Untitled: Spirit

Izuna stared at the figure and asked in confusion, "What is this?"

Mokushō's voice drifted over from the misty distance. "Some accounts say he is another version of himself, some say they are the core of his subconscious mind, and some simply describe this phenomenon as other personalities or stand-ins."

Izuna gave me Dead-Fish Eyes: "Why don't you just tell me the names of their anime series?"

"Ahem." Mokushō coughed twice. "Let's just say this: if you want to know his memories, then defeat him."

Izuna looked at the expressionless young man in front of him, flexed his wrists, and took half a step forward.

"I understand. Fighting? That's my forte."

Before he finished speaking, he rushed out.

Meanwhile, Kakuzu sat on a bench in the tea shop. He had already finished breakfast and was just sitting there looking out the window, like a customer digesting his food.

Three short sounds, one long sound, then two more short sounds.

The specific wavelength of birdsong is the secret code for this organization's rendezvous.

He swirled the cold tea in his teacup, lost in thought.

The tea in the bowl slowly settled, reflecting his pair of emerald green eyes.

He was still hesitant.

Although that brat with the fox mask was annoying, he had a keen eye for things, and his judgments were impeccable.

Joining Konoha was the best option for both him and his hometown.

But the problem is timing.

It's too early to seek refuge now.

First, it will make people think he's a coward.

Before the assassin organization even made a move, he ran off to defect to the enemy, which is tantamount to betraying his benefactor. Even if he claimed it was to protect himself, such blatant betrayal only arouses disgust.

If word gets out in the Shinobi World, won't Kakuzu's reputation be ruined?

Secondly, Konoha will not trust him.

Who knows if someone who defectes before the operation even begins is a double agent? He'll have to pay a price to convince people.

And this is a price he is mostly unwilling to pay.

Third, if he surrenders too early, he will not be able to gain a foothold in the Land of Waterfalls.

Even if they benefited from it, and even if he believed that his relatives and friends in his hometown would understand his choice.

However, Takigakure's reputation will be damaged. No matter what, people will still talk behind their backs, saying that the Ninjas from Takigakure are all greedy, disloyal, and unrighteous.

At that time, the external image of Takigakure will be damaged, and even if it is not serious enough to warrant his expulsion, he will certainly not have an easy time.

But if he didn't betray his homeland, he would be expelled from his country and wanted by various nations.

Seeking refuge is definitely the right thing to do.

The problem is timing; only under the right circumstances will his act of betrayal be seen as a righteous act.

After all, offering help in times of need is always more touching than adding to someone's already good fortune.

Kakuzu, however, believed he wouldn't miss this opportunity.

Kakuzu placed the teacup back on the table, stood up, picked up his straw hat from the bench, put it on his head, lowered the brim, and left the tea shop.

Izuna wanted to control this body to fight, but found that it was beyond his control.

But "he" himself seemed to be even more formidable.

During his charge, Izuna drew his sword, the tip of which traced an arc along the ground as he launched a preemptive strike, tentatively aiming for his opponent's neck.

The opponent raised his hand to block, and the Kunai and the sword collided with a short, crisp sound.

The man used his peripheral vision to pinpoint the landing point, then executed a right-spinning sweeping kick to the head.

Izuna slid in to dodge, lowering his body and passing under his opponent's legs.

The two passed each other, their blades clashing again. The impact forced them both back two steps; he went down, Izuna went up, both with their torsos wide open.

But if the opponent is suspended in mid-air, you can still attack with your feet.

Izuna quickly deflected the attack with a downward slash, the back of his blade striking the opponent's ankle and sending him flying backward.

As his opponent was pushed back, he gathered his strength again, charging forward and thrusting straight to the right. Izuna originally wanted to unleash a horizontal slash, but the height of the blow would obviously allow him to dodge it, so he changed course halfway and went to defend.

The opponent's Kunai blocked, and the other hand didn't stop there, immediately throwing a straight punch.

However, Izuna's speed gave him a slight edge, allowing him to seize the opportunity to attack first.

The opponent immediately changed tactics, using the handle to block the slash, and then countered by grabbing Izuna's backswing and swinging the Kunai upwards.

The battle was intense, but Izuna didn't feel any pressure.

He had the illusion that he could kill the other person if he wanted to.

But for some reason, he felt that doing so might lead to something bad, so he suppressed the thought.

After the second round of clashes, Izuna finally subdued the man and pinned him to the ground.

Izuna noticed that the opponent seemed to have little consciousness, and would recover quickly from injuries, fighting solely on instinct.

