"I need to move some things over," Akira Sato decided to reveal a bit.
After all, today's assessment had already exposed some of his capabilities. If he didn't come clean, would they really be unable to find out?
"Let's go!" Uchiha Mei stepped past him.
In truth, she had known about the assessment before Akira arrived.
Originally, she thought he might fail the graduation test. However, she didn't expect him to rely on a summoned beast to directly defeat the "Son of Sakumo Hatake." It was indeed a surprising feat, which is why she stayed to meet him.
Otherwise, she would have already gone on a mission.
Though Uchiha Mei was only 13 years old, she was already a "Special Jōnin."
At this stage in the ninja world, it wasn't yet the era where teenagers reached Kage-level strength. Her abilities were already quite formidable; otherwise, she wouldn't be regarded as a future genius by her clan.
The two left the courtyard and headed toward Akira's temporary residence.
Uchiha Mei was the epitome of a "rich, beautiful, strong, and tragic" type.
Her parents had died, and her grandfather was the previous clan leader, as well as the head of the main family and the leader of the hawkish faction.
However, her grandfather died when she was only a few years old, so the clan leadership fell into the hands of the centrist third branch, specifically Uchiha Fugaku's father.
Therefore, she could indeed be considered the Uchiha princess—a standard rich and beautiful figure.
Adding "strong and tragic" wasn't without reason.
Strong was self-explanatory.
A 13-year-old Special Jōnin wasn't weak.
As for tragic, it wasn't about dying during the clan massacre.
Given her identity and strength, if she had lived until then, there would have been no room for the "filial son" to act, and the hawkish faction wouldn't have been suppressed.
So, there's only one possibility.
She died too early!
Only then would she leave no trace in history.
Thus, describing her as "rich, beautiful, strong, and tragic" was quite fitting.
Yet, such a person, due to some special reasons, became Akira's "fiancée."
It could only be said that the original couldn't handle the soft life, so it was up to him now.
A while later.
The two arrived at the edge of the village.
Living here wasn't Akira's choice but the original's.
He was able to transmigrate because the original chose to leave the Uchiha compound and live alone. As a result, he died suddenly from an acute illness, and Akira took over.
Click!
Akira opened the door and turned to invite her in.
"Please!"
He then entered the room first and turned on the light.
Uchiha Mei followed him in.
As the light came on, the room was filled with bookshelves, flower pots, test tubes... cluttered and worn.
Most of the items in the room were accumulated by Akira over the past two and a half years since his transmigration.
The books were borrowed from the library.
The school had a very large library.
However, it only contained basic knowledge, so few people liked to go there.
Because ninjas pursued things like "ninjutsu" that could make them stronger, few were interested in basic knowledge.
But Akira was different!
As a transmigrator, he naturally understood that in this ninja world, "knowledge is power," and it's the kind that can be mastered individually.
This was the hidden shortcut.
One that could be taken through learning.
Otherwise, as an "ordinary person" without Ōtsutsuki bloodline, he would have no chance to reach the top-tier combat power.
As for research talent?
Though he wasn't as exaggerated as the Second Hokage or Orochimaru, he had an average level, and combined with his unique advantages, he was naturally extremely strong.
The insight of a transmigrator!
That was his unique advantage.
Doing experiments wasn't about fearing difficulties and troubles; the biggest fear was taking the wrong path.
But for Akira, he directly knew which research paths were viable. As long as he kept working in that direction, success would come sooner or later.
Moreover, after he started researching, he discovered a significant advantage in himself.
It was this advantage that allowed him to achieve results quickly.
Otherwise, even knowing the correct research path, it would take decades to achieve anything.
Did people really think research was that easy to succeed in?
If it were easy, there wouldn't be so few people willing to take the scientific research route.
Many in the ninja world invested in scientific research, but only a few became famous, like the Second Hokage, Orochimaru, and Kabuto Yakushi, showing how difficult the research path was.
After a quick check, Akira suddenly spoke.
"Something's not right!"
Someone had been here!
"What is it?" Uchiha Mei walked over.
"Someone's been here!" Akira's face darkened.
Fortunately, there was nothing truly incriminating.
Most of his experimental records and data were stored in his mind or hidden elsewhere. Otherwise, this would have been a significant loss.
Of course, there was still some loss.
A certain experimental "by-product" was missing a bottle.
Healing potion!
Yes, this was something Akira developed to make money after deciding to take it easy.
He planned to relax but didn't want to suffer, so naturally, he needed to earn money.
Before transmigrating, he worked himself to death; after transmigrating, shouldn't he enjoy life a bit?
"It must have been Danzo!" Uchiha Mei didn't need to think much to give an answer.
"The missing item is a healing potion..." Akira explained the by-product's effects.
In general, although the diluted version's effect wasn't as good as medical ninjutsu, it could still heal wounds completely within a few days.
It didn't sound like much.
But in the event of war, this potion's effect would be terrifying.
Because medical ninjas heavily relied on talent, but this potion could be mass-produced, making it a strategic resource.
After hearing the effect description, Uchiha Mei naturally understood the significance of this item and solemnly asked:
"Are you sure about its effectiveness?"
Because it was so important, confirmation was necessary.
"Wait a moment..." Akira quickly retrieved some green algae from a small tank in the corner and began on-the-spot preparation.
In just a few minutes, he skillfully extracted half a vial of green liquid.
Healing concentrate!
This was the strongest form of the by-product.
The missing vial was diluted over a hundred times.
At this point, it was essential to demonstrate its value.
Even though Akira knew that, given her personality, she wouldn't abandon her "fiancé," he wasn't willing to risk his life.
It could only be said that Akira hated Danzo to the core.
He originally planned to use the failed assessment to exit the ninja ranks, or at least become a low-profile ninja.
But because Danzo wanted to use his life to warn the Uchiha clan, he was forced into this situation.
If he had a cheat, he would have made Danzo understand what it meant that transmigrators shouldn't be insulted.
"So this is the healing potion...?" Uchiha Mei's light pink eyes examined the green liquid in the test tube, then suddenly acted.
"Wait!" Akira saw Uchiha Mei pull out a kunai and, without changing expression, stab it into her palm.
Shhh!
With a crisp sound of flesh being pierced, a wound appeared in Uchiha Mei's fair and slender palm.
What a ruthless person!
Just by appearance, no one would believe that such a girl could be so decisive.
Uchiha Mei completely ignored Akira's attempt to stop her.
She certainly knew that she could use other means to test it.
But what could be more direct than personal experience?
Moreover, this minor injury could be quickly healed with medical ninjutsu, even if the potion didn't work, so it had no impact.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken such a risk.
Did people really think she was that reckless?
The healing concentrate was slowly poured onto the wound in her palm.
The bleeding wound stopped bleeding at a visible rate and quickly scabbed and healed.
As this process unfolded, Uchiha Mei's originally icy face showed changing expressions.
Because the effect was just too exaggerated.
Even though it still couldn't match medical ninjutsu.
But the entire Konoha had fewer than a hundred medical ninjas, and that was due to the influence of Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin. In other major ninja villages, having fewer than ten wouldn't be surprising.
As for areas outside the Five Great Ninja Villages, there were no medical ninjas.
Yet this potion could be mass-produced and carried around, which was its greatest advantage.
(End of Chapter)