Chapter 98: Neji: "Pakura, Serve Me for Ten Years, and I'll Give You Back Your Freedom."
"Third Eye!"
The Fourth Kazekage formed an eye of sand, carefully observing the desert within a ten-kilometer radius. As he expected, there was nothing unusual.
Sasori... that guy is surprisingly competent, Rasa thought silently.
Seeing Rasa release the jutsu, Chiyo immediately asked, "Rasa, did you find anything suspicious?"
Rasa's face darkened, and he shook his head slightly.
Chiyo's expression turned ugly. Although only a dozen hours had passed since they lost contact with the pursuit force, it was long enough for the wind and sand to erase any possible traces. Pakura was likely dead.
Ebizō said grimly, "Over a hundred elite shinobi wiped out entirely... Not many are capable of such a feat."
Chiyo snorted coldly. "Stealing the Dragon Vein was bad enough, but killing so many of our people... This is utterly outrageous!"
Hearing this, Rasa glanced at Chiyo and Ebizō, his eyes narrowing slightly. Clearly, they believed the culprit who "killed" Pakura and the thief who stole the Dragon Vein were the same party. But Rasa knew they weren't.
Rasa and Sasori of the Red Sand had made a deal. Sasori got his perfect Swift Release material, and Rasa eliminated a major threat to his position as Kazekage. It was a win-win.
Rasa knew Sasori's strength well. Wielding the Third Kazekage puppet and the Performance of a Hundred Puppets, Sasori was arguably even stronger than him. Taking the pursuit force by surprise and wiping them out, while extreme, was possible.
However, Rasa was certain Sasori hadn't stolen the Dragon Vein. While Sasori was a puppet master, he was a complete novice when it came to sealing techniques. Even Suna couldn't figure out the Fourth Hokage's seals; Sasori had no chance of breaking them.
After a moment's thought, Rasa looked at Chiyo and Ebizō. "What do you think we should do next?"
Chiyo considered. "For now, suppress the news of Pakura's death. Announce that she has gone missing."
Ebizō sighed resignedly. "And suppress the matter of the Dragon Vein as well."
Sunagakure had long considered the Dragon Vein its property, and Pakura held immense prestige within the village. If word got out, it could cause internal unrest, and in the worst-case scenario, jeopardize their alliance with Konoha. The Land of Wind lacked natural resources and relied heavily on grain imports from the Land of Fire. Konoha held their lifeline. They couldn't afford to break ties under any circumstances. Suna had suffered a huge loss, but they had no choice but to swallow it.
Rasa's pupils constricted slightly. This outcome was undoubtedly what he wanted.
After a moment, he nodded. "That's the only option. Assign the ANBU to investigate both the Dragon Vein and Pakura's disappearance."
Chiyo and Ebizō exchanged a glance and nodded helplessly. They knew Rasa's "investigation" would most likely lead nowhere. Even if the truth was discovered, Suna lacked the power to seek justice.
Three days later, on a plain in the Land of Rivers.
Neji-kun carefully studied the Chimera Technique scroll, his brow sometimes furrowed, sometimes his eyes wide with surprise.
Sasori sat by the campfire, glanced at Neji-kun, and asked suspiciously, "Are you very interested in the Chimera Technique?"
Neji-kun nodded. "It's a forbidden jutsu with great potential."
"The Chimera Technique has significant flaws. No one can withstand the backlash from fusing Kekkei Genkai," Sasori said, adding more wood to the fire. "And if someone could withstand the backlash, they probably wouldn't need to transplant so many bloodlines in the first place."
Having transformed himself into a puppet, Sasori had a clear understanding of the human body's structure and limitations. His assessment held some truth. Fusing five Kekkei Genkai would place an unimaginable burden on the body. Even Hiruko, who had successfully absorbed four using the power of a solar eclipse in the movie, had twisted his body into something barely human.
However, Hiruko, possessing four Kekkei Genkai (only missing Kakashi's Sharingan in the movie), experienced a significant power boost. Ordinary Jōnin were no match for him, and even veteran elites like Kakashi couldn't handle him. His strength surpassed that of an average Kage. Compared to that, becoming a monster didn't seem so unacceptable.
