Naruto: The Mist Within-Chapter 115 - 114: Shadows in the Mist

Ren's clone sat motionless in the laboratory, holding the flask of Glycina Nebula tightly in his hand. The flickering light of the oil lamp cast shadows across the walls, adding a tense atmosphere to the small space. Without hesitation, the clone brought the amber liquid to his lips and drank it in one smooth gulp.

Silence filled the room, broken only by the monotonous ticking of the lamp and the faint sound of the clone's breathing. He carefully observed himself, every muscle tense, expecting a reaction. Minutes passed, then half an hour, and finally an hour. Nothing. There were no signs of distress: no accelerated heartbeat, no sudden reactions. Even the chakra remained stable.

Across the lab, Ren sat on a stool, his pen moving quickly across his notebook. He was noting every detail, observing the clone as though it were a live experiment—and, in fact, it was.

"Well, it's already a result that it's not harmful. For now, let's see if there are any long-term effects. I'll wait a few hours before dispelling it."

Ren set the pen on the bench and stood up. His eyes rested on the clone with calculated calm. "Review all the tomes on fuinjutsu Takeshi gave me. I want a comprehensive review of the seals we've learned so far."

The clone nodded, its face identical to Ren's but devoid of unnecessary expressions. It turned to the bookshelf and began pulling out scrolls and books, spreading them across a long wooden table. With methodical precision, it started reading and replicating the seals on a practice sheet, analyzing every detail.

While the clone worked, Ren returned to the main bench. He picked up the empty flask of Glycina Nebula and began reanalyzing the residues, observing how the liquid reacted to different temperatures and adding small amounts of other compounds to test its chemical stability. The faintly sweet aroma of the compound mingled with the sharp scent of solvents and reagents.

"Stable," Ren murmured, jotting down results. "No precipitation under thermal stress. No exothermic reaction. That's a good sign."

However, it wasn't enough. Theory wasn't sufficient: he needed practical data, tests on a living organism to verify if the compound had regenerative properties or other beneficial effects.

After tidying up the instruments, Ren approached a small cabinet near the door, where he kept an empty cage and some tools for capturing small animals. He donned a light cloak to shield himself from the village's humidity and left the lab, the door creaking slightly as it closed.

- - -

Takeshi was hunched over the still-glowing blade, which was slowly taking shape under the methodical blows of his hammer. The sword Raiga had requested was almost complete, but every detail demanded utmost precision. He muttered under his breath as he worked, the sound of his words blending with the metallic clang.

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The forge's door creaked open, and Kurara entered, her usual impassive expression in place.

"Granpa," she greeted in her calm, unwavering tone.

Takeshi barely glanced up, acknowledging her with a nod and a simple, "Kurara."

Silence resumed, broken only by the rhythmic strikes of the hammer against the glowing steel.

- - -

Aoi and Jun'ko strolled leisurely through the misty streets of the village. Jun'ko had her hands behind her head, her relaxed posture contrasting with Aoi's composed and reflective demeanor.

"Strange," Aoi murmured, noticing two masked figures moving through the village. "The ANBU usually avoid being noticed."

Jun'ko shrugged, a carefree smile on her face. "Maybe they're on their day off."

Aoi stared at her, a mix of disbelief and exasperation on his face. "If that were the case, they wouldn't be wearing their masks."

Jun'ko burst into laughter. "You always have an answer for everything, don't you?"

- - -

Ren returned to the lab carrying a rat he had found during his search in the hidden alleys of Kirigakure. It was a small gray animal, bright-eyed and scruffy, but healthy enough to serve as a test subject. He carefully placed it in a small cage, the cold metal reflecting the flickering light of the oil lamp.

He picked up a vial of the Glycina Nebula, observing its amber color with focused attention. The solution was clear, but under the lamp's light, faint convection currents could be seen, as if the liquid were alive. Using a dropper, he extracted a small amount and approached the cage.

"Here we go," he murmured, carefully administering the solution to the rat while watching it with investigative eyes. The small animal initially squirmed, shaking its nose as if detecting an unusual taste, but then calmed down, resuming its exploration of the cage.

Ren leaned against the bench, continuing to monitor every movement of the rat. "I don't think it has chakra," he muttered, jotting the first data points of the experiment in his notebook, "but I should still notice improvements at a cellular level."

His gaze shifted to the clone, which was diligently working on the long scroll stretched across the main table. Each line of the seals was precise, a meticulous repetition of what Ren himself had learned from Takeshi's tomes. The clone, without pause, was making small variations on each seal, testing minor modifications to assess their effectiveness.

"Not bad," Ren thought, glancing at it briefly. "At least I'm not wasting time."

He returned to the cage and noted that the rat seemed calm, its movements fluid and free of any signs of discomfort. This, in itself, was already an encouraging result.

Good, that will do for now, he reflected. I just need to wait and see if there are any long-term effects. But patience had never been his strength, and soon his mind began to wander.

I wonder what I could do today... His thoughts returned to a matter he had set aside in recent weeks. It's been a while since I've heard from Utakata. I don't think anything serious has happened yet; it's too early for the Akatsuki's intervention. However... it might be wise to check on him.

His expression grew more serious. Utakata was a crucial point in the intricate web of events that was slowly unfolding. If I can prevent his fracture with Harusame, he thought, tapping his fingers on the bench, I might be able to delay or even prevent his capture by the Akatsuki in the future.

Looking out of the lab's small window, he observed the mist that enveloped Kirigakure like a protective yet oppressive shroud. Ren's eyes narrowed as he considered his options. Utakata was strong, but even a sharp mind could collapse under the pressure of the wrong circumstances. Harusame, his master, was a key element: their bond could either be a weapon against him or a salvation.

First of all, I need to understand the current state of things between them. If I can intervene at the right moment, I might be able to prevent the situation from worsening.

His gaze returned to the rat, still alive and active in its cage. A small relief crossed his mind: at least the compound didn't seem lethal. With a deep breath, he turned to the clone.

"Continue with the seals. I want you to review all the advanced combinations we've learned so far. Ensure the chakra flow is stable."

The clone nodded wordlessly as Ren gathered his cloak and put it on. "I still have time. I can start checking Utakata today."

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