Naruto: From Fake to Real, Deceiving the Ninja World.

The culprit at this moment is standing in Konoha's research institute.

A cold, white light poured down from the ceiling, illuminating the entire research institute in a stark white light, and the air was filled with the smell of disinfectant.

Hinata Kumokawa looked through the observation window at the 'Hollow' inside the laboratory, bound by countless sealing chains.

His face was solemn, but deep in his eyes, there was only a barely perceptible calm.

Besides Hyuga Kumokawa, who represents Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura are also here.

A middle-aged man in a white lab coat walked over. Shimura Danzo's gaze locked onto 'Hollow' and he asked in a deep voice, "How is the research progressing?"

The middle-aged man's face showed fatigue, but even more so surprise and composure.

"We have conducted 73 targeted experiments and 17 simulation data analyses to date."

He adjusted his glasses, took a thick report from his assistant, and calmly reported, "We can preliminarily confirm the following characteristics of this creature."

"First, there are the ordinary five elemental ninjutsu. As you saw before, when fire-style ninjutsu comes into contact with a 'hollow' body, its physical effects such as burning and high temperature are almost completely ineffective."

"The flames seem to pass through the shadows, unable to cause any real damage to the 'Hollow.' Only attacking the 'Hollow's' mask can cause any damage. The same applies to other ninjutsu."

"Why?" Xiaochun asked, frowning.

"Based on repeated physical penetration experiments and interference tests..."

The middle-aged man took out an image, which showed a 'blurred' body structure composed of two completely different colors.

"As you can see, the black part that makes up the main part of this creature called 'Void' is a highly condensed form of spiritual energy."

Danzo Shimura's eyes flickered slightly as he spoke, "So, the 'Hollow's' body is similar to an aggregate of spiritual energy, much like the Nara clan's shadow techniques?"

“Yes.” The middle-aged man nodded. “Their black bodies cannot touch or act on physical matter, nor can they cause them any harm…”

"Excuse me for interrupting," Hinata Kumokawa suddenly spoke up, "So, ninjutsu has absolutely no effect on him?"

The middle-aged man nodded, but quickly shook his head, explaining, "The chakra contained within ninjutsu can indeed cause damage."

"But this kind of damage is like throwing a stone into a basin of water. It may splash some water, but the remaining water will fill the gap. It can only consume, not kill."

"In fact, if the power of the Five Elements Ninjutsu is too weak, it's like throwing a stone at the sea. Their own energy intensity is enough to instantly smooth out that level of impact."

Upon hearing this, Koharu Utatane seemed to have thought of something and asked, "I noticed you kept talking about the five elemental ninjutsu. What about elemental ninjutsu, like a chakra scalpel?"

The middle-aged man adjusted his glasses and replied, "These kinds of attribute-less ninjutsu, which are purely composed of chakra and have not undergone nature transformation, cause much more damage to it."

"Therefore, we speculate that whether it is the Five Elements Ninjutsu or the non-elemental Ninjutsu, what can cause damage to it is essentially the spiritual energy of chakra."

"After undergoing nature transformation, the chakra of the Five Elements Ninjutsu is converted into fire, water, wind, etc., and most of the spiritual energy is lost. Therefore, the destructive power it causes is not as great as that of non-elemental ninjutsu."

Danzo Shimura frowned and asked, "If their black bodies aren't solid, then what about their skeletal structure?"

The middle-aged man replied, “Only their bony structure, including the limbs and most importantly the mask, exhibits material characteristics and has physical attributes.”

"It not only has realistic hardness and mass, can interact with the real world and cause physical damage, but can also be hit by physical attacks like real bones."

After saying that, he played a video recording of how long it took for the 'Void's' claws to be reassembled after they were severed.

"Based on our speculation, bone structures are formed by highly condensed spiritual energy. However, limbs are external objects, so damage to them is not a problem, but their masks are different."

The middle-aged man said in a deep voice, "Once the mask is destroyed, it's like breaking a container that holds high-pressure gas; the spiritual energy that makes up the body will instantly collapse and dissipate."

"That's why they instinctively protect their masks."

"Their main attack methods include soul devouring, which forcibly strips off and absorbs the soul of the living, ignoring physical defenses and directly affecting the soul level."

"It is usually used after subduing the prey at close range, and may also be used on the dying. It poses a great threat to individual ninjas and must be avoided from being controlled at close range."

"The other type is claw attacks, which use huge bone claws or bones extending from the body to carry out physical attacks. This is its main melee attack method."

"The last type is a highly compressed energy beam, which is extremely powerful, has a long range, high speed, and wide coverage. It usually requires a short period of charging, but it is possible that a stronger 'virtual' could shorten the charging time or even be activated instantly, making it its main long-range strike method."

In other words, the combat logic between ordinary 'Hollows' and lower-level 'Great Hollows' is simple and straightforward.

