novelhk Chapter 151 Heroic Water and Earthly Grudges
Chapter 151 Heroic Water and Earthly Grudges
Chapter 151 Heroic Water and Earthly Grudges
This slow, gradual process, like boiling a frog in lukewarm water, had a devastating effect. It performed a silent "replacement surgery" on the memory and cognitive level of Pharmacist Nono.
Subtly, the image of the child named "Yakushi Kabuto" that was once familiar in Yakushi Nonou's mind was gradually covered up and distorted.
Ultimately, the false image implanted by Shimura Danzo became the only image of "Yakushi Kabuto" that Yakushi Nonou recognized in her heart.
Therefore, when the real Kabuto Yakushi appeared before her with mixed feelings and called out to her affectionately, Nono Yakushi's only reaction was confusion and bewilderment.
Her gaze swept over the familiar yet misaligned face before her, searching in vain for the memory, only to arrive at a cold and cruel conclusion.
Among the numerous video archives of orphans she had protected, she couldn't find a single face that matched the "attacker" before her!
It must be said that Danzo Shimura's methods of manipulating memories and manipulating human nature were so ruthless and precise that they were chilling.
It exploits and distorts the deepest love and longing, transforming them into murderous intent and estrangement.
The only ironic "accident" is perhaps the one that Danzo, the perfect schemer, ultimately miscalculated: the desperate trap he meticulously planned to create an emotionless mission machine.
Not only did it fail, it also created a mad scientist driven to despair.
Kabuto Yakushi's presence ultimately only lingered briefly in the warm and welcoming orphanage for a short two or three days.
Although he knew perfectly well that, given Takuno's current attitude, he should be able to tolerate him staying here with Yakushino Nono for a few more days.
However, Yakushi Kabuto understood the meaning of boundaries better than anyone else.
Testing the limits of tolerance is itself a foolish adventure.
Therefore, after only two or three days, when the obsession with protecting his "mother" overwhelmed his tender feelings, he resolutely walked towards Yakushi Nonou and offered his farewell.
Yakushi Nonou's eyes were filled with reluctance and sorrow. She tried her best to persuade her to stay, and her gentle words were full of worry.
But Kabuto's eyes were unusually clear, as if he had already seen through the thorns of the future and understood that he had to leave at this moment.
His decision was not swayed in the slightest by his "mother's" pleas.
Watching that familiar figure disappear through the door, Yakushi Nonou felt as if her heart was being repeatedly struck by a blunt instrument, the pain suffocating her.
The scene before me cruelly overlapped with that of many years ago, when a young child was swept up by a cruel fate and stepped into the dark "roots".
A sense of powerlessness overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
At that time, she was unable to protect him from that dark vortex;
Even now, she seems powerless to stop him from stepping into Gen Takuno's game of chess.
She even needs this child, whom she once sheltered, to protect her own safety in return.
A deep sense of frustration and self-blame gnawed at her heart; she was truly a terrible "mother."
When he learned that Yakushi Kabuto had come to report so quickly, Genji Takuno's fingertips paused slightly on the table, a genuine surprise passing through his mind.
After so many years apart, why not spend a few more days with that "mother"?
This "sensible" or "pragmatic" attitude is consistent with Kabuto Yakushi's usual style.
However, after a brief moment of surprise, a satisfied smile quietly crept onto the corners of his mouth.
These past two days, he wasn't idle; he had already started planning in his mind how to settle Yakushi Kabuto.
For those core secrets that are capable of disrupting the status quo, such as the forbidden Oni-Garra technique, or the cursed seal experiments that contain great potential and risks.
He wouldn't hand it over to Kabuto for research, not because the other party lacked the ability, but because he couldn't trust him. Even the presence of Nonou Yakushi couldn't change that.
Kabuto Yakushi's abilities may be considered outstanding, but unwavering loyalty is another matter entirely. Entrusting such a powerful weapon to someone who does not fully control it is tantamount to playing with fire.
So his gaze finally settled on the sealing incantations engraved on the body.
These projects, though not urgent and not at the very top of his research sequence, require time and wisdom to patiently refine.
Time, however, is his most extravagant desire at the moment.
Entrusting them to Kabuto is a win-win situation: it utilizes his exceptional talent to clear the "backlog of tasks" without affecting core interests.
However, while the ideal is lofty, the reality still needs to be laid.
Given Kabuto's current foundation, he probably lacks the ability to understand and deduce these profound sealing techniques.
Yuan Tuoye was well aware of this; he was a master in this field, and over the years he had collected and compiled a mountain of secret texts and insights about sealing techniques.
With a little selection and preparation, a set of teaching materials that can guide the pharmacist into this mysterious field has been formed.
