For thousands of years in the Otherworld, no human had ever reached true Hero-class—the equivalent of a Kage-level powerhouse in the shinobi world. Only a handful of rare "Abnormals" had ever managed to rise to the top of human strength.
If not for the Dragon Emperor summoning players from YGGDRASIL and enhancing human bloodlines, it would have been nearly impossible for the Otherworld to produce beings rivaling the Origin Magic–wielding True Dragon Lords.
It was as though an invisible lock had sealed the power ceiling of the Otherworld's humanity—perfectly reflecting the saying:
"A dragon begets a dragon, a phoenix begets a phoenix; a rat's child digs holes in the ground."
The shinobi world had similar cases, though far less severe.
Examples like Ōnoki, Hanzō the Salamander, and Might Guy all demonstrated one truth:
Bloodline sets a ninja's floor; talent sets their ceiling.
The modern Uchiha possessed Flame Release, Lava Release, and the Sharingan—meaning their minimum was jōnin, while their maximum could reach elite Kage. Compared to the past, the "Number One Clan" title of the Senju was long outdated—now the Uchiha easily stood as the greatest lineage in the world.
However, reaching Super Kage level still required breaking past mortal limits—awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan, acquiring Kekkei Tōta, or becoming a perfect jinchūriki combined with Sage Mode.
The most direct route remained Mangekyō awakening…
But that relied entirely on emotional upheaval.
Some Uchiha lived rollercoaster lives and never awakened even the basic Sharingan. Talent was cold, absolute—no loopholes.
Sharingan → Mangekyō → Rinnegan
Each step was exponentially harder.
Even with the resources of the Konoha Science Institute, cloning countless Uchiha shinobi, not a single clone had ever awakened the Sharingan.
There was clearly a law—a rule-like restriction—at play.
Research into Wood Release had shown more progress. Some clones could produce Mokuton techniques for a brief period… though the power was comparable only to Flame or Lava Release.
Meanwhile Inside the Rest Chamber
In the rest room of the Konoha Executive Tower, Juno—now in her newly transformed body—struggled into one of Soren's oversized T-shirts. It hung so low it covered her entire lower half.
Without fur, her human skin felt cool and exposed. Her perfectly proportioned, slender legs swayed awkwardly as she moved.
"Juno, you'll be living as a human from now on. How does it feel?"
Minako Uzumaki asked, slowly circling her like a medical examiner.
"It feels… okay? Just a little weird."
Juno wiggled her cat ears and tail as she tried walking around—only to drop naturally onto all fours moments later.
From Minako's perspective, the lifted tail and pale skin were… distracting.
A flush touched her cheeks as she looked away and gestured to the large bed.
"Juno, I'm a capable medical-nin. Let me examine your body thoroughly."
After all, Shadow-Mirror Transformation was a Forbidden Technique affecting the entire human form—internal and external.
A full checkup was essential.
Minako imitated Soren's tone with surprising accuracy, speaking righteously:
"Human bodies are precision instruments. Even one flaw can cause catastrophic consequences."
"Then hurry and check me! I want to become the unrivaled Cat Sage who defeats all opponents!" Juno declared earnestly.
Under Minako's guidance, Juno lay on the bed. Soon, soft breaths of pleasure leaked from her lips—just like when she'd been a cat being brushed.
Minako's glowing green palms swept across her body.
(Skin, muscle, blood vessels, bones… all identical to a real human. With Juno's limited knowledge, there's no way she created such detail. Even I couldn't do this.)
(If that's the level of replication… can Shadow-Mirror Transformation even simulate Kekkei Genkai?)
Excitement rippled in Minako's chest.
If so, then…
Could every summoning beast gain a human form?
Could new Kekkei Genkai be engineered?
Would the entire shinobi world change?
She collected hair and blood samples to send to the Konoha Medical Institute.
Just as she finished her examination, Minako sensed movement behind her.
A pair of hands slipped beneath her tight black skirt.
Her face flushed instantly.
Moments later, she—like Juno—was lying prone on the bed, awaiting Soren's "detailed inspection."
(Here we go again…)
Juno thought, stretching lazily as if this were routine.
She prepared to slip out and return to the Ruins Sector—only for Soren to grab her tail.
"Meow??"
Juno blinked up at him with innocent confusion.
Soren pulled the small catgirl into his arms and inhaled deeply into her golden hair.
A long, satisfied sigh escaped him.
"As expected…
You still smell exactly like my Juno."
Meanwhile, far away—
Sunagakure Village – Council Hall
"Leader."
At the Sand Village leadership table, Ebizō unfurled a map of the shinobi world.
Half of Suna's former territory had been ceded away—his heart ached just from looking at it.
"With the desert forestation project bearing fruit, all that land could have become fertile soil…"
"It's already decided."
Chiyo's voice, now carrying real authority, cut through his complaints.
Her gaze shifted toward Bunpuku—the One-Tails' jinchūriki—whose expression was filled with guilt.
"Bunpuku, I've exchanged the Uzumaki clan's basic sealing formulas through Konoha's Military Bureau. They'll greatly stabilize your condition."
Chiyo's tone sharpened.
"The exploration mission in the desert region—I'm entrusting it to you."
"Thank you for giving me the chance to redeem myself," Bunpuku said, bowing deeply.
"I swear the Black Horn incident will never repeat. On this mission, I will not let Sunagakure down!"
"Good."
Chiyo nodded, then turned back to Ebizō.
"I will be leaving for the Otherworld to serve near the Supreme Leader. Village affairs fall to you. Anything uncertain—send word to our Otherworld outpost."
"I understand," Ebizō replied.
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