Chapter Forty-Three: Concealment and Possession (Part One)

Orochimaru responded in his characteristically cold and raspy voice, “Oh? How much longer can she hold on? In her current condition, how much longer can she endure...”

Kato Mikaze’s soul form once again sensed the state of the “patient” as well as his own, then replied, “...It’s hard to say. Her soul is in a precarious situation right now, the rate of corrosion is steadily increasing, and if I give it my all... I can maintain her present state for, at most, fifteen more minutes...”

Orochimaru wasn’t surprised by the status Kato Mikaze described. If, on the very first day Kato Mikaze arrived at the base, he had simply performed some secret art and solved a problem that had troubled the Hidden Leaf Village for over thirty years, that would have been truly suspicious.

Even this much improvement was already a pleasant surprise for Orochimaru.

Back when the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his advisor, Danzo Shimura, planned to assign Kato Mikaze to this task, they intended to leverage his unique expertise in soul techniques to see if it could advance the mission.

As one of the principal members involved from the start, Orochimaru was asked for his opinion by the Third Hokage and had supported Kato Mikaze’s inclusion.

Plans are always just plans—now that Kato Mikaze’s abilities were genuinely helping to move the mission forward, it was truly a cause for celebration.

The First Hokage’s Wood Release remained crucial to the Hidden Leaf Village, especially in the eyes of the leadership led by the Third Hokage. Beyond its formidable power, Wood Release held other, more profound significance.

“Fifteen minutes, eh? That’s not short at all...” Orochimaru compared this with the information in his memories.

He said to Kato Mikaze, “In the past, when experimental subjects reached this state, they would soon die from bodily rupture. Including the time just now, it could be extended to about twenty-five to thirty minutes...”

After hearing Kato Mikaze’s words, Orochimaru recalled what he knew about the secret spirit transformation technique of the Kato clan and said, “It’s said that your clan’s secret art, the Spirit Transformation Technique, allows you to control your own soul and possess others, making it possible to kill from a thousand miles away...”

Hearing Orochimaru’s suggestion that he possess the “patient,” Kato Mikaze quickly interjected, “I’d better not. After all, this involves the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju; the energy within is far too strange. Besides, I’ve only just arrived at the base today—it’s all a bit too rushed...” He was eager to block any further suggestion from Orochimaru.

Kato Mikaze asked, “Do you need me to give it my all to keep her stable? It doesn’t seem to serve any real purpose—at best, I’d just prolong her life by a dozen minutes, making her endure more pain...”

On this point, Orochimaru answered without hesitation, “As you wish, do as you please. Don’t concern yourself with their feelings. There are plenty more materials like this in the storage room of the base. It’s just a pity—she was the most beautiful woman in this batch, so I picked her first. If this experiment fails, you can have first pick next time...”

Kato Mikaze, though capable of ruthless efficiency when dealing with enemies, could not adopt Orochimaru’s casual, indifferent attitude toward inflicting meaningless suffering on another human being.

Kato Mikaze’s soul form said, “In that case, I’ll cut off the flow of energy and let her go sooner rather than later. Keeping her alive any longer is just more suffering...”

...

Kato Mikaze, in control of his own soul form, severed the transmission of soul energy to the “patient.”

However, instead of returning directly to his body in the operating room’s resting area, his soul form faded from sight and masked its spiritual presence as it secretly darted toward the “patient” on the operating table.

Under the gazes of Orochimaru and the other six people in the operating room, Kato Mikaze’s soul form appeared to stop its actions at the table, then turned and walked toward the resting area, toward his own body, gradually fading from view until nothing could be seen.

After careful consideration, Kato Mikaze decided to attempt the possession after all, but only while concealing his soul form—especially from Orochimaru.

He claimed to have mastered the clan’s secret Spirit Transformation Technique, but in truth, he had mastered the Soul Cultivation Technique; what he manifested was a soul clone.

If the energy within the First Hokage’s cells managed to infect his soul form during the possession, and the contamination became irreversible, he could simply abandon this soul clone.

The cost would be a loss of some soul power and the consciousness attached to this clone. With the regenerative effects of the Soul Cultivation Technique, he could recover in time—the risk was within his limits.

The “patient,” now lacking a soul’s protective shell, could be easily entered by Kato Mikaze’s soul form, slipping into her soul space.

Upon entering her soul space, Kato Mikaze immediately noticed how different it was from the others he’d possessed before. The entire space was suffused with a bizarre, sickly green energy—not the vibrant forest green of healthy trees and leaves.

This green was a ghastly shade, filled with life force, but not a gentle one—it was wild and chaotic.

No sooner had he entered than a streak of this ghastly green energy shot from his hand, striking his wrist and starting to invade his soul form.

Pain—intense pain—yet the force was brimming with vitality... and there was another power Kato Mikaze could not quite identify, an elusive spiritual fluctuation, not belonging to the subject...

He swiftly severed the contaminated part. His reaction was quick; the loss was minimal.

That subtle soul fluctuation—could it really not be from the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju? Was it perhaps...

These ghastly green energies were clearly dangerous and abundant, seemingly produced by the subject’s own body. They all rushed toward a certain point, and Kato Mikaze carefully avoided them, following their convergence.

In the operating room—

The staff’s orderly reports continued.

“Subject’s respiration...”

“Subject’s blood pressure...”

“Subject’s body temperature remains abnormal—still too high. The upward trend is slowing, but temperature is rising rapidly again...”

“Subject’s brainwave activity is highly abnormal. Brain activity has exceeded the threshold. Mental energy readings have also surpassed the threshold. As with body temperature, the slowing trend has reversed; brain and mental fluctuations are once more increasing rapidly...”

“Subject is expected to experience zero brainwave activity in a few minutes—brain death—followed by a minor explosion as the body swells...”

“As per experiment protocol, raise the protective shields around the operating table. All staff, step away from the table...”

After Kato Mikaze’s soul form stopped supplying energy, the “patient” deteriorated rapidly—her exterior becoming more and more monstrous, her lifeforce and mental fluctuations growing ever stronger...

...

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