Chapter 234: Water Release with Emphasis on Permeation Properties
"This place isn't safe. We have to leave quic—qui—"
"What's happening?"
"Why can't I move my body?"
"Damn it... Who's there?!"
Just as Hōzuki Mugetsu was about to leave, he suddenly found he could no longer control his body. Not even enough to break into a cold sweat.
Genjutsu?
Paralysis Jutsu?
Mugetsu didn't know what technique it was—all he knew was that he was doomed this time.
"Impressive! This kind of Water Release... I've never seen anything like it before."
Li Yao and Koyoko landed from the sky and walked over to the fallen Kirigakure ANBU corpses, visibly intrigued.
The bodies of the Kirigakure ANBU showed signs of bloated, pale skin—like corpses left soaking in water for several days.
But Li Yao had watched the entire fight unfold. He knew these weren't waterlogged corpses—they hadn't died from prolonged exposure to water.
"What a terrifying Water Release technique..." Koyoko glanced at the bodies on the ground, then looked at the immobilized Mugetsu, a flicker of apprehension in her eyes.
They were originally on their way to Kirigakure when they stumbled across this scene in the Land of Waves—Kirigakure ANBU chasing down a rogue ninja.
Li Yao had only planned to watch the fight and maybe grab someone for experimentation. He hadn't expected to witness such a frightening Water Release jutsu.
"Very good. Really, really good."
"You'll be my Water Release clone."
Li Yao walked back over to Hōzuki Mugetsu, extremely satisfied with the man's Water Release talent. Especially considering how Mugetsu had developed his chakra to a level that nearly rivaled a kekkei genkai—on par with Black Lightning.
Mugetsu's Water Release had a fascinating property: extreme permeability. It could pass through skin and infiltrate the human body rapidly, penetrating deep into muscle tissue and even the heart, causing cells to bloat and rupture from water overload.
The six Kirigakure ANBU that had pursued him were all killed when Mugetsu used Hidden Mist Jutsu during combat to stealthily inject large amounts of water into their bodies, swelling their organs until they exploded internally.
This highly penetrative Water Release, combined with Hidden Mist, was effectively a large-scale biochemical weapon—nearly impossible to defend against. By the time the enemy noticed, it was already too late.
Perfect.
With a thought, Li Yao sent a shadow clone in spirit form to possess Hōzuki Mugetsu, while his main body placed a hand on Mugetsu's forehead, channeling Will Purification Chakra to erase his soul's resistance.
Li Yao hadn't been sure which direction to take the chakra nature of his Water Release clone—but now, before even reaching the Land of Water, he encountered this Kirigakure rogue who had already pioneered a new path.
He didn't need to look any further.
Hōzuki Mugetsu was the one.
Before long—
The spirit clone successfully possessed the body. Li Yao's will now fully controlled Hōzuki Mugetsu's soul and body.
At the same time, Li Yao felt a faint but growing pressure—like he was carrying another person on his back. His will was reaching its limit in sustaining more souls.
Five clones. That was his maximum.
Unless he could enhance his will.
But that wasn't so easily done.
Five was enough.
And so, Li Yao's five-element clones were complete. Now, he could finally begin focused cultivation.
Soon after, Li Yao and the Water Release clone went their separate ways.
Li Yao didn't leave the Land of Waves. Instead, he and Koyoko decided to temporarily settle there until they felt like moving again.
The Water Release clone operated under Mugetsu's original thought patterns—his goals, logic, and ambitions remained unchanged.
From Mugetsu's memories, Li Yao learned that he hadn't yet completed what he called "Permeation Release."
The true Permeation Release was a Water Release technique capable of penetrating even metal, causing it to bloat and rupture like human tissue.
In Li Yao's view, if the jutsu could evolve to that level—able to permeate and dissolve metal—that meant its chakra nature had reached the threshold required to fuse into the Kekkei Mōra.
So, letting the Water Release clone grow on his own was best.
Soon—
Using genjutsu, Li Yao settled into a town in the Land of Waves.
Each day, he summoned five shadow clones:
– Two to study the scripts of Edo Tensei and Tandem Explosive Tags
– Two to develop Yin and Yang chakra separately
– One to research the Perfect Transformation Technique
As for himself, he enjoyed life—traveling and sightseeing with Koyoko. Occasionally, he'd return to Konoha to join his Fire Release clone and the sultry Mikoto for some intimate three-person fun.
He had to admit—sharing a woman with one's own clone… was surprisingly entertaining.
…
Time flew by.
Half a year passed.
Now it was February, Year 38 of Konoha.
Inside an ANBU interrogation room, Hokage secretary Chiba Megumi—heavily pregnant—lay on a special rune-inscribed table.
The ANBU interrogation captain, eyes closed, pressed a hand to her forehead to extract her memories.
"Who was it?"
"Six months ago… Could it have been that mysterious Explosion Style ninja?"
The Third Hokage stood nearby, expression dark, hands trembling with anger.
His secretary—and longtime lover—was pregnant. But the child wasn't his.
Six months ago, Chiba Megumi had abruptly resigned, saying she wanted a long vacation. The Third, feeling his age and grateful for her years of service, agreed.
Then, just days ago, his wife mentioned that Chiba Megumi was pregnant.
At first, he wasn't angry. He'd mentally prepared for this—he couldn't expect to keep her forever.
But once he investigated her activities over the past six months, his fury ignited.
She had no contact with any men. She was always alone.
And yet, she was six months pregnant.
What did that mean?
It meant she had already conceived while still working as his secretary—and had hidden it from him.
To the Third, it felt like a betrayal. He mobilized the ANBU to find the man who had "cuckolded" him.
But… there was no trace.
It was as if the pregnancy had appeared out of thin air. No witnesses, no evidence of interaction with any man.
After thorough investigation, ANBU concluded the likeliest father… was the Third Hokage himself.
That left the Hokage in shock.
He realized someone might've used genjutsu to manipulate Chiba Megumi.
When he summoned her for questioning, and she honestly replied that she had no idea how she became pregnant—he was truly rattled.
He remembered the mysterious shinobi who had infiltrated Konoha six months ago, bypassing every sensory barrier and taking Konoha Hatsuharu from the Root base.
He could wait no longer. Even if memory probing risked mental damage, he ordered it done immediately.
And so—here they were.
He needed to know: who had impregnated her? Who dared humiliate the Hokage?
Soon—
The mind-reading ANBU reached the memory fragment from six months ago.
One night, Chiba Megumi had tried to seduce the Third and failed. Disappointed, she drank at a tavern, returned home…
Then came a knock at the door.
She opened it.
"Let's see who dared give the Hokage a green hat—eh?!"
The ANBU suddenly froze, mouth wide open in shock.
"Did you find him?"
"Who was it?"
The Third Hokage hurried forward to press his old friend, Yamanaka Kakyū, a top-tier mind reader.
Kakyū didn't speak. He double-checked the memory to make sure he wasn't mistaken. Then he withdrew his hand and looked at the Hokage, expression unreadable.
The Third looked puzzled. "Well? Who was it?"
"It was you," Kakyū said, looking him in the eye.
"...Huh?" The Third blinked, not quite understanding. "Me? What do you mean?"
Kakyū pointed to Chiba Megumi's head.
"In her memory, the one who got her pregnant... was you, Hiruzen."
The Third: "…"
(END CHAPTER)
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