Naruto : Sequence 0 Visionary

Light rain fell in the mountains, and the pine trees swayed like ocean waves.

A warm, glowing fire could be seen coming from the small hut, with the clear, continuous sound of a hammer striking steel.

Gen Chisei arrived outside the door, listened for a moment to the sound of the hammering from inside, and after sorting out his chaotic thoughts and regaining calm, he pushed open the door and stepped in.

An elderly man, dressed in white linen clothes, was standing by the furnace, hammering a glowing red blade.

With his full head of silver hair, the elderly man wasn't particularly large, but his body was sculpted like a Greek statue — strong, well-proportioned, and perfectly lined with muscles. 

His arm, covered in veins, swung the hammer with each strike, sending bright sparks flying, while impurities in the blade were removed with every blow.

Each strike visibly changed the shape of the iron.

Gen Chisei quietly stood by the furnace, not speaking to disturb the old man. He drank from his cup and gazed absently at the fire.

"Your heart is troubled," the old man stopped hammering and turned to look at Gen Chisei. "Is it because you saw a spirit that should have died?"

After a brief hesitation, Gen Chisei exhaled a deep breath, his gaze distant as he nodded, speaking bitterly, "Yes, old man. Tonight, I saw... Chime, but he was different. It was like he had become someone else, a stranger."

Only in front of this old man could Gen Chisei let go of his burdens and feel a moment of relief.

"Chime is dead. You were the one who killed him," the old man lowered his eyelids and spoke calmly. "As for the person you saw tonight, they were just a spirit using Chime's body."

"I understand, old man." Gen Chisei drank deeply from his cup, his gaze still on the fire, his voice distant. "Don't worry, next time we meet, I won't hesitate."

"What about the Oni Clan's investigation?" The old man set down his hammer and asked.

"Based on the samples from Cassell College, along with the evidence from tonight, it's basically confirmed."

Switching to the matter at hand, Gen Chisei showed his competence and maturity: "The gene serum called, while it has clear side effects, can indeed activate dragon blood, purifying the ratio in the body. If this continues, one day there will be a version with no side effects — a true bloodline purification serum."

His tone revealed some concern. After all, if such a potion really existed, how many Hybrids would be able to resist the temptation it brought?

"We can't let them continue like this."

The elderly man's voice was deep, and his eyes flashed with sharp light. "The Forbidden Gate cannot be opened. What lies beyond is not heaven, but hell. Those who seek the power of the dragon will be devoured by it!"

"I will make arrangements."

Gen Chisei agreed, then paused before adding, "The people from the Headquarters seem to be investigating this as well. Should we inform them?"

"Yes."

The old man spoke indifferently. "This is a good opportunity to shift their focus."

"The Black Swan Bay?"

Gen Chisei guessed the old man's intention but furrowed his brow, a serious expression on his face. "Father, are you saying that the Headquarters has already discovered the secret of the Black Swan Bay?"

"No, not yet." The old man shook his head. "The Headquarters has detected the heartbeat of a 'dragon' in that area, so they sent someone to investigate. But the secret of the Black Swan Bay must remain hidden for now. That's why I need you to take care of this for the time being."

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy." Gen Chisei thought back to their meeting earlier that day and felt a headache coming on. The agents sent by the Headquarters were difficult to read, especially Caesar Gattuso. He seemed very sharp, and keeping things from him would not be easy.

"You won't need to hide it for long."

The old man gazed into the flames, his pupils shining with a cold light. "Take this opportunity to bury the Black Swan Bay forever. It's nothing but a grave for the dragons. Since it's already dead, it should remain as bones. We cannot allow it to return to the human world. The tragic fate of the Yamata no Orochi Families must be severed."

Outside the cabin, the wind howled through the pine forest, echoing like the wail of vengeful spirits.

Inside, the fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on the faces of the elderly man and the youth. There was a sense of inexplicable sadness in the air, weighing down heavily on them.

"Father, are you sure about this?" Gen Chisei remained silent for a long time before finally breaking the tension. "Once we take this step, there's no turning back."

The elderly man sat by the roadside, his eyes deep and thoughtful. He spoke meaningfully, "Chisei, sometimes, we don't have a choice."

"I will do my best to help you and convince the other family heads."

Gen Chisei held his long knife and stared at the stove fire with a sigh. "So, according to you, old man, if this works out, I'll be able to go to France, right?"

"Idiot! Are you just trying to get lazy?" The old man was stunned for a moment before laughing and scolding, "Alright, you're right. If it works out, both of us will be free. You can go to France and sell sunscreen, and I'll find a quiet place to wait for death."

"Don't say that. You could come with me and sell sunscreen too." Gen Chisei's eyes lit up with hope. "I heard Montalivet Beach in France is nice. In the summer, you can see hundreds of thousands of naked women. After selling sunscreen, we could get unemployment benefits in Paris and drink ourselves into a stupor every day. A life like that would be great."

It's hard to imagine what people would think if they heard that Gen Chisei, the young master of the Yamata no Orochi Clan, dreamed of selling sunscreen.

"Haha, right. I could go sell sunscreen with you."

The old man chuckled at his words, waving him off. "Go on, but remember to check on Eri. She's been running away from home again recently."

"She ran away again?"

Gen Chisei wasn't too surprised. This sort of thing had happened many times before.

"This time is different," the old man shook his head. "It seems like she ran away on purpose, which has never happened before."

"Alright, I'll go check on her."

Gen Chisei nodded and agreed.

"Go on, Chisei."

The old man put on a coat, put out the stove fire, and sat down on the floor. His voice lowered, "I'm a little tired. I want to rest."

Gen Chisei didn't say anything more, picking up his long knife and leaving the room.

The old man sat quietly on the floor, slowly closing his eyes. His memories seemed to drift back to a time long ago.

It was a late autumn, maybe 1990, or perhaps even earlier.

At the farthest edge of the extreme north, there stood a lonely fortress.

Even in the frozen land, forgotten by the gods, there existed a little-known underground stronghold.

The room was warm like spring, with an old-fashioned record player playing Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. An old man, dressed in a wool military uniform, swirled a glass of vodka in his hand.

He stood tall, with perfectly pressed trousers, a purple silk scarf tucked into his collar, and his silver hair neatly combed back. His face was aged, with deep lines carved by time. In his eyes, you could see the traces of years passing by.

At that moment, a Russian man in a pure white lab coat pushed open the door to the room.

"Andre, knocking is a sign of respect. Didn't you know that?"

The old man, interrupted suddenly, furrowed his brows, showing a hint of displeasure. "This is the last glass of Red Label vodka before the supplies arrive this year. If you don't give me a good reason, I'll have you step outside to calm down in the snowstorm."

"I'm terribly sorry, Dr. Herzog," The researcher, called Andre, looked very nervous and serious. He spoke in a low voice. "It's the subject 'No. 1.' There have been... unexpected issues."

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