Naruto: Hatake's No Misfortune

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With the help of the Fuuma Clan and Raiga, Muzan was able to efficiently deal with the spies from the Muchuan Territory and the Land of Waves.

During this time, numerous locations were attacked by enemy forces. Kumo and Kirigakure sent the largest contingents of ninja, which severely tarnished Muzan's growing reputation. If all the Twelve Kizuki hadn't been preoccupied with their individual affairs, Muzan wouldn't have been forced into such a passive position.

Muzan had just stepped into Muchuan's territory when he spotted Muchuan Hui running toward him in a panic, far removed from the proud noble he once was. Whether it was a consequence of the Merchant Alliance's influence or a secret being uncovered, Muzan couldn't yet determine.

"Master Muzan, I have accomplished what you instructed," Hui reported breathlessly.

Through Hui's efforts, more than half the merchants in the Land of Fire had united under a single banner. This coalition now wielded control over vital economic activities in the region. Unless the Daimyo took drastic countermeasures, the economy of the Land of Fire would gradually fall into Muzan's grasp, allowing him to steadily erode the Daimyo's authority.

"Additionally, there's good news," Hui continued nervously. "Several great nobles have expressed interest in aligning with you to overthrow the tyranny of the Land of Fire."

Hui glanced at Muzan's expression and noticed the frown forming on his face. Had he made a mistake?

"I'm impressed you managed this, but they were never my ideal allies," Muzan replied, his tone cold and calculating, causing Hui to stiffen.

"But these nobles could help us control the Land of Fire," Hui argued, his perspective limited to the immediate gains. "Don't you want to conquer the country quickly?"

"You misunderstand me," Muzan said, his piercing gaze silencing Hui. "I'm not interested in merely taking over the Land of Fire. My goal is to abolish the feudal system entirely. Both ninja and nobles are my enemies."

Seeing the fear in Hui's eyes, Muzan placed a hand on his trembling shoulder and added, "Don't worry. The world will always need someone to manage it. If you have the ambition and ability, strive for that position."

Stabilizing Hui's territory would take time, but Muzan planned to use this opportunity to reorganize the Twelve Kizuki and strengthen them further through the power of the Cursed Seal.

Three days later, the Twelve Kizuki assembled before Muzan. They were visibly surprised to learn that Haku had achieved mastery over sage techniques.

"It seems you've refined your blood demon technique," Muzan remarked, noting the significant increase in strength among them, particularly Pakura. After receiving a large infusion of Muzan's blood, Pakura's innate talent and relentless drive had allowed her to ascend rapidly.

"Today, we'll reorganize our ranks and explore the potential of the Cursed Seal," Muzan declared, pointing to the black curse mark etched onto Haku's forehead. The mark, symbolizing the immortal mask Haku had perfected, showcased his fearsome new abilities.

As Muzan began embedding the Cursed Seal into his subordinates, Yamanomatsu's transformation drew particular attention. After receiving the seal, his eyes fell out, only to regenerate moments later. When hurled, these explosive eyeballs detonated with immense power. Moreover, they could regenerate endlessly as long as natural energy was present.

"Master Muzan's suggestions are... unorthodox," one of the Twelve Kizuki remarked, casting a wary glance at Yamanomatsu, who was already experimenting with the new ability.

"As long as it ensures victory, opinions are irrelevant," Muzan retorted. "Remember, destruction is an art."

The Cursed Seal not only enhanced physical prowess but also elevated their blood demon techniques. Pakura, in particular, rose to become one of the strongest members of the Upper Ranks, while Haku was demoted to a Lower Rank. Undeterred, Haku resolved to reclaim his position.

With their newfound power, the Twelve Kizuki were prepared to unleash chaos.

"Return to your post," Muzan commanded. "In the coming days, we will incite civil unrest and spread turmoil throughout the Rice Field Country. Let the chaos ripple into the Land of Fire!"

"Yes, my lord!" the Twelve Kizuki chorused, barely containing their excitement. Muzan's orders signaled the beginning of their conquest. Ever the tactician, Muzan thrived in chaos, and now, with his strengthened forces, he aimed to plunge the Land of Fire into despair.

"Prepare for Konoha," Muzan declared. "The days ahead will test us. Failure is not an option."

Muzan's cold, unwavering gaze reflected his unshakable determination. With his current strength and resources, he was finally ready to challenge Konoha. If the Land of Fire could be toppled, his dominance over the ninja world would only be a matter of time.

"Konoha will know our terror!" one of the Twelve Kizuki declared boldly. "I'll carve their downfall into history!"

"Yes," another added. "Konoha… will fall."

The Twelve Kizuki were united in purpose. As their campaign against the Land of Fire began, the nobles of the region felt the looming shadow of destruction.

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"These days are getting harder. There's a group of people starving in the village ahead. I really don't know what the Daimyo is doing."

