Chapter 38 Freedom
Returning to the Hokage's office was a matter of a dozen minutes. Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gazed at the wall in his office, marked by a slash caused by the previous ANBU ninja's combat. It was the imprint left by the ANBU ninja using their shinobi sword.
"What happened?"
Hiruzen looked at the four ANBU operatives who had appeared before him, inquiring about what had transpired here.
"Lord Hokage, someone has stolen information from here."
The ANBU ninja who had previously repelled the intruder responded.
"Did you catch the intruder?"
Hiruzen inquired about the crux of the matter.
"I cut the enemy's body into two parts, but it seems they have some sort of immortality. Even after being split, they exhibited remarkable vitality, and they separately disappeared into the ground and the wall."
The Konoha ANBU quickly kneeled down, explaining to Hiruzen, then continued, "I'm sorry, Lord Hokage. Though we tried tracking them afterward, they moved swiftly within the soil, and we lost them before long."
"Rise. It appears that the infiltrator here possesses unique abilities."
Immortality and the ability to submerge into walls and the floor – not to mention eluding the pursuing ANBU operatives – regardless of combat capabilities, these infiltration skills were indeed not to be underestimated.
Approaching the desk, Hiruzen observed the somewhat disheveled documents and files on the surface. These papers covered a variety of topics, making it difficult for Hiruzen to deduce what the infiltrator was looking for.
There were records of elite teams of high-ranking ninjas, assigned tasks and their execution, as well as various outdated orders. Amidst these, Hiruzen also discovered a magazine with a cover featuring a scantily-clad bikini model.
Hiruzen's expression twitched. He discreetly slipped the magazine into a nearby drawer.
He had no choice. Even as the Hokage, he faced immense pressure in his daily life. Even for the Hokage, diversions such as colorful magazines were essential to alleviate stress.
"Lord Hokage, what should we do next?"
"There probably won't be any immediate consequences. Most of the documents here don't contain the village's most critical secrets..."
However, even if these documents weren't directly linked to the village's core secrets, the potential threat of unknown individuals accessing them was a concern.
However, as of now, it wasn't possible to determine the intruder's identity and motives. Furthermore, it was impossible to take any action against an unidentified intruder. Even if Hiruzen knew that the infiltrator might pose a threat to Konoha, there was little he could do.
They could only leave it at that for now.
"Let's leave it like this for now. Be more cautious during your duties."
Hiruzen didn't blame the ANBU operatives. After all, there were only four of them in rotation guarding this area.
The reason was that the documents here didn't involve Konoha's most critical secrets. Deploying more personnel here would be a waste of resources, potentially weakening the security in other areas.
However, not taking any precautions regarding these documents wasn't a feasible option either.
What intrigued Hiruzen was that if the intruder had come for Konoha's secrets, the information they could gain from this location was rather limited.
Truly confidential ANBU member profiles, various research data, forbidden jutsu, and secret techniques – these were Konoha's core secrets, safeguarded in more concealed locations.
The ANBU operatives assigned to guard those locations were among the best in the ANBU, both in terms of numbers and in terms of possessing rare secret techniques. They even had specialized sensory ninjas to prevent infiltration.
Not understanding why the infiltrator had come, Hiruzen refrained from making futile speculations.
…
A day later.
A ship departing from the Land of Rain's harbor was headed for the Land of Fire's port.
On the deck of this ship, people of various backgrounds were either enjoying their time or gazing out at the boundless blue sea.
"Hokawa-sama, it's quite risky for you to be visible here. Shall we return to your room?"
Two adult male ninja with white irises advised the white-eyed ninja, who was enjoying the view of the blue sea from the deck.
This white-eyed ninja, referred to as "Hokawa-sama," was a handsome young man adorned with a Konoha headband, indicating his identity as a Konoha ninja.
And those three pairs of pure white eyes unmistakably denoted their identities – the Hyuga clan.
The Hyuga clan weren't only prominent among ninja clans, but top-tier ninja clans like them also had intricate connections with the outside world.
Their current trip was purely to establish connections in the Land of Rain, handling some business related to trade affairs between the Hyuga clan and certain business guilds.
Since the person appearing needed to hold a suitable position, the Hyuga clan had dispatched Hyuga Hokawa, a member of the main branch, while his escorts were two special jounin from the branch family.
Though not true jounin, the two of them combined would be more than a match for most jounin, possibly even overpowering them.
And Hyuga Hokawa, as a member of the main branch, was the strongest among the three.
At just twenty years of age, he was already known as a prodigious jounin in the Hyuga main branch.
With this configuration, even if they were to encounter over a hundred chuunin-level enemies, they would still be able to escape with ease.
"It's okay, I'm just out to relax a bit. Our family's business in the Land of Rain is done, and you two don't need to be so tense."
