Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office.
Ōnoki's expression was heavy. "The Third Mizukage is dead, and now even that troublemaker from Kumogakure has been defeated!"
The "troublemaker" was his nickname for the Fourth Raikage.
The Third Mizukage's death wasn't surprising—after all, the man was even older than Ōnoki himself.
But the Fourth Raikage, in the prime of his life, losing like this? That put Ōnoki under pressure.
At this moment, Kitsuchi spoke up, "That Hoshita Shūichi is truly a monster. At his age, he's already reached this level. People outside are comparing him and that Shisui of the Body Flicker to the legends—the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, and the Demon of the Ninja World, Madara Uchiha."
Ōnoki snorted coldly at this. "God of Shinobi?
"Don't underestimate what that title means!"
Though feeling the weight of the situation, he didn't believe Shūichi could yet compare to Hashirama Senju.
Looking up at his son, Ōnoki asked, "What are your thoughts on the new Four-Tails Jinchūriki?"
Kitsuchi shook his head. "Ever since the Four-Tails returned from Konoha, it's been acting differently—more agreeable toward us but highly selective about a Jinchūriki candidate."
Ōnoki frowned at this too.
In all his years, this was the first time he'd encountered such a peculiar situation.
However, since this involved creating a perfect Jinchūriki, Ōnoki had no choice but to let the Four-Tails pick its host.
After a brief hesitation, Ōnoki suddenly said, "Let Kurotsuchi try."
Kitsuchi's expression shifted, and after a moment of silence, he nodded. "Understood."
Anyone could be sacrificed, and his daughter was no exception.
---
In the Land of Fire's Daimyō Residence.
After three busy days, Shūichi finally wrapped up his work.
The location for a secret training base had been chosen, and the selection plans were finalized.
The next steps—construction and recruitment of the first batch of students—would be handled by Pakura and her team.
---
Konoha Village, Experimental Base.
While observing lab mice, Shūichi suddenly turned his head. "Is there important intel?"
Zetsu's clone, Tobi, emerged from the ground, chuckling. "Nothing escapes you, Lord Shūichi!"
"It's Konan from the Akatsuki. She wants to meet you, likely about planting spies."
Shūichi smirked. "Looks like the Akatsuki is in urgent need of manpower."
Tobi grinned. "Kumogakure's probing forced the Akatsuki to consider using Kirigakure as a secondary stronghold. Plus, Iwagakure has started leveraging the Akatsuki—their business is booming!"
Shūichi nodded, deep in thought. "Iwagakure must know about the Rinnegan, right?
"Using the Akatsuki might be their way of borrowing the Rinnegan's power to deal with me."
Tobi laughed. "That's possible! After all, your reputation now rivals that of the God of Shinobi. It's no surprise the Third Tsuchikage feels the pressure."
"By the way, can you guess who the new Four-Tails Jinchūriki is?"
Shūichi raised an eyebrow. "They've already chosen a new Jinchūriki?"
"Sounds like the choice is... interesting."
After a moment's thought, Shūichi guessed, "The Third Tsuchikage's granddaughter?"
Tobi's eyes widened in amazement. "As expected of you, Lord Shūichi—you even guessed that!"
Shūichi was already accustomed to Tobi's flattery. "So it really is her?"
Tobi nodded. "Yes, it's that two-year-old girl, Kurotsuchi. What a strange name. Who names a girl something like 'Black Earth'?"
The future Tsuchikage herself, huh?
Tch! If she gets killed during the tailed beast extraction and becomes a puppet of the Six Paths, wouldn't that be a waste?
Looks like I'll have to intervene.
His mind racing, Shūichi asked, "Anything else to report?"
Tobi quickly added, "The emissaries from Kumogakure have arrived in Konoha. The Fourth Hokage might summon you soon!"
As the words left his mouth, footsteps echoed outside. Moments later, Rin Nohara, dressed in a black robe and mask, appeared at the door.
"Shūichi, the Fourth Hokage is requesting your presence."
"Tobi, take care of things here."
With that, Shūichi turned and left with Rin.
---
On the Way Out.
Noticing the twin swords strapped to Rin's back, Shūichi asked, "How's your training going lately?"
Rin smiled. "With your clones and Isobu's guidance, I've mastered Water Release techniques. Thanks to the First Hokage's cells, my medical ninjutsu has also improved a lot.
"But as for Wood Release... I haven't made any progress."
Clearly, not everyone had Uchiha Obito's innate talent.
Even with Hashirama's cells, unlocking Wood Release wasn't guaranteed.
Shūichi nodded and asked, "How about Obito's Sharingan?
"Is it a burden for you?"
Rin's mood darkened briefly before she smiled again. "Thanks to the First Hokage's cells and Isobu's chakra, there's no burden. But mastering the Mangekyō Sharingan's abilities is still tricky."
Shūichi chuckled. "Take your time. With the First Hokage's cells, you won't have to worry about losing your vision from overusing the Mangekyō."
Rin nodded firmly. "Yes, I'll keep working hard!"
She wanted to stand beside Kakashi—and rescue Obito someday.
---
Exiting the experimental base, Shūichi parted ways with Rin and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport directly to the Hokage Tower. He knocked on the door and entered the Hokage's office.
Minato Namikaze wasn't at his desk but stood by the window, lightning flickering in his hands.
"Eh? Sensei, are you practicing Lightning Release?"
Shūichi asked curiously.
Minato dispersed the chakra in his hands and smiled. "Even though I'm the Hokage, I can't afford to stop improving. What kind of teacher would I be if I let my students surpass me without a fight?"
Shūichi chuckled. "I think a teacher's greatest accomplishment is having students who surpass them."
"But speaking of which, Sensei, are you trying to incorporate Lightning Release into the Rasengan?"
Minato nodded. "That's the idea. But Lightning Release can also be used to stimulate cells, enhancing speed and reaction time."
"That Chidori Body Flicker technique you taught Kakashi is quite impressive."
Unlike the full-body Lightning Chakra Mode, which is incredibly difficult to master, Chidori Body Flicker, though challenging, was easier for someone like Minato.
After chatting for a while, Minato brought up the main topic. "Kumogakure wants us to share information about the Akatsuki and the Rinnegan. What do you think, Shūichi?"
Shūichi considered it for a moment. "We can share information about the Rinnegan, but not the abilities of Obito's Sharingan or the intel we've gathered from Zetsu."
Minato nodded, agreeing with the sentiment. He then added, "The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki and the Fourth Raikage share a close bond. Whether for the sake of their village or personal ties, once they confirm the information, they'll likely move against the Akatsuki. This benefits us, so it's worth sharing some details."
"In that case, Shūichi, I'll have you represent me in this afternoon's meeting with the Kumogakure delegation."
Shūichi sighed. "I knew you were just looking to dump work on me."
Minato laughed. "You should take a break now and then. You don't have to spend all your time training or researching!"
Shūichi nearly rolled his eyes at that.
---
After lunch, Hokage Tower Meeting Room.
The Kumogakure delegation was led by Dodai. Among their group, Shūichi recognized two individuals: Darui, the future Fifth Raikage, and a sensor-nin named Cee, who bore a striking resemblance to Minato.
On Konoha's side, aside from Shūichi, there were Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku Nara.
Shikaku had recently been appointed by Minato as the leader of the jōnin corps and the head of the Hokage's administrative team—essentially Minato's right-hand man.
However, Shūichi was clearly in charge of the current meeting.
After signing the ceasefire agreement, Dodai couldn't help but ask, "Lord Shūichi, has the Fourth Hokage decided whether to share the intelligence yet?"
Shūichi smiled warmly. "Of course. The Rinnegan is a shared threat, so sharing information about it isn't an issue."
"However, I must warn you: if Kumogakure plans to face the Akatsuki alone, you should prepare for significant losses."
A middle-aged shinobi from the Kumogakure side interjected, "Are you suggesting we form an alliance to deal with the Akatsuki together?"
Shūichi nodded with a smile. "That's certainly possible.
"The Rinnegan's abilities are incredibly powerful. At my current level, I can only match its user—I can't defeat them outright.
"An alliance would allow us to pool our strengths and minimize casualties."
"Of course, there would need to be clear leadership."
Dodai's heart sank at this, realizing the underlying implication: Konoha wanted to lead the alliance.
He quickly countered, "Sharing intelligence is already akin to forming an alliance.
"As for concentrating forces, while it's a good idea, unfamiliar teams might struggle to cooperate effectively.