Soon, an unquestionable mission was placed in front of Kabuto: to learn the theory of sealing techniques.
What made Kabuto's pupils shrink even more was the second half of the instruction: instead of staying in the heavily guarded, cold, and oppressive research base, he could return to—the orphanage? To study under Director Nonou?
After a brief moment of shock, ecstasy almost spilled from Yakushi Kabuto's usually calm face!
He thought the reunion was a long way off, but unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better, and he was able to continue protecting her in this way!
Seeing the gleam in Yakushi Kabuto's eyes and the barely suppressed excitement, Gentoki Takuno added meaningfully, "The results of your theoretical studies will be assessed periodically. If you fail—"
Yuan Tuoye's voice was calm and even, yet carried an undeniable force: "Then, the orphanage's doors will be completely closed to you."
"Understood!" Kabuto Yakushi responded almost immediately, his voice filled with unprecedented firmness and determination, as if making a most important vow. "I will definitely pass the test!"
For him, learning has never been difficult; knowledge is power, and it is also the only weapon he has to protect his mother at this moment.
As long as he could stay by the side of Dean Pharmacist Nonou and study, he would gladly do it, even if it meant studying the most difficult classics!
Watching Kabuto Yakushi quickly compose himself and resolutely leave with the mission book, Gen Takuno suppressed his earlier playful expression and lightly tapped his knuckles on the table a few times.
"Isn't it a bit of a waste to just let such a research genius bury himself in books and study sealing techniques?" he murmured, a glint of light flashing in his eyes. Indeed, more value needed to be explored.
An idea immediately ignited in his mind.
An item that had been gathering dust for a long time suddenly came to mind: Hero's Water.
The sacred object that Takigakure Village regards as its lifeblood is the essence of the legendary giant tree that grows only once every hundred years.
Theoretically speaking, drinking that water would trigger a volcanic eruption of chakra within the body, instantly increasing it dozens of times! Its allure is self-evident.
Unfortunately, the fatal aftereffects—burning one's life force to gain power—are now like a useless burden to him.
His plans could not afford such short-sighted spending. For him, Hero's Water was merely an embellishment to be considered when things were going well, not a necessity.
But at this moment, a dangerous smile slowly crept onto Yuan Tuoye's lips.
Let him research the side effects himself? That would be a waste of time.
But what if we give this "useless" task to the readily available tool, Pharmacist Kabuto?
Let him rack his brains to see if he can peel off or suppress the life-devouring curse? The risk-reward ratio sounds much more worthwhile.
What if—he actually finds a way to apply it?
While the Hero's Water can be drunk directly to temporarily increase chakra by dozens of times, this temporary boost is useless to Minamoto no Takuya. He only hopes that Kabuto Yakushi can use it as material to research an item that can permanently boost chakra.
In this way, his chakra level, which had already reached Elite 10, might be able to increase significantly again.
"Hero's Water—" Gen Takuno murmured the name, his eyes burning with ambition.
More importantly, the trip to Takigakure Village was already on his itinerary, and his goal was certainly not just a bottle of water; in fact, the Hero's Water was not his primary objective.
"Seven-Tails Chakra—" This is the real prey he has been longing for! The power of a single tailed beast is worth far more than a hundred bottles of Hero's Water.
His original plan was to consolidate other forces more firmly before taking action, prioritizing stability.
But at this moment, a long-lost sense of confidence and surging power filled my entire body.
"Kakuzu?" Recalling the rogue ninja who had fought the First Hokage, only a cold mockery remained in Minamoto no Takuno's eyes. "So what if he's still in the village? Besides, he betrayed us long ago."
He slowly straightened up, and an invisible pressure slowly spread out.
Yes, he is no longer the shadow who needs to proceed cautiously and tread carefully in the dark.
His growing strength gave him a broader stage and a more direct way of doing things.
"Perfect timing." Takuno's gaze swept towards Takigakure, filled with an air of absolute control and ruthlessness. "It's time to meet that Seven-Tails."
Takigakure, a hidden village in the Land of Waterfalls, is concealed by a giant waterfall. Although surrounded by four countries, its unique geographical location has prevented it from ever being invaded by any other country.
Yuan Tuoye stood quietly in front of the waterfall, looking up at the huge water curtain that stretched across the sky and roared like thunder.
The water roared as it plunged down, splashing up a cloud of mist, and behind it lay the legendary, mysterious village.
Even though its location was incredibly well-hidden, finding it was not difficult for him. He already knew the terrain of Takigakure Village by heart from the original text, so finding the waterfall was quite simple.
With a swift movement, he easily passed through the curtain of water.