Hokawa smiled at the concerns of the two Hyuga branch members.
"Even so, as a member of the main..."
Seeing Hokawa's hushed signal, the branch ninja realized he almost slipped up. He looked around, relieved that no one was paying attention here, and relaxed.
"You two, don't be overly respectful to me. Be more casual."
Hokawa's face carried a gentle smile.
"Understood."
Although Hokawa, as a member of the main branch, said this, the two branch ninjas still refrained from crossing their boundaries.
After all, their upbringing had always emphasized the importance of the main branch.
Even if it meant sacrificing their lives, they needed to ensure the safety of the main branch ninja.
This mindset was deeply ingrained in their genes. Often, they would instinctively take actions to protect the main branch.
Hokawa sighed at their restraint, realizing that this only fueled suspicion.
However, even if things took an unexpected turn, with the strength of the three of them...
Boom!
An abrupt explosion sound occurred, causing the massive ship to shudder violently. The ship rocked back and forth on the boundless sea, jolting with intensity.
Hokawa and the two branch ninjas immediately focused chakra into their feet and grabbed onto the railing nearby, stabilizing themselves on the deck.
After the violent tremor, panicked screams erupted from the tourists on the deck, and an atmosphere of fear and chaos spread throughout the ship.
On the blue sea, colossal waves surged, attacking the ship wave after wave. The ship continuously swayed on the sea, nearly capsizing multiple times.
"What... what's happening!?"
"It seems the journey back to Konoha won't be smooth."
Remaining composed on the deck, Hokawa activated his Byakugan, his white eyes piercing through layers of surging water to spot about a dozen enemies rapidly approaching the ship.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Following a resounding command, a colossal water dragon, formed from a vast volume of water, surged towards the ship with great visual impact, leaving a trail of water in its wake.
Hokawa glanced at the terrified tourists on the deck and furrowed his brows. He exerted his legs and leaped into the air, chakra erupting from his body's chakra points, causing his body to spin like a top.
"Eight Tiagrams Palms Revolving Heaven!"
Boom!
The massive chakra sphere, formed by Hokawa's Retreating Sky technique, collided with the water dragon conjured by the enemies.
The water dragon dispersed into countless water streams, washing over the ship's deck. A few tourists were accidentally swept into the sea, calling for help.
Hokawa descended from mid-air. Despite successfully blocking the water dragon's assault, preventing the ship from being smashed by it, the immense force still paled his complexion.
"Follow me, let's not fight here!"
Hokawa understood that these enemies didn't care about the hundreds of lives on the ship. Engaging them here would only endanger themselves further.
Jumping off the deck, he immediately started running on the sea's surface.
"Yes!"
The two branch ninjas promptly followed Hokawa, watching the ship become increasingly distant. It was unlikely that the battle would extend to the ship now.
"Hokawa-sama, who are these...?"
"Thei water style jutsu is quite powerful, but their attire doesn't seem like that of Kirigakure ninja."
The enemies were dressed just like regular civilians, wearing coarse clothing that wasn't the typical attire of shinobi.
"Disguises?"
"It's a possibility."
As Hokawa finished his sentence, a sudden surge of dense white mist engulfed the sea without warning.
An area of about one kilometer in diameter was enveloped by this sudden mist.
Within the mist, an incredibly powerful chakra was present. While the Byakugan's perception still held, the extra effort required to see through the mist slightly increased chakra consumption. However, for the three Hyuga ninjas, this increase was negligible.
"Mist Concealment Jutsu. Such intensity could almost block the Sharingan. However, our Hyuga's Byakugan surpasses all in terms of insight."
Hokawa showed no fear toward this formidable Mist Concealment Jutsu. Within the range observed by the Byakugan, he could foresee the actions of these enemies – their numbers, direction of attack, and the nature of chakra they were manipulating – providing a substantial advantage.
Senseless killings were all too common in the shinobi world, but a dozen unknown ninja charging with an overwhelming intent to kill was a distinct threat. Their target was clearly the three of them.
Or more precisely, it was the Hyuga clan's bloodline limit – the unadulterated, unsealed Byakugan.
"Water Release:Water Dragon Bullet!"
The same jutsu was executed, but this time, it was six people releasing it.
Six water dragons surged forward with a momentum capable of crushing a human body, along with the massive wave generated by the rushing water. The three Hyuga ninjas revealed a solemn expression.
"The impact of this intensity is beyond what a single Eight Tiagrams Palms Revolving Heaven can handle. If only these two branch members knew how to use it." Hokawa sighed within himself.
If all three of them could use Eight Tiagrams Palms Revolving Heaven, they might not escape this attack unscathed, but they could surely defend themselves and perhaps sustain only minor injuries.
Regrettably, the ultimate defensive form, was a closely guarded secret technique, accessible only to main branch members and certain elite branch ninjas.
