Chapter 92: Hiruko, the Survivors of Rōran
As night fell, Neji-kun gave the order, "Izumi-san, we'll rest here for the night and continue tomorrow."
"Understood!" Izumi replied respectfully.
After finding a suitable campsite, Neji-kun chewed on his rations while watching Izumi meticulously set traps around the perimeter using ninja wire.
Suddenly, sensing something, Neji-kun leaped up and dashed into the depths of the forest.
Poof.
When he reached a secluded spot, a cloud of white smoke erupted before him. A golden cat emerged, waving its paw at him. "Meow! Can of fish, please!"
"No fish cans. Here's money instead."
"That'll be two thousand ryō, then."
Neji-kun's mouth twitched. He pulled two thousand ryō from his pocket, handed it to the cat, and took the scroll from its paw. This wasn't an ordinary cat, but a ninja cat summon Neji-kun had acquired from the Uchiha clan. To ensure secure communication, both Neji-kun and his Hyūga spy in Konoha had signed a contract with it.
He unrolled the scroll. A short message appeared:
Strange. I've checked the clan records from over 300 years ago. There's no mention of a 'Hyūga Tenjin' during that period, nor any Great Ninja War.
If your information is correct, the Hyūga must have covered up that part of our history. At my current rank, I can't access core secrets.
So, I'm planning to make a big move soon.
Neji-kun frowned and rolled up the scroll. Both the Yotsuki and Uchiha clan histories explicitly mentioned Hyūga Tenjin, yet the Hyūga's own records were silent. It was clearly a deliberate cover-up. Any other clan would boast endlessly about a figure who dominated an era, but the Hyūga had erased him. Something wasn't right. Neji-kun was too far away to investigate himself; he could only hope his spy uncovered the truth.
Several days later, in a dense forest within the Land of Grass.
"Sir, the matter you entrusted to me is done." Shōshirō stood respectfully before Neji-kun, producing a map and handing it over.
Neji-kun glanced at the map, which clearly marked the location of the Rōran survivors' encampment. Since the fall of their ancient city, the people of Rōran had become nomads, chasing oases, with no fixed home. Finding them would have been difficult. That's why, back when Neji-kun decided to steal the Dragon Vein, he had tasked Shōshirō with using Kusagakure's resources to locate them.
"You've done well." Neji-kun smiled faintly and handed Shōshirō a scroll containing a high-level Wind Release technique.
"It is my honor to serve you, sir," Shōshirō replied, his face filled with fervent devotion.
"By the way," Neji-kun asked suddenly, "has there been any unusual activity in Kusagakure these past few years?"
Shōshirō thought for a moment. "The only unusual thing is that every year, a group of ninja leaves the village to be stationed at Hozuki Castle... and they never return."
"Keep a closer eye on Hozuki Castle from now on. Report to me regularly," Neji-kun instructed, his expression unchanging.
Land of Rain.
While Neji-kun and Izumi journeyed towards the Land of Wind, two members of the Akatsuki were heading in the same direction.
Sasori, hidden within his Hiruko puppet, glanced at the man beside him—a figure with long white hair and bandages covering his face. His voice, raspy from the puppet, held a hint of confusion. "I really don't understand why someone like the Leader would support your experiment."
The bandaged man replied proudly, "Once my experiment succeeds, I will become the perfect existence. Because of this, even the Leader, with his Rinnegan, cannot afford to ignore me."
"The perfect existence?" Sasori scoffed. "Hiruko, you're too arrogant."
Due to Neji-kun's emergence, the original timeline had shifted. Itachi hadn't massacred his clan, and Deidara hadn't joined the Akatsuki. Instead, the organization had recruited the A-rank rogue ninja, Hiruko.
In the original story, Hiruko was a lone operative, constantly evading Konoha's pursuit while scraping together funds by taking bounty missions. The development of his Chimera Technique had been slow. But after joining the Akatsuki, he no longer needed to hide. With the organization's funding, his research had progressed rapidly, completing the theoretical stage several years ahead of schedule.
"Hmph," Hiruko snorted. "Just wait. You'll be astonished sooner or later."