Neji-kun suddenly asked, "What if the backlash problem could be solved?"
Sasori paused, then shook his head. "Impossible."
Neji-kun said no more. Sasori looked down on Hiruko's technique partly because of its fatal flaws, and partly due to differing philosophies. He had chosen the path of puppetry. If Hiruko's technique succeeded, it would deal an unimaginable blow to Sasori's long-held beliefs.
Besides the physical burden, another drawback of the Chimera Technique was the incompatibility between the absorbed ninja's flesh/soul and the host's body. Hiruko in the original story either hadn't realized this or didn't care.
Neji-kun suddenly thought of a solution. What if White Zetsu was used as a medium? White Zetsu were humans from the age of myths, corrupted by the God Tree after being caught in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. It was debatable if they were even human anymore. Besides their pseudo-Wood Style techniques, White Zetsu's most notable trait was their ability to partially restore Mangekyō eyesight and their high compatibility, even symbiosis, with human cells. Obito's entire right side and Madara's arm were replaced with White Zetsu material without any apparent rejection. If White Zetsu bodies were absorbed along with the Kekkei Genkai users, perhaps the Chimera Technique's flaws could be overcome.
Just then, Sasori asked, "What did you do to Hiruko?"
"The Cursed Mandala Sealing Heart. It can alter a person's will. You probably guessed that, right?" Neji-kun paused. "Unfortunately, it doesn't work on you."
Hearing this, Sasori felt a chill run down his spine, but also a wave of relief. No wonder Hiruko had acted so strangely. And no wonder this person had let Hiruko go after getting the scroll. Hiruko was no longer Hiruko. Luckily, he had turned himself into a puppet. Losing one's self was worse than death.
Neji-kun put away the scroll and added more wood to the fire. He had let Hiruko go for two reasons. First, to act as a mole within the Akatsuki. The world had deviated too much from the original story; relying on that knowledge was becoming dangerous. He needed eyes inside the organization. Second, to use the Akatsuki's resources to further refine the Chimera Technique. Despite its flaws, it was a genius concept. If the drawbacks could be eliminated, even ordinary ninja could gain powerful Kekkei Genkai. The shinobi world could enter an era where everyone was strong.
A soft groan sounded. Pakura struggled to open her heavy eyelids. She pushed herself up, touching her forehead, and looked around blankly. Her dark green hair was tied in a bun, with two strands framing her face. She wore a black sleeveless top with purple arm guards. Her chest, while not as ample as Tsunade's or Samui's, rivaled Yugito's. Below, she wore form-fitting purple pants, revealing long, toned legs.
It was late. Pakura found herself beside a campfire with two men.
"Where... am I?" she asked, bewildered.
Sasori glanced at her. "The Land of Grass."
"The Land of Grass?" Pakura paused. She didn't know how long she'd been unconscious, but the memories before losing consciousness were vivid. Her eyes suddenly widened as she looked at the young boy Sasori. "You're Sasori of the Red Sand? Why are you so small?!"
"Hmph." Sasori snorted and turned away.
Neji-kun held out a roasted fish. "You must be hungry."
Pakura instinctively touched her stomach, then snatched the fish and began devouring it wolfishly. After eating half, she suddenly stopped, looking warily at the masked Neji-kun. "And who are you?"
Neji-kun removed his mask, revealing a slightly youthful face. "Hyūga Neji."
"The Star of the Cloud, Hyūga Neji?!" Pakura exclaimed.
Even Sasori looked surprised. The Star of the Cloud was only twelve or thirteen, part of the new generation, yet his fame rivaled many veteran powerhouses.
"Just empty fame," Neji-kun nodded slightly. Then he asked, "You must be familiar with Kumogakure's traditions. I saved your life. From today onwards, you belong to me."
"Belong to you?" Pakura hesitated.
Neji-kun countered, "If not me, do you want to go back and face Rasa?"
