Late July, summer.
It was already approaching evening when Hakushi returned home from the Ninja School, and he heard an unexpected piece of news from Ruri.
"Going out on a mission?"
Upon hearing that Ruri wanted to go out on a mission, Hakushi was slightly surprised.
"Yes, I've thought about it, and I'm not suited for the idle life in the Security Team. I've already submitted a transfer application."
Hakushi thought that Ruri had been working in the Security Team for more than a year, and it was indeed about time to be fed up.
The life there was indeed too leisurely, and most of the issues handled were civil disputes, leaving Ruri, a strong Jonin, with no place to use her skills.
Such matters could be settled by the average Uchiha Ninja.
The reason for placing Ruri in the Security Team as a Sub-Captain was also to add some prestige.
After all, the Security Team was the honor department under Uchiha's command, and many of the Uchiha Race considered becoming members of the Security Team as glorious.
But to Ruri, it wasn't an honor; rather, it was a monotonous and tedious life.
"It's good to get out and clear your head."
"Would you like to come along?"
Faced with Ruri's invitation, Hakushi scratched his head in distress and said, "I'll pass. I'm almost done with the final step of Immortal Technique research. Once I succeed, then I'll think about it."
Ruri did not insist; the research on Immortal Technique was indeed an important issue.
She also looked forward to Hakushi quickly mastering Immortal Technique.
That way, her skills would grow by leaps and bounds again, and her application of the Sharingan would also reach another level.
"By the way, since you're going out on a mission, you have to form a new team, right? Given your current status as a Jonin, you probably can't join other Jonin squads."
Normal missions were carried out in teams of four.
There were also times when special team formats were adopted, such as mixed teams of several Chunin and Genin.
Generally, this would occur during wartime.
Because during those times, Jonin had a very high sacrifice rate.
But now, it wasn't wartime; the normal team format was groups of four.
Jonin paired with three Chunin or Genin.
"Recently, a Jonin leading a squad died in action. I will take up the position of captain for that team. The members seem to be brats who just graduated not too long ago."
"Haha, that's unfortunate, just graduated not long ago, and encountered a captain dying in action, then having you take over as the captain."
The graduation season from Ninja School usually occurred in March and April.
Now it's July, implying that the Genin from this squad graduated less than half a year ago, and their leading Jonin died during a mission.
Probably faced some terrible accident during the mission.
After all, many tasks commissioned were full of traps, with false information and whatnot.
Such things happened often.
Ruri decided to go out on a mission, possibly due to the matter concerning Sakumo, being somewhat troubled in her heart.
In response, Hakushi let her go.
With Ruri's strength, she wasn't likely to run into any unforeseen situations.
Besides, leading a rookie squad, the mission difficulty wouldn't be too high.
It's entirely different from the situation when they joined Sakumo's squad.
◎
The next day.
Hakushi went to Ruri's room and saw a note left behind in the room, realizing from its contents that Ruri had already gone out.
He adjusted his mindset quickly, not being overly bothered.
After breakfast, Hakushi immersed himself in the laboratory, focusing on adjusting the fusion mechanism of Chakra and Natural Energy.
When existing on their own, Chakra and Natural Energy were not difficult to control.
Especially for those naturally skilled in control, they could quickly grasp it, ensuring no energy waste during battles.
However, once these two energies were fused, they became difficult to control.
Using instruments inside a transparent conduit to adjust the fusion of Chakra and Natural Energy.
Then it was left there, as Hakushi moved on to other research tasks.
This research had certain connections with the Earth General, the mud man.
After the previous battle with Hyuga Hijin from the Hyuga Main Family, he discovered numerous times when Earth General could be supportive in combat.
For example, the Human Bomb, Human Bomb, Human Bomb...
Besides lurking abilities, Earth General also excelled in surprise attacks.
Though he himself lacked strong combat skills, internally, he had a space similar to a Sealing Scroll, capable of storing many items.
Lately, Hakushi had crafted quite a few Poison Gas Bombs, Explosive Tags, and such lethal weapons, stored within Earth General, making him not just a communication tool.
Currently, aside from researching Immortal Technique, Hakushi was simultaneously conducting experiments on 'Artificial Humans.'
He planned to create another 'Artificial Human' similar to Earth General.
Earth General was endowed with the attribute of 'Earth.'
His lurking and mobility capabilities in soil were far superior to those in water.
This time, Hakushi planned to create a new artificial human.
Endowing it with the attribute of 'Yin.'
Namely, the Yin Style.
This sort of Jutsu was exemplified in the Shadow Man from the Insect Squad.
His ability to lurk in shadows was an application of Yin Style.
Additionally, techniques like the Shadow Jutsu of the Nara Clan, and the Illusion Technique of the Uchiha's Sharingan, fell under the Yin Style category.
Hakushi quickly formed a new template in his mind.
