Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 56: The Jonin of Akimura Fall into Panic

Half a day later, Yu Nu Zhicheng arrived at the Dao Dao Clan's encampment alone. He sneaked in without alerting anyone, only meeting with his subordinate Nan Shi. It took him a whole day to remove the insect infection from his body.

He then stayed at the post for several more days.

The Daodao gang is well managed by Nanshi, and has reached the point where orders are obeyed and discipline is strict. It seems that they have initially memorized what he casually said and are carrying it out firmly.

Yu Nu Zhicheng examined it carefully.

Most of their members had chakra levels around genin, with only a dozen or so reaching chunin level.

They possess strong combat abilities, and with their proficient swordsmanship and the ability to seamlessly integrate minor ninjutsu, they can usually unleash 80% of their chakra's power.

Although it is still somewhat inferior to the major ninja villages, it is far superior to some smaller ninja villages.

Ayumi Shicheng stayed at the base for a few more days. After completing the construction of a small insect hive, he left behind a batch of basic Five Elements Escape Techniques and Sealing Techniques. He also informed Nanshi that there was no need to expand the manpower further, as long as the team was kept at around three hundred people.

Just before leaving, he stumbled upon a poor boy fleeing with his younger sister. They knelt on the ground, shouting that they wanted to join the Daodao Gang. Since it was the first time they'd encountered something like this, the members of the Daodao Gang were completely bewildered.

In fact, in order to develop the organization quickly, most of the members of the Swordsmen were wandering samurai recruited by Nanshi, or wandering ninjas who knew a few unsystematic ninjutsu.

In addition, there were some disillusioned samurai recruited from the staff office. Some were unwilling to accept mediocrity, some were aloof and didn't fit in with others, and some simply couldn't stand the status quo.

Although these people had all been severely punished by the South City government, and many of them had even been directly eliminated, they still retained a bandit-like nature in their bones.

This was the first time they had ever seen young men and women with no connections come to them for refuge.

The guards at the gate wanted to shoo them away, but the brother and sister knelt there and refused to leave.

However, unable to kill the person directly, he had no choice but to consult the Nanshi authorities for a solution.

Upon arriving in Nanshi, he asked the boy, "Why did you choose to join us?"

After asking the question, he looked at Shisei Aburame, who was hidden in the crowd in the distance. Shisei Aburame shook his head, indicating that the brother and sister were not spies and that he should handle the situation himself.

"We want to survive, we want to become stronger, we want to kill the villains who killed our parents, and the nobles behind them."

"A very naive idea, a very pure hatred. If that's all there is to it, then we're sorry we can't let you join." Nan Shi shook his head and refused.

The Daodao Clan was originally an organization for eliminating bandits, collecting corpses, and monitoring spies when necessary. They needed immediate combat power, not to slowly cultivate their own manpower. Although he thought highly of the brother and sister, this kind of place was not suitable for them to live in.

"It's not just...it's not just hatred. I don't know what you want to do, but your presence has brought stability to our lives. Yet, many, many of us are still struggling. So I want to join you, at least to make my hometown less impoverished."

The obsessions of young boys and girls are normal and simple. They don't understand many grand principles, nor have they been well-educated; they simply perceive the good and bad of the world based on the purity in their hearts.

Children who yearn for the future and are full of passion are easily swayed and controlled by unrealistic ideas, and may even pay the price with their lives.

Nanshi was also swayed by such remarks, and he looked again at Yu Nu Zhicheng in the crowd, seeking an answer.

However, he found that the crowd was already deserted. Shisei Aburame had left long ago and returned to Takigakure Village.

Aburame Shisei didn't want to know whether the two children had been accepted.

All he knew was that if Nanshi disobeyed his orders, he would surely die a terrible death, taking with him the unrealistic fantasy that had ignited in his heart, and perishing alongside the flying insects that came towards the candlelight.

Perhaps in an ordinary world, such an organization could stir up a storm, but this is no ordinary world.

Here, bloodline is paramount, and individual combat power can crush everything, even destroying the world in the later stages.

Therefore, without earth-shattering methods or unparalleled strength, all Aburame Shisei sought was a comfortable life that he could live in.

Three days later, Aburame Shisei returned to the village to retrieve his shadow clone and receive the memories of the past few days.

From his memories, he learned that nothing particularly serious had happened in the village these days, except that occasionally some Jonin would have the idea of ​​fleeing with their families.

But after being approached by the insect clones at night, they completely lost their will to fight. Some even lost all faith, as if their energy had been drained, their spirits were low and their strength greatly reduced.

However, most of the villagers and ninjas were still fine, going about their business as usual. Although they couldn't muster any enthusiasm for anything, they didn't have any major worries.

Yu Nu Zhicheng returned home, head bowed in thought.

He felt that these ninjas who knew the truth were like people with paranoia, constantly on guard against him, afraid that he might do something to him or their families.

"Sigh, looks like I need to make things clear with them. I don't mean to harm you."

That night, Aburame Shisei arrived at the Togo Shrine. The high priestess, Shiei, was kneeling and praying before the statue. Hearing a sound outside, she turned around and her body trembled violently.

"M-Sir, what brings you here?"

"I don't know what kind of reassurance you're seeking when you pray to the statues. I've been here for almost half a year, and I've said before that I came here to join this community, to live here. But why are you all so fearful and apprehensive, as if you're avoiding a plague?"

"No, no, sir," Ziying shook her head in protest, but she felt guilty inside.

Imagine if you suddenly learned that the place you live in is controlled by a powerful monster, and you saw this monster devouring its own kind and eliminating those who disagreed with it, imprisoning everyone there—it would be a miracle if you could still live calmly, without fear or going insane!

"Tell them they don't need to be afraid of me. As long as you don't think about those messy things and don't resist me, I won't do anything to you. After all, I'm a member of Takigakure now. I won't lift the village's ban, and I'll modify the barrier again. The war outside is chaotic, and I'm just doing this to prevent you from going out and spreading rumors that disrupt my life."

After finishing his sentence, Aburame Shisei left.

He sighed again—hoping some people would believe him, since what he said was true.