"Right now, we believe the priority should be gathering intelligence. Once we have sufficient information, we can collaborate and annihilate the Akatsuki with full force."
Shūichi wasn't surprised by this response and smoothly adapted. "That's reasonable."
Turning to Shikaku, he said, "Shikaku-senpai, could you introduce the intel we've gathered on the Rinnegan?"
Shikaku nodded and began to explain.
The key points were as follows:
1. Repulsion: The ability to repel all attacks, including physical and ninjutsu-based ones.
2. Attraction: The ability to pull targets toward the user.
3. Absorbing Ninjutsu : And finally, the ultimate sealing technique: Chibaku Tensei.
Upon hearing this, Dodai and the other Kumo-nin were visibly shocked and grave.
Cee couldn't help but remark, "With abilities like these, it's no wonder they're nearly impossible to defeat. Ordinary shinobi wouldn't stand much of a chance against such powers."
"Even with the cooldown between their techniques, finding an opening would be incredibly difficult."
Darui nodded with a sigh. "Indeed, it's no surprise these are the legendary eyes of the Sage of Six Paths."
"To take on someone like this, you'd need to deploy an elite force in overwhelming numbers just to find a weak spot."
"But the casualties would undoubtedly be severe."
Clearly, Shūichi hadn't been exaggerating earlier.
At this moment, Shūichi added, "And these are just the abilities we've confirmed so far. Based on my observations, this likely isn't the full extent of the Rinnegan's powers."
"This is also why I've repeatedly emphasized the importance of the Tailed Beasts. It's the reason I haven't taken them for myself and even returned the One-Tail and Four-Tails to Sunagakure and Iwagakure."
"If the five great villages continue to wage war against each other, it will only allow the Akatsuki to grow stronger in the shadows, striking when we're weakened to capture the Tailed Beasts."
"You've heard of the Ten-Tails from the Eight-Tails, haven't you?"
"In fact, I've already seen the Ten-Tails' vessel. It's a monstrous entity known as the Gedo Statue."
Hiruzen Sarutobi interjected, "If it's the Ten-Tails' vessel, it must have some ability to suppress the Tailed Beasts."
"Therefore, sending Jinchūriki to fight the Rinnegan's wielder might not be the best strategy."
Dodai immediately nodded solemnly. "Thank you for the reminder, Lord Third Hokage."
"In fact, before coming here, we had already sent people into Amegakure to investigate, but everyone we sent has gone missing."
"Does that mean Amegakure is already under the Akatsuki's control?"
Shikaku Nara glanced subtly at Shūichi before replying, "According to our intelligence, that isn't the case."
"Amegakure's leader, Hanzo, is still in power."
"There was a previous conflict between Hanzo and the Akatsuki, during which one of the Akatsuki leaders was killed. It seems part of the Akatsuki was absorbed into Hanzo's forces."
This was, without a doubt, a mixture of truth and misinformation.
Dodai, however, believed it entirely. "I see. So, the Akatsuki we knew about before has already split up."
"Could it be that the Rinnegan's wielder is now under Hanzo's control?"
Dodai's suspicion stemmed from Hanzo's reputation as a "Demi-God."
During the Second Shinobi World War, Hanzo had singlehandedly fought against the combined forces of Iwagakure, Konoha, and Sunagakure, earning his fearsome title.
Given his ambition, it seemed plausible that Hanzo could be the mastermind behind the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Shūichi hadn't anticipated Dodai's overthinking but replied calmly, "There isn't enough evidence to support that at the moment."
"Amegakure is heavily guarded and difficult to infiltrate."
---
The afternoon meeting was both productive and harmonious.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku Nara skillfully collaborated with Shūichi to strategically mislead the Kumo-nin.
After the Kumo-nin left the Hokage Tower, Shikaku couldn't help but ask, "Shūichi, how did you predict that Kumo wouldn't ally with us?"
Shūichi smiled. "Because they already know I left a Flying Thunder God mark on the Eight-Tails. They must think I'm trying to use peaceful means to gain control of the Jinchūriki."
"With the Fourth Raikage's personality and the current situation, there's no way they'd agree to hand over their Jinchūriki to us for protection."
"Even though we've shared intelligence, human nature is what it is. They won't learn until they face the consequences firsthand."
Shikaku nodded, then pondered aloud, "The Rinnegan possesses world-shattering power. If Kumo were destroyed over the Two-Tails or the Eight-Tails, it would still be detrimental to us. Conquering the other villages isn't meaningful if they're completely obliterated."
Hiruzen Sarutobi added, "If we allow the other four great villages to fall, it'll come down to just Konoha against Nagato and Uchiha Madara. Even if we win, the cost will be devastating."
Shikaku agreed and continued, "If Kumo only suffers partial losses and allies with us under our leadership, they'll still resist any attempt at subjugation."
"Especially with the Raikage's influence, their forces will rally around him. Even if the Fourth Raikage falls, a Fifth Raikage will rise immediately."
"At that point, another large-scale war would be inevitable."
Hiruzen nodded in agreement.
The ambition to subjugate the other four great villages was extraordinary, but both he and Shikaku believed it would be incredibly challenging, if not impossible, to achieve.
Ironically, outright destruction of the other villages might be the easier path.
Shūichi knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku Nara's concerns weren't unfounded.
Moreover, he could discern the subtle opposition in Hiruzen's words.
As for Shikaku, his analysis was purely logical and impartial, with no bias.
Unifying the ninja world was undoubtedly an extremely challenging task.
After all, the concept of individual shinobi villages was deeply ingrained in people's minds, tied to their interests and power structures. It wasn't something a few lofty words could resolve.
The unification of China by Qin Shi Huang had been short-lived, as his death quickly led to rebellion from the six states' nobility. It wasn't until the Han Dynasty that ideological unity was truly achieved.
The issues that Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shikaku Nara worried about had, in fact, been raised by Minato Namikaze before.
Peaceful unification? Impossible.
This was a matter of stark, naked interests.
"This is indeed a tough problem. If it weren't for the threat of the Eye of the Moon Plan, we could simply conquer the other villages one by one—those who resist would be killed."
Shūichi continued, "But now we must prevent Uchiha Madara from taking advantage of the situation."
Shikaku Nara suggested, "Perhaps we can first use the Eye of the Moon Plan to form a Ninja Alliance. Once Uchiha Madara is dealt with, we can use the Alliance as a foundation for unification."
"At that point, as a hero with overwhelming power, your influence would greatly reduce resistance."
Shūichi smiled and nodded. "That's certainly one approach."
"But in reality, Nagato has a similar goal to mine."
"His original intention was to seize the Ten-Tails and use it as a weapon to sweep across the ninja world."
"I've made a bet with him: whoever wins, the loser must submit."
"So, right now, Nagato and I are both competitors and collaborators."
Hiruzen and Shikaku were shocked to hear this—this was information they hadn't known before.
Shikaku's sharp mind quickly deduced Shūichi's intentions. "Shūichi, are you planning to use the Akatsuki's power to weaken the other villages while leveraging their threat to gradually erode them?"
Shūichi nodded. "That is one of my plans."
"Also, I just received intel that the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure may already be under the Akatsuki's control."
What?!
Hiruzen and Shikaku were taken aback.
That's an entire village's leader!
Hiruzen's tone grew serious. "From earlier intelligence, the Fourth Mizukage became the Jinchūriki of the Three-Tails… Could it be Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Shūichi nodded. "This hasn't been fully confirmed, but it's highly likely. Only Obito's Mangekyō could achieve this level of control."
"Because of our current relationship, Kumo has already set its sights on Amegakure. This means the Akatsuki will likely sever overt ties with Amegakure."
Shikaku remarked, "Kirigakure would serve as an excellent cover."
"It's isolated in the sea and already follows a closed-door policy."
"And now, with the Fourth Mizukage under control… Without the right intelligence, who could possibly imagine such a thing?"
Hiruzen added gravely, "If Obito's Sharingan is exposed, then…"
Shūichi shook his head. "It won't matter. Obito is also under Uchiha Madara's control."
Whether or not Obito was truly controlled didn't matter—the narrative would stand.
After all, it was Uchiha Madara, the original wielder of the Rinnegan. The explanation would make perfect sense!
Unless Obito fully aligned himself with the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Hiruzen nodded, then asked, "So, Shūichi, are you planning to expose the Fourth Mizukage's manipulation at the right moment?"
Shikaku added, "If we reveal this during the chaos caused by the Akatsuki in Kirigakure, it could create a power vacuum—a perfect opportunity to bring them under our control."