Many branch upper-level ninjas were not granted permission to learn this technique, including the two special Jonin-level bodyguards by Hokawa's side.
Being hit by the combined force of six water dragons head-on, at the lightest, would result in severe injuries.
Therefore, the three kept retreating, distancing themselves to lessen the force of the water dragon impacts before dealing with them.
However, the enemies were well aware of the Hyuga clan's capabilities and the fact that the vast sea was a water-style ninja's domain of amplification.
Water-style jutsu executed with the usual amount of chakra here required merely half the chakra and could be performed with doubled potency if the same amount of chakra was used.
For water-style ninjas, there was no better place to employ their jutsu than here.
Fighting water-style ninjas with expansive ninjutsu range in this territory was greatly disadvantageous.
"Damn it!"
While these dozen or so individuals displayed considerable prowess, none of them seemed interested in close-quarters combat. They focused on long-range and wide-area water-style jutsu, exploiting the vast ocean to drain the trio's stamina.
Being struck by a water-style jutsu carelessly would lead to severe injuries.
Continuing like this, the three of them would eventually exhaust their strength, falling into the enemy's hands.
"Hokawa-sama, please leave this place. These guys are formidable! We'll hold them off here!"
The two special Jonin-level branch ninjas intended to clear a path for Hokawa to escape first.
The importance of the Byakugan to the Hyuga clan was evident. Falling into the wrong hands, especially a pure, unsealed Byakugan, would be detrimental to both the Hyuga clan and Konoha.
Hokawa glanced at them and saw the determination in their eyes. Nodding, he decisively fled in a direction where no enemies obstructed him.
Whether he liked it or not, the significance of branch ninjas emerged at moments like this.
Even if it meant sacrificing themselves, they must ensure a way out for the main branch ninja, rather than having the main branch sacrifice themselves and the branch members escape.
Hokawa was no stranger to this situation. He also believed that this was only fitting.
After all, he needed to protect his precious and proud Byakugan from falling into enemy hands. The sacrifice of the two branch ninjas had its value.
Several kilometers away from the battlefield, a humanoid figure entirely composed of earthy brown soil emerged from the surface of the sea.
Subsequently, the contorted figure, covered in sticky muck, stood on the sea's surface. Its irregular form began to writhe.
Shortly after, it formed hand seals, pressing both hands against the surface of the sea. Accompanied by abundant white smoke, Shiroshi, wearing a white hooded coat, was summoned from a distant location in Konoha.
"This Reverse Summoning Jutsu is quite convenient. Thanks for your hard work."
Shiroshi gazed at his "idiot son" standing beside him. Often, he did have his uses.
Originally, Shiroshi had envisioned crafting him into a robust rock puppet for battle, but due to limitations in both technology and incomplete Senjutsu, he could only have him act as a covert operative by his side.
The mud figure rambled on incoherent words, then vanished back into the water from where it came.
Once it disappeared, Shiroshi squatted down and tapped the surface of the sea with a finger. A vast range of sensory power spread in all directions.
His target was none other than Hokawa, the Hyuga clan's main branch upper-level ninja.
"That direction? But what kind of battle is this? Has someone else targeted them?"
Shiroshi's expression was perplexed.
Considering the strategic significance of the Hyuga clan's main branch Byakugan, it was natural. In the midst of ninja wars, having such an eye often caused enemies' machinations to unravel.
Within his perception, the two sides were divided into two camps: one with three individuals, and another with thirteen.
The side with three individuals was likely comprised of Hyuga clan ninjas. The person currently retreating from the battlefield was likely Hokawa.
It seemed they intended to use branch ninjas to buy time, granting themselves a chance to escape.
"These ambushers are no simple foes. However, with them assisting me, I won't need to worry about the two branch guards."
Shiroshi smiled faintly, and his figure disappeared from the original spot, heading towards the direction where the Hokawa Hyuga was fleeing within the Hokawa Formation.
The sensory range of the Spirit Transformation Technique was incredibly vast, and in this open sea with no obstacles, it meant that as long as Shiroshi's speed outpaced his opponent's, Hokawa Hyuga would be unable to escape his pursuit.
And that's exactly what happened; Shiroshi had great confidence in his speed.
Even if the opponent was a renowned genius Jonin from the Hyuga clan, it was only a matter of time before Shiroshi caught up.
About five minutes later, Shiroshi saw a young ninja dressed in the style of the Hyuga clan, swiftly dashing across the surface of the sea.
The young ninja, too, noticed Shiroshi rapidly closing in and seemed somewhat surprised.
He knew someone was approaching him at high speed, but he hadn't expected it to be a ninja from Konoha.
He had seen that face once before by chance, remembering it was the medical ninja from the previous Shoma Jonin team.
Why was this person appearing here?
