Ryou manipulated sand with one hand and steel with the other; hearing Shukaku's boasting, he didn't put it down. Shukaku was indeed useful.
The help it provided Ryou now was even greater than Candy's.
"Shukaku, you're freaking awesome! From now on, we're partners."
Shukaku laughed with satisfaction: "Good, I will always obey your commands."
Ryou dangled a carrot in front of Shukaku: "Don't worry, as long as you help me, I'll definitely find a way to rescue your main body. When the time comes, I'll even help you get more chakra and grow more tails."
Shukaku was delighted: "That sounds great."
The Seven-Tails was crying out in pain, yet it still had the energy to be annoyed by the harmony between Ryou and Shukaku, speaking up mockingly: "Shukaku, you've actually yielded to a human? Where is your pride?"
Shukaku barked angrily at the Seven-Tails: "Chomei, what right does a pathetic, homeless bug like you have to lecture me?"
"Master, shock it harder! Tailed Beasts have immense vitality; even if it's electrocuted to death, it can be resurrected."
The Seven-Tails was also stubborn: "Shock me then! Electrocute me to death if you have the guts!"
Ryou rolled up his sleeves: "Little Chomei, do you really think I can't handle you? If I don't beat you until you're wailing today, my name isn't Ryou!"
Shukaku softened after all and quickly pleaded for the Seven-Tails: "Master, don't lower yourself to this stinky bug's level. It's from the countryside, uneducated, and has no manners."
"Master should just let it go! Or tame it, and get a clone like me to help Master perform Ninjutsu."
Ryou nodded. Having experienced Shukaku's benefits, he naturally wouldn't let the Seven-Tails go.
However, he first had to undo Shisui's Kotoamatsukami on the Seven-Tails. Otherwise, it would always act like "I am Kamisato Ayaka's dog," and Ryou wouldn't be able to tame it properly.
Because it already belonged to someone else.
Ryou stroked his chin, preparing to personally break the Kotoamatsukami within the Spore Clone and the Seven-Tails.
Ryou asked his two lackeys, Candy and Fish Ball: "What do you two think? How should we get them to snap out of it?"
Fish Ball said: "I think we should still rely on electricity, or use water torture—submerge them in water and drown them until they behave."
Ryou shook his head: "No, I've been shocking them for ages and they won't beg for mercy. The will modified by Kotoamatsukami is absolute."
Candy said: "Since Shisui's absolute will is already in their heads, then use the Sharingan to erase that will and attach a new one."
It was like a piece of white paper that already had an indelible mark; one had to find a way to wipe it out or use a larger mark to cover it up.
Ryou nodded.
He then walked up to the Spore Clone. Its body had withered significantly; a few more hits from Fish Ball and it would have disintegrated.
Seeing Ryou approach, the Spore Clone began to chant: "Wherever the leaves fly, the fire shall burn—"
"Keep shouting, go ahead—"
Ryou first had Fish Ball give the Spore Clone thirty lashes, then used his Sharingan to control it.
The Spore Clone was a Yang Release clone; unlike a Shadow Clone, it wasn't made of pure chakra.
It had a physical wooden structure inside, like a living tree.
Ryou used the power of the Sharingan to fiercely suggest to the Spore Clone: "You are Kamisato Ayaka's dog! You are Kamisato Ayaka's dog!"
Using this method to overwrite the will of Kotoamatsukami.
Kotoamatsukami was the strongest Genjutsu, capable of permanently changing a person's will, provided that person received no outside interference.
If that person suddenly became obsessed with playing Valorant and started calling for "Mommy" everywhere, such a will would distort the absolute will of Kotoamatsukami.
Ryou's Sharingan dōjutsu power began to clash with the Genjutsu mark of Kotoamatsukami.
The Genjutsu of Kotoamatsukami was the strongest, of very high quality, but it lacked quantity.
Ryou's dōjutsu power, aided by Hashirama cells, was inexhaustible.
The Genjutsu brand of Kotoamatsukami was like an insurmountable wall.
