“This is…”
Kakuzu hesitated for a moment.
Just by looking at it, he could tell how dangerous and terrifying it was.
“This is ‘Earth Grudge Fear.’ I obtained it as a trophy after destroying a small ninja clan.
Its research value is extremely high, so I kept it here for special research.
Kakuzu, I want you to use it.”
Yayoi spoke with meaningful words, a strange expression appearing in his eyes.
Earth Grudge Fear — this was a forbidden technique that appeared in the original work.
It was precisely for this reason that Kakuzu had maintained youthful vitality and never aged for decades since the Warring States period.
If he had not been killed by Konoha ninjas, Kakuzu might have lived even longer.
In the end, Earth Grudge Fear could capture other people’s hearts as life energy, granting the practitioner vibrant life force and an effect similar to immortality.
Furthermore, this object could also steal people’s hearts or steal other people’s ninjutsu.
It was an extremely mysterious and terrifying forbidden technique.
Yayoi then explained the characteristics of Earth Grudge Fear to Kakuzu.
After hearing this, Kakuzu found it hard to believe.
It was not that he did not want to use it — rather, he felt that Lord Yayoi was actually trying to let him use something this powerful.
Was this not too wasteful?
According to Yayoi, if he could master this forbidden technique, his power would instantly multiply several times over, and he could also obtain an immortal body… This power was far too alluring.
As for the risks of forbidden techniques… If there were no risks at all, would it still be called a forbidden technique?
Furthermore, he trusted Yayoi’s judgment.
If Yayoi said he could master this technique, then he must have the talent for it.
By trusting Yayoi, he had even surpassed trusting himself.
“Understood, Lord Yayoi.
Please allow me… No, please let me try this technique.”
The ones who followed Yayoi were all extremely bold and would not refuse to be tested with forbidden techniques.
As a ninja who had followed Yayoi since the chaotic era to found the nation, he understood the importance of power very well.
He often felt guilty for being powerless and unable to help Yayoi much.
Moreover, the effects of this forbidden technique were extremely powerful and seductive.
“Now, let’s begin.
There is a sealed room over there.
Go there and fuse with it.”
When Yayoi pressed a switch, the door on the wall beside her suddenly opened, revealing a sealed, quiet room.
Yayoi opened the glass container and took out the pitch-black tentacle-like heart from inside.
Kakuzu stepped forward and grabbed one of the tentacles.
Like venomous snakes, the remaining tentacles quickly crawled up Kakuzu’s body and began wrapping around him.
A cold aura drifted from Kakuzu’s entire body, and he furrowed his brows.
“Then, I will go in first, Lord Yayoi.”
Kakuzu grabbed the heart’s tentacles, entered the sealed room, and closed the stone door.
No sound leaked out from inside.
Yayoi did not disturb them and simply stood there, quietly waiting for the result.
Yayoi was very confident in his ability to completely fuse the forbidden technique “Earth Grudge Fear” with Kakuzu.
First of all, in the original work, Kakuzu had endured the fusion of the forbidden technique and mastered it.
Secondly, through his chakra processing, Earth Grudge Fear had received special activation.
Not only had its power and vitality increased, but the life-threatening danger accompanying the forbidden technique had also been greatly reduced.
Even if he failed, Kakuzu would not be in mortal danger.
…
One hour… two hours… three hours… four hours…
Six hours later, the stone gate slowly opened.
A figure dressed in tattered ninja attire emerged from the room.
His originally deep green eyes seemed to have gained even more depth.
The aura emanating from him made Yayoi feel danger.
He was no longer the harmless existence he had been before.
From his ears grew several jet-black tentacles that swayed like black blood vessels, their surfaces emitting a dull light.
Then, as if receiving a command, the black blood-vessel-like tentacles retracted into Kakuzu’s ears and disappeared.
Kakuzu appeared unharmed.
In fact, there were no suture marks like in the original work, and he looked sturdier than before.
Yayoi suspected that the original Kakuzu had deliberately modified his body into a sutured state to make it easier to control the tentacles of Earth Grudge Fear and enrich his own combat methods.
“How do you feel?”
Yayoi asked Kakuzu how he felt now.
“Wonderful.
It feels like I’ve stepped into a new realm… Hmm, this too.”
Kakuzu took out a kunai and quickly slashed a wound on his own arm.
No blood came out.
Instead, something like black blood-vessel tentacles burst out from the wound and danced violently.
In an instant, the black blood vessels contracted, and the wound healed naturally.
Seeing this, Yayoi smiled with satisfaction.
“As expected.
After using my chakra to increase its activity, this forbidden technique has gained self-healing ability.”
Yayoi was not surprised by this result.
It was only natural that such a situation would occur after processing it with his own chakra.
Earth Grudge Fear was a forbidden technique for living beings.
It was only natural that by increasing vitality and activity, it would gain new abilities such as self-healing.
Furthermore, the changes to Earth Grudge Fear did not stop there.
In the original work, Kakuzu needed to release the corresponding clone before using the stolen ninjutsu.
Without releasing the clone, Kakuzu could now freely use the stolen ninjutsu as his main body.
