Chapter 9

Chinano spoke quietly, her tone gradually calming. Her expression was numb—she had cried before, she had despaired, but now her tears had dried up, leaving only the seething rage of hatred.

Zixu's face grew colder as he listened, and his desire to leave Konoha intensified. He had mentally prepared himself, constantly reminding himself, "Konoha is a terrorist organization—don't be surprised by anything they do." But now that he was witnessing it firsthand, he couldn't suppress his emotions.

"Is it safe for you to openly express hostility toward the main family? Won't the branch families that choose independence be eliminated by them?" Zixu asked Hyuga Chinano, his tone laced with indifference. His short crimson hair fluttered in the wind, exuding an oppressive aura.

Chinano put her headband back on, clearly hating the mark of slavery on her forehead. She shook her head slightly, pushing back her messy blue-black short hair before explaining:

"The main family doesn't dare to do it openly. Killing fellow villagers is taboo. After all, the foundation of this village is built on a fragile, false sense of equality and peace..."

There were rules everywhere, and supposed bottom lines everywhere. Konoha could be described as a den of evil where people were devoured without hesitation, yet even Konoha had its red line—murdering fellow villagers outright was forbidden.

Hyuga Chinano glanced at Aburame Hatsuizumi, who wore an expression of pure fury. She hesitated before speaking again. Looking at Hatsuizumi's innocent and kind face, she seemed to see her past self. After a long pause, she finally spoke, her tone filled with a trace of sympathy.

"The Aburame clan also has its own way of controlling its members..."

That statement dropped like a bombshell, shocking Hatsuizumi just as much as when she first learned about the Caged Bird Seal. But as Zixu listened, something felt off.

"W-what?" Hatsuizumi stood frozen as if struck by lightning, her whole body stiff, like a petrified statue or a dying person whose last hope had just been crushed.

"After all, the ability to control insects at will is extremely dangerous. Their silent, nearly undetectable nature allows them to kill without a trace—even from thousands of miles away... How could Konoha's higher-ups not implement a restriction?" Zixu spoke slowly, voicing his suspicions.

Chinano nodded and added, "The Jar of Poison Technique was listed as a forbidden jutsu by the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. Once activated, it produces a fatal poison with no cure. There were many other forbidden techniques like this before, but I don't know all the details. However, every member of the Aburame clan has a parasite implanted in their heart at birth. The queen insect controlling them is kept by the clan leader and the Hokage. In this generation, however, the queen is held solely by the Hokage..."

She shot a glance at Hatsuizumi, who was still in a daze. Complex emotions flickered in her eyes, but Zixu remained skeptical. In his mind, this could easily be a manipulation tactic—an attempt to pull them onto her side. After all, there was no immediate way to verify her words.

"The purpose of the queen insect is the same as the Caged Bird Seal—it's a method of control," Chinano continued. She gave Hatsuizumi a moment to process the information, but when she saw the girl sinking into despair, she grabbed her shoulders and shook her forcefully, snapping her out of her shock.

Zixu, watching all this, suddenly pointed at himself. "Let me guess—does Konoha have something planted in my body as well?"

He had suspected it for a while. After all, how could Konoha not have "special measures" for him, an Uzumaki orphan?

Chinano turned to face him and answered without hesitation. "Yes. Orphans and outsiders are all screened by Root operatives. According to their protocol, all non-native villagers are injected with a latent toxin."

"This poison normally remains inactive, but if the members of Root suspect you of endangering Konoha's interests, they can release a second agent. When combined, the two substances create a lethal toxin..."

For once, Chinano spoke a lot.

Zixu wasn't particularly frightened by the mention of poison, but thinking about how he had yet to integrate even one-tenth of Kaido's physique, he felt a slight twinge of unease. He wasn't afraid of the poison itself—but he wasn't sure if he could resist it yet.

System, scan my body. Do I have any unknown toxins in me?

The cold voice of the system echoed in his ears.

"The host is currently in good health. No injuries or signs of poisoning."

Do I have the poison that Chinano mentioned? he asked again, just to be sure.

"Three types detected."

Zixu's expression darkened. He was lucky to have checked.

How much of Kaido's physique do I need to be immune to this poison?

"25% integration grants immunity to this and most common toxins."

Zixu quickly did the math in his head. The reward for establishing an organization was 10,000 points. It took 500 points to increase his integration by 1%. After training, his current integration was at 6%. That meant he needed 9,500 points to reach 25%, leaving only 500 points remaining. He had no idea how many points he'd need to unlock his Devil Fruit abilities or Haki, so things weren't looking great.

