196-200

Chapter 196: Wind, Fire, Thunder, and Fish  

Konoha Ninja Academy, Graduation Class  

The classroom was empty save for three unlucky souls waiting in boredom.  

"Hssss—! Hssss—!"  

The sharp, serpent-like exhales echoed through the room. Kakashi lounged lazily in his seat, flipping through the latest Icha Icha Paradise with his lone visible eye, though his gaze kept drifting toward the other two boys.  

The source of the hissing was a blond, blue-eyed teenager with whisker-like marks on his cheeks—none other than Uzumaki Naruto, now grown.  

Dressed in a black sleeveless shirt and loose orange pants, his physique was noticeably more muscular after five years of training under Might Guy. Instead of a forehead protector, he wore a dark sweatband, his hands wrapped tightly in bandages as he relentlessly punched the air with silver knuckle dusters.  

Each strike was precise, his movements sharp and powerful, weighted cuffs on his arms and legs adding to the intensity.  

"Hssss—!"  

Air hissed through his teeth as the Konoha headband tied around his right shoulder fluttered with each punch—as if he were literally carrying the weight of the village.  

And in a way, he was.  

When Kakashi had asked why Naruto didn’t wear his forehead protector on his head, the answer had been… unexpected.  

"Hikari said the Hokage is someone who carries Konoha forward. So I put my headband on my shoulder—because one day, I’ll carry the whole village on my back."  

Carry the whole village.  

Kakashi thought of the Fourth Hokage, of the Nine-Tails that had nearly destroyed Konoha. Naruto had been burdened with the village’s fate since birth.  

And with his monstrous chakra reserves and terrifying taijutsu talent, he just might pull it off.  

That single statement had been enough to earn Kakashi’s respect.  

"Shing—!"  

A blade sliced through the air with a shrill whistle. Kakashi’s eye flicked to the other boy.  

Uchiha Sasuke, clad in a white kimono emblazoned with his clan’s crest, stood with perfect posture, a straight sword held in a middle guard. His crimson eyes were sharp, his movements fluid as he executed basic suburi strikes.  

His swordsmanship had improved drastically.  

Kakashi observed the precision of each cut—the blade’s path flawless, the power controlled yet effortless. If this were the old era, Sasuke would already be called a master.  

Over the years, Sasuke had sought Kakashi’s guidance, and out of respect for his late friend, Kakashi had taught him the White Fang’s techniques. The Uchiha had merged it with his clan’s kenjutsu, forging his own style.  

Still rough, but undeniably his own.  

Watching Sasuke casually activate his two-tomoe Sharingan without a care for chakra drain, Kakashi sighed.  

The Uchiha really are blessed.  

He returned to his book.  

But for once, even Icha Icha felt dull.  

His students were too talented.  

Hikari was a monster disguised as a human, so she didn’t count. But if Naruto and Sasuke surpassed him too soon…  

The thought of becoming the weakest on the team—of being trained by his own students—sent a cold sweat down his back.  

…I’ll double my training starting tomorrow.  

For now, he indulged in his book.  

Tomorrow’s problem.  

CLICK.  

The door handle turned.  

Three heads snapped up as Hikari finally strolled in.  

Meeting their unamused stares, she delivered the classic line:  

"Sorry, I got lost on the road of life—"  

"LAME!" Naruto and Sasuke shouted in unison.  

"SHING—!"  

Sasuke’s blade ignited with flames, slashing toward Hikari’s shoulder in a kisagari strike.  

Naruto, already lunging, drove a wind-charged fist straight at her face.  

WHOOSH!  

The attacks were sudden—enough to fluster most jōnin.  

But Hikari’s hands, wreathed in lightning, intercepted them effortlessly, as if the boys had aimed for her palms.  

CLANG! CRACK!  

Fist, blade, and lightning clashed. Wind, fire, and thunder collided in a storm of chakra, their clothes whipping violently in the shockwave.  

