The courtyard fell into a profound silence, broken only by the occasional sharp crackle of the dying bonfire.
Shisui stood up and adjusted his grip, carrying Naoto into his bedroom and laying him flat on the tatami mat. After securing the door, he removed the boy's obstructive clothing.
His hands moved into a series of fluid seals, and as his chakra began to circulate, his consciousness followed the flow, probing deep into Naoto's slumbering form.
Once the examination was complete, Shisui sat cross-legged in the corner of the room, opened his notebook, and began to write.
After this period of autonomous developnt, the insect's symbiosis with Naoto's body had grown significantly tighter.
Specialized filants had extended along the chakra pathways, anchoring themselves directly onto the boy's ridians.
This thod of integration was sothing the previous, rapidly force-bred insects had never achieved.
The boost it provided, however, was imnse. According to Shisui's tests, Naoto's physical fitness—strength, speed, and endurance—was now approaching the level of a Jonin, and his chakra reserves were at the forefront of the Chunin rank.
But with a connection this intimate, how can I deactivate this symbiotic organism?
Shisui stroked his chin, lost in thought. Although only half a month had passed, the insect had clearly moved beyond its larval stage; the next phase was the growth stage, followed eventually by maturity. If his previous calculations held true, Naoto only had about a year left.
As the insect entered its growth stage, its hunger for energy and nutrients would grow voracious.
If Naoto's willpower faltered, there was a high probability his consciousness would be subverted by the insect's primal urges, turning him into a monster driven only by the need to feed.
Furthermore, the symbiotic balance currently maintained within his body was incredibly delicate. Forcing a separation carried extre risks.
Fortunately, the parasite had not yet seized dominance; Shisui still held the ultimate "control key."
Sigh. If only the insect would naturally self-destruct after reaching its biological limit. But that's impossible; the very instinct of these creatures is to survive, reproduce, and evolve.
Shisui shook his head, discarding those impractical fantasies. Performing a new set of hand seals, he pressed his hands against Naoto's torso.
This was a sealing technique he had mastered within the last two days—it couldn't solve the problem entirely, but it could effectively throttle the insect's growth rate.
There was no rush. The experintal subject was right in front of him, under his control. He would have plenty of opportunities for research.
This study was vital to Shisui; the results would determine whether he could break through his own biological limitations and force his physical stats and chakra beyond their current plateaus.
The next morning, Naoto woke up to find himself in "Takigawa Sho's" bed, stripped of his clothes and covered only by a thin sheet. He felt remarkably clean, without a trace of the typical post-drinking gri.
Shisui was sitting nearby, engrossed in a thick book. Noticing the boy was awake, he closed it and offered a small smile. "You're up. I've made so breakfast; do you want so?"
"Sho-niisan, I... last night..." Naoto scratched his head, a flush rising to his face.
"You got quite drunk yesterday. You ended up making a ss of your clothes." Shisui placed a set of clean garnts in front of him.
"These are mine; wear them for now. As for yours, I've put them in the washbasin outside. You can clean them yourself."
"Th—thank you!" Naoto stamred, his words tripping over each other. He dressed hurriedly, grabbed his dirty laundry, and scrambled out of the house in a panic, skipping breakfast entirely.
In the nearby field, Arisuke and Harukusa climbed out of a muddy ditch, rubbing their stiff necks. When they caught Shisui's amused, knowing gaze, they scrambled to their feet and fled the scene despite their aching bodies.
"Heh, such vibrant bodies," Shisui murmured. "A pity your physical constitutions and willpower aren't yet qualified to be hosts for the eggs."
At the sa ti, in the Lord's Manor of Heiji City.
Ryuji Ida stood in the drawing room with Ichiro Kurosaki. Butler Matsumoto brought out tea and snacks, his deanor uncharacteristically respectful.
"The Lord has been occupied with administrative affairs lately, so he has instructed to receive you, Mr. Ida. The quality of the ore you delivered previously was superb; the Lord is quite satisfied."
Ryuji was quick to notice the shift in Matsumoto's tone. During their last eting, the butler had been polite but scrutinizing.
Now, that scrutiny was gone, replaced by the professional courtesy one shows to an "insider."
But when exactly had he beco an insider to Matsumoto? The feeling puzzled him, making him wonder if he was misinterpreting the atmosphere.
"I'm glad the Lord is pleased," Ryuji smiled. "What kind of ore will he require next? I am preparing to return to the Land of Earth soon."
"The Lord does have a request. If you are able, Mr. Ida, he hopes you can help procure so Chakra tal. Any quantity, any quality—though the higher the grade, the better. This was a specific instruction."
Chakra tal!
Ryuji's heart skipped a beat. This rare material was a strategic resource in the shinobi world—outrageously expensive and strictly regulated.
Buying ordinary ore in the Land of Earth was one thing, but Chakra tal was on an entirely different level of difficulty.
He kept his face neutral. "I will do my best. However, Chakra tal is a controlled substance in every nation. It will take ti and the right connections."
"The Lord understands," Matsumoto replied. "There is no rush. Just do what you can. Furthermore, the mining operations are progressing smoothly.
The first batch of refined ferrosilicon is ready. As per our agreent, thirty percent will be set aside for you to sell."
In reality, this "refined tal" wasn't produced in a traditional forge. Instead, the insects in the mine tunnels spent day and night devouring raw rock, eventually excreting pure beads of aluminum and steel.
These were then lted down and cast into ingots. Because of the trace chakra elents infused by the insects, selling these materials in the Land of Iron or the Land of Artisans would yield a profit nearly ten tis the usual rate.
Though Ryuji wasn't a blacksmith, his business instincts were razor-sharp. He could see the exceptional quality of these ingots at a glance.
Yet, a nagging doubt persisted: Why was the Lord being so generous? Why give away such a lucrative piece of the pie?
And more importantly... was the "Lord" Matsumoto spoke of truly the Lord of Heiji?
The more he thought about it, the more the underlying logic chilled him. He stopped probing and simply bowed. "The Lord is a man of his word. I won't disturb you further; I leave for the Land of Earth tomorrow."
As they left the manor, Ichiro Kurosaki muttered under his breath, "Chakra tal... it seems that man has already taken control of everything."
"What was that?" Ryuji turned, having caught only a fragnt.
Ichiro imdiately diverted. "Nothing. I just think Chakra tal will be very difficult to acquire."
"Difficult or not, we have to try. But tell , Mr. Kurosaki... do you intend to keep following ?"
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