After returning to his room, before Aburame Shigeo could say anything, Aburame Chion spoke first.
"Father, you seem... different somehow. It feels like you've become much younger. Did I see it wrong?"
"You didn't see it wrong."
Shigeo smiled faintly, then extended his hand, placing an immortal worm in front of her.
"This is the latest parasitic worm I've cultivated. I didn't give you a graduation gift before, so let this make up for it."
"Wow!"
Chion's eyes lit up as she looked at the immortal worm before her, brimming with joy.
"Father, is this the legendary bloodworm?"
As the Aburame clan's little princess, Chion was still young but had learned many things. She knew about the Special Task Force and their bloodworms, which could rapidly enhance their abilities.
However, she never asked Shigeo for one. Instead, she diligently trained, hoping to gain her father's recognition through her efforts.
Now, she felt she had succeeded.
Seeing her excitement, Shigeo's smile grew wider as he explained,
"This isn't a bloodworm. It's an immortal worm, dozens of times more powerful. But with your current ability, you can only have one."
Shigeo wasn't lying. For Chion, who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy, a single immortal worm was her limit.
One bloodworm could provide chakra equivalent to that of an average chunin.
In comparison, an immortal worm's Sage Chakra was akin to three wood-style parasitic worms or the combined output of thirty bloodworms.
Fortunately, the chakra provided by the immortal worm was gentle and primarily strengthened the body, with only a small portion entering the pathways.
Otherwise, Chion's body wouldn't be able to handle such a vast amount of chakra.
Even so, with just one immortal worm, Chion's chakra level immediately reached that of a jonin.
Feeling the new strength, Chion was thrilled.
"Father, I feel much stronger now! How about I join the Special Task Force, like Sasuke?"
"Haha, no rush."
Shigeo chuckled, ruffling her hair lovingly.
"First, stick with your mentor for missions to accumulate experience. Gradually familiarize yourself with this power. After you pass the Chunin Exams, joining the Special Task Force won't be too late."
"Got it!"
Chion nodded earnestly and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Father! I won't let you down. I'll go train now!"
"Alright, go on."
Watching his obedient daughter, Shigeo's expression softened with fatherly pride.
He knew that while Chion acted well-behaved in front of him, she was actually a mischievous little schemer. Still, her life in Konoha had been smooth and happy, thanks to both the Aburame clan and the village.
Shigeo understood the principle: "If the skin is gone, what can the hair attach to?" So, upon returning to Konoha, he worked to strengthen both his clan and the village.
However, becoming Hokage? Too much effort.
As the Captain of the Konoha Special Task Force and a Hokage Advisor, Shigeo already had a high rank, minimal responsibilities, and a comfortable life. What more could he ask for?
Living happily to the end was his goal.
And he planned to include his family in that happiness. Life as a loner held no appeal.
Thinking of this, Shigeo called Konan into the room and gifted her ten immortal worms.
Initially, Konan resisted. She wasn't particularly afraid of insects, but the idea of them living inside her was a different story.
However, when she learned that the immortal worms could enhance her power, preserve her youth, and extend her lifespan, she quickly accepted.
This made Shigeo reflect on how, no matter the world, people—men and women alike—cherished youth and life.
A new idea took shape in his mind:
Though his immortal worms wouldn't be shared with outsiders, could he create a weaker version for profit and diplomacy?
After all, who wouldn't want more youth and longevity?
Shigeo was certain that such a worm would captivate the feudal lords and nobility of the ninja world.
In this world, wars weren't decided solely by village leaders; feudal lords and nobles also played crucial roles. For aging elites, no treasure could compare to lost youth and dwindling time.
Still, misuse of these worms could provoke conflict. But used wisely, they might bring more than victory in war—they could reshape power structures.
"It seems I need to start working on a weakened version of the immortal worm."
Shigeo's eyes narrowed as a smile curled on his lips.
"This will be my apple tree."
Just as he had once engineered a coup in the Rain Village and initiated the "East Water West Diversion" project between the Land of Rain and the Land of Wind—planting "apple trees" that bore lasting benefits—now he had found his own personal apple tree, ripe with fruit.
With determination, Shigeo began crafting the weakened worms.
Having mastered the process with the original immortal worms, creating a weaker version was straightforward.
For the original, he combined a wood-style parasitic worm, a wood-style clone's chakra, and a nature worm made with wood-style and toad oil.
The weakened version used a bloodworm, a shadow clone's chakra, and a nature worm made with bloodworms and toad oil.
Once the formula was set, it was time for testing.
In under a minute, two crimson weakened immortal worms lay in his palm.
Testing revealed that these worms could still provide chakra to repair and strengthen cells, though the amount was only one-tenth of the original's. They also lacked the wood-style properties and had a lifespan of about 15 years.
Each worm could maintain the host's current appearance but not reverse aging. However, a 15-year life extension was still remarkable.
Satisfied, Shigeo smiled.
"It's time for a trip to the capital."
*(Chapter ends)*