Chapter 3: Masks of the Past

"Whoosh!"

A sound of a swift cut, followed by the sound of a tree falling.

Up to that point, it all seems quite ordinary... Well, not so ordinary, after all. What makes the situation almost extremely unusual was the fact that the tree in question, which was felled, was cut down by an arm with a blade-shaped hand. Literally, a sharp blade resembling some sort of cleaver in place of a hand.

However, the moment the same cleaver-shaped hand was swung, a human hand appeared.

"Mm, not bad."

The man's murmur was almost inaudible. He had a simple smile on his serene face, looking satisfied.

If one looked closely, they would see that the cut made on the tree was not a mere chop, but something done through a powerful wind strong enough to make a clean cut.

Of course, for someone of Sarutobi's level, this was simple. However, it was a step further towards his goal.

Shortly after, Sarutobi, having finished testing what he desired, adjusted himself before starting to run at full speed, jumping from tree to tree.

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[Naka Temple]

In front of the semi-destroyed scenery, with the name inscribed in ancient letters above the entrance, the 'Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple' revealed itself under the cloak of history and mystery. Sarutobi, observing the structure that withstood the test of time despite the clear signs of degradation, did not hesitate to enter through the broken entrance.

Upon entering, each step on the wooden floor making strange creaks, as if it could break at any moment. Looking around, Sarutobi was greeted by an atmosphere laden with antiquity, where Uzumaki symbols adorned the walls, narrating stories forgotten by time. What captured his attention the most, however, was an imposing mural adorned with horned masks and fearsome faces, each telling its own silent saga.

Making his arm extend into a flexible blade form that still maintained the human hand shape, he reached out and took hold of one of the masks. Although his goal was specific to that mask, soon after, he began to remove all the masks.

The reverent silence of the temple was suddenly interrupted by the unusual sound of Sarutobi crushing the masks between his teeth. Although this act did not enhance his physical strength or his vitality as before, it endowed him with new unique abilities, opening up a range of possibilities hitherto unknown.

When he passed his hand over his face, the same first mask he had removed appeared on his face. At the same time, the entire atmosphere around him became darker. Then, with arms open, the Shinigami appeared right behind him.

The figure of the Shinigami was revealed with a macabre solemnity. The supernatural entity stood with a colossal stature, its deep blue skin almost merging with the darkness that permeated the place. Its long white hair, wild and disheveled, fell like a cascade, partially covering the horns that arched proudly towards the sky. One could easily get lost in the vastness of its white mane, where each strand seemed to have a life of its own.

Its penetrating and bright violet eyes shone with an intensity that reflected the power and seriousness of its role. The mouth, sealed by a sort of dagger, prevented the passage of words, but its gaze communicated everything that was necessary; here was a being that did not need words to impose its will.

"Guahahaha-hahaha." Laughing, Sarutobi's voice sounded somewhat somber: "Wanting to control this body? It's not that easy, Shinigami."

Something even more surprising happened: it seemed that the Shinigami, known as Shikifukin, was hesitant about something. He moved one of his hands slowly towards his mouth, until he took the dagger and then extended his long arms slowly with the dagger, and a rosary of beads very similar to the 'mala', used by Buddhists, was handed over to Sarutobi.

The mask itself, now on his face, became a part of him, and, when Sarutobi wanted to open the false mouth, it soon looked as real as the actual one, in a macabre way.

Holding the dagger in one hand and the rosary in the other, Sarutobi began to consume the dagger. However, unlike before, the speed at which he consumed the dagger was slightly slow, taking almost an hour to eat half and nearly three hours to completely consume it.

Meanwhile, Shikifukin seemed to struggle, but at that moment, his will was not the same as the real body's sealed will; there was no way he could win against Sarutobi in that situation. Thus, he could only watch as Sarutobi slowly consumed his dagger and then his rosary.

Although they were not the actual physical tools, they were still, in essence, a part of the artifacts' spiritual energy.

Hours later... Sarutobi let his head drop forward, looking at the ground. Minutes passed, and his aura began to change, even as he made the mask disappear, along with the fading of the Shinigami.

Chakra began to leak expressively from Sarutobi's body, causing everything to tremble and showing visible signs of time collapsing.

In moments, the walls and the ceiling began to crack, along with the floor that started to sink, especially right below Sarutobi.

When it seemed like it couldn't get worse, everything collapsed. However, Sarutobi remained indifferent to it all, continuing to release his chakra, causing everything that fell in his direction to be thrown away, quickly creating a clean space of a few meters around him while the rest was in complete destruction.

In moments, a slow giggle, which soon turned somber involuntarily, came out of Sarutobi's mouth: "Guahahahahaha!"

His entire aura was incredibly sinister, enough to send shivers down even the bravest man's spine. The sound of his laughter alarmed animals and birds even more than the temple's collapse.

However, this did not last long. After laughing like a maniac, with his hands raised and his head tilted up to the sky, he once again let his head drop, looking back at the ground as he returned to silence.

"Sigh~!"

Sarutobi's long sigh broke the silence that had once again formed. Then, he murmured: "That was close... Even if it was just a little of its consciousness contained, 'it' almost managed to gain control of the body..."

Fortunately, he was able to swallow all the essence of consciousness that was still imprinted on the dagger and the rosary. Now, up to that moment, he no longer needed to worry about losing control again.

This, however, was also something good; the remaining consciousness of the Shinigami was the trigger he needed to break the limit of this body.

"Ew."

When he opened his mouth again, webs came out of his mouth.

Surprised by the unexpected development, Sarutobi was struck by a flash of understanding: 'I am no longer just a weapon, my evolution is different... Do I need to weave a cocoon to evolve?'

This idea triggered an irresistible desire to weave a cocoon, and with that conviction, Sarutobi set out in search of a suitable location, settling in a quiet cave that seemed perfect for his transformation. With meticulousness, he positioned various formations and seals around to ensure his safety.

Then, in the silence of the cave, Sarutobi surrendered to his instincts and began the process. With webs flowing from his mouth like an uninterrupted thread of silk, he skillfully manipulated them, intertwining them in overlapping layers. The webs intertwined, forming the outer structure of the cocoon. With precise and deliberate movements, Sarutobi wove the refuge that would facilitate his metamorphosis, each thread adding strength and stability to the growing chrysalis that would soon envelop him completely.

Now, the real question... After undergoing his metamorphosis, would he still be human?

Although being something non-human was something he did not desire after managing to transmigrate to a human body, he also wanted to have a younger body. So, even with the risk, he decided to take a chance.