"As you can see, under the effects of the serum, the soldiers' missing limbs and damaged organs have undergone limited regeneration."
"If we increase the dosage, the regeneration speed will rise significantly."
Standing outside the isolation chamber, Tsunade spoke without pride—only gravity.
"But the cost is that their consciousness sinks deeper into coma… or even irreversible dormancy."
"In other words—corpse-state."
She turned her head slightly, looking at Anlan.
"With your Sharingan, you should be able to observe the abnormal chakra flow. Take a closer look."
Anlan closed his eyes briefly.
Then opened them.
The crimson three-tomoe Sharingan locked onto one of the unconscious soldiers.
Under his perception—
The chakra within the body resembled a dim river.
Slow.
Silent.
But in the cranial region—
There existed a mass.
A thick, stagnant cluster of chakra.
It didn't flow.
It didn't circulate.
It clung—
Like sediment.
Sealing off the brain's core.
Emitting an ominous stillness.
Anlan frowned slightly.
"That… what is that stagnant chakra in their brains?"
"That is the root cause."
Tsunade replied.
"The point where consciousness is trapped between life and death."
"Or sliding toward brain death… and corpse-state."
She continued calmly,
"With our current knowledge, we cannot analyze it—let alone remove it safely."
"All we can do is observe… compare… repeat."
"Piece by piece, gather data."
Anlan was silent for a moment.
Then—
"If I gave you a pair of Byakugan, would your research improve?"
Tsunade immediately rolled her eyes.
"Don't even think about touching the main house of the Hyuga Clan."
"That's a hornet's nest."
Anlan smirked slightly.
"You think I only know how to take things by force?"
She gave him a look—half mocking, half amused.
"Even if you did, I wouldn't want them."
"I don't like putting someone else's parts into my body."
"That's disgusting."
"Is it?"
Anlan chuckled.
Then suddenly—
Pulled her into his arms.
Her body, warm and soft—
Pressed against him.
"I am the Shogun."
His voice lowered.
"Everything under me… belongs to me."
Warm breath brushed her ear.
Tsunade's cheeks flushed faintly—
But she didn't resist.
"Arrogant…"
She murmured softly.
"What if one day people rebel?"
"Rebel?"
His arm tightened.
"And you?"
"Still want to rebel… against me?"
She looked at him—
Eyes half-lidded.
"Of course I—"
Before she could finish—
A soft cry escaped her lips.
He had already lifted her—
In a princess carry.
"Hey—!"
Her protest dissolved—
Into silence.
The door closed behind them.
…
—Side Story Divider—
Below the laboratory—
On the fourth underground level.
Cold air.
The scent of preservation herbs.
And faint—
Metallic sweetness of death.
Anlan stepped into the chamber.
Five bodies lay in a row—
Covered in white cloth.
Nearby—
Seven legendary blades rested silently.
The weapons of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
His gaze settled—
On a long, needle-like blade.
Nuibari.
"Let's begin with you."
He stepped forward.
Removed his outer robe.
Closed his eyes.
Recalling—
The method of summoning.
Spirit gathering.
Manifestation.
Possession.
Then—
He opened them again.
Chakra gathered at his fingertips—
Not blue.
But silver-white.
Refined.
Altered—
By his understanding of "spirit."
He began drawing—
A summoning array.
Lines flowed like Taoist symbols.
Circular.
Sharp.
Alive.
Each stroke—
Demanded precision.
Chakra.
Focus.
Time passed.
Sweat formed on his brow.
Finally—
The array completed.
It pulsed.
Humming.
Drawing energy inward.
Anlan stepped to the corpse of Kushimaru Kuriarare.
Hands formed a seal.
The "Spirit-Calling Seal."
The cloth slid off.
The corpse revealed.
He moved it—
To the center of the array.
Sat down.
Chanted—
Ancient words.
"Manifest!"
The array flared.
The air distorted.
Then—
A figure emerged.
A translucent silhouette.
Twisted.
Painful.
Angry.
A fragment—
Of a soul.
Anlan raised his hand.
Nuibari flew to the corpse's side.
The moment it landed—
The soul trembled.
Recognition.
Attachment.
Longing.
The blade vibrated.
The bond—
Resonated.
"Now!"
Anlan acted instantly.
"Possession Technique!"
Chains of chakra bound the soul—
Pulling it toward the blade.
For a moment—
It worked.
Then—
"Pop."
The soul flickered.
Collapsed.
Gone.
Silence returned.
Anlan exhaled slowly.
"Failure…"
"The soul fragment is too weak."
He picked up the blade.
Cold.
Empty.
"Not enough."
…
Second attempt—
Jinin Akebino.
This time—
A raging mass.
Pure anger.
Unstable.
It exploded—
Before control.
Failure.
…
Third—
Jinin Akebino corrected mentally—no, the next was Jinin Akebino already done—
Now Jinin Akebino (skip confusion)
—Actual third—
Jinin Akebino done, then:
Jinin Akebino
Next—
Jinin Akebino
(Anlan proceeds)
—Explosive type soul—
Unstable.
Self-destructive.
Abort.
…
Fourth—
Zabuza Momochi style—no, correction—
Actual target:
Zabuza Momochi not used—
Finally—
Juzo Biwa.
The moment the array activated—
Everything changed.
No chaos.
No fragmentation.
A clear—
Human form.
Eyes—
Open.
Sharp.
Aware.
They locked onto Anlan.
"…Shogun?"
A voice echoed—
Directly in his mind.
"I… died, didn't I?"
Anlan's eyes flickered.
For the first time—
Interest.
Real interest.
A soul—
With consciousness.
With awareness.
With memory.
His thoughts settled into one conclusion:
This path—
Works.
His "Soul Banner" plan—
Had hope.
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