novelraw Chapter 164 Dejection, Uchiha
Chapter 164 Dejection, Uchiha
Chapter 164 Dejection, Uchiha
Although the excruciating pain in my soul was gradually subsiding and numbing as the cutting was completed.
But the mere thought of "what just happened" flashed through his mind, and a terrifying sensation called "phantom pain" immediately coiled around him like a cold, venomous snake, suffocating him instantly, as if the boundless pain could return at any moment.
Time passed silently in the deathly stillness and gasps for breath.
After an unknown amount of time, Yuan Tuoye finally managed to sit up with difficulty.
Thanks to his superhuman physique and recovery ability, the bruises on his body are fading at a visible speed.
He took another deep breath, forcibly suppressing the lingering tremors in his soul and the shaking of his body, and steadily formed a complex hand seal in front of his chest.
untie!
The sealed memory of "Uchiha Sasuke" has been broken.
Sure enough, as expected.
The core of the memory has been completely severed. Beneath the broken seal, all that remains of the experiences related to that name is a cold, lifeless blank.
Yuan Tuoye stared at the blank space, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly upwards, a tired yet cold satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
However, this is just the beginning.
Next, four more memories will need to undergo this hellish cycle of cutting—
As this thought arose, Gen Takuno's gaze fell on his hands.
Those hands, which had once formed hand seals to unleash powerful ninjutsu and wielded swords to slay formidable enemies, were now trembling uncontrollably, subtly yet violently.
He stared silently at the hands that betrayed his will, and after a moment, a faint, cold smile, tinged with deep mockery, appeared on his face.
Ah, is the body's instinct, driven by fear, fiercely protesting and resisting the repetition of that torture-like act?
pity.
His will is the sole and absolute master of this powerful body!
Even if every nerve screams for escape, even if the instincts of flesh and blood are desperately resisting, they can't stop him from going down the predetermined path!
Thus, in the ruins of this dark laboratory, unknown to anyone and buried deep underground.
The ninja, who had already reached the pinnacle of power in this era, closed his blood-red eyes once again, preparing to face the next round of soul-slicing torture.
A painful roar, accompanied by a dull thud, once again shattered the deathly silence beneath the earth, echoing for a long time.
Time seemed to flow viscously in endless torment until the last strange fluctuation in the laboratory completely subsided, and the small space returned to deathly silence.
On the cold ground, Yuan Tuoye collapsed as if all his strength had been drained.
Sweat and splattering blood had long since mingled on the ground, forming dark red, messy water stains that soaked him completely, emitting a strong rusty and salty smell.
He looked utterly dejected, his eyelids drooping heavily, his gaze unfocused as he stared at the blood-stained ceiling, as if he had been drained of all the energy to think.
This was probably the first time in this world that Gen Takuno had been so dejected. It wasn't because he was surrounded by powerful enemies, nor because he was seriously injured and on the verge of death, but rather because of the result of him altering his own memories.
Those five lingering memories were finally forcibly "cut off," but even he, as the one performing the surgery, was unwilling to relive even a single fragment of the painful experience in his mind.
That soul-tearing pain is something that even those who have survived by sheer luck in the past can never get used to; every touch is like falling into an infernal hell.
Yuan Tuoye didn't want to move a single finger. The impact injuries on his body were actually quite severe, but thanks to his body's abnormal regenerative ability, his bones and muscles were not seriously damaged.
Now, despite the blood splattered all over him, his injuries have actually healed to a great extent.
However, a deep-seated weariness weighed heavily on his spirit, like a maggot clinging to his bones, impossible to shake off or avoid.
This exhaustion doesn't stem from the muscles, but from the depletion and emptiness deep within the soul, far more suffocating than physical injuries.
Looking around, the "horrific state" of the laboratory was undoubtedly more shocking than his own disheveled state.
Everywhere you look, the cold floor, the pale walls, and the high ceiling are splattered with mottled, dripping blood.
They are like wildly splashed ink paintings, recklessly smeared on every corner.