Shūichi instantly understood Shikaku's underlying message.
The Fourth Mizukage must die.
Hiruzen then asked, "Shūichi, when you visited Kirigakure, who would most likely succeed the Fourth Mizukage as the next leader?"
The old are indeed the wisest.
While Shikaku focused on the Fourth Mizukage, Hiruzen was already considering the next candidate.
Of course, Shūichi thought Shikaku had tactfully left this part unsaid.
"As for the Fifth Mizukage…"
Shūichi smiled. "The most likely candidate would be Mei Terumi, someone around my age."
"She possesses two Kekkei Genkai abilities, and I've already placed a Flying Thunder God mark on her."
Shikaku asked, "A kunoichi?"
"If she's around your age, perhaps marriage could be used to smooth the process and reduce difficulties."
Shūichi glanced at Shikaku, feeling as though he was being slandered.
Hiruzen, however, nodded in agreement. "That's indeed a good suggestion."
"As for Sunagakure, if the Fourth Kazekage… Pakura would also make an excellent choice for leadership."
Hearing this, Shūichi silently mourned for the Fourth Kazekage.
---
The Cloud Delegation departed on the second day.
Shūichi initially thought that the Cloud ninja might make another bold attempt to seize a Byakugan, providing him with some entertainment. Unfortunately, the current circumstances were different.
Once the Cloud ninja left, Shūichi used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport out of Konoha, arriving just outside Amegakure.
After quietly sensing his surroundings for a moment, his figure vanished once more.
In the office building of Amegakure's leader, within the secretary's room, Shūichi suddenly appeared.
Konan, who was diligently working at her desk, immediately looked up and glared coldly at him. "Is it really necessary to keep showing up like this?"
Shūichi glanced at the room where Hanzo was located, then turned his appreciative gaze toward Konan. "This way is safer."
Konan noticed Shūichi's clear, unabashedly admiring expression and found herself unable to truly dislike it. She simply maintained her icy demeanor and asked, "When will your people be in position?"
"Next month," Shūichi replied.
"You'll head to the Land of Hot Water, and when the time comes, you'll meet them there."
Konan nodded and returned to processing documents, ignoring him.
Shūichi didn't leave. He crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, watching Konan work diligently.
There was no denying it—a focused woman had her own unique charm.
"Konan, you should consider hiring more secretaries to help with these tasks," Shūichi suggested.
"As a ninja, strength is your foundation."
"And as a leader, your foundation lies in managing people, not doing the work yourself."
"Knowing how to delegate effectively, ensuring everyone plays to their strengths, is the key to governing a village efficiently."
Without lifting her head, Konan replied, "I have shadow clones training."
Shūichi chuckled. "Clones can accumulate experience, true, but some things require the original body."
"For instance, physical conditioning. That's the foundation of a ninja's strength. Even adults can't afford to slack off."
"If your body becomes sluggish, a slight delay in combat could prove fatal."
Konan glanced up at him and said, "I don't lack combat experience."
Shūichi smiled. "Your Paper Ninjutsu is fascinating."
"It even exhibits some traits similar to Wood Release."
"Have you ever considered focusing on nature transformation?"
Konan's Paper Ninjutsu wasn't a Kekkei Genkai or based on a specific elemental nature. It was more akin to a sophisticated application of ninja tools—similar to Gaara's Sand Ninjutsu.
Sunagakure had several similar jutsu, closely tied to puppet techniques. However, few reached the level of mastery displayed by Konan or Gaara.
Konan's Dance of the Shikigami was almost on par with the sand constructs of Shukaku.
Gaara could coat his body in sand to form an armor, but Konan had yet to reach that level.
Hearing Shūichi's words, Konan looked up again. "Wood Release requires combining Water and Earth nature transformations. Not everyone can achieve that."
Shūichi nodded. "That's true."
"In that case, why not replace your paper with explosive tags?"
"And develop paper clones. The results shouldn't disappoint."
"Take Shukaku, for instance. Its sand body allows it to turn its entire form into sand, earning its reputation as having the ultimate defense."
"Or consider the Hozuki clan's Hydrification Technique from Kirigakure, which allows their bodies to liquefy and become immune to physical attacks."
Konan paused her work, her mind clearly turning over his words.
Explosive tags had already crossed her mind, and paper clones were under development. But the idea of pursuing sand-body or hydration techniques had never occurred to her.
After some thought, Konan asked, "Although we're collaborators, we're also enemies. Wouldn't making me stronger work against your interests?"
Shūichi smirked. "That's where my confidence and generosity come in."
"I'm confident I'll defeat Nagato, and when that happens, you'll serve under me."
"It's only logical to make some early investments."
"I see great potential in you as someone who can help me govern the ninja world in the future."
In the adjacent room, the Animal Path opened its eyes.
This guy is poaching people right under my nose—how brazen.
But after a moment's thought, Animal Path closed its eyes again.
No matter what, Konan's growth could only be advantageous.
---
Looking at Shūichi's confident demeanor, Konan couldn't help but think of Yahiko. Back then, Yahiko had the same unwavering belief that he could achieve anything. But...
Lowering her head, Konan said flatly, "It's too early to say such things. Don't die halfway."
Shūichi stepped forward, casually sitting on the edge of Konan's desk. He looked at her and said, "Then let's talk about ninjutsu!"
"If the world were at peace, my favorite thing would be researching ninjutsu and exploring immortality."
"Your Paper Ninjutsu is quite interesting. Have you developed paper clones yet?"
Without looking up, Konan replied, "No."
Shūichi shook his head. "Your progress is too slow."
"Give me a few sheets of your paper."
Konan raised her head at last, frowning. "What are you planning?"
Shūichi chuckled. "It seems you don't know enough about me yet!"
"I'm currently the head of Konoha's Root Special Training Division. That means every member of the Anbu, now and in the future, will go through my training."
"Surely you don't think I got this position just because I'm the Fourth Hokage's student?"
"I've mastered all five basic chakra natures, Yin Release, Yang Release, and the seven elemental transformations. As far as I know, even Nagato only has six."
Konan responded calmly, "My techniques don't fall under the seven elemental transformations."
Despite her words, sheets of white paper floated into the air.
Shūichi caught the paper with a smile, examining it closely. "Special paper, waterproof, and mixed with the materials used in chakra test papers. Not bad."
Paper clones? Is that supposed to be difficult?
Infusing his chakra into the paper, Shūichi made it rise and, under Konan's slightly shocked gaze, the paper combined in midair to form a replica of himself.
Paper Clone Technique!
For Shūichi, who had the [Clone Master] tag and could create clones from virtually anything, paper clones were child's play.
After all, he had already developed Crow Clone Technique.
With a rustling sound, the paper clone dispersed, scattering sheets of paper in front of Konan.
Shūichi remarked, "Paper clones shouldn't be too hard for you."
"Compared to standard clone techniques or Shadow Clone Technique, you just need to incorporate a bit of transformation thinking into it."
"Give it a try."
Konan stared at him, her mind filled with doubt.
Is this guy insane?
Or does he actually have a thing for me?
Suppressing her thoughts, she contemplated for a moment before picking up a sheet of paper from her desk. After a short while, the paper floated into the air, forming the upper half of her body.
Shūichi nodded approvingly with a smile. "Not bad. The next step is just training."
"You're better at manipulating paper than I am, so it shouldn't take you long to perfect this."
"After that, you can work on techniques like the Hydrification Technique or Shukaku's sand body. Those are slightly more challenging..."
As he spoke, Shūichi lowered his gaze under Konan's watchful eyes.
Is this guy seriously planning to develop such techniques in such a short time?
Konan's face remained calm, but her heart wavered.
If he actually managed to do it, such talent would be terrifying—far surpassing even Nagato.
Meanwhile, in the next room, the Animal Path opened its eyes again, a hint of suspicion in its gaze.
Did he already know such techniques beforehand?
No... there would've been no need to hide them.
But to master all chakra natures at his age and surpass the Fourth Raikage in Lightning Release... his talent is truly astonishing.
---
Time passed little by little, and soon an hour had gone by.
Konan glanced at Shūichi, who was now sitting so close to her, and secretly exhaled in relief.
It shouldn't be possible to achieve something like that in such a short time.
However, just as she was about to lower her head and continue her work, the sound of rustling paper filled her ears.
Konan abruptly looked up, her pupils contracting sharply.
Shūichi's body was transforming into paper—piece by piece, layer by layer, peeling away from his form.
