Summoning Beasts
The Mountain Thieves currently engaged in battle were the fifth batch of Dragon Tooth Soldiers deployed by Shirō. Compared to the previous four batches, they still hadn't reached his expectations, but their overall performance was decent.
This batch already possessed combat power that exceeded the average civilian, at least in terms of raw physical attributes. However, their movements remained stiff, their strikes predictable, and their combat routines rigid. Against ordinary bandits, they were fine—but against a trained shinobi, they would be easily dismantled.
The only commendable trait they showed was their durability. So far, none of them had fallen apart, and judging by the strain on their bodies, they should be able to barely endure a single C-rank ninjutsu before breaking down.
Unfortunately, their lack of speed and flexibility meant they would struggle even against Konoha's weakest academy graduates, let alone real genin.
By this point, most of the Mountain Thieves had been dealt with. A few still clung stubbornly to life, but Shirō casually waved his hand, dispelling the Dragon Tooth Soldiers.
He had no time to waste here—two more test batches remained. The thieves were nothing but fodder for his experiments. Without even turning back, he flicked a few shuriken behind him. The steel flashed in the dark, silencing the last survivors who thought they had escaped with their lives. Their final expressions twisted between confusion, unwillingness, and a faint relief that death had come swiftly.
Shirō didn't even bother to check the corpses. His aim never missed, and they weren't worth the effort. He still had to rush to the next site to continue testing his magecraft.
What Shirō failed to realize was how much his attitude had shifted. With every experiment, with every thought Nakamura had planted during their missions, his view of human life was changing. He had begun to treat people no differently from experimental material.
It wasn't unlike the cruel researchers of the Land of Hot Water, who used humans for twisted experiments. The only difference was that Shirō wasn't dissecting people—yet. But whether he admitted it or not, both paths were the same.
In truth, he was just deceiving himself. His education from a past life still clashed with this reality, so he subconsciously ignored it. One day, however, he would face the truth. And when that moment came, two paths would remain before him: either to collapse completely, or to embrace the cruelty and step into the darkness of inhumane human experimentation.
For now, Shirō was blissfully unaware. His focus was fixed on his next assignment.
This mission was different from the bandit hunts. Instead of driving away wild animals, he had been tasked with eliminating a roving wolf pack that had injured villagers. The order was explicit: extermination.
And since they were passing through the territory without a stable den, there was no concern about disrupting the ecosystem.
Yes, the ecosystem.
Though scientific knowledge wasn't widespread, shinobi villages understood the delicate balance of nature. The existence of chakra beasts and summoning animals made such matters unavoidable. Every hidden village quietly observed and managed these balances, ensuring their missions didn't trigger unintended disasters.
Thus, extermination and expulsion missions were clearly distinguished. Extermination was simple—kill the target and report back. Expulsion, however, was difficult. The mission success was judged not only on driving the beasts away but also on minimizing casualties. Too many deaths—even of beasts—and the mission was marked as a failure.
A shinobi who ignored this rule and slaughtered everything during an expulsion mission faced not just failure but punishment, a black mark on their record that could stall promotions for years.
For most, that risk was too much. But Shirō wasn't aiming for the Hokage's seat. A spotless record meant little to him. If his promotion was delayed, so be it—his strength and connections would eventually force the village to acknowledge him.
So, he deliberately accepted several such troublesome missions. Among them, one extermination mission—the wolves—was perfect for testing the last two batches of Dragon Tooth Soldiers. Expulsion jobs could wait.
Soon, Shirō reached the wolves' last known location. He crouched low, carefully studying the ground for tracks. This time, he refused to rely on Ryūchi Cave's guidance. The rescue mission with Katsuki had shown him his weakness in independent action. If his team disbanded in the future, he couldn't always depend on others' instructions.
These wolves—poor at concealing their trails—would serve as perfect training.
Following the paw prints through the underbrush, he stopped often to confirm he was on the right track. Before long, he found them gathered in a forest clearing.
Shirō was about to summon his Dragon Tooth Soldiers when he froze. His eyes narrowed.
Something was wrong.
The wolves looked ordinary enough, but the alpha radiated chakra.
"A Ninja Beast?" he muttered. "No… something else."
Wild ninja beasts were rare but not unheard of. Still, this was different. His sharp gaze caught something etched faintly on the alpha's body—seals.
A Summoning Contract.
Shirō's mind raced. A Summoning Contract was the basis of the Summoning Jutsu. Only through such a contract could one summon creatures across distances. At its core, it was a highly complex sealing technique.
To most shinobi, it would have gone unnoticed. But Shirō had been drilled mercilessly by Kushina in the arts of sealing. She had forced him to memorize countless formulas, and among them, the Contract Seal was one of his specialties.
The very same technique that bound creatures like Gamabunta to Jiraiya, the toads to Naruto, and snakes to Orochimaru.
And now, on this wolf… a trace of that same power.
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