Chapter 94: 90: Shadow Dancer
Late July, in the midst of summer
As the evening approached, Shiraishi returned home from the academy. There, he received surprising news from Ruri.
"Heading out on a mission?" Shiraishi inquired, his curiosity piqued by Ruri's sudden announcement.
"Yes, I've been thinking about it. I don't think I'm suited for the leisurely life of the police force. I've already submitted a transfer request." replied Ruri.
She believed that after spending over a year with the Uchiha Police force, it was time for a change.
Life within the police force was exceedingly comfortable, mainly dealing with civil disputes, rendering Ruri's considerable skills unnecessary. Such tasks could be managed by typical Uchiha ninjas.
Ruri had been appointed as the captain of the police force primarily as an honor, given that the police force was an esteemed division within the Uchiha clan. Many Uchiha members considered it a privilege to be part of the police force. However, for Ruri, it was a boring life.
"It's good to have a change of scenery." Shiraishi commented.
Ruri extended an invitation, asking, "Do you want to join me?"
With a troubled scratch of his head, Shiraishi replied, "I think I'll pass for now. I'd rather focus on completing the final stages of my research in the Sage Mode before considering it."
Ruri respected his choice, acknowledging the significance of his work in Sage Mode. She, too, looked forward to the day when Shiraishi would perfect this technique. It would not only enhance her combat abilities but also increase her use of the Sharingan to a higher level.
"By the way, now that you're heading out on a mission, you'll need to form a new team, right? As a Jounin, you can't simply join another Jounin team." Shiraishi observed.
Ordinarily, missions were carried out in teams of four, sometimes employing a special team arrangement, such as a mix of Chunin and Genin. Such cases were more prevalent during times of war when the mortality rate for Jounin was notably high. However, with peace reigning, standard team sizes consisted of four members, with one Jounin and three middle or lower ninja.
"Recently, the leader of one team died in the line of duty. I've been assigned as their captain, and the team members are fresh graduates." Ruri explained.
Shiraishi chuckled, commenting on the irony of the situation. "What a pity.. The captain's hardly been out of graduation, and now you're stepping in as their new leader."
The academy's graduation season typically occurred in March or April. Given that it was now July, these team members had graduated less than half a year ago, and their leader had already died on a mission.
Likely, they had met a tragic end in the line of duty, possibly due to unfortunate accidents that sometimes occurred during missions. Such missions often involved traps, misinformation, and other dangerous elements.
Ruri's decision to undertake a mission might have been influenced by her lingering feelings about Sakumo's situation, which left her somewhat despondent. In this regard, Shiraishi supported her choice.
Given Ruri's prowess, encountering any significant challenges was unlikely, especially when leading a team of rookies. The mission's difficulty would be considerably lower than when they were part of Sakumo's team.
◎
The next day, Shiraishi entered Ruri's room to find only a note. After reading its contents, he accepted her departure, albeit with a brief adjustment period.
Following breakfast, Shiraishi plunged into his laboratory, embarking on the task of refining the fusion mechanism between Chakra and natural energy.
Manipulating Chakra and natural energy separately was relatively straightforward, especially for individuals with strong control abilities who could execute this skill efficiently, without wasting energy during battles. However, controlling these two energies once they were fused became considerably more challenging.
Within the transparent chamber, he used various instruments to adjust the Chakra and natural energy, facilitating their fusion. Subsequently, he left them there, allowing the fusion process to continue.
This research held a connection with General Tu, the Earth General, following their encounter during the last battle against Hyuga Kare, an upper ninja from the Hyuga clan. Shiraishi had realized that General Tu could be a valuable asset in many combat scenarios, particularly for sneak attacks.
General Tu's ability to hide in the earth and execute stealthy ambushes was exceptional. While not possessing significant combat abilities himself, he could store various items within his body, functioning similarly to a sealed scroll.
Recently, Shiraishi had created an array of lethal weapons, such as gas bombs and detonation charms, which he stored inside the General. This allowed General Tu to serve not only as a communication tool but also as a formidable weapon.
Currently, Shiraishi divided his time between researching Sage Mode and conducting experiments on "artificial humans".
He aimed to create another "artificial human" like General Tu.
The characteristic given to General Tu was 'earth'.
The lurking ability in the earth, as well as the ability to move, are far greater than those in the water.
This new creation would exhibit the 'Yin' characteristic, specifically Yin Release. Yin Release was responsible for the shadow-manipulation techniques jsed by the Shadow Man in the Five Man Team.
His latent ability to blend into the shadow is a use.
There are also shadow jutsu users such as the Nara clan, and Uchiha's Sharingan Genjutsu, all of which belong to the category of Yin release.