Suddenly, with a loud "bang", Shūichi exploded, scattering countless sheets of white paper that fluttered throughout the room.
"This..."
Konan couldn't help but stand up, staring in shock at the flying paper filling the space.
Moments later, the sheets swirled and gathered together, re-forming into Shūichi, who was once again sitting casually on the desk.
He smiled. "It was a bit tricky, I admit."
Konan was truly stunned. Her slightly parted lips trembled as she asked, "You... how did you do that?"
Of course, by cheating!
If Shūichi hadn't already mastered Shukaku's sand body and analyzed the Hydrification Technique, coupled with the simplicity of Paper Ninjutsu's principles and its lack of elemental nature transformations, he wouldn't have been able to accomplish it so quickly.
This was the essence of "Master one technique, master them all!"
But naturally, he couldn't explain that to Konan. Instead, he extended his right hand toward her and said with a grin, "Want to learn?"
"I'll teach you!"
Konan was momentarily stunned, her gaze fixed on Shūichi's calm and gentle smile. Her thoughts drifted back to the days when she and her companions trained under Jiraiya.
"Does Master Jiraiya regret teaching us back then?"
Lowering her head slightly, she looked at Shūichi's pale, slender hand. A thought surfaced in her mind:
"Will he one day regret what he's doing now?"
Despite her thoughts, Konan couldn't resist raising her hand, placing it on Shūichi's. The instant she touched him, she felt a warm, fiery heat, while Shūichi felt a cool, almost icy sensation. Yet, he remained a gentleman, making no unnecessary moves as chakra flickered between their hands.
"Chakra," Shūichi said simply.
At his words, Konan instinctively refined her chakra. Their energies met at the touch of their palms, forming a spiritual link that brought their minds into a shared inner world.
"What is this?"
Konan looked around curiously. Above them was a dazzling starry sky, while beneath their feet was a smooth, mirror-like surface reflecting everything around them. Like water, it rippled softly with the ebb and flow of their emotions.
Shūichi smiled. "It seems you've never trained like this before."
"This is a spiritual world created through our chakra linking our minds together."
"The Sage of Six Paths founded ninjutsu and shared the practice of chakra precisely to connect people's hearts and foster understanding between them."
Konan nodded thoughtfully, then asked, "Does training here yield better results than in the real world?"
Shūichi sat down casually. "Some things can't be fully conveyed through words. Mental communication is faster, more direct, and free of distortions."
"There's another benefit, too: you can experience and understand, far more vividly, the transformations of chakra as it evolves into ninjutsu."
"Here, let me show you."
Shūichi extended his hand toward her again.
Konan sat across from him and pressed her palm against his once more.
Under Shūichi's guidance, Konan gradually opened up her heart. Their mental connection deepened, allowing them to exchange information in the most efficient, concise, and unfiltered manner.
Through their link, Shūichi even let Konan experience his memory of transforming his body into paper—feeling the flow of chakra and the intricacies of the process...
In the spiritual world, it was difficult to perceive the passage of time.
Outside, however, the sky gradually darkened.
Nagato, controlling the Animal Path, directed it into Konan's office. Seeing the two with their palms pressed together, his thoughts drifted.
If only it were Yahiko sitting there instead...
In the darkness of the tower, Nagato's expression dimmed.
He could use the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique to resurrect Yahiko even at the cost of his own life, without hesitation.
But such an action would be futile.
In this war-torn world, once he died, Yahiko and Konan would likely fall in battle as well. Resurrection would become meaningless.
Only by fundamentally changing the world could their sacrifices hold true significance.
---
When the sky had fully darkened, Shūichi and Konan opened their eyes almost simultaneously. Their gazes met briefly before Konan averted hers, saying quietly, "Thank you."
"But..."
Shūichi interrupted with a grin, "But if we face each other in battle someday, don't hold back."
By now, the Animal Path had already left the office.
Shūichi stood up. "I'll take my leave. Work hard. When we meet again next month, I'll be testing you."
Konan opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say a word, Shūichi had vanished, leaving her with a faint sense of loss.
At that moment, the Animal Path re-entered the room.
"How do you feel?" he asked.
Konan hesitated briefly before replying, "He's incredibly skilled. His talent for ninjutsu is astonishing, and his teaching methods are unique—extremely efficient."
"In six months, I'm confident I can master the technique he mentioned, the one that grants immunity to physical attacks."
The Animal Path nodded. "If that's the case, take his advice and recruit some assistants from the village."
Konan nodded. "Understood."
---
Outside Amegakure, in a mountain cave, Shūichi appeared. He walked to the cave's entrance, gazing at the rain-soaked village shrouded in darkness.
"It seems Nagato has awakened Wood Release."
He wasn't particularly surprised.
If Uchiha Obito could use it, then it made sense for Nagato to be able to as well. After all, Nagato also carried Asura's bloodline.
Moreover, in terms of talent, Nagato surpassed Obito.
Nagato could bear the burden of a pair of Rinnegan, while Obito could only manage one.
Perhaps Nagato's early adaptation played a role, but his talent was undeniable.
"The real question is, how proficient will Nagato's Wood Release become?"
Shūichi couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation.
In the original story, those who transplanted Hashirama's cells demonstrated varying levels of ability.
The weakest was Danzo, who merely grafted them for use with Sharingan.
Next was Obito, whose usage was still limited.
Yamato had a more complete inheritance, but his chakra reserves restricted him to being more of an architect than a fighter.
The strongest, of course, was Uchiha Madara, capable of unleashing techniques like Deep Forest Emergence and Wood Dragon Jutsu.
"Great talent is such a lonely thing."
Sighing softly, Shūichi's figure disappeared.
---
Back in Konoha
After sharing dinner with Nonō Yakushi and the others, Shūichi headed to the experimental lab, where Immortal White Zetsu was already lying on the operating table.
Shūichi had decided to enhance Immortal White Zetsu further.
Using techniques he'd learned from Orochimaru, such as soft-body modification, along with the combined results of Hashirama's cells and Asuka's cells, he planned to push White Zetsu's abilities to the next level.
The reason for this upgrade? Shūichi intended to use Immortal White Zetsu to infiltrate the Akatsuki.
---
Days passed quickly.
By the end of November, Shūichi had just completed the modifications to Immortal White Zetsu when his Tag Tree began to stir once more.
"Could it be a new tag unlocked?"
Curious, Shūichi checked the tree, only to discover it wasn't a new tag but an existing one ready for activation.
Tag: Renowned Across Nations (Famous)
Condition to Obtain: Spread your reputation across the major nations and villages of the ninja world.
Effect: Increases luck by 50%, boosts "Talk no Jutsu" effectiveness by 100%, and enhances charisma by 100%.
"I almost forgot about this tag," Shūichi thought, laughing at himself. Without hesitation, he activated the tag. The leaves of the Tag Tree were immediately bathed in a brilliant red glow.
"It's a red tag!"
Shūichi was startled.
Though the tag was active, he didn't feel much different. Using Water Release, he conjured a pool of water to inspect his reflection but noticed no visible enhancement to his looks.
"Luck... such a nebulous and elusive thing," he muttered, brushing the thought aside as Immortal White Zetsu began to stir.
---
Immortal White Zetsu sat up, visibly excited. "Lord Shūichi, I feel much stronger now! It seems this defective body of mine has been significantly improved—probably up to standard quality by now!"
Then, with a strange enthusiasm, he added, "By the way, Lord Shūichi, did you give me a digestive system? I'm really looking forward to being able to, you know, poop like a normal person!"
Shūichi was speechless.
Seriously? You want a digestive system just to poop?
"Don't worry. This body is one I'll be using too," Shūichi replied dryly.
He then performed the Spirit Clone Technique, allowing his spirit to enter White Zetsu's body, sharing control over it.
This was his chosen method to infiltrate the Akatsuki as a spy.
---
"Transform into Kogami Kohai," Shūichi commanded.
"As you wish, Lord Shūichi."
In an instant, Immortal White Zetsu transformed into Kogami Kohai—the leader of the cult of Jashin.
The clone, now fully embodying Kogami Kohai, asked, "Aside from taijutsu and Water Release, which Kogami Kohai specializes in, do I need to display any other abilities?"
Shūichi considered this. "Taijutsu and Water Release alone might not be enough. Add Fire Release to the mix."
The clone nodded. "Fire Release, huh? I can't rely on the techniques we've already developed, so it seems I'll need to create some new ones."
Shūichi suggested, "Try combining Yin Release and Fire Release to create Blaze Release."