This abnormally fast speed, even faster than his, a Jonin's?
Did the enemy transform?
However, under the observation of his Byakugan, there were no signs of transformation.
Even if he had transformed, there was no need to turn into someone unrelated like this.
Hokawa Hyuga's expression grew wary.
"Wait, you—"
He wanted to say something, but Shiroshi didn't give him the chance to speak. He immediately took out several explosive balls from his ninja pouch and threw them into the air, causing them to detonate.
The speed at which the smoke spread was even faster than the Hidden Mist Technique, and it covered a radius of over thirty meters. The smoke's color was deep purple, causing Hokawa Hyuga's expression to change immediately.
He didn't dare to inhale the strange-colored mist and immediately dove into the sea.
As long as he waited for this peculiar mist to disperse, he could resurface.
However, to his surprise, it took about two to three minutes for the poisonous mist to slowly dissipate in the seawater.
Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Shiroshi once again took out several explosive balls from his pouch and continued to spread them across the sea's surface.
Through his Byakugan, Hokawa locked onto Shiroshi's pouch and noticed there were still many such explosive balls inside.
"..."
If this continued, he would likely drown before Shiroshi.
If he moved in the water, the opponent would undoubtedly follow.
With no other choice, he reluctantly swam toward the sea's surface and planned to use his Revolving Heaven to disperse the poisonous mist and catch his breath.
Shiroshi also understood what Hokawa was thinking. He took out a kunai from his pouch, which had a string of five explosive tags attached to it, and showed a friendly smile toward Hokawa.
The expression he conveyed was, "Don't think you can pop up like this; you'll end up being a hiding turtle..."
"..."
Honestly, Hokawa was getting annoyed, feeling an urge to curse.
How did this person not have the fighting style that a ninja should have? Judging by his speed, he should be a taijutsu user, so shouldn't he rely on powerful physical techniques and engage in close combat?
Just at that moment, something else intruded into his field of vision.
It was a humanoid figure, seemingly made of mud, with a sandy-yellow color. Emerging from the deeper parts of the dark sea floor, its pitch-black eyes emitted a faint golden glow, particularly striking in the abyssal darkness, creating a terrifying atmosphere.
It twisted its incredibly bizarre body and sprinted towards them at a speed that surprised even Hokawa , much faster than he could run on land.
Hokawa's expression turned to shock.
Because he noticed that this humanoid figure was bound with waterproof explosive tags all over its body, and on each tag was the character 'explode.'
Waterproof detonating tags.
These explosive tags had less power than ordinary ones, but with the quantity attached, even a small explosion would be enough to turn someone into pieces.
The mud general, while sliding swiftly through the seawater, gave Hyuga Hokawa no extra time to consider.
He needed to return to the surface!
After reaching the surface of the sea, this eerie mud figure would definitely catch up to him and detonate the explosive tags on its body.
So, without hesitation, Hokawa Hyuga employed the Revolving Heaven technique underwater, stirring the water flow to push the mud figure away from him.
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed through the water, and the sea's surface immediately caved in, forming a massive hollow. Hokawa coughed up blood as he was propelled into the air, his eyes struggling to remain open.
While the enormous blast had displaced the toxic mist on the water's surface, it had also inflicted substantial injuries on him.
This bastard!
He had no semblance of what a true ninja should be!
Encountering such a despicable and disrespectful opponent, Hokawa wished they could execute divine retribution on him.
"Revolving Heaven!"
Seeing Shiroshi charging towards him, Hokawa clenched his teeth, glaring at Shiroshi with furious and menacing eyes.
Releasing most of his remaining chakra, Hokawa employed the Revolving Heaven technique with maximum force, hoping to show Shiroshi that even in this state, he wasn't a match for a Hyuga clan member.
Die!
Snap!
A look of astonishment crossed Hokawa's face as the Revolving Heaven technique didn't activate.
Shiroshi had seized his arm before the technique could be activated, and then he used the reverse momentum to hurl Hokawa's body towards the sea's surface.
Hokawa's body made a heavy impact with the water, and he involuntarily spat out another mouthful of blood. His eyes were wide with shock as he gazed at Shiroshi.
"How... could you... break... the Revolving Heaven!?"
"Why the surprised expression? I've seen the Revolving Heaven technique much more powerful than yours. To me, your Revolving Heaven is basically a flaw. Hokawa, from the Hyuga main family."
Shiroshi's words pointedly referred to Ayane.
He had witnessed Ayane's use of the Revolving Heaven technique, which surpassed Hokawa's in terms of power, speed, and recoil force.
In Shiroshi's eyes, Hokawa's Revolving Heaven technique was nothing more than a vulnerability that could be cracked simply by using faster speed.
It wasn't anything worth boasting about.