Though unshakeable, it was ultimately a dead thing.
Under Ryou's repeated Genjutsu impacts, the high wall of Kotoamatsukami began to collapse.
"Woof woof woof—"
The Spore Clone starting to bark like a dog was an example of the Kotoamatsukami wall crumbling.
Soon, the Spore Clone was completely brainwashed by Ryou's suggestion into being a dog.
"Success!"
Fish Ball patted the Spore Clone's head and asked: "Who are you?"
The Spore Clone raised its head proudly and stated its origin: "I am Kamisato Ayaka's dog!"
Ryou was somewhat pleased; Kotoamatsukami was not absolute.
Ultimately, the mechanism of Genjutsu was meant to be broken, just like how a 'little femboy' was meant to be toyed with.
Even the ultimate Genjutsu, Infinite Tsukuyomi, had a way to be broken. Kotoamatsukami was just a Mangekyo Genjutsu; could it really defy the heavens?
The Spore Clone began to bark at Ryou: "Main body, is there anything else you don't understand? If you don't, just go play 'Genshin' a couple of times. Play 'Genshin', play 'Genshin', and you'll realize..."
"You brat!"
Ryou felt a bit troubled listening to this. He thought the Spore Clone's previous state of being brainwashed by the Will of Fire was actually quite normal.
How did becoming Kamisato Ayaka's dog make it even more deluded than before?
Seeing this, Fish Ball directly released an electric current to "treat" the Spore Clone.
But with a "pop," the Spore Clone exploded, and its chakra began to return to Ryou's body.
Ryou quickly dodged; he didn't want to become Kamisato Ayaka's dog.
In the end, it was the Great Tree of Takigakure that absorbed the chakra from the Spore Clone floating in the air.
Ryou looked at the Great Tree of Takigakure with some wariness, afraid that it would also go deluded.
Fortunately, the Spore Clone had already consumed a lot of chakra, and what returned was only a tiny bit of spiritual energy, not enough to affect the Great Tree of Takigakure.
But the Great Tree of Takigakure seemed to emit a faint echo. Ryou listened carefully.
"Genshin... what did it... do to you..."
Ryou was speechless. He ignored the Great Tree of Takigakure and jumped onto the antenna on the Seven-Tails' head, using his Sharingan to brainwash it.
"You are my dog, you are my dog..."
The Seven-Tails had seen the Spore Clone's deluded state earlier and was extremely terrified; it didn't want to be controlled by the Sharingan again.
"Uchiha Ryou, kill me if you have the guts. I will never be your dog."
Ryou sneered: "Wouldn't killing you be letting you off too easy?"
Ryou no longer paid attention to the Seven-Tails' barking.
Shukaku appeared on Ryou's shoulder, wanting to say something, but Ryou's crimson Sharingan glared at it.
Shukaku immediately swallowed the words in its throat.
Forget it. It had already become Ryou's dog; at least Chomei becoming Ryou's dog meant it could survive.
There was nothing bad about being a expert's dog. Many people wanted to be one but couldn't!
...
Konoha, Root base, laboratory.
Danzo was watching a random child in a glass tank filled with nutrient solution merging with Orochimaru's cells.
Suddenly, the child was directly eroded by Orochimaru's white snake cells and turned into a large white python.
Danzo frowned and waved his hand: "Dispose of him!"
"Yes!"
The Root researchers released Ninjutsu to kill the white snake.
Danzo stroked his chin, somewhat puzzled: "Why do Orochimaru's cells also have such strong erosive power?"
A researcher said: "Lord Orochimaru integrated the cells of the Ryūchi Cave's white snake years ago. He is no longer considered human."
"To integrate Orochimaru's cells, one must have a body with sufficiently strong physical energy."
Danzo frowned: "Do I have to go to the Senju Clan to kidnap them?"
Danzo only thought about it. Although the Senju Clan hadn't produced any powerful Shinobi recently, they were deeply rooted in the Village and had alliances with all the major Shinobi Clans.
Once provoked, the political energy released would definitely be enough to force Danzo out of office.