Chapter 265: Smoke at the Uchiha Compound?
"Even if I've confirmed Hinata's bloodline has ties to Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, it still doesn't improve my current situation," Kenichi muttered, stroking his chin.
Knowing the source of Hinata's bloodline did not change anything. If the Gene Programming Ninjutsu could not be improved, then modifying his own body through gene programming would remain nearly impossible.
Kenichi had considered using the cheat he gained from transmigrating to brute force an improvement, but that cheat was still busy researching the fusion of chakra and explosives, and its progress was only at 91%.
At this pace, it would take roughly two more months to finish. Worse, Kenichi had noticed the progress slowed sharply near the end, like downloading games or movies in his previous life.
Once it hit ninety percent, the speed dropped off a cliff.
If a pop up appeared offering a "VIP high speed download channel," it would have been perfect.
Kenichi decided to step outside and clear his head.
If he stayed in the lab any longer, he was genuinely worried he might go mad. Constant failure was torture, and programming every cell required extreme focus.
Anyone who had tried to maintain concentration for long stretches would understand. A day or two was manageable, but if it dragged on, the mental pressure became crushing.
With that in mind, Kenichi walked toward Amado's laboratory.
Amado had established his lab earlier, not far from Orochimaru's, and closer to Kenichi's own. Kenichi had only stopped by once, back when it was first completed, just to offer congratulations.
He looked at the tightly shut door and chose not to approach.
By now, Kenichi understood Amado well enough. The man spent every day obsessively researching how to revive his daughter. He had even obtained the Edo Tensei scroll from Orochimaru in exchange for something.
Orochimaru had once mentioned, almost casually, that Amado's lab kept the most sacrifices prepared for Edo Tensei. A stable ten sacrifices every month.
Fortunately, Amado's daughter was not a shinobi, so the technique did not require shinobi as sacrifices.
And ordinary people were far too plentiful. Neither Orochimaru nor Amado cared about that detail in the slightest.
Just as Kenichi turned to leave, the laboratory door opened.
Amado stepped out with his daughter.
He paused when he saw Kenichi, surprise flashing across his face.
"Kenichi? What brings you here?" Amado looked far more energetic than before, speaking in an easy, cheerful tone. Beside him, his daughter wore a faint, lingering melancholy that was hard to miss.
Kenichi glanced at her.
He remembered her name was something like…
Akebi.
"I ran into some difficulties with my experiments," Kenichi said with a small smile. "So I came out to clear my head."
He also remembered that Amado had research in this area as well. Maybe talking with him would spark something.
"Is it about improving the Gene Programming Ninjutsu?" Amado asked, understanding immediately. Kenichi had mentioned his work the last time he came to congratulate Amado on finishing the lab.
"Yes," Kenichi admitted, sighing. "It's too difficult. Raising the success rate feels impossible."
It was so hard that even thinking about it made his scalp tingle.
Amado's expression shifted, and he looked a little excited, as if he were about to say something.
Then his gaze snapped toward the distance.
Kenichi followed his line of sight and saw a plume of smoke rising above the forest.
Kenichi froze.
He knew that direction.
The Uchiha led by Shisui, the ones who escaped earlier, had settled there. The last time Kenichi visited, they had already built a small village.
He had not gone often since then, but now smoke was rising from that place.
Was it under attack?
Kenichi could not sit still anymore. Those Uchiha were workers he had deliberately set aside for the future. If something happened to them, it would be a problem.
"We'll talk later, Mr. Amado," Kenichi said quickly.
Before the words had even fully left his mouth, he was already moving, rushing toward the smoke.
Amado quietly drew back his left hand.
He had been ready to discuss gene modification ninjutsu with Kenichi, but the conversation had been cut off before it could begin.
He glanced at his daughter, his eyes complicated.
His daughter could indeed be brought back through Edo Tensei, and that was good.
But she did not like staying in this world. She longed for the Pure Land instead, and that gave Amado a headache.
He had come out today hoping that taking her around might lift her mood. He also planned to ask Orochimaru whether this problem could be solved.
Meanwhile, Kenichi arrived at the Uchiha settlement at full speed.
The moment he entered, he realized the compound looked normal.
Peaceful.
No signs of battle. No chaos. No alarms.
That surprised him.
Then he spotted the source of the smoke.
A huge bonfire.
Cheerful crowds surrounded it. Uchiha and other villagers laughed together, faces bright with celebration. Kenichi even saw vendors selling candied apples and grilled squid.
This was not an attack.
It was a festival.
Kenichi's mouth twitched.
He had been sure the Uchiha village was under assault, but it was just a celebration. After thinking for a moment, he recognized it as one of the shinobi world's seasonal festivals, meant to celebrate the autumn harvest.
He finally relaxed.
Then, as he looked around, he went still again.
Because in the middle of the lively celebration, he saw someone familiar.
The man wore a mask, but Kenichi recognized him anyway.
Obito.
Uchiha Obito.
This guy had actually come here to sell masks?
Kenichi recognized him for one simple reason. He remembered the pattern on Obito's mask. It was the same one Obito used when he went by the name Tobi.
And the eye beneath the mask, along with subtle details in that gaze, made the identity impossible to mistake.
"But what is he doing here?" Kenichi frowned slightly, confusion rising.
What exactly was Obito doing in this place?
.....
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