Kakashi’s Icha Icha pages flapped wildly as he calmly tucked the book—and the two bells on his waist—into his vest.  

Yeah, no.  

No way was he testing these three with bell training.  

He valued his life.  

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sasuke were already struggling.  

Sweat beaded on their brows as they poured every drop of chakra into their attacks—only for Hikari to stand there, unfazed, her grip unyielding.  

Their weapons trembled in their hands.  

But neither felt frustration.  

Years of sparring, of challenges, of failure, had burned one truth into their minds:  

Hikari was unbeatable.  

The stronger they grew, the more they realized how far ahead she was. These days, they couldn’t even understand her training.  

She didn’t even seem to try, yet she kept getting stronger.  

Like steel compared to flesh—it wasn’t a fair fight.  

CRUNCH.  

Metal groaned.  

Their eyes widened as their weapons bent in Hikari’s grip.  

Naruto’s knuckle dusters cracked. Sasuke’s prized blade warped, the edge crimped with five distinct finger marks.  

"We surrender!"  

Hikari released them immediately.  

Naruto and Sasuke stared at their ruined gear in dismay.  

Naruto’s cheap knuckle dusters were shattered. Sasuke’s expensive sword looked like crumpled paper.  

…Somehow, seeing Sasuke’s pained expression made Naruto feel slightly better.  

"This is why you shouldn’t pick fights," Hikari said innocently, examining her flawless hands.  

Metal was just too fragile compared to her body.  

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance.  

Rule 1: Hikari cannot be defeated. 

Rule 2: Do not argue with her. Ever. 

Rule 3: She does not operate on human logic.  

These were the three laws of surviving Hikari.  

Sure, she looked gentle—kind, even. The whole village adored her.  

But they knew better.  

Beneath that smile was pure, unrelenting tyranny.  

"Now that you’ve settled your… disagreement," Kakashi drawled, reappearing, "let’s skip introductions. Meet me at Training Ground 3 for your final graduation exam."  

"Final exam?"  

Naruto and Sasuke blinked.  

They’d never heard of this. Once you got your headband, you were a genin, right?  

Kakashi didn’t explain, vanishing in a puff of smoke.  

Hikari followed, frowning.  

The timeline was shifting.  

Her mere presence had altered everything.  

Naruto and Sasuke, influenced by her, had both pursued taijutsu and ninjutsu fusion—a path never taken in the original story.  

Sakura, unwilling to be left behind, had become a medic-nin.  

Key events had been erased.  

Even the bell test had changed.  

She hadn’t meant to disrupt the plot. But like a boulder dropped onto paper, everything had warped around her.  

The stronger she grew, the more the future blurred.  

Her foresight was fading.  

But it didn’t matter.  

Her Sage Body was nearing its third stage. Her Byakugan’s evolution was months away—she could feel it.  

The One-Tail, Magnet Release, even an improved Edo Tensei… all would come to her soon.  

The moon’s passage eluded her, her sheer weight grounding her. She needed the Light-Weight Rock Technique.  

The Land of Earth awaited.  

The Monkey Sage Tribe. The Hyūga. The Akatsuki. Obito.  

Once her eyes evolved, she’d deal with them all.  

For now, this brief genin life was her final respite.  

Training Ground 3  

Kakashi led them deep into the forest, the sound of rushing water growing louder.  

Naruto, impatient, pressed about the exam.  

Kakashi’s answer chilled them.  

"Oh, the final test? It’s brutal. Fail, and you’re back to the Academy for another year."  

A pause.  

"My pass rate? Zero."  

Naruto and Sasuke paled.  

Hikari smirked.  

This would be fun.  

Chapter 197: Team 7  

By the riverside at the center of Training Ground 3.  

Sunlight filtered through the dense leaves, scattering golden flecks across the water's surface. Wild grass grew thick along the banks, and the stream flowed lazily over moss-covered stones, its gentle murmur filling the air.  

