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Ch. 123: The Execution: To the Daimyō
🕑 Added 2024-10-03 08:40:40 +0000 UTCAnko went straight to the washroom and looked at herself in the mirror. She would stand before it and ask herself if the person in front of her was herself or the creature inside her. And every time, she would come to a different conclusion.
"I am so beautiful!"
Beauty is a state of being, and the most beautiful version of oneself is when one's heart is completely satisfied. At this moment, Anko was very pleased with her body.
On her forehead, there was a small diamond-shaped mark. This was something she had acquired recently through practicing the Reverse Seal technique.
This Reverse Seal will be your lifeline, Anko. Your brain is your strongest asset now. Tsunade's words echoed in her mind.
It was a supportive type of ninja technique that allows the accumulation of chakra in the forehead. When needed, the seal can be released to provide a large amount of chakra.
Both Anko and Shizune had started learning the Reverse Seal under Tsunade's guidance, but so far, only Anko had managed to gather this small dot of chakra, while Shizune's forehead showed no signs of progress.
According to Tsunade, this was because Anko's brain was the only part of her body capable of producing and using chakra, which made it more concentrated, allowing her to more easily train in the Reverse Seal.
Tsunade's goal in teaching Anko the Reverse Seal was to accumulate a large amount of chakra in her brain, so that instead of a slow trickle, her chakra flow would become a vast reservoir. The more chakra that gathers in the brain, the lower the risk of the membrane losing its chakra support, which could lead to the Shoggoth going out of control.
Anko's fingertips slid down from the small diamond-shaped mark on her forehead, gently brushing over her face, then down her neck, lightly touching her two collarbones. She was once again stunned by her own beauty.
Every curve, every line... perfect.
Her fingers lifted her vest, lightly touching the skin of her abdomen, tracing the line formed by her last rib, relishing the sensation that traveled to her brain.
"I really am so beautiful!"
She cupped her hands into two half-spheres, weighing the fullness of her chest. Though substantial, it wasn't excessive—it was exactly the state she had always envisioned.
She raised one leg high, resting her foot on the sink in front of the mirror as she continued to admire her legs. The muscular calves she had developed from practicing taijutsu had disappeared, replaced by a pair of straight, long, and shapely legs.
In truth, Anko thought these legs were a bit too exaggerated for a ninja, and she had always wanted to reject such legs. But she had no say in this matter because she couldn't lie to the Shoggoth. It knew the true image she desired in her heart and brought it to life.
After admiring her body, Anko engaged in her daily reflection.
Am I me? Or am I the Shoggoth? Where does Anko end and the creature begin?
Right now, is this body controlled by me? Or by the Shoggoth? Who is actually inside my body?
Standing in front of the mirror for ten minutes, she couldn't come up with an answer and could only begin her daily routine. Washing up was a dull and perfunctory task because Anko didn't really need it.
Take brushing her teeth, for example—she could easily spit out any dirt in her mouth, just like spitting saliva.
Other bodily hygiene tasks, like bathing, cutting nails, or shaving leg hair, were equally unnecessary. But she stubbornly believed that by maintaining these human habits, she could constantly remind herself that she was still human.
After finishing her morning routine, she picked out a medium-sized outfit she used to wear, and left the house.
Standing on the street of Konoha, Anko looked up at the sky. Today, the sunlight seemed a bit too strong.
Dim it down a bit.
With a mere thought, the brightness in her field of vision immediately decreased, as if she had put on sunglasses. This was the secret Anko had figured out over time—the secret to controlling her own body.
According to Tsunade, the Shoggoth didn't understand the sensory values the human brain could tolerate. It would directly set everything to either the maximum or minimum, such as touch.
The Shoggoth doesn't understand human limits, Anko. You need to teach it. Tsunade's advice resurfaced in her mind.
But she could let her body experience various new sensations, and then her brain would form a preference. The Shoggoth could detect her preference, and to please her brain, it would adjust these sensations to a reasonable range.
At first, it was touch. She went through many painful sensations to balance her touch, eventually adjusting it to a normal range.
There was also the problem of her face turning green, which Anko solved after countless moments of shyness, using her willpower to turn her face back to its normal red color.
Overall, apart from training, she had been experimenting with all kinds of things during this period, using her mind to adjust her body to a functional state.
Passing by a dumpling shop, she was drawn in by the scent of freshly made red bean soup and couldn't help but sit down.
"Boss, one serving of red bean soup!"
"Coming right up!"
Soon, a bowl of red bean soup was placed on the table. Anko immediately brought her nose close, greedily inhaling the aroma. She eagerly picked up the bowl and took a sip. The intense sweetness hit her tongue, and even someone like Anko, who loved sweets, found it overwhelming.
"No, this needs to be a bit less sweet," she muttered.
"What did you say?" the shop owner asked from the other side.
Anko smiled and shook her head, "Oh, nothing, the red bean soup is delicious."
After pausing for a moment, she took another sip of the soup. Sure enough, the sweetness had lessened slightly, no longer overwhelming. Anko was using this trial-and-error method to slowly fine-tune her body's sensations. Though the process was painful and slow, it was something she had no choice but to endure.
As Anko was enjoying her red bean soup, across the street, a young boy walked by alone. The boy's appearance wasn't particularly remarkable, yet he immediately caught her attention.
She quickly put down her soup.
Why can't I look away?
She didn't know why, but every time she saw this boy, she couldn't help but observed him. It was as if, in her eyes, the boy was some sort of light she couldn't help but chase. Like a bee drawn to a hive, or a baby to its mother, Anko felt her body yearning to be near him.
"I want to..."