"You... you bastard... Could it really be... that medical ninja from the Sakumo Jonin team? You're a Konoha ninja too. Why would you..."
Facing Hokawa's questioning, Shiroshi didn't bother to explain once again.
Seeing Shiroshi's lack of interest in explaining, a resentful look flashed in Hokawa's eyes, but his body wouldn't hold up any longer. His head felt heavy, and he soon lost consciousness, falling into a state of unconsciousness.
Shiroshi hoisted Hokawa's body onto his shoulder, then glanced at the fragmented sandy-colored mud nearby, slowly congealing together at an excruciatingly sluggish pace.
The only relatively intact part, The head, weakly murmured incomprehensible words.
It seemed he had already discovered the joy of participating in a battle.
His incoherent speech made it clear how ecstatic he was.
…
In a dimly lit room, a radiant yellow light illuminated the space.
This room housed a relatively rudimentary laboratory. Compared to the underground facility in Konoha, the equipment and materials available here weren't as abundant.
However, it was primarily meant to serve as a resupply point, allowing for some compromise in terms of specifications. This laboratory was located in a secret outpost within the Land of Tea. After obtaining ample funds, Shiroshi had his subordinates construct similar supply points in several countries. Most of these were set up in smaller nations, with only a few located within the borders of the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Those guarding these points maintained communication through special codes.
Inside a large floor-to-ceiling glass column, the Mud Golem, General Tsuchi, was placed. The column was filled with a jade-green liquid containing a considerable amount of natural energy and some restorative potions to aid in its recovery.
Although General Tsuchi possessed a certain level of 'undying' ability, it wasn't truly invulnerable. After experiencing such a devastating explosion, despite its robust life force, it was utterly exhausted.
Most of the 'mud' had already integrated into its body, but a few clumps still floated within the liquid, gradually recovering.
Before long, the door to the laboratory opened. Chudan entered from outside.
"After being shattered like that, can he truly regenerate?" Chudan approached Shiroshi and gazed curiously at General Tsuchi within the glass cylinder. He marveled at the incredible vitality of this artificially created being.
"Considering his core source is natural energy, at the moment of the explosion, he absorbed a significant amount of energy from the sea, which mitigated much of the explosion's force."
"Are you implying that as long as natural energy persists, he won't die?" Chudan was hearing this for the first time.
Shiroshi smiled and explained, "In theory, yes. However, this is purely theoretical. There are limits to what he can endure. But if he integrates with stronger Senjutsu chakra in the future, he will become the perfected artificial being I envision."
Chudan didn't fully grasp the concept, but he understood that Shiroshi's creation had stretched the boundaries of chakra's capabilities.
"If he achieves his full potential, how formidable will he become?" Chudan contemplated, realizing the potential uncertainties.
However, such concerns were unwarranted. As his creator, Shiroshi wouldn't allow him to betray his intentions. He would undoubtedly have stringent limitations and control mechanisms in place.
Inside the glass cylinder, General Tsuchi's eyes emitted a faint golden light. He seemed to be contemplating something as he floated in the emerald solution. Air bubbles escaped from his mouth, and he playfully swam within the column, dispersing his lingering resentment.
"Is everything fine in Konoha? Being away for so long?" Chudan inquired.
"It's fine. These two days are weekends, and the ninja academy is closed. In about an hour, General Tsuchi's body will be fully restored. Then, I'll have him infiltrate Konoha and communicate with me. The total time won't exceed ten hours."
Even if unexpected events occurred, Rui would assist in covering them up. Moreover, as a transparent figure, Shiroshi had few connections within Hidden Leaf. Tsunade was one of them, being the village's only Sannin.
"What about the survivors of the Uzumaki clan?" Shiroshi changed the topic.
"They were escorted to the Land of Demons yesterday. We have their blood samples and hair here."
Chudan produced two transparent pouches—one containing vibrant red hair and the other containing several vials of blood. Shiroshi accepted them, confident in Chudan's competence.
Attentive and meticulous, Chudan was a resolute and capable leader. Even significant missions were entrusted to him, yielding satisfactory results.
"Did they disclose the whereabouts of other Uzumaki survivors?"
Shiroshi believed that the remaining Uzumaki clan members were likely maintaining covert communication. He hoped that through these survivors, he could locate other hidden descendants.
Whether they were to be trained in sealing jutsu or transformed into combatants, they were inherently stronger than ordinary people. Their robust life force and chakra made them well-suited for the natural energy system.
"They didn't. But I believe it's just a matter of time."
"As long as you're certain."
Shiroshi didn't inquire about how Chudan was taking care of these Uzumaki survivors, but he trusted that Chudan understood his intentions. The specifics were best left to him.
The organization had already recruited many useful talents. This included moderately renowned blacksmiths, engineers, doctors, and more. As long as they had genuine skills and were down on their luck, Shiroshi's group would enlist them.
