, a sense of despair began to rise.
"Who... Who are you?"
He unwillingly asked again, wanting to know the identity of these five people and the reason behind their attack on the Leaf Village ninja.
The five remained silent, and the only thing echoing on the sea's surface was absolute stillness.
…
The sound of footsteps echoed in his ears.
Hyuga Satoru gradually awakened from a daze, attempting to open his eyes. To his realization, his limbs were numb, leaving only his brain functioning. He couldn't even muster the strength to open his eyes.
He could hear someone moving nearby, but he didn't know who it was or where he was. The surface he lay on was incredibly cold, and he could detect a faint scent similar to disinfectant, as if he were in a hospital.
An atmosphere of chilly seriousness enveloped him.
As if sensing the faint movement on the surgical table, a young man dressed in a white lab coat with a hood stood beside a table, mixing concoctions. This young man was none other than Shiroshi.
Due to the upcoming experiment involving breaking the Caged Bird Seal, many preparations needed to be arranged in advance.
First and foremost, they required a living Hyuga branch member; after all, directly utilizing Ayane's body for this highly perilous experiment wasn't a safe option. While Shiroshi had previously experimented on human subjects, those were just ordinary individuals. He needed a general conclusion; the specifics needed further penetration.
He not only had to preserve Ayane's life but also her invaluable Byakugan, which couldn't be easily discarded.
Hence, he orchestrated the actions of the Five to hunt down the Hyuga branch ninja. These ninja were well-known for their Byakugan, making it virtually impossible to hide from them, unlike regular people and other ninja, who could go unnoticed.
Their insight was far beyond even the Sharingan.
Yet the Five didn't solely rely on chakra in combat; abandoning chakra would limit their ninjutsu, but their taijutsu was equally impressive. Moreover, natural energy wasn't affected by pressure points.
The Hyuga Clan's pressure point techniques could halt chakra flow; the Five held an inherent advantage against Hyuga Satoru. Utilizing natural energy in taijutsu rendered Hyuga Satoru's taijutsu significantly less potent.
Under such circumstances, Hyuga Satoru's taijutsu prowess was drastically diminished, and being hunted was just a matter of time.
The list had been provided by Ayame, and the one responsible for monitoring was the earthen puppet Shiroshi named 'Earth General'.
In terms of infiltration capabilities, Shiroshi considered 'Earth General' to be no weaker than the white creature that combined Wood Release and Tailed Beast traits.
Once they confirmed the whereabouts of the Hyuga branch ninja, the rest of the process would be straightforward.
Upon a successful hunt, 'Earth General' would discreetly transport the captives back to Konoha, sending them to Shiroshi's laboratory for further processing.
After mixing the concoctions and placing them in the prepared apparatus, Shiroshi observed Hyuga Satoru's body closely. Hyuga Satoru had been brought here an hour ago. Based on the normal return time for Satoru's team, they should be back in the Leaf Village tomorrow night or the following morning to report their mission's completion at the Hokage's office.
If Konoha discovered that Hyuga Satoru was missing, they would undoubtedly inform the main family of the Hyuga Clan. What would transpire afterward was beyond Shiroshi's full assurance.
As a precaution, Shiroshi's time was not abundant.
It was evident from the figure lying on the surgical table that Hyuga Satoru was highly anxious. As a jonin, he must have detected someone watching him.
His forehead protector had been removed, revealing a green, intersecting seal, alongside two reverse green hook marks. This was the Caged Bird Seal imprinted on the Hyuga Clan's branch members.
It was also a pressing issue that Shiroshi urgently needed to address.
With Hyuga Satoru's chakra in his body suppressed, preventing him from activating his Byakugan, and his inability to open his eyes, he couldn't see who was standing beside him or where he was.
Shiroshi picked up a transparent glass bottle, designed to absorb chakra. The bottle had seal inscriptions etched on it, and he positioned it over Hyuga Satoru's chest.
Channeling chakra through his palm, he triggered the inscriptions on the bottle. Instantly, a powerful absorption effect took place. Visible to the naked eye, the chakra within Hyuga Satoru's body flowed into the glass bottle at a rapid pace.