Use Cero to deliver devastating blows from a distance, use Claws to physically suppress targets at close to medium range, and devour souls to replenish energy after subduing them.

The middle-aged man concluded, "Based on the experimental data, our recommended approach is to destroy the mask using non-elemental ninjutsu, or by adding chakra to taijutsu or weapons."

"This is currently the most efficient and thorough way to kill someone."

Upon hearing this, Danzo and the other two fell into a long silence, but Hyuga Kumokawa suddenly asked, "Then, how do we kill the 'Espada'?"

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Chapter 189 Hyuga Kumokawa, how long are you going to hide?

"..."

Upon hearing Hinata Kumokawa's question, the middle-aged man took a deep breath, a bitter smile appearing on his face.

He swiped the screen in his hand to switch between images, pulling up several extremely blurry and violently shaky video clips that were clearly filmed from a distance.

In the scene, three figures exuding a terrifying aura can be vaguely seen; they are the Espada codenamed 'White Fang', 'Puppet Master', and 'Uzumaki'.

"Since no similar 'Hollows' have been captured yet, based solely on the intelligence we have gathered and the data we have collected, those three individuals who appeared in the Uchiha clan's territory..."

His voice carried an undisguised sense of awe as he spoke, "Both their physical structure and combat style are fundamentally different from the 'Void' we captured."

He pointed to the figure of 'White Fang' in the picture, whose whole body was covered in pale white bone armor, and whose weapon was a huge bone blade crossed behind him.

“Taking ‘White Teeth’ as an example, we infer that its entire body, whether it is the bony part or its internal structure, presents a highly condensed substantial form.”

"We speculate that the spiritual energy within it has been compressed, condensed, and solidified to an unbelievable degree, with its density and stability being completely equivalent to or even surpassing that of steel!"

The middle-aged man then brought up the image of 'Vortex' and explained, "Based on the information we have so far, 'Vortex' is similar in that its attack method, like 'White Fang,' leans towards pure physical destruction."

"In other words, these beings called 'Espada' have transcended the realm of 'Hollows' and are truly intelligent and sentient beings!"

"Their entire body, including any part of their skin, muscles, bones, etc., can directly touch and destroy matter, and can also be directly hit by physical attacks."

Upon hearing this, Shimura Danzo's eyes lit up, and he asked in a hoarse voice, "Does this mean that regular Five Elements Ninjutsu and physical damage can also hurt them?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man subconsciously adjusted his glasses, concealing the fleeting speechlessness in his eyes, and patiently explained:

"Lord Danzo, you are right. Because it is completely materialized, the physical damage from conventional ninjutsu is no longer ineffective. It can affect the body of ordinary ninjas in the same way."

"But I think you've forgotten one thing."

"This also means that they are no longer like those 'virtual' beings, where only the skeletal parts have physical interaction capabilities; their entire bodies can be used as weapons to cause destruction."

"Moreover, with their incredibly strong bodies, their physical strength is terrifying, possessing powerful resistance and regenerative abilities."

"The bony structure remains the strongest part of their bodies..."

Upon hearing this, Danzo Shimura's expression stiffened slightly, while Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado's eyes grew even more gloomy.

Even dealing with just one of these humanoid monsters would require a tremendous price, and there were at least three of them.

"And then there's the last 'Puppet Master'..."

At this point, the middle-aged man paused for a moment before continuing, "Its body is also highly materialized, but the 'threads' it uses are not physical threads."

"Based on our speculation, it's chakra threads..."

Upon hearing this, Mitokado Homura blurted out, "Chakra threads? The chakra threads used by puppeteers to control puppets?"

“Yes.” The middle-aged man nodded. “The chakra threads used by puppeteers are extensions of self-awareness, which are essentially spiritual energy.”

"However, all the chakra threads of a normal puppeteer are extremely fragile, and most puppeteers cannot control multiple puppets at the same time, which is tantamount to multitasking."

"Only a very few genius puppeteers, such as Monzaemon, the first to learn the puppetry developed by the Second Kazekage and improve upon it to create the 'Chikamatsu Ten,' are able to control multiple puppets at the same time on their own."

Koharu Utatane said in a deep voice, "But even that Monzaemon only controls ten puppets that are inanimate objects, right? And that 'Puppet Master'..."

Danzo Shimura couldn't help but recall the terrifying scene of the 'Puppet Master' standing in the air, controlling Konoha ninjas to fight each other with countless threads, and he couldn't help but take a slow breath.

"This is precisely where the 'Puppet Master' is so powerful."

The middle-aged man said with a solemn expression, "Its actions are tantamount to dividing its own thoughts into dozens of parts, suppressing the self-awareness of those it controls, and then using their bodies as puppets for precise manipulation..."

