The Asuka District in the Land of Birds had undergone immense changes over the past two years.
If someone who had left a few years ago were to return now, their face would undoubtedly be filled with astonishment.
Situated at the crossroads of the Lands of Earth, Rain, Birds, and Wind, its geographical location was exceptionally advantageous.
Particularly after the Third Kazekage constructed several roads directly connecting to the Land of Wind and signed trade agreements with the Land of Earth, caravans traveling to and from the Asuka District became an endless stream.
Asuka City, located at the intersection of major transportation routes, was built against the mountains and surrounded by water, blessed with a pleasant climate.
Flourishing towns had sprung up one after another, with Asuka City being the largest among them. Beyond the bustling taverns, what attracted merchants from other nations even more was the underground black market.
It was said that anything could be found in the black market: high-powered explosive tags, the sap of the Yunni Tree used for crafting sealing scrolls, rare ninja tools and legendary blades, secret intelligence from various nations and villages, and even high-priced bounties for the corpses of specific shinobi.
Recently, however, a substance known as Hero Water had begun circulating within the black market. Properly diluted, it could temporarily push the body's potential to its limits without risking death, granting immense power.
Of course, even the wealthiest buyers would only purchase it for their most loyal warriors to use in desperate situations.
But as the supply of Hero Water gradually increased, a brilliant apothecary managed to turn it into a powder that could allegedly restore a man's vitality and vigor.
What's more, only a small amount of Hero Water was needed to create this powder. After being personally tested by numerous middle-aged and elderly men—balding, greasy, and desperate—it ignited a wildfire of demand for Hero Water in the market.
Its price skyrocketed dozens of times over.
As research continued, a flood of powders and pills claiming to be derived from Hero Water entered the market. Their effects expanded from merely enhancing male vitality to promises of mutual pleasure for both sexes.
The names of these concoctions were as flashy as they were absurd: "Quick Lady Pill," "Spring Encounter Pill," "Immortal Bliss Pill," "Beauties' Golden Revival Formula," "Spirit Tortoise Vitality Formula," "Fair Maiden's Shivering Charm," "Noblewoman's Nightly Delight," "Drought's Rainy Balm," and so on.
Despite their dazzling names, most of these pills turned out to be false advertising.
After consumption, aside from a brief sensation of warmth in the stomach, they were entirely ineffective. Those who were "silver spears with wax tips" remained so.
This wave of hype only drew more wealthy merchants and nobles to Asuka City, seeking the genuine article.
What they didn't know, however, was that aside from the initial two small bottles of genuine Hero Water, the rest were merely diluted versions with only trace amounts of the real substance.
Several kilometers outside Asuka City stood a barren stone mountain. Its grayish-white exterior and jagged peaks made it a treacherous place where even the slightest misstep could lead to a fatal fall.
As a result, no one dared linger near this mountain. However, any recent visitors to the area would have noticed something peculiar—the mountain had suddenly vanished.
Of course, this was because it had been concealed behind a barrier, hiding the unspeakable activities taking place within.
Inside the underground space beneath the stone mountain:
"Oh?!"
"So this is the legendary Hero Water?"
"Sōmi-kun, I didn't expect you to get your hands on something like this..."
"But aside from using it to push death warriors to their limits, does it have any other purpose?"
"Don't tell me you're interested in those... peculiar powders the rumors speak of?"
Orochimaru, dressed in his signature yellow-and-black attire, glanced slyly at Sōmi's midsection, making a rare attempt at humor.
"Of course not. Having someone of your caliber, Orochimaru-senpai, waste their talents on such inferior concoctions would be an insult to your genius..."
Sōmi replied calmly, showing no reaction to the jest. "You've heard of the Akimichi clan's secret pills, haven't you?"
"Orochimaru-senpai, could you use Hero Water and other rare medicinal ingredients to create a new drug with similar effects?"
"You certainly have an impressive grasp of Konoha's classified intelligence, Sōmi-kun..."
"I still haven't figured out how you manage to obtain such information."
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Every village has its secret methods for gathering intelligence. Doesn't Konohagakure have its own information on Sunagakure?"
Sōmi countered before continuing, "What about the Shikotsumyaku corpses I provided you earlier? How's your research coming along?"
"Ah, that!"
At the mention of this topic, Orochimaru's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Shikotsumyaku truly is a fascinating and powerful Kekkei Genkai!"
"But unfortunately..."
"This bloodline is also cursed."
"Or rather, it's a clan plagued by a severe hereditary disease..."
Orochimaru's tone grew somber as he sighed.
"If not for that, Shikotsumyaku would have been the perfect vessel for my reincarnation..."
Sōmi remained silent, waiting for Orochimaru to reach his conclusion.
After a moment, seeing that Sōmi had no intention of interrupting, Orochimaru continued.
"Shikotsumyaku's physical energy is universally strong. However, their mental energy is relatively weak..."
"No, it's not just weak—it's an imbalance between mental and physical energy. Over time, as they age, this imbalance only worsens!"
"Sōmi-kun..."
"When you encountered members of this clan, I imagine they had already devolved into mindless warriors, driven solely by the instinct to fight?"
After receiving Sōmi's confirmation, Orochimaru elaborated further.
"So, treating this bloodline disease isn't entirely impossible."
"When the Kekkei Genkai first manifests, medical ninjutsu can be used to continuously regulate their chakra pathways, preventing the rapid growth of physical energy from causing blockages and eventual collapse."
"However, this is merely a stopgap measure. For the Shikotsumyaku clan, it's akin to crippling their innate talent."
"To truly cure the condition, their mental energy must be made to keep pace with—or even surpass—the growth of their physical energy."
"Only then can the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai truly shine in the ninja world!"
Orochimaru's eyes burned with fervor, as if envisioning himself reincarnated into a Shikotsumyaku body.
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
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