Chapter 28 - Wasted potential

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{Houzu pov}

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*Ding!*

⚠️[Warning: Transplanted organ rejecting the host's biology. Adaption sequence has been implemented.]⚠️

[Metamorphosis in progress....]

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"Gaaagh...." houzu choked and yelled out as pain assaulted his skull. Steam emerged from the socket to which the eye nestled as it darted in every direction as though it was trying to escape.

It felt like days had passed as the pain slowly died down and the eye ceased it's struggling. Slowly he removed his hand from his face while he took deep breaths of air as sweat ran down his face.

Before...the eye felt uncomfortable but manageable. Siphoning away his cursed senjutsu reserves like crazy. But now....it felt natural, only taking energy at a minimal rate.

Getting up he quickly made a way out of his home by manipulating the many large roots blocking the outside into a towering entryway. Running quickly outside and through the trees he halted once he arrived near a large pond near his property.

Staring down towards the calm reflective surface of the water to see his ever familiar pale complexion and wild crimson hair that had become long and untamed due to never bothering to cut his hair as it draped down to his waist similar to madara's own style.

Brushing the bangs covering the rinnegan to the side he was met with what was once a ringed amethyst eye now bared a deep blazing amber hue.

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[Adaption sequence complete.]

[Transplanted organ fully integrated.]

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Extending his hand outwards he closed his eyes to feel the instinctive connection to all the paths of the rinnegan he now possessed. Before, it was difficult to find that very connection due to the rejection, yet now it felt as simple as breathing.

'Universal pull...' Houzu commands as a small stone from the shore gravitated quickly into his grasp. Tossing it back at the body of water it skipped across the surface and after four skips it sank into the depths of the pond below.

Paying it no mind he was in the process of further experimenting with his new techniques only for the sounds of unwanted presences emerging from the forest beyond garner his annoyance. Looking to his visitors he was surprised to see Hiruzen, Minato and Jiraiya land onto the scene.

The white haired half-wit struggled to brush and picked away leaves from his gi and the splotches of purple blood adorning his hands, face and clothes. 'Did that moron run into my creations?' Houzu wondered amusingly, quickly he squashed down those emotions in place of berating himself on not feeling his plants deaths due to his focus on his current activity.

"Houzu....the eye." Hiruzen spoke in disbelief as the old man gazed at his left eye and the evident mutation of the rinnegan. "Oh? Yes...I took the liberty of implanting it myself. You know how I detest the village hospital. They would have botched the procedure anyway..." he scoffed as the three just gazed at the blazing orange eye staring at them in turn.

His perceptive eyes caught the sight of the toad sage clenching his fists out of view of the other two. Unexpectedly the man approach him slowly tensing his muscles he prepared to retaliate. Sure, his level of power had now surpassed the sannin. But the geezer still had experience...

"That's....not why we're here. It's about your actions in the land of rain." Jiraiya spoke as the man did his best to sound professional. Houzu raised a brow at the sanin at his change in subject. "And? I potential just destroyed a mere thorn in your side. Isn't the man who kidnapped me the one you were hiding from?" He smirked only to be hoisted up by his yellow and black dotted cloak by the senior shinobi.

"You destroyed an entire village! Every innocent man, woman and child are gone because of you!" Jiraiya spat as the smug look on houzu's face lessened to a look of indifference. "So? They were my enemy, if they had to die to achieve my objectives so be it."

"You little shit!" The sanin barked as he threw a punch towards the boy's face. "Sensei stop!" Minato shouted as he sprinted towards the two to prevent an all out brawl. In the midst of the debacle marks appeared around his mouth and tongue.

"Don't...move"

Without warning the white haired shinobi froze as his body ceased all manner of movement. Before the others could question what had occurred the child placed a hand upon Jiraiya's head and utilized the power of the human path. 'No better time to test this trick.' Houzu thought as he delved deep into the geezers memories.

The days of the man's time in the academy, his below average grades, average performance in shuriken ans kunai throwing, using his acuired skills to peep on the unsuspecting women in the village hot spring atop a far away building, becoming a student of Hiruzen, the fool's failure to convince orochimaru to come back to the village despite the many irredeemable acts the snake had committed, failure to comprehend the use of natural energy to the point of needing the very top brass of mount myoboku to even enter sage mode, nearly failing as an author, using the wealth he gained on women and gluttonous luxury.

So many flaws for one called a sage...

Removing his hand from the sannin's head he quickly moved away in order to gain a fair bit of distance from his opponent. But to his surprise Jiraiya fell to his knees while holding his head as Minato came to his aid.

"Sensei...are you alright?" Minato asked desperately as he ran over and placed a supportive hand upon the larger ones back. Jiraiya opened his eyes to look at the child with disbelief. "You...you forced your way into my mind, saw my memories. You little bastard..." Jiraiya seethed, seeming to be affected by their brief connections.

"Houzu! Despite his actions you had no right to perform such an invasive action!" Minato reprimanded, believing he had any semblance of parental authority. Watching the man help his teacher to his feet the blonde let out a heavy sigh. Despite the distance between them he could hear the blonde whispers directed to the old man.

"Hiruzen...we need to take him to the interrogation division, alter his memories again. There's no telling how many village secrets he know now. It's too risky to leave him be with such potential information.

Suddenly the very air stood still, the heat cascading around them to become blistering. Steam emitted from the boy very ears and body, the look of pure malice blazing in his eyes. "I'll be dambed if I allow anyone to get inside my head, never again!" Houzu yelled running towards the three and unleashed a hoard of vines and plant like shinigami.

The three withdrew from their position as the thick branches engulfed the clearing. "Dammit Minato, he had already been untrusting of you both! Now you may have burned away the very little trust you gained!" Hiruzen roared as they weaved and cut down the many plant life that came their way.

"Why are you defending him! If you haven't noticed he's trying to kill us!" The yellow flash barked back reaching into his back pouch. Once his hand burst out once more a barrage of custom kunai embedded themselves all over the area. "I'm finishing right...here and now."

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A/N: sorry for the long pause in the story. It's been tough to find time to write right now. But mark my words, I will not give up on this story.