As the chakra in the bottle deepened in color, it indicated the accumulating chakra. Shiroshi paid no attention to this, instead fully expanding his sensory perception to watch every movement of Hyuga Satoru.
He had to directly perceive how the Caged Bird Seal was activated.
According to Ayane, the Caged Bird Seal had two activation methods. One was initiated by a main family ninja, targeting Hyuga branch members, causing them extreme agony or damaging their eyes and neural pathways.
This was the active triggering of the Caged Bird Seal.
The other method was passive, triggered when a Hyuga branch ninja died or when their eyes were removed. In this case, the Caged Bird Seal would directly destroy the branch ninja's eyes and neural pathways.
This passive method was entirely different from the active one.
It was a horrifying jutsu.
"Aaah!"
Suddenly, when his chakra had been suppressed to a life-threatening level, Hyuga Satoru broke free from the restraint of the specialized anesthesia, screaming out in extreme shock.
With visible speed, a green light emitted from the seal on his forehead, producing a form of chakra that Shiraishi had never witnessed before.
This chakra surged towards Hyuga Satoru's brain, with a destructive force that was clearly perceptible to Shiroshi. This was entirely different from the chakra flow produced when Rui activated her Sharingan.
Interrupting the chakra absorption from Hyuga Satoru's body, Shiroshi observed the chakra in the glass bottle start to recede. The Caged Bird Seal on Hyuga Satoru's forehead calmed, and the chakra retracted into the seal.
Shiroshi took the glass bottle that absorbed chakra, which now bore visible cracks. It shattered in his hand, and the glass remnants fell to the ground.
"It appears to be this situation."
Seeing Satoru lapse into unconsciousness amidst extreme agony, Shiroshi let out a soft breath.
The unfolding events hadn't surpassed his expectations.
The concept of 'jutsu,' regardless of its various forms, was essentially an application of chakra. Take the Sharingan's genjutsu, for example. It required establishing eye contact, using one's chakra to invade the target's neural pathways, and manipulating the chakra flow in the designated neural pathways.
If the target lacked chakra within their body and only possessed natural energy, then the Sharingan's genjutsu would be utterly ineffective. This was due to the loss of the prerequisite condition for controlling the target.
It wasn't just the Sharingan; other genjutsu functioned similarly. The prerequisite was that the target must have chakra energy within them. Although natural energy was akin to chakra, they didn't combine into Sage Chakra. Consequently, the two 'systems' couldn't interfere with each other.
When jutsu employed Sage Chakra, a combination of natural energy and chakra, it could indeed manipulate targets possessing only natural energy.
All forms of genjutsu had a time limit. The chakra expended wasn't infinite, and even with maximum effort, chakra depletion remained a concern. This implied that if time extended, the genjutsu-casting ninja would eventually run out of chakra, leading to the genjutsu's collapse.
Chakra couldn't sustain the concept of genjutsu.
The same principle applied to ninjutsu and fuinjutsu.
Time limits.
Fire released through Katon had a brief existence unless something flammable sustained the flames, allowing them to burn longer. These flames weren't real fire; they were essentially a cluster of chakra formed into the concept of a technique.
Fuinjutsu also had limits and undoubtedly operated under a mechanism of 'time limit.'
However, after observing the Caged Bird Seal's activation, Shiroshi identified the exact moment when the jutsu came into play as the crucial instance.
Using his sensory perception conjured through Spirit Transformation, he detected that the unique chakra generated by the Caged Bird Seal during its activation remained within Satoru's neural pathways but for a brief period.
However, this duration was short-lived, and that distinctive chakra dissipated from the neural pathways.
A faint smile emerged on Shiroshi's face.
The experiment carried a slight risk, but the results didn't seem unfavorable.
During the initial moments of the fuinjutsu's activation, a tangible chakra was generated within the system formed by the fuinjutsu. This portion of chakra couldn't be reclaimed by the Caged Bird Seal; it was effectively depleted.