Hiruko was from the same generation as the Sannin, but he lagged behind them in every aspect. Orochimaru was a genius in ninjutsu; Hiruko couldn't compare. Tsunade was a Senju descendant; Hiruko had no background. Jiraiya had average talent and no background either, but he had caught the Third Hokage's eye and became his student. In terms of luck, Hiruko had none. Back in Konoha, he had trained maniacally, day and night, hoping to catch up to the Sannin and prove himself. Yet, the gap only widened. His efforts were met only with indifference and ridicule.
The seeds of inferiority and resentment grew wildly within him, and Hiruko eventually crossed the line, delving into gruesome human experimentation. The Chimera Technique was his life's work. Although Pain was only supporting the experiment with a "let's see if it works" attitude, Hiruko, who had craved recognition for so long, felt immensely validated. Deep down, he was insecure; gaining power was just a means to prove he wasn't inferior to the Sannin. The acknowledgment from Pain, the wielder of the Rinnegan, instilled in him a strange sense of devotion.
"Fine. I'll be waiting," Sasori muttered dismissively. Having transformed his own body into a puppet to achieve immortality through mechanical means, Sasori possessed a high degree of scientific understanding. He could see the inherent flaws in Hiruko's experiment.
The Chimera Technique allowed the user to absorb the flesh and blood of others to gain their Kekkei Genkai. However, compatibility between body and soul was crucial for any living being. Similar to the Impure World Reincarnation, the strength of the resurrected body depended heavily on the vessel used. The absorbed flesh was unlikely to be compatible with Hiruko's body and soul; it might even disrupt his body's internal balance. The harmony between soul and body, and the balance within the body itself—these were fatal flaws the Chimera Technique could never overcome.
Hiruko either didn't realize this or didn't care. He was obsessed with power. After achieving initial success, he had become crazed enough to plan on absorbing five Kekkei Genkai at once: Swift Release, Steel Release, Dark Release, Storm Release, and the Sharingan. Ninja possessing even two Kekkei Genkai were rare geniuses. Five was unheard of.
Hiruko suddenly remembered something, and an awkward smile appeared on his face, his attitude becoming much humbler. "Sasori-bro, this Swift Release user won't be easy to handle. I'll need your help."
Hearing this, Sasori turned his puppet head slightly. "The Swift Release user you're targeting... don't tell me it's that woman?"
Hiruko forced a smile. "Indeed. The captain of Sunagakure's ANBU, Pakura."
Sasori's raspy voice replied, "Hiruko, that's not going to be easy."
Hiruko gritted his teeth, pained. "Five puppet bodies."
"Deal," Sasori immediately agreed.
Land of Wind.
The survivors of Rōran lived in an oasis amidst the vast desert. Even with Shōshirō's map, it took Neji-kun three days to find them.
Standing on a dune, Izumi pointed towards the distant oasis. "Neji-kun, they live there."
Neji-kun activated his Tenseigan, looking into the distance. He saw tents pitched across the oasis, with figures moving between them. His brow furrowed slightly. "I never thought the people of Rōran would fall so low."
In its prime, the ancient city of Rōran was highly urbanized, more prosperous even than Konoha. But after the Fourth Hokage sealed the Dragon Vein, the city could no longer withstand the sandstorms and was gradually swallowed by the desert. The survivors lost their home and were forced to wander the Land of Wind, following the oases. Now, only three or four hundred remained. It wouldn't be long before even they vanished.
The direct cause of their plight was the Fourth Hokage sealing the Dragon Vein. The root cause was that they possessed the Dragon Vein but lacked the power to protect it. An innocent man gets robbed for the treasure he carries.
What reason did the Fourth Hokage give for sealing it? No doubt some high-sounding excuse like, 'The Dragon Vein's power is too great; we must seal it for the future.' The foreign policy of the great nations was pure gangsterism. They didn't need a reason to bully you.
Just then, Izumi pointed again. "Neji-kun, look!"
Neji-kun followed her finger and saw four Suna shinobi walking grimly out of the oasis, disappearing into the swirling sand.
Neji-kun narrowed his eyes. "It seems Suna has its eyes on them too."
