The dark clouds hung oppressively low over Amegakure,
Cold rain beat down layer after layer on the metal roofs, creating a harsh, clattering sound.
A faint purple haze permeated the air, carrying a pungent, foul odor.
Within the mist, a bizarre spherical creature materialized.
Its body was bloated like a balloon, its surface covered with protruding Poison Sacs, and within its gaping mouth, two sharp fangs gleamed coldly.
The skull pattern on its abdomen pulsed faintly, as if moving in rhythm with its breath.
"Hiss!"
With each breath, faint purple poison mist seeped from the protrusions on its body,
Where the mist touched the ground, metal sizzled and corroded.
Koffing!
The air around Hanzo quickly grew turbid and foul-smelling, forcing even the Rain Ninja guards at the door to retreat several steps.
But Hanzo didn't move.
He stood in place, his gas mask emitting soft breathing sounds.
His cold eyes watched the newly born Ninja Beast calmly through the lenses.
"...So this is what they call resonance."
He murmured quietly.
Koffing rotated slowly in the air, its gaze dazed. Though its body appeared soft, the poison gas it released enveloped the entire room in a layer of purple haze.
An intense odor of decay spread through the air,
Causing eye irritation, throat itching, and a burning pain in the nasal passages.
Yet, Hanzo's eyes revealed an unprecedented joy.
"What a fine child."
He extended his right hand, the Poison Sacs on the back of his hand swelling slightly.
These were the innate Deadly Poison Glands within his body,
Any creature that approached him before would suffer and die, unable to withstand the toxicity.
But this time—
Koffing actively drew closer.
The round body floated before him,
Gently, without hesitation, landing in his palm.
"Hiss~"
Koffing released a wisp of purple smoke, affectionately rubbing against Hanzo's arm guards,
This gesture of trust subtly shifted the atmosphere in the room.
Hanzo closed his eyes, circulating his Chakra.
He could clearly sense the resonance synchronizing between Koffing and himself—a feeling of toxicity harmonizing with toxicity,
As Chakra flowed within him, the fluctuations of poison were tempered by Koffing.
He slowly opened his eyes,
For the first time, a smile formed beneath his mask.
He could feel the stable energy within Koffing—not merely poison, but the ability to control toxic gases.
As long as he fought alongside Koffing, he could manipulate the concentration of toxins in the air with extreme precision, even creating new Chemical Poison Mist Domains.
"You will become... my new shadow."
Koffing seemed to understand,
Emitting a vague, bubbling sound, purple smoke continuously dispersed from its body, yet strangely, it no scattered toward Hanzo. Instead, it formed a stable layer of chemical mist around him.
Hanzo reached out with his other hand, slowly stroking the swollen, warm balloon-like body.
"Very good."
His voice was low, yet filled with satisfaction.
"In the future, you will accompany me to witness the rise of Amegakure."
Koffing, as if understanding, narrowed its eyes, revealing an expression akin to a smile.
Their energies merged, toxins winding and dancing in the air, while outside the iron towers of Amegakure, thunder rumbled.
Hanzo looked up, his eyes behind the mask gleaming with a cold light.
"Now, this power belongs to me."
Koffing hissed softly, poisonous mist swirling around Hanzo's shoulders like a toxic crown.
Inside the secret hut.
When Shiroishi's figure appeared at the doorway, Konan, Yahiko, and Nagato all breathed a simultaneous sigh of relief.
The tense and guarded atmosphere in the room gradually returned to calm.
"You're alright!"
Konan said quietly, unable to hide the relief in her voice.
Seeing Konan's worried expression, Shiroishi smiled unusually. "I'll handle these problems, especially with Teacher Jiraiya protecting me from behind."
Jiraiya, who had walked over, nodded at this. "Indeed, but this kid is clever enough that he doesn't need my protection."
Just then, Eevee jumped down and sprawled directly on Charmander's back, tail wagging back and forth;
Poipole floated in mid-air before landing and competing with Squirtle to see who could blow bigger bubbles;
Only Bulbasaur remained quietly curled in Nagato's arms, though the bud on its back was slightly swollen, as if gathering some kind of power.
Shiroishi noticed this.
He stepped forward and crouched down, carefully observing Bulbasaur's back.
The emerald green seed shell was slowly cracking, with faint life radiance and the scent of vegetation seeping through the fissures.
"It seems about to evolve."
Nagato froze for a moment before holding it tighter,
his eyes filled with both worry and anticipation. "Evolve?... Bulbasaur is going to evolve?"
Shiroishi nodded, his tone calm but carrying a hint of satisfaction.
"Correct. Bulbasaur is the initial form of plant life. When the energy it absorbs accumulates to a critical point, it will bloom into a new form. However..."
He paused here, his brow slightly furrowed.
"Right now, its energy isn't sufficient yet."
Nagato looked up in confusion. "Insufficient? Is it lacking Chakra or absorption conversion?"
"To complete its transformation, it requires higher-level Natural Chakra. The concentration of such Chakra requires me to take it back to the Breeding House Base once."
He was actually referring to the interior of the World Tree.
The room fell quiet.
Konan and Yahiko exchanged glances.
Shiroishi reached out and gently stroked Bulbasaur's head, sensing the faint fluctuations within its body.
"One of the first Ninja Beasts to be born,"
Back when they separated from the World Tree, the World Tree wasn't complete yet, and the Ten-Tails' power had only partially split off.
Nagato pressed his lips together, looking down at Bulbasaur.
It seemed to understand the human conversation, softly making "Bulba~ Bulba~ Saur~ Saur~" sounds.
The bud on its back trembled gently, releasing a soft floral fragrance.
"Shiroishi..."
Nagato hesitated for a moment. "Will it succeed?"
In truth, after experiencing many things during this period, Nagato and Konan's attitude toward becoming stronger was quite evident.
However, the prerequisite for becoming stronger was not to harm their companions.
Including these Ninja Beasts, they were all companions who had grown up with them.
"Entrust Bulbasaur to me for a few days. I'll ensure it returns safely after completing its evolution."
Konan and Yahiko showed supportive smiles at this.
Nagato finally took a deep breath and handed the Bulbasaur in his arms to Shiroishi.
"I'm counting on you, Shiroishi."
"Don't worry."
Shiroishi accepted Bulbasaur, his tone gentle.
"Go complete your growth. When you return, not only will you become stronger, but you'll become someone everyone can rely on."
Bulbasaur raised its head, seemingly understanding. A faint green glow shimmered across its flower bud, as if responding to Shiroishi's promise.
Shiroishi turned and walked toward the door, holding Bulbasaur as they prepared to return to the World Tree.