Chp-49: Atavism

*Translator's Notes: Okay, I have caught up to the other translation; now we are entering Uncharted Territory.*

Lying in the hospital bed, Satoru Hyuga leaned against the pillow, staring blankly at the white ceiling.

Orochimaru's cell activation technique was highly effective and not complicated to practice. Even from his bed, Satoru could refine his cells by manipulating his chakra.

In just two days, Satoru felt as if his body was on the verge of complete recovery.

Despite the physical sensation of almost overflowing energy, it was the emptiness inside that left him feeling confused.

Shibi Aburame's words still echoed in his mind.

"The Hokage has considered your current capabilities and decided to promote you to chunin, allowing you to take on A-rank and lower missions independently."

"Initially, the Hokage intended to promote you directly to special Jonin, but considering the attention that such a rapid rise would attract from other villages, he decided against it for your safety."

"Rin will return to her family for training; Anko has become Orochimaru's disciple, and as for me... I will probably return to the Anbu."

"It seems the Third Squad will be disbanded."

...

Satoru had known this day would come, but its sudden arrival still caught him off guard.

On reflection, given his current abilities, typical team missions were no longer enough to help him progress. The Hokage had likely taken this into account, which is why he was specially promoted to chunin.

In a sense, it was a good thing.

What he lacked most now was experience. Undertaking missions alone would rapidly build the experience he needed, which was probably the Hokage's intention.

Still, having spent so much time with his teammates in the Third Squad, they felt like family. Parting ways was something he found hard to accept.

Just then, the door opened with a soft click.

Rin Uchiha entered, placing a basket of fruit on the cabinet next to the bed.

"Satoru, you look much better."

"Really?"

Rin sat on the edge of the bed and picked up an apple, starting to peel it with a fruit knife.

For some reason, silence fell, broken only by the sound of the apple being peeled.

"Satoru, I may not be able to visit you tomorrow."

Rin broke the silence first, speaking with a complex expression.

"Is something going on?" Satoru asked.

"Yes, my family has arranged special training for me. Since the clan leader intervened, I couldn't refuse. We'll have to be apart for a while."

"The clan leader himself?"

Satoru was surprised. In large clans like the Uchiha, the clan leader rarely intervened personally for ordinary members.

"Yes." Rin nodded with a complicated expression. "I've awakened the second tomoe."

The second tomoe? Satoru took a deep breath. No wonder. For Rin to awaken the second tomoe before the age of eleven was extremely rare, even in the history of the Uchiha.

When she had only the first tomoe, the Uchiha clan could overlook it, but awakening the second tomoe in such a short time marked her as an exceptional genius. No wonder the clan leader intervened.

But...

Satoru looked at Rin curiously. "Rin, when did you awaken the second tomoe?"

Rin's cheeks suddenly flushed, and she turned her head slightly, her voice tinged with impatience. "Why do you ask so many questions? It was just a while ago when I was in danger."

"Oh."

Satoru was still puzzled. Why was she upset about that? And when did she face any danger recently?

Rin's gaze drifted towards the window, her memory drifting back to that day.

In the torrential rain, Anko, soaked to the skin, struggled to carry the bloodied and seemingly lifeless Satoru towards her. The path Anko had walked was marked with a crimson trail in the rain.

For some reason, her eyes felt like they were tearing apart. When she opened them again, they bore the second tomoe.

But how could she tell Satoru about that? His clueless mind might misinterpret it completely...

After Rin left, Satoru adjusted his mood and continued to practice the cell activation technique.

He had to admit that cell activation was a remarkable technique, a culmination of Orochimaru's extensive research on the human body.

Through multiple phases of refining body cells, each refinement greatly enhanced the cells' vitality, significantly boosting the user's physical abilities and chakra refinement capability.

Previously, Satoru's chakra capacity had been a weak point, but after practising cell activation, it was on the verge of reaching the Jonin level.

As for the cell damage caused by forcibly extracting chakra in the Tyrant Mode, it had completely healed by the second day of practice.

Exhaling a deep breath, Satoru opened his eyes, unable to suppress a sigh of admiration.

"Cell activation truly lives up to being a secret technique developed by Orochimaru over three years. Without profound research on the human body, such a marvellous method of refining cells wouldn't be possible."

In Orochimaru's myriad secret techniques, cell activation was foundational. Orochimaru's Body Replacement Technique and Living Corpse Reincarnation both required cell activation to enhance the body's capabilities.

"It seems Satoru likes the technique I developed."

A raspy, smiling voice came, causing Satoru to frown slightly.

"Orochimaru, don't you know to knock before entering?"

"I thought Satoru's sensory abilities would have detected my approach."

Satoru's frown relaxed slightly. "Why have you come?"

Orochimaru smiled. "The results of the cell samples I took from you are in. They were quite interesting, so I decided to share them with you."

"What are the results?" Satoru's expression grew serious.

Orochimaru didn't hold back. "Your cells are unusual. The tests suggest they are evolving towards a higher form, but..."

He paused, then smiled. "Satoru's Byakugan range should be greater than that of an ordinary clan member, right?"

"Yes." Satoru nodded. There was no point in hiding it.

"But what does this have to do with the test results?"

"Well... it seems that Satoru's physical evolution is more like a regression to an ancestral state. Thus, the purity of the Byakugan will also increase during this process."

Regression to ancestry???

Satoru took a deep breath.

Orochimaru might not know the Hyuga clan's bloodline origins, but Satoru did—Kaguya Otsutsuki!

Could he be evolving into an Otsutsuki?