Chapter 66 - Advancement (1/2)
Chapter 66
〚Story by: ???????????????????????????????????? ︱ Edited by: ????????????????????_????????????〛
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I then called someone from the Torture & Interrogation Department and asked him:
”Tell me... How many prisoners do we have here? ... Give me a full report officer.”
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With the characteristic expression of a torturer; one devoid of all emotion and as cold as your ex, he answers dutifully...
”All of our prisoners were taken to the T&I facility on the outskirts of Konoha. All except 6 jonin. The former commander ordered us to hold them in the camp, as she pretended to use them as bait to lure in the remaining Swordsmen of the Mist.”
”However, there have been no signs of enemy movement near the camp, and ever since Inuzuka-sama's assault, they have retreated even further in order to regroup. Those 6 have been forsaken by Kirigakure.”
”Hmph, I see... Anyway, do any of them possess any of the village's special bloodlines? ...”
”Most notably, there is a Yuki clan member, but he is currently in a dire overall health condition and all valuable intel has already been extracted from him. Therefore, I've scheduled his execution in 4 hours. That is all Inuzuka-sama!”
”Good job officer. Dismissed.”
”Hai!”
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Well... That was certainly disappointing... I was hoping for at least a Yoton (Lava Release) user... But alas, we can't always get what we want now, do we?
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I go towards my tent and get to work right away.
Everything's ready to begin the construction of my own private lab at first light tomorrow. As the camp's Commander, I have available to me all the space and resources necessary to build an underground lab. This way I can safely keep my most 's.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e' material away from prying eyes...
I'll obviously set each and every kind of territory protection Fuinjutsu I'm able to... Can't leave my ocean of knowledge open for just anyone to swim in... Not even an Anbu...
This undertaking won't be a secret per se, but only the quartermaster and some camp officials know of it...
Works for me.
On the other hand, I'm sure the Brass back in Konoha will see this as standard procedure as well. Given that I'm Tsunade's best and last student and a somewhat reputed medic-nin myself they should see no problem with me 'looking for new and better ways of healing their soldiers'. If anything, they should encourage it...
They also won't expect results anytime soon, thanks to medicine in this world advancing at the speed of a crippled slug...
I don't have to report to them either. They'll probably have their eyes and ears everywhere within the camp by now... But that also means I'll have tread very carefully... Even more so now than my 'first' mask has already been seen through...
Nothing I can't take measures against though.
Anyway... This is the power I wanted... The power that I needed to make some real headway on my projects...
Shikaramu had to go and there's no doubt about it...
Also, I didn't have to kill him, so that's a plus. I wouldn't want to deal with his annoyingly cunning self...
Yet...
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-(Time Skip. 3 months later)-
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These past few months I have spent doing a lot of research, while a shadow clone does all the tedious work of running a military campaign. I dispel the clone every night, take in all of his memories and experiences, and then make another that already has his orders for the next day...
I've mastered the Shadow Clone Jutsu at such a level that nobody has noticed the deception... As long as he doesn't get attacked, everything will continue to run smoothly...
Whilst the real me is attending more pressing matters than dispatching cannon fodder out to die and such...
Instead, I like to focus on my experiments and research, but of course, that doesn't mean that I can just neglect my duties as Commanding Officer of the Mist Division... And the Shadow Clone patented method has proved to be my ace card in this affair...
'Excellence and discipline' is my motto. I like to run a tight ship and I've done well so far. Having zero tolerance for any insubordination or inefficiency, no one dares to question my authority now.
Good. I intend to keep it that way.
I must say... These past three months have been quite productive, to say the least...
Most recently, I've been working with my brand new test subjects I've been kindly procured by my hardworking subordinates...
I am currently going over my new Taijutsu moves. My body has gotten a little stronger now as I haven't dismissed my training, not one day.
Of course, when I say 'going over' I mean using a prisoner as my punching bag.
This way, I get the most accurate data regarding my damage output, chakra and stamina consumption and replenishment rates, the effects of striking certain Tenketsu (Chakra Points), and a long etcetera...
This is formal scientific work and without precise data results, there's no point in me wasting my time with these experiments...
Now, analyzing the current condition of this used-to-be-jonin meat bag, I start taking notes...
The man isn't conscious, obviously. He is a black-haired feminine man from the Yuki clan... I have already conducted several experiments on him, so he evidently looks like a mess...
23 days of incessant physical and mental strain, have rendered his already weak mind completely blank and at this point is hardly able to process the simplest of my orders.
To be expected, since I have been trying different memory manipulation techniques, and additionally training my Sharingan's genjutsu capabilities on him.
His body is in an emaciated state with several healed and recent fractures, muscle tears all over, bruises, and some organ damage to top it all off.
To be honest, he actually went beyond my calculations and managed to stay alive for 7.2 hours longer than I had predicted. I'll make the pertinent modifications.
Not my proudest piece of work, -I'll admit as much- but it was a necessary one...
There are many sacrifices to be made if I am to reach the apex, and his life is one that I'm willing to make...