"No, they shouldn't be called puppets, they should be called 'dolls,' as its name suggests, it is a 'puppet master.'"

"Based on our speculation, if a 'Puppet Master' were to compress and condense all of their spiritual energy into a few chakra threads, they would likely possess terrifying hardness and sharpness."

"The maximum number of puppets a 'puppet master' can control is currently unknown. It is speculated that the difficulty of control is determined by the 'puppet''s' mental strength and chakra."

"It is currently impossible for it to destroy any one of the five great ninja villages on its own."

"But the most crucial point is that the 'Puppet Master' who possesses such great power is merely described as 'Third of the Ten Blades' by that 'Shadow'."

"If this number represents the ranking of strength within the 'Espada,' then..."

The middle-aged man stopped there, but Danzo and the other two couldn't help but twitch their faces, clearly understanding what this meant.

This means that among the 'Ten Blades' who appeared that day, only the 'Puppet Master' who ranked third truly demonstrated some ability.

The other two, 'Vortex' and 'White Fang', never displayed their true power from beginning to end.

If the 'Espada' has ten members as its name suggests, then even without counting the 'Kage', there are at least two or even three beings above the 'Puppet Master'.

Zero of the Ten Espada, One of the Ten Espada, Two of the Ten Espada...

If they, like the 'Puppet Masters,' possess the power to slaughter any small country, or even overthrow a ninja village...

"Simply put," Hinata Kumokawa summarized, "'The Espada' are no longer the transitional state of ordinary 'Hollows', which are 'half-energy and half-matter,' but rather 'solid entities.'"

"This means that when facing the Espada, we don't need to go to great lengths to attack the weakness of that single mask, just like we do when dealing with other Hollows."

"In theory, although the effect is limited, attacking any part of their body can cause damage, which also means that the 'Espada' have almost no weaknesses."

"Their threat level has increased exponentially. They are no longer 'monsters' that kill on instinct, but creatures with great strength and human intelligence."

The three, including Shimura Danzo, listened quietly, staring at the blurry yet oppressive figures in the image, their eyes deepening with a solemn expression.

'Shadow', 'Ten Blades', 'Virtual Realm'...

The three silently recited these names in their hearts, and an unprecedented sense of terrifying crisis instantly overwhelmed them like a tidal wave.

The mere appearance of three Espada members caused devastating damage to Konoha. What about the remaining seven Espada?

And what about the unfathomable 'Shadow' himself, and the 'Lord' he speaks of who will return to the world?

“Continue the research,” Shimura Danzo said with an unquestionable coldness. “We need to find an effective way to fight this monster, besides destroying the mask.”

"Furthermore, the patterns of energy beams emitted by 'virtual' entities, and how to effectively interfere with or defend against soul devouring."

"Especially the changes that occur on the killer after the 'Void' is killed."

"My intuition tells me that the most effective way to kill the 'virtual' is hidden within it."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man solemnly replied, "Yes, we will do our best."

He knew that the results of this research would be directly related to the future survival of Konoha and even the entire ninja world.

Afterwards, Koharu and Homura each explained some things, and finally looked at each other and then looked at Hyuga Kumokawa, who had been silent for a long time.

"Yun Chuan, is there anything else you want to ask?" Mitomon En asked.

The three, including Shimura Danzo, actually understood the meaning behind Sarutobi Hiruzen's decision to send Hyuga Kumokawa over while he was recuperating in the hospital.

Even though Hyuga Kumokawa won't become the next Hokage because of the "Caged Bird" system being controlled by the Hyuga main family, he will still be groomed as an important high-ranking member of Konoha in the future.

As one of the future high-ranking officials, he would naturally know some secrets.

Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado were worried that the still young Hyuga Kumokawa, under Hiruzen's heavy reliance on him, would become arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone.

For example, they thought they could be on equal footing with these consultants...

Hinata Kumokawa seemed to have just come out of his thoughts, looked at the three advisors in front of him, shook his head and said, "I came on behalf of the Third Hokage. I have already asked all the questions he asked me to."

Seeing that Hyuga Kumokawa did not seem to have overstepped his bounds, Koharu and Utatane exchanged glances of satisfaction and said with a smile, "Then I'll trouble you to tell Hiruzen everything."

"I heard that Kakashi is in the hospital just like Hiruzen. We will visit them in the hospital once all the post-war matters in the village have been settled."

The two were already aware of Kakashi Hatake's ordeal.

The masked man who orchestrated the Nine-Tails' rampage and the current Uchiha massacre is actually Uchiha Obito, who died in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge.

Even if he wasn't the real "Uchiha Madara," he was still a powerful figure who had awakened the Mangekyou Sharingan, and Kakashi's victory over him was a great achievement.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, given the losses of the Fourth Shinobi World War and the casualties caused by this incident, Hiruzen Sarutobi will definitely lose his position as Hokage.