Chapter 99: Puppetry (Fake)
Hoshicai suddenly paused as he strolled down the Hyuga Clan's commercial street. Without warning, he felt her body stop responding to her will.
But surprisingly, he didn't panic.
As the distant force took hold of him, his pace quickened. Without hesitation, he broke into a sprint, darting toward a dense forest beyond the clan's territory.
Chakra gathered instinctively beneath his feet. His movements became fluid and precise as he leapt between branches, performed agile flips, and even formed hand seals to cast ninjutsu.
Even though Hoshicai had never learned any ninjutsu himself, under the control of this foreign consciousness, he was suddenly capable of using it with shocking ease. Her fingers weaved through the seals with only a slight stiffness, as if the technique wasn't fully his yet.
But that stiffness faded quickly.
The more time passed, the more naturally the control flowed—almost as if the foreign consciousness was syncing perfectly with his body.
Then, just as quickly as it had taken over, it stopped.
Hoshicai staggered back a few steps as control returned to him. He blinked.
"So this... is the limit without resistance," he muttered.
A familiar voice echoed in his mind.
"Try resisting my control next."
"Understood, Lord Ryosuke."
Not Master Ryosuke anymore—Lord Ryosuke.
Before, he had respected him for his status and talent. But now, after witnessing his true power firsthand, his respect had shifted into absolute submission.
Far away, in the courtyard of the Hyuga clan's main house, Ryosuke sat alone beneath a maple tree, its golden leaves almost all fallen.
Autumn's almost over, he thought quietly.
It had been some time since his return from the Land of Waves, and though the days were filled with training, Ryosuke found it far from boring.
If he hadn't traveled to this world—if he were still in his previous life—and stumbled upon a manual for cultivating immortality, he wouldn't waste time wandering around like some clueless protagonist from a low-budget drama. He'd devote himself fully to training, even if it meant solitude.
After all, in a chaotic world full of vanity and shallow pursuits, what could be more fulfilling than constant self-improvement? Watching your strength grow day by day—that was true satisfaction.
His current focus? The Five Elemental Nature Transformations and the secret techniques of Yin-Yang Release.
Even mastering one chakra nature took intense effort, but after evaluating his current abilities, Ryosuke had chosen to prioritize Yin Release first.
Yin-Yang Release was different from elemental nature transformations. Most of the secret techniques used by elite clans were derived from Yin-Yang.
Yang Release embodied the power of life and the body.
Yin Release embodied the power of spirit and the mind.
And illusions—every single genjutsu in this world—stemmed from Yin Release.
The more he delved into Yin Release, the stronger his illusionary abilities became. Recently, his Byakugan-awakened genjutsu had evolved to a new level. He no longer needed direct eye contact to control someone. As long as they were within his perception range, he could remotely seize their mind.
And that's what today's experiment was about: testing that range—and the limits.
Through his Byakugan, Ryosuke's consciousness had extended far out, riding along with Hoshicai. It was a strange sensation, as though his mind was split between the peaceful courtyard and the chaotic energy of a sprinting girl deep in the woods.
"I'll try disrupting my chakra flow to resist your genjutsu."
His voice reached him across the clan's territory, the connection crystal clear through their Byakugan link.
In theory, breaking free of a genjutsu involved disrupting one's own chakra flow, severing the genjutsu's grip.
But theory and practice were two different beasts.
Advanced Genjutsu—especially those cast through eye techniques—often made it impossible for the victim to control their chakra at all.
In such cases, only outside intervention—such as a teammate pumping their chakra into you—could break the genjutsu.
There was also a much harder method: fighting it off yourself.
But to do that, you needed a deep understanding of Yin Release and impeccable chakra control.
As Hoshicai began his internal struggle, Ryosuke felt the shift instantly.
His chakra drain spiked.
When he wasn't resisting, controlling his body—and his chakra—had been easy. Like moving his own limbs.
But now, with him pushing back, his chakra turned sluggish and uncooperative. He couldn't manipulate it with the same ease.
Still, it wasn't outside his capabilities.
Thanks to his second transformation, his chakra reserves had exploded in size. The increased consumption didn't faze him.
"That's enough. Come back."
"Yes!" came Hoshicai's breathless reply.
Clearly, resisting the genjutsu had taken its toll.
The experiment ended.
Ryosuke slowly withdrew his genjutsu.
His pupils dimmed, the faint glow in his eyes vanishing like a dying flame.
It was necessary to consider all scenarios during tests—especially the worst-case ones.
Just like earlier: if the person being controlled retained some awareness, a struggle for control could occur.
In that case, suppressing their will would consume more energy and chakra.
How well they resisted would depend on their understanding of Yin Release and their chakra control skills.
Still, such situations were rare.
Because Ryosuke's genjutsu didn't just control bodies—it trapped minds.
When he launched a full genjutsu, he could pull his target's consciousness into a false world. As long as they didn't sense anything wrong, they'd sink deeper and deeper, unable to resist at all.
That made his genjutsu incredibly effective for short-term control.
Especially when Ryosuke had no plans to reveal himself.
As Hoshicai made his way back, Ryosuke turned his attention to a scroll beside him.
It listed the travel delegation headed to the Land of Waves next week.
The Hyuga Clan was sending the same team as before.
But two new groups had joined them this time.
One group was the official Konoha delegation, led by Mitokado.
The other—envoys from the Land of Fire, noble representatives of the Daimyo's court.
Ryosuke's eyes narrowed slightly.
Things are about to get interesting.
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