chapter 75 part 2
Uchiha clan members, once they awakened the Sharingan, could at least reach the Chunin level, and gradually developing their bloodline limit to become Jonin was a natural progression. What did the Senju Clan have? Wood Release? Did the Senju still possess Wood Release? Not even a sapling was left. The fact that Tsunade and Nawaki, the First Hokage's grandchildren, hadn't awakened the Wood Release bloodline limit already indicated that the Wood Release bloodline limit would henceforth be lost, becoming mere legend.
Furthermore, the Uchiha Clan had hundreds of clan members, while the Senju Clan, even at its fullest, numbered less than a hundred. Their population was steadily dwindling, yet they still desperately tried to prove themselves on the battlefield…
"A clan's decline might seem sudden, but it's actually the result of decades of continuous decline, wouldn't you agree, Hiashi? You'll also become the Hyuga clan head in a few years, so you can probably understand my thoughts."
Fugaku watched Hiashi as he slowly approached.
As the sole main family member on the battlefield, wherever Hiashi went, he was protected by a large group of branch family members, ensuring no oversights.
Hiashi naturally also observed the Senju Clan's unwilling struggles, feeling somewhat stirred, but he didn't believe the Hyuga Clan would end up like the Senju Clan.
The reason was simple: the Hyuga Clan's Kekkei Genkai had the lowest awakening difficulty among the Hidden Leaf Village's three great bloodline limit clans.
As long as one was a Hyuga descendant, they could awaken the Byakugan; it was merely a matter of varying degrees of Byakugan dōjutsu power.
This simple awakening difficulty alone had already set the minimum potential of Hyuga clan members unimaginably high.
This was also why the Hyuga Clan insisted on implanting the Caged Bird Seal on branch family members: it was too easily coveted and too easily obtained by outsiders.
Therefore, the Hyuga Clan had the least to worry about "rapid decline" like the Senju Clan. As long as they could reproduce normally and the Caged Bird Seal remained unbroken, the bleak scenario of having no successors would never occur.
Conversely, no one in the Senju Clan had yet awakened Wood Release, relying on their powerful physiques to establish the Clan's prestige. Yet, even the Uzumaki Clan, also known for its strong life force, was almost wiped out. How long could the sparsely populated Senju Clan last?
However, this had nothing to do with Hiashi, nor did he care.
"Hm? This feeling…"
"You sensed it too?"
Hiashi and Fugaku turned their heads simultaneously, looking towards the center of the main camp, where a surge of chakra had suddenly erupted.
"Is it an enemy? But how could they infiltrate to that position!"
Fugaku abruptly rose, his eyes displaying Three Tomoe Sharingan, preparing to personally engage the enemy. But soon, masked figures spread out from the main camp, relaying Orochimaru's orders.
"Everyone stay put! No one is allowed to approach the central tent without Lord Orochimaru's orders!"
Upon hearing this, Fugaku and the others frowned, looking up in confusion.
"These people… Anbu?"
"No, they are Root Anbu. Why are Root members here, and so many of them? More than a dozen people means at least one squad is stationed here!"
Everyone knew that Root was Shimura Danzō's direct force, training selected youngsters into emotionless mission machines.
Only the three great bloodline limit clans could openly refuse Shimura Danzō's demands to select youngsters from their clans. Ordinary bloodline limit clans below the great clans, as well as secret technique clans, couldn't refuse Shimura Danzō, let alone regular young ninja.
Yet, Shimura Danzō's Root ninja were here, and they were relaying Lord Orochimaru's orders…
Hiashi's expression was normal. He couldn't be bothered with the messy affairs among the village higher-ups and saw no need to get involved. The Hyuga Clan only needed to remain stable.
However, Fugaku frowned, showing annoyance. Lord Orochimaru associating with someone like Shimura Danzō—could that be a good thing? What could these two be planning, or have already done?
