The secrets deep within the Forest of Death coiled around Ling's heart like poisonous vines. Evidence of Danzo's forbidden experiments lay close at hand. That dense, agonized source of Yin Release energy was both a deadly temptation and a trap leading to destruction.
Report directly to Tsunade? The time wasn't right. Without decisive evidence, it would only alert the enemy. Sneak inside? That would be walking straight into a trap. The defenses there were no joke.
Ling chose a third path-watching and listening.
With the Jōgan's extraordinary sensitivity to energy flows and a perception range far beyond that of ordinary people, he discovered that even from his dormitory, when the night was quiet and his mind intensely focused, he could barely pick up extremely faint ripples of emotional energy from the direction of the Forest of Death-the pain, resentment, and despair unconsciously emitted by the "failed specimens" imprisoned underground.
This was not clear information, more like background noise, but for Ling, it was enough.
He began deliberately cultivating this ability to "listen from afar." Every night, once everything had fallen quiet, he would slip onto the dormitory rooftop or stand by a window facing the Forest of Death, hold his breath, and concentrate, extending the Jōgan's perception in that direction like a spiderweb.
At first, he could sense only a vague, chaotic maelstrom of emotion. But as time passed, and as he gradually absorbed and integrated the fragment's energy and his own Yin Release affinity, his "reception" grew clearer and clearer.
He gradually became able to distinguish some of the more "powerful" or "distinctive" fragments of consciousness.
One consciousness was filled with fear and hatred of "snakes." Its fragmented memories were full of cold operating tables and hissing whispers, reminding Ling of Orochimaru, who had defected. Could he be involved in this too?
Another consciousness kept repeating, "Byakugan... Caged Bird Seal... freedom..." It was filled with bone-deep hatred of the Hyuga Clan and an unwillingness to accept its fate.
Many more were nothing but pure, bestial howls of pain. Their reason had long since vanished, leaving only instinct and a greedy thirst for life.
Like pieces of a puzzle, these broken whispers gradually sketched the horrifying outlines of that underground laboratory in Ling's mind-all manner of inhumane experiments on human beings were taking place there, involving Kekkei Genkai fusion, forbidden jutsu development, and even forced contracts between summoned beasts and humans. Failed specimens were ruthlessly discarded, destroyed, or imprisoned together like venomous creatures bred in a jar, left to live or die on their own.
And every order ultimately pointed to the same source-Shimura Danzō.
Late one night, Ling was "listening" as usual. Suddenly, an unusually powerful yet extremely unstable surge of Yin Release energy erupted from deep underground, accompanied by a fragment of consciousness far clearer than any he had received before!
It was a relatively "fresh" consciousness that seemed to retain some of its reason, making its final struggles and wailing:
"...No... I don't want to become a monster... let me out... Lord Danzo... you promised... as long as I fused with 'Moryo's' cells... you'd let me join 'Root'..."
"...The energy's out of control... it hurts so much... my body is melting... my consciousness is being devoured..."
"...The altar... the sealing stone beneath the central altar... it's absorbing my power... and spreading contamination..."
"...Save me... someone... Aaaah-!"
The voice cut off abruptly, and the energy fluctuations suddenly weakened like a candle burning out, leaving only meaningless hissing.
Ling's eyes snapped open, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
Moryo's cells? An altar? A sealing stone?
Those words together made his heart pound. Moryo-that was a terrifying power involving a demonic creature! Had Danzo really gone this mad? And that "sealing stone beneath the altar" sounded like the very core where the entire experimental area's energy converged and its contamination spread!
This information was extremely important! It not only further confirmed the nature of the experiments, but might also point to a crucial node!
Just as Ling was digesting this information, the mysterious mark over his heart gave another faint throb. This time, it was no longer resonance, but something more like... a prompt? Or a pull?
A faint but distinct impulse rose within him, guiding his consciousness, seemingly urging him to "transmit" the information he had just acquired about the "sealing stone" through some means.
Ling instantly went on alert! Sure enough, this mark wasn't just for tracking and surveillance. It could also sense its host's thoughts to some extent and attempt to guide them, or even steal crucial information?!
He immediately activated the Jōgan's power, combining it with his newly developed Sharingan's ocular power to lock firmly onto the mark over his heart. He forcibly suppressed that strange impulse and temporarily sealed away and isolated his memories concerning the "sealing stone."
The mark's throbbing gradually subsided, returning to deathly silence.
But Ling's back was already drenched in cold sweat.
That was close! That mysterious man really was up to no good! He had planted the mark not only to track him and sense energy from the same source, but probably also intended to turn him into an "information collector" hidden within Konoha!
He absolutely couldn't let him succeed!
At the same time, however, this made Ling even more certain of the value of the information about the "sealing stone"-even that mysterious man was so interested in it.
He drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
Now, he held a deadly secret about Danzo, along with a crucial clue that might allow him to control or even exploit that dangerous energy source. At the same time, he had to remain constantly on guard against the mysterious time bomb inside his body.
The situation was growing increasingly complicated and dangerous.
He needed an ally, someone who could provide support and cover when he took action.
Tsunade was his only choice at present. But how could he pass this information to her in a "plausible" way without exposing the Jōgan or the mark?
Ling paced slowly around his room, his mind racing.
The next day, when it was time for his weekly "special examination," the female Anbu codenamed "Fox" arrived punctually.
Once the routine data recording and physical examination were complete, Fox began preparing to use that special sealing formula to check the fragment's condition.
Just as she formed hand seals, Ling swayed slightly, seemingly from nervousness or unstable chakra, and his fingers "accidentally" knocked over a cup of water on the nearby table.
The cup tipped over, and the water happened to splash onto a blank scroll Fox had just taken out to record information.
"Sorry!" Ling hurriedly rose in a "fluster," picking up a nearby towel to wipe the water from the scroll.
In the process, his fingers moved swiftly and with extreme stealth, using an exceedingly fine trace of chakra to leave a line of water-written words, almost invisible to the naked eye, in a water-soaked corner of the scroll:
[Underground in the Forest of Death, beneath the abandoned training ground, Danzo has an important laboratory. Its core is an "altar sealing stone," connected to Moryo's cells. Energy is extremely unstable. Recommend a covert investigation.]
The writing would vanish completely once the water dried, leaving almost no physical evidence. But Ling believed that, given Fox's professionalism and vigilance, she would certainly notice the faint chakra residue and unusual water marks when she retrieved and used the scroll.
This was an extremely risky probe. If Fox failed to notice, or noticed but chose to ignore it or even report it to Danzo, Ling would be doomed beyond recovery.
But he had to take the gamble. He was betting on Tsunade's wariness of Danzo and on how seriously she took potential threats to the village.
Fox paused, her penetrating gaze sweeping over Ling through her mask. She seemed somewhat puzzled, but said nothing more, merely accepting the now-dry scroll he handed back and carefully putting it away.
Throughout the entire process, she showed no sign of anything unusual.
After the examination ended, Fox left as briskly and efficiently as usual.
Ling watched her retreating figure disappear, his palms slightly damp with sweat.
The information had been passed on. Now all that remained was to wait for a response from Tsunade's side.
Would it bring a thunderous investigation, or sink without a trace?
Either outcome meant that a storm was approaching.
Ling felt as though he were walking a tightrope that kept growing narrower, with a bottomless abyss beneath his feet.
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