"Who knows? I'm already planning to leave the Land of Fire."

"Where can you even go from the Land of Fire? Even if you have money, you can't afford to eat now."

"I heard there's plenty of food in the Land of Waves, and many people are living well there. I happen to have a friend there who I can seek refuge with."

The Land of Fire was now under Muzan's control, and the consequences were dire. Food prices had skyrocketed due to merchants, driven by greed, hoarding vast quantities of supplies. This resulted in famine across the country, with severe inflation rendering money almost worthless. The common people were suffering immensely.

In stark contrast, the nobles remained unaffected, continuing to indulge in their lavish lifestyles, oblivious to the struggles of the masses.

Muzan had orchestrated this chaos deliberately, ensuring the turmoil in the Land of Fire did not spill over to the Land of Waves. His agents from the Rice Paddy Country spread tales of the Land of Waves' prosperity, painting it as a haven where hunger and poverty were nonexistent.

The strategy bore fruit. Rebellions began breaking out across the Land of Fire. Once secure in his authority, the Daimyo now lived in fear. Just the night before, insurgents had infiltrated his palace. If not for the intervention of Konoha's ninja, the Daimyo's life would have ended.

"I need to contact Konoha immediately!" the Daimyo roared. "These damn mobs dare to target me?"

His rage was interrupted by a guard bursting into the room, pale and trembling. He immediately knelt, delivering news that left the room in stunned silence.

"The Land of Waves has declared war on us."

The weight of those words froze everyone in place.

"What did you say!?" the Daimyo gasped, his legs giving way. Servants caught him before he collapsed entirely. His hands trembled uncontrollably—whether from anger or fear, no one could tell.

"How dare they! How dare they!"

Internal strife was one thing, and Konoha's aid had always been enough to manage such situations. But outright war was another matter entirely. The Land of Waves, emboldened and strategic, had chosen the perfect moment to strike.

Years of peace had made the Daimyo complacent, and now his position was in jeopardy.

"No, we can't rely on Konoha alone. Send missions to the other ninja villages! We'll hire whoever can help quell the rebellions and fend off this war. Offer them whatever it takes!"

Servants scrambled to execute his orders, leaving the Daimyo to brood in his chambers, seething with a mixture of fear and desperation.

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Meanwhile, Muzan's Twelve Kizuki had been dispatched to the front lines to combat enemy ninjas. Muzan himself remained in the Land of Waves, focusing on his experiments. He had only secured control over a fifth of the Land of Fire and knew that conquering it fully would require patience and precision.

In his laboratory, Kabuto worked diligently, organizing data while studying Muzan's methods. The experiments were gruesome but fascinating. Muzan's goal of perfecting the demon bloodline had piqued Kabuto's curiosity.

"It's truly insane," Kabuto muttered under his breath. "No wonder Muzan-sensei sought individuals with such unyielding willpower for the Twelve Kizuki. Without it, they'd devolve into mindless beasts."

Kabuto's musings were interrupted by the primal roar of a newborn demon, struggling against its restraints. Acting quickly, Kabuto gagged the creature with a wooden rod before turning to Muzan.

"Master, regarding the theory that natural energy can delay sun damage, should we continue exploring it?"

"Of course not," Muzan replied, his tone calm yet firm.

Muzan wheeled the restrained demon into the sunlight. A black curse mark on its forehead released natural energy to shield it temporarily. However, as soon as the energy was depleted, the demon's body began to smoke and burn, emitting a sickening stench.

"You see," Muzan explained, "natural energy only offers a temporary reprieve. Once it's exhausted, sunlight attacks the body directly. Relying on Senjutsu to counter this weakness is futile."

Even with the demons' regenerative abilities, prolonged exposure to sunlight during intense battles would inevitably lead to their downfall.

Noticing Kabuto's troubled expression, Muzan placed a hand on his shoulder and offered a rare smile. "Don't worry. We have time."

The root of the demons' vulnerability to sunlight was akin to a genetic defect—a flaw Muzan had spent years attempting to correct.

"This missing component," Muzan continued, holding up a vial of blood, "I've named the X-gene."

Kabuto's gaze darkened as he examined the data. He was no novice to genetic manipulation, yet the task before them was daunting. Addressing such a flaw required extraordinary means.

"Master, compensating for this missing gene through evolution alone may not be possible. We might need to rely on external methods—special artifacts, perhaps."

Muzan nodded thoughtfully. Among the possibilities he had considered was the immortality technique of Hidan, a rogue shinobi from Yugakure. However, Hidan's power was tied to his mysterious, malevolent god, Jashin.

The ninja world was indeed a strange place, steeped in ancient powers and divine mysteries.

"Let's continue," Muzan said, his voice filled with quiet determination.

As the instruments buzzed and the experiments pressed on, Muzan remained resolute. The conquest of the Land of Fire was inevitable, but it was only a stepping stone in his grand design.

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