Hibiki felt a mix of warmth and determination swelling within her as she listened to Nao. His words filled her with pride and a sense of purpose. She squeezed his hand back, taking a moment to let his support and encouragement sink in. Her gaze then shifted to Okane, watching him as he meticulously worked on the scrolls, his silence making her curious about his thoughts.
“Thank you, Nao. Your support means everything to me,” Hibiki said softly, her voice sincere. “I’m really excited about what I can do now. This new level of my steel release… it feels like a part of me that I’ve been waiting to unlock for so long. And I promise, I’ll use it to protect you and everyone else we care about.”
Hibiki took a moment to consider Nao's suggestion about knuckle dusters before responding. "Nao, I really appreciate the idea, and I can see how knuckle dusters could be a powerful addition to someone's arsenal. But with my steel release, my hands essentially become knuckle dusters when I transform. It's like they’re already weaponized in that form."
She held up her hands, flexing her fingers as if to emphasize her point. "When I shift into my steel form, my hands turn into something much stronger and more durable than any regular knuckle dusters. They can take a lot of punishment and deal out a lot of damage on their own. I’m not sure if adding external knuckle dusters would make much of a difference, and it might even hinder my ability to fully utilize my transformation."
Hibiki watched Okane's pen glide smoothly over the paper, his elegant handwriting creating a stark contrast to her own struggles with reading. Feeling a bit sheepish, she spoke up, "Okane, can you please keep the wording simplified for me? My ability to read isn't the best, and I want to make sure I can understand everything properly."
As she watched him work, an idea began to form in her mind. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she recalled something she had seen recently. "Oh, I just had a thought!" she exclaimed. "Mr. Kyoshi had these cool drones in his store, and it got me thinking. What if we could modify the Dragonfly Swarm jutsu to act in a similar fashion? Instead of using them as flying blades to attack people, we could make them send back information. Like for reconnaissance. It’d be really useful!"
Hibiki's enthusiasm was palpable as she continued, "Imagine being able to scout areas safely from a distance, getting real-time intel without putting ourselves in danger. Do you think that's possible? Could we modify the jutsu like that?" Her eyes sparkled with the possibilities, her mind racing with the potential applications of such a technique.
Nao was right; Hibiki didn't have to share everything. But she trusted Okane in a way that she did few others. Despite the short amount of time she had known him, he had been much more accommodating to her than he needed to be. She was sure she wouldn't receive such kind treatment if she went to see the main clan over in Iwa.
Considering how conservative they were, they might not look kindly upon a woman running around with as much power as she had. They might even look at her with suspicion, considering she wasn't on any clan records anymore. It wouldn't be the first time someone had robbed a bloodline user of an organ and then tried to pass themselves off as a natural member of a clan after an implant.
Hibiki squeezed Nao's hand lightly for support, feeling his reassuring presence beside her as she began to recount her dark past. "When I was a child, the outpost my branch of the clan lived in was razed to the ground. This must have been near the start of the great ninja war. As one of the few survivors, I was taken in by an organization called Hades. They did a bunch of illegal experiments on me," she explained, her voice steady despite the painful memories.
"They used drugs and stuff to see if they could make stronger soldiers faster and with less training. Basically, they were trying to turn me into a better Tetsudashi, but all the experiments they did damaged my mind." She tapped the side of her head softly with a finger. "It's like living with a perpetual fog in my head. It makes it hard for me to think, but I was one of the lucky ones..."
Hibiki took a steadying breath, feeling Nao’s supportive presence beside her. “With the first round of Project Re-forge complete, they debated what to do with the test subjects next. With the war heating up, they decided the best option was to give us a modicum of training and then send us out into the field. Somehow, I survived the experience and made it back. I guess I got lucky or something because, honestly, it was pretty rough out there.”
“Anyhow, they transferred me to Project Divine Arms. Part of that was to test if they could use rituals to awaken the latent power of my bloodline. I suppose that actually did work in the end,” Hibiki said, glancing at Nao with a blush and a light giggle.
“I bet they’d be frustrated to find that out. Who would have guessed that the missing ingredient was love.” Not that Hibiki had any proof of her assertion but it was the only explanation that made sense in her mind since her power had unlocked after she and Nao had shared their first kiss together.
Hibiki took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief after sharing her past. "Everything I've shared so far is stuff I've told Nao before... or at least I'm pretty sure I've told him most of it," she said with a small smile. "I haven't gone into the nitty-gritty details, but a broad outline should be enough for you to understand my situation Okane."
Without knowing her background the rest which was more pertinent to her not wanting a weapon would make little to no sense.
“As much as I despise everything about Hades and their plans for me, I did take something with me from Project Divine Arms." She took a deep breath, meeting his eyes with a mixture of determination and vulnerability.
