Konoha Notes

Chapter 42 The Dream of the Wild Dog (Part 3)

Hungry……

The icy, biting wind whipped up snowflakes, lashing my face like a dull knife cutting into my flesh.

Vision was blurred, my legs felt like lead, and every step I took sank deep into the snow, which was above my ankles.

The stomach was no longer empty; it had transformed into a scorching, all-consuming black hole.
Consciousness, strangled by both freezing and hunger, sank into the abyss of darkness.

"You're about to die, kid."

A deep, rough voice, like gravel, pierced through the howling wind and snow. Shadows fell, blocking some of the wind and snow. Barely lifting his heavy eyelids, he could only make out a tall, blurry silhouette, a knife seemingly hanging at his waist.

Hungry……

The instinct for survival overcame the fear, and an incoherent whimper escaped his throat, like a dying animal.

"Oh? If you want to live so badly..." The voice seemed to carry a hint of amusement, "Then follow me. If you can make it to the next town alive, I'll let you live."

Hungry……

Jubei...Ming Shi...My brother...My mentor...

"Ugh—!"

Reality, like a shattered mirror, is forcibly pulled back into the eroded mind, and a violent tearing sensation comes from the depths of the soul.

The backlash from the Wild Dog Dream had never been so clear—the frenzied hunger and destructive urges he inflicted on his enemies were now, with exponentially greater force, frantically devouring him through that invisible sensory link! It was as if countless invisible, ravenous dogs were gnawing at his nerves!
His fluorescent green pupils were completely obscured by spiderweb-like blood vessels, making them appear murky and cloudy.

Clear saliva spilled uncontrollably from the corners of his mouth, forming long, thin threads that dripped onto the dirty front of his robe.

Two rows of snow-white teeth clenched tightly together, making a grinding sound, and the gums bled from the excessive force. Every breath carried the hot, rusty taste of metal.

Kill him! End this link! This is the only release! A roar from the depths of his soul, twisted and amplified by his own secret arts, overwhelmed the last shred of reason.

With great difficulty, as if dragging a heavy object, Huan Shi took one step after another towards Xiu Si, who stood frozen in the middle of the street.

With each step, the stone slabs beneath his feet groaned under the weight. His body trembled violently from extreme pain and desire, yet he was still driven forward by the mad obsession with his ultimate goal, stemming from the "wild dog's dream."

above the sea.

Shuji's true form was riding the waves at breakneck speed, with the sea breeze blowing in his face.

At the other end of the mental link, the violent torrent of perception from the "Wild Dog Dream" that the wooden clone was enduring instantly rushed into the depths of his consciousness.

"Ugh!" Shuuji groaned, his vision suddenly turning blood red! The chakra gathered beneath his feet instantly dissipated! His speeding figure, like a bird with broken wings, plunged headfirst into the icy, bone-chilling seawater!
"Glug glug..." The icy seawater stimulated his nerve endings, and Shuji suddenly opened his eyes, kicking his legs hard in the cold seawater!
He broke through the sea, his soaked black hair clinging to his cheeks, water droplets rolling down his jawline.

Illusion?

A clone... it can actually be affected by illusions?!

The essence of illusion is that the caster uses their own chakra to invade the target, distort the five senses, and disrupt the flow of their chakra.

Conventional solutions:
Firstly, the person under the spell must realize they are being ensnared and attempt to break free by force. This method is often futile against top-tier illusionists.

Secondly, the most common method is for a third party to use their own chakra as a blade to forcibly sever the mental link of the caster, helping the victim escape.

For ninjas with exceptional energy and chakra, there is a third option—the Shadow Clone Technique. Whether it's a Shadow Clone or other secret physical clones, they are extensions of the user's spirit and chakra. Although they have form, they are not actually flesh and blood and do not possess true "five senses" or "meridians."

The effect of illusion on it should be like trying to ignite nothingness.

But his wooden clone was indeed hit.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Shuuji wiped the seawater from his face, quickly suppressing his surprise and doubt. He no longer merely accepted the clone's perception, but forcibly reversed the flow of the link—replacing the clone's distorted consciousness with the will of his true self!

He took a deep breath of the sea-scented air, his chakra once again gathering beneath his feet. His figure cut through the waves, continuing his rapid journey towards Izuku Port.

At the same time, he was highly focused, controlling the wooden clone that was far away on the port street.

on the street.