"Understood."
After stretching and testing the body, the clone, fully accustomed to its new form, nodded to Shūichi and used the Flying Thunder God Technique to leave.
---
Shūichi stretched and cleaned up the tools he had used before leaving the lab.
On his way home, Shūichi noticed Tsunade was still in her office, even though it was nearly 10 p.m.
Curious, he walked inside, only to find her asleep, slumped over her desk.
A mischievous grin spread across his face as an idea formed.
He walked up quietly and gently grabbed the end of her ponytail, using the tips of her hair to tickle her nose.
Tsunade wrinkled her nose, muttering in her sleep, "You little pervert..."
Little pervert?
She's dreaming about me?
Shūichi's eyes lit up. Let's keep going!
Tsunade instinctively scratched her nose in response, so Shūichi shifted his attention, using her ponytail to tickle her ear instead.
Hmm, her ears look kinda tempting...
Focus!
Just as he was about to push his luck further, Tsunade slowly opened her eyes. At first, she looked confused, but her expression quickly sharpened into a glare.
Time to run!
Shūichi vanished in an instant.
Tsunade's hand swiped at thin air, and she gritted her teeth. "That little brat!"
Her mood soured, having been jolted awake from her nap.
But then, recalling her dream, a faint blush spread across her cheeks. "I didn't say anything weird, did I?"
And yet...
Lately, Tsunade had noticed her dreams becoming unusually frequent.
"Could it be the aftereffects of that genjutsu?"
She frowned, deep in thought.
Ever since Shūichi had used genjutsu to cure her hemophobia, her dreams often replayed scenes from within the illusion, as though she were reliving the genjutsu's dreamscape.
She didn't suspect Shūichi of any ill intent, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the genjutsu's influence had been underestimated.
"The Eye of the Moon Plan..."
Tsunade clenched her fist. "I can't let something like that happen!"
She got up, splashed her face with water in the bathroom, and glanced at Immortal White Zetsu Tobi and Shūichi's clone, still busy in the lab. Without a word, she left the base.
---
The next morning, Shūichi had just returned from training when Tobi popped up from the ground with an exaggerated flourish.
"Lord Shūichi, I have fantastic news to report!"
Shūichi, who was heading for the bath, rolled his eyes. "Spit it out."
As usual, Tobi couldn't resist his dramatics. "Thanks to your unparalleled brilliance, Lord Shūichi, we've finally achieved the perfect fusion of Hashirama cells and the Uzumaki clan's cells! The compatibility is astounding!"
Shūichi froze, startled.
Already?
At the current pace of experimentation, this breakthrough shouldn't have come so soon.
Could it be… luck?
Then it hit him. "The luck boost from the Renowned Across Nations tag I activated yesterday!"
A smile spread across his face. "Excellent!"
"Tobi, go back for now. I'll join you shortly."
With that, Shūichi quickly headed for the bath.
---
After a refreshing shower and a quick breakfast, followed by warm hugs with Nonō Yakushi and Asuka, Shūichi teleported directly to the lab.
---
He dissolved his clone, letting the memories flow back into him, then turned to the subject of his experiment, Shiro.
"How are you feeling?" Shūichi asked.
Shiro grinned. "Fantastic! Lord Shūichi, my power has improved yet again."
It was evident that the previous instability in Shiro's chakra had been resolved.
"Let's see the extent of your chakra," Shūichi instructed.
Shiro didn't hesitate. Blue chakra erupted from his massive frame, creating a whirlwind of energy.
Shūichi's eyes lit up with delight. "At this level, it's comparable to the power of the One-Tail!"
Tobi, observing from the side, chimed in. "It's truly incredible! And this was achieved using cells from our defective bodies. If we used pure Hashirama cells, the results would be even more astonishing!"
Shūichi, however, was satisfied. "This is already excellent progress."
He knew that balancing Hashirama's overpowering cells with the weaker Uzumaki-derived cells had been challenging. That's why they had initially relied on diluted White Zetsu cells to stabilize the experiments.
Now that they had achieved a perfect fusion, future explorations would be much easier. Shūichi was confident he could eventually master Hashirama's cells completely.
Still, he didn't plan to use these breakthroughs recklessly.
The White Zetsu-derived cells were better suited for widespread medical applications.
---
After Shiro withdrew his chakra, Shūichi deactivated the summoning technique and created a new clone. "Now let's use Hayate's cells for directed lung cultivation."
Shiro's success marked the culmination of animal experimentation. The next step was testing on Immortal White Zetsu Tobi, followed by Hayate as the first human subject.
After all, White Zetsu didn't count as a true human.
Leaving his clone and Tobi to continue the experiments, Shūichi stepped out of the lab and ran into Tsunade.
"What was that surge of chakra earlier?" she asked.
Shūichi grinned. "Good news! Follow me."
Before Tsunade could respond, he grabbed her hand and teleported them both to the lounge with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Letting go of her hand, Shūichi explained casually, "The White Zetsu cells—or rather, the First Hokage's cells—have now perfectly fused with Asuka's cells."
"The combination of two Yang Release attributes has resulted in astounding effects."
Tsunade was shocked and delighted. "That quickly?"
"This means there are no side effects anymore. In other words, White Zetsu cells can now be safely transplanted into ordinary ninja."
Shūichi nodded. "This is a revolutionary breakthrough in medical technology."
"It means we can customize cloned organs and limbs to treat more injuries and disabilities."
"More importantly, by mastering the Yang Release attribute, we can now treat injuries on the battlefield that were previously untreatable."
Tsunade nodded firmly, her eyes glistening with emotion.
She couldn't help but think of her younger brother and her first love, Dan.
If only this technology had existed back then...
Seeing the look on her face, Shūichi knew she was dwelling on the past but chose not to console her. Instead, he clasped his hands together.
"Tsunade, for this technology to work effectively in the field, it's essential for medical ninja to master the Yang Release attribute themselves. Performing cellular transplants on the battlefield isn't easy."
Tsunade steadied herself and nodded. "You're right."
The path from experimental success to practical application was a long one, especially without directly transplanting cells.
Even so, Tsunade remained proud of her skills.
Shūichi lowered his gaze, and vibrant green chakra began radiating from his body, filling the room with a potent life energy.
Tsunade waited silently.
As time passed, the green chakra gradually receded.
Three hours later, when the light fully faded, Shūichi opened his eyes and smiled triumphantly. "It worked!"
"Let's give it a try!"
Shūichi extended his hand toward Tsunade.
Tsunade immediately reached out and grasped it.
In the next moment, Shūichi's chakra flowed into Tsunade's body, replenishing her stamina—which was essentially replenishing her chakra.
Previously, Shūichi relied on the Strength of a Hundred Seal to achieve this.
But now, the seal wasn't necessary.
This was one of the unique traits of the Asuka Physique.
Not only could it heal injuries, but it could also restore stamina and chakra.
As for replenishing chakra, technically, Senju Hashirama could do the same. However, his Sage Body's no-hand-seal healing was uncontrollable.
Absorbing chakra was another story—Wood Release could achieve that too.
White Zetsu's ability was inherited from this very aspect.
In contrast, Asuka's Physique offered precision, as if it had an on-and-off switch.
Shūichi had now merged the strengths of both, perfecting the Sage Body.
At this moment, Tsunade felt Shūichi's power and exclaimed, "This Yang Release nature transformation… it's just like Grandfather's—no, it's surpassed Grandfather!"
She could sense that while Shūichi's chakra quality and quantity were still lacking compared to Hashirama, in terms of Yang Release alone, he had already faintly exceeded him.
Shūichi chuckled, "Surpassed? Not quite. I've merely addressed some flaws."
"Yang Release involves the physical body, and I'm still a bit short there."
"However…"
"I can already feel the changes in my body."
When he previously enhanced Wind Release and Lightning Release, his body didn't undergo significant changes.
But Yang Release was different.
And this time, the effects were especially pronounced.
As Yang Release represents physical strength, it was only natural for it to have a massive impact on the body.
Tsunade remarked, "The Sage Body, then?"
Shūichi nodded. "The so-called Sage Body refers to the power derived from the Six Paths Sage Body constitution."
"It's the lineage of the Six Paths Sage's younger son, Asura, passed down through the Senju Clan and the Uzumaki Clan."
"However, I've cultivated it myself. Along with my remarkable chakra reserves and mastery of Sage Mode, my physique is gradually transforming into a Sage Body."