"How do you know so much?" Hatsuizumi, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke, her voice weak. She looked like she was barely holding herself together. Everything Chinano had said today had completely shattered her worldview.

It turned out that the so-called freedom they had was nothing more than a beautifully wrapped lie, a form of slavery disguised in false glamour. The so-called equality was nothing more than a system that crushed those who didn't conform through violence. They were living in a world where sin thrived under the sun, hidden in plain sight…

"I heard all this from my father," Chinano admitted. "There's no point in hiding it from you anymore. The three of us are all under Konoha's control. Zixu was right—the Will of Fire has been completely twisted. Maybe Konoha was once great, but the Konoha of today? It doesn't deserve to call itself the inheritor of the Will of Fire..."

Zixu felt something was off as he listened. There was a strong sense of déjà vu. This girl… she might be...

"We should start an organization," Chinano continued. "At least a prototype, something that upholds the true Will of Fire and brings real peace and equality to the world."

Sure enough.

Zixu rubbed his forehead with one hand, laughing to himself. He hadn't even officially started on his mission to form an organization, and here Chinano was, already laying the groundwork before him. But if he joined, he could still be considered one of the original founders. That should be enough to fulfill the mission requirement.

Thinking this, he spoke up in support of her idea.

"I think Chinano is right. If we can't even control our own lives, then what's the point of talking about freedom or peace? It's all just an illusion, enforced through power and violence. Konoha is no different from a terrorist organization at this point. Only by acting with the right ideals can we create real change. I'm in."

"I knew you'd get it," Chinano said, giving Zixu a look that practically said, I knew I could count on you. He felt a little guilty.

After experiencing the initial shock and restructuring of her beliefs, Hatsuizumi slowly came to terms with the truth. Worldviews are easiest to reshape when they're broken apart first. After thinking it through, she finally nodded and extended her hand to the other two.

"Alright. I trust you."

As the three of them clasped hands, the system prompt popped up.

[Task Updated]

Task Name: Initial Organization Establishment

Task Details: Establish an organization before the end of this semester with at least three members who must be loyal and share its ideals.

Task Status: Completed

Rewards: Power System Unlocked, 10,000 Reward Points, 3x Random Item Draws

The first mission was complete.

But seeing the system's wording, Zixu realized this was only the beginning. A chain quest. It made sense—their so-called "organization" was nothing more than a concept at this stage. They were still just students at the Academy. They'd have to graduate before they could actually make moves. Right now, they were only planting the seeds, hoping to attract like-minded people.

"Now, what should we call our organization?" Hatsuizumi asked. She had adapted surprisingly quickly.

"Our goal is to revive the true Will of Fire," Zixu mused. "And Konoha will be the fuel that helps us grow. How about 'Jin'—the kanji for 'ember'—symbolizing our rebirth from the ashes of Konoha?"

Chinano and Hatsuizumi both nodded.

"Alright, then it's settled. 'Jin' it is," Hatsuizumi said.

"Now that we have a name, it's only fair we choose a leader," Zixu added with a smirk.

The two girls immediately assumed he wanted the position for himself. Hatsuizumi instinctively thought Chinano would be the best choice since she was the strongest.

"I think..." Hatsuizumi started, but Chinano interrupted.

"I support—"

Zixu waved his hand dismissively, cutting her off. He smiled sincerely before speaking.

"I think Chinano should be our leader. She's the strongest, the most knowledgeable, and she already has so much information about Konoha's secrets. She's the best choice for leading us."

"Huh?"

"Eh?"

Both girls were taken aback.

But Zixu wasn't some kid driven by emotions. Even if his body was young, his soul belonged to someone who had lived over twenty years in a much more cynical world. He could already tell that Chinano wasn't just strong—she was strategic. She had subtly roped them in, ensuring that all their fates were tied together. That wasn't something just any random fighter could pull off.

A leader needed more than just power. They needed the ability to navigate politics. As much as he hated to admit it, people like Sarutobi Hiruzen were actually ideal leaders—not because they were the strongest, but because they knew how to play the game.

Right now, their group was small, but as they grew, they would inevitably attract the attention of other villages and organizations. When that time came, they'd need someone like Chinano to handle the pressure.

"Besides," Zixu continued with a grin, "it's not like this is permanent. If I surpass you one day, I'll take the position myself."

"...Fine," Chinano agreed after a brief pause. Truthfully, she had been planning to offer the role to Zixu. He wasn't the strongest, but he was responsible, and that made him a good fit for leadership. However, since he was pushing the role onto her, she wouldn't refuse.

And with that, an organization that would one day shake the foundations of the ninja world was born in the midst of casual conversation and laughter.

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