They were then gathered at the headquarters in the Land of Demons, ready to contribute to the organization.
During the organization's initial accumulation phase, their assistance might not yield a significant impact. However, that accumulation would eventually bear fruit. At that point, the organization would truly flourish.
Cultivating talents from various fields was crucial. Unlike combatants, nurturing these individuals was far more challenging because mastering knowledge and experience required time.
The organization's prosperity hinged on these ordinary yet exceptional individuals.
"By the way, this is a letter sent to you by Lady Miroku, the priestess of the Land of Demons."
Chudan retrieved a letter from his pocket and handed it to Shiroshi.
After completing this task, Chudan left the area. As an organization executive, he had many important tasks to attend to.
Holding the letter from the priestess of the Land of Demons, Shiroshi displayed a look of surprise.
Because on the letter, he felt a familiar presence—natural energy.
Miroku, the priestess of the Land of Demons... Did she also understand the usage of natural energy?
Shiroshi found it intriguing. He knew that many in the ninja world hadn't noticed the existence of natural energy, and even if they knew Senjutsu, it was limited to the ninja community.
However, compared to the total human population, the number of ninjas was quite scarce.
Furthermore, among ninjas, only a small group knew about natural energy.
Shiroshi didn't consider natural energy as his exclusive discovery; such thinking would be overly arrogant. Prior to him, some clans like the Toad Summoning Clan had already learned to use natural energy, even fusing it with chakra to develop Senjutsu.
However, this time was definitely the second occurrence, after himself, of someone possessing natural energy.
"Miroku, the priestess of the Land of Demons..."
It was said that the priestess holding power over the Land of Demons had a mysterious ability to see into the future. Moreover, she possessed an unknown sealing technique capable of suppressing various ancient demons and malevolent spirits.
"It seems the path of natural energy isn't as solitary as I thought..."
Shiroshi smiled, wiping away the mention of natural energy in the letter and extracting the paper within.
He held up the paper with only one line written on it— "Beware of Myoboku Mountain."
That's it.
Just these five words.
Shiroshi furrowed his brows.
"Beware of Myoboku Mountain..."
What did this mean?
Why should he be wary of Myoboku Mountain?
He saw no connection between himself and Myoboku Mountain. Why should he be cautious of these toads?
Shiroshi recalled the sudden increase in the number of toads in Konoha's underground waterways a few years ago. He narrowed his eyes, his gaze flickering.
"The priestess, huh? What an interesting existence..."
While he didn't entirely believe the content of the priestess's letter, he thought of the sudden increase in the number of toads in Konoha several years ago, which had raised Rui's vigilance.
He suspected Jiraiya, one of the Three Legendary Sannin, was involved.
Now, Shiroshi's suspicion grew stronger, leaning towards Jiraiya's involvement.
Though he wanted to visit the priestess in the Land of Demons and discuss this matter in person, he had too many responsibilities to leave right now.
Wait, it seemed he had a solution.
Shiroshi glanced at General Tsuchi, who was playfully swimming within the glass cylinder. As a communication tool, there was no better choice than him.
Seeing General Tsuchi's leisurely demeanor, he knew the general was idle and had plenty of time to spare.
He needed to find something for him to do, keeping him active and preventing him from getting rusty.
…
Returning to Konoha was a matter of more than nine hours, and by that time, dawn had almost broken on the next day.
Today was Sunday, and the ninja academy was still on break. Shiroshi could freely move around at home.
For an ordinary ninja, relying solely on this meager income would be insufficient to make ends meet, and even renting a house might be a struggle.
After all, he wasn't a full-time teacher, but his monthly salary could sustain himself and leave some surplus.
But as a foster husband of the Uchiha prodigy, Shiroshi felt his role as an assistant to Tsunade at the ninja academy was merely a life experience. Money was irrelevant; what mattered was a positive and optimistic attitude toward life.
Placed on an operating table, unconscious Hyuga Hokawa had also been transported back by General Tsuchi.
Before being brought out through the reversed summoning, Shiroshi had slept for a few hours to ensure that he could research with a refreshed mind after returning.
Shiroshi didn't plan on wasting time. Although he had ample time, resolving the Cage Bird was his priority. He would concentrate on infiltrating Senjutsu chakra and direct his energy toward this endeavor.
By doing so, he'd be more confident in his future plans. It would not only enhance his, Rui's, and Ayane's strengths, but also greatly elevate the core members.
Injecting a specially modified tranquilizer into Hyuga Hokawa, and using powerful restraining devices, his body was fixed on the operating table. Additionally, the flow of chakra within his body was disrupted, preventing him from utilizing Byakugan and Gentle Fist to resist. This would ensure that he didn't interfere with the ongoing research upon awakening.
