章 122: Chapter 122 : Troy's Past
On the tragic battlefield, Takumi gazed at the barrier that continued to burn slowly and refused to dissipate, cursing under his breath.
The mines were occupied, and the nation's living energy was starting to run short. They had grown accustomed to the pleasures granted by the Gelel Stone, and none wished to return to the primitive and harsh times.
Of course, Takumi found Troy's attempts to pry into his own position most unacceptable. Regardless of the price or the number of lives lost, he was determined to reclaim the Gelel vein.
"Get me more soldiers! I don't care how many, even if we have to fill this pit with bodies!"
Frustrated, Takumi stormed off, leaving behind those who remained at the mine.
"Is sacrificing so much truly worth it for the Stone of Gelel?"
Rudolph sighed, his mind filled with thoughts of transformed warriors and fortified soldiers, and he departed with a sense of unease.
The entire nation was conscripted, and common people struggled with the hardships caused by the loss of the Gelel Stone. It was akin to modern individuals accustomed to electricity facing the potential for riots without it.
They cared little about who sat on the throne. Their focus was on the magic power that transcended their time, a power they had come to enjoy.
"It seems that the main body has already entered, but how can such a vast amount of energy be extracted? If only we could compress the energy of the entire ore vein into the Gelel Stone."
The clone's involvement was limited. It withdrew alongside Takahiro, disappearing into the depths of the mine.
"Lord Troy, it seems the forces above are prepared. Our soldiers are too cumbersome, and we're suffering significant losses." Hela wiped her dagger and spoke lightly.
"Damn it, relying solely on numbers won't suffice. I'm after more than just a crippled nation."
Troy's gloved hand clenched into a fist, the golden glove gleaming. Support for him was scarce, prompting him to take a gamble and seek aid from Sand Village.
In this era, the Five Great Nations' territories continued to expand, with Konoha annexing small nations rich in resources but lacking protection.
Weakness was the original sin, and benevolence merely wishful thinking.
This nation might not have had resources or territory worth plundering by the Five Great Nations before, but once the Gelel vein was discovered, it would undoubtedly spell doom for the nation.
"The Sand Ninja will arrive tomorrow. Prepare everyone before then."
Troy scowled at Bart's severed arm. "Hela, find a metal prosthesis."
Bart's arm had grown skin due to the influence of the natural energy, but it couldn't regenerate entirely on its own.
Amid Orochimaru's scrutiny, Bart and Jace both sat within a massive airtight metal chamber. Pipes connected to the back of the chamber pumped a constant flow of blue-green energy into it, casting a radiant glow.
"Ah, it appears that unlike a sealing jutsu, these warriors need regular recharging and cannot absorb natural energy autonomously. Furthermore, one can't expect an individual from a remote corner to master natural energy."
Orochimaru spoke with a hint of amusement. He felt disappointed by the outcome of Troy's human experiment. Observing Troy seated upon the golden throne, absorbing energy from the Gelel Stone to strengthen himself, Orochimaru felt his own eagerness grow.
"But what truly matters is his ability to absorb foreign energy at will and the 'Book of Gelel,' which explains how to condense substantial natural energy into the Gelel Stone."
Orochimaru melded into the shadows, lurking in the darkness, wandering through the fortress-like mine. He studied the layout and metallurgical craftsmanship meticulously.
As he passed a vast chamber, a scene within captivated his attention.
Within densely clustered spherical glass enclosures, numerous individuals, connected to breathing tubes, were submerged in a pale red liquid.
Tubes were inserted into their navels, resembling umbilical cords. The faint vestiges of life remaining confirmed that this contraption was used for transforming individuals using natural energy.
These people were deceased, their faces twisted in grotesque expressions, reminiscent of specimens preserved in formalin.
Orochimaru caressed the glass surface, a sigh escaping him. This was the cost of human transformation. Yet, for his personal gain, he would likely confront such tragic circumstances repeatedly in the future.
"Fortunately, the real Orochimaru is also here!" He chuckled to himself before continuing forward.
Over a thousand cultivation tanks lay within this space. Orochimaru discerned that the majority were civilians. The deeper he ventured, the younger the individuals within the tanks became.
"It seems they've discovered that using immature adolescents yields a higher success rate for transformation."
Orochimaru examined a broken cultivation tank, a faint smile tugging at his lips. At this point, the fleeting worry that had earlier surfaced on his face had vanished, leaving behind excitement and intense focus.
