Aftermath

In the end, the Kirigakure ninja still failed to kill Obito. Obito was ultimately recovered by Orochimaru for further use.

Well, Sasori of the Red Sand was dissatisfied with that… Even without the Mangekyo Sharingan, he still had Wood Release, after all. But no one knew how Orochimaru had persuaded Sasori of the Red Sand. In the end, he agreed.

Then, without the slightest courtesy, the two copied all sorts of Kirigakure’s ninjutsu and records. Aside from some human research materials, Orochimaru collected quite a few ninjutsu, while Sasori of the Red Sand gathered methods for crafting various tools.

Kirigakure’s Seven Ninja Swords were renowned, and Samehada in particular had many similarities to Sasori of the Red Sand’s Human Puppets. Naturally, he would not let it pass him by.

Kirigakure could only swallow its anger at the two men’s actions. Hadn’t that fellow who had just one-shot a tailed beast been smiling pleasantly the entire time? If they truly angered him, Kirigakure could not withstand it in its current state.

After getting what they wanted, Sasori of the Red Sand and Orochimaru promptly left, leaving Yota as the only one still in Kirigakure.

"So, you still didn’t find that guy in the end?"

In the Mizukage’s office, Yota scratched his head and asked Mei Terumī, who sat in the Mizukage’s seat.

"I didn’t expect it either… Samehada is not easy to wield. This living ninja sword is the strongest of the Seven Ninja Swords, but it also places the harshest demands on its wielder."

"I never thought Kisame Hoshigaki would subdue this ninja sword in such a short time. He’s had Samehada for less than three months, hasn’t he?"

Mei Terumī rubbed her temples as she spoke. Searching for Kisame Hoshigaki had been Yota’s request, but Kirigakure was naturally deeply concerned about it as well, since Kisame Hoshigaki had been confirmed as Obito Uchiha’s trusted subordinate.

Yet in the end, they searched the entire Land of Water and found no trace of him. Kirigakure’s current chaos was one reason, but Kisame Hoshigaki’s strength—and his ability to move through water like a fish after merging with Samehada—were the true main reasons.

Yota sighed as well. He had been extremely interested in Samehada. Healing injuries, absorbing Chakra, even merging with a person to strengthen them—its various abilities were rather similar to the Munch-Munch Fruit.

But if he could not have it, then so be it. Samehada was not all that important to him. Another matter, however, had been settled by Kirigakure.

"Based on your information, we found a member of the Yuki Clan." Mei Terumī’s expression was somewhat strange. "Where did you even get all this information? That little girl named Haku only awakened Ice Release three days ago."

"Oh! You found an Ice Release ninja!" A smile appeared on Yota’s face. This was the ability he wanted most, aside from Shikotsumyaku and Obito Uchiha’s eyes.

However, when Yota saw Haku, who was timid and downcast and only five or six years old, he restrained himself and did not immediately take the Bloodline Limit.

Obtaining a Bloodline Limit through the Munch-Munch Fruit required directly absorbing part of the Bloodline Limit user’s flesh and blood. Even adult ninja would suffer a severe loss of vitality for a time. At Haku’s age, even with Medical Ninjutsu, there was a chance of lasting aftereffects.

"I really didn’t expect this… It doesn’t quite match the information I had about you before." Mei Terumī looked at Yota in surprise. Yota glanced at her. "Are you saying I used to be ruthless? Among ninja, my moral bottom line is already quite high."

"At the very least, none of the people I killed could ever be called innocent."

Mei Terumī snorted. "I’d like to know how you judge whether someone is innocent or not…"

"No one is wronged; all bonds are sins." Yota’s voice was ethereal, yet carried a trace of chill. "No official ninja who has picked up a kunai can be considered innocent."

Mei Terumī choked on her words. But after thinking it over carefully, she found herself unable to refute Yota.

Especially in Kirigakure, if they dragged every adult ninja out to face a firing squad, they probably would not wrong anyone—most civilian ninja of the adult generation had killed their own comrades, while Bloodline Limit ninja were the root of that system. None of them could be considered good people.

"All right, but are you planning to wait a few years until Haku grows up before using him for experiments?"

Yota rolled his eyes. "There’s no need to make it so troublesome. We can draw a little blood and take a little tissue each time, then treat him afterward. As long as we stretch it out over enough time, there won’t be any aftereffects."

"I’ll stay here a while longer anyway, lend you some support, and strengthen your abilities while I’m at it."

"Strengthen my abilities?" Mei Terumī tilted her head in surprise.

As for Yota lending her support, she did not feel much about it. Though Yota was not from Kirigakure, Kirigakure was no ordinary ninja village. Other villages had their own cultural atmospheres, making it difficult for outsiders to fit in. Kirigakure, however, was naked survival of the fittest, treating ninja directly as tools.

This had given all of Kirigakure an intense reverence for strength—if your strength was about the same as theirs, or only slightly greater, they might bare their teeth at you in defiance. But if you could effortlessly crush all of Kirigakure by yourself, they would be more obedient than anyone.

Thus, Yota’s plan encountered little resistance. It proceeded so smoothly that even he was surprised. Kirigakure’s respect for him even surpassed its respect for the current Mizukage, Mei Terumī!

Perhaps this was what people meant by fearing power without cherishing virtue.

"That’s right. I’ll strengthen your abilities." Yota nodded.

Yota had many methods for strengthening others, such as various Bloodline Limits, but the most useful was undoubtedly Jugo’s Cursed Seal Sage Body. It could easily allow someone to master perfect Sage Mode, provided they had enough Chakra.

Mei Terumī was extremely curious about how Yota would strengthen her. She had thought he would teach her some special secret technique. Then Yota’s black mist swept her up, modified her in the Dark Space, and spat her back out two seconds later. The enhancement was complete.

Feeling a strange power continuously pouring into her body from the outside world, Mei Terumī’s face was filled with amazement. "This is… simply unbelievable."

"So this is Sage Mode? How did you make me learn it?"

As she spoke, faint eyeshadow had already appeared around Mei Terumī’s eyes. Besides Jugo’s special Enzymes, Yota had also transplanted some diluted Hashirama Cells into her. Though she could not awaken Wood Release, it increased Mei Terumī’s Chakra reserves and gave her excellent compatibility with Natural Energy.