This could be called optimization.
“I was wondering why it was so similar to Lord Yayoi’s self-healing ability.
This technique is extremely precious.
With this, I won’t lose even if I fight that Aburame Yurō.”
Kakuzu was brimming with confidence and very satisfied with the current situation.
Life force and chakra continuously flowed into his body, constantly strengthening his physique.
Previously, he had been quite wary of the power of Aburame Yurō, but now he no longer had such thoughts.
Yayoi smiled gently.
He knew that Kakuzu had been under considerable pressure recently.
After all, the Night Kingdom had gained new forces like the Aburame clan, and his power, as an old soldier who had followed Yayoi, had gradually declined.
The anxiety had disappeared from Kakuzu’s eyes, replaced by unwavering confidence.
Furthermore, this was an increase from the initial state, and Earth Grudge Fear could further strengthen its power by obtaining four hearts.
A fully grown Kakuzu would easily be able to defeat Aburame Yurō, the head of the Aburame clan.
However, there was still a considerable gap between him and Irori.
Even so, Kakuzu remained one of the top-class ninjas in the ninja world even after his power had been greatly enhanced.
My power is unlikely to increase significantly in the short term.
Even so, it’s fine.
If Kakuzu obtains Earth Grudge Fear, my burden will be considerably lightened.
Yayoi thought happily in his heart.
In addition to self-cultivation, promoting subordinates as much as possible was also a means of indirectly strengthening the military power of the Night Kingdom.
Without capable subordinates, the heavy responsibility of the nation would become unbearably heavy.
Yayoi felt that he was the type of person who could not endure hardship without that.
…
Late December.
Deep in the inner courtyard of the Shogun’s residence in the Night Kingdom.
“Lady Kichou, your recent behavior is extremely inappropriate!
If this continues, the Shogun will despise you!”
Perhaps they had finally reached their limit of patience.
The maids who had been serving her, Aoi Hyuga and Rin Hyuga, finally lost their temper and harshly reprimanded their lady, Kichou, loudly threatening that if she continued her decadent lifestyle, she would be disliked and abandoned by the Shogun.
“Huh?
But my husband loves me very much every night, so he doesn’t care about such trivial things at all.”
Hearing the reprimands from the two maids, Kichou smiled lightly, waved her hand dismissively, and continued fiddling with the various rare items the servants had brought to please her.
She was playing with items the Hyuga clan had never seen before, like a small child.
Among those items were also baby products wishing for her to give birth to a boy soon.
There were also high-end cosmetics made from precious medicinal herbs to make her look youthful and beautiful.
There were also a wide variety of international cuisines and desserts, gorgeous and colorful clothing, exquisite handmade items, and mechanical products.
In short, no matter what she thought or did not think, once she understood it, someone would naturally come to serve her kindly.
This feeling of being surrounded and respected was a joy she had never been able to taste in the Hyuga clan.
Aoi and Rin were so angry they could not speak, their faces flushed red.
Was she still talking?
Every night, she played with the Shogun there and continued moaning until late.
Should she not consider the feelings of the women sleeping in the next room?
Only the gods knew how many wet undergarments they had to wash every day.
Was that kind of thing really that addictive?
By the way, although the main bedroom of Yayoi and Kichou was soundproofed from the outside, it was actually connected to the adjacent room inside.
There was some partial soundproofing effect on the connecting part of the side rooms, but it was not very strong.
Therefore, if the two girls resting in the separate room listened carefully, they could hear faint sounds coming from the main bedroom.
Moreover, Kichou moaned in a very loud voice every night, so it was hard to miss her voice.
“Even so, Lady Kichou, you should save on food expenses, clothing, and other necessities.
Ninjas must endure hardship and live tenaciously…”
Aoi and Rin began seriously teaching Kichou how to save money and not to waste.
Furthermore, they should avoid buying many things that might be used only once and never again.
“It’s fine.
My husband said that this amount would not be much of a burden.
Besides, if I no longer need them, I can just give them to the female relatives of the officials under my command.”
Kichou showed no sign of remorse even when faced with the two maids’ constant preaching.
“…”
Aoi and Rin were at a loss for words.
In fact, this was not the first time they had reported to Yayoi that they wanted to manage Kichou’s food, clothing, and other necessities.
However, Yayoi always said “understood,” but then Kichou would start acting cute, and he would forget about it.
Or perhaps he had never intended to preach in the first place.
They were just a couple, and no one knew what kind of fun time they were having.
In the end, the two of them repeated this every night after marriage, rain or shine.
A ninja’s sturdy physique was not specially made for such acts.
The two girls immediately felt a chill and anger.
Kichou was even more outrageous.
It had already been three months since they got married.
They ate the best meals every day, used the best things, and their night life was incredibly stimulating.
Or she would act flirtatiously, cling to the Shogun, and sometimes even engage in slightly indecent behavior during the day.
One time, they witnessed Kichou standing facing a pillar in the corridor of the inner courtyard.
Her life resembled that of a decadent noble young lady.
They had not received any ninja training at all.
