Silence descended upon the dim underground base.
Orochimaru weighed the situation for a moment before a smile curled his lips. "Masahiko-kun, let's put aside the organization backing you for now. Let us discuss the transaction at hand."
"Of course, Orochimaru-sama," Masahiko replied, his respectful demeanor unchanged.
"I can provide you with the research regarding life force and the soul," Orochimaru said, his voice dropping. "But what do you have to offer in exchange?"
"Research on the Shikotsumyaku, the knowledge I currently possess, and a proposal perfectly suited to your needs," Masahiko answered smoothly.
Orochimaru licked his lips, nodding slowly. "Deal. But if what you bring fails to pique my interest... well, I apologize in advance for the consequences."
"You will be satisfied," Masahiko assured him.
Without waiting for a command, Yakushi Kabuto bowed slightly and quietly exited the secret chamber, leaving the two alone.
"Soul, Chakra, and Vessel. These are the components of a human being," Masahiko began, adopting a scholarly tone. "The core lies in the soul and chakra. Most immortality methodologies are essentially the same: preserve the soul and chakra, then change the vessel..." He paused for effect. "The difference lies merely in the choice of the vessel."
"Such generalizations make it difficult for me to believe in your sincerity," Orochimaru rasped, his golden eyes narrowing.
Masahiko wasn't flustered. He continued at a measured pace. "Your current method leans toward seizing the bodies of others. However, no matter how powerful the new vessel is, one can never completely obliterate the residual spiritual imprint of the original owner. Therefore... your current method likely requires you to switch bodies periodically, does it not?"
Orochimaru's tongue flicked over the corner of his mouth again, resembling a venomous snake locking onto its prey.
He was right. His current research results were imperfect. This was a secret only Kabuto knew.
"Since that is the case..." The corners of Masahiko's mouth tilted upward slightly. "Why not create another you?"
Silence stretched in the room for a long moment.
"A mad hypothesis," Orochimaru's hoarse laughter echoed through the dark chamber.
"As for Kimimaro and the Shikotsumyaku..." Masahiko produced a scroll. "The answers are all here."
somewhat surprised, Orochimaru took the scroll. As he unrolled it and scanned the contents, his brow lifted. The information within was unexpected.
"I was aware that the Hyūga clan had connections to the Kaguya clan," Orochimaru mused. "But the idea that fusing their powers might regress the bloodline to its primordial state... it is, after all, just a conjecture."
Despite his words, Orochimaru's expression and eyes betrayed him—he was clearly tempted.
Masahiko smiled. "It is a conjecture, but there is supporting evidence. I cannot share the specifics with you, simply because... you are not one of us."
"That is truly regrettable," Orochimaru chuckled lightly, though he did not immediately ask to join. He pondered for a moment, then said, "But it is worth a try."
"In that case, I sincerely invite you to join my Hyūga Subversion Plan." Masahiko extended his hand.
"Do you represent yourself, or the organization you belong to?" Orochimaru asked.
"Just you and me," Masahiko said, his tone thick with ambition. "After all, if there are too many people, there won't be enough spoils to go around."
"Is that so? Then, I look forward to our collaboration."
A cold, sinister laugh echoed within the secret chamber.
Evening, inside the Hyūga Clan compound.
Neji was training as usual, using his chakra to temper the chakra pathways and tenketsu throughout his body. The Byakugan could see the meridian systems of others, but it could also inspect one's own internal network.
As he threw a punch, he guided his chakra simultaneously...
Pfft!
A stream of visible energy shot out from a specific acupoint.
'It worked!'
Neji was filled with a mix of ecstasy and disbelief. Sensei Masahiko was right! The Hyūga Gentle Fist wasn't just about training the Byakugan and the fighting style; it was about using the Byakugan to develop one's own chakra network and tenketsu!
He imagined the possibilities... If he could expel chakra from every single tenketsu in his body at once, then—
Wouldn't that be the "Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven"—the Kaiten?
That was a Gentle Fist secret technique supposedly exclusive to the Main House!
Neji clenched his fists tight. Just as Sensei Masahiko had said, the Hyūga ancestors had a frame of reference when they created these techniques. If they could do it, why couldn't he develop and create them himself?