"Rui probably hasn't woken up yet..."
After some thought, Shiroshi decided not to disturb Rui and let General Tsuchi keep an eye on him.
Approaching Hokawa's side, Shiroshi formed hand seals. His ephemeral spirit separated from his body and entered Hokawa's body. While Hokawa remained unconscious, Shiroshi's spirit directly connected with his mind, delving into his memories and extracting the secrets of the Byakugan.
As a member of the main clan, he should know much about the Byakugan and the Cage Bird's secrets.
Hokawa's status within the Hyuga clan was not low.
Unlike his previous encounter in the blank white spiritual world, this time within Hokawa's spiritual realm, many more elements existed.
Shiroshi traversed this unknown world. Before him stood rows of stone columns with white ropes, forming a barrier that he had to navigate through.
"Indeed, is there a defensive technique? I knew it wouldn't be so simple. This must be some powerful sealing technique."
Shiroshi's expression grew serious.
The terrifying experience he had during his encounter in that white creature's spiritual world was still vivid in his memory.
Although the pressure these stone columns posed was not as overwhelming as the Sharingan's, they were still imposing from a sensory perspective. Furthermore, the composition of the technique was different from a typical sealing jutsu.
"This is truly a challenging task."
Now that he understood the extent of the technique's power, Shiroshi began searching for the specific structure of the technique, looking for weak points to exploit and break through.
Placing his palm on a stone column with a white rope, he sensed.
The Transformation Technique was a highly versatile S-rank secret ninja art, offering special and comprehensive functionalities, particularly in the realm of spiritual and mental capabilities.
Regardless, the techniques set up in Hokawa's mind were based on the foundation of his spiritual world. Therefore, Shiroshi could utilize the Transformation Technique to search for vulnerabilities and find an entry point.
"The weakness is here."
Following the sequence, Shiroshi swiftly untied the white ropes on three columns.
At the same time, the stone column blocking his path shattered and collapsed around him.
"By doing this..."
Before he could finish his sentence, another batch of stone columns with white ropes fell from above, enclosing Shiroshi like a cage and restraining him within.
Cold sweat emerged on Shiroshi's forehead.
"Multiple techniques, huh? Dealing with this is a bit tricky..."
Shiroshi could only continue searching for an entry point within the technique.
However, when he attempted to touch these columns and sense them, he realized that, no matter how he moved forward, he couldn't make physical contact with them.
Despite walking, the columns didn't change their distance. It felt endless.
Shiroshi halted, realizing that continuing would only drain his mental energy.
The second layer of the technique was evidently more intricate than the first.
Shiroshi composed himself, closely observing the arrangement of the columns, hoping to discover something.
After a while, Shiroshi recognized that the pattern of the columns seemed somewhat familiar.
"This formation... is it the Eight Trigrams?"
Shiroshi murmured to himself.
"Infinite and formless, encompassing everything... Breaking this will indeed require a lot of time..."
Shiroshi had to gather his resolve and gradually search for an exit.
Time passed slowly.
When his ethereal spirit returned to his body, Shiroshi glanced at the nearby time, realizing it was already 9 PM. He felt a pang of hunger, his stomach empty from excessive fasting.
"Did I really take this much time?"
He felt that the time spent within Hokawa's spiritual world hadn't been much, yet a whole day had passed.
Meanwhile, Hokawa, lying on the operating table, had his eyes rolled back... his eyes were originally white.
However, once opened, visible bloodshot veins cracked through the pure white of his eyeballs. His mouth drooled, and there were traces of intense struggling on the table.
On the adjacent experiment table lay cold food that Rui had probably brought, which Shiroshi consumed simply. He then had General Tsuchi take away the plates.
Shiroshi had achieved significant gains within Hokawa's spiritual world. After spending a day breaking the second complex technique, the path was clear, and he smoothly accessed various memories of Hokawa.
Among them were, of course, some lesser-known secrets about the Cage Bird and the Byakugan.
Furthermore, by sensing Hokawa's body, Shiroshi had gained insight into the differences between the main branch's and the branch family's Byakugan.
The flaws present in the branch family's Byakugan were absent in the main branch's.
Part of these flaws was connected to the Cage Bird.
Thanks to this, Shiroshi had identified the 'thread' connecting the branch family's Byakugan and the Cage Bird.
It was somewhat similar to defusing a bomb, wasn't it?
If you cut the wrong wire, it would explode.
"Take him to the Land of Demons. Keeping him here is useless. Also, deliver these sealed letters to the priestess in the Land of Demons."
Shiroshi picked up several sealed letters, had General Tsuchi carry them, and instructed it to wrap Hokawa's body and deliver it to the Land of Demons.
"Next, it's time to break the Cage Bird..."
He happened to have a specimen at hand.