"They were planning to implant a special organ in me, a part of their twisted experiments. I've kept it hidden because I didn't want to rely on their advancements, but... lately, I've been considering using it."
“This bloodline, it's not just any enhancement, it grants the user a soulbound weapon that grows in power alongside its wielder, but it comes at the cost of making the user not feel very comfortable using other weapons… What was it again? Oh yeah I think it makes coordination weaker or something along those lines.” Hibiki said.
“They theorized I could maybe get around that weakness, at least a little with the weapons I produce with my bloodline. Something about how the soul weapon would essentially see them as an extension of myself. But that wouldn’t fly with something someone else made for me."
She paused, choosing her words carefully as she continued, "This soulbound weapon, it's supposed to be indestructible and having it would allow me to punch through obstacles and protect our village in ways I couldn't before. I want to be strong enough to safeguard everyone, including you, Nao."
Her gaze hardened with a flicker of determination. "I want to implant it to make myself stronger, strong enough to protect our village, to protect you, and to face any threat head-on. I want to be powerful enough to stand against a Bijuu and make a difference with one punch."
"I know it's risky, and I don't take this decision lightly. But if it means I can become a stronger Shinobi and protect those I love, then I'm willing to take that chance. I hope you understand, Nao, and that you'll support me in this."
Her voice softened with a hint of uncertainty as she added, "I didn't want to burden you with this, but keeping secrets from you... it doesn't feel right. I trust you, Nao, more than anyone. And whatever happens, I promise to use this strength responsibly, to uphold our values and protect our future together."
Embarrassed that the last bit had been mostly directed at Nao, even though they had an audience, Hibiki cleared her throat and explained further.
"I did ask Mr. Kiyoshi to make me a midnight mace before the chunin exams started, but he fell sick before he could complete my order," Hibiki said, glancing at Okane. "A big weapon that could take maximum advantage of my increased strength might be worth using, even with the coordination penalty."
She then chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Though, a mace might be a bit much for an engagement trinket. Instead of a weapon, what I could really use is something to help defend against Genjutsu. That's essentially my biggest weakness. Preferably, something that doesn't require attunement since my scarf reduces fire damage, which, as you know, is our bloodline's weak spot."
Hibiki looked at Okane with a mixture of hope and determination. "My second slot is already spoken for with the chakra enhancing engagement ring that you're making me, and my soulbound weapon will take up my third and last spot.” If anyone could help her shore up her weakness to illusions with a new device or two it would be Okane.
[21]
“Thank you, Nao. Your support means everything to me,” Hibiki said softly, her voice sincere. “I’m really excited about what I can do now. This new level of my steel release… it feels like a part of me that I’ve been waiting to unlock for so long. And I promise, I’ll use it to protect you and everyone else we care about.”
Hibiki took a moment to consider Nao's suggestion about knuckle dusters before responding. "Nao, I really appreciate the idea, and I can see how knuckle dusters could be a powerful addition to someone's arsenal. But with my steel release, my hands essentially become knuckle dusters when I transform. It's like they’re already weaponized in that form."
She held up her hands, flexing her fingers as if to emphasize her point. "When I shift into my steel form, my hands turn into something much stronger and more durable than any regular knuckle dusters. They can take a lot of punishment and deal out a lot of damage on their own. I’m not sure if adding external knuckle dusters would make much of a difference, and it might even hinder my ability to fully utilize my transformation."
Hibiki watched Okane's pen glide smoothly over the paper, his elegant handwriting creating a stark contrast to her own struggles with reading. Feeling a bit sheepish, she spoke up, "Okane, can you please keep the wording simplified for me? My ability to read isn't the best, and I want to make sure I can understand everything properly."
As she watched him work, an idea began to form in her mind. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she recalled something she had seen recently. "Oh, I just had a thought!" she exclaimed. "Mr. Kyoshi had these cool drones in his store, and it got me thinking. What if we could modify the Dragonfly Swarm jutsu to act in a similar fashion? Instead of using them as flying blades to attack people, we could make them send back information. Like for reconnaissance. It’d be really useful!"
Hibiki's enthusiasm was palpable as she continued, "Imagine being able to scout areas safely from a distance, getting real-time intel without putting ourselves in danger. Do you think that's possible? Could we modify the jutsu like that?" Her eyes sparkled with the possibilities, her mind racing with the potential applications of such a technique.
Nao was right; Hibiki didn't have to share everything. But she trusted Okane in a way that she did few others. Despite the short amount of time she had known him, he had been much more accommodating to her than he needed to be. She was sure she wouldn't receive such kind treatment if she went to see the main clan over in Iwa.