Suddenly, the view opened up before him. He stood on high ground, looking down at the unremarkable village below.
The mystery of Takigakure Village is deeply rooted in its contradictory history.
This seemingly small village has a profound history that is far more substantial than it appears.
It possesses the coveted secret technique "Earth Grudge," and also treasures a rare item that can instantly unleash potential.
"Hero's Water".
Even during the era when the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, distributed the Tailed Beasts to balance the ninja world, Takigakure was able to rely on its own strength to win the ownership of the Seven-Tails, Chōmei, despite the covetous eyes of the five great ninja villages.
Although the Seven-Tails is not known for its combat prowess, the fact that it managed to get a share of the spoils from the five great ninja villages undoubtedly proves that Takigakure's strength at that time was not to be underestimated and was by no means an empty reputation.
However, in the original work, the glory of Takigakure Village seems to be confined to only two people.
The infamous rogue ninja Kakuzu, and the Seven-Tails Jinchuriki Fu.
Apart from that, its performance was almost a disaster.
This huge power gap can perhaps be traced back to Kakuzu's betrayal that changed the fate of the village.
Back then, he was ordered by the village to assassinate the First Hokage. After the mission failed miserably, he fled back to his hometown, but instead of being comforted, he was imprisoned for a serious crime.
Humiliation and anger completely consumed him. While stealing the secret scroll "Earth Grudge", he also used the secret technique to cruelly extract the hearts of all the village's high-ranking officials.
This massacre directly drained the core strength of the Hidden Village's leadership, creating an irreparable talent vacuum.
So, where did that strength, enough to fight for the Tailed Beasts, come from? After a moment's thought, Gen Takuno realized the answer lay in the two treasures that were the village's most prized possessions.
Those who mastered the "Earthly Grief" technique may have once been renowned throughout the region; however, the difficulty of its cultivation was not sufficient to support their strength.
More likely, it is those fearless warriors who, in the midst of brutal warfare, drank the Hero's Water in order to protect their village or gain advantage.
The price was life itself. The intense energy depletion resulted in a brief burst of power, but after the battle, they were quickly eroded by the deadly side effects of the Hero's Water and perished one after another.
Thus, with all the elite troops wiped out, only a handful of survivors remained. This is the most reasonable explanation for Takigakure's dramatic fall from its peak into the abyss.
Thinking of this, a trace of regret flashed through Yuan Tuoye's heart.
That invaluable "Earth Grudge" secret technique manual, after Kakuzu's defection and the passage of time, is probably long lost in the village and impossible to find now.
The reason why Earth Grudge Fear attracts greed is that its value far exceeds that of ordinary ninjutsu.
Its most alluring aspect lies in touching upon the taboo realm of alternative ways to achieve immortality.
With the help of a secret method that creates eerie black tentacles, practitioners can seize the strong hearts of others and continuously replace their own failing organs. Theoretically, as long as the source of hearts is endless, they can extend their lives indefinitely.
Of course, whether one can still be called "human" after their body is possessed by dark tentacles is a huge ethical question.
But the mere illusion of "immortality" is enough to drive countless ambitious people mad.
Few in Takigakure Village practice this technique, presumably because it is exceptionally dangerous.
Even the exceptionally gifted Kakuzu, after successfully mastering it, transformed into a monster that was neither human nor demon.
What about those who failed in their cultivation? The outcome was obvious: not only did they fail to master the power, but they also gave away their own hearts, becoming sacrifices to the secret technique.
Gen Takuno's interest in this technique stemmed more from intellectual curiosity and a desire to learn from it than from a desire to personally risk his life to practice it.
As for its "five lives" advantage, maintaining five hearts simultaneously is of little value to it.
An enemy who could truly threaten his life would be at least a "Super Shadow" level being.
Those at that level of power possess the ability to instantly destroy all organs belonging to the heart with a mere gesture.
To think that relying on cardiac arrest to save one's life is nothing short of delusional.
Unless a heart can detach from its body and hide in an absolutely safe, extremely far place.
However, this idea clearly contradicts the operating principles of the occult itself.
Otherwise, given Kakuzu's cautious nature—he only dared to throw a kunai at the First Hokage before fleeing—why wouldn't he have left a "heart of resurrection" in the most hidden corner?
This precisely proves the limitations of the secret technique: the heart cannot truly survive independently of the body.
Therefore, for Yuan Tuoye, the Earthly Grudge Technique is ultimately just a secret technique that adds icing on the cake. It would be better if he could obtain it, but it doesn't matter if he can't.
After using Kagura's Mind's Eye to pinpoint the location of the Seven-Tails' chakra, Gentoki's lips curled into a smile.
The next moment, his figure disappeared from the spot.