Chapter 52: Rokomon

"Then we approached the largest stone in the center of the room, which glowed brighter than the others, almost like a beating heart at the core of the cave."

"As the team leader moved closer, something unexpected happened."

"From the shadows behind the stone, a creature emerged. It resembled a mole—but much larger and more terrifying than I could have ever imagined. The creature's back was covered in glowing stones, just like those that adorned the cave walls. The mole's eyes blazed with fury, and its massive body creaked as if ready to strike at any moment."

"Our team leader remained unshaken. Calmly, the leader raised his voice, speaking to the creature as if this encounter were routine."

"Kirigakure needs a few Rokomon," the leader said with a cold, flat tone, as though there was no room for refusal.

"I was shocked. I had never heard of Rokomon until that moment, but from the leader's tone and the creature's reaction, I could sense that this was no ordinary request. The mole's eyes narrowed, and the restrained anger was clear on its face."

In a raspy voice, the creature responded, "I will not give up the lives of my children! Even if I must sacrifice my own life, they will remain free!"

"A feeling of unease crept into my chest. It was clear that the 'Rokomon' our team leader demanded was something deeply valuable—something alive, perhaps connected to this creature and its offspring. Sympathy stirred within me for the creature, but I also knew we were on a mission, and failure was not an option."

The team leader chuckled lightly, his tone filled with disdain. "You live on Kirigakure land," the leader said. "Chakra beasts like you must pay a tax. And that tax is Rokomon. If you won't offer them voluntarily, we'll take them by force."

"At that moment, I understood what Rokomon were. They weren't just glowing stones. They were a part of this creature—a part of their life, something that could only be obtained by taking the lives of their young. The thought made my stomach turn. But I stayed silent. After all, this was Kirigakure's order."

The mole sneered, its eyes now burning with rage. It quickly turned and yelled to the children hiding in the shadows of the cave, "Go! Run as fast as you can!"

"With a deafening roar, the giant mole lunged at our team leader. The ground trembled as its massive claws struck the earth, sending a wave of dust and debris flying through the air."

"The team leader didn't hesitate for a second as he commanded us to attack."

"Attack!" the leader shouted, without any doubt.

"I, along with the team, immediately jumped into battle. The Chakra beast, a massive mole with glowing stones on its back, was far stronger than I had imagined. The fight turned into complete chaos, filled with Chakra explosions and dust swirling in the air. The mole's massive claws tore through the ground, tossing us in all directions, forcing us to fight desperately just to survive."

"I used every technique I had, throwing Chakra-laced shuriken and attacking with all my physical strength. But the mole was incredibly strong—too strong. Whenever its Chakra seemed depleted, the glowing stones on its back would shine brightly. In an instant, I could see the mole's Chakra restoring itself, as if the creature was reborn every time those stones glowed."

"I was astonished, yet I couldn't help but admire the incredible ability. Now I understood why Rokomon were so valuable. Not just as materials for weapons, but as Chakra absorbers that allowed the user to recover energy more rapidly."

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