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Chapter 22 — Shinnō: The Dark Medical Ninjutsu He Must Obtain
Deep beneath the Flying Fortress, on its third underground level.
Cold, white light streamed down, illuminating the core chamber—vast as a football field.
At its center stood an elderly man, wearing a small brown cap. His thick, graying hair curled to his shoulders.
He was the legendary medical shinobi of the ninja world—the current leader of Soragakure—Shinnō.
His eyes burned with excitement as he gazed at a square pool about a meter across. The basin, carved from brown stone, was filled with a shifting, pitch-black mass that quivered like a living shadow.
"Ha ha ha!" Shinnō's laughter shattered the stillness of the vast hall.
"The Zero-Tails technique has finally been completely restored by my own hands!"
This forbidden jutsu had originated in Konoha—one he'd stolen through great effort. With it, he could create a being nearly on par with a Tailed Beast.
—The Zero-Tails.
"Let's see the fruits of my labor."
Without hesitation, Shinnō reached into the pool. His hand sank deep into the black shadow as he focused his chakra.
The moment he infused chakra, the shadow grew livelier, writhing like malleable clay, creeping upward along his arm.
The corners of his mouth curled into a delighted grin, and he laughed again—satisfied beyond measure.
That morning, he had ordered the Sky-nin to bomb a nearby village, a test to measure how efficiently the Zero-Tails could absorb intense emotions and convert them into dark chakra.
The results had exceeded expectations.
The swelling black mass in the pool was concentrated, tangible dark chakra—its volume several times greater than the total chakra within Shinnō's own body.
It could serve not only as the power source driving this colossal Flying Fortress but also as chakra he could directly wield, greatly enhancing his strength.
This—was his weapon of revenge against Konoha!
"Konoha!"
Shinnō withdrew his hand, his cloudy eyes flashing with killing intent.
The gentle, healer's face he had worn for decades vanished, replaced by a cold, hateful expression.
This was his true self.
The Zero-Tails technique had been perfected, the Flying Fortress completed. His power and forces were fully prepared. The time for deception was over.
Thirty years of planning had led to this moment—his vengeance was about to begin.
"Konoha! Prepare to face the wrath I've held for thirty long years—"
Boom!
Before he could finish, the left wall of the hall exploded outward. Stone fragments flew as black smoke filled the air.
A calm, graceful figure flashed through the breach, appearing behind Shinnō—barely thirty meters away.
He turned instantly, chakra flaring, only to freeze in surprise when he saw who it was.
"Akatsuki… the White Tiger."
Suppressing his anger, Shinnō forced a mild expression and asked in a composed tone, "What is the meaning of this?"
He glanced at the ruined wall, then back at Konan. "As far as I know, there's no conflict between me and the Akatsuki."
The dust settled. The smoke was swiftly drawn away by the fortress's ventilation system. Silence returned to the hall.
Konan did not respond. Her sharp eyes swept across the room, taking in everything—no traps, no ambushes, no immediate danger.
Within her cloak, Alex silently studied Shinnō.
So that's Shinnō. He looks ancient…
The old man appeared around eighty, his face so wrinkled it could trap a mosquito. Yet his spirit was far from frail; defiance still burned within him.
Konan's gaze shifted past him to the small brown pool behind him—the only feature in the entire chamber.
Judging by how he guarded it, that must be the energy core—the heart of the Flying Fortress.
Shinnō moved a step to block her view, his voice low.
"Akatsuki. There are no Tailed Beasts here."
He didn't wish to fight the Akatsuki unnecessarily. Their power was immense—strong enough to destroy Konoha itself. There was no need to provoke them.
But because Konoha had tightly sealed its intelligence, Shinnō didn't know that Pain and his Six Paths had already fallen.
Konan met his calm gaze, her tone cold.
"You've been pretending for thirty years—and you're still pretending now?"
"Building such a massive fortress in secret, and hiding that thing behind you…"
She already knew the truth—from Alex—about Shinnō and the Zero-Tails.
This so-called benevolent doctor was nothing more than a madman driven by ambition. Not only did he want revenge on Konoha, but he also sought to dominate the entire shinobi world.
Having his secret exposed, the warmth vanished from Shinnō's expression, replaced by shadow and menace.
"What are you doing here?" he demanded coldly. "If you can't give me a good reason, even if you're Akatsuki, I won't hold back."
His voice carried icy threat. He feared Pain's power, yes, but only enough to avoid unnecessary entanglement before his revenge. It didn't mean he was afraid.
If the entire Akatsuki were here, he might reconsider—but facing only the White Tiger? With the Zero-Tails' power in his grasp, he had no reason to fear.
When the Zero-Tails grew strong enough, even Akatsuki's leader would mean nothing to him.
"Reason?" Konan sneered softly. "It seems whatever you're hiding behind you has given you plenty of confidence."
Since entering the hall, she had been carefully observing and sensing him. His chakra level was merely that of an average jōnin—and given his age, his actual combat ability likely fell short of that.
Yet he still faced her—a Kage-level shinobi—with arrogance and certainty. The power from that pool must have given him immense confidence.
Konan's mind analyzed rapidly, recalling Alex's warnings. She would not underestimate this man, no matter how frail he appeared.
After confirming there was no immediate threat, she spoke coldly.
"Shinnō. Hand over the Dark Medical Ninjutsu and leave this Flying Fortress."
"Ridiculous!"
Shinnō's face twitched, and then he burst into a laugh of disbelief and rage.
The Dark Medical Ninjutsu and this fortress were the fruits of thirty years of toil and obsession. And now she wanted him to just hand them over?
"Impossible!"
Shh—shh—shh!
Countless white paper kunai sliced through the air.
The instant Shinnō refused, Konan struck without hesitation.
If he wouldn't hand it over, she would take it by force.
This was the final step in completing the Chimera Technique—the foundation of her dream.
She would obtain it, no matter what.