Deep in the Mirow Mountains, in a small room within a grand palace, Hema lay shirtless on an operating bed. Embedded in the center of his chest was a dark, pearl-like object. Its appearance was in stark contrast to the pale, corpse-like skin encircling it.
The object wasn't all—thin, vein-like strands spread out from the "pearl" beneath his skin, snaking outward like tiny black tendrils. These dark fibers stretched into the pale area around it and even reached his healthy skin, creating a bizarre sight.
The situation was worsening.
The fragile balance was nearing its limit, slipping dangerously toward collapse.
"How's it looking? Is there a way to fix it?"
Seeing that Hiruko, who was examining him, hadn't said anything, Hema spoke up.
"I never thought the Tsuchigumo Clan's forbidden jutsu would be preserved this way—a materialized jutsu... Truly genius. And the fact that they actually succeeded is unbelievable," Hiruko muttered in awe, his gaze transfixed on the dark "pearl," utterly captivated.
Hema's face twitched.
Again, he couldn't help but wonder if he should've trusted that "Uchiha Madara." Not only was he unsure if Hiruko could help, but there was also a good chance he'd end up dissected by him before the problem was solved.
"Hiruko, I'm asking if you have a solution for this 'conflict.'"
Hema's tone became more serious.
"Don't rush me. This isn't simple," Hiruko snapped, clearly annoyed at being interrupted. "The power from the jutsu, as well as the force suppressing it, are both unknown to me. Solving their conflict will take time."
"Time, huh? I'm not against that. But how much time? If you need three to five years, we might as well call off this partnership."
Hema said sternly. The persistent stabbing pain in his chest was a constant reminder of the risks involved with this jutsu from the Tsuchigumo Clan.
To put it simply, he hadn't been able to fully integrate the jutsu into himself. This jutsu was designed to be inherited through the bloodline of the Tsuchigumo Clan. Without their lineage, Hema had no chance of obtaining it on his own.
But that man, who claimed to be Uchiha Madara, intervened.
He transplanted a piece of tissue with potent regenerative abilities into Hema, forcibly acquiring the Tsuchigumo's jutsu for him. At first, things seemed stable, like he only needed time to adjust to this new power.
However, while the dream was beautiful, the process was anything but smooth.
The jutsu was hard to assimilate. Each time Hema tried using it, the power it harbored grew stronger. At first, he barely noticed, but after continued use, a near-fatal suffocation attack hit him out of nowhere three years ago.
Fortunately, Shizuko had been there, using medical ninjutsu to pull him back from the brink.
He realized then that the jutsu had never truly submitted to him; it was only the pale tissue's suppressive power that had held its rejection at bay. But his frequent use had disrupted that fragile balance.
The jutsu he intended to wield as a trump card had instead become a noose around his neck—one he had willingly placed there.
Since then, survival became his priority.
Hema wasn't about to die for such a foolish reason. For two years, he explored every possible solution. The elusive Uchiha Madara also offered ideas, but even he wasn't omnipotent and failed to solve the issue.
Then, not long ago…
In a forest in the northern Fire Country,
"Hiruko? Can't say I've heard that name before," Hema mused, furrowing his brow. He'd studied the latest intel on Konoha, but his research didn't include rogue ninjas who disappeared years ago. He had no desire to work with the unpredictable renegades.
"This Hiruko may have a solution to your issue."
The masked Uchiha Madara, his face concealed by a swirling orange mask, sat across from Hema.
"Oh? How so?"
"Do you know of the Guiya no Jutsu? I assume not, since you don't know Hiruko," Madara said.
"Never heard of it."
"The Guiya no Jutsu is a forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage. Its power is fusion—combining creatures, even fusing humans with animals."
"They say the Second Hokage developed it to enhance lesser-skilled ninjas by merging them with powerful ninja beasts. His plan was to create tireless warriors to secure victory during the Warring States Period. But his brother, the First Hokage, discovered the experiments, labeled it forbidden, and shut it down."
"Hiruko went rogue from Konoha over this very research."
Hema's eye twitched as he listened.
"Why the heck is it the Second Hokage again?! How many forbidden techniques did this guy even develop? It seems like every forbidden jutsu related to Konoha traces back to him somehow. Just who is this guy?"
Putting aside these irrelevant thoughts, Hema's mind sparked with an idea. "So, you're saying this Ghost Bud Luo technique could fully, truly merge the Tsuchigumo clan's forbidden jutsu into my body?"
"I don't know," Uchiha Obito shrugged.
What's he rambling on about? Hema's lips twitched as he barely held back from snapping at him.
"But isn't it worth a shot?" Obito continued. "After all, Hiruko is a rogue ninja from Konoha, fitting your requirements perfectly, and there's even a chance he might become an ally. In short, I think it's worth a try. What do you think, Hema?"
I think there are a lot of problems with this plan.
Hema's face darkened.
Give it a try? Easy for him to say. What if something goes wrong? This was basically volunteering to be a guinea pig! Yet, after all these interactions, he knew the masked man before him wasn't easy to deal with. Just that space-time jutsu alone was something Hema had yet to figure out how to counter.
He took a breath, feeling a constricting pressure in his chest, making him uneasy. This situation…was not pleasant. He didn't have many options left—either find a way to survive within a year or take one final shot at Konoha, seeing if he could take it down with him.
Of course, given his current state, the chances of taking Konoha down weren't looking good.
"So, where's Hiruko?"
"No need to rush," Obito said without surprise at Hema's choice. "Just finding Hiruko isn't enough. Hiruko isn't a puppet I control, and even if he does have the capability, there's no guarantee he'd help you with your problem. A shared enemy in Konoha won't be enough to convince him."
