Chapter Seventy-Four: The Cocoon

In the dense forest, a gust of blue-green wind swept through—this was Kato Gale's true form.

After leaving the wealthy merchant’s hideout, Kato Gale’s true form did not rush toward the location of his soul avatar. Instead, he headed toward the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Rain.

As he sped through the woods, Kato Gale gauged the distance between his true self and his soul avatar; it was now far enough. If the soul avatar’s reconnaissance ended in unexpected disaster, this distance would allow Kato Gale to escape with ease.

Manipulating the chakra within him, Kato Gale slowed his pace with ninjutsu, searching for a concealed spot nearby to hide. He released his soul-sensing ability, carefully checking his surroundings for danger or anomalies, then set up a few alert traps as a precaution.

Kato Gale looked up at the sky, extending a hand to catch the rain that pattered down from above. He could not avoid getting wet. Fortunately, the rain was not heavy, and Kato Gale slipped into his prepared hiding place, consumed a nutrition pill personally crafted by Tsunade, and began swiftly restoring his chakra and physical state.

“Tsunade’s Death Kiss counter-buff has kept the rain at bay for so long—it’s a stroke of luck. Let’s hope the soul avatar’s mission goes just as smoothly.”

Even though Kato Gale was sending his soul avatar to probe the cave, he needed to adjust his own state to its peak. Should the worst-case scenario unfold, he’d have more room to maneuver.

That person was a figure who ranked among the most notorious shadowy villains in the ninja world. Given Kato Gale’s current strength, it was wise to treat the soul avatar’s risky task with extreme caution.

…

Once Kato Gale’s true form had restored his chakra and state, the soul avatar floated out from a stone some distance from the cave entrance.

Rain was falling at the cave as well, heavier than at Kato Gale’s location. The steady drizzle passed through the soul avatar’s intangible body, landing on the high ground.

The cave’s entrance was cleverly positioned: Rainwater flowing from higher ground was blocked by a massive boulder, while the rain that fell directly from the sky was intercepted by a tangle of vines wrapped around the entrance, letting very little water seep into the cave. Leaves on the vines swayed constantly in the wind and rain.

Silent and undetectable, Kato Gale’s soul avatar hovered above the cave entrance; the rain passed through him, landing on the surrounding vines. He carefully sensed the faint chakra fluctuations within those vines—there was no response.

After some thought, Kato Gale left a hidden soul-sensing array on the nearby boulder, preparing to monitor the cave entrance briefly after entering. He enhanced the concealment of his soul avatar’s energy, and, still uneasy, cast Wind Release: Wind Breath.

The soul avatar was not a physical entity; abandoning its human shape, it dispersed and merged entirely into the surrounding wind. Riding a breeze toward the cave, the soul avatar passed through the vines and entered, drifting underground.

The leaves on the vines around the entrance continued to sway in the night storm. The wind that just blew through seemed somehow different, making the leaves swing more vigorously, as if they sensed something and dutifully sent a signal somewhere.

Not long after Kato Gale’s soul avatar disappeared at the entrance, a pale head covered with grassy green suddenly emerged nearby. It was a White Zetsu clone, assigned to monitor this area and guard the cave entrances.

White Zetsu eyed the swaying vine, murmuring in confusion, “Strange, it seems this vine sensed something just now?”

“Could it be I was too focused on the business below, the matter of inserting and removing tubes for Lord Madara, and imagined it?”

White Zetsu glanced up at the persistent rain, feeling the wind as it carried the drizzle.

“It must be this vine, soaked too much in the rain, has become damp and malfunctioned. A gust of wind makes it send false signals.”

“Do vines get rain-soaked and malfunction? If I get drenched too much, will I also break down?”

With that thought, White Zetsu ignored the swaying vine, quickly sinking underground to continue eavesdropping on the situation in the hall of the underground base—far more interesting than guarding these boring vines.

…

Meanwhile, Kato Gale’s soul avatar had delved deep into the cave, cautiously investigating every corner.

The environment was damp, and the air reeked of mildew and decay, but it had no effect on the soul avatar. Despite the humidity, the conditions were suitable for humans and large creatures to reside long-term.

Obvious signs of human activity were visible—this was clearly an underground base.

Deep within, the walls and ceiling were covered with branch-like roots. The soul avatar paused briefly, then received information from the soul-sensing array left on the cave’s boulder.

“So I was detected? That’s sharp. That must be a White Zetsu clone, thankfully not very bright.”

“Inserting and removing tubes for Lord Madara? What on earth? Seems my timing is good—the big shot is busy elsewhere?”

With this backup information, the soul avatar became even more cautious, hiding its presence as it avoided the root-like structures throughout the cave base.

Following the roots deeper, it soon discovered a special chamber—a vast cavern where the roots were especially thick, bearing white, cocoon-like sacs.

Through their translucent shells, vague humanoid shapes could be seen inside each cocoon.

The moment Kato Gale saw these, he recalled the original story—the place where White Zetsu clones were cultivated.

He counted the cocoons: not as numerous as in the later stages of the source material, but still significant.

Carefully expanding his sensing ability, Kato Gale deliberately avoided the thicker roots and selected a single white cocoon for closer inspection.

There was little soul fluctuation inside, but a lively energy signature. It resembled the mutated “patients” he’d treated in the Spring Base.

The soul avatar examined those connected roots but dared not touch the cocoons further.

Leaving the chamber, he continued probing deeper.

From the moment he entered the cave, Kato Gale’s soul avatar had not directly encountered a White Zetsu clone. His investigation proceeded smoothly; aside from avoiding the roots, he faced little trouble.

As he explored, Kato Gale pondered:

“It seems that person doesn’t have many White Zetsu clones available for chores these days. Their intelligence seems lacking—perhaps I should…”

…

PS: New author humbly asks for support, for recommendations, for your collection. Yesterday I changed the novel’s cover—it's showing in the writer’s backend, but not yet on the website or app. I wonder if you’ll like it. It’s of the desire genre…