NOVEL WEB Chapter 72: CHAPTER 72
Screams filled the air.
Kimimaro stepped forward, addressing the man who had previously advised Nadeshiko. "You're Nogiku? Good. Haruna—he'll be the provisional lord of this city from now on."
Haruna nodded, regaining her composure. "Once we return to the capital, I'll formally issue an imperial decree. Lord Nogiku, you'll serve as acting city lord until then."
Nogiku, though startled by the sudden appointment, nodded quickly. "Understood... Lady Haruna, and Lord Kimimaro, not everyone here supported Nabai. Many were coerced... Some still hoped for your return."
Kimimaro cut him off with a raised hand. "Enough. If I've named you city lord, then prove you're worthy. Choose reliable subordinates and purge any remaining loyalists to Nabai. Remember, betrayal means death. Obey Haruna's orders without fail. Do well, and you may rise. Fail, and... well." He let his words trail off ominously.
Nogiku swallowed nervously, but forced a respectful bow. "Understood. May I ask your name, sir?"
"Kaguya Kimimaro."
"Lord Kaguya…"
"I prefer 'Lord Kimimaro.'" The title 'Kaguya' always reminded him of the Otsutsuki bloodline—a burden, not an honor.
Nogiku bowed again. "Very well, Lord Kimimaro. But… what if those three rogue ninja return?"
"They won't," Kimimaro said calmly, then gestured to Karin.
Karin stepped forward and unfurled a sealing scroll. With a puff of chakra smoke, two severed heads dropped out. "The third one was struck by lightning. These two… you'll recognize."
Nogiku gasped, both horrified and relieved. He instantly identified the infamous rogue ninjas—Renga and Jiga of the Ninjan trio. If even they were dead, then siding with Haruna truly was the right choice.
"Spread the word," Kimimaro ordered. "Lady Haruna, rightful Daimyō of the Land of Vegetables, has returned. In one month, her enthronement ceremony will be held in the capital. Do not announce the deaths of the rogue ninja yet."
"Yes, understood!" Cold sweat broke on Nogiku's forehead. He wasn't a fool—he understood Kimimaro was setting bait. Delay the news, and any hidden conspirators might surface, thinking the three were still alive.
Kimimaro had already calculated the timing. The Land of Vegetables wasn't large; a jonin could cross it in a day at top speed. But with Haruna and the entourage, the journey would take a week. A perfect timeframe—for both preparations and ambushes.
Enemies made excellent fuel.
A day later, they departed.
Kimimaro had waited until the residual life energy he'd harvested from the rebel coastal outpost had finished converting. He absorbed up to his maximum capacity again.
Though most of the enemies he'd slain were civilians or low-level shinobi, their numbers were high. He hit the limit of 20,000 life energy units again. From the remains of the higher-level rebels, he collected an additional 1,000 units of blood essence. His new totals: 28,000 life energy units. Three Ice Release gene potions had already been synthesized using the earlier stock.
He'd learned something useful—while the system originally stated that enemies had to be fought directly for their life energy to be harvested, the real key was hostility. A conflict of allegiance was enough. Combat wasn't necessary.
Later, Kimimaro addressed his companions.
"I have three Ice Release bloodline potions. One is for me. The other two are open. If more of you want them, I can craft more, but I'll need time to gather additional energy. Karin still has genetic samples stored."
Everyone was silent.
Guren shook her head. Her Crystal Release already gave her similar capabilities, and her chakra nature wasn't compatible.
Karin and Hanabi exchanged glances, choosing to wait for other options—perhaps Byakugan enhancement or medical specialization adaptations.
Ranmaru and Karashi, uncertain and hesitant, stayed quiet, following the group's mood.
"Suigetsu," Kimimaro finally said, "I remember your affinities—Water and Wind. You're a good fit for Ice Release. It would synergize well."
Suigetsu scratched his head. "Yeah, but I already have Water Release. Doesn't Ice Release overlap a bit too much?"
Kimimaro's voice turned serious. "Think about this—your clan's Hydrification Technique makes you vulnerable to Lightning Release. If you could shift into ice… solid ice doesn't conduct electricity the same way water does. You might eliminate your greatest weakness."
Suigetsu blinked. "...That's actually a smart point."
Kimimaro nodded. "The combination has real potential. Think it over."
Suigetsu's eyes gleamed mischievously. "That's actually not a bad idea. But... hehe, Kimimaro, you already know how my Hydrification works. If you manage to integrate Ice Release into your own body, maybe you could try to turn into ice instead of water. If that's possible, then maybe I could try using Ice Release too. Can you save one for me, just in case?"
Kimimaro nodded calmly. "Alright. Ranmaru, what about you?"
Ranmaru, who had been lost in thought, looked up as Kimimaro addressed him. "I'm fine with anything… but if possible, I'd like to try Magnet Release."
"Magnet Release?" Kimimaro raised a brow. "You thinking of combining it with your chakra-enhanced Lightning techniques?"
Ranmaru nodded. "Yes. Over the past few days, I've been researching chakra nature transformations. Electricity and magnetism are closely related. If I can master both, I think it'll boost my Lightning Blade technique."
Kimimaro gave a rare approving smile. "Good. It's important to be curious and keep learning. That said, Magnet Release is extremely rare—usually a kekkei genkai passed down through specific bloodlines, like the Kazekage's. I can't promise we'll find a viable source. Don't rush. If it doesn't work out, we'll look into something else."
He turned to the rest of the group. "I have three doses of this Ice Release serum. One's for me, one for Suigetsu if he wants to experiment, and there's one more. Karashi, would you like it?"
"Huh? Me?" Karashi looked up, startled. "Lord Kimimaro, I haven't done anything worthy of a gift like that…"
"You're our head chef," Kimimaro said bluntly. "In the Land of Vegetables, you'll have access to more ingredients for your Life Curry. I didn't bring you to the battlefield. I brought you to support us—and that's just as important. Gaining a kekkei genkai will help you protect yourself when needed, nothing more."
He paused, then added, "Aside from Ice Release, I also have a sample derived from my Kaguya clan—our bone reinforcement ability. It can harden your skeletal structure and even develop offensive applications over time. You can choose, or wait if you'd rather."
Karashi bowed slightly. "No need to wait. Ice Release is more than enough. Just having a chance to train in real ninjutsu is a blessing. I'll take whatever you give me, Lord Kimimaro."
A quiet voice cut in.
"Um… Kimimaro," Haruna said softly, "could I also learn ninjutsu? I want to be able to protect myself too."
She had only half-believed him earlier when he claimed he could teach her. At the time, she'd even jokingly considered the idea of marrying him if it were true—but that had been more like recruiting a powerful husband into her noble household. What they had now was different. More personal.
"Of course you can," Kimimaro said simply.
Karashi looked flustered for a moment. "If Lady Haruna wants Ice Release, then I'll give up my spot. Or… maybe that bone-hardening technique would suit me better anyway. I'll leave it to your judgment, Lord Kimimaro."
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