Hema fell silent. As unpleasant as it sounded, Obito had a point.
"That's why I've prepared a gift for you, or you could call it a 'sacrifice,'" Obito said, snapping his fingers. Under Hema's watchful gaze, a pale, hairless, androgynous figure emerged from the ground.
Hema sensed a familiar presence from this figure.
It was similar to the flesh embedded in him that allowed him to harness the Tsuchigumo clan's forbidden technique; in both aura and appearance, they were virtually identical.
"What… is this?" Hema asked.
"It's a sacrifice."
"No, that's not what I'm asking. I want to know what this thing actually is. Human? Some sort of humanoid creature, or…?"
"There were certain things I hadn't planned to reveal yet, but…it doesn't really matter now." Not surprisingly, Uchiha Zongxian had captured a White Zetsu five years ago, and in that time, they'd unearthed some useful information. Keeping this secret any longer was pointless; it was better to use it effectively.
"This is a 'soldier' created based on the First Hokage's cells."
"The First Hokage?!"
Hema was shocked.
Now that's interesting. He's suddenly brought up yet another legendary figure. Cells from the First Hokage… Could this guy really be Uchiha Madara?
"That's right. Honestly, I had hoped you might awaken Wood Release powers. Unfortunately, it seems the amount transplanted was too little. Or perhaps the Tsuchigumo clan's jutsu had an effect, preventing it from awakening… Anyway, that's enough on that. You can use this being to deal with Hiruko however you see fit. I trust you'll make the most of it."
"I understand."
Hema nodded.
For now, at least, they shared a common enemy in Konoha. And before taking down such a formidable foe, the stronger their allies, the better.
"This thing is a soldier and seems to be a living entity… How do I control it? Do I need to learn some method?" Hema asked, eyeing the White Zetsu in the darkness.
"No need for any of that. It has some degree of independent thought and will follow your commands unconditionally. Just give it verbal orders, and it will even die if you command it to. But be careful; these soldiers are hard to produce, so don't waste it needlessly."
"You're saying I can control it with just words?"
Hema's gaze remained doubtful. After a moment, he asked, "If that's the case, I'd like to sign a summoning contract with it. I want it close enough to be summoned but not right by my side. Would that work?"
Summoning jutsu isn't limited to just summoning animals.
Technically, you could summon anything, living or dead—birds, beasts, plants, insects, weapons, anything really. Humans, too, under the right conditions.
Of course, human summoning is different from summoning beasts or tools. Few people establish summoning contracts with each other since summoning a weaker person is pointless, while summoning someone stronger… is unrealistic. There are many factors to consider, enough to write a whole essay on the topic. Summoning contracts aren't binding, but the summoned generally can't refuse the summoner's call.
It's also possible to summon people without a contract, though this requires close proximity, as seen in the original Chunin exams with Iruka and the other proctors summoned by the dual scrolls.
In short, though human summoning is rare, it's not impossible. And White Zetsu isn't exactly human, right?
"Sure, I've already handed over control of it to you."
Obito agreed readily.
And so—
The group set off for Mount Miroku, leading to Hema now lying on an operating table while Hiruko examined him. As Obito expected, Hiruko couldn't refuse a "gift" created from the First Hokage's cells.
It was too tempting.
As a former Konoha ninja from the same era as the Sannin, Hiruko knew well how formidable the First Hokage was. And how incredibly alluring the Wood Release was.
He immediately scrapped his original design for a five-bloodline fusion, beginning to devise a new approach centered around Wood Release. As for authenticity… Hiruko specialized in manipulating flesh and blood with his Ghost Bud Luo technique, claiming to be the best at it (or so he thought).
Hiruko had confirmed the gift's authenticity after his tests; it wasn't some cheap imitation.
Returning to the present—
"It won't take long, at most a year. Just give me time to master these two powers, and I'll guarantee your problem will be solved within a year," Hiruko said confidently. "However, having me spend a year to solve your problem… your previous payment isn't enough."
"Ha!"
Hema couldn't help but let out a cold laugh.
He glared at Hiruko. "You've got some nerve, Hiruko. Getting greedy isn't wise. If you plan on extorting me, you're dreaming. I'd rather die than…"
"Hold on, Hema, patience. If you want us to both go down in flames, at least let me finish."
Hiruko didn't lose his temper. Instead, he maintained a patient demeanor, thinking it could wait. After all, he had plenty of time now. "As I understand it, you aim to take down Konoha and make the Fire Daimyo the sole ruler of the Land of Fire, right?"
Hema stayed silent, curious to see where Hiruko was going with this.
"If you help me, once I fully master the five bloodlines, I'll crush Konoha myself. I'll prove that talent alone doesn't set a shinobi's limits. I'll not only catch up to Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, but I'll also surpass and crush them."
Hiruko's gaze was intense as he waited for Hema's response.
"My body's condition is as you've seen. Unless that's resolved, I couldn't help you even if I wanted to," Hema replied ambiguously, hinting he was tempted.
"That's easy enough. Though I can't completely cure it immediately, suppressing the symptoms so they won't worsen for a while is well within my abilities." Hiruko's mouth twisted into a sinister grin from behind his high collar.
"Show me you're capable first," Hema responded vaguely, avoiding a clear answer.
But that was enough for Hiruko. Soon, Hema would be a useful pawn in his plans, freeing him from the need to do everything himself so he could focus on his research.
Honestly, in terms of managing underlings, he'd never had much patience or interest, leaving him without any reliable subordinates. Most were disposable, quickly replaced but quickly used up. Whenever anything important came up, he had to handle it himself.
It wasn't just tiring—it wasted time!
And it slowed his research progress.