If they repeated this process, the Caged Bird Seal would eventually lose the chakra needed to sustain the 'jutsu' concept, causing it to disintegrate from within.
"The Caged Bird Seal wasn't fully triggered. It seems that dying with disappearing chakra can also serve as one of the Caged Bird Seal's activation methods."
With this revelation, things became more manageable.
The conditions and assumptions held true.
Shiroshi had also devised a complete way to replace chakra with a life energy source, ensuring the experiment's subjects could survive unharmed after chakra abandonment.
Placing his palm on Satoru's forehead, Shiroshi conducted a detailed assessment of his neural pathways.
One aspect was somewhat problematic, marking the most critical part of the experiment's process.
By timely halting the chakra extraction, the Caged Bird Seal hadn't fully erupted. Yet that special chakra had surged into Satoru's neural pathways, causing damage.
The challenge lay here.
If they could conduct repeated experiments, continually flushing chakra to disintegrate the Caged Bird Seal, it wouldn't be difficult. However, the current concern was how to ensure Satoru's neural pathways remained secure during the Caged Bird Seal's activation.
Shiroshi fell into contemplation, then crouched down, picking up the glass shards from the ground.
The device designed to absorb chakra had shattered. Besides Satoru's chakra signature on the glass fragments, there was another residual chakra imprint.
Two distinct chakras had clashed, resulting in the shattering of the glass bottle.
"Some was drawn in, but the attraction force seems insufficient... Seems like I need a device with stronger absorption power."
Shiroshi walked over to a nearby shelf, picking up two chakra bottles. He then took a syringe from the tray, injecting the concoction into Satoru's body.
"This is a potion designed to sustain bodily vitality. Because the upcoming experiment is even riskier than before, we must enhance Satoru's self-recovery ability. Otherwise, if we continue like this, the subject might die during the experiment before it concludes."
With Satoru unconscious, Shiroshi commenced the second experiment.
This time, Shiroshi prepared to use two chakra bottles: a standard absorption chakra bottle placed over Satoru's chest, following the previous rhythm, and another with stronger absorption placed on his forehead.
The idea was to see if they could absorb the special chakra generated when the Caged Bird Seal triggered once again.
Thus, the operating table resonated frequently with Satoru's agonized screams, echoing incessantly.
"..."
Approximately two hours later, observing Satoru's feeble state, Shiroshi halted the experiment.
Continuing further would likely lead to Satoru's death due to the intense pain.
Shiroshi furrowed his brow in contemplation.
From the repeated experiments just conducted, he discovered that the special chakra generated during the Caged Bird Seal's activation had an exceedingly strong affinity with Satoru's body.
Even with a stronger chakra-absorption bottle, the effect remained minimal.
At this rate, even with better absorption tools, there would be no significant progress.
And Shiroshi couldn't guarantee how many more attempts Satoru could withstand.
The moment of the Caged Bird Seal's activation led to an unimaginable level of agony and lethality within the human body, far beyond Shiroshi's expectations.
"Is this a fuinjutsu specially developed for Byakugan?"
If that were the case, the close connection between the Caged Bird Seal and the Byakugan wasn't hard to imagine.
Through the recent experiments, Shiroshi gained confidence in understanding the Caged Bird Seal's destructive methods against Hyuga clan ninja and how to control the risks.
"This is dragging on for too long..."
Shiroshi didn't dare directly attempt letting Satoru die to perform a more thorough observation.
This would imply he would have to continually capture Hyuga clan ninja, which might work once or twice, but after the third time, even the Hyuga clan's main family should realize someone was targeting them.
At that point, Hyuga clan ninja might cease leaving the village for missions, making it extremely challenging to obtain subjects for experimentation.
Moreover, analyzing up to this point, there was no longer a necessity to research the Hyuga clan ninja's bodies.
Shiroshi had already learned about the connection between the Caged Bird Seal and the incomplete Byakugan, including its generation and countermeasures.
Now, only one piece was missing for observation.
—Hunting down Hyuga clan ninja.