"A... fishing test?!"  

The peaceful atmosphere shattered instantly. The fish in the stream seemed to understand the outburst, darting away in panic, leaving ripples and bubbles in their wake.  

Naruto stared as Kakashi pulled out fishing rods, buckets, and bait from a scroll, his mind completely blank.  

No matter how he looked at it, he couldn’t fathom why the final test after graduating from the academy wasn’t about ninjutsu or combat—but fishing.  

What did fishing have to do with being a shinobi?  

He racked his brain but couldn’t find any connection.  

No wonder the pass rate is zero! Who the hell trains to fish as a ninja?! Naruto internally screamed.  

Then, a certain spiky-haired figure flashed through his mind.  

Actually… if it’s him, he might actually pass this ridiculous test.  

"Is this supposed to test survival skills?"  

Sasuke rubbed his chin, deep in thought. Even if the idea of a fishing exam was absurd, he could at least rationalize it this way.  

But if the goal was just to catch fish, then for him and Hikari, it wouldn’t even be a challenge. They didn’t need fishing rods—a simple Lightning Release jutsu would send every living thing in the water floating belly-up.  

Something told him this test wasn’t that simple.  

"Hikari, what do you think?" Sasuke turned to her, expecting insight, only to find her expression even more complicated.  

Confusion, regret, bewilderment—her face was a mix of emotions, none of them easy to read.  

"I dunno!"  

Hikari shook her head like a rattle drum, her eyes unfocused. She had already spotted the two bells hidden in Kakashi’s pocket, so why had the famous "Bell Test" suddenly turned into a fishing contest?  

But she wasn’t completely clueless.  

Looking at Naruto and Sasuke—both far stronger than they should be—plus her own overwhelming presence, she could understand why Kakashi might want to avoid getting brutally beaten up.  

"Alright, come get your rods, buckets, and bait. I’ll explain the rules."  

Kakashi beckoned them over, and the three reluctantly took their gear, watching him warily.  

Whoosh!  

The fishing line cut through the air with a sharp whistle.  

Plop!  

The hook, laden with bait, arced gracefully before sinking into the shimmering water. Kakashi shielded his eyes, observing the line’s position before adjusting the rod’s angle with practiced ease.  

After a moment, he cleared the weeds by the bank, filled his bucket halfway with stream water, and finally settled onto a smooth rock, perfectly content.  

"The rules are simple."  

He held the fishing rod loosely, his voice casual.  

"We’ll fish together for four hours. No ninjutsu or chakra-based methods allowed—just pure fishing skill. If the total number of fish you three catch together exceeds mine, you pass."  

"That’s it?"  

Naruto blinked. Even Sasuke looked skeptical. They had braced for some insane requirement—like catching a hundred fish—but this seemed too easy.  

Sure, they couldn’t use ninja tricks, but with three of them working together, sheer numbers should make up for any lack of skill.  

How could the pass rate possibly be zero with rules like this?  

"Ah, I wasn’t finished—"  

Kakashi’s gaze drifted to the water, and he fell silent. A moment later, the line twitched, and ripples spread across the surface.  

Hikari’s eyes sharpened—her Byakugan pierced through the water, spotting a small fish hooked by the lip, struggling uselessly against the barbed metal.  

With a flick of his wrist, Kakashi yanked the rod upward. The line went taut, and the fish burst from the water, flailing helplessly in the air before landing neatly in his palm.  

"Got one!"  

Naruto cheered, momentarily forgetting the test in his excitement. This was his first time seeing someone fish properly, and the novelty overshadowed his nerves.  

"Hah. Good start."  

Kakashi smirked at Naruto’s enthusiasm, unhooking the fish and tossing it into the bucket before re-baiting and casting again.  

Within seconds, the line was back in the water, the bait dancing beneath the surface like a living insect.  

Another fish—this time a small carp—soon approached, circling cautiously before biting.  

