Chapter 51: The Pressure Won’t Disappear

At that moment, Haku and Karin also witnessed the glowing orb enveloping Shinji and were amazed.

Shinji fell into thought.

"This 'Dream Construction' is undoubtedly Nightmare's ability, aligned with the spiritual realm, which suits my Mangekyō Sharingan well."

Due to lack of guidance, illusions had always been his weakness.

"With 'Dream Construction', perhaps I can compensate for this," he thought, deciding to claim this trophy for himself without hesitation.

What truly embarrassed him were the 'small drum' and 'Speed'.

"The 'small drum' is a physical object. If I carry it, my identity could be exposed. It's better suited for Haku or Karin."

"The same goes for 'Speed'."

"If I take it, I can only use it defensively against invasions. Using it in the ninja school at other times could easily be recognized by Haku and Karin."

"Although the small drum can only function indoors and has limited potential, it could be a lifesaver. Let Karin carry it for extra security."

"As for 'Speed', give it to Haku. He's already skilled in physical techniques, and this will further enhance his abilities."

Having made up his mind, Shinji first took the 'Dream Construction' orb for himself and then instructed Haku and Karin, "One for each of you. Haku, take the left one, and Karin, take the right."

Following Shinji's lead, Haku reached out for the orb. After a moment of hesitation, surprise lit up his face.

Karin also grasped her orb, which transformed into a palm-sized drum in her hand.

"Hey, isn't this the drum from that demon? No, it seems smaller," she remarked, recognizing its similarity to the drum used by the Demon earlier, albeit smaller.

Meanwhile, Shinji absorbed all memory fragments from 'Dream Construction,' his face filled with joy.

As expected, as Nightmare's master of dreams, constructing dreams compensated for his illusion weaknesses. However, mastering illusion would require ongoing practice and experimentation.

At last collecting his thoughts, Shinji glanced at Haku and Karin.

Seeing their pleased expressions, he knew they understood the spoils' significance. He spoke with gravity, "Now, I'll impart another principle. You must remember this."

"Please go ahead!" Haku and Karin responded seriously upon hearing Shinji's tone.

Shinji stated firmly, "Remember, anything related to Demons—objects, information, even memories in people's minds—is detrimental to the ninja world."

"What!?" Haku and Karin exclaimed, with Karin almost dropping the small drum.

Shinji didn't soften his tone, emphasizing, "Therefore, all information about Demons must remain confidential. The spoils obtained from Demons are strictly for personal use and must not be leaked."

Karin couldn't help asking, "What if there's an accidental leak?"

Shinji glanced at her, replying gravely, "Once leaked, those items and information that don't belong to the ninja world will act like chains, connecting our world with the Demon realm, spreading corruption. Eventually, it could lead to the destruction of both worlds together."

Karin swallowed hard. "And then?"

"Then, both worlds will perish together."

With that said, Shinji felt a weight lift off his shoulders.

Karin was puzzled, "If that's the case, why would those Demons invade our world? Wouldn't their world be destroyed too?"

Haku seemed to understand and added, "Is that why you used illusion to interrogate the Demon earlier?"

Shinji nodded slightly, "Honestly, I don't know why the Demons invaded the ninja world this time."

Haku and Karin felt a heavy silence descend.

Shinji observed their reactions and thought to himself, "Pressure doesn't just disappear; it shifts."

Considering the ninjutsu they had just acquired, Haku asked with concern, "Sir, could the information in our minds endanger the ninja world?"

Karin also looked at Shinji anxiously.

Shaking his head, Shinji reassured them, "Don't worry. We're exceptions. Only we can contain this pollution, but our protection is limited to ourselves. If your spoils were leaked, the pollution would spread."

Karin tightened her grip on the small drum.

Shinji nodded at her, advising, "Keep it close to you at all times."

"Yes!" Karin nodded eagerly.

She appreciated the small drum's ability to manipulate space but hadn't anticipated the risks involved.

"Alright, remember what I said. Now, let's split up and gather all survivors in town."

Shinji issued the order.

With no objections and fully grasping the gravity of the situation, Haku and Karin swiftly followed Shinji's instructions.

The town wasn't large, and after being ravaged by six Demons, only a hundred or so survivors remained.

Thankfully, these individuals had been trapped in the Dream Demon's illusions, making it straightforward for Shinji's team to locate and gather them.

Surveying the survivors lying on the street, Haku asked in a trembling voice, "Sir, what should we do with these survivors?"

Karin turned away, uneasy.

If their memories were tainted, the only solution was to erase the Demon-related memories from each survivor.

Seeing their misunderstanding, Shinji calmly stated, "What are you thinking? Demons can leave memories in people's minds, but I can remove those memories."

With that, he activated his Mangekyō Sharingan.

In an instant, Shinji infiltrated the survivors' dreams, using his Sharingan to seal away the Demons' memories one by one and implanting a false memory that the town had suffered a fire that night.

Exiting the dreamscape, he staggered, wiping sweat from his brow.

Sealing hundreds of memories simultaneously and implanting illusions was an immense strain, even for the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Concerned, Haku and Karin noticed Shinji's condition. "Sir, are you okay?"

Once wary of Shinji's mysterious organization, even threatened by it, they now depended on and trusted their leader.

Shinji waved them off, "I'm fine."

He pointed to several areas, instructing Haku and Karin to set fires as per the false memory implanted in the survivors' dreams—a reasonable explanation for the night's events.

Fire would suffice as a plausible explanation, given the demon-inflicted casualties.

Haku and Karin acted promptly.

Shortly afterward, flames engulfed the darkened town.

[Calculating rewards]

[Rating: A]

The 'Lamp' spoke in Shinji's ear once more.

End of chapter.

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