Fortunately, Anko's brain remained rational, preventing her body from acting out any inappropriate or obsessive behaviors. Even so, she sensed that her actions had already caused great distress to the boy.
Across the street, the boy noticed Anko looking at him and hurriedly quickened his pace, turning away and fleeing.
"What am I thinking?"
"He's just a child!"
Flushed, Anko sighed deeply, taking a gulp of red bean soup in hopes of washing away her chaotic thoughts.
---
"Summon the chunin squads 1, 5, and 7, as well as jonin Nara Shikaku, to gather at the conference hall immediately!"
"Yes!"
Several shadowy figures rushed out from the Hokage building, spreading throughout various corners of Konoha. What could be so urgent to require this many of us? One ninja thought as he leapt from rooftop to rooftop. Shortly after, more figures returned to the building.
Inside the conference hall, Hiruzen sat solemnly in the center of the hall. Before him, ten ninjas, led by Shikaku, knelt on one knee, awaiting the Hokage's orders.
"The reason I've gathered you all here is to assign a mission that requires your cooperation."
As soon as Hiruzen finished speaking, the ten ninjas showed expressions of surprise. What kind of mission could require the combined strength of three chunin squads and a jonin?
"This information is top-secret and has not been disclosed to the village. Leaking it would be considered treason."
The atmosphere in the room tensed, each ninja straightening their posture, ready for whatever bombshell the Hokage was about to drop.
"Recently, Konoha captured an otherworldly creature. This creature killed a minister from the Land of Fire's Daimyō's mansion. Normally, it would be executed immediately."
The ninjas were shocked. An otherworldly creature?
Did other worlds really exist? What kind of creatures inhabited them? Even the wildest imaginations couldn't conceive of what lay beyond this world.
"However, at my request, the Daimyō granted us one month to study this creature. The month is now up, and it's time for the creature to be executed."
"Your mission is to escort this creature to the Daimyō's mansion tomorrow, where the execution will be carried out under the Daimyō's supervision."
Hiruzen continued after allowing the ninjas some time to process the information. "The creature is currently being held in the underground research facility beneath the Hokage building. I will now take you to see it and have the researchers explain more."
"Follow me."
As they descended into the depths of the facility, one chunin whispered to another, "What kind of creature are we about to see? Will it be like the tailed beasts?"
Led by Hiruzen, the ten ninjas entered the underground research facility and were immediately struck by what they saw. The creature had a pink, crustacean-like body, an eyeless, tentacled ovoid head, massive folded wings, and clawed limbs like a crab's pincers—a bizarre and unnerving entity.
"What in the world is that thing?" one chunin whispered.
"It's like nothing I've ever seen or imagined!" another replied.
The ten ninjas absorbed the shock and began listening to the researchers' explanations.
They learned that this creature belonged to a highly intelligent and technologically advanced species from another world, called the Mi-Go. These beings had a fungal-like biology with some regenerative abilities, though they could die from lethal injuries. Upon death, their bodies dissolved into a foul liquid within hours.
"The Mi-Go possess advanced technology, including electric guns, bio-armor, ice sprayers, and seismic mining machines," one researcher explained, gesturing to diagrams on the wall.
"And you've managed to neutralize all these threats?" Shikaku asked, his tone skeptical.
The researcher nodded. "We've stripped it of its bio-armor, rendering it vulnerable for the execution."
With the briefing complete, Hiruzen spoke again. "The taskforce will be led by Shikaku. The three chunin squads are to assist in the escort and ensure the Daimyō's safety during the execution."
"Dismissed!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Outside the Hokage building, the chunin teams grouped up and walked together, discussing the extraordinary sight they had just witnessed.
"Asuma, did you know about this beforehand?"
"Idiot! It's classified. Even though I am his son, he wouldn't have told me."
"Alright! I'll make sure to give that creature a spectacular execution with my youthful spirit!" Guy exclaimed, punching the air enthusiastically.
Kurenai sighed, shaking her head. "Uh, isn't the execution team from the Daimyō's side? We're just handling the escort."
"Why isn't anyone in our group starting a conversation?" Aoba whispered.
"It's so quiet…" Raidō replied softly.
"That wild grass smells nice…" Genma added, seemingly lost in thought.
"If I could interrogate that creature myself, I'd get more reliable information out of it," Ibiki mused.
"That thing… it was kind of scary, don't you think, Mizuki?" Ebisu asked.
"Uh, yeah…" Mizuki replied.
As the nine ninjas parted ways under the sunset, Shikaku remained on the steps, his expression far from as carefree as the others. Although the mission seemed straightforward—just a prisoner escort—Shikaku couldn't shake the feeling that the highly intelligent Mi-Go wouldn't accept its fate so easily.
As they had spoken, the Mi-Go's tentacles had been writhing wildly. He didn't know what that movement signified, but one thing was clear: the creature hadn't resigned itself to its destiny.
"Let's hope everything goes smoothly…" he muttered to himself, "but I better prepare for the worst."
---
At dawn the next day, a massive prison cart, escorted by ten ninjas and several executioners from the Daimyō's mansion, set out for the Land of Fire's capital.
"Remember, constant vigilance. This isn't just any prisoner we're transporting," Shikaku reminded the team as they began their journey.
The journey was uneventful, with villagers stepping aside upon seeing the large procession. What could be in that cart? It must be dangerous... one villager thought as they passed.
During a brief midday rest, Asuma approached Shikaku. "Shikaku-san, don't you think this is overkill for one prisoner?"
Shikaku's eyes scanned the horizon as he replied, "Never underestimate an unknown enemy, Asuma. Especially one from another world."