'Main House!'
Neji wanted to laugh out loud, but he dared not expose his resentment, nor his joy. However, he knew one thing for certain—
In this moment, he saw the direction of his future. Fate had been torn asunder!
'Father, the suffering you endured in your life... will end with this generation!'
Neji's heart was filled with resolve.
The next morning, just as the sky began to brighten.
Taking advantage of his morning run to the outskirts of the village, Masahiko retrieved everything his Shadow Clone had sent back.
Orochimaru's notes were voluminous. Much of the knowledge was obscure and difficult to parse, requiring cross-referencing with the notes Orochimaru had left in Root to fully understand. This wasn't urgent, however. The genetic disease associated with the Shikotsumyaku was a distant concern for him.
There was, however, one area of research immediately relevant to him—the study of Life and Chakra. It would aid him in mastering his own chakra control.
Chakra is created by mixing spiritual energy and physical energy. Physical energy can be enhanced through various "Body Activation" techniques, but spiritual energy is notoriously difficult to strengthen through standard ninjutsu methods.
Orochimaru's research notes on the Living Corpse Reincarnation contained specific techniques regarding the spiritual aspect. Although incomplete, it was enough for Masahiko to gain significant insight.
The morning proceeded as usual. The only difference was that Kurama Yakumo came to class alone. Today, her mental state was completely different; a thick, genuine smile graced her face.
The first period was Taijutsu.
Seeing Yakumo dressed in standard ninja attire, the class was dumbfounded. They instinctively looked up at Yagyu Masahiko.
Ino whispered, "Yakumo, are you going to try combat training today?"
"Mmh!" Yakumo nodded. She smiled and said, "I want to be a ninja too, instead of just watching everyone else work hard from the sidelines."
The students turned their gaze to Masahiko. Although they were just students, they all knew a little bit about Yakumo's frail condition.
Masahiko smiled. " It's fine."
His gaze swept across the class before settling on Naruto. "Naruto, you spar with Yakumo. However, given Yakumo's special circumstances, I am allowing her to use Genjutsu of C-rank or below. Is that okay?"
"Huh?" Naruto looked blank. He was dense, not stupid...
Yakumo bowed deeply. "Please take care of me, Naruto-kun!"
"Alright, then." Naruto hesitated for a moment before nodding.
The students cleared a space, retreating to the sides. After forming the Seal of Confrontation—
Naruto wove hand signs and charged toward Yakumo with a strange yell.
In the next second...
Clone Jutsu!
Due to Orochimaru's Five Elements Seal disrupting his chakra, Naruto's clone technique was even more disastrous than usual. But one had to admit, the visual effect was explosive.
A series of bizarre, grotesque "Narutos" appeared—some rolling on the ground, others flopping like fish, looking barely human. However, the real Naruto weaved through the chaotic crowd of duds, rapidly closing the distance to Yakumo.
But just as he got close...
Kurama Yakumo formed hand seals with a single hand. As her chakra surged, her other hand flung out several shuriken.
She had locked onto the real Naruto within the crowd instantly!
The moment Naruto burst out from the mass of failed clones, his eyes met Yakumo's directly.
Genjutsu: Sly Mind Affect Jutsu!
The Genjutsu activated, and Naruto's vision warped. Suddenly, illusions of Yakumo appeared everywhere, causing him to lose his bearings completely.
The next second.
Whoosh!
A soft sound cut through the air.
Masahiko instantly appeared beside Naruto. His chakra erupted, forming a reverse water vortex that swept all the incoming shuriken into the palm of his hand.
The class was shaken by the display of skill. But what shocked them even more was the girl standing opposite him.
Kurama Yakumo had performed one-handed seals to cast a Genjutsu, and simultaneously threw multiple shuriken with precision. Wasn't she supposed to be frail and sickly? How could she have undergone such a transformation overnight!
Only Naruto, having just been released from the Genjutsu by Masahiko, remained in a dazed state, looking around blankly, unsure of what had just happened.
"Just now..."
"Naruto," Masahiko interrupted smoothly, "I recall teaching you in Genjutsu class how to identify and dispel illusions, didn't I?"
"Huh? I was caught in a Genjutsu?"