Haotian followed Zhiwei into a simple Japanese-style room, and the two sat facing each other on the tatami.
A faint herbal scent hung in the air, accompanied by the barely audible chirping of insects.
"Clan Head Zhiwei, I'll report the matter of Zhihei to Lord Hokage truthfully," Haotian said calmly, as if discussing something trivial.
At this, Zhiwei's deep gaze passed through his glasses as he carefully studied the boy before him.
His hands rested folded on his knees. His posture was relaxed, but a hint of gravity lingered between his brows.
He had originally thought that, given Zhihei's strength and his connection to Danzo, the man would be enough to intimidate the boy.
But now, it seemed the boy hadn't taken the matter to heart at all.
"Haotian, do you really not care?" Zhiwei's voice was low and resonant. "You should know Zhihei's situation quite well." He didn't mention Danzo directly, but his implication was clear enough.
Haotian chuckled softly. Of course he knew that Danzo's Root organization was no benevolent force.
But the more that was the case, the more he needed to show that he feared nothing.
"He ended up like that only because my nanobugs happened to counter his abilities," Haotian explained lightly, his tone nonchalant.
"It wasn't my intention. I just happened to possess this kind of power."
"Nanobugs...?" Zhiwei gently pushed his sunglasses up the bridge of his nose, their lenses reflecting the soft light.
"I didn't expect you to have grown so much. It seems I underestimated you." He changed tack. "Still, you must have come to see me today for more than just this, right?"
Haotian's lips curled slightly,
Zhiwei nodded faintly, and the gravity on his face eased a little.
"I'll naturally see that you get what you want. In fact, our recent cultivation results have been quite promising." He rose and gestured for Haotian to follow. "Come with me. I'll show you the back garden."
The two walked one behind the other down a long corridor and arrived at the Aburame Clan's back garden.
Calling it a back garden was an understatement. It was more like a huge greenhouse.
The air was damp and carried the faint smell of humus. Strange plants and insects of all kinds formed a unique scene.
"Look, these are the Giant Parasite Bugs we've been cultivating recently." Zhiwei pointed to a huge glass container, his voice tinged with pride.
Inside, countless bugs writhed slowly. They came in all shapes and sizes; some resembled beetles, while others looked like moths. All of them gave off an unsettling sense of menace.
"These Kikaichū, their destructive power..." Zhiwei's words trailed off. He turned to Haotian. "Their destructive power is beyond your imagination." He paused, and an inscrutable glint flashed in his eyes. "Especially when it comes to seeking out Chakra..."
Zhiwei pointed at the writhing Giant Parasite Bugs inside the glass container, his tone serious. "These Kikaichū have an almost frenzied instinct to seek out Chakra. They can sense its flow and quickly gather, devouring it until none remains. That's the source of their destructive power." He paused and glanced around. "To prevent accidents, we deliberately set up the research area inside a sealed zone. Even so, we still have to be extremely careful."
Haotian studied the bugs in the container. They came in all shapes and sizes, and their colors varied as well.
Some were jet-black, their bodies gleaming like metal. Others were a vivid red, like little flames flickering in place.
"These bugs seem to differ from one another?" Haotian pointed at a few smaller, dull-colored ones. "They don't seem as active as the others."
Zhiwei adjusted his glasses and gave Haotian an approving look. "You're very observant. Indeed, the bugs have subtle differences as individuals. Some are more sensitive to Chakra, while others are more aggressive. We've been trying to select the best specimens for targeted cultivation, but progress has been slow." His voice held a note of entreaty. "Haotian, your abilities are unusual. Perhaps you could help us."
"If my power can help the Aburame Clan, then I'd be glad to," Haotian readily agreed. He knew the Aburame Clan held a pivotal position in Konoha, and befriending them could only benefit him.
"In return, I hope the Aburame Clan will maintain a friendship with me and share information and resources."
Over the next few days, Haotian stayed in the Aburame Clan's compound.
Under Zhiwei's guidance, he entered a special sealed area.
It was dark and damp, and the air was thick with the earthy smell of soil and the scent of insects.
Haotian released the radiation from Ghidorah within him, carefully controlling the dosage as he exposed the Giant Parasite Bugs to it.
At first, some of the Giant Parasite Bugs died outright from the radiation's impact, turning into pools of black liquid.
But as the experiments continued, Haotian gradually mastered how to control the radiation. Some of the Giant Parasite Bugs actually began to mutate under its stimulation.
Before you continue