Sasuke and Hikari exchanged glances.  

They might not know much about fishing, but Kakashi’s fluid, effortless motions spoke of serious experience. Beating him wouldn’t be as simple as they thought.  

"Now, back to the rules. Besides out-fishing me, the person who contributes the least will be eliminated."  

"Wait!" Naruto cut in, eyes wide. "That means no matter how many we catch, one of us has to fail?!"  

"Correct."  

Kakashi snapped his fingers. "At least one fails. Up to all three. Break the rules? Fail. Don’t pull your weight? Fail. That’s the test."  

"That’s brutal!" Naruto gritted his teeth, glaring at Kakashi’s relaxed posture.  

After finally graduating, this stupid fishing test threatened to crush someone’s dream before they even started.  

If it were about combat or ninjutsu, fine. But fishing? That had nothing to do with being a shinobi!  

"Life’s full of unfair tests, Naruto. Not everything goes the way you want."  

Kakashi sighed, lifting his rod slightly.  

Below, the fish hesitated—then greed won out. It swallowed the bait.  

Splash!  

The hooked fish thrashed wildly before joining its companion in the bucket.  

Kakashi recast without missing a beat.  

Two fish in the bucket.  

Team 7 was already two points behind.  

"Calling it ‘unfair’ is just an excuse for weakness."  

Sasuke’s voice was calm, but his eyes burned with something fierce as he glanced at Hikari.  

Not admiration—something beyond that.  

At the same age, faced with life-shattering tragedy—  

When the Uchiha were slaughtered, he had been powerless. Broken. But Hikari?  

She had killed the Kumo elite jonin who attacked her and emerged as Konoha’s strongest genius.  

If he’d had her strength that night, everything would’ve been different.  

His parents wouldn’t have died. The Uchiha wouldn’t have fallen.  

All tragedy stems from weakness.  

That was the truth he’d learned from her.  

So for five years, he’d swallowed his pride, begged Kakashi for training, and pushed himself beyond limits—just to never be weak again.  

"If we all catch the same number, and the total beats Kakashi’s, we all pass. Right?"  

Sasuke smirked as Kakashi’s hand paused mid-cast. He’d found the loophole.  

"And what if that gets you all disqualified?"  

Kakashi’s tone was icy.  

"You’re gambling a year of your lives on a maybe."  

He tapped a timer.  

"Three hours, fifty-four minutes left."  

Then he pulled out Icha Icha Paradise and started reading.  

"Damn it!"  

Sasuke’s face twisted into the same frustration as Naruto’s.  

He glanced at Hikari. To keep their counts equal, someone would have to hold back—maybe him, maybe her.  

And if his plan backfired, they’d all waste a year.  

Splash!  

A red koi soared through the air, landing in Kakashi’s bucket.  

Naruto and Sasuke paled.  

Hikari, though, just nodded.  

"We do it Sasuke’s way. Same number for all. We pass together—or fail together."  

"Yeah!"  

Naruto and Sasuke grinned. If someone had to fail, they’d rather all go down fighting.  

They grabbed their rods and got to work.  

Kakashi’s eye crinkled—just slightly—before returning to his book.  

Hikari caught it.  

She understood now.  

This wasn’t about fishing. It was the Bell Test in disguise—teamwork and sacrifice.  

He’d just skipped the "getting jumped by three overpowered genin" part.  

In the original test, the fight was Kakashi’s way of gauging their skills.  

Now?  

He was avoiding a beatdown.  

If they stuck to the plan—equal catches, no infighting—they’d pass no matter the numbers.  

Hikari decided not to cheat with ninjutsu.  

After a few clumsy casts (and accidentally shattering some rocks with the hook), she mimicked Kakashi’s technique perfectly, thanks to her Byakugan and muscle control.  

Sasuke was even faster.  

His Sharingan copied Kakashi’s movements flawlessly, his rod bobbing in perfect sync.  