On another operating table, lay another member of the Hyuga clan—Hyuga Satoru.
He was originally a branch family ninja who Shiroshi's subordinates had captured.
His role was to replace Ayane as a scout.
Approaching the experiment table, Shiroshi began to prepare concoctions.
Initially, his method was actually a form of solution. He had already devised a complete feasible plan.
The reason for exploring Hokawa's spiritual world was simply to confirm this and to understand the differences between the main branch's and the branch family's Byakugan.
According to Ayane, the branch family's Byakugan had a blind spot, whereas the main branch's Byakugan had no such flaw.
The distinction between the main branch's and the branch family's Byakugan lay in the Cage Bird.
The defects in the branch family's Byakugan were evidently caused by the Cage Bird.
Only by contrasting this with the success of the main branch's Byakugan could Shiroshi accurately pinpoint the 'defects' in the branch family's Byakugan and then determine which technique or method to use for resolution.
"First, administer the natural energy elixir in advance, then extract chakra. Following that, the Cage Bird curse seal will be triggered.
At that moment, it's both the most dangerous time for a Hyuga branch family ninja and also the vulnerability of the Cage Bird.
The reason why the previous attempt failed was because Shiroshi couldn't determine the location of the 'flaw' in the branch family's Byakugan. It was an extremely concealed explosive thread.
Only by contrasting with the flawless Byakugan of the main branch could he identify which particular thread was the explosive one.
Removing this explosive thread was the critical factor in preserving the Byakugan.
However, by that point, the experimental subject had already died due to the depletion of chakra.
Therefore, this method of breaking through relied on 'death' as the condition for success.
What differed was that this form of death due to chakra depletion, in Shiroshi's research, was a special 'pseudo-death' state.
The natural energy initially contained within the experimental subject's body was a special energy harmonized through various processes. After a person's death, it would actively supply energy to the living organism, ensuring minimal life activity.
This state would be maintained for a duration of two to three hours.
Lastly, the restoration surgery would be completed within two to three hours, reviving the experimental subject.
Every step was clear and comprehensible. Shiroshi scrutinized the instructions more than ten times, simulating them in his mind equally as many times before beginning to perform the procedure on Hyuga Satoru.
The theoretical structure was extremely comprehensive, leaving no room for supplementation.
Now, it was just a matter of observing the outcome of practice.
The outcome of failure was only death.
Shiroshi stood in front of Hyuga Satoru, took a deep breath, and thought, 'May your aspiration for freedom bless me to survive.' He silently muttered.
Without mercy, he injected natural energy into Hyuga Satoru's body and began the surgery.
…
Darkness.
Pain.
And the imprisoned self.
Upon waking up from darkness once again, Hyuga Satoru felt an unreal sensation, as though he was waking from a long dream, for some reason, towards the entire world.
Could it be that his existence was too thin for this world?
Struggling to sit up from the operating table, he looked around in confusion.
The once cold metal table and the seriousness of the sterilizing chemicals didn't seem repulsive to him anymore.
Lowering his head, he gazed at his own hands.
"Am I still alive?"
He fell into contemplation, then his head began to throb.
He felt that his body was extremely stiff, much like that of a zombie.
"Of course, how does it feel to come back from hell?"
Suddenly, a young male voice came from beside him, startling Satoru.
Shiroshi had approached without any warning, a strange smile on his face as he examined Satoru's body, as if observing something carefully.
Satoru wanted to jump aside, but his body didn't comply.
Right now, he was not only very hungry, but he also lacked the strength to move much.
Shiroshi didn't say anything, he simply took out a mirror and handed it to Satoru.
"?"
"Take a look at your face."
Although he was puzzled by Shiroshi's behavior, Satoru held the mirror in his hand. At this moment, he had no choice but to obey.
He looked at his own face in the mirror.
Handsome and youthful, though his complexion wasn't very good.
Apart from that, there was nothing different from usual.
What was he supposed to see?
"Haven't you noticed?"
"What?"
"Your forehead."
"Forehead?"
What about his forehead?
Subconsciously, Satoru didn't want to confront this matter.
Every time he looked in the mirror, he would deliberately ignore the area on his forehead.
For him, what was on his forehead would remind him of painful memories from long ago.
However, Shiroshi's request forced him, and he reluctantly directed his gaze to his forehead.
He froze.
It was gone.
The mark on his forehead was gone.
Nothing was there.
He touched his forehead; it wasn't smeared away, it was truly gone.
Stunned, tears welled up in his eyes as he looked at his reflection in the mirror.
For him, there was nothing else that could bring tears to his eyes and make him sob.
After being branded with the Cage Bird seal at the age of six, this was the first time in over twenty years that he had experienced the familiar yet unfamiliar sensation.
A taste that transcended any existence, addicting and inescapable.
Freedom!"
(Chapter End)