To differentiate between the two Byakugan and potentially even possess their mental worlds through Spirit Transformation, extracting hidden information about the Caged Bird Seal's technique, and reverse-engineering its formula.
Only then could the experiment to break the Caged Bird Seal be truly foolproof.
This wasn't something to trouble Ayane with; it needed to be planned and executed by himself.
Compared to branch family ninja, the main family Hyuga ninja rarely ventured out for missions, and even if they did, powerful branch family guards would likely protect them covertly.
"Relying solely on Chudan's group of five wouldn't be enough to deal with so many powerful ninja. It's highly likely the target would escape. Looks like I need an opportunity to leave the village."
Having concluded the experiment with Satoru, Shiroshi contemplated how he would proceed to hunt down the main family Hyuga ninja.
…
Three days had passed, and it was afternoon.
Satoru, a Jounin of Konoha, had gone missing. When the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, received the intelligence report from ANBU, he couldn't help but frown.
According to the mission assignment he had given to Satoru's team, they should have returned to Konoha yesterday morning and reported their mission progress to the Hokage's office.
However, more than a day had passed since yesterday morning.
Based on the information provided by ANBU operatives operating within the Fire Country, there was no trace of Satoru's team.
At present, four ANBU operatives were on their way to the Land of Waves to investigate the case of the disappearance of Satoru.
Suddenly losing a high-ranking ninja without any apparent reason wasn't a minor issue for Konoha either.
Fortunately, domestic and international conditions had been relatively peaceful over the past few years, significantly reducing the workload of ANBU operatives. They didn't need to keep a constant watch over the Fire Country borders to eliminate threats.
However, the investigation in the Land of Waves was estimated to take about four to five days before the ANBU operatives returned to report their findings.
Thinking this over, Hiruzen Sarutobi tapped the table, and an ANBU ninja emerged from the shadows, waiting for orders.
"Deliver this to the head of the Hyuga clan."
"Yes, Lord Hokage."
The ANBU ninja received the scroll handed over by Hiruzen and vanished from the office.
Once the ANBU ninja had disappeared, Hiruzen let out a relieved breath.
Although this matter didn't concern the village as a whole, the sudden loss of contact with a high-ranking ninja, and one from the Hyuga clan at that, required timely communication with the clan for both ethical and practical reasons.
After all, this clan's ninja were a bit unique.
The branch family ninja were constrained by the main family's Caged Bird Seal, so it would be best to let them judge whether there was something wrong.
As the Hokage, it wasn't easy for him to deal with such sensitive family matters.
And so, time passed gradually. Hiruzen glanced outside and noticed that the sky had completely darkened without him realizing. He tidied up the documents on his desk, walked towards the door, and headed home to rest.
Less than half an hour after Hiruzen had left, the office was shrouded in dimness, illuminated only by faint moonlight.
Without making the slightest sound, a protrusion emerged from the office's floor. Golden eyes, their brilliance not dazzling, surveyed the room.
The body slowly detached from the floor, morphing into a malleable and twisted humanoid form. It began silently searching the desk for the most recent mission reports released by Konoha.
After an unknown duration, a shadow suddenly approached swiftly. With a soft swish, a gleaming blade of a ninja sword sliced through the air.
Without hesitation, the twisted humanoid figure was severed into two parts.
Its upper body flew outward, sticking to the wall with a faint thud.
The creature's eyes, possessing a pair of dull golden eyes void of any organic life, stared fixedly at the sudden appearance of the Konoha ANBU.
There was no hint of fear in its eyes, only incomprehensible murmurs escaping its mouth.
Following this, under the bewildered gaze of the Konoha ANBU, the lower half of the creature, still stationed near the desk, turned the floor into a marsh-like quagmire, sinking into it and disappearing.
The Konoha ANBU quickly reacted, raising their blade and attacking the upper body, which was stuck to the wall.
Similar to the lower half, the upper half turned the wall into a swamp, entirely submerging its body within, then began to retreat.
The blade sliced through the air once again, but this time, it only struck the solid wall, leaving a crack behind.
(Chapter End)