Naruto: Kurotsuchi Mayuri

"Can you explain... what exactly is Hollowfication?"

Yamato looked confused. He felt like the style of this world was completely different from the ninja world he knew.

As someone who came from Root and now served in the Hokage's ANBU, he had access to a lot of intelligence about the ninja world.

But this word—Hollowfication—he was sure it was the first time he'd heard it.

Yet the terrifying feeling that came from the Hollowfied Mukade in front of him—it struck his soul.

He had only ever felt something like that when helping Naruto gain control over the Nine Tails.

The same kind of pressure! 

The same sense of danger! 

Just from the aura and the pressure it gave off—it was enough to make someone feel the threat of death.

"Hollowfication is when a ninja is completely corrupted by a certain power and becomes something else entirely.

The main sign is that they will have a hollow hole somewhere on their body.

A Hollowfied ninja—whether it's their power, chakra, body, or even life force—everything becomes enhanced to a terrifying level.

Right now, aside from sealing techniques, there's barely any ninjutsu that can truly deal with them. 

At least among the five main chakra nature transformations, excluding Yin-Yang Release, none of them work!

What's worse, according to the intel we have, each Hollowfied ninja ends up with different traits. So you can't handle them the same way.

You can only stop them by sacrificing a lot, gathering enough information, and then using a targeted approach.

In the end, they must be sealed with a proper sealing technique.

Also... one last thing.

This Hollow in front of us might be the scariest one I've ever seen."

Baki didn't hold anything back. He shared all the information he had with Yamato and the others.

In a situation like this—any extra strength meant a better chance to survive.

Anyway, the other party is a ninja from the future world of Konoha, and they're allied with the Sand ninja.

"So, you're saying we need to use sealing jutsu to deal with them?"

Yamato knows sealing jutsu. His Wood Release also has some sealing properties. 

But, looking at centipede-like creature that has already taken shape, stretching over ten meters in length, with its black body and purple markings on its back, he felt it was tricky. He also doubted whether the sealing jutsu would work.

After all, most sealing techniques have preconditions for them to be effective!

"Destroying the mask on its face would work too. But the hardness of the mask is far beyond most ninja tools." Baki hesitated, then turned his gaze to Kagetsu and asked, "Kagetsu-kun, I heard that the technique for the hollow mask was first stolen from the technology development department by Cloud ninjas. Is that true?"

"Yes." Kagetsu did not deny it. The theft by the Cloud ninja delegation from the technology development department was not something Konoha had hidden, nor could they.

However, only Orochimaru, Kagetsu, and the Cloud village's higher-ups knew the full extent of what was stolen.

Baki's question at this moment clearly showed that the Sand ninja had obtained some intelligence about it from certain sources.

"As the new head of the technology development department, you should know more about the hollow mask, right? What should we do now?" Baki asked, testing.

He didn't ask who created the hollow mask but instead sought Kagetsu's advice on how to solve the current problem.

"Not needed for now."

"Not needed for now?"

Upon hearing Kagetsu's answer, both Baki and Yamato looked at him in surprise, clearly not expecting such a response.

"It does have powerful energy within it, even comparable to the strongest tailed beast. But have you noticed? It hasn't attacked us."

Kagetsu pointed at the giant Centipede Hollow struggling on the ground, reminding them.

"This?" Baki originally wanted to say something, but stopped himself mid-sentence.

He remembered that once a ninja becomes a Hollow, any nearby ninja, like a campfire in the dark, would attract the Hollow's hunt.

Yet, with so many high-ranking shinobi and a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki present, this Centipede Hollow didn't make a move on them?

"This is a Dual Spirit Hollow. It has two consciousnesses, and these two are in constant conflict. Hollowfication is the elevation of obsession, and the deeper and more severe the Hollowfication, the stronger and more stubborn the Hollow's obsession becomes.

Mukade wants to turn this world into a puppet world, while the Queen of Roran seeks revenge against Mukade for some reason. 

Until they find a way to resolve or reconcile with each other, it will always be a conflicted and self-destructive Hollow."

Kagetsu pointed to the mask where two faces were biting each other, explaining.

"So, after its birth, it will eventually destroy itself?" Yamato tried to understand what Kagetsu was saying.

"You could think of it that way, if there was no Ryūmyaku vein energy present," Kagetsu replied while seemingly lost in thought.

"Ryūmyaku vein energy?"

"Both consciousnesses are fighting for control over the Ryūmyaku vein's power. As long as the core energy in its body hasn't been fully consumed, their struggle might lead to further Hollowfication. Of course, it could also be seen as evolution.

In that case, they will either become a stronger independent being, or split into two parts, like twin Hallow beings."

Kagetsu speculated on what would most likely happen if he didn't intervene.

"Why did he turn into a Hollow?"

Seeing that Kagetsu wasn't rushing to deal with Mukade, Baki's tense mindset eased a little. 

He just wanted to figure out if Mukade's transformation into a Hollow was an accident caused by time and the Ryūmyaku vein, or if there were other factors involved.

"The first one to turn into a Hollow might not have been him, but the deceased Queen of Roran," Kagetsu corrected Baki's statement.

Baki was stunned for a moment.

"Didn't you notice? Roran is a sacred spiritual land!"

"A sacred spiritual land?"

"In sacred spiritual lands, the souls of dead ninjas and residents, especially those with strong attachments, are most likely to fall and turn into Hollows.

The Queen of Roran may have, by coincidence, turned into a Hollow. She's actually always existed, but for some reason, she couldn't appear before."

Kagetsu answered softly.

Was it because of my interference? 

Kagetsu thought. 

Because my intervention disturbed the Ryūmyaku vein's power, it allowed the Queen of Roran to break free, awaken her Hollow form, and in turn, affect Mukade, causing it to transform as well.

So, am I the cause of all this? 

Does that mean my future self made changes to the Ryūmyaku vein here? 

Or was the Ryūmyaku vein naturally fused with the soul fragments, creating this transformation? 

My future self didn't alter the Ryūmyaku vein's power, but sealed and preserved it, planning to turn it into a sacred spiritual land. Is that the plan?

****

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