The moment the system's notification faded, Aoki felt surges of warmth erupting from within. Like molten gold, the heat coursed through his veins, eventually merging into every bone and limb of his body.
In that heartbeat, every cell and every inch of flesh in his body bloomed with a brand-new, vibrant vitality.
"Huuu..."
Aoki took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, doing his absolute best to suppress his soaring excitement.
As a transmigrator who had watched Naruto, he knew exactly how monstrous the Sage Body was.
Boundless life force.
Incredible recovery speed.
Stamina far beyond that of an ordinary man.
These were the hallmarks of the Sage Body—the very traits possessed by Asura, the son of the Sage of Six Paths.
He understood that the Sage Body was an upgrade to one's physical potential, rather than an immediate boost in raw combat power. It wasn't like the Sage Eyes (Sharingan/Rinnegan) which granted power instantly.
The Sage Body required grueling cultivation to truly radiate its brilliant light.
But for Aoki, this was more than enough. The system's first reward had fundamentally rewritten his frail constitution. His physical talent had undergone a qualitative transformation.
He was no longer a walking corpse. As for how far he could go... that would depend on his own training.
"Aoki, is something wrong?"
Morino Eaton's voice cut through his thoughts. The Captain had noticed Aoki's body tremble after barely touching the spy's head, and then he had just... stopped.
"No... it's nothing..."
Aoki shook his head repeatedly, forcing his mind back from his fantasies. He immediately slumped his shoulders, putting on a weary, exhausted act.
"I'm just... a little tired."
"Tired before you've even started?" Eaton frowned, his eyes flashing with a hint of doubt. He began to wonder if Aoki was truly fit for this duty.
"I'm beginning now..."
Aoki slowly closed his eyes. He began to circulate his chakra, going through the motions of the Yamanaka clan's secret Mind-Reading tekchnique. However, he kept the jutsu on the surface, not bothering to actually probe the brain.
He didn't need to.
The Mind-Reading System had already stored the dead man's memories in his consciousness like a high-definition movie. He could play it back whenever he wished.
Aoki's "struggle" was entirely a performance for Morino Eaton. Caution was his new creed; he had no intention of letting his secret be discovered.
When his hand touched the cold skin of the corpse again, the system remained silent.
So, memory reading can't be triggered twice on the same target, Aoki noted mentally.
"I... I have it."
A moment later, Aoki let out a heavy, laboured sigh. He withdrew his hand and opened his eyes, his voice carrying a well-timed trace of relief.
"Speak!" Eaton's eyes lit up instantly.
"Yes, sir."
Aoki turned slowly to face the Captain, making sure to look as if his stamina was completely drained.
"The man's true name is Luo Fanyi. A Genin from the Hidden Cloud Village in the Land of Lightning. He infiltrated Konoha two years ago amidst the chaos of the Second Shinobi World War. Since then, he has been periodically transmitting intelligence back to the Cloud."
"What kind of intelligence?" Eaton narrowed his eyes, a cold, predatory light flickering in his gaze.
He was surprised at how quickly Aoki had cracked the memory, but he was far more enraged by the spy's success.
"According to the memories, most of the intel transmitted by Luo Fanyi concerned the Hyuga clan and the Byakugan. The rest involved Konoha's internal structure and our defensive weak points," Aoki reported.
"The Byakugan..."
Eaton nodded, his expression darkening as he processed the information. "Anything else?"
"That is all," Aoki replied.
"Aoki, you've done exceptionally well. Reading that must have been exhausting. Go back and rest!"
Eaton's tone had softened considerably.
He was a man obsessed with interrogation—a workaholic who had no patience for incompetent subordinates. But Aoki's performance just now had earned his respect.
"Thank you, Captain."
Aoki didn't linger. He bowed to Morino Eaton, turned, and made his way out of the torture department toward the Anbu dorms.
As he walked, the memory fragments continued to play in the back of his mind.
So it's already started, he thought. Even now, the Hidden Cloud is coveting the Hyuga's bloodline limit.
A short while later, Aoki reached his dormitory. The moment he stepped inside, he slammed the door shut and locked it.
"Haaa..."
He took a deep, shaky breath, looking down at his hands. He slowly clenched his fists.
"This feeling..."
"It's incredible..."
"So this is the Sage Body!"
Aoki could feel the surging, vibrant life force within him. It was a sensation completely foreign to the boy who had first woken up in this world.
Before, he had felt like a flickering candle in the wind, lightheaded and frail. Now, he was brimming with energy. It felt as though he had a bottomless well of strength, and his control over his own body had become pinpoint accurate.
Once I dig out the true potential of this body, my chakra will flow through me like a raging river!
Aoki knew his destiny had changed. Even if he never gained another ability, the Sage Body alone would be enough to give him a standing in this brutal shinobi world.