Chapter 115: Body Modification and Prodigy!

"Shūichi!"

While studying the Flying Thunder God Technique in his study, Shūichi looked up and out the window. It was Sarutobi Shinonosuke in his Anbu attire. Shūichi stood up immediately and opened the window to step outside.

"This is the intel you requested about Sunagakure."

Shinonosuke handed him a rolled-up piece of paper.

Shūichi's thoughts quickly shifted away from the Flying Thunder God as he took the paper and unrolled it to read.

"As expected…"

Shūichi's expression darkened.

Already familiar with the intel, Sarutobi Shinonosuke asked, "So, do you think this person conspired with the Third Kazekage to kill Sakumo-senpai?"

Sasori of the Red Sand!

The genius puppet master from Sunagakure's puppet corps!

Yes, Sasori might have been a genius, but he wasn't famous in Sunagakure for his combat prowess or puppet manipulation, which was why Konoha had little information on him.

He had never fought any Konoha shinobi before, so he wasn't on their radar.

Shūichi nodded. "This guy's parents were killed by Sakumo-senpai in the last Great Ninja War."

Sarutobi Shinonosuke, still doubtful, added, "Even so, the intel says he attempted to assassinate the Kazekage three times and has defected from Sunagakure. He clearly sees the Third Kazekage as an enemy—would he really team up with him?"

Shūichi shook his head. "I can't be sure. It's just a suspicion."

Then he asked, "What does the Third Hokage think?"

Sarutobi replied, "Tracking down Sasori of the Red Sand has been very difficult."

Shūichi nodded in understanding. "Got it."

Sarutobi, knowing Shūichi's daring nature despite his calm exterior, cautioned, "Shūichi, I know you have a deep gratitude toward Sakumo-senpai for his guidance, but the Kazekage isn't an easy target to assassinate."

"You're strong, but the Third Kazekage's abilities are well-rounded, both offensively and defensively. It won't be easy."

Shūichi was fully aware of the gap between him and the Third Kazekage, so he smiled, "Don't worry, Captain. I'm not reckless—I value my life too much."

Behind his mask, Sarutobi couldn't help but think, "You might not be reckless, but you sure love to stir up trouble!"

With that, the conversation ended. Sarutobi handed Shūichi another piece of intel. "This one's for Danzo."

Shūichi took it, and Sarutobi disappeared.

Back in his study, Shūichi glanced at the second piece of intel and raised an eyebrow.

The "Pseudo-Tailed Beast Jinchūriki Project"?

"Through Orochimaru, Danzo must have learned about my ability to control the power of the Four-Tails. This plan... how interesting."

Shūichi chuckled.

It was clearly a probe into Danzo's ambitions, but Shūichi didn't mind.

He casually burned the paper and returned to studying the Flying Thunder God Technique.

A month had passed, and he still hadn't fully mastered the Flying Thunder God seal.

It was, admittedly, a bit challenging.

---

At the Experimental Base

Watching Orochimaru unwrap his bandages and slowly dress himself, Shūichi was startled inwardly.

"As expected, although his chakra's essence hasn't changed, the feeling he gives off is entirely different."

At this moment, Shūichi could sense that Orochimaru's chakra had become colder and even carried a faint snake-like quality.

And this was just the first experiment.

Orochimaru moved his body slightly, clearly satisfied, and smiled at Shūichi. "Shūichi-kun, you've mastered Tsunade's monstrous strength, haven't you?"

Shūichi nodded. "Are you asking me to use that strength to attack you?"

Orochimaru grinned. "It's the best way to test this, after all."

Shūichi had no objections.

The two left the experimental base and went to a nearby open area.

"Be careful, Orochimaru-sama!"

With a burst of chakra, Shūichi's figure shot forward.

Boom!

The ground caved in as Shūichi's fist created a large crater, and in the next instant, he twisted his body and launched another attack toward Orochimaru.

This time, he moved even faster, reaching Orochimaru just as he landed.

Engaging in close-quarters combat, each of Shūichi's punches landed with incredible force, forcing even Orochimaru, who wasn't weak in taijutsu, to retreat.

However, Shūichi noticed that some of his power was being deflected, making it hard to deliver full-force blows.

Clearly, Orochimaru's body modification had worked well.

Crack!

Orochimaru's jaw was dislocated by a punch from Shūichi, sending him flying.

Shūichi didn't follow up with another attack.

Orochimaru got up, calmly repositioned his jaw, and said with a smile, "Looks like it's not quite there yet."

"How did it feel, Shūichi-kun?"

Shūichi seriously responded, "Your ability to deflect force was impressive, but at the level of bone impact, it's still ineffective."

Orochimaru nodded. "Let's schedule the next experiment for a month from now."

He seemed pleased with the results.

After all, body modification was only one part of his overall plan—merely a foundation.

His ultimate goal was to achieve a form akin to the White Phosphorus Snake, with shedding and regeneration abilities. Researching the power of tailed beasts and Hashirama's cells was all part of that objective.

It was a goal he hadn't shared with Shūichi.

