Amidst the dense forest created by Wood Release, Shin looked at the ninjas who had lost all fighting ability. A black mist spread from him, absorbing them all in an instant.
Sara scratched her arm, feeling uncomfortable. Although months of missions had toughened her, she still wasn't fully at ease with Shin's casual approach to taking lives.
At first, she had been vehemently opposed to killing, but after witnessing how rogue ninjas treated civilians, her attitude shifted.
Unlike the ninjas from the Great Villages, who had to uphold a certain reputation and typically avoided harming civilians, these rogue ninjas had no such reservations. Ninja Village forces, even during wartime, refrained from unnecessary violence against enemy civilians, a restraint largely absent in rogues like these. Villages like Konoha and other major ones enforced strict regulations against civilian harm, save for exceptions like the Root, which rarely interacted with civilians.
By contrast, rogue ninjas operated like ruthless criminals with no interest in maintaining a reputation. They inflicted terror and destruction on the defenseless without hesitation.
Seeing the devastation left by these rogue ninjas left a profound impact on Sara. After witnessing villages looted and razed, her approach changed. She still hesitated to kill, but she no longer objected to taking the lives of those rogues.
In many of these minor conflicts, countries often hire ninjas. Unlike larger nations with established ninja villages, these smaller nations lacked both the resources and the assurance of loyalty from their hired hands. Thus, they often turned to rogue ninjas.
Since the Sage of Six Paths disseminated chakra to humanity, chakra had spread throughout the world for thousands of years. Nearly everyone now possessed chakra to some degree, even if they hadn't formally trained to extract or use it. With training, even some commoners could eventually access chakra. For many with no allegiance to a major village, this became a path to power as rogue ninjas, a status that fits well with the needs of smaller, weaker countries in constant conflict.
But these ninjas without allegiances were also a source of chaos. Akatsuki used this chaos to its advantage, fueling conflicts while secretly profiting from them. White Zetsu, with his innate talent for transformation, played a role in sowing discord. Even though Shin had effectively replaced Nagato's position, he still had limited knowledge of these covert operations.
After draining the chakra from the bodies, Shin discarded the shriveled remains onto the tree branches. This gruesome sight was a deliberate tactic meant to intimidate others; many assumed these corpses had fallen victim to Wood Release.
"Alright, looks like we've completed this mission. All the rogue ninjas who attacked the Land of Waves have been eliminated. Let's find the daimyo of the Land of Waves; then, we can head to the Land of Bears. I've got something to retrieve there," Shin declared.
Sara's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Another treasure like the Roran Dragon Vein?"
"It's the Star from Hoshigakure in the Land of Bears," Shin explained. "It's a meteorite with strange radiation that alters chakra, making it denser and allowing users to form a ninjutsu called Mysterious Peacock Jutsu."
Sara narrowed her eyes. "You really have a knack for finding valuables. Seems like you're always out to take things that don't belong to you."
Shin smirked. "Don't be ridiculous. Hoshigakure has been trying to use the meteorite for years, and all it's done is shorten their lifespans."
"What? You mean their ninjutsu can actually kill them?" Sara asked, astonished.
"Of course. That meteorite's radiation has a dangerous side effect. Anyone practicing the Mysterious Peacock Jutsu is putting their life on the line. Most practitioners in Hoshigakure don't live very long."
Radioactive objects carry their own hazards, and prolonged exposure brings severe consequences. Training with such a substance all but guaranteed a shorter life.
Seeing her shocked expression, Shin continued, "Actually, many powerful techniques come with risks. Your Wood Release, for example—Konoha, went through countless experiments and suffered over a hundred casualties just trying to replicate its power. Ultimately, they managed to create a single Wood Release user whose abilities were only a fraction of the original's."
Sara shuddered. "I… I didn't know Wood Release was so dangerous."
"Of course. The ninjas you've seen—they've spent years training, spilling sweat and blood. One can't achieve such power easily without sacrifice," Shin said with a note of pride. "Now, do you understand how valuable my body enhancement ability is? You're fortunate to have Wood Release."
Sara, who had grown to respect Shin's strength, listened intently. She had come to understand the immense difficulty of mastering ninja arts, and she admired Shin's mastery of body modification even more.
Still, she crossed her arms defiantly. "That just means I'm naturally talented! Didn't you say that most people can't handle infusion from Hashirama cells?"
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