Izumi gripped the short sword at her waist. "Neji-kun, should I dispose of them?"
Neji-kun's mouth twitched. Izumi might look gentle and dignified, but that was only towards allies. When she fought, she wasn't gentle at all.
After a moment's thought, Neji-kun said, "The Suna-nin have left. Let's not stir up trouble for now. We'll wait until dark and check things out."
"Understood."
Meanwhile, on a deserted island in the eastern sea.
With a sickening crack, Kisame Hoshigaki snapped a Cloud ninja's neck and tossed the body aside.
The Mist Jōnin, Ganryū, muttered, "Surprising they have defenses even out here."
Kisame spread a map on a reef, his brow furrowing. "Ganryū, we're a day behind schedule. At this rate, it'll take us two more days to rendezvous with Utakata."
Ganryū glanced at the map, frustrated. "The intel was bad. Kumo's defensive perimeter extends thirty kilometers out to sea. We're lucky we even made it this far without being detected."
"Kumo might be tougher to deal with than Konoha now," Kisame added after a moment's silence. "Alright, let's keep moving. Hopefully, we won't face any more delays."
With a wave of Kisame's hand, the eighteen Mist shinobi behind him vanished into the sea like shadows.
As the sun set and the moon rose, Neji-kun and Izumi, now clad in black and wearing masks, silently infiltrated the oasis.
The Rōran survivors were gathered around campfires, chatting and laughing, enjoying a moment of peace.
Sāra waved to her people, then walked alone into her tent to rest.
"Queen Sāra, a pleasure to meet you."
As soon as she entered, a calm voice reached her ears.
Sāra saw Neji-kun, wrapped in a black cloak, and her face paled. She was about to scream when a hand clamped over her mouth from behind.
Neji-kun signaled Izumi to release her. "Queen Sāra, please don't be alarmed. We mean you no harm."
Sāra didn't dare scream. "Who are you?" she asked nervously. "What do you want?" These two had slipped into her tent undetected; they were clearly powerful shinobi. Her people couldn't help, and angering them could have disastrous consequences.
Neji-kun said slowly, "Who we are doesn't matter. We've come tonight to propose a business deal."
"A business deal?" Sāra was confused. Since the city was lost, her people had nothing of value except the pack animals. Shinobi wouldn't be interested in those. "I'm sorry, I have nothing to sell."
"Queen Sāra, you possess a treasure," Neji-kun shook his head, his tone serious. "It's in the ruins of Rōran."
Understanding dawned on Sāra. "You want the Dragon Vein?" she gasped.
"Yes. To you, it is worthless now. But to me, it is priceless. Will you sell it to me?"
"No!" Sāra refused instinctively. Her people had guarded the Dragon Vein for generations. As long as the Dragon Vein existed, Rōran existed. This was her conviction.
"Queen Sāra, I suggest you think carefully before answering." As he spoke, Neji-kun drew a kunai, its edge gleaming sharply.
Sāra heard the threat in his voice but didn't back down. "The Dragon Vein's power is too immense," she said, finding her courage. "No one can control it. Give up."
"Whether I can control it or not is none of your concern." Neji-kun twirled the kunai, pressing further. "Queen Sāra, your people follow you, living a harsh, wandering life in this desert. You wouldn't want anything to happen to them, would you?"
Hearing this, Sāra turned pale with fear. The Dragon Vein and her people were equally important. She would give her own life to protect the Vein, but she couldn't bear to see her people sacrificed.
Sāra took a step back, pleading, "Konoha's Fourth Hokage sealed the Dragon Vein. Even Sunagakure couldn't break the seal. Even if I sell it to you, you won't be able to take it."
"Whether I can break the seal is not your concern," Neji-kun countered. "You only need to help me subdue the Dragon Vein. Once it's done, I will reward you handsomely. Compared to a useless Dragon Vein, improving the dire situation of your people is far more important, don't you think?"
Sāra considered for a long time, then compromised. "If you promise not to harm anyone, I will help you."
She had no fondness for shinobi and didn't trust his promise at all. She fully expected him to kill her afterward to silence her. But she had no other choice. She could only hope that after killing her, he would spare her people.