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"Oh, is that so?"
Contrary to Black Zetsu's expectations, the Hokage did not seem particularly interested.
She must be young and ignorant, unaware of the hidden power within the Shinobi Sect; otherwise, she would not remain so composed.
Having convinced himself of this, Black Zetsu continued, "The Shinobi Sect has existed for thousands of years, accumulating a depth of knowledge beyond what outsiders can imagine."
"There's no need to mention the Sage of Six Paths and his brother. The true individuals you should be wary of are those who devoted themselves to Asura's teachings, willingly choosing to remain within the Shinobi Sect for a lifetime."
Perhaps fearing that he might frighten her, Black Zetsu paused momentarily before adding, "Of course, there's no need for you to be alarmed. The Six Paths Sage sealed the Shinobi Sect using the (Toki no Ofuda) Talisman of Time, allowing those people to survive for a thousand years."
"With my assistance, dealing with them won't be difficult. However, that depends on you assisting me in fulfilling my wish."
"Oh, I see."
"…So, tell me your answer, woman."
A green Truth-Seeking Ball condensed in the air, transforming into the shape of an ice spear. Without any warning, Yayoi struck out at Black Zetsu.
"I find you quite interesting. Why don't you lie down on my operating table, and we can have a proper conversation?"
*BOOOOOM!!!*
The Truth-Seeking Ball pierced through Black Zetsu, pinning him firmly to the floor. No matter how much he struggled, it was in vain.
Black Zetsu knew all too well what kind of person this woman was, a formidable scientist who had once devoted herself to the revival of an Ōtsutsuki. If he were to end up on her operating table, he would rather be sealed by the Sage of Six Paths himself.
"What a pity…"
With a low, sinister chuckle, Black Zetsu's body suddenly burst apart, willingly discarding its physical form.
Yet, his voice still echoed throughout the office. "You've angered me, woman."
"Konoha shall now face the wrath of Kaguya's third son, the scribe of the Shinobi World's history—Black Zetsu."
With a wave of her hand, Yayoi completely erased all traces he had left behind.
A few simple Yin Release techniques, perhaps enough to deceive others, but before her, such tricks were nothing more than parlor tricks.
The so-called 'scribe of the Ninja World's history'—how absurd. He couldn't even rescue his own mother, yet he dared to boast.
In truth, Yayoi had been briefly tempted at first.
But after careful consideration, she realized that while the Shinobi Sect operated with some restraints, Kaguya was a true existential threat to the entire shinobi world.
If she were to aid Black Zetsu, the consequences for Kaguya were uncertain, but Konoha would undoubtedly face the full force of the Shinobi Sect's wrath.
Even if victory were possible, it would likely be a pyrrhic one. At the very least, Yayoi had no intention of allowing such a scenario to unfold.
Besides, if freeing Kaguya were truly possible, Kyōsuke would have done it long ago. There had to be something she wasn't aware of. And if that were the case, capturing Black Zetsu would be far more valuable instead.
Such a peculiar lifeform would surely be invaluable for her research.
"Just wait a little longer, it won't be long now."
"Once I complete the lord's assigned project, every threat will be effortlessly neutralized."
Yayoi brimmed with confidence. Only she understood the true groundbreaking nature of the gifts her lord had bestowed.
To put it simply, they were inventions far ahead of their time, innovations that should not have existed in the shinobi world for another sixty years.
However, once the technology was fully refined, its impact on ordinary shinobi would be immeasurable.
At that point, when it came to the strength of lower and mid-tier combatants, no force in the entire shinobi world would be able to rival Konoha.
---
Hyūga Clan Base, Underground Secret Laboratory
Within the vast experimental area, two hundred shadow clones were spread across the facility. Some monitored data, others adjusted equipment, while others personally tested the effects of various ninjutsu.
Yet, they all shared a single trait: they were all shadow clones of Yayoi herself.
One woman alone was conducting research that would typically require an entire team to accomplish.
From her initial clueless approach to the verge of a major breakthrough, she had accomplished in just a few years what would have taken decades in the original timeline.
Yes, Yayoi's research focus was on the application of scientific ninja tools.
Given the ongoing war, her primary emphasis was on Chakra Capacitor-type devices.
In essence, these were portable machines that stored ninjutsu scrolls.
By activating the chakra capacitor, one could instantly release the stored jutsu, an incredibly efficient and convenient method that eliminated the need for hand seals.
Several months ago, Konoha had already begun mass-producing ninjutsu scrolls.
These scrolls contained a vast array of high-level techniques, including Chidori, the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique, the Great Fireball Technique, and the Water Dragon Bullet. Even Hashirama himself, intrigued by the concept, had personally contributed by creating several Wood Release scrolls for distribution.
Yes, the idea of sealing Deep Forest Emergence into a scroll was indeed both fascinating and terrifying.
If unleashed in battle, it would surely take the enemy by surprise.
Now, all that remained was fine-tuning the process.
Determined to ensure that every Konoha shinobi could unleash powerful jutsu without hand seals, Yayoi had devoted herself to this endeavor with relentless determination, refusing to rest until she achieved success.
And once her experiments were complete, that would mark the true beginning of an era-changing revolution.
---
August, Year 12 of Konoha
Kumogakure and Sunagakure continued to mobilize their forces, determined to crush Konoha in one decisive strike.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Haruto, whose strength had grown tremendously, rampaged across the battlefield in his full-body Susanoo, leaving countless casualties in his wake.
However, just as he was reveling in his overwhelming power, a representative of the Shinobi Sect appeared before him, declaring that forces beyond conventional means were not permitted to interfere in the war.
In other words, he was too strong and had to leave the battlefield.
Naturally, Haruto refused to comply, and a fierce battle ensued.
