Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 331 The Legend of Grell

"Greel's Stone? What's that? Never heard of it."

[I couldn't find it in the database either; it's probably some niche energy mineral.]

"You mean that thing can be implanted inside the body?"

From a medical perspective...this is not recommended.

The predecessors drew upon their experience and all available information, but there was absolutely no information available about this strange stone. Given the example of the Snow Country, they couldn't help but begin to suspect the small countries beyond the continent.

"Alright, alright, no need for discussion. It's obvious these people aren't from the mainland. I'm personally investigating this with the Root people; we'll find out the truth eventually."

"Aren't you on a mission?"

"I created a clone and retrieved the original body; who says missions can't be performed simultaneously?"

"Heh... You've really managed to corrupt the Aburame clan, you're quite something."

[Isn't it Konoha's duty to track down ninjas who have trespassed into the Land of Fire?]

Regarding the unauthorized departure from the team, the three who knew about it reached a strange consensus: none of them reported the matter to the captain, and they continued to fulfill their responsibilities every day as if nothing had happened.

It should be noted that Torane and Kaze were talents sent by their families to Danzo's side for training from a young age. Although Danzo instilled in them the concept of absolute obedience, the object of their obedience was not their superiors, but Danzo himself. In addition, they were trained as partners and had been good friends since childhood. There was no need for them to develop a rift over such a "trivial matter," so they naturally chose to remain silent.

As for Naruto, considering the special nature of that stone, he didn't want Konoha to know about it for the time being. He wasn't unfamiliar with powerful chakra crystals; not only in his past memories, but in his entire life, he had seen far too many. When those children raised at the base were about to go out for training, everyone at the base was extremely nervous, after all, they were among the few remaining survivors of Hokushin. To reassure those parents, Uncle Hashirama used his own chakra to condense many chakra crystals that were said to be priceless.

He had briefly possessed that item, only to destroy it in his own rage three years later. This time, Granny Tsunade also intended to give it to him, but he was no longer a child. He knew better than anyone that it was a "relic" that carried most of Granny Tsunade's life memories, and it was more appropriate for her to keep it herself.

While Hashirama's chakra possesses a strong corrosive nature, it can be transformed into life force when tempered with medical ninjutsu, making it ideal for treating the severely injured. The Grell Stone also possesses a similar ability, but its power is clearly more... "primitive," rampaging through the body in a brutal manner, thus transforming a person's appearance into that of an animal. This "transformation" is harmful to the body; with cells maximally activated, a shortened lifespan is almost inevitable.

Naruto was quite experienced with this kind of "external power." After just one fight, he figured that these stones were selective, and most people wouldn't necessarily have the ability to "tame" them. Furthermore, of the three, the one who used the stone best was the boy he released. Within the boy's body, the power of the stone was remarkably docile, without affecting his cellular activity at all. That boy must have some inexplicable connection with the stone, though he himself seemed completely unaware of it.

"Do you know what you're doing? You don't understand how terrifying those stones are; they should never have been awakened!"

Are you trying to teach me a lesson?

During a break, the boy casually emitted a beam of pale green light from his chest, peculiar runes flickering in the firelight. But the captured old man recognized it immediately, muttering, "The Grell Stone..."

"I know everything about this stone." The implication was that she didn't want the man to keep rambling.

The old man quickly calmed down and asked, "Where did you get the stone?"

“It was given to me by my master, Lord Hyde.”

"Is that so? All you got were stones?" The old man's tone became intriguing. "That's strange. Since you're one of our kind who crossed the sea, why don't you know about that? Has the Book of Grell been lost?"

The boy's curiosity was piqued, and he said in an unfriendly tone, "I don't understand what you're talking about."

"Since ancient times, only members of our royal family have been able to unite their bodies with the Grell Stone. After the destruction of our nation, some people crossed the sea to the other side. Legend has it that these people were members of our royal family, and they took the Grell Stone and the Grell Book with them." The old man recounted the legends in detail, guiding the boy's thoughts with gentle persuasion.

“Your name is Timothy, right? We were originally one race.”

"No one knows exactly how the stone was formed. The ancients discovered it in strange mineral veins. Our ancestors refined the raw ore and crystallized it, then named the ore Grell. They used the power of the stone to build a great empire on the continent. The empire had a never-ending supply of clean water, livestock that grew in a day, crops that bore fruit continuously, and even conducted research on preventing biological aging."

Timothy's brow furrowed even more. "I've never heard of any of this."

“That was a long time ago,” the old man sighed. “Power that is too great often becomes a disaster. People turned against each other and fought each other for the power of the Grell Stone, which eventually led to war.”

"The devastating war wiped out the empire's prosperity in the blink of an eye, leaving only a few young people alive. These people sealed the Grell mine deep underground, vowing never to let the power of the stone revive again."

"If that's the case, why not just destroy the mine?"

"Only those with royal blood can destroy the stone. Having lost our royal lineage, we can only protect it generation after generation. I had hoped this matter would gradually fade from memory, becoming a true legend..."

"Forget? Disappear?" Timothy actually laughed. "Your story only makes me more determined to get the mine no matter what."

"Power is just power; the key is who uses it."

The old man spoke at length with great earnestness, but unexpectedly, it had the opposite effect. His tone involuntarily turned stern: "That power is beyond human capabilities; it cannot be used!"

"Whatever the power, Lord Hyde will surely use it correctly!" Timothy retorted firmly. "War only brings misfortune, but Lord Hyde said that without a leader, some people will never stop fighting."

"I firmly believe that this statement is true."

"During the war, my village was attacked by bandits, and I survived and became an orphan. Lord Hyde took me in. I hope to fulfill his wish to eliminate war from the world, and my companions all think so too."

"No matter what sacrifices I have to make, this is my dream, and no one can stop me!"