He dipped his fingers into the pale red liquid seeping from the broken tank, cautiously sniffed it, and then offered a contemplative grin.
"It reeks of blood."
Orochimaru extended his tongue to taste it before departing disdainfully.
"So that's the issue. I knew it. Following this method would result in a success rate no different from death."
"Sir, the prosthesis is ready."
Returning to the central area, Orochimaru spotted Hela holding a finely crafted metal arm adorned with armour.
Bart and Jace appeared to have been "recharged."
"Be patient."
Troy unsheathed his sword and cleaved through Bart's severed arm. Purple blood sprayed, eliciting a cry of pain.
"Damn you, Rudolph...!"
Troy disassembled the prosthetic arm's armour, revealing a hollow metal limb within.
"What's this for?" Orochimaru appeared somewhat puzzled.
Troy extracted a red needle and swiftly injected it into Bart's severed arm.
Crimson fluid flowed, Bart seemed to endure a struggle, and Troy reclaimed the hollow metal arm.
Blood swiftly dyed the metal limb red. Troy extended his golden glove, and blue-green energy surged, attaching to the wound and bringing about immediate change.
Bart's flesh and blood resembled a nourished plant. Countless blood vessels and granulation sprouted rapidly from the severed section, spreading like rhizomes into the metal arm, filling the entire limb through its hollow interior.
The spiderweb-like meridians extended throughout the hollow arm, and granulation buds burgeoned.
Troy ceased the energy output, donned the outer armour over the half-flesh, half-metal arm, and a satisfying "click" heralded the perfect alignment of granulation with the entire prosthetic limb.
"Not bad... not bad at all. I didn't expect this procedure to work." Orochimaru offered a genuine compliment this time.
"Yet the crucial element is the potion. If I'm correct, it's derived from Troy's serum!"
As if touched by emotion, Troy seated himself upon the golden throne, falling silent for a moment. He directed a wordless message to his three subordinates: "You've stood by me for so long, you understand our royal family's unique power."
The three subordinates remained silent, unsure how to respond.
"Oh, it appears he has a tale as well." Orochimaru couldn't help but mutter.
"Our royal lineage didn't originate in this land at all. In the distant past, we ruled over a larger country outside."
Troy's expression conveyed fascination and sorrow.
"During that era, our ability held no value. We accidentally discovered a tissue in our body that accepted others without resistance. We could transplant limbs or eyes from others onto ourselves, as though they were our own."
The three subordinates appeared astonished. Not only did they lack aversion to natural energy, but they also harboured no rejection of cells and tissues.
"However, this ability didn't make our nation strong. Instead, it invited disaster! A potent force, known as the Bloodline Limit user, targeted our ability. They sought to capture us!"
Troy's visage contorted with hatred and a trace of fear.
"What!" Orochimaru gasped. For some reason, he was reminded of a mysterious organization that Hisashi had mentioned, one that targeted ninjas with the Bloodline Limit. Moreover, Troy's ability wasn't related to chakra. In terms of attributes, he wasn't even a ninja. His power stemmed from absorbing energy from the Gelel Stone.
He was, in essence, an innate ninja.
This organization seemed extensive, its influence pervasive.
Later, some royal families, including the Troy brothers, fled and concealed their identities here, fearing pursuit.
"The discovery of this Gelel vein was entirely serendipitous. Upon realizing I could harness the power of the Gelel Stone, I was ecstatic! I believed my opportunity had finally arrived. It felt like a divine gift."
Troy radiated excitement. From that point onward, he became consumed with investigating his abilities and delved into modifying the human body to create more warriors.
"I've always dreamed of building a powerful nation, an ideal world unafraid of any conflict, a land of utmost tranquillity. One day, I hope to emerge from hiding and restore the glory of our past!"
Troy's eyes shimmered with ambition and resentment. Beneath his somewhat hypocritical façade, he held firm convictions and motives.
"Takumi and the others are foolish. They're content in this small corner, oblivious to the terror and hatred of the past!"
Troy slammed his fist against the golden throne, his voice seething with anger. "Are a few sacrifices really a big deal? Without tremendous power, everything could be obliterated in an instant. I must remove that imbecile from the throne!"
Orochimaru sighed and departed in silence.
"You're merely an ordinary individual with some abilities. In the end, you're not a ninja. You can't comprehend the might of a true ninja or the value of chakra."
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