Considering how conservative they were, they might not look kindly upon a woman running around with as much power as she had. They might even look at her with suspicion, considering she wasn't on any clan records anymore. It wouldn't be the first time someone had robbed a bloodline user of an organ and then tried to pass themselves off as a natural member of a clan after an implant.
Hibiki squeezed Nao's hand lightly for support, feeling his reassuring presence beside her as she began to recount her dark past. "When I was a child, the outpost my branch of the clan lived in was razed to the ground. This must have been near the start of the great ninja war. As one of the few survivors, I was taken in by an organization called Hades. They did a bunch of illegal experiments on me," she explained, her voice steady despite the painful memories.
"They used drugs and stuff to see if they could make stronger soldiers faster and with less training. Basically, they were trying to turn me into a better Tetsudashi, but all the experiments they did damaged my mind." She tapped the side of her head softly with a finger. "It's like living with a perpetual fog in my head. It makes it hard for me to think, but I was one of the lucky ones..."
Hibiki took a steadying breath, feeling Nao’s supportive presence beside her. “With the first round of Project Re-forge complete, they debated what to do with the test subjects next. With the war heating up, they decided the best option was to give us a modicum of training and then send us out into the field. Somehow, I survived the experience and made it back. I guess I got lucky or something because, honestly, it was pretty rough out there.”
“Anyhow, they transferred me to Project Divine Arms. Part of that was to test if they could use rituals to awaken the latent power of my bloodline. I suppose that actually did work in the end,” Hibiki said, glancing at Nao with a blush and a light giggle.
“I bet they’d be frustrated to find that out. Who would have guessed that the missing ingredient was love.” Not that Hibiki had any proof of her assertion but it was the only explanation that made sense in her mind since her power had unlocked after she and Nao had shared their first kiss together.
Hibiki took a deep breath, feeling a sense of relief after sharing her past. "Everything I've shared so far is stuff I've told Nao before... or at least I'm pretty sure I've told him most of it," she said with a small smile. "I haven't gone into the nitty-gritty details, but a broad outline should be enough for you to understand my situation Okane."
Without knowing her background the rest which was more pertinent to her not wanting a weapon would make little to no sense.
“As much as I despise everything about Hades and their plans for me, I did take something with me from Project Divine Arms." She took a deep breath, meeting his eyes with a mixture of determination and vulnerability.
"They were planning to implant a special organ in me, a part of their twisted experiments. I've kept it hidden because I didn't want to rely on their advancements, but... lately, I've been considering using it."
“This bloodline, it's not just any enhancement, it grants the user a soulbound weapon that grows in power alongside its wielder, but it comes at the cost of making the user not feel very comfortable using other weapons… What was it again? Oh yeah I think it makes coordination weaker or something along those lines.” Hibiki said.
“They theorized I could maybe get around that weakness, at least a little with the weapons I produce with my bloodline. Something about how the soul weapon would essentially see them as an extension of myself. But that wouldn’t fly with something someone else made for me."
She paused, choosing her words carefully as she continued, "This soulbound weapon, it's supposed to be indestructible and having it would allow me to punch through obstacles and protect our village in ways I couldn't before. I want to be strong enough to safeguard everyone, including you, Nao."
Her gaze hardened with a flicker of determination. "I want to implant it to make myself stronger, strong enough to protect our village, to protect you, and to face any threat head-on. I want to be powerful enough to stand against a Bijuu and make a difference with one punch."
"I know it's risky, and I don't take this decision lightly. But if it means I can become a stronger Shinobi and protect those I love, then I'm willing to take that chance. I hope you understand, Nao, and that you'll support me in this."
Her voice softened with a hint of uncertainty as she added, "I didn't want to burden you with this, but keeping secrets from you... it doesn't feel right. I trust you, Nao, more than anyone. And whatever happens, I promise to use this strength responsibly, to uphold our values and protect our future together."
Embarrassed that the last bit had been mostly directed at Nao, even though they had an audience, Hibiki cleared her throat and explained further.
"I did ask Mr. Kiyoshi to make me a midnight mace before the chunin exams started, but he fell sick before he could complete my order," Hibiki said, glancing at Okane. "A big weapon that could take maximum advantage of my increased strength might be worth using, even with the coordination penalty."
She then chuckled softly, trying to lighten the mood. "Though, a mace might be a bit much for an engagement trinket. Instead of a weapon, what I could really use is something to help defend against Genjutsu. That's essentially my biggest weakness. Preferably, something that doesn't require attunement since my scarf reduces fire damage, which, as you know, is our bloodline's weak spot."
Hibiki looked at Okane with a mixture of hope and determination. "My second slot is already spoken for with the chakra enhancing engagement ring that you're making me, and my soulbound weapon will take up my third and last spot.” If anyone could help her shore up her weakness to illusions with a new device or two it would be Okane.
[21]