Within minutes, they each had a fish.  

Naruto, though?  

Struggling.  

His casts were wild, his bait kept falling off, and his growing panic wasn’t helping.  

If he couldn’t contribute, Hikari and Sasuke would have to wait for him, risking a loss.  

"Use your wrist, not your arm. And don’t just thread the worm—fold it like this."  

Sasuke demonstrated, surprisingly patient.  

"Your bait’s too loose. Here, skewer it in three sections, like a skewer."  

Hikari adjusted his hook, showing him step-by-step.  

Naruto’s eyes shimmered.  

"D-Don’t get the wrong idea! I just hate letting Kakashi win!" Sasuke looked away, cheeks pink.  

Textbook tsundere. Hikari held back a laugh.  

Without Sakura as a wedge, Naruto and Sasuke’s relationship had mellowed. Rivals, friends, even family after years of shared New Year’s celebrations—they were closer than in the original timeline.  

With their help, Naruto soon landed his first catch—a massive koi, dwarfing theirs combined.  

(They pretended not to be salty. Size didn’t count, after all.)  

Hours passed.  

The sun dipped low, painting the stream in crimson.  

"Time’s up."  

Kakashi stretched, eyeing the three buckets.  

"Congratulations. You all pass."  

"Huh?!"  

Naruto and Sasuke blinked, then scowled at his casual tone. "You didn’t even check!"  

"Didn’t need to."  

Kakashi’s voice softened. "If you chose equality over victory, you’d have passed no matter what. A shinobi who doesn’t abandon comrades… is worthy."  

Naruto and Sasuke froze, realization dawning.  

Hikari just smiled.  

Of course. This was the real test—the same as always.  

The ghosts of Sakumo, Obito, and Rin still shaped Kakashi’s ideals.  

"But there’s a second lesson."  

Kakashi gazed at the three—bathed in golden light—and sighed.  

"While waiting for Hikari earlier, I saw you two still training. Not just today—every day* for five years."*  

His eye narrowed.  

"Effort matters. But a bowstring stretched too long snaps."  

He tapped his book.  

"Chase your dreams 300 days a year. The rest? Do something pointless. Balance is everything."  

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hikari exchanged glances—then smirked.  

"So… that’s why you read porn?"  

"It’s literature!" Kakashi’s composure cracked.  

"I peeked! It’s definitely porn!" Naruto crowed.  

"Did you get all this ‘wisdom’ from Icha Icha?" Sasuke deadpanned.  

Hikari—who’d never read it—just watched Kakashi’s meltdown with amusement.  

"Art isn’t porn!"  

His flustered protests only made them laugh harder, the training ground alive with warmth.  

For the first time in years…  

Team 7 felt whole. 

Chapter 198: Elemental Fusion  

The night of the fishing assessment.  

After releasing the small fish from the bucket, Kakashi used the remaining five large ones to prepare a grilled fish feast for Hui, Naruto, and Sasuke.  

His method wasn’t particularly unique, but the taste was exceptional.  

He first seared the fish over an open flame until they were about 70-80% cooked, then simmered them in a special spicy sauce with slices of apple for a hint of sweetness. The result? Crispy, chewy skin and tender, flavorful meat that melted in the mouth.  

Hikari used her chopsticks to peel off a piece of fish skin wrapped around the juicy flesh, dipped it in the sweet-and-spicy broth, and took a bite. The explosion of flavor nearly sent her into orbit.  

Naruto and Sasuke were too busy stuffing their faces to even look up, their mouths burning but unable to stop praising the meal—finally admitting that Icha Icha Paradise was, indeed, a masterpiece worth experiencing.  

With his culinary skills redeeming his reputation (no longer just the "pervy book guy"), Kakashi cooked even more enthusiastically. For a brief moment, the team was in perfect harmony.  

After that night, Team 7 was officially formed.  

