If the events of tonight were fortunate enough to be recorded in the history of the shinobi world, they would surely deserve a fitting title…
Something like, "A Speech on the Dissolution of the Hanemiya Clan and the Founding of the Ashes Organization."
Afterward, the last sixteen shinobi of the Hanemiya Clan burned their forehead protectors together, and from that moment on, the Hanemiya Clan ceased to exist in the shinobi world.
But as Hane Genma had said, who would care whether a small ninja clan like this existed or not in the vast shinobi world?
The clan members followed Genma's orders, even though that order meant erasing their family name.
That's not to say they had no objections to this command, nor that they supported it wholeheartedly—they simply didn't voice any strong opposition.
Or perhaps they couldn't voice such opinions. But that was enough.
A few shinobi even interpreted Genma's decision in a more positive light. The clan leader… well, the clan leader was no longer a clan leader. Now, he was just a captain.
From clan leader to captain—it seemed like a demotion of sorts. Yet behind the title of "captain," there might lie greater possibilities. That, however, was a matter for the future.
Was this really okay? Who knew? Perhaps it was just a pleasant dream.
The shinobi harbored deep attachments—to the Hanemiya name, to their old village, to their fallen clansmen.
No one could completely cast aside their past, but for now, they had to set it all aside and strive to look forward.
Look forward—there was no choice but to look forward. At least the captain was pointing them in some direction. That direction might be right, or it might be wrong, but it was better than standing still, and far better than drowning in the past.
Genma set survival as their first goal, but that didn't mean abandoning their revenge against the Tsugawa shinobi who had destroyed the Hanemiya Clan.
Revenge, however, came with prerequisites. They had to preserve themselves, steadily build their strength, and only then could they bide their time and strike.
In any case, once Genma clarified their next course of action and unified everyone's resolve, the lingering sense of uncertainty that had plagued them vanished. They settled into this temporary camp for the time being.
The next day, he returned alone to the site where they had previously fought the Tsugawa shinobi.
As expected, someone had already cleaned up all three battlefields. Without a doubt, the Tsugawa shinobi had been back here.
Wiping away the traces of the battle himself would have been the safest option, but there had been no choice—Genma had needed to lead his clansmen away first, leaving the task of erasing battlefield intel to the enemy.
Next, Genma could only locate the spot where his "mushroom-swallowing incident" had occurred. With a single burst of flame, he burned that White Zetsu corpse to ashes, leaving nothing behind.
After tidying up the loose ends here, he let out a long breath. Only when he returned to the camp did he finally have the chance to carefully study the changes happening within his body.
Why could Genma use White Zetsu's techniques, and why could his body partially transform into a White Zetsu-like state?
He suspected he had been subjected to some form of parasitism. That White Zetsu might not have been completely dead—close to it, perhaps, its vitality so faint it was nearly gone. The sprouting of those mushrooms might have been its desperate bid for rebirth.
But in the process of trying to regenerate, it got eaten alive instead. In that situation, the White Zetsu instinctively attempted to parasitize him, but being too weak, it failed and ended up being reverse-assimilated instead.
So the question remained: why was Genma's body able to "assimilate" White Zetsu?
He couldn't come up with a reasonable explanation no matter how hard he tried. Could it be related to the fact that his mind was, in essence, a foreign entity inhabiting this body—a dove occupying a magpie's nest?
It still didn't add up.
Ordinary White Zetsu weren't known for physical prowess, so why had Genma's physique and chakra been enhanced after absorbing its abilities?
He couldn't figure out the "principles" behind it or study it thoroughly. With no other option, Genma shifted his focus to the "applications."
Beyond being able to use White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique, Spore Technique, and Substitution Technique, Genma had already noticed other changes in his body.
When he partially "White Zetsu-fied" his body, it underwent a kind of fibrosis—a "plant-like" transformation, to some extent.
This change didn't increase his physical defenses, but it significantly dulled his sense of pain. Moreover, when injured, maintaining this "White Zetsu-fied" state allowed those parts to heal faster.
For example, the wound on his shoulder stopped hindering his movements after just three days. In seven days, it had fully healed, leaving no trace of a scar.
This plant-like vitality and recovery reminded him of drinking leek juice or the rapid growth of bamboo shoots.
This healing ability couldn't compare to those freakish shinobi who could instantly recover from fatal wounds in battle, but it was enough to delight Genma.
Beyond that, when Genma maintained his "White Zetsu-fied" state, he wasn't sure if it was an illusion, but he felt as though every cell in his body rejoiced whenever he stood in ample sunlight. His energy and stamina surged.
It seemed he could directly absorb a portion of energy from solar radiation. He suspected that after turning into a "plant person," he had begun mastering photosynthesis.
And then there was one more crucial detail.
When Genma fully "White Zetsu-fied" his entire body, he felt as though his mind could faintly pick up some kind of signal. He suspected it came from either the White Zetsu main body, Black Zetsu, or perhaps the collective consciousness of the White Zetsu.
The information couldn't be deciphered into anything specific, nor could he use this channel for long-distance two-way communication. But it undeniably conveyed a sense of presence.
This "presence" radiated a calming, joyful warmth.
At first, Genma couldn't figure out what it was. Then, it hit him like a bolt of inspiration…
This was basically the White Zetsu brain channel broadcasting "Only a Mother Is Good in This World" 24/7.
Only relentless brainwashing could drive millions of White Zetsu to toil for over a millennium toward a hollow, illusory goal.
Realizing this, Genma immediately exited his full White Zetsu-fied state. He decided to avoid letting his head turn White Zetsu unless absolutely necessary.
If he got brainwashed without noticing and ended up joining the "Split the Moon to Save Mommy" plan, things would stop being fun real quick.
After roughly figuring out the changes in his body, Genma began to let his thoughts wander—specifically in a direction that was extremely advantageous to him.
If just one White Zetsu could invigorate his body, strengthen him, and let him unleash six ninjutsu in one breath without breaking a sweat, what if he got more White Zetsu?
There were countless ways to cook, after all. Beyond sashimi, there was steaming, braising, stir-frying, deep-frying—the list went on.
So, was it possible… that White Zetsu could become his personal "experience pack"?