The Sage Body of the Six Paths Sage wasn't exactly innate. It resulted from inheriting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's power combined with the Sage Art of Mount Myōboku, diverging from the pure Ōtsutsuki bloodline.
Looking at Tsunade, Shūichi added, "With your Star Curse Mark and mastery of Yang Release nature transformation, you too could gradually alter your physique."
As he spoke, he extended his hand. "Come on!"
Tsunade placed her hand in his. The two of them sat down hand in hand, linking their chakras and connecting mentally.
Their lunch was later brought to them by Shizune and Asuka.
During lunch, Shūichi took the opportunity to check his Tag Tree.
After advancing further in Yang Release, there was indeed a new reaction in the Tag Tree.
"As expected, a new tag was triggered."
Shūichi was secretly delighted.
Tag: Master Healer
Condition to Obtain: Develop a medical forbidden technique capable of reversing life and death.
Tag Effects: Six Paths-level Yang Release nature transformation, physique enhancement by 100%, physical compatibility improvement by 100%, Medical Eye (Kekkei Genkai: Yang Release + Yin Release; Yang Release dominant; provides microscopic vision + X-ray vision + chakra vision). At this level, one approaches divinity, capable of resurrecting the dead and restoring flesh and bones.
Another medical-oriented tag!
"A medical forbidden technique capable of reversing life and death…"
Shūichi's mind immediately thought of Chiyo's Reanimation Jutsu and Ryūzetsu's Dragon Life Reincarnation.
However, both required sacrificing one's own life.
Then there was the Rinnegan's Rinne Rebirth, which similarly demanded vast chakra reserves to avoid killing the caster.
He also considered Sage Kabuto's use of Jūgo's healing ability to save Sasuke Uchiha.
"Six Paths-level Yang Release… Does that mean the level of the Six Paths Sage?"
Shūichi was intrigued.
The Yang Release power the Six Paths Sage granted to Naruto had already surpassed Hashirama's.
"This won't be easy."
Shūichi pondered deeply.
Though he was eager for the tag, he never took shortcuts.
If he were to develop a life-reversing medical forbidden technique, it would have to be one without side effects for him. Otherwise, it wouldn't be meaningful.
After lunch, training resumed, and time quietly flowed into December of Konoha Year 48.
---
Land of Hot Water
Shūichi, disguised as "Kogami Kohai," stepped out of a hot spring inn, stretching contentedly.
Immortal White Zetsu grinned. "Following Lord Shūichi was truly the right choice."
"So this is what soaking in a hot spring feels like—absolutely blissful. I never experienced this before!"
And of course, that included using the restroom.
However, Shūichi had issued a strict order forbidding Immortal White Zetsu from bringing up "bathroom matters" again.
"Being human feels so nice. No wonder Uchiha Madara wanted to reclaim his peak."
Immortal White Zetsu sighed deeply.
Once you've tasted life as a human, you'd never want to go back to being an artificial one. You'd miss even the most basic pleasures—like the satisfaction of answering nature's call.
Sigh. That poor Tobi, though.
Ignoring Immortal White Zetsu's chatter, Shūichi left the small town and returned to the secluded valley where he'd been staying.
During this time, he had been controlling Immortal White Zetsu's body and training under the guise of Kogami Kohai. Occasionally, he would head to town to enjoy a hot spring, stroll around, hunt down bandits, or test out the sinister 'Death by Blood' technique.
(T/N: The one in which the more you kill, the longer you live... Ref. Ch 220)
If he were to pose as a follower of the Cult of Jashin, he had to act the part convincingly.
In less than half a month, he had wiped out all the bandits and thieves in the Land of Hot Water, as well as remnants of the Cult of Jashin, while also earning a considerable amount of money from the Daimyō of the region.
After two more days of training in the valley, Shūichi performed his sensory technique as usual. Before long, a smile appeared on his face.
"Finally, she's here!"
He sensed Konan's chakra. Rising to his feet, Shūichi vanished on the spot.
---
On the road leading to the town, Konan suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. Reacting instantly, her body turned to paper as she leapt back several meters, her wary eyes fixed on the stranger who had appeared out of nowhere.
"It's you?" she asked in a mix of shock and doubt.
Shūichi smiled and nodded. "Yes, it's me."
"I am the emissary of Lord Jashin in this world. I represent His will to judge all who oppose Him!"
"And I, Kogami Kohai, am the will of Lord Jashin!"
As she looked at the wicked grin on Shūichi's face, Konan felt a little disoriented.
How could such an evil smile exude such righteousness and authority?
What's more, aside from that fleeting glint in his eyes earlier, she couldn't see any resemblance between this man and the Shūichi she remembered.
Shūichi looked at her and said, "Do you want to test my strength for yourself?"
Konan steadied her nerves and nodded. "Very well, let's see."
She understood that Shūichi wanted to evaluate her progress in training.
Sheets of paper began appearing around her, rapidly forming a pair of wings behind her. With a light motion, Konan rose into the air.
Shūichi glanced up and praised, "Not a bad idea. Aerial mobility gives you a considerable advantage."
As his words ended, Shūichi's hands formed seals at lightning speed.
After just three seals, the moisture around him condensed into a swirling torrent of water that surged upward, transforming into a massive dragon. With its maw wide open, it lunged at Konan.
Konan's wings immediately fired a barrage of paper shuriken, which collided with the water dragon and detonated into a series of deafening explosions, shattering the dragon into a cascade of water.
Hidden among the paper shuriken were explosive tags.
Unfazed, Shūichi completed another set of three seals, and a stream of fiery flames erupted from his mouth, rushing toward Konan in the air.
This time, Konan didn't confront the attack head-on. She ascended higher into the sky to avoid the Fire Release technique.
However, the next moment, her pupils contracted sharply.
From within the torrent of flames, fiery moths emerged, flapping their wings and speeding toward her.
Blaze Release: Flame Moths !
Konan instantly realized that their speed and maneuverability far outstripped her own. Her wings released another wave of paper shuriken.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The fiery moths exploded on impact with the paper shuriken, forming scattered fireballs in the air, their heat radiating outward.
Suddenly, Konan's expression changed. Before she could react, an explosion erupted behind her, tearing apart her paper wings.
One of the moths had circled around to her blind spot!
As she lost her balance and began falling, Shūichi leapt into the air. With a swing of his scythe—a replica of Hidan's—he aimed straight for Konan's head without hesitation.
Bang!
Konan's body disintegrated into countless paper fragments, evading Shūichi's attack.
Landing back on the ground, Shūichi watched as Konan's form reassembled in the distance.
With a smile, he asked, "Does my strength meet the standard?"
Understanding the implication, Konan nodded. "You pass."
"From this moment, you're officially a member of the Akatsuki."
A ring shot out toward Shūichi.
Catching it, he glanced down at it. The kanji for "San" (Three) was engraved on its surface.
Donning the ring, Shūichi walked to Konan's side. Together, they began their journey.
Passing through the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Fire, four days later, they arrived at the border of the Land of Grass, where they met another Akatsuki member.
By now, Shūichi had donned the iconic Akatsuki cloak with its black base and red clouds.
Facing him was Kakuzu, also wearing the Akatsuki cloak.
Kakuzu glanced at Shūichi and remarked coldly, "So, this is my new partner?"
Konan nodded. "Kogami Kohai, a member of the Cult of Jashin from the Land of Hot Water."
Kakuzu, well-traveled and knowledgeable, sneered. "Ah, one of those lunatics."
"But wasn't the Cult of Jashin wiped out by Konoha?"
Shūichi's gaze turned predatory as he smiled at Kakuzu. "Sounds like your information isn't entirely accurate."
"I am the embodiment of Lord Jashin's will. I cannot die!"
Kakuzu's eyes narrowed. Talking about immortality in front of me?
How old are you anyway?
Kakuzu sneered, shifting his gaze away from Shūichi and addressing Konan. "I don't care about this Jashin nonsense. As long as it doesn't interfere with my missions, it's fine."
"But if it does, I won't show any mercy."
Konan, unfazed, responded expressionlessly, "Then let's proceed with the mission."
Kakuzu nodded and turned, heading deeper into the Land of Grass.
"Such arrogance!"
Shūichi tilted his head toward Konan, winking mischievously. "Say, would it be a problem if I killed him?"
Konan ignored him and walked away.
With a sigh, Shūichi muttered, "This doesn't seem like a fun job."
Leaping after Kakuzu, he shouted, "Hey, old man! Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
Kakuzu snorted. "Survive first, and then we'll talk."
