Chapter – 87: Replacing Yahiko

[Rei POV]

As soon as my eyes fall on the clone inside the nutrition chamber, my face darkens. This is something even I couldn't predict. What's happening is, the clone is beginning to show signs of turning into a tree-man! There are already patches that look like tree bark on its skin.

'Why?' I think with a frown as this never happened with any other clones, 'It's as if what I am cloning are not the cells of a person, instead, it looks like I am cloning the God Tree itself! But why?'

It doesn't take long for me to find the reason for why this change has occurred; it seems the clone is instinctually absorbing some kind of weird chakra from its surroundings and after reaching a certain threshold, it's showing these changes!

'Natural Chakra!' I exclaim in disbelief.

From what I remember, there are consequences if one gathers more natural chakra than what their bodies can handle, in Mount Myoboku they are shown to turn into stones! Now, I am seeing one more, since the clone had gathered lots of Natural Chakra on its own, it is showing signs of turning into a tree!

'Well, good that it's got nothing to do with my cloning procedures... if I find a way to limit the Natural Chakra it's absorbing, the cloning should still be able to succeed... hopefully...'

...

A month later.

'A.I chip, display my stats!'

[Name: Uchiha Rei (Low Kage). Age: 9 years 11 months, Strength: 457, Agility: 432, Vitality: 466, Spirit: 455, Chakra: 12324, Status: Healthy. Eye remodelling, progress: 55%]

[Bloodline: Uchiha (Mangekyo Sharingan), Active genes: 23(limit), Bloodline activation: 85.185%]

[Affinities: Fire 94%, Wind 91%, Lightning 85%, Earth 81%, Water 69%]

[Total Number of Clone slots: 7]

I completed activating the 23rd gene a couple of weeks ago and finally gained all five affinities. Among the remaining four genes, I have already found three active ones, however, as I had expected, the last gene couldn't be found anywhere. In the last few weeks, I have checked the remaining graves in the Uchiha cemetery too, but no luck there as well.

Anyway, I already have a plan in motion for the last gene so I am not too worried about it for now. Speaking of the plan, the cloning of Yahiko's cells completed a few days ago and I am waiting for the perfect opportunity to replace him.

'I need to dispatch this clone to Ame asap... otherwise I might miss a good opportunity...'

Another update that happened this month is the Chunin Exams started two weeks ago and Inoichi-sensei, impressed by our 'growth,' recommended our team to it. 'You don't need to pass on your first attempt, but it is always good to gain some experience...' was his message.

The exams themselves were a bit different and a bit lenient this time around, which I am sure is because of the war that will start soon and the main difference is that there were only Konoha shinobi participating in it. My team was able to clear the Written test as there was no tenth question or anything like that and the questions themselves were easier too. The next stage of the exams which is the Forest of Death three-man-team battles are going to be held tomorrow and it seems that the Loss of a match does not necessarily prevent a genin from continuing to the finals.

'Hiruzen is doing everything to get more chunins, ha?' I ponder, 'In a few days, the Uchiha-Senju clone will awaken its Sharingan...'

'Once it does, I am switching the Main clone with it... it can take on the identity of Rei from then on...'

'A.I chip, show me all the updates from my clones...'

[Beep!]

[Main Clone: Genin of Konoha, Location: Konoha, ...]

[Iwa Clone: Tokubestsu Jonin of Iwa, Location: out on a mission with a team of Jonins, ...]

[Kumo Clone: Chunin of Kumo, Location: Kumo, ...]

[Ame Clone: Posing as a civilian, Location: Ame, ...]

[Guardian Clone: hidden and is protecting the main clone, Location: Konoha, ...]

[Uchiha-Senju Clone: None, Location: Origin Space, ...]

[Hyuga-Kaguya Clone: None, Location: Origin Space, ...]

Looking at the list of clones and their updates, I start to think about which one should I stop controlling temporarily so that I can control Yahiko's clone and replace him.

'I cannot stop controlling the first five as they are either outside of the village or necessary to maintain the identity of Uchiha Rei... that leaves me with the last two...'

'As I am planning on using the Uchiha-Senju clone in the near future and replace the main clone, I cannot stop developing it for now... that leaves me with the last one...'

'Such a shame... I really wanted to see Tenseigan as soon as possible... oh well...'

...

[Third Person POV]

Somewhere in an alleyway of Ame, a masked man was confronting a short spiky orange-haired teenager. Similar to how the masked man was evaluating him, Yahiko was doing the same. The result he came to was 'I am no match for this guy...'

They haven't started fighting yet, but he can already feel it. If they are to fight, he would end up losing; losing miserably at that... and the most infuriating thing is, he doesn't know what he did to offend such a figure... as far as he can remember, he never seems to have done anything to the opposite party...

"Who are you?" he asks with caution.

"Well, that is not something that concerns you... however, who I am going to be in the future is definitely of great importance to you..."

"Because who... I... am... going... to... be... is... YAHIKO!" he speaks word by word as if stressing the importance of each and before the last of it could reach Yahiko's ears, the masked man's hand had already penetrated his chest!