Chapter 37: Deduction of a Kekkei Genkai Out of Thin Air?!

Chapter 37: Deduction of a Kekkei Genkai Out of Thin Air?!

"Why do you need to borrow the Byakugan?" Ishihara asked, although he already knew the answer.

"I suspect that Yagura is being controlled by a genjutsu. The Byakugan could help break the genjutsu or, at the very least, reveal the truth!" Mei Terumi stated bluntly. This was a conclusion she had reached after discussions with her clan and the high-ranking officials in Kirigakure who supported her.

If they could confirm that Yagura was indeed being controlled, they wouldn't need to tread so carefully; they could take direct action.

"But last time, he probably already knew that Yagura's control had been exposed. Despite that, he still went ahead with his plan, meaning he's likely achieved his goal and won't hold back anymore. Are you sure you want to do this?" Ishihara asked, shaking his head.

Mei hesitated. There was internal disagreement on this matter. Even if Yagura was indeed under someone's control, if they couldn't break the genjutsu, it would mean fighting against Yagura and possibly the person controlling him.

Especially since Yagura had mentioned the possibility of transforming into the tailed beast, which had become a significant concern for them. As a perfect jinchūriki, once Yagura transformed, his strength would be overwhelming. The damage to Kirigakure could be immense, and defeating or even killing Yagura would result in heavy casualties—something they couldn't accept.

But Mei and her allies didn't dare to openly reveal that Yagura was being controlled. Doing so would likely provoke Tobi, causing him to act without restraint. Thus, the situation in Kirigakure had reached a strange equilibrium—no one wanted to make the first move.

But Mei knew that the longer this dragged on, the more Kirigakure would suffer.

"Can you help me, just this once?" Mei asked, looking at Ishihara with a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"No," Ishihara refused without hesitation.

Mei's expression fell, not only because of the rejection but also because she felt she held little importance in Ishihara's eyes.

But then she heard Ishihara say, "If you need my help for something like this, then what's the point of learning all those secret techniques from me?"

"But it would take so much time!" Mei said anxiously, her hope rekindled.

"What does that have to do with me? I chose you, but I don't care about Kirigakure's survival," Ishihara responded coldly.

Mei bit her lip in frustration, knowing that asking Ishihara to oppose a mysterious enemy just for her village was unrealistic.

"When you've mastered the secret techniques to my satisfaction, I'll lend you the Byakugan," Ishihara added.

He was curious to see what someone could achieve with all the secret techniques he had developed.

Mei took a deep breath and, gritting her teeth, said, "Deal!"

With that, she turned and left.

As she walked away, Ishihara suddenly called out, "Don't forget to continue collecting Kekkei Genkai ninja or their corpses."

"I know!" Mei replied angrily, storming off.

Ishihara chuckled and didn't dwell on it. His mind was focused on his new research project, for which he needed Orochimaru's help.

So, he immediately went to find Orochimaru, who was training in the Boil Release technique.

"Have you already started with the Boil Release training?" Ishihara asked, a bit surprised as he watched Orochimaru in the training area.

Orochimaru's lips curled up slightly. It was rare to see Ishihara surprised, and it made him feel rather pleased.

"What brings you to me?" Orochimaru asked. His impression of Ishihara was that he was always buried in research or training, with little interest in anything else.

"I want to conduct an experiment that requires your assistance. It could be dangerous," Ishihara said seriously.

Rather than being scared, Orochimaru was intrigued. If Ishihara was treating something this seriously, it must be something extraordinary.

"And what experiment would that be?" Orochimaru asked, eager to know more.

"I want to deduce a Kekkei Genkai," Ishihara replied gravely.

"What?!" Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock.

He hadn't felt this level of surprise in years, but it still couldn't fully express his astonishment. He found himself breathing heavily as he asked, "Deduce a Kekkei Genkai? Out of thin air?!"

Ishihara nodded, "Exactly."

Through his analysis of Boil Release and Lava Release, as well as the Hydrification Technique, Ishihara felt he had gained a certain understanding of Kekkei Genkai. He now wanted to attempt deducing one without the use of any experimental subjects.

"This..." Orochimaru was too stunned to speak.

If anyone else had made such a claim, he would have dismissed it as the delusions of a madman. But this was Ishihara, a being who seemed almost inhuman in his abilities. There was a chance he could succeed—no, it seemed inevitable that he would!

The thought of it shocked Orochimaru to his core, leaving him unable to calm down for a long time.

"Sensei, if you think it's too difficult, we can call it off," Ishihara said, noticing Orochimaru's silence.

Orochimaru snapped back to reality and took a deep breath.

"No, it's just that I was too shocked. Tell me what you need," Orochimaru responded.

A smile appeared on Ishihara's face.

"This time, I plan to deduce the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai, so I need someone with a high mastery of both wind and water chakra nature transformations to assist in multiple experiments. Sensei, you're the perfect candidate," Ishihara explained.

"My wind and water nature transformations have indeed reached the level required to fuse a Kekkei Genkai," Orochimaru nodded.

His strength as a Kage-level shinobi was not due to any particular Kekkei Genkai or powerful secret techniques, but because he had mastered all five chakra nature transformations to a high degree. Though he lacked standout abilities, he also had no weaknesses, which made him an ideal candidate for Ishihara's experiments.

Moreover, Orochimaru had already perfected his secret technique, Orochimaru's Substitution Technique, which had a high survival rate, ensuring his safety during the experiments.

"Then let's begin!" Ishihara said, his excitement palpable.