In their pursuit of more powerful genetic warriors, the Japanese people ventured further down the path of perversion. They reasoned that since human genes had limitations, transplanting the genes of other creatures into humans might yield unexpected results.
It must be said that the Japanese were incredibly bold; even the Americans dared not conduct research in this area, as it severely violated ethical and religious principles.
However, in Japan, such matters were of no concern. Thus, driven by their military, they achieved another breakthrough.
The "God-Bestowed Warriors" created by fusing the genes of other animals with human genes not only surpassed human physical limits but also acquired abilities from various animals.
The Japanese military rejoiced and planned to mass-produce these God-Bestowed Warriors. Once scaled, their strength would be greatly enhanced, especially in small-scale, localized conflicts where such warriors could help them achieve decisive victories.
But then, a new problem arose. The creation of God-Bestowed Warriors had a very high attrition rate; only forty percent of those who underwent the brutal modification survived.
Furthermore, the "shelf life" of these manufactured God-Bestowed Warriors was only five years, meaning that to possess a large number of them, a constant influx of new individuals was required.
This task was also highly classified, and any leak would plunge Japan into significant trouble. The soldiers involved in the modification not only needed excellent physical condition but also absolute loyalty.
However, these requirements severely limited the production capacity of God-Bestowed Warriors. Therefore, the Japanese military sought ways to expand the source of raw materials for these "Heaven-Bestowed Warriors."
At this point, someone thought of the Seimei Shrine. These immensely powerful Onmyoji could not only control Shikigami but also had methods to control humans and even corpses.
Specifically, they could implant "Soul Orbs" into human brains, thereby controlling the bodies, essentially installing a CPU within them.
It is worth noting that individuals implanted with Soul Orbs retained their previous knowledge and combat instincts. This modification did not turn them into idiots but rather into the most loyal and obedient warriors.
This way, the Japanese military only needed to find soldiers with suitable physical conditions as raw materials. Loyalty was irrelevant, as the implanted Soul Orbs would turn them into puppets. This greatly expanded their source of raw materials.
They then approached the then-owner of the Seimei Shrine, Abe Harunobu, to discuss cooperation. Abe Harunobu, being ambitious, was very cooperative. He quickly produced the corresponding Soul Orbs and experimented on the God-Bestowed Warriors with remarkable results.
Just as they were considering mass production and establishing a God-Bestowed Warrior force, Abe Harunobu led his men to Jigoku Tengoku Island, where they were annihilated. This project was consequently shelved.
The Japanese military then approached his successor, Abe Ōishi, hoping to continue the project.
However, they encountered some difficulties with Abe Ōishi. Abe Ōishi lacked the ambition of his predecessor, Abe Harunobu. Another reason was that the creation of Soul Orbs required a significant amount of energy from the Onmyoji, preventing them from cultivating and improving themselves.
Abe Ōishi felt the project was not cost-effective and thus declined further cooperation.
Unexpectedly, the previous night saw such a severe accident: the Onryō barrier was destroyed, and a flood descended, causing significant damage to Kyoto.
The Seimei Shrine also faced accountability from various sectors of Japan, with some even demanding compensation for the losses.
As Abe Ōishi was in distress, Lieutenant General Hirano Saburo of the Ground Self-Defense Force found him and extended an offer.
"Abe-kun, the consequences of this incident are very serious, and the losses are immense.
Although we know you are not greatly responsible for this matter, and it was caused by invaders, the outside world does not see it that way!
If you cannot resolve this matter, the Abe Seimei Shrine may face substantial claims!"
Abe Ōishi remained silent. They were both ancient foxes; no need to tell each other tales.
Hirano Saburo continued, "Let's do this, Mr. Abe. Our military is willing to step forward and mediate for you, to help you overcome this difficulty..."
"Then, what price must I pay?" Abe Ōishi asked.
Abe Ōishi was no naive person; he knew very well that there was no free lunch, and free things were often the most expensive.
"We hope to continue our cooperation with your Abe Seimei Shrine. In other words, we need you to provide Soul Orbs for our production of God-Bestowed Warriors!"
"How many do you want?"
"Three hundred Soul Orbs annually..."
"That's impossible!" Upon hearing the number, Abe Ōishi leaped up from his cushion.
"Abe-kun, please calm down. Rest assured, we are not asking for your goods for free. We will provide equivalent compensation, money, and various resources. Just name your price, and we will pay the highest price!"
"General Hirano, this is not a matter of price. The key issue is that we simply do not have that production capacity!"
In reality, the production of a single Soul Orb was not an easy task. It required an Onmyoji of considerable skill to spend an entire month to refine one.
Moreover, after creating a Soul Orb, the Onmyoji themselves would be greatly depleted, as Soul Orbs required fragments of the soul. After creating one, they would need at least two months of recuperation before they could resume Soul Orb production.
It could be said that manufacturing Soul Orbs not only affected an Onmyoji's cultivation but also severely drained their vitality.
Furthermore, even within the entire Seimei Shrine, there were only about ten Onmyoji capable of producing Soul Orbs. These were all high-ranking individuals who had no time to be constantly manufacturing Soul Orbs for them.
Even if they worked themselves to death, with everyone contributing, they could only produce thirty to forty Soul Orbs a year.
Although the Abe Seimei Shrine had some inventory, these items also had a significant consumption rate within the shrine.
However, one comforting aspect was that these Soul Orbs were not disposable. As long as a Soul Orb did not suffer fatal damage, even if the God-Bestowed Warrior died, the Soul Orb could be extracted, cleaned, and reused.