In the following days, Asuka did not continue wandering the Ninja World. Instead, he returned directly to the Mist battlefield, choosing to lie low for a while and observe how the situation unfolded.
Of course, even while staying at the Hidden Mist camp, he had no intention of idling away his time.
One afternoon, he summoned Minazuki Murasaki, Mei Terumī, and Hōzuki Mangetsu to his private tent.
The light inside was dim, with only a single oil lamp casting a faint glow.
Seeing the confusion on their faces, Asuka didn't bother with small talk. He pulled out a scroll from his robes and casually tossed it to the youngest—and most impatient—among them, Mangetsu.
The scroll felt heavy. On its cover was a bold ink character:
"Zero."
The strokes were sharp and forceful, carrying an inexplicable pressure.
Mangetsu traced the character with his finger, frowning.
"Boss Asuka… what is this?"
His question echoed the thoughts of the other two.
Mei Terumī brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, her eyes fixed on Asuka with curiosity. Murasaki remained silent, but her gaze was equally questioning.
Asuka smiled faintly.
"This is a gift," he said casually. "A Summoning Scroll I refined myself."
Mangetsu's eyes widened instantly.
"Since when can you make summoning scrolls? And if it's a summoning contract—what exactly are we summoning?"
Mei added, intrigued, "If you refined it personally, then the summoned creature must be extraordinary, right?"
In the Ninja World, most summoning contracts were inherited or formed through long-standing bonds. Someone capable of creating one from scratch… that was rare.
Asuka waved his hand dismissively.
"Relax. The strength of this summon is far beyond your imagination."
Then his tone sharpened slightly.
"Sign it."
There was no hesitation.
Mangetsu bit his finger and signed first. Mei and Murasaki followed.
As their names were written in blood, the scroll briefly flickered with light before going still.
In that moment, all three felt something—
A connection.
Subtle, yet unmistakable. It stretched from the scroll straight into their souls.
What they didn't know was that the Zero-Tails' nature allowed it to split and exist in multiple places. Asuka had refined this trait further, enabling all three of them to summon it independently.
"Come," Asuka said.
He led them to a secluded clearing behind the camp.
Dense forest surrounded the area, cutting off noise from the main camp—a perfect training ground.
"Get familiar with it here," he instructed. "It feeds on negative emotions and converts them into power. Use it well, and it will greatly enhance your combat ability."
Mangetsu didn't wait another second.
"Summoning Technique!"
BOOM!
White smoke exploded outward, covering the clearing.
As it slowly dispersed, a massive black entity appeared.
The Zero-Tails.
Its body was formed from writhing strands of dark energy, covered in eerie patterns. Two crimson eyes glowed coldly from within.
The moment it appeared—
A wave of emotion surged outward.
Fear. Anger. Despair.
Mei and Murasaki's expressions changed instantly. Their bodies tensed as an oppressive feeling gripped their hearts.
Only Mangetsu, as the summoner, remained unaffected.
They instinctively stepped back, eyes filled with shock.
Asuka, unsurprised, began explaining calmly:
"The Zero-Tails isn't a traditional summon. It's formed from the negative emotions of the world itself."
"It absorbs those emotions to grow stronger… and releases them to disrupt enemies."
"What you just felt is its passive influence. Once you adapt, you can control it—and even channel its power into your own techniques."
As his explanation sank in, shock turned into realization… then excitement.
Mangetsu grinned like a kid who just found treasure.
"This thing is insane…!"
Murasaki nodded, her earlier wariness gone.
"With this… both offense and defense improve drastically."
Mei smiled brightly.
"This is an incredible gift, Asuka-kun."
Their reaction made sense.
In the Ninja World, a powerful summon could elevate a shinobi's strength to an entirely new level.
Figures like Hōzuki Gengetsu and Hiruzen Sarutobi had proven that long ago.
And now—they had something just as unique.
When they pressed him about its origin, Asuka simply waved it off.
"You don't need to worry about that."
His gaze swept over them.
"Just master it."
Satisfied, he turned and left, letting the three of them experiment with their new power.
—
Over the next half month, life became unusually calm.
Aside from occasional battlefield activity, Asuka remained within the Hidden Mist camp.
Routine. Quiet. Controlled.
But peace like that never lasts long in war.
One afternoon—
A series of hurried footsteps shattered the calm.
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