The solidified dark red and the still-dry bright red intertwined, creating a chilling scene, as if one had just witnessed the bloodiest chainsaw killing. The intense smell of blood was almost tangible, lingering in the air.
Time passed slowly, and after an unknown amount of time, Yuan Tuoye finally struggled with his body with extreme reluctance.
It wasn't any urgent matter that summoned him, but rather the bloody and filthy environment that made it impossible for him to rest in peace.
He wasn't a germaphobe, but he still didn't want to accept such a slovenly place.
He gritted his teeth, letting out a low, painful, and defiant groan, almost by sheer willpower, as he dragged his leaden body, every muscle protesting violently, from the pool of blood.
He staggered, taking one step at a time, dragging his leaden legs as he laboriously made his way to the bathroom.
The cold water washed away the blood, sweat, and stickiness, but it couldn't wash away the weariness deep in my soul.
He finished cleaning as quickly as possible, and then, almost instinctively, threw himself heavily onto the bed in the lounge, instantly plunging into the dim darkness.
For the next few days, Yuan Tuoye unusually suspended all his training.
It wasn't that he was complacent; rather, his spiritual sea was like cracked, parched land, withered and exhausted, far from recovered.
Forcing oneself to cultivate in this state is not only inefficient, but could also lead to serious trouble if one loses control of their mind and triggers unknown and dangerous backlash.
In particular, he must seal away the "Spirit Transformation Technique," which requires precise mental control, and not touch it for a considerable period of time.
However, this period of pure rest did not last long.
A few days later, when the suffocating pain deep in his mind subsided slightly, although a full recovery was still a long way off and most of the research could not be carried out.
But Gen Takuno has already begun pure physical training that does not rely on mental strength.
So, after a long absence, he devoted all his energy to refining his body.
At this moment, he was also somewhat relieved, because those memories were actually just memories from an illusion. The content of the memories seemed very long, but in reality, they were just a few very short memories.
This made it slightly easier for Gen Takuno to remove this part of his memory.
Even so, he estimated that the mental recovery would be a long process, perhaps taking several months to fully recover.
During this long month-long recovery period, his overall combat strength, especially the part that relies on mental strength, will inevitably be weakened to a considerable extent.
But Yuan Tuoye was not too worried.
With his current strength and foundation, even if his mental state is slightly weaker, the combat power he can exert is enough to rank among the top in the current situation, and he can protect himself without any worries.
Despite enduring that unbearable, excruciating pain and having to face this month-long "vulnerability window," he was absolutely certain that it was all worth it!
If he did not choose this extreme and painful "removal" treatment, he would have no choice but to passively wait and endure those memories slowly affecting him like a malignant tumor for several years.
This agonizing, seemingly endless ordeal was the price he absolutely could not tolerate.
Now, although he needs to stay away from spiritual asceticism for a month, he is not idle.
The tempering of the body is like climbing an endless chasm, the limits of which have not yet been reached. Just like the legendary Might Guy, the pinnacle of physical skills, there is still a vast realm ahead of him.
So, let's turn this recovery period into an opportunity to focus on refining our bodies, let strength resonate in our flesh and blood, and let resilience settle in our bones and muscles. That would be just right!
Deep within the Anbu headquarters of Konohagakure, a calm and solemn atmosphere permeated the Captain-Commander's office.
Behind the enormous desk, Gen Takuno's wood clone sat in the main seat, a position symbolizing the highest authority of Konoha's shadow power.
He flipped through scrolls and reports, the subtle rustling of paper clearly audible in the quiet room.
Three years have passed, and Yuan Tuoye has been promoted from deputy captain of the Dark Division to captain in charge of the overall situation.
The increase in power also brought with it an expansion of responsibilities: now he has an important task on his shoulders: protecting the safety of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze.
However, for him, this responsibility was less of a burden and more of a symbolic arrangement.
With Minato Namikaze's incredible Flying Thunder God Technique and the Uzumaki clan's powerful sealing techniques, true "protection" was possible.
-
Almost superfluous.
If something unexpected were to happen, given that Gen Takuno doesn't reveal his true strength, it's possible that someone would be protecting someone else.