Hearing Rasa's name, Pakura gritted her teeth. "I'd rather become a rogue ninja and die out there than ever see that bastard again!" She had served the village faithfully, never seeking power, yet Rasa had ruthlessly betrayed her just to secure his position. Besides the hatred, returning to the village meant certain death.
Pakura glanced at Neji-kun, then suddenly drew a kunai and held it to her throat. "I admit defeat. But if you think you can get Suna's secrets from me, you'd better give up. I, Pakura, will die before I betray my village!"
A knowing smile touched Neji-kun's lips. "Die? Your life is mine. You can't die even if you want to."
As he spoke, Neji-kun mentally activated the control seal he had placed within Pakura. Instantly, he took control of her body. With a soft clatter, the kunai fell from her hand.
"What... what did you do to me?!"
"Nothing much. Just left a little something inside you that lets me control your body at any time. If necessary, I can even alter your will."
"How... how is such an ability possible?" Pakura stared at Neji-kun, utterly dumbfounded.
Neji-kun didn't answer, simply stating, "I have no interest in Sunagakure. I'm only interested in you."
"Me?" Pakura chose to believe him for now. "What are you planning to do with me?"
Neji-kun held up two fingers, crossing them. "Serve me wholeheartedly for ten years. After ten years, depending on your performance, I will consider granting you freedom."
In ten years, my kids will be old enough to run errands! Would he really need to worry about Pakura running away then?
"Ten years?" Pakura narrowed her eyes. 'I wonder if I can surpass Rasa in ten years... but he'll get stronger too. The gap will only widen.' Her thinking wasn't as long-term as Neji-kun's.
Neji-kun seemed to read her thoughts. "With your current strength, getting revenge is basically hopeless. So—"
Before he could finish, Pakura interrupted, "So you want to help me kill Rasa to make me serve you faithfully? Sorry, but this is my own affair. If I can kill Rasa, I will. If I can't, I certainly won't rely on anyone else."
Neji-kun added wood to the fire. "What I meant was, I'll help you develop a new Kekkei Genkai."
Pakura was stunned. Even Sasori, warming himself by the fire, turned his head, skeptical. Developing a Kekkei Genkai wasn't easy. Konoha's Third Hokage, hailed as the Professor, hadn't succeeded.
Pakura stood up and walked over to Neji-kun. "You really have a way?"
Neji-kun said, "Kumogakure has considerable experience in this area. Kumo's Toroi developed Magnet Release on his own. You must have heard of him."
Pakura frowned slightly. "I've heard of him. But I tried to develop Magnet Release myself, and failed."
"No, not Magnet Release. I'm talking about a different Kekkei Genkai." Neji-kun paused, then smiled. "Have you ever heard of Scorch Release?"
"Scorch Release?" Pakura looked puzzled and shook her head.
"Scorch Release is a Kekkei Genkai created through nature transformation, primarily using Fire Release chakra, supplemented by Wind Release. Its power is definitely not weaker than Magnet Release," Neji-kun said seriously, suppressing a laugh.
Pakura's face lit up. "That's perfect! I have both Wind and Fire affinities! How do I do it?"
"Well..." Neji-kun looked troubled. If he knew how to develop Scorch Release, he would have done it himself already.
After thinking, Neji-kun shared his experience developing Storm Release. There were two main difficulties: first, confirming the existence of the desired Kekkei Genkai (known or unknown), and second, finding the correct chakra natures and their specific combination ratio. Even with guidance, it was like crossing a river by feeling the stones. Everyone's talent and chakra affinities differed, so even for the same Kekkei Genkai, the required ratio varied from person to person.
"So, you're saying I just have to keep trying?" Pakura asked suspiciously after listening to his explanation.
Neji-kun blushed slightly and put his mask back on.
"Pakura!" He cleared his throat. "There are no shortcuts to developing a Kekkei Genkai. I believe in your intelligence. You can succeed. Keep trying!"
With that, Neji-kun grabbed his sleeping bag, leaped onto a branch, and closed his eyes to rest.
Pakura glanced at Neji-kun in his sleeping bag, then looked at Sasori. "Will it work?"
"It will." Sasori chuckled, then lay down by the fire to sleep.