Feigning annoyance, Shūichi retorted, "You'd better not slow me down, or I might just sacrifice you as an offering to the great Lord Jashin who walks this world through me!"
Listening to Shūichi's deranged ramblings, Kakuzu scoffed. "Idiot."
Hearing that, Shūichi decided this "old man" needed a taste of what the younger generation could do.
For the rest of the journey, Shūichi kept quiet, following Kakuzu all the way to the daimyo's mansion in the Land of Grass.
Unlike the bustling cities of the Land of Fire, this place resembled a slightly larger town.
Outside the mansion, Kakuzu finally stopped and said, "Your task is to intercept reinforcements. Not that it matters if you fail."
Without waiting for a reply, Kakuzu leapt into the daimyo's residence and began his assault.
Shūichi sighed in disbelief.
Storming in so brazenly… Well, considering the Land of Grass was a small nation with mediocre ninja forces, stealth wasn't really necessary for someone of Kakuzu's caliber.
"So, he's targeting the daimyo. Could this be a mission from Iwagakure?"
Shūichi pondered. "That stubborn old Ōnoki is at it again, huh."
"Well, the more the Akatsuki gets used, the more they'll regret it later."
Hearing the screams from inside, Shūichi leapt onto a rooftop, content to spectate.
As for reinforcements? Whoever's capable can deal with it!
The daimyo's guards were samurai, though they had chakra.
Unfortunately for them, even a samurai of jōnin level was no match for Kakuzu.
Shūichi watched as one of the samurai attempted a sneak attack, his blade striking Kakuzu directly. However, the weapon couldn't penetrate Kakuzu's skin. The samurai was then ruthlessly impaled through the heart by Kakuzu.
The battle ended quickly, with the daimyo of the Land of Grass losing his head to Kakuzu.
On his way out, however, Kakuzu encountered a large contingent of reinforcements—samurai armed with heavy armor and fierce resolve. They surrounded him entirely.
"You dare kill the daimyo? Kill him!"
"Attack!"
The enraged samurai launched their assault, throwing grenades in unison.
Whizz, whizz, whizz!
A barrage of grenades arced through the air.
"Konoha's ninja tools… How underwhelming."
Kakuzu sneered, ignoring the attack entirely.
The grenades exploded mid-air, unleashing a storm of steel fragments that tore through the space around Kakuzu. He raised an arm to shield his eyes, his clothes shredding under the impact, but his body remained unscathed.
As the first wave of explosions ended, the samurai charged, drawing their blades and attacking from all sides.
Kakuzu formed seals and opened his mouth.
Fire Release: Searing Migraine!
A roaring blaze surged forth, engulfing the samurai in front of him. They were instantly reduced to charred skeletons, which then crumbled to ash.
The terrifying wave of fire continued forward, consuming the ranks behind them like an unstoppable river of flames.
Clang!
Amidst the inferno, Kakuzu caught a falling katana barehanded and used his right hand to pierce through its wielder's chest effortlessly.
With a flick of his left hand, the lifeless samurai was hurled into another, knocking them both down. Kakuzu then leapt into the air, his hands forming seals rapidly.
Wind Release: Pressure Damage!
A compressed wind sphere descended, striking a heavily armored samurai and ripping him apart on impact. The sphere detonated, creating a massive windstorm that swept through the surrounding area.
Samurai were thrown into the air, their encirclement utterly broken.
Standing atop the rooftop, Shūichi watched, his cloak billowing in the aftermath of the destruction. He couldn't help but remark, "How brutal!"
With just two ninjutsu, Kakuzu had devastated nearly a hundred samurai, turning the battle into a one-sided massacre.
As Kakuzu landed, his gaze coincidentally fell on Shūichi's position.
Wind Release: Pressure Damage!
Kakuzu unleashed the technique again, the wind sphere shredding through another armored samurai before hurtling toward Shūichi.
As the howling wind sphere approached, Shūichi raised an eyebrow, swinging his scythe with forceful precision, cleaving the sphere in half.
Boom!
The powerful gust exploded, surging past Shūichi on both sides. The resulting windstorm tore apart numerous buildings in its wake.
Kakuzu's pupils contracted slightly as he observed this lunatic's display of strength.
However, his hands didn't pause. Immediately, he executed another jutsu. This time, his mouth emitted a brilliant burst of electricity, forming a blue beam that pierced through an advancing samurai. The beam then swept across the battlefield, shredding everything in its path—including Shūichi, who was caught in the attack's range.
Leaping into the air to avoid the attack, Shūichi noticed more samurai rushing toward Kakuzu from behind. With a smirk, he said, "Let me give you a hand!"
Forming three seals in an instant, Shūichi exhaled a massive fireball, which roared toward the samurai—and Kakuzu was conveniently in its path.
After all, with his supposed immortality, getting hit shouldn't be an issue, right?
Kakuzu snorted and quickly began forming seals for a Water Release technique.
Though Kakuzu's sealing speed was impressive, before he could complete the technique, the incoming fireball abruptly split apart, transforming into a dense swarm of flaming moths.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!
The moths shot forward with incredible speed, enveloping Kakuzu before he could finish his seals.
Flame Moths!
Boom, boom, boom!
The moths detonated in a series of fiery explosions, unleashing a raging inferno that engulfed Kakuzu and the charging samurai alike.
"Let's cool things down a bit!"
As Shūichi landed, his hands formed seals, and his jutsu was completed.
Water Release: Exploding Water Colliding Wave!
He spewed forth a torrent of water, which surged into a massive wave, crashing toward the blazing inferno ahead.
Shūichi's hands didn't stop. He formed three more seals.
Binding Water Serpents!
From within the rushing water, countless serpentine shapes emerged, resembling a swarm of snakes hidden beneath the surface.
The wave collided with the flames, creating a burst of steam that enveloped the battlefield.
"Watch out below!"
"Ahh!"
Shouts and screams echoed through the mist as the water serpents sprang from the depths, ensnaring the samurai and dragging them underwater. Moments later, the dazed and unconscious warriors floated to the surface, their weapons clattering away.
Soon, the steam cleared, revealing a battlefield strewn with unconscious samurai floating on the water's surface.
At the center stood Kakuzu, his clothing in tatters and numerous scorch marks marring his body. Black tendrils writhed from his damaged frame.
Although his hardened skin could negate most physical attacks, it couldn't completely withstand the impact and explosive force of such a large-scale Fire Release technique.
Looking at the disheveled Kakuzu, Shūichi grinned. "Ah, my apologies! That was a new Fire Release technique, and my control isn't quite refined yet."
Kakuzu's expression darkened as he stared at Shūichi. "It seems you're not without skill. But in future missions, be more careful and don't get in my way!"
With that, Kakuzu turned and walked away.
Shūichi smiled, shouldering his scythe as he followed.
"Be careful, huh? One day, I'll be taking that 'careful heart' of yours!"
…
In Konoha Village, inside a study, Shūichi suddenly looked up.
The spiritual clone he had sent out disguised as Kogami Kohai returned its memories to him.
After processing them, Shūichi chuckled. "Kakuzu really is an interesting guy… Earth Grudge Fear is one way to achieve immortality, I suppose."
Kakuzu was from the same era as Hashirama Senju, far older than Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Mizukage, or even Onoki.
"Two consecutive missions targeting the daimyos of small nations. That old rock Ōnoki sure is restless."
Shifting his focus, Shūichi snorted coldly. After sending a shadow clone to the Hokage's office, he once again cast his Spiritual Clone Technique.
For now, using White Zetsu to impersonate Kogami Kohai was a temporary measure.
His spiritual clone shot out at incredible speed, heading straight toward the Land of Rivers.
…
Hokage's Office
After hearing the intelligence report, Minato Namikaze frowned. "Iwagakure is trying to infiltrate these small nations through political means, huh?"
Shūichi nodded. "That seems to be the case."
"They've already made a move against the leader of Kusagakure. Given that the war just ended, they wouldn't dare provoke us directly."
"But targeting the daimyo of the Land of Grass using the Akatsuki's hands puts us in a difficult position. We can't retaliate in kind without creating an endless cycle of chaos that would destabilize the Land of Grass."
"Of course, that's under normal circumstances."
Minato immediately recognized that his disciple had a plan. Smiling wryly, he asked, "What's on your mind this time?"
Shūichi smirked. "Iwagakure's strategy is obvious. They aim to support a daimyo aligned with them, who would then restrict Kusagakure and distance them from us."
"In that case, why can't we use the same method?"