Normally, the next step would be grinding through low-rank missions to accumulate experience before attempting the Chunin Exams.  

But this team was anything but normal.  

Ignoring Kakashi—one of the village’s elite Jonin—Naruto and Sasuke were already Special Jonin-level outliers.  

Sasuke, with his early mastery of kenjutsu and the unfair advantage of the Sharingan, was progressing at a terrifying rate. His only weakness was his limited chakra reserves, but once his "chakra seed" fully bloomed, he’d easily reach Jonin tier.  

Naruto, trained by Might Gai, couldn’t open the Eight Gates due to his overwhelming chakra, but his raw physical strength had skyrocketed. With pure taijutsu and shadow clones alone, he was already Jonin-level.  

His complete lack of genjutsu and shaky ninjutsu control left him slightly weaker than Sasuke in normal conditions, but the moment he tapped into the Nine-Tails’ chakra, his ceiling shot straight to Kage-level.  

And then there was Hikari—half a step into Super Kage territory.  

Sending this team on D-rank missions was like using a nuke to kill a mosquito—a ridiculous waste of talent.  

But this was the mandatory path to promotion.  

Without enough mission experience, they couldn’t participate in the Chunin Exams, forever doomed to remain the most overpowered genin in Konoha.  

Rules were rules. Even Kakashi couldn’t bypass them.  

Everyone had to go through this. The Fourth Hokage himself had been Jonin-level at graduation, and he’d still spent his early days picking up trash.  

Naruto and Sasuke grumbled but had no choice but to endure it, using the downtime to repair their weapons.  

Ordinary steel weapons were cheap—a decent ninja tool could be bought for just a few thousand ryō. But the moment chakra-conductive metals entered the equation, prices skyrocketed by dozens of times.  

The more chakra metal a weapon contained, the more expensive it became. Worse yet, even if you had the money, finding the right weapon was nearly impossible due to scarcity.  

Naruto didn’t mind much.  

His fighting style didn’t rely heavily on weapons. A simple pair of brass knuckles from the weapon shop would do.  

Cheap tools had terrible chakra conductivity—maybe only 20-30% efficiency—but who cared when you had Naruto-level reserves?  

Even the mythical "100% conductivity" metals would only let him output ten units of chakra as ten units of power.  

But with ordinary steel? He could pump in a hundred units, and even if only 10-20% made it through, it’d still crush most chakra-metal weapons.  

Brute force solves everything.  

Sasuke, however, didn’t have that luxury.  

His sword style—inherited from the Uchiha and Hatake clans—was flashy and lethal, but it demanded high chakra conductivity.  

With his limited reserves, he couldn’t afford waste. Only a chakra-metal blade could unleash his full potential.  

So while his broken sword was being reforged, he was stuck in the village, grinding through menial missions—unclogging drains, picking up litter, finding lost cats… anything to pad their mission count.  

Hikari, of course, wasn’t about to waste time picking up trash.  

She sent a shadow clone to babysit Team 7 while her real body returned to her most loyal stronghold—Root.  

Third Base, as always.  

"Lady Hikari!"  

Root operatives lining the brightly lit hallway bowed low, their eyes burning with fervent loyalty as they greeted their savior.  

"Any unusual movements from Danzō?"**  

Hikari scanned the crowd as she strode toward the research division. A Root intelligence officer fell in step beside her, reporting Danzō’s recent activities.  

"As you predicted, Danzō used Kotoamatsukami on Kōsuke! He tried to rewrite his loyalty, but thanks to your warning, we were prepared. No damage done."  

At the mention of mind control, the agent’s voice trembled with fear and hatred.  

The ability to alter wills was terrifying. A single glance, and you could become someone’s puppet without even realizing it. Even if you weren’t targeted, what if a brainwashed friend or family member stabbed you in the back?  

His gaze toward Hikari grew even more reverent. Without her warning, they’d never have known Danzō possessed such a vile ability. Root would’ve remained his blade of tyranny.  