Izuna pinned the man to the ground, his knee against his back, and, catching his breath, asked, "Tell me, why did you capture your young lady?"

The other party did not reply.

His face was pressed against the gray-white ground, his eyes open, his pupils empty, as if he hadn't heard anyone speaking to him at all.

Izuna frowned and asked again.

There has still been no response.

Mokushō's voice drifted from the misty distance. "They have no mind and won't answer. Tie him up first and take him to the central lake."

Central Lake? Where is that? "How do you tie it up?"

As soon as Izuna finished speaking, he felt his body move.

The feeling was indescribable, like something had risen from the depths of his consciousness and taken over his fingers and arms.

He saw his hand reach into the void, and somehow a chain appeared out of thin air.

"Izuna" wrapped the chain around the man, binding him tightly in a few quick movements, then lifted his arm and hoisted the man onto his shoulder.

Izuna paused for two seconds.

"Wow," he said, his tone filled with undisguised wonder, "Is it true that you can have whatever you want?"

"You can think of it that way," Mokushō said with a hint of amusement.

Izuna's eyes lit up. "Then I want the Gatling gun!"

Izuna paused, seemingly going through some intense inner struggle.

Then it slightly raised its head. Although Izuna couldn't see its expression, this gesture clearly conveyed speechlessness.

Mokushō's laughter drifted from the misty distance, he couldn't hold it in.

"While the Mindscape is constructed based on one's cognitive scope, it's useless if 'you' are unwilling. Besides, you haven't even thought about it seriously. Do you even know how a Gatling gun is constructed? Your subconscious can't create vague conceptual objects."

Izuna pursed his lips, a hint of regret in his voice. "Oh, that's amazing enough."

"Izuna" carried the chained spiritual core through the gray-white space and walked deeper into it.

The further you go, the more things you see around you. Scrolls and Ninja Tools are piled up denser and denser until they eventually become a pitch-black rock wall, and the space always maintains that feeling of infinite expansion.

Every step reveals a new scene; with each step you take, the scenery changes.

The hazy light gradually changed color, from grayish-white to a faint cyan.

Then he saw the lake.

A vast and calm lake appeared at the edge of the field of vision, its surface still and undisturbed, like a mirror.

The area is surrounded by forests, and around the lake stand huge Torii, scattered like doors.

The colors here are beautiful; standing there feels like stepping into Ukiyo-e, evoking an indescribable sense of tranquility.

Izuna's gaze swept over the Torii along the lake, then suddenly stopped.

Behind one of the Torii stood a huge willow tree.

Izuna was taken aback. "Huh? What's that over there...?"

"That's right," Mokushō's voice came, "It's the entrance to my Divine Realm. This is the central lake, or you can call it Izumo."

Izuna tilted his head. "Izumo?"

"Legend has it that eight million gods gather in Izumo during the Kannazuki, which is the tenth month of the old calendar. This is Izumo."

Izuna let out an "Eh," his tone carrying an undisguised bewilderment. "A gathering in the lake... How eerie."

"After all, it's easier to see the compatibility of men and women when you're on Earth."

Izuna turned his head, his face saying, "What are you talking about?", "Your meeting was just about finding a match?"

"Yes," Mokushō answered frankly, "The eight million gods held a lively discussion in Izumo, and after some deliberation, they finally decided on the marriage between the man and woman."

"A matchmaker, huh?" Izuna scoffed. "Holding a meeting just to find a match? You gods really have too much free time."

"You can't say that. After all, humans are social animals, and forming a bond is naturally an act of saving someone from dire straits. Don't you understand that love can prolong life?"

"I don't understand," Izuna answered decisively. "In my opinion, one can live very well without forming Link with others. Speaking of which, what do you think about heterosexual or heterosexual relationships?"

"Aren't they brothers and sisters?"

What if they fall in love with each other?

"Love takes many forms; to reduce it all to romantic love is too superficial."

I mean, a romantic relationship!

That's something to celebrate.

Izuna, with Dead-Fish Eyes, said, "Fine."

"I'm serious," Mokushō's voice held a hint of earnestness. "As long as people can support each other and walk together with love, that's the most celebratory thing in the world."

"That's good." Izuna steered the conversation back on track. "So, how do we check this guy's memories?"

"Just throw him in."

"That's all?"

"Yes."

Izuna stared at the lake for two seconds, then took a step forward, stood in front of a Torii, lifted the person on his shoulder, and threw them into the lake.

He let go.

The man fell straight down and disappeared into the lake.

As he sank into the lake, the surface suddenly lit up.