Shiraishi soon formed a blueprint in his mind. He began by designing the puppet, followed by extracting the required materials from the laboratory's inventory. Then, the experimentation began. His aspiration was to endow this new puppet with higher intelligence than General Tu, who was rather simple-minded.
The process of creating artificial humans is, in fact, not overly complicated.
The initial step involves molding, altering the nature of Yin and Yang chakras to infuse life into the shaping material. Natural energy is then used as their life force, with characteristics enabling independent adjustment and absorption of external natural energy.
Next, was the most critical stage in the process.
With a body of life, only the soul remains to be filled.
A body without of a soul is a life incomplete.
And the principal source of this soul... is Shiraishi himself.
By using soul ninjutsu, he transfered fragments of his own soul into the puppet body, after which it undergoes training, fine-tuning, and placement within the cultivation puppet.
The final step involves positioning the puppet, infused with fragments of Shiraishi's soul, within a standing glass container brimming with natural energy for complete fusion.
Shiraishi silently observed as his new 'chilf' came to life through the instrument...
◎
In the following days, Shiraishi patiently awaited the birth of his 'child' and also monitored the progress of his Sage Mode research.
In the afternoons, Shiraishi continued his work at the academy.
Upon returning from work, the 'child' within the laboratory remained dormant, still in need of absorbing substantial energy to fully come to life.
And so, the days passed swiftly.
The following morning, Shiraishi headed to Ruri's room as usual, only to find it empty. A full day had passed with no sign of her return. It was likely that she had gone on a mission outside the village, accompanied by the recently graduated genins.
A strange, unexplainable feeling washed over Shiraishi as he gazed at the vacant, glass-encased room, feeling a sense of loss.
Since residing here, he had never been separated from Ruri for such an extended period. The experience of missing her was unfamiliar and somewhat unsettling.
Lost in thought, Shiraishi made his way to the underground laboratory.
Yet, within the laboratory, nothing had changed. The 'child' he had created still kept its eyes tightly shut inside the floor-standing glass apparatus, continuing to absorb the surrounding natural energy.
Shiraishi reviewed the Senjutsu fusion data on his computer and noted a slight improvement compared to the previous day. Although the progress was marginal, it was undeniably inching closer to success.
The morning passed uneventfully, with Shiraishi pondering his correspondence with the priestess residing in the Land of Demons.
Through General Tu, they had engaged in various cooperative exchanges, particularly discussions about establishing a company in the Land of Demons and seeking cooperation with the local government as a neutral entity.
However, Shiraishi couldn't shake the suspicion that the priestesses in the Land of Demons possessed knowledge of the usage natural energy. The priestess had cautioned him with the words "Beware of Mount Myōboku" one of the three holy places and a crucial place of Sage Mode.
Could she possess knowledge of the Sage Mode?
Asking such a question outright could jeopardize their relationship, as it might involve a closely guarded priestess family inheritance.
"It's truly challenging." Shiraishi muttered, his brows furrowing. Seeing that it was past noon, he abandoned his thoughts and went out for lunch.
Upon his return, Shiraishi was taken aback.
Within the floor-standing glass instrument housing his 'child,' the 'child' had vanished.
The natural energy remained undisturbed, and the glass container showed no signs of damage. It was as if the person had effortlessly erased themselves from the glass chamber.
Stepping closer, Shiraishi sensed an eerie atmosphere within the laboratory.
Shadows.
Countless shadows swirled across the walls, floor, and even his own body in a disconcerting and twisted manner. These blurred shadows moved in eerie silence, casting a bewildering and mysterious aura within the laboratory.
Eventually, all the shadows converged to a single point, right in front of Shiraishi.
"Father." an emotionless female voice emerged.
Clad in pitch-black attire with flowing ebony hair and a pure black metal mask, the entity revealed cold, jet-black eyes, entirely dominated by obsidian pupils.
She was a shadowy presence,jme the night's icy snow.
Kneeling on one knee, she paid profound respect and reverence to her Creator.
Relief washed over Shiraishi as he gazed into her cold, discerning eyes, confirming that she was unlike the dim-witted General Tu. She was a daughter possessing normal intelligence.
Simultaneously, another entity surfaced from the ground, a mud figure. As it was about to communicate something, a dark shadow sliced through its neck.
The head, adorned with pale golden eyes, tumbled across the floor before coming to a rest against the wall.
The shadow girl, still paying homage to Shiraishi, reported in a haughty, cold tone, "Father, the enemy has been swiftly dealt with."
"..."
"Father?"
The shadow girl asked in confusion, sensing a lack of praise.
"He's your brother..." Shiraishi explained.
The shadow girl froze, her head drooping in apparent confusion.
Shiraishi sighed softly, comforting her, "But don't worry too much. Your brother has some mental issues and won't remember these events. Just treat him kindly in the future."
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