Serving Lady Hikari is the only right path.  

Only she can lead us against Danzō’s evil rule!  

Hikari nodded, observing the Root operatives around her. The auras above their heads—thick with worship, gratitude, and loyalty—were deeply reassuring.  

Kotoamatsukami and the Nine-Tails’善恶感知 (Good and Evil Perception) had synergized perfectly.  

She could use Kotoamatsukami to subtly guide loyalty, while the Nine-Tails’ instinct let her see that loyalty in real time. If anyone wavered, she could either brainwash them properly or… eliminate the problem.  

Only through such measures could she fully absorb Root—an organization Danzō had controlled for decades.  

"Any leads on the sleeper agents in ANBU?"**  

"Yes! Recently, Danzō contacted some of his old operatives embedded in ANBU—a squad leader and two intelligence officers. We didn’t move against them to avoid alerting him."  

The intelligence officer detailed the three suspects meticulously.  

"Root has been feeding operatives into ANBU for years. There’s no way these three are the only ones. Monitor them closely—see if they lead us to more."  

"Understood!"  

With a dismissive wave, Hikari sent the agents away and entered the research division alone.  

The honeycomb-like labs were unchanged from before, except now they no longer focused on Hashirama Cell transplants. Instead, they studied chakra seeds derived from those cells.  

This was her order.  

To reach the Six Paths level, she now had three potential paths:  

1. The Pure Path: Fuse all seven chakra natures to create Kekkei Mōra (Bloodline Elimination)—naturally ascending to Six Paths through sheer mastery.  

1. Difficult but flawless. The orthodox method. 

1. The Divine Tree Path: Use the God Tree seed to devour Ōtsutsuki Shibai’s corpse, seize the Nine Tails, and cultivate a new Chakra Fruit. Consuming it would make her the next Chakra Ancestor.  

1. High risk, high reward. A shortcut to godhood. 

1. The Jinchūriki Path: Directly absorb the Nine Tails to become a miniature Ten-Tails.  

1. Too dangerous. Risked possession by Kaguya. Already discarded. 

But upon reflection, she realized these three paths were fundamentally the same.  

Whether she fused chakra herself, used the God Tree to do it, or relied on the Ten-Tails—elemental fusion was unavoidable.  

Even the Tenseigan on the moon likely skipped this step artificially. Once separated from the Tenseigan, Shibai’s power faded—proof that fusion was the core requirement.  

Naruto and Sasuke reached Six Paths by borrowing Hagoromo and the Tails’ chakra. Once the battle ended, they regressed.  

Countless methods, one true path.  

Thus, for the past five years, she’d dedicated countless shadow clones to studying chakra fusion, while Root researchers dissected the secrets of Kekkei Genkai (Bloodline Limits).  

Now, they’d finally made a breakthrough.  

The same underground chamber housing the Thousand-Handed Tree.  

The sea of green chakra pulsed endlessly, the fleshy base writhing slightly. Time had left no mark on this tree—in a way, it had destroyed the Senju but also preserved them in eternity.  

Before the tree, several white-coated Hikaris (her shadow clones) were busy with experiments. The only distinguishable one was her Yang Release分身 (clone), clad in Root attire.  

Before she could speak—  

Skrrrt!  

The sound of scales scraping stone echoed as Samehada wriggled across the floor like an overgrown caterpillar, "accidentally" blocking her path with its gaping maw.  

Hikari sighed and fed it a single unit of chakra. The gluttonous blade immediately slithered aside, wagging like a pleased dog.  

"You’re here?"**  

The Yang clone noticed her arrival and approached, cutting straight to the point:  

"The Kekkei Genkai research—"  

"See for yourself."**  

Before Hikari could finish, the clone pressed a fist to her chest (purely for dramatic effect), syncing her memories instantly.  

