Want to read ahead? Join my Patreon for only $7 to get early access to upcoming chapters!
> > Patreon.com/NegativeTranslations <<
----------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 15 — The Jiongu Technique
In the very heart of Takigakure, on the third floor of the central building, a tense conversation was underway.
"Lord Chief, it's been over a month since Fū was captured by the Akatsuki… by now, she's probably…"
The jonin trailed off, unable to finish. But his meaning was clear enough.
Fū was almost certainly dead—and with her, the Seven-Tails had likely fallen into Akatsuki's hands.
The aging village leader turned from the window, his weathered face heavy with worry.
After the previous chief, young Shibuki, had given his life using the Hero Water to protect the village, Takigakure had been left leaderless. With no one fit to succeed, the retired elder had been forced back into duty.
"Any word from Konoha?" the chief asked hoarsely.
The jonin shook his head. "None. Ever since the Akatsuki attacked them five days ago, Konoha's gone silent. Their last message was a week ago—same empty promises as always. They swore to maintain peace and help us recover the Seven-Tails, but…"
The chief sighed. "So even Konoha can't handle them anymore… The world of shinobi may soon be in chaos again."
"War?" The jonin's eyes widened.
"Most likely," the elder said grimly.
He had lived through two Great Ninja Wars—his instincts told him when the winds of conflict began to stir.
"What should we do, sir?" The jonin's voice trembled slightly.
If war broke out, the small Land of Waterfalls—wedged between great nations—would be swallowed by the fighting. Takigakure, with barely a handful of jonin, could scarcely protect itself, let alone its country.
The chief fell silent for a moment, then a steely glint flashed through his cloudy eyes.
"Activate that forbidden technique."
The jonin froze. "You mean… Jiongu? But that jutsu—!"
He looked terrified. As a high-ranking shinobi, he had access to the village's sealed archives—he had read the reports of the Jiongu experiments.
The records were gruesome—bloody, horrific trials that ended in countless deaths. Only one man had ever survived it: the rogue ninja Kakuzu. Everyone else had perished in agony.
The chief's face, once kindly, now turned cold and emotionless.
"If Kakuzu succeeded, there must be another who can. To protect the village, no price is too high. Even if we must sacrifice lives one after another—Takigakure will master Jiongu."
Whether to face the coming war or to defend against enemies eyeing their secrets, he had made up his mind.
One shinobi of Kage-level strength was worth any cost.
"Everything," he murmured, "for the village."
From within his robes, he produced a black scroll and handed it to the jonin.
"This is the scroll of the forbidden technique—Jiongu. Prepare the personnel and materials. Begin the experiments immediately. Be quick—before the war breaks out, we must succeed."
The jonin's hands shook as he accepted the scroll, torn between duty and dread. The chief had clearly planned this for some time—he even had the scroll ready.
He knew what would happen once they began: the darkness of Takigakure would spread once again.
But… this too was "for the village."
He reached for the scroll—
—when suddenly, a blur of white flashed through the room!
A sheet of paper, no larger than a hand, shot between them like lightning. Before either man could react, it snatched the scroll, spun out the window, and disappeared into the night.
Outside, a woman hovered in midair—wings of paper spread wide, her golden eyes cold as moonlight.
Konan.
She had been listening from outside for some time. Two ordinary shinobi were no threat to an Akatsuki-level kunoichi.
And the moment she heard them mention Jiongu, she made her move.
"En—!" The chief's furious shout never finished.
Paper swarmed up from beneath his feet, wrapping around him in spiraling layers until he was completely mummified.
The jonin tried to draw his kunai—but the same white torrent engulfed him, binding him in seconds. Both men stood frozen, cocooned in paper.
Konan glanced at them dispassionately, then unfurled the scroll in her hand. She extended her palm, revealing Alex resting upon it.
"Akatsuki, is this the Jiongu you were looking for?"
Her voice softened instantly when she spoke to him—the ice melted into quiet warmth.
Konan didn't know what Jiongu was for, but if Alex needed it, she would take it for him.
Nagato and Yahiko were gone; the gentleness she once had for them now belonged solely to him.
[Yes. This is the Jiongu Technique.]
As Alex scanned the scroll, he confirmed it—this was exactly what he needed to refine the Chimera Technique.
Jiongu—a forbidden art that replaced the body's organs with living black tendrils, allowing the user to steal hearts and prolong life. Powerful, yes—but grotesque.
That wasn't what interested him.
Its true value lay in its ability to perfectly synchronize and control all five chakra natures. That was the key to improving his Chimera system.
He drifted from Konan's hand, covering the scroll, and activated his golden ability—Replication!
In less than a heartbeat, the forbidden art was his.
Knowledge flooded his mind. He immediately began merging the technique's principles into the Chimera system—refining, adapting, optimizing.
A pale white-red glow enveloped his paper body as the two jutsu fused.
The crimson hue of the original Chimera light gradually faded, replaced by pure, luminous white.
When the light turned completely white, the evolution would be complete—its flaws repaired, its efficiency perfected.
Satisfied with the progress, Alex ceased the jutsu and floated back.
"How is it?" Konan asked quietly, still on guard in case Takigakure's shinobi interfered.
[Good progress. Only one step left—but I'll need advanced medical knowledge, especially in genetics and cellular regeneration.]
"Medical ninjutsu…" Konan murmured, her eyes narrowing slightly as a name came to mind.
Her gaze turned toward the distant Land of Fire. A silent decision took root.
No matter what it took—she would find it for him.
Alex, unaware of her resolve, lightly tapped her finger.
[No need to worry. I already know where to find it.]
He pointed toward the mountains behind Takigakure.
[Since we're here, let's take a look at Takigakure's prized treasure—the Hero Water.]