"We eliminate the daimyo they support and have the daimyo of the Land of Fire, under the pretense of alliance, send someone to the Land of Grass to support a young, impressionable daimyo. Better yet, arrange a political marriage between the Land of Fire's nobility and the new daimyo of the Land of Grass. This would give us legitimate grounds to involve ourselves in their affairs."
"Once that happens, the new daimyo of the Land of Grass could naturally hire Konoha's shinobi for protection!"
Minato was stunned. "Are you suggesting the Land of Fire absorb the Land of Grass?"
Shūichi shook his head. "Not absorb, merely control."
"Now isn't the time for outright annexation. We don't want to provoke Iwagakure into conflict. But we can start laying the groundwork."
With a grin, he continued, "For example, through the marriage I mentioned. Initially, we control the Land of Grass's daimyo while maintaining the interests of their existing power groups. Simultaneously, we allow the Land of Fire's nobles, ministers, and merchants to infiltrate and deepen cooperation."
"When the time is right, and the daimyo of the Land of Grass dies, their spouse could inherit the title. Eventually, this new daimyo could lead the Land of Grass into integration with the Land of Fire."
"Of course, throughout this process, we'll need to collaborate with Kusagakure to fend off any overt or covert attacks."
"And we must be cautious not to let Kusagakure learn about the final step of this plan, as it conflicts with their interests. If the Land of Grass ceases to exist, so too does Kusagakure."
Minato carefully considered the plan and became increasingly convinced of its merit. Looking at Shūichi, he couldn't help but laugh. "Kushina was right. You'd make a better Hokage than me!"
Shūichi immediately waved his hands. "Sensei, you're only twenty-four! Don't entertain such thoughts."
"Well, the specifics of how to proceed should be discussed with the Third Hokage and Shikaku-senpai."
With that, he disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Minato could only smile wryly at his disciple's antics. After a moment of thought, he called out, "Genma!"
Shiranui Genma promptly appeared.
Minato instructed, "Please invite the Third Hokage and Shikaku here."
"Understood!"
…
Before long, Minato, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Shikaku Nara gathered in the conference room.
After listening to Minato's recounting of the plan, both Hiruzen and Shikaku were momentarily stunned.
"This plan…"
Hiruzen, puffing on his pipe, seemed at a loss for words.
Shikaku remarked, "This doesn't sound like a plan devised by a shinobi."
Hiruzen nodded. That was exactly his thought as well.
The plan wasn't crafted from Konoha's perspective but rather from that of the daimyo of the Land of Fire—or even beyond.
Minato smiled. "This was Shūichi's idea. He also obtained the intelligence."
"As expected."
Shikaku spoke gravely, "I have to admit, though, this plan is astonishing and highly effective."
"My recommendation is to implement it. If necessary, I'm willing to visit the daimyo's court to persuade the daimyo, as well as the other ministers and nobles."
Minato, although already leaning toward the plan, turned to Hiruzen. "Third Hokage, what's your opinion?"
Hiruzen replied, "It's feasible, but we should prepare contingencies in case of failure."
Minato nodded and turned back to Shikaku. "Shikaku, I'll leave the detailed planning to you."
"This will be classified as an S+ level mission and plan."
"Once the plan is finalized, you'll need to visit the daimyo's court personally."
"You can inform the daimyo that this strategy was proposed by Shūichi."
Shikaku nodded firmly. "Understood."
…
After the meeting, Minato returned to the Hokage's office and immediately began making arrangements.
The plan's finer details needed improvement, but preliminary tasks had to begin.
For instance, gathering intelligence on the Land of Grass's daimyo. They needed to confirm whether the newly appointed daimyo was indeed leaning toward Iwagakure, as Shūichi suggested.
If so, the plan could be set in motion, starting with the assassination of the new daimyo.
Unlike Iwagakure, Minato had no intention of using the Akatsuki for such dirty work. He planned to rely on the Anbu instead.
As he contemplated the steps ahead, Minato couldn't help but understand why the Third Hokage had tolerated Danzo in the past.
If Danzo's Root division were still active, such unsavory tasks could be delegated to them, leaving the Hokage with plausible deniability in case of exposure.
"Darkness and light—this is the burden a Hokage must bear!"
Minato's gaze grew resolute. He had no intention of re-establishing another Root division like Danzo's.
Shūichi had risked everything to eliminate Danzo, allowing Minato to consolidate power more effectively after taking office. How could he now shirk from the darkness and disappoint those who placed their trust in him?
…
After handing over the intelligence and strategy, Shūichi stepped back and left the matter to others.
He trusted that Nara Shikaku and his team were far better at improving the plan than he was.
Currently, he was extremely busy and didn't have the time to micromanage. He simply maintained progress updates to stay informed.
Thanks to his body, now comparable to that of a Tailed Beast, he could divide himself into countless clones to handle various tasks.
However, Shūichi soon realized something amusing—Kakuzu was a workaholic.
Not only did Kakuzu take on missions for the Akatsuki, but he also did freelance bounty work.
Seeing such a diligent "employee," Shūichi couldn't help but feel a bit envious of Konan.
As the days passed, the New Year drew closer, and preparations for another surgery on Hayate Gekkō began.
December 28, Year 48 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar
In his study, Shūichi reviewed his progress over the past year. After organizing his thoughts, he fully focused, heightened his mental clarity, activated the Star Curse Mark, and finally used "Flash of Insight."
The precious ten-minute countdown began.
Lowering his gaze, Shūichi's mind raced at incredible speeds, causing his head to heat up dramatically. Wisps of steam curled upward from his scalp.
Time ticked by.
In this state of accelerated thought, ten minutes felt like an eternity, yet in reality, it passed in the blink of an eye.
As the effects of "Flash of Insight" faded, Shūichi sighed, feeling as though he had fallen from the perspective of a god to that of a fool.
Fortunately, the harvest this time was immense.
After gulping down a prepared mixture of saline and glucose water, Shūichi began inscribing the technique formula onto a blank scroll.
The Star Curse Mark was his first priority for improvement, even though he had already mastered Sage Mode.
To Shūichi, the Star Curse Mark remained critical. It could serve as an alternative to Sage Mode by continuously nurturing his cells with natural energy, effectively maintaining a pseudo-Sage State for extended periods.
This function was similar to how Tsunade used a small amount of chakra to sustain her youthful appearance and vitality over time, requiring very little chakra consumption.
Shūichi's ultimate goal for the Star Curse Mark was to allow him to feed on natural energy and become a true sage!
This ambition stemmed from the fact that the Star Curse Mark originated from the Tag Tree, specifically a power initially granted to the Totsuka Blade.
Its inherent characteristic was absorbing natural energy.
Currently, despite Shūichi's enhanced physique and chakra transformation achieved by assimilating Tailed Beast energy, he still lacked the unique ability of the Tailed Beasts—to replenish physical energy by absorbing natural energy.
To recover quickly, he still needed to use transformation jutsu to mimic a Tailed Beast.
With complex technique patterns flowing from his pen, this session's breakthroughs far exceeded previous attempts.
It took him a full hour to complete the latest iteration of the Star Curse Mark formula.
The earlier version of the Star Curse Mark only boosted Fire, Wind, Yang, and Yin Release.
This time, Shūichi had perfected it to provide a comprehensive enhancement akin to Sage Mode.
In other words, it could amplify ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu universally—for himself, at least.
For others like Nono or Shizune, since Shūichi was the creator and source of the curse mark, they would gain enhancements comparable to his level in Yang Release transformations.
This was intentional on Shūichi's part.
After all, he didn't want to see his close companions grow old and frail over time.
Additionally, the Star Curse Mark could now be segmented for specific enhancements.
For instance, the previously designed Improved Bijuu Sealing Mark enhanced Fire Release. He had also created:
--- Star Curse Mark Series ---
- Seal of Life for Might Guy, which amplified Yang Release and incorporated the Creation Rebirth technique.
- Takemikazuchi Mark to boost Lightning Release.
- Mitsuhanome Mark for Water Release.
- Shinatsuhiko Mark for Wind Release.
- Haniyasu Mark for Earth Release.
- Kagutsuchi Mark for Fire Release (before Bijuu Sealing Mark)
Each seal was named after deities, giving them a dignified and divine connotation.
Going forward, Shūichi decided he wouldn't casually share the secrets of the Star Curse Mark anymore.
After storing the scroll and sealing it securely, Shūichi shifted his focus back to the Tag Tree.
Another tag was ready to be unlocked.