Choice?
Mori Shiraishi looked at the longing eyes of his companions and felt a trace of doubt in his heart. Did they really have a choice? Due to that terrifying vibration just now, the Hidden Steam Ninja were undoubtedly already on their way. Furthermore, the crow's words had been so loud that nearly every Ghoul present had heard them.
It was obvious what choice they would make regarding the upcoming battle. The "choice" Mr. Crow spoke of was, in reality, no choice at all.
"Suzuki, Taya. You two come up and try it first."
Things had reached this point, and Mori Shiraishi had no other options. Although he didn't believe that man would sabotage such a thing, he still had to test it.
Two Ghouls quickly stepped forward at the mention of their names. They were his core subordinates, and after long periods of training, they had developed a steely, soldier-like aura. Without any hesitation, the two picked up the Kakuhou and transplanted them into their own bodies.
Upon transplantation, these new Kakuhou rapidly decomposed. They first devoured the original Kagune and then completely fused with their hosts.
The entire process lasted about five minutes, and the fused Kagune underwent a transformation. They no longer followed the rule of producing a specific type of Kagune based on the consumed Kakuhou. Instead, after forming RC Cells, they manifested different Kagune based on the individual's inner heart.
For instance, Suzuki was fast and possessed a strong desire to attack due to his hatred for the Hidden Steam Ninja. Consequently, he evolved a blue Koukaku that curled like a long spear. Taya also hated the ninjas, but his primary concern was protecting his partners. Therefore, he evolved a pair of massive, shield-like, hardened Ukaku.
"Do you feel any discomfort?"
Mori Shiraishi asked with concern. After all, he had experienced excruciating pain when he first mutated the Jashin Gene and fused it with his body. He had even fallen into a coma for several days due to exhaustion. With a major battle imminent, he naturally worried his two capable lieutenants would suffer the same.
To his relief, while the two showed expressions of pain during the fusion, they appeared normal now. He quickly made a decision.
"In that case, before the enemy arrives, half of the group must transplant the new Kakuhou immediately."
"Yes!"
The method of transplantation was actually very simple. One only needed to make a cut on the body and press the Kakuhou against it. Upon coming into contact with blood, these Kakuhou automatically transformed into RC Cells. After devouring the original Kagune, they integrated into the body.
Minutes later, various types of Kagune bloomed from their bodies just as the Hidden Steam Ninja arrived as expected.
"Everyone, let's use this battle to test our new power!"
Mori Shiraishi shouted to boost morale. Despite being heavily injured, he spread his massive fleshy wings and was the first to charge. Seeing their wounded leader charge forward, those who had just received new Kakuhou could not bear to lag behind and immediately followed suit.
Just as the ninjas were feeling confused, the violent assault from the Ghouls arrived. The battle lasted only about half an hour, eventually ending in a strategic retreat by the Hidden Steam Ninja.
After all, only one Jonin had come this time—the middle-aged man who had used the Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu at sea. Their strategy still revolved around a core of Chunin supported by Genin. The Jonin was mainly there to pin down Mori Shiraishi.
However, today's situation was different. These monsters had somehow gained many types of Kagune they had never seen before. Their overall strength had improved significantly, and several monsters with the ability to fly had appeared.
This caught the ninjas completely off guard. This was an entirely new power system. Furthermore, the Hidden Steam Village had enjoyed peace for years, making the quality of their ninjas weaker than other villages. It was only natural they were beaten into a state of confusion.
Ultimately, the Hidden Steam Ninja fled in panic, leaving behind over a dozen corpses. Mori Shiraishi's only regret was failing to kill that Jonin, who escaped using a Substitution Jutsu combined with a Body Flicker Jutsu.
Regardless, this battle greatly boosted the Ghouls' morale. Previously, they were the ones being chased by ninjas. Now, they had finally won a head-on battle, which greatly encouraged their confidence in resisting the Hidden Steam Village.
Additionally, it was worth mentioning that the Kakuhou left by Mr. Crow numbered more than a hundred. This meant the Ghouls could begin expanding their forces if they found suitable candidates.
The impact of this battle was profound. First, at the Hidden Steam Village, after two more failed offensive attempts, they formally recognized a problem. Unless they were willing to send three or four Jonin together, a successful encirclement was virtually impossible.
The issue was that the prolonged combat, combined with massive financial losses and the wasting of lives, made this peaceful village uneasy. Serious internal disagreements arose. Some high-level officials believed that since these monsters killed their ninjas, they had to be eradicated. Otherwise, how could the Hidden Steam Village accept missions or maintain the security of the Land of Steam and the Land of Rivers?
However, every village has its factions. Since there were hawks, there were naturally corresponding doves. Other high-level officials argued that the Hidden Steam Village was a peace-loving village. They claimed their ninjas had taken missions without authorization and slaughtered an entire village, so the Hidden Steam Village should apologize and compensate the victims.
The hawks naturally thought the doves were being ridiculous. After several rounds of encirclement, the hatred between both sides had deepened. Seeking reconciliation now would be like slapping their own faces.
As for why they didn't seek reconciliation at the start? Who would have thought these commoners could master such powerful strength? If you can simply crush someone, why negotiate?
Negotiation is, in essence, the distribution of interests. When you believe you have enough strength to seize all interests, you will never want to negotiate unless the war costs more than the negotiation. Clearly, the leadership of the Hidden Steam Village did not initially think a few villagers could pose any threat to them.
During this bickering, the Ghouls took the initiative and captured a poor small town on the border of the Land of Rivers. After executing the local noble lord in the name of Lord Jashin and opening his warehouse to distribute grain, the Ghouls successfully obtained a supply of new recruits.
Only then, after careful consideration, did Mori Shiraishi announce the name of their group.
The God-Chosen People