Chapter 237: The Puppet, "Minazuki Saya"
Watching the battle come to an end, Minazuki Saya slowly climbed to her feet.
She had been severely injured by the Blastsword, but after a period of rest, she had regained most of her mobility. Her initial plan had been to slip away and let Dark Owl handle the enemy. But the mysterious Dark Owl's power had been unexpectedly immense, and she had hesitated, waiting to see the outcome.
She knew that if she could eliminate both the Seven Swordsmen and the Hozuki clan today, her position as Mizukage would be all but secured. But while Dark Owl's abilities were a welcome surprise, they also filled her with a sense of unease. Why could "he" use Wood Release? And could "he" be trusted?
But the allure of the Mizukage's hat was too strong. She naively believed that as long as Dark Owl was the Daimyo's envoy, and as long as the Daimyo chose her, nothing else mattered.
With that thought, she walked excitedly toward the battlefield.
She sneered at the corpses littered on the ground, paying special "attention" to Hozuki Mangetsu's body. The traitor, Minazuki Sairan, had long since fled. She could only suppress her rage and wait for another day to settle the score.
After venting some of her long-suppressed frustrations, she turned to Dark Owl with a radiant smile, a flicker of regret in her eyes for her earlier, rash actions.
Before, she had treated Dark Owl with respect because of "his" status as the Daimyo's envoy. But now, having witnessed "his" true power, a new idea began to form in her mind.
If I can bring "him" under my command, no one in the Mist Village will be able to oppose my will. The thought sent a thrill through her. And then, an even more audacious idea: The power of Wood Release is known throughout the world. If I were to have a child with him, their talent would be unparalleled... Her heart began to race.
Just then, Dark Owl, who had been silent, finally spoke. "Clan Leader Minazuki, with the exception of the Kaguya clan, all of your enemies have been eliminated, correct?"
"Oh, none of that 'Clan Leader' business. Just call me Saya," she purred, her voice dripping with a mature, feminine charm. She then nodded. "You are correct. With Hozuki Mangetsu dead and only one of the Seven Swordsmen remaining, no one can stand in the way of the Minazuki clan."
The Mizukage's hat... it will soon be mine, she thought, her excitement growing.
"Oh? Is that so..." Dark Owl muttered, her head bowed. When she looked up again, her eyes were filled with a shocking, murderous intent. "Then you can die!"
The sudden killing intent snapped Saya out of her fantasy. But she was too close. Even at full strength, she would have had difficulty dodging a surprise attack from the Susanoo, let alone in her current, injured state.
"Why?!" she screamed in despair, but her cries did nothing to sway Dark Owl's resolve.
The Susanoo materialized once more. With a single, powerful swing of its arm, Saya was sent flying, her body crashing to the ground dozens of meters away. She looked up, her eyes filled with rage, then fell into unconsciousness.
With her enemy defeated, Dark Owl was about to go and finish the job, but as she took a step, her body swayed, and she collapsed to her knees.
So this is the risk of the Mangekyo, she thought, her body wracked with a pain like a thousand needles. The pain is even worse when I use the Susanoo. She curled into a ball, waiting for the agony to subside. But at least I have those strange cells in my body. Otherwise... She stood and slowly walked over to the unconscious Minazuki Saya.
She looked down at the clan leader, and a crimson light flashed in her left eye.
Several kilometers away, a group of Minazuki clan shinobi lay in ambush. They were the rearguard, positioned to intercept any enemies who might escape the initial ambush and try to flee back to the village.
"The tremors stopped a while ago. The battle should be over. I hope everything went well," the leader prayed.
Though Saya was a strict leader, her clansmen understood her. They had grown up in a clan-based society, and they had a deep-seated respect for authority. Of course, if they were to surpass her in strength, they could take her place, just as she had once done...
Just then, a faint sound came from the forest. The ambush party instantly went on high alert.
A few moments later, two figures staggered out of the trees. The waiting shinobi rushed forward to greet them.
It was Dark Owl and her newest, most powerful puppet: "Minazuki Saya."
"Clan Leader! You succeeded?" one of the shinobi asked, his voice filled with excitement.
"Minazuki Saya" gave a blank nod and, without a word, continued walking toward the Mist Village.
The shinobi felt a sense of unease. This wasn't like their clan leader at all. She should have been ecstatic.
But then they saw the numerous wounds on her body and understood. They rushed forward to support her.
Dark Owl, who had been walking silently beside her, frowned from behind her mask.
The puppet's movements are completely under my control, but without an independent consciousness, its actions are too rigid and unnatural. It's only a matter of time before someone notices. I need to find a way to fix this, she thought.
But no solution came to mind. She could only hope that with time, and a greater mastery of her abilities, she could overcome this new challenge.
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