The maids themselves could not bear to look directly at this decadent and luxurious lifestyle.
As for reporting to the main family of the Hyuga clan, that was impossible.
If the main family intervened, it would be interfering in the politics of the Night Kingdom.
It would no longer be an internal matter of the Shogun’s family and would cause an international dispute.
“Lady Kichou, we are not criticizing you, but we would like you to change your attitude a little.
You have not trained even once since you got married, so your body must be almost rusty.
The most important spirit for the Hyuga clan is the ability to endure hardship…” Follow the newest chapters on g.com.
Even while they were talking, Aoi and Rin resumed their preaching, determined to bring Kichou back to the right path.
Ninjas should always hone themselves through hardship and increase their reason for existence.
Pleasure was the greatest enemy of ninjas.
“Alright, alright.
I’ll be more careful next time.”
Kichou waved her hand irritably, signaling the two to stop preaching.
However, only she knew exactly how much she had consumed.
After all, she had already suffered in the Hyuga clan before marriage.
Now that she had become the Shogun’s wife, she still had to suffer…
Was she not just wasting time as the Shogun’s wife?
Aoi and Rin had no choice but to stop preaching, hoping that Kichou would truly grow in the future.
…
In the softly lit bedroom.
“Aoi and Rin came to complain about me again.”
Returning, Yayoi hung his coat on the screen clothing rack, gently stroked Kichou’s small head as she affectionately snuggled up to him, and could not help but smile at the girl jumping into his arms like a small animal.
“Those two are really serious.
Why didn’t I notice it when I was in the clan?”
Kichou felt irritated even by the serious preaching of the two maids.
Especially if it was preaching for her own good, she could not scold or hit them and could only obediently listen.
She had the ability to silence the two using the bird-in-a-cage mark… but she would never do that.
Aoi and Rin were just trying to help her.
Trying to stop her was a manifestation of their loyalty.
If they had malicious intent, she would have punished them.
“It’s all Kichou’s fault.
You’re too careless.”
“Does my husband also think I’m a worthless person?”
Hearing the faint sobbing that suddenly came to his ears, Yayoi felt both amused and irritated at the same time.
“I was just saying it.
Your spending is not something I need to take seriously.”
That was true.
However, Kichou had recently been spending extravagantly, far exceeding her previous spending amount.
But frankly speaking, given her spending habits, even if she lived an even more luxurious life, it would be impossible for her to use up his private fortune even in 100 years.
Furthermore, the economy of the Night Kingdom was stable and healthy, and Kichou’s spending was nowhere near catching up with the income from his private fortune.
Moreover, Kichou’s expenses were not wasteful.
At the very least, she intended to give some of the items she purchased to the female relatives of officials.
For those in power, this was a means of affirmation and appeasement, putting the officials at ease.
The value of the gift was not important.
The most important thing was who gave it.
In the Night Kingdom where the military controlled everything, Yayoi himself was deeply connected to the military, so he shared the same interests as the ninjas and samurai.
For the officials in charge of the nation’s internal affairs, it was painful.
They respected Yayoi, but at the same time feared her.
Therefore, it would be good if someone could calm the hearts of these officials on their behalf.
Therefore, there was no one more suitable than Kichou to carry out this task.
From an outsider’s perspective, Kichou, the Shogun’s wife, was acting completely in accordance with the Shogun’s intentions.
The fact that the Shogun had given gifts to the female relatives of civil officials reassured them.
It suggested that the Shogun also highly valued them and recognized the collective contributions of the civil officials.
This young wife was truly intelligent.
She had seen through the potential dangers of the Night Kingdom at a glance and immediately presented her own solution.
“I’m glad my husband doesn’t blame me.
Now, husband, it’s time to rest.
Tonight, I want to try something a little over there.”
Kichou pulled Yayoi’s arm toward the futon, and her body grew increasingly passionate.
Her physical development was more voluptuous than many adult women, as if large fruits had grown on small branches.
The spacious bedroom was filled with a somewhat ambiguous atmosphere with pink as the base color.
“By the way, did you put that knife away?”
Yayoi looked around, but the special chakra blade Kichou had brought when she came was nowhere to be seen.
“It would be inconvenient to always carry that around.”
“But it can be used for self-defense.”
Yayoi still vividly remembered the scene of Kichou holding the knife while wearing the wedding dress for the first time.
“Hey, are you just enjoying teasing me like this?”
Kichou blushed slightly, and a look of reproach appeared in her eyes.
“Interesting.
That night’s Kichou looked like a true conqueror.”
“And… now?”
“That’s something I should be asking you, Kichou.
Has your heart finally calmed down?
Your smile recently looks very natural.”
Yayoi gently lifted Kichou’s chin.
In the girl’s pure white eyes, only his figure was reflected.
“Hmm… Then, please go further and make me submit to you, Your Highness.”
Kichou blushed shyly and slowly closed her eyes.
Perhaps her heart had already been completely dyed in the shape of this person.
No, it was an active desire to become like this person.
Compared to the oppressive environment of the Hyuga clan, this place was a true sanctuary for her.
Tonight, It was going to be a sleepless night.