Chapter 150: The Fourth Kazekage's Corpse
Tsunade and Shizune were healers, not killers. The very thought of having to take a life every time they practiced the Reanimation Jutsu would have driven them mad.
Ino, however, had a different perspective. The Yamanaka clan's secret techniques offered ways to return a soul to its body. While she couldn't divulge her clan's closely guarded training secrets to Tsunade and Shizune, she believed she could achieve a similar outcome.
By incorporating the Yamanaka clan's secret methods to bridge the gaps in the Reanimation Jutsu, she was confident she could successfully complete the technique. Furthermore, she even envisioned reverse-engineering a method specifically for the Reanimation Jutsu to restore souls. Once that was accomplished, things would become significantly easier.
At its core, ninjutsu originated from the Ninshū of the Sage of Six Paths and Asura. The initial purpose of Ninshū wasn't for destruction; it was only later that fragments of it were discovered and imitated, leading to the development of ninjutsu as it was known. That was simply the way things had evolved.
With the most significant obstacle overcome, the remaining steps seemed much more manageable.
The essence of the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques lay in their "communication" abilities, directly inherited from the Sage of Six Paths. Specifically, the Mind Body Switch Technique served as the foundation for all their subsequent secret arts.
Strictly speaking, this was a technique passed down by the Sage himself, inherently making it superior to the original Reanimation Jutsu.
However, the crucial aspect of the Mind Body Switch Technique was the concept of "switch." It wasn't designed for combat, which meant that if the target was injured, the user would also suffer. Ultimately, the Sage of Six Paths imparted this technique to the Yamanaka clan not for battle, but for other purposes.
The core of the Reanimation Jutsu, conversely, revolved around the act of "reanimating"—transforming one's chakra into a soul, allowing the user to bypass distance, possess, and ultimately kill their enemies.
This technique eliminated the shared injury vulnerability present in the Mind Body Switch Technique, truly becoming a ninjutsu capable of killing without leaving any trace.
Reanimation, flight that ignores distance, and the return of the soul to the body—these were the three fundamental stages of the process.
As for the specifics of chakra manipulation during training and the execution of hand seals, Tsunade, Shizune, and Ino were still actively researching. Later generations weren't necessarily inferior to their predecessors, and the original Reanimation Jutsu might not have been entirely perfect. They were continuously refining it.
According to the requirements of Dan Katou's secret technique, the initial reanimation was critical. The body, mind, and external assistance all needed to be flawless. Tsunade had been working tirelessly for three days, constantly refining the medicinal formula she had painstakingly reconstructed.
Ino, however, felt no rush. The Reanimation Jutsu was classified as an S-rank technique, and it was still incomplete. She had no intention of attempting it recklessly; safety was her top priority.
Minato Namikaze's Rasengan only reached its full potential in Naruto's hands. Kakashi's Chidori also evolved from Raikiri, honed over more than a decade into a devastating killing technique.
Ino felt no impatience whatsoever. Having mastered the Strength of a Hundred Seal, she was already confident in facing the Shinigami.
The past month had been incredibly fulfilling for her.
Drinking and gambling aside…
Under Tsunade's personal guidance, she had solidified her foundations in ninjutsu, taijutsu, genjutsu, sealing techniques, and medical ninjutsu. Since graduating, she had relied on attribute points to improve, but her underlying skills were still rooted in what she had learned at the academy and from the Yamanaka clan.
The Yamanaka clan possessed vast knowledge, but their perspective was limited compared to a Kage-level powerhouse like Tsunade.
Tsunade's teachings had elevated Ino from a high school level of understanding to that of a university graduate. The difference in perspective and depth was immeasurable.
"Sensei, should I head back to the village first?"
Tsunade, still engrossed in studying the formula, waved her off dismissively. "Go on, get out of here. Next time you come, remember to bring me some Ganriki's yōkan."
Shizune raised her hand. "Me too, me too!"
Even the usually elegant Shizune had revealed her playful side after becoming more comfortable. Ino couldn't help but sigh in amusement.
Nearby, the pet pig Tonton also happily oinked twice, clearly indicating it wanted a treat as well!
Ino had actually considered bringing up the matter of Tsunade becoming Hokage after the Third's death.
From her observations, Tsunade had absolutely no interest in the Hokage position. What good would it do? It was exhausting, and in battle, the Hokage had to lead from the front.
Succeed, and people would say, "Of course, you're the First Hokage's granddaughter." Fail, and they'd criticize you for "disgracing your ancestors."
Ino's own foundation was already strong enough. Whether or not she had a Hokage as her teacher was irrelevant to her.
On the contrary, if Tsunade became Hokage, it would attract too much unwanted attention towards Ino. "You're the Hokage's student? Then you should be the first to charge into battle!" Today, they'd send her to investigate the Akatsuki. Tomorrow, they'd order her to capture the masked man. How was she supposed to live like that?
Tsunade had been good to her, and Ino simply wanted her to be happy.
The Hokage's seat was a poisoned chalice. Rather than wasting effort on it, it was better to let "Big Tsunade" continue living her carefree life.
But these events hadn't occurred yet, so there was no point in mentioning them now.
After saying goodbye to Tsunade and Shizune, Ino set off. There were only two days remaining until the final stage of the Chunin Exams.
On the way, she hesitated. Should she take a detour to Otogakure and stir up some trouble, then pin the blame on Danzo?
After careful consideration, she decided against the plan.
Too dangerous!
Even if Orochimaru had already infiltrated Konoha disguised as the Fourth Kazekage, the severely ill Kimimaro was likely still in Otogakure.
Ino preferred to target the weak, not face a taijutsu master who fought with his life on the line.
If someone like Kimimaro went all out, most people wouldn't stand a chance. Ino couldn't guarantee she could pull it off flawlessly; this wasn't like dealing with an ordinary person like Tanigaku.
If she failed to shift the blame and instead made things worse, it would be a disaster.
Stealing Orochimaru's research notes and test subjects would yield enormous benefits, but Otogakure was simply too dangerous. She had no choice but to abandon that option.
Moving swiftly, Ino searched carefully in the Land of Rivers—the same location where Team 10 had fought Black Zetsu, situated between the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire.
The Fourth Kazekage's visit to Konoha was an official diplomatic mission, not a covert operation. After entering the Land of Fire, he would have been escorted by Konoha ninja, meaning he wouldn't have taken obscure backroads.
Ino used shadow clones to scout the main routes, questioning shopkeepers along the way to confirm the Kazekage's travel path in the Land of Rivers. Eventually, she located his corpse in a secluded valley.
Orochimaru hadn't bothered to conceal the scene much. The bodies of the Fourth Kazekage and his two guards were left in plain sight.
From the traces at the scene, it was clear this had been a close-range ambush. The Kazekage had been severely wounded almost immediately and died after barely putting up a fight.
This Kage's death was utterly humiliating.
The Fourth Kazekage's heart had been removed, likely kept in preparation for the Impure World Reincarnation.
His face had been completely skinned, leaving only a bloody, featureless mess. His Kazekage robe and hat had been taken, along with his rings and any other identifying artifacts. Just looking at the corpse, it was hard to believe this had once been the Fourth Kazekage.