However, as Shūichi followed Orochimaru back to the base, he compared what he knew of Orochimaru's final form.

Clearly, the Living Corpse Reincarnation and Shed Skin Rebirth techniques were two entirely different forbidden jutsu.

This body modification was only the most basic level of transformation.

Orochimaru's ultimate goal was to become the White Phosphorus Snake... No, perhaps even the Eight-Headed Serpent!

"No wonder, despite being one of the Sannin, Orochimaru, though highly respected in Konoha, is never truly admired by the people."

Shūichi thought to himself, "It's not just Orochimaru's personality that's the issue. As his modifications progress, he's becoming more cold-blooded, gradually giving off an inhuman, terrifying aura."

No one would choose someone so cold and fearsome to be Hokage!

And this fear wasn't merely because of his strength.

...

Root Base

Danzo's expression darkened as he reviewed the intel Shūichi had submitted.

"It seems this isn't just about preparing the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki to harness the power of the Nine-Tails. They're also planning to select suitable candidates from the Anbu to create pseudo-Jinchūriki as weapons?"

He found the idea quite tempting.

In fact, after learning from Orochimaru that Shūichi had mastered the power of the Four-Tails, Danzo had entertained the same thoughts as Hiruzen Sarutobi.

However, for now, all available resources were focused on the experiments involving Hashirama's cells.

Still, looking at Hiruzen's plan, Danzo silently clenched his teeth, deciding that the Root would initiate a similar project.

When it came to mental fortitude, the cold and ruthless Root had an unparalleled advantage!

"This plan should be executed by the Root!" Danzo thought to himself with a cold sneer.

As for whether the plan was genuine or not, he had no doubts.

He knew his old comrade too well.

As Sarutobi aged, his temperament had grown softer.

After the heavy losses in the previous Hashirama cell experiments, Hiruzen was reluctant to reopen such risky projects.

But if there was a proven success story, Danzo believed Hiruzen wouldn't hesitate to use it.

The only issue was funding...

After some thought, Danzo decided that the Root would take on a few more assignments involving coups in smaller nations. This would not only bring in money but also divert the attention and resources of the Iwa-nin, further entangling them.

---

Shūichi wasn't concerned with Danzo's reaction to the intel. Danzo wouldn't come looking for him anyway; he'd most likely collaborate with Orochimaru.

In any case, with the sudden progress in the researching of Four-Tails and Eight-Tails cells, Shūichi was reaping plenty of benefits.

Not having to spend his own money while getting things done his way felt quite satisfying.

When you're busy, time flies without you even noticing.

With the cool autumn breeze blowing, Shūichi and Shizune took a walk together after lunch.

Meanwhile, his shadow clones' memories fed back to him, and there was some movement in the Tag Tree.

But Shūichi didn't check it right away, choosing instead to focus on chatting and laughing with Shizune.

After walking for a while, they sat down on a bench by the roadside. Suddenly, Shizune gestured toward their heights, saying, "Shūichi, it seems like you've grown a lot taller these past few months!"

Shūichi had noticed it too, and he chuckled. "That's because I'm almost grown up."

Shizune remarked, "At this rate, you'll probably be around 1.8 meters tall!"

Shūichi teased, "What, you don't like me being that tall?"

Shizune blushed instantly. "No... of course not."

Shūichi gently took her soft hand and played with it, while Shizune leaned her head on his shoulder. With a dreamy tone, she softly asked, "Shūichi, what do you think our future will be like?"

Shūichi smiled and replied, "We'll be very happy, of course."

"We'll be incredibly strong!"

"And we'll have lots of children."

"Eleven—what do you think?"

Shizune looked up, her face flushed. "Eleven… isn't that a bit too many?"

"And why eleven?"

Shūichi teased her further, "Then let's make it twelve! We can divide them into three squads, that way no one will dare bully them!"

Shizune couldn't help but laugh. "That's ridiculous!"

...

The daydreams of young boys and girls are always filled with unimaginable things.

After the lunch break, Shūichi and Shizune returned to Konoha Hospital.

Following a round of patient checkups, Shūichi went back to his office, his attention shifting to the Tag Tree.

[Earth Release Expert] unlocked!

With that, the set of Five Release Experts was complete!

Beneath the Tag Tree, Shūichi gazed at the five glowing leaves representing the five elemental releases. As the tree swayed, a higher branch revealed a grayish-white leaf shimmering with red light.

This signaled that the tag [Ninjutsu Professor] was an advanced red-tier tag, superior to the blue ones.

Unlock!

Shūichi immediately chose to unlock it, and the leaf was engulfed in a brilliant red glow, radiating vibrantly.

Ninjutsu talent increased by 100%, chakra nature transformation talent increased by 100%, chakra shape transformation talent increased by 100%, physical constitution improved by 100%. Is there anything left that could stop you aside from Kekkei Genkai? The answer: none!

A wave of warmth surged through his body as Shūichi felt his physical strength significantly improve.