"Speaking of which, several clan members disappeared without a trace on the battlefield. This is highly abnormal. We've been very careful to retrieve our clan members' remains, yet some are still missing."
Behind him, Elder Uchiha Setsuna said gloomily. From the time of the Second Hokage's rule, he had been a notorious hardliner, extremely hostile towards Shimura Danzō.
Fugaku's heart sank, and he said, "Elder Setsuna, don't speak carelessly about things without evidence. The village higher-ups might not be as you imagine!"
As he spoke, Fugaku glanced at Hiashi in the distance. At this moment, he suddenly felt a hint of envy for Hiashi's composure—precisely because he knew his bloodline limit would never be compromised, Hiashi had the confidence to remain eternally calm.
This was the powerful sense of security brought by the Caged Bird Seal, naturally severing all covetous gazes and encroaching tendrils from the outside world.
Touka, Fugaku, and Hiashi were all pondering the fate of their respective clans.
Orochimaru was different; he was contemplating the fate of the entire village.
"It leaked? I specifically warned you not to do anything unnecessary without my permission, yet you still disobeyed my orders…"
Orochimaru's vertical pupils were filled with serpentine malice, and intense killing intent erupted into a palpable aura. He stepped into the heavily guarded central main camp tent and, upon seeing a figure, snorted coldly.
"So it was you, Ryoma. You have some nerve, aren't you afraid I'd take the opportunity to slaughter you?" Orochimaru laughed, his true emotions impossible to discern.
Ryoma, completely enveloped in his wide robes, looked up at Orochimaru: "Things have changed. Lord Shimura Danzō has lost his patience and hopes you can end the war quickly and deliver the research results."
"So you broke into my laboratory and arbitrarily interfered with my unfinished research?"
Orochimaru's fingers twitched slightly, then he abruptly swung his arm, instantly bisecting two charging zombies.
The zombies, now only upper bodies, howled and crawled using their hands.
"The power extracted from the corpse fragments remaining from Tsukasa Kaede, if used properly, could be a great aid, perhaps allowing Shimura Danzō to decipher the secrets of the Corpse Release secret technique sooner. But you are too impatient; you want both Wood Release and Sharingan, and you also want to master Corpse Release. That makes things very difficult for me."
Orochimaru sneered as he looked at the two zombies on the ground. Not long ago, these two were clearly his subordinates. Now, thanks to Ryoma's interference, the virus had leaked, and they had become zombies.
Ryoma raised his hand, and a swarm of insects flew out from his sleeve, engulfing all those undergoing or already finished with corpse transformation. In mere seconds, their flesh and blood were devoured completely.
"Aren't you afraid of getting infected, you madman?"
"I won't let these insects return to my body; I just need to kill them," Ryoma said expressionlessly. "Don't worry about the dead; Root will compensate you with more personnel."
"Hmph, no matter how many more personnel you provide, if clumsy fools like you who don't understand research keep interfering, two more leakage incidents will wipe them all out. Worse, it might alert *that* guy. Even I don't have a deep enough understanding of Corpse Release to determine how far that guy can sense and control…"
Orochimaru scrutinized the two crawling zombies on the ground, undisguised greed flashing in his eyes. These two were so lively; if only he could transfer their life force to himself.
The Immortal Reincarnation Jutsu, which he had already begun developing, was responsible for maintaining the soul's immortality, specifically targeting perfect young bodies for possession. If he could then use the Living Corpse Reincarnation Jutsu to maintain the body's immortality, it would be truly perfect.
The two crawling zombies suddenly stopped moving. Immediately after, they began making hand signs simultaneously.
"?"
"This is…"
Boom! First, a loud bang, as one zombie spewed out a Lightning Style jutsu to clear the area.
Immediately after, a figure appeared at the position of the other zombie.
"A pleasure to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself in this manner, Lord Orochimaru… Corpse Disposal Unit Special Jonin Tsukasa Kaede, reporting for duty."
(end of chapter)