A bedroom in Otogakure.
Naruto lay on the bed, his upper body bare.
The Hōgyoku in his chest pulsed like a heart, emitting an unprecedented, dazzling light.
The Hōgyoku frantically devoured the Nine-Tails' near-infinite chakra, then funneled it back into Naruto.
Yakushi Kabuto stared intently at the data on the monitor, his voice trembling with tension.
"His cerebral cortex activity is rising exponentially!"
"If this continues—"
"Shut up!"
"Concentrate on maintaining the jutsu seal!"
Tsunade scolded sharply, but she wasn't doing much better herself.
Sweat beaded on her forehead as her hands, glowing with high-concentration green chakra, pressed firmly against both sides of Naruto's temples.
Serving as a safety net, she used all her skills as a top-tier medical ninja to forcibly protect Naruto's transforming brain.
This was to prevent any potential accidents.
"This kind of insane evolutionary method—"
Looking into Naruto's eyes, which remained absolutely calm, waves of shock surged through Tsunade's heart.
She was witnessing the birth of a monster.
In an instant, a thought uncontrollably bubbled up from the depths of Tsunade's heart.
Now... is the best opportunity.
If I just apply a little pressure with my fingers, or let the outputted chakra fluctuate slightly...
I could instantly destroy his cranial nerves.
Kill him, and all of this can end.
Tsunade's fingers trembled slightly as murderous intent and hesitation clashed fiercely within her.
The moment her killing intent surfaced, Naruto, though silent on the bed, looked calmly into her eyes with his deep blue pupils.
It was as if he were encouraging her to act.
That absolute confidence sent a chill down Tsunade's spine.
"Damn it..."
Tsunade gritted her teeth and finally let the killing intent dissipate.
She couldn't afford the gamble, nor could she resist the temptation of resurrecting her loved ones.
Most importantly, she knew very well that Naruto was an extremely cautious person.
Since he had allowed her to treat him without even using those hollow chains to control her, it meant he had absolute certainty he could subdue her in an instant.
Yet she knew very little about his methods.
Weighing the odds, she gave up this unprecedented opportunity—one that might never come again.
On the operating table, Naruto's vision had completely changed.
Gene Lock Third Stage, activated.
The world as he knew it was dismantled into countless streams of information before his eyes; everything seemed to have a traceable pattern.
His brain seemed to have turned into a supercomputer.
There was no need for deliberation; with just a single thought, countless possibilities were simulated in an instant.
"Is this... the limit of mortal wisdom?"
Naruto's voice had become exceptionally cold and calm.
He felt he could go further.
Behind that door, something even deeper seemed to be calling out to him.
It was the mystery of the essence of life, the reorganization and rewriting of genetic chains.
Gene Lock Fourth Stage!
The moment Naruto attempted to push open that door, a great terror originating from the depths of his genes instantly struck him.
It was an instinctive warning, the highest alarm from his sixth sense after awakening the Third Stage.
One more step forward, and he would surely die.
"...I can't cross yet."
Naruto made an immediate judgment.
Although his current body had been strengthened, it still couldn't withstand arbitrary rewriting at the genetic level.
If he forced a breakthrough, the only possible outcome would be turning into an indescribable mass of flesh.
It wasn't just a matter of physical strength; it seemed that a certain gene sleeping within him was too extraordinary.
Unlocking it required energy and control far beyond imagination.
"Stop."
At Naruto's command, the Hōgyoku's light gradually faded, and the Nine-Tails' violent chakra was sealed away once more.
Everything returned to tranquility.
"Phew..."
Tsunade let out a long breath.
She looked at Naruto as he sat up from the bed, her gaze complex.
"Was it a success?"
Naruto didn't answer immediately.
He just looked up and fixed his gaze on Tsunade.
In an instant, Tsunade felt as if she were transparent, seen completely through by Naruto.
"Essentially."
Naruto picked up his glasses from the bedside table and put them on.
That sense of indifference, as if he were standing above all living beings, quickly receded, and he returned to his usual self.
"Although I didn't take that final step, my current state is enough to handle the upcoming situation."
Third Stage Gene Lock: brain development and thought simulation.
Now, whether it was learning, deduction, planning, or creation, he stood at the pinnacle of this world.
Half an hour later, in the base's main hall.
"Lord Naruto, all high-value supplies, experimental equipment, and data in the base have been sealed into scrolls."
Yakushi Kabuto reported respectfully.
Naruto nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping casually across the surroundings as he conducted a final inspection of the base.
Suddenly, his footsteps stopped in front of a giant, water-filled cylindrical glass tank in one of the rooms.
It was filled with nutrient solution, and the life support system was still operating.
"What is this?"
"There's a chakra reaction inside."
Orochimaru explained from the side.
"That is a failed test subject, Suigetsu Hozuki of the Hozuki clan."
"I studied his Hydrification Secret Technique before, but there was no substantial progress."
"Plus, this brat has a terrible personality and is completely uncooperative."
"He's usually like a puddle of stagnant water, so he wasn't originally included in the evacuation plan."
"The Hozuki clan..."
Naruto looked at the murky liquid in the apparatus.
"This life-support equipment is quite expensive."
"It's a waste to throw it away."
"Take it along."
"As for this thing that's too big to take..."
Naruto flicked his finger, and a wind bullet shattered the glass tank.
Crash.
A large puddle of liquid flowed out, and a head surfaced from the fluid.
"Cough, cough... Who is it?!"
"Who dares disturb my sleep!"
Suigetsu emerged naked, rubbing his head.
Before even grasping the situation, he began shouting.
"Orochimaru!"
"You pervert, have you finally decided to let me out?"
Still confused, he instantly launched an attack at Naruto, who was closest to him.
However, before he could make a move...
An invisible yet tangible pressure enveloped him.
Suigetsu's movements froze instantly, his arrogant expression turning into one of extreme terror.
He felt like a frog being stared down by a giant beast.
Half of his body liquefied instantly from fear.
"Too noisy."
Naruto looked down at Suigetsu, who had turned into a puddle, and said flatly.
"I'll give you two choices."
"Come with me, or get lost."
Suigetsu swallowed hard.
"You're not going to kill me?"
"There's no need."
Naruto was expressionless; it seemed even killing him was too much effort.
Suigetsu looked at the respectful Orochimaru and Kabuto behind Naruto and immediately understood the situation.
If even Orochimaru was acting like this, this blonde kid was definitely a ruthless character.
"It's... it's not like I can't work for you..."
Suigetsu asked tentatively.
"But I have a condition."
"I want swords!"
"I want the Seven Swordsmen's blades!"
"You dare make demands—"
Orochimaru looked at him with gloomy eyes, and Suigetsu was so frightened by the terrifying killing intent that he completely turned into a puddle of water.
Naruto waved his hand, stopping Orochimaru from releasing any more killing intent.
"Follow us."
"The Land of Water's Hidden Mist Village is also part of the plan for the future."
"Besides, Zabuza Momochi is already working under me."
"Za... Zabuza-senpai?"
Suigetsu's eyes lit up instantly, and he immediately followed along eagerly.
"Boss, wait for me!"
"I'll just find some clothes and be right there!"
Another person was added to the team.
As they walked out of the base gates, Naruto instructed Kimimaro behind him.
"Kimimaro, go to the Northern Hideout and bring Jugo."
"While you're at it, release all the test subjects at the Southern Hideout."
"We'll meet in the Land of Waves."
"Yes."
Kimimaro took his orders and left.
With everything arranged, the group stepped out of the dim base and bathed in the long-awaited sunlight.
Suddenly, Naruto's footsteps stopped.
He had caught a very faint sense of discordance.