Chapter 609: Kaguya, Let’s Get Married

Chapter 609: Chapter 609: Kaguya, Let’s Get Married

Chapter 609: Kaguya, Let’s Get Married

Kenichi was irritated.

Extremely irritated.

After comparing his records with Amado’s observations, he confirmed that the strange reactions displayed by Kaguya’s clone occurred at exactly the same times he had been implanting new memories into Kaguya’s consciousness fragment.

In other words, his previous suspicion was probably correct.

Whatever Kaguya’s consciousness fragment experienced could apparently be sensed by other versions of Kaguya.

If even a clone reacted to those experiences, then there was little doubt that Kaguya’s sealed main body could sense them as well.

Just thinking about that made Kenichi’s scalp tingle.

"I don’t think we should continue researching this Kaguya clone."

Kenichi’s expression became serious.

"In fact, we should destroy it."

There was no helping it.

The clone seemed to possess some kind of consciousness-sharing connection with Kaguya.

It sounded almost like a hive mind.

But that only made Kenichi more confused.

Kaguya was already an extremely unusual life-form, but if she truly possessed something resembling a hive mind, where exactly did that ability come from?

Ordinary humans certainly did not possess shared consciousness.

Such traits were more commonly associated with certain specialized animals or insects.

Then again, Kaguya was not human in the first place.

Considering her Otsutsuki biology and the changes caused by the chakra fruit, perhaps some form of distributed consciousness was not impossible.

Kenichi fell into thought.

If his theory was correct, then deliberately stimulating the clone should cause an even stronger response from Kaguya’s main consciousness.

His gaze drifted toward the clone.

It still looked like a young girl.

Kenichi silently repeated a warning to himself.

Absolutely not.

The very idea was insane.

If he actually crossed that line, the consequences would be catastrophic.

So Kenichi immediately abandoned the thought.

Destroying the clone remained the safest option.

He could not risk it eventually becoming some kind of vessel that allowed Kaguya to bypass her seal.

"Destroy it?"

Amado looked visibly reluctant.

"But..."

This was an incredibly rare experimental subject.

Unlike most life-forms in the Shinobi World, Kaguya’s biology was so strange that Amado occasionally wondered whether Kenichi had literally gone into outer space and captured an alien.

The more he studied the clone, the more fascinating it became.

"It has to be destroyed."

Kenichi’s tone left no room for argument.

"Kaguya herself is unbelievably powerful."

"I suspect her main body can sense what happens to her clones."

Amado shuddered.

A trace of horror appeared in his eyes.

If Kenichi’s suspicion was correct...

Then this really was dangerous.

After studying Kaguya’s clone for so long, Amado had developed at least a basic understanding of how abnormal its biology was.

In his opinion, the clones themselves already represented something highly unpredictable.

And if Kaguya could actually sense what happened to them...

Wouldn’t that mean Amado himself might eventually become a target?

"Could we sever the connection somehow?"

Even while frightened, Amado still seemed reluctant to abandon the experiment.

"For example, damage the relevant neural pathways?"

"Or perhaps isolate the clone using some kind of insulating material?"

Kenichi gave him a helpless look.

This man really was a qualified scientist.

Perhaps too qualified.

Even after learning that the subject might be connected to an unimaginably dangerous being, Amado’s first instinct was still to find a way to continue the research.

"Are her brainwaves active?"

Kenichi turned toward the Kaguya clone.

As he examined her, he also noted several subtle physical characteristics.

Those details might help him create more convincing genjutsu scenarios when he continued experimenting on Kaguya’s consciousness fragment.

Truthfully, Kenichi was reluctant to abandon the clone as well.

If he could successfully cultivate multiple Kaguya clones...

Perhaps he could eventually research whether the effects of the Divine Tree’s chakra fruit could somehow be extracted from them.

"No."

Amado shook his head.

"Even during those unusual reactions, there was no detectable brainwave activity."

"I’ve monitored her repeatedly."

"The clone doesn’t appear to possess an active consciousness."

Kenichi fell silent.

Then he made a decision.

At this point, pretending nothing had happened was meaningless.

Even if he stopped now, Kaguya was not going to magically forget everything her consciousness fragment had experienced.

So instead of retreating halfway...

Kenichi decided to make the best of a terrible situation.

If Kaguya was already furious with him, then he might as well continue until her emotions toward him became sufficiently complicated that she hesitated before immediately trying to kill him.