What Gen Takuno did was simply to routinely arrange for a small number of elites to take turns on duty near the Hokage Building, essentially providing some manpower to do odd jobs for Minato in handling complicated matters.
Therefore, Yuan Tuoye's daily workload did not increase significantly due to the change in title, and he maintained a relaxed and composed demeanor overall.
This "relaxation" actually stemmed from his frank job negotiation with the fourth generation.
At that time, Minato Namikaze hoped to entrust him with the three core powers of the Anbu: intelligence gathering and analysis, the Hokage's personal bodyguard, and the special operations department that carries out top-secret missions.
If that's the case, Yuan Tuoye will probably have no free time at all.
Fortunately, after he clearly expressed his personal wishes and argued his case, Minato Namikaze finally compromised with a mix of amusement and exasperation, separating the most troublesome "Special Operations Department" and handing it over to the newly promoted deputy captain of the ANBU.
The choice for the new vice-captain was no surprise: Minato Namikaze's most outstanding student, Kakashi Hatake.
As time has passed, the "genius boy" who once shone brightly in the Third Shinobi World War with his sharp attacks but was somewhat weak in other aspects has now finally reached the true level of a Jonin in all aspects.
Although this speed was somewhat slow for Kakashi Hatake, who possessed extraordinary talent, he had still grown steadily.
Genjiro paused for a moment on Kakashi Hatake's evaluation report, and understood.
That Sharingan that didn't belong to him was like an invisible shackle, which had long hindered the growth and use of his chakra.
Fortunately, Kakashi Hatake is now in his prime, when he is at his strongest. Although his chakra reserves are not yet vast, he has escaped the predicament of having very little chakra in his early years.
While maintaining the constant daily consumption of the three-tomoe Sharingan, he was finally able to squeeze out more precious chakra to devote to training.
With his natural talent and foundation, it shouldn't be difficult for him to steadily climb to the level of an elite Jonin.
But—Yuan Tuono shook his head almost imperceptibly, a trace of indescribable regret passing through his heart. In the end, it was a pity that those golden years that should have been spent growing rapidly were wasted.
He quickly collected his thoughts, because this was ultimately the path that Kakashi Hatake had chosen to bear, and no one had the right to interfere.
Minato Namikaze's high hopes for him are obvious. Kakashi Hatake's future is almost paved with a smooth road to the position of Captain-Commander of the Anbu, and it is not impossible that he will become the Fifth Hokage.
Given this high regard, and with Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki's top-notch skills in sealing techniques, dealing with a three-tomoe Sharingan is by no means impossible.
That eye remains open on Kakashi Hatake to this day, and the only explanation is that Kakashi himself is unwilling to seal it away.
This would never have happened to Yuan Tuoye.
If it were up to him, he would not hesitate to try to seal it off and isolate its influence in the shortest possible time.
If the seal fails, he will immediately dig it out and store it properly, waiting until his own chakra is abundant enough before using it again.
But this is merely "his" opinion.
He didn't have a deep personal relationship with Kakashi Hatake, so there was no need for him to remind the other party.
Kakashi Hatake's choice and its outcome ultimately had nothing to do with Takuno Minamoto.
It is a major taboo to speak too frankly with someone you don't know well. Even if what you say is truly for the other person's benefit, it may still lead to misunderstanding or even resentment.
Returning to the present moment, Gen Takuno refocused his gaze on the latest report presented by the intelligence department.
The information on the paper caused a slight ripple in his deep eyes.
The core of the report is the long-dormant Uchiha clan.
After the Nine-Tails' attack, under the effective appeasement policies of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze and the strong restraint of the clan head Fugaku Uchiha, the situation improved.
The Uchiha clan did indeed restrain their behavior and keep a low profile in Konoha for quite some time, and the tense relationship between the clan members and the villagers also showed signs of easing.
However, this hard-won peace has recently shown unsettling cracks.
Intelligence suggests that the characteristic arrogance and indifference of some Uchiha clan members, which seems to be aloof and spiky, is making a comeback.
Furthermore, he has had several verbal and even physical altercations with the villagers.