A cyan mist surged outwards from the center of the lake, ripples spreading outwards in concentric circles, and faint golden lines appeared on the surface of the lake, spreading outwards from the center like an unfolded net.

Izuna took half a step back.

In the middle of the lake, a picture is taking shape.

Ichita was born into the Tsuchigumo Clan.

His parents died in a landslide when he was seven years old. His relatives helped with the funeral arrangements, and he lived with his grandmother afterward.

His grandmother was a quiet, taciturn old woman, but she was quick and efficient. She taught him to recognize herbs, to make ropes for Ninja Tools, and also taught him some basic Ninjutsu. Ichita wasn't particularly bright, but he was hardworking, and by the age of nineteen, he had barely managed to become a Chunin. Most of his peers in the clan were better than him, but he wasn't envious. He practiced what he was supposed to practice every day, and after practicing, he would go home to help his grandmother cook.

He had two friends. One was Atetsu, who was two years older than him and worked as a scout in the tribe. He always liked to pat him on the shoulder and say, "Ichita, you're such a good person." The other was Ume, who was one year younger than him and worked in the tribe's weaving shop. She spoke softly and would occasionally bring him a few Rice Balls.

Ichita like Ume, but I've never dared to say it.

The person he disliked was the Clan Head's son, named Kakuzō, who would deliberately throw him harder than the others during training and laugh at him, calling him "the most spider-like of the Tsuchigumo, who can only crawl."

When I was twenty-three, my grandmother also passed away.

Ichita sat in the empty house all night, and went to the Training Ground Amaterasu. Later, it was Ume who spoke first, saying, "How about we team up?" Ichita was stunned for a long time, then nodded.

They didn't have a big celebration; they just treated Atetsu to a bowl of buckwheat noodles. Ume moved into his house, planted a few perilla plants in the yard, and raised two chickens. Life was simple, but Ichita felt it was quite good.

Ume's health has never been good, and it became even weaker after she suffered a serious illness.

That winter when she was thirty, she caught a cold and didn't last five days. Ichita was beside her and saw her say her last words, "Remember to collect the perilla leaves," before she never woke up again.

He buried Ume on the hillside behind the house, leaving a vacant lot for himself next to her.

For the next six months, he would go to the grave every day and sit for a while, without saying a word.

Later, wanting to make a name for himself, he signed up for the plan to attack the Land of Whirlpools. It was a very underhanded and clandestine operation, purely for looting; no one except Ninjas should have known. He also thought that this kind of achievement would allow him to live a better life.

But the plan was exposed, and the young lady even fell for an ugly debt collector. Ichita felt extremely unlucky; not only did he not get the money, but his reputation was also ruined.

When others criticized the young lady, he would chime in with a few words.

But things had already come to this point, and the clan was really moving here, so he thought about finding a wife here.

Ichita thought about it and agreed. He wasn't particularly skilled, but he could at least take on jobs involving intelligence gathering and assassination, earning a good amount of money. He didn't drink or gamble, so there should be people willing to hire him.

While attending a drinking party, he met a woman named A Yuki from the Land of Hot Water.

A Yuki is a woman of few words but efficient in her work. She is widowed and has a six-year-old daughter. Ichita thought it was a good match, and A Yuki agreed, so the two decided to start dating.

Everything seemed to be going in a good direction. As long as the clan moved here, he would be able to have a piece of land to build a house, get married, marry A Yuki, and live a good life.

Unexpectedly, while he was on a date with A Yuki, they were attacked by a man in black. Ichita stopped the man and told A Yuki to leave.

And from then on, he was plunged into darkness.

Izuna stood by the lake, watching the scene on the lake gradually fade away.

"This is... this person's life?"

"That's right," Mokushō's voice came from the side, "The central lake can see through a person's entire life."

Izuna remained silent for a while.

Ichita's life was short and uneventful. Birth, life, and death, interspersed with a few fragmented moments: Ume's perilla, Atetsu's pat on the shoulder, and the woman named A Yuki and her six-year-old daughter.

All he wanted was a piece of land to build a house, a partner to share his life with, and to live out his days in peace and tranquility.

But even this little bit, he couldn't hold onto.

"But do you always have to grab people like this and throw them into the lake?" Izuna asked.

"Gods certainly have some privileges," Mokushō said. "We can tell roughly what kind of person someone is just by looking at them. If there were Kannazuki, we could see even more."

"So what's this person's condition now? Is he dead and Possession, or...?"

"He's half-dead," Mokushō said calmly. "His spirit has been destroyed; even if he's saved, he'll likely be crippled."

Izuna sighed, "Oh dear, how awful."

Don't you want to help him out?