To accomplish that, he needed stronger psychological conditioning.

More realistic memories.

More convincing experiences.

And for that...

He needed an accurate adult version of Kaguya.

Kenichi’s gaze returned to the clone.

He needed to know exactly what Kaguya looked like after reaching maturity.

Then he could construct a carefully designed genjutsu experience around that appearance.

Only then would he have a better chance of achieving the result he wanted.

"In that case..."

Kenichi gave Amado new instructions.

Soon, Amado began accelerating the development of another Kaguya clone according to Kenichi’s requirements.

The current clone would remain available for experimentation.

Kenichi wanted to determine whether the connection between the clone and Kaguya’s main body could be severed.

He also carefully recorded several characteristics from Kaguya’s younger developmental stage for future reference.

Afterward, Kenichi hurriedly left the laboratory.

He found the same adult woman who had participated in his previous two consciousness experiments.

After rendering her unconscious, Kenichi began another specialized procedure.

This time, he completely altered her appearance.

When he finished, he stepped back and examined the result.

"Actually..."

Kenichi stroked his chin.

"This is pretty convincing."

The woman now looked remarkably similar to Kaguya.

Her body proportions matched closely.

Her facial appearance possessed the same distinctive beauty.

To make the disguise even more accurate, Kenichi modified her eyes into Byakugan.

They were not Tenseigan.

But ordinary Byakugan were enough.

At least visually, the woman now closely resembled Kaguya.

Appearance was what mattered most for the next phase.

Kenichi intended to construct an even more elaborate genjutsu around this false Kaguya.

Within that illusion, her entire perception of herself would be rewritten.

At the same time, the process gave Kenichi an opportunity to conduct another interesting experiment.

What would happen if someone completely and sincerely believed they were another person?

Could sufficiently powerful psychological conditioning produce unusual physical effects?

Could the subject genuinely begin displaying traits associated with the person they believed themselves to be?

Could their genes somehow change?

Could something stranger happen?

To test that possibility, Kenichi would need to construct an extremely convincing and carefully guided genjutsu.

Only then could he observe whether belief alone might influence the body.

"I..."

The false Kaguya slowly opened her eyes in confusion.

Before she could fully awaken, Kenichi’s genjutsu enveloped her once again.

This time, he used everything he remembered from the melodramatic romance dramas he had watched with his mother in his previous life.

Misunderstandings.

Reunions.

Arguments.

Emotional confessions.

Complicated twists.

And, naturally, a happy ending.

Kenichi also incorporated numerous elements from romantic anime.

Beyond that, he established multiple psychological triggers.

Certain keywords.

Specific actions.

Particular situations.

Whenever one of those triggers appeared, a predetermined emotional or behavioral response would activate.

It was essentially an enhanced form of psychological suggestion.

Kenichi wanted Kaguya to develop a habit.

A unique conditioned response associated specifically with him.

To make the scenario more convincing, Kenichi himself cooperated with several parts of the experiment instead of relying entirely on fabricated imagery.

All of it served a single purpose.

He did not need Kaguya to genuinely love him.

He only needed her to hesitate.

Even a brief hesitation would be enough.

When Kaguya eventually faced both Isshiki and Kenichi, he wanted Isshiki to remain her primary target.

"I hope this actually works."

Kenichi released the genjutsu.

The false Kaguya opened her eyes.

The moment she saw him, she instinctively moved closer and embraced him, behaving according to the personality and conditioned responses created within the illusion.

Kenichi smiled faintly.

Then he tapped her forehead.

The woman immediately fell into a deep sleep.

For now, Kenichi planned to keep her employed within his laboratory.

Before Kaguya was actually unsealed, he might still need her to participate in additional staged scenarios.

That meant she could not simply return to her ordinary life yet.

Afterward, Kenichi extracted the emotional memories and consciousness data generated by the experiment.

He returned to the laboratory and approached Kaguya’s imprisoned consciousness fragment.

The fragment had fallen into an extremely subdued state.

It barely moved anymore, only trembling from time to time.

Kenichi carefully removed the previous batch of implanted memories.

Then he inserted the newly prepared ones.

...

"Hmm?"

Inside the sealed space, Kaguya instantly sensed something unusual.

She frowned.

Annoyance immediately surged through her.

What was that bastard Kenichi doing to her again?

Once she escaped...

She swore she would teach that little bastard a lesson.