At the same time, the lingering doubts about the Flying Thunder God Technique, which had been troubling him for some time, suddenly cleared up as his mind raced.

"As expected, it's always good to have a cheat!"

Shūichi chuckled to himself.

This time, his overall ninjutsu talent had been upgraded across the board, which naturally included body flicker techniques and space-time ninjutsu.

Additionally, the improvements in chakra nature and shape transformations covered a wide range of abilities.

"This will speed up my progress in genjutsu too."

Shūichi was quite satisfied with this boost. Although it wasn't an immediate surge in power, the long-term effects would be substantial.

"Huh?"

Suddenly, the Tag Tree moved again.

Above [Ninjutsu Professor], a new tag leaf appeared.

Tag: [Prodigy]

Condition to Obtain: [Genius] + [Pioneer] + [Ninjutsu Professor] + [Taijutsu Expert] + [Ninja Tool Expert] + [Kenjutsu Expert] + [Body Flicker Expert] + [Clone Expert] + [Substitution Expert] + [Transformation Expert] + [Genjutsu Expert] + [Sealing Expert] + [Space-Time Envoy] + [Medical Expert] + [Sensory Expert] = Prodigy

Tag Effect: 10x thought processing speed, 100% increased comprehension, 100% increased physical constitution. In the field of learning, you are already a god, and as a god, there is nothing you cannot master. If it's in front of you, there's nothing you can't learn!

Reading the description, Shūichi froze.

"Well, well, a super-synthesized tag."

But the effects were immensely powerful.

The doubling of his physical constitution was impressive, but the real highlight was the 10x thought processing speed and doubled comprehension.

Previously, his comprehension had been enhanced by the [Konoha Genius] tag, but that was only a 50% increase. Now, it was doubled, and comprehension applied to far more areas than just ninjutsu.

While ninjutsu talent covered only the area of ninjutsu, comprehension affected every aspect of learning.

The most important part was the final effect.

"Prodigy"—as the name suggested—meant a god in the field of learning. A god is omnipotent, and there's nothing they can't learn.

With this tag, if something existed, it meant he could master it.

This included Kekkei Genkai, Kekkei Tōta, and Kekkei Mōra!

Shūichi couldn't help but lick his lips. This was truly tempting.

And acquiring this synthesized tag wasn't too far off for him.

At the moment, he only lacked the [Genjutsu Expert] and [Space-Time Envoy] tags.

Once he mastered the Flying Thunder God, he could unlock [Space-Time Envoy].

As for [Genjutsu Expert], he still needed to master techniques like Binding Illusion and Temple of Nirvana to the required proficiency level.

The Binding Illusion, much like the Body Flicker Technique, was a genjutsu that also referred to a class of techniques—specifically, binding-type illusions.

For example, Mount Myōboku's Toad Confrontation Chant and Uchiha Itachi's Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique.

These techniques had a similar effect—like sleep paralysis, where the victim's mind remained conscious, but their body was immobilized.

The strength of these illusions varied, depending on the user's skill.

Even though Orochimaru was a top-tier genjutsu user, he was easily defeated by a much younger Uchiha Itachi.

The Binding Illusion technique given by Danzo was ranked B-level, and in terms of difficulty, it was easier to learn than A-level techniques like Bringer-of-Darkness Technique and Temple of Nirvana, a sleep-inducing illusion.

"Almost there… almost…"

Shūichi refocused.

Even if this tag only made him a god of learning, it was still incredibly impressive.

If something were placed in front of him, there would be no way he couldn't learn it.

Many people, even with the answer right in front of them, still wouldn't understand it.

Shūichi had experienced that feeling before.

"This year, I should be able to unlock [Genjutsu Expert]. Now, should I use 'Flash of Insight' to master the Flying Thunder God? With some preparation, 10 minutes should be enough."

Shūichi pondered. "But even without 'Flash of Insight,' I'm confident I'll master it—just might take a bit more time."

So, should he use "Flash of Insight"?

With proper preparation, "Flash of Insight" was more than enough for him to develop an S-rank jutsu and unlock a master-level tag.

Knock knock!

Suddenly, a knocking sound snapped Shūichi out of his thoughts.

Shizune's voice followed, "Shūichi, a seriously injured patient just arrived, and Lady Nono wants you to come quickly!"

"Coming!"

Shūichi immediately stood up and left, quickly heading to the hospital room with Shizune.

Huh?

Seeing the patient on the bed, Shūichi paused in surprise.

This is… a young Hayate Gekkō?

Looking toward the hospital director, Nono Yakushi, who was reviewing Gekkō's medical records, Shūichi quickly asked, "Director, what's wrong with this child?"

Nono replied, "Lung disease. The exact cause is still unclear, but his lungs have already begun irreversible fibrosis."

"It's suspected to be related to the awakening of a Kekkei Genkai, but further evaluation is needed to confirm."

Lung fibrosis?

Kekkei Genkai?

Could it be a Kekkei Genkai illness?

Transparent Escape Technique?

One thought after another flashed through Shūichi's mind.

(End of Chapter)

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