Huan Shi had already approached. His bloodshot, cloudy green eyes were fixed on the frozen Xiu Si, his breathing heavy like a bellows, saliva dripping from his mouth. He trembled as he raised his right hand, pulling a kunai from his sleeve. The movement was slow and stiff, as if resisting invisible shackles, yet it carried a chilling, undeniable resolve.

“Hah… die…” A hoarse, incoherent syllable was squeezed out from between his clenched teeth.

The tip of the kunai, carrying a chilling killing intent, approached the throat of the wooden clone Shuji inch by inch, and then slowly and firmly pierced it in!

Oops!
A very faint yet unusually clear sound rang out. Something felt wrong!
There was absolutely no resistance as it pierced into flesh and bone; instead, it felt like piercing into dry, dense old tree roots!
The eyes of the wooden clone, which had been filled with primal madness by the "Dream of the Wild Dogs," suddenly flashed with a cold, sharp light—deep within—beneath the turbulent surface of the clone, distorted by illusion—as if parting a murky fog!

Within that sharp light, a clear hint of admiration belonging to Xiu Si himself was revealed!

“I see…” Shuji’s voice rang out, calm and undisturbed, as if the kunai piercing his throat had never existed.

"A two-way sensory link? Forcibly transferring one's own state onto the target." He slowly raised his eyelids. "Even a wandering ninja should not be underestimated."

As he spoke, the simulated "flesh and blood" marks on the part of the wooden clone's neck where the kunai had pierced it receded and disappeared like a tide, revealing the dense, smooth, and clearly textured wood beneath!
"What...?!" Illusionary Erosion's pupils suddenly shrank to pinpoints!

How is that possible?! His senses clearly detected the flow of the other party's chakra and life force!
Substitution Jutsu? No! Under the continuous erosion of the Wild Dog Dream, any abnormal chakra movement should be detected instantly!
This material... is it a puppet? No! A puppet couldn't possibly have such realistic chakra reactions and a connection to will!

Almost instinctively, Huan Shi wanted to sever the link to "Wild Dog's Dream" and retreat!

However, it was too late!
puff!

A hand covered in wood grain moved silently and swiftly, piercing his unsuspecting chest in an instant!
The cold, hard, and resilient texture of the plant replaced the warmth and flesh that should have been there.

"Ugh—!" Huan Shi's body suddenly arched, the intense pain causing his vision to go black.

From the wooden arm that pierced through the chest, countless fine, yet incredibly tough wood fibers, like living things, burst forth instantly!

They frantically probed, spread, and took root inside his body, along the gaps in his blood vessels, meridians, and muscles! The cold, foreign sensation, accompanied by the weakness of having his life forcibly drained, instantly swept over his entire body!

"Well done, Illusion." The wooden clone's voice was close at hand, cold and devoid of any warmth, like a pronouncement of a verdict. "Your companion, the ninja who chased after us from the sea, also worked very hard."

"The First Eclipse... is dead?!" Illusionary Eclipse suddenly raised its head, its turbid green eyes bursting with unbelievable despair and madness!
Whether it was the cruel news or the extreme pain caused by the rampant woody fibers within his body, he let out a dying, animalistic hoarse sound from his throat.

As expected, he's a member of the Black Eclipse Clan! Xiu Si, far away at sea, narrowed his eyes.

First Eclipse, Illusionary Eclipse... two have already been resolved.

Is Jubei also one of them? In any case, judging from the strange secret techniques and strength displayed by these two, the rest are by no means ordinary people.

However, this wooden clone that carried his will had reached its limit after forcibly enduring the backlash of the illusion, launching a counterattack, and activating Wood Release.

The wooden clone, Shuji, watched the light in Huan Shi's eyes dim rapidly, feeling the last pulse of life transmitted back through the wooden fibers at his fingertips.

He slowly withdrew his arm, bringing with him a cloud of dark red blood mist mixed with fine wood fibers.

Huan Shi's body seemed to have its spine removed, collapsing limply to the ground before falling forward, kicking up a small cloud of dust. The "Food" bell on her wrist rolled to the side, emitting a dull thud before falling into utter silence.

The wooden clone looked down at its palm; fine cracks were spreading rapidly upwards from its fingertips, like a spider web.

Supporting the wasabi family...it seems I can't rely on clones anymore.

(End of this chapter)