After leaving Uchiha Madara, Asuka did not return to the Hidden Mist. Instead, he decided to wander for a while.
He had been staying in the village for too long—it was time for a change of pace.
Rather than using instant teleportation, Asuka chose a different approach. Compared to the abruptness of space-jumping, he preferred the raw exhilaration of cutting through the wind himself.
Activating Quicksilver's mutant ability, a lightness spread through his entire body. Narrowing his eyes toward the distant horizon, he suddenly pushed off the ground.
Buzz—
A sonic boom erupted.
His figure shot forward like an arrow released from a fully drawn bow, instantly vanishing from sight. The surrounding scenery blurred into streaks of color, and the roaring wind howled in his ears without harming his hearing.
Grass along the roadside bent under the pressure of his speed. Birds didn't even have time to react—only catching a fleeting afterimage slicing through the sky.
This was the ultimate experience of Quicksilver's power.
Time itself seemed to slow in his perception, while he moved freely within it. His heart pounded steadily, each beat flooding his body with energy, sustaining this speed beyond limits.
Before long, the terrain shifted.
The wasteland gave way to a dense broadleaf forest.
Asuka had already entered the borders of the Land of Fire.
He came to a stop and activated his Byakugan.
Then—his eyes narrowed.
Hiruko?
Why is he here?
At this point in time, he shouldn't have defected from Konoha yet. And yet, judging from his behavior… something was clearly off.
Without hesitation, Asuka appeared directly in front of him.
Before Hiruko could react—
Thud!
A precise chop knocked him unconscious instantly.
Hiruko collapsed to the ground.
"At this stage, you're still weak," Asuka muttered. "Even with four Bloodline Limits later, you'd still be insignificant."
The strike had been perfectly controlled—enough to knock him out, but not kill him.
Grabbing Hiruko by the collar, Asuka smiled faintly.
"A worthwhile catch."
If Hiruko had already defected, it meant the Ghost Bud Technique must have made key progress.
And that… interested him.
A technique capable of fusing bloodlines meant it operated on a genetic level.
Asuka was curious—could he use it to extract unnecessary mutant genes and transfer them to others?
If that worked… things would become very interesting.
Without wasting time, he teleported.
In an instant, he arrived at a hidden outpost outside the Hidden Mist Village—a simple shelter he had set up years ago, containing only basic furniture and supplies.
He casually tossed Hiruko into a corner, grabbed a bottle of water, and drank deeply.
Glancing at the unconscious man, he poured the remaining water over his face.
"Cough!—cough—!"
Hiruko jolted awake, choking violently before finally regaining his senses.
His blurred vision focused on Asuka, who was sitting calmly at the table.
"Awake?" Asuka said casually. "Then come sit. Let's talk."
Hiruko forced himself to stand, eyes filled with caution.
He understood one thing clearly—this man was far stronger than him.
His ambitions weren't complete yet. He couldn't afford to die here.
Suppressing his fear, he walked over and sat down.
Asuka leaned back lazily.
"So—you're Hiruko. I'm interested in the forbidden technique you've been researching."
Hiruko's body stiffened instantly.
"You… how do you know?" His voice trembled.
"Sit down," Asuka said calmly. "If I wanted you dead, you wouldn't be awake. I just want to talk."
After a long moment, Hiruko sat again, though reluctantly.
"What do you want? I will never hand over my technique."
"Relax. I'm not taking it. I just want to know—how far has your Ghost Bud Technique progressed?"
Hiruko's pupils shrank.
Even the name… he knows everything?!
Silence stretched as he struggled internally.
In the end, survival won.
"It's still theoretical," Hiruko said through clenched teeth. "No human trials yet—but the theory works. Give me time and resources, and I will succeed! I'll break the limits of bloodlines and become truly powerful!"
His voice grew excited, eyes burning with obsession.
Seeing this, Asuka released a faint trace of his aura.
Boom.
Hiruko was instantly forced down, unable to move.
"Calm down," Asuka said lightly. "I don't work with lunatics."
He stood, walked over, and crouched in front of him.
"I don't fully trust you. So… let me give you something first."
Before Hiruko could react—
Tap.
A finger touched his forehead.
In an instant, complex sealing patterns spread across his entire body, covering him completely before sinking into his flesh and vanishing.
Asuka stood back up, smiling.
"Don't worry. It won't kill you."
"It just lets me track your location… and know if you have thoughts that go against me."
"As long as you behave, nothing will happen."
This was a technique Asuka had recently developed—
[Curse of the Terrified Soul]
It allowed him not only to monitor the target but also summon them at will… and even manipulate their memories if necessary.
Hiruko checked his body frantically—but found nothing.
In the end, he could only accept reality.
He sat back down, voice cold.
"What kind of cooperation do you want?"
Asuka smiled.
"I'll fund your research. Money, materials… even human test subjects."
"You focus on developing the Ghost Bud Technique."
"And in return—you share everything with me."
Silence.
Hiruko lowered his head, thinking for a long time.
In the end, the gap between them was too vast.
For survival—and for his ambition—
He nodded.