Weakness Is a Sin

A cold white wall lamp was set into the underground laboratory wall. Beneath it, a bandage-wrapped mad scientist watched the specimen in a cultivation tank.

It was a humanoid creature. Apart from its head, the rest of its body had been grafted together from animal torsos, leaving it hideously deformed.

The gruesome sight inside the tank did nothing to distract the bandaged man. His eyes revealed only madness.

Just then, deliberately heavy footsteps sounded, and a figure appeared outside the door, kneeling on one knee.

"What is it?"

"My lord, those test subjects in the Land of Rivers have attracted Konoha Ninja, who are moving to surround them. Should we retrieve them?"

At that moment, the creature in the tank seemed unable to withstand the severe rejection reaction. It burst apart, and crimson instantly stained the pale green nutrient fluid.

The bandaged man's eyes glowed red as he watched. His expression darkened, and the air in the laboratory turned icy.

After a moment, the bandaged man finally spoke. "No need. Have 'Two' record the data from their battle with the Konoha Ninja. We might as well get some use out of those failures."

"Yes, sir."

Only after his subordinate had withdrawn did the bandaged man walk around the failed cultivation tank. From where he stood, he could see nearly fifty identical tanks arranged throughout the vast underground laboratory.

As he looked at the specimens inside, a feverish glint flashed in his eyes. "Genius is nothing. A genius made after birth is a work of God."

Senba looked at the notebook in his hands, then at the unnatural expression on Teacher Genma's face. His lips pressed together, then parted, then pressed together again. In the end, he couldn't hold back.

"Teacher, don't tell me you can't understand the Fourth Hokage's notes either?"

"Ahem." Shiranui Genma had been mercilessly exposed by his student and was about to try to defend himself. Then he remembered that you couldn't even fake understanding the Flying Thunder God technique. If you didn't know it, you didn't know it.

"Can't be helped, Senba. The three of us were taught step by step by the Fourth Hokage back then. These notes were tailored to us, but they're still too profound."

Genma's face reddened a little as he continued. Seeing Senba's disappointment, he said, "When you're qualified to exchange for this forbidden technique someday, you can take a look at the Fourth Hokage's notes."

"But you should ask the elders of your clan whether you can exchange for the Second Hokage's notes from the Third Generation first."

"The Fourth Hokage's notes are a simplified version with improvements, which actually makes them harder for beginners to understand. You should study this notebook first, then the Second Hokage's notes, and only after that the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God."

Senba gave Teacher Genma an odd look. Did Genma underestimate his status? The Senju Ancestral Home had a more complete collection of the Second Hokage's belongings than the Hokage Building did.

After explaining everything, Shiranui Genma watched Senba fiddle with the notebook. He thought for a moment, then said, "Senba, weren't you a little weak at Illusion Technique? Tell me about it, and your teacher will give you some pointers."

Senba hadn't expected Teacher Genma to remember the excuse he'd made offhand. In fact, with Grandma Momoka around, Illusion Technique was what he had improved at fastest. He simply didn't use it much.

Still, to spare Teacher Genma's feelings—and to compare notes—they sat by the campfire and discussed it.

The C-rank Illusion Technique, Fox's Mind Technique, made enemies feel as though they were wandering through a maze, lost like someone under a fox's spell. It could be used on multiple people at once.

This was the ninjutsu Shiranui Genma taught Senba, mainly as a reward for how quickly Senba had grasped Illusion Technique.

Senba happily added it to his ninjutsu collection. This collecting habit was one of the ways his obsession with supernatural power showed itself.

"All right, Senba. We'll pass the mission site tomorrow. Get some rest tonight. Tomorrow could turn into a tough fight. I'll keep watch for the rest of the night."

Senba didn't refuse Teacher Genma's kindness. He closed his eyes and slipped into a light doze. In truth, his consciousness had gone to meet Senba of the Forest.

"My dear clone, the original is here!"

"Thud!" "Thud!" "Thud!"

In a luxuriously decorated room, Poison Ghost picked up a table and smashed it again and again into the figure sprawled on the floor. "Drinking and chasing women—you want to die? We finally got out of hell, and you can't even try to live properly!"

"I told you to stop drinking! I told you!"

The room was a complete mess. The geisha had fled long ago, and the hired muscle who'd rushed over lay outside, groaning. After Poison Ghost scattered gold and silver across the floor, the manager immediately assured him that he could smash whatever he liked—even burn the place down—as long as he had enough money.

"That's enough, Poison Ghost! If you hit me again, I'll fight back!"

Snake Ghost, still lying on the floor, reached out his pale hand and grabbed the corner of the table in Poison Ghost's hands. His sharp nails sank deep into the wood as his slit pupils glared fiercely at Poison Ghost.

Apparently cowed, Poison Ghost let out a slow sigh and dropped the battered table to the floor. His expression was blank.

The next second, he drew the katana at his side and hacked furiously at Snake Ghost. With every blow, he cursed, "You little rebel! How dare you talk to me like that? I'll teach you a proper lesson today!"

"Big brother, I was wrong! I was wrong! Don't cut my face—it takes forever to heal!"

After half an hour of frenzied hacking, the room finally fell quiet.

Poison Ghost sat in the seat of honor, watching Snake Ghost piece his right arm back together bit by bit. A trace of pain flickered in his eyes. If anyone had a choice, who'd want an ability like this?

"Snake Ghost, I'm not joking. Sooner or later, what we've done will bring the Ninja down on us. We need new identities and have to leave. We've got almost enough money."

"I've already spoken with a merchant in the Land of Waves named Gato. He'll take care of our identities. After that, we'll live as ordinary people and never get involved in the Ninja world again."

Snake Ghost's hands paused slightly. A hint of sorrow flashed in his eyes, but his words were full of mockery.

"Ordinary people? Can we really become ordinary people? Strength Ghost's stomach that's never full, Hand Ghost needing human blood to nourish his body—and you and me..."

"Heh. Big brother, have you ever hated me? If it weren't for me, none of us would've ended up like this. It's all my fault. My fault."

As Snake Ghost's gaze grew unfocused and he began to mutter to himself, the corners of his mouth split open, his arms grew longer, and his legs began to change. Just as his transformation began, a sweet fragrance reached him, and he passed out.

Poison Ghost looked at the poisonous fumes rising from his skin and didn't know what to say. Back then, Snake Ghost had been beautiful, and a powerful noble had taken an interest in him.

If they hadn't killed that noble, Snake Ghost's fate would have been too horrible to imagine. So, to gain the power to protect themselves, they had to become Ninja.

"One last big score, then we leave this place. Leave for good!"

Looking at the unconscious Snake Ghost, Poison Ghost silently made up his mind. They would find a target right here on this street of pleasure.