The outcome? One dead, one severely wounded.
To prevent a second assassination attempt by the Shinobi Sect, Haruto's subordinates forcibly escorted him back to Konoha.
His injuries this time were severe. Even with the regenerative abilities of a Sage Body, he would need a long period of recuperation to fully recover.
Yayoi, however, was more concerned that the Shinobi Sect's next move would likely be a death strike.
Meanwhile, on the western battlefield, with Haruto forced to retreat, the next to take the stage was Uchiha Izuna.
This man had concealed his true strength well. If Haruto hadn't been forced to withdraw, the world might never have known that Izuna, too, could awaken the full-body Susanoo.
The Uchiha were truly terrifying.
Once again, the Shinobi Sect dispatched their agents.
Sunagakure had eagerly anticipated the total annihilation of Konoha's remaining forces at the hands of the Shinobi Sect. Instead, they were met with a chilling revelation.
One after another, three separate groups of elite agents were sent out, yet all of them vanished without a trace, just like Kaname before them. They perished in complete silence, without so much as a whisper of resistance.
By Konoha's shinobi rank classification, even the weakest among these agents stood at the peak Kage level, while some had already surpassed that threshold, ascending to super-Kage-level strength.
Yet, even if they had been caught off guard, it was inconceivable for them to perish so silently, without a single struggle, without even a trace of resistance.
There were only two possible explanations for such an outcome:
First, the enemy's strength was overwhelmingly superior. Not only were the agents unable to resist, but they didn't even have the chance to flee.
Second, the enemy possessed an ability of unparalleled terror, one capable of killing without being seen. If that were not the case, there should have been at least some commotion before their deaths.
The Shinobi Sect had long since stepped into the world, and its agents had already developed a profound understanding of the current shinobi landscape.
Given the circumstances, the mastermind behind these events was not difficult to deduce.
"It must be him. Uchiha Madara. There is no other possibility."
"To stand against the Otsutsuki clan… his power is nothing short of monstrous."
"Indeed. Unless our leaders 'awaken,' we are no match for him."
"Forget it. Let's temporarily abandon our pursuit of Uchiha Izuna. A mere pair of Mangekyō Sharingan eyes won't amount to much."
"Agreed."
"I concur."
And just like that, the threat looming over Izuna mysteriously vanished.
He himself likely remained unaware that the Shinobi Sect had once secretly considered targeting him.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and the year drew to a close once more. Yet the dark clouds of war still hung heavy over the Land of Fire, casting a deep shadow over the hearts of its people. Even ordinary civilians found themselves trapped in a constant state of fear and unease.
Just as everyone was preparing to welcome the new year, unsettling news arrived from the Land of Whirlpools. Suspected Kirigakure spies had been spotted frequently roaming the surrounding areas.
In the thirteenth year of Konoha's founding, Kirigakure had launched surprise attacks against the Land of Whirlpools for two consecutive years.
With the position of the Second Mizukage still undecided, the reason behind these assaults was clear. They were following the directives of the Shinobi Sect.
Whoever achieved the most significant battlefield success would be granted the right to rule Kirigakure as its Second Mizukage.
With such a selection process in place, which shinobi clan would not give everything they had to seize the opportunity?
Waging war against outsiders was far preferable to descending into internal conflict. This was a belief shared by all the competing factions.
As for the justification for the war, on the surface, it appeared to be an assault on the Land of Whirlpools. In reality, however, it was an effort to establish a direct path to Konoha.
As long as Uzushio Village stood, Kirigakure would never be able to extend its influence toward Konoha.
Understanding this, Konoha had no intention of sitting idly by and watching the Land of Whirlpools fall.
Soon, a combined force of the Uchiha and Hyūga clans was mobilized. Since Kirigakure's forces mainly consisted of bloodline limit clans, shinobi with formidable individual strength but limited numbers, there was no need to deploy a massive army.
A contest of individual strength?
Konoha had never feared such a challenge.
Not only did they have the Uchiha and Senju clans, but the Hyūga clan had also undergone a dramatic transformation, now standing as equals alongside the other two great families.
Moreover, the Uzumaki clan's shinobi possessed strength far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
In this regard, there was little cause for concern.
However, despite Konoha's unparalleled might, they now faced the combined forces of Sunagakure, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure. No matter how powerful they were, the toll of war and the mounting casualties could not be ignored.
Fortunately, Yayoi was not one to sit idly by. Iwagakure had given a clear promise that they would not intervene in the conflict, on the condition that Konoha would aid them in developing their Ninja Academy and incentive-based training programs.
To put it simply, they sought to replicate Konoha's operational system and learn from its successful experiences.
In times like these, refraining from aiding the enemy was already an act of goodwill. Yayoi had no reason to refuse the Tsuchikage's request.
After all, she was not Uchiha Madara. She would not welcome the Tsuchikage's delegation only to subdue the Second and Third Tsuchikage in one swift move.
That would be nothing less than a deliberate act of provocation.
Beyond Iwagakure's neutrality, Amegakure had firmly chosen to stand with Konoha.
Their stance was simple: whoever dared to use their land as a battlefield, they would fight against them.
On this matter, Konoha had shown great restraint and respect, never overstepping its boundaries. Amegakure appreciated allies who understood the importance of such discretion.
Time continued to pass, and after another half year of relentless warfare, the tides of battle remained unpredictable. There was no clear victor in sight.
Yet, unbeknownst to the shinobi world, during this very period, a groundbreaking technological achievement had been successfully developed.
In the thirteenth year of Konoha's founding, in the month of July—
Scientific Ninja Tools were officially introduced in Konoha Village.
..
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[IMAGE]
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[Chapter End's]
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