She would make him understand exactly what happened when someone dared to toy with Kaguya Otsutsuki’s consciousness.

Then the new memories began.

"This..."

Kaguya froze.

"Isn’t this me?"

She looked down at herself.

Even a small mark hidden on her body was exactly where it should have been.

Kaguya immediately moved toward a mirror.

The face reflected back at her was unmistakable.

Her face.

Her body.

Her eyes.

Everything matched.

Kaguya was genuinely stunned.

During the previous false experiences, she had always been able to identify inconsistencies.

Whenever she realized the body within the memory was not truly hers, that discrepancy gave her something to resist.

A flaw she could hold onto.

Proof that the experience was false.

But now...

"Kaguya..."

A lazy voice came from behind her.

Warm arms wrapped around her.

Kaguya stiffened.

Outside the window, she could see Konoha.

For the first time, the fabricated Shinobi World surrounding her seemed far more vivid.

Far more detailed.

Far more real.

...

Kenichi quietly observed the consciousness fragment inside the container.

Its reaction had become extremely intense.

Clearly, Kaguya was having difficulty accepting the new experience.

Kenichi was not particularly concerned.

He simply watched and recorded the response.

At the same time, he remained in communication with Amado through a simple cup-and-string communication device.

Their other experiment was still underway.

Kenichi wanted to determine whether the strange shared-consciousness connection between Kaguya and her clones could be severed.

To properly test that, the experiments on both sides needed to remain synchronized.

Originally, Kenichi had considered moving Kaguya’s consciousness fragment into the cloning laboratory.

He eventually rejected the idea.

Moving it could introduce too many uncontrolled variables.

Instead, he kept the two subjects separated and treated the entire procedure as a controlled research project.

If they could successfully sever the perception shared between Kaguya and her clone, the discovery could have enormous value for future research involving the Otsutsuki Clan.

"Amado."

Kenichi watched Kaguya’s consciousness fragment continue resisting.

"How are things on your end?"

Her struggle was still fierce.

Kenichi had to remain constantly alert.

His goal was to force the consciousness fragment into a state where resistance accomplished nothing.

Only when Kaguya could do nothing except accept the implanted reality would Kenichi consider the conditioning effective.

Still, time was running short.

The date they had agreed upon was approaching.

Soon, the Shinobi World would launch its operation against Isshiki.

"We’re still experimenting."

Amado’s voice came through the crude communicator, slightly distorted.

"The clone is displaying severe physiological reactions, but I still haven’t found a way to block the connection completely."

Kenichi frowned.

Under ordinary circumstances, there were many ways for information and consciousness to be transmitted throughout the Shinobi World.

If one attempted to explain those mechanisms scientifically, many could be interpreted as various forms of chemical signaling, pheromones, brainwaves, chakra signals, or other information-carrying phenomena.

But Kaguya’s main body was located...

Kenichi looked upward.

The Moon.

At that distance, ordinary pheromones were obviously impossible.

There was also the vacuum of space between them.

No conventional chemical signal could cross that distance and produce synchronized reactions.

So Kenichi increasingly favored another explanation.

Some form of unique wave.

A special frequency or information-carrying signal.

And if the connection truly depended on a specific waveband...

Then perhaps it could be blocked.

"Amado."

Kenichi spoke into the communicator.

"I think the connection may depend on some kind of unique waveband."

"If we can shield that frequency, we might be able to sever the shared perception."

Some insects relied on pheromones for communication.

But Kaguya clearly was not using that method.

She was not an insect.

More importantly, the enormous distance and vacuum between the Moon and the Shinobi World made chemical transmission effectively impossible.

A wave-based mechanism made far more sense.

"A waveband?"

Amado immediately understood what Kenichi was suggesting.

"I see."

"I’ll test it."

He hurried off to continue the experiment.

Kenichi waited patiently.

Materials capable of blocking or interfering with different types of waves were not impossible to obtain.

However, Kaguya was an extraordinarily unusual life-form.

If the signal she used was equally unusual, they might need a large amount of specialized material before they could isolate it completely.

Gathering everything would take time.

Kenichi glanced toward Kaguya’s consciousness fragment.

It was still struggling violently inside the container.

He watched for a moment.

Then relaxed slightly.

At least she looked capable of struggling for quite a while longer.

.....

Check out my newly released fanfic: Titled:

Frieren: The Demon Who Learned to Love