The hybrid's screams echoed through the underground halls.They weren't screams of pain anymore — they were hungry.
The crimson restraints pulsed with light, reacting to his chakra flare. His body had grown more defined, muscle fibers shifting beneath his pale skin, veins glowing faintly blue and red.
Naoki stood in front of the reinforced cage, calmly writing on a parchment."His regeneration has surpassed even that of our kind. The mixture of blood essence and chakra seems to accelerate cell repair by over three hundred percent."
Kisho watched silently."And his mind?"
Naoki sighed. "That... is the problem. His instincts are starting to dominate. The balance between blood essence and chakra is unstable. Without a dominant will, he's losing his identity."
She turned to face the hybrid, who was now crouching in the corner, eyes glowing like twin crimson flames. His voice was low, feral."Blood... more... blood..."
Naoki's expression didn't waver. "If he keeps deteriorating, I'll dispose of him myself."
But Kisho shook his head. "No. His Majesty won't allow it. He sees potential even in failure."
Meanwhile, in the grand hall, Akira sat at the head of the long stone table, his crimson eyes reflecting the dim torchlight. Around him stood the Dukes and Marquesses — his inner circle.
"Our numbers have increased," Kisho reported, kneeling. "We've captured thirty-three civilians and five shinobi from smaller clans over the last moon cycle. All have been delivered to Naoki for experimentation."
Akira nodded slowly."Good. The civilians will serve as base material — the shinobi are the real investment."
He tapped his fingers against the table, lost in thought.'Each one adds to the foundation. With enough samples, we'll perfect the balance between chakra and essence. Once that's done... the entire clan can evolve at once.'
One of the Dukes stepped forward. "Your Majesty, with all respect, if we continue at this pace, smaller clans will notice. We're already close to the territories of the Hayabusa and Kazan clans."
Akira looked at him, calm but cold."And what will they do?"
The Duke hesitated.
Akira's smile was faint, but it carried the weight of a threat."They'll assume it was bandits, rogue ninjas, or war casualties. That's the beauty of chaos — it hides everything. Until someone powerful enough starts asking questions, we will continue."
The Duke bowed deeply. "Understood, your Majesty."
"Good. Continue the operations. Prioritize shinobi with strong chakra signatures. Avoid unnecessary killings — I want them alive if possible. The more chakra in their veins, the purer the reaction."
That night, Akira entered the ritual chamber again.The hybrid was there, trembling, surrounded by sealing talismans glowing dimly.
Akira approached slowly."You've survived longer than I expected," he said softly.
The hybrid looked up, his eyes flickering between consciousness and madness."Why... can't... stop... the voices..."
Akira crouched in front of him, observing closely.'The chakra is corrupting his mind. It's trying to form its own consciousness within him — like a second soul.'
He placed his hand on the hybrid's head. A pulse of red light spread from his palm, and the hybrid froze.Akira could see it clearly now — the twin energies clashing inside the man's core. Blood essence, dense and heavy, clinging to every cell... and chakra, fluid and restless, trying to break free.
"Naoki was right," Akira murmured. "Without a will strong enough to dominate both, the body collapses into chaos."
He stood up and wiped the blood off his hand. "But this proves something important. The body can endure both energies. All that's missing... is control."
He turned and walked away, his steps echoing through the chamber.'Control comes from the mind. That's something only intelligence — or fear — can grant. If they can't maintain it themselves, then I'll bend it for them.'
Days turned into weeks.The Kyuketsuki clan operated silently, feeding off travelers and capturing lone shinobi from border territories. Every experiment brought new results — and new failures.
But every failure refined Naoki's formula.Every death brought them closer to perfection.
Their underground halls expanded — chambers filled with sealed coffins, connected by red channels that pulsed like veins. The compound was becoming a living organism — a heart that fed on life itself.
And Akira stood at its center.
One evening, Naoki entered his study. Her usually composed expression was shaken."My Lord... something's happened with the hybrid."
Akira closed his book slowly. "Explain."
"He escaped."
The words hung in the air.
Akira's gaze didn't change. He simply stood up."Where?"
"Through the southern tunnels. He killed three guards and vanished into the forests."
'So it finally reached the breaking point...'He smirked faintly. "Let him go."
Naoki looked up, shocked. "My Lord—?"
"He's unstable, but he's also the perfect field test. If he lives, he'll attract attention from nearby clans. If he dies, his corpse will still spread traces of our essence. Either way, we'll learn."
Naoki hesitated but nodded. "Understood, your Majesty."
Far beyond the compound, under the pale moonlight, the hybrid ran through the forest like a beast, panting, blood dripping from his mouth. His chakra flared uncontrollably, twisting his body as he roared into the night.
Animals fled. The ground beneath him withered slightly, stained by the corruption of his energy.
His red eyes flickered between fear and hunger."Blood... I need... blood..."
He stumbled upon a small encampment of rogue ninjas resting by a fire.
They barely had time to look up.
The night was filled with screams.
By morning, the camp was silent.The bodies were pale, drained, and twisted — their veins burned black from the inside.
And among them, a faint red mist lingered — the scent of Kyuketsuki blood essence.
It drifted with the wind... toward the borders of two powerful clans.