He sketched out the design, then took the pre-prepared materials from the lab's inventory to initiate crafting.
Hoping this time the puppet created would possess higher intelligence.
Just being smarter than Earth General, his dense son, would be satisfying.
The process of creating artificial humans wasn't overly complex.
The first step is shaping, using the change in Yin-Yang chakra nature to give the shaped material life energy, then using natural energy as their life source and setting the ability to autonomously adjust and absorb external natural energy.
Next comes the most critical step.
Having a life shell, all that remains is installing the soul.
A shell without a soul is incomplete life.
And this soul's main body... is Hakushi himself.
Transferring a part of his own soul fragments using a soul jutsu.
After nurturing, adjusting, and installing into the crafted puppet shell.
The final procedure is placing the puppet, fused with his soul fragment, into a floor-standing glass container rich with natural energy for perfect fusion.
Hakushi watched quietly as his new 'child' was born from the machine...
◎
During the following time, Hakushi quietly waited for his 'child' to be born while also watching the progress of the fusion of the Immortal Technique.
By the afternoon, Hakushi went to work at the Ninja School.
Upon returning after work, the 'child' in the laboratory had not yet awakened, presumably still needing to absorb a lot of energy to be fully born.
A day soon passed.
The next morning, as usual, Hakushi went to Ruri's room.
He did not see Ruri's figure.
She hasn't returned for a day.
She must have led the little brats who recently graduated from the Ninja School on a mission outside the village.
Hakushi suddenly felt an indescribable emotion, feeling a bit lost looking at Ruri's empty room.
Since moving in here, it seems they haven't been apart for this long.
He kind of misses her.
Thinking this way, Hakushi headed to the underground laboratory.
There was still no change in the laboratory; the 'child' he created was still in the floor-standing glass apparatus with eyes tightly closed, absorbing the natural energy inside.
Hakushi looked at the Immortal Technique fusion data on the computer, which had progressed slightly from yesterday. Although the progress was small, success was indeed very close.
The morning passed in this manner, during which the research format of the Immortal Technique was adjusted, but there always seemed to be a little something missing for it to succeed.
Hakushi thought of the Witch in the Land of Demons, with whom he had exchanged quite a few letters through the Earth General these days.
But most were about cooperation.
Such as establishing a company in the Land of Demons, hoping the Land of Demons officials would provide convenience as a Neutral Country to further cooperation.
However, Hakushi knew the Witch in the Land of Demons understood the application of natural energy.
She had also warned him to 'beware of Mount Myoboku.'
Mount Myoboku, one of the Three Great Sacred Lands and one of the origins of Immortal Techniques.
Could that Witch also understand Immortal Techniques?
But asking this would be too abrupt; after all, something as significant as the Immortal Technique, if it were him, he wouldn't easily hand it over to others.
Asking such a confidential question rashly could potentially break their relationship.
After all, this likely involves an important heritage not to be leaked from the Witch's lineage.
"Truly difficult..."
Hakushi furrowed his brow tightly, seeing the clock hands pointing past twelve, decided not to think about it, and went out for lunch.
Upon his return, Hakushi was slightly startled.
Inside the floor-standing glass apparatus used to nurture his 'child,' the 'child' was gone.
The natural energy inside was still present, and the glass apparatus was undamaged, as if the entire being was erased from its interior.
Hakushi stepped forward a few paces, immediately sensing the peculiar atmosphere in the laboratory.
Shadows.
A multitude of shadows.
Countless shadows twisted and rotated bizarrely and unusually on the walls, the floor, and Hakushi himself.
Blurred darkness, silent tranquility.
This strange and distorted shadow dance gave an elusive and mysterious feeling.
Finally, all the shadows paused.
Converging into a single point.
Quietly rising into a form in front of Hakushi from the ground.
"Father."
A chilling female voice.
Clad in pure black, with long, flowing black hair, a metal mask of pure black, and a pair of cold eyes with pure black pupils exposed.
Like a shadow of the night as cold as ice and snow.
She knelt on one knee, showing utmost respect and reverence to her creator.
Hakushi's eyes were filled with relief; from her cold eyes, he could tell she was different from that fool, the Earth General.
She was an intelligent daughter.
Then another form emerged from the ground, a clay head.
As it was about to speak, a dark shadow swiped across its neck.
The head with pale golden eyes rolled across the floor, stopping upon hitting a wall.
Yet the Shadow Lady, still paying homage to Hakushi, spoke with proud coldness, "Father, the enemy has been dealt with."
"..."
"Father?"
The Shadow Lady spoke with puzzled intonation.
Why hasn't Father praised me yet?
"He was your brother..."
The Shadow Lady froze, lowering her head, seemingly at a loss.
Hakushi sighed gently, having to comfort her, "But you don't need to worry too much; your brother has a mental issue and won't remember these things. Just treat him a little better in the future."