Unlike the early days—when memory dumps left her dizzy—Hikari now only needed a moment to process the flood of information.  

Years of using shadow clones had honed her tolerance.  

Plus, her Sage Body’s second stage had strengthened her soul and mind alongside her physique. She suspected her fear aura was a side effect of her abnormally powerful spirit.  

Now, the side effects of shadow clones were negligible. By the third stage, she might even spam them like Naruto.  

As she reviewed the memories, her eyebrows shot up.  

The discoveries her clones had made… rewrote everything she thought she knew.  

"As you can see, I analyzed Wood Release’s chakra structure. It’s a fusion of earth and water, with a hint of Yang Release mixed in."**  

The Yang clone, noting her surprise, calmly explained the truth behind Wood Release—and all Kekkei Genkai:  

"The idea of ‘chakra fusion’ is actually a misconception.  

Think of hydrogen and oxygen forming water. It’s not a ‘fusion’—their atoms bond chemically to create a new compound.  

Chakra works the same way.  

The smallest ‘particles’ of chakra arrange into primary structures—wind, water, fire, earth, lightning. These are the basic nature transformations.  

You could call them… elemental pure forms.  

But if you extract these pure particles and recombine them with Yin-Yang chakra as the bonding agent, they form complex secondary structures—new ‘compounds’ with unique properties.  

That’s what Kekkei Genkai really is.  

Wood Release particles, for example, are earth and water primary structures linked by Yang chakra.  

I suspect other Kekkei Genkai follow the same rule: two elemental natures as the base, with Yin or Yang as the glue.  

*For Kekkei Tōta (Bloodline Selection, like Dust Release), you’d need three primary structures in a stable configuration—maybe a triangular bond with Yin-Yang at each vertex.*  

But it’s possible Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta are entirely different systems. Otherwise, Ōnoki should’ve had three Kekkei Genkai, not just Dust Release.  

Regardless, the core theory stands:  

Fuse all five basic natures with Yin-Yang as the bridge, and you achieve Kekkei Mōra—Seven Nature Fusion."* 

Chapter 199: Bloodline Awakening – The Fusion of Wood Release  

Theoretical Breakthrough 

"In theory, it should work."  

While her shadow clone explained, Hikari absorbed the transmitted memories. The novel microstructure of water-earth fused chakra particles, linked by a core of yang energy, unfolded in her mind as if she’d studied Wood Release for decades.  

"Water to earth to yang ratio—3:6:2. Pyramid-shaped, with yang as the central node branching into three water-linked pathways, each splitting further to connect six earth particles… Huh. Simpler than I expected."  

A frown creased her brow.  

"If Wood Release’s composition is this straightforward, why didn’t Hashirama teach it to the Senju? Even partial knowledge would’ve boosted awakening rates."  

The yang clone shook her head.  

"Hashirama’s Wood Release was innate. He likely never deciphered the exact ratios. Besides—" She tapped the air, conjuring a hologram of chakra waveforms. "This is just an approximation. Precision beyond two decimal points is impossible. Every shinobi’s chakra quality differs, requiring minute adjustments. Bloodline limits aren’t one-size-fits-all."  

"And without microscopic vision…" Hikari mused, "...you’d need endless trial-and-error to stumble upon the right combination."  

No wonder natural kekkei genkai awakenings were so rare. Without the Byakugan’s atomic-level perception, fusing water and earth would just yield mud. Even adding yang or yin blindly was a shot in the dark.  

Bloodlines weren’t inherited—they were rediscovered by descendants whose chakra resonance matched their ancestors’. The closer the match, the easier it was to unlock pre-programmed ratios encoded in their DNA.  

Hashirama’s strength? His chakra mirrored Asura’s. 

Naruto’s potential? Same reason—though without water-earth affinities, Wood Release remained out of reach.  

"So we brute-force our own ratio?" Hikari asked.  

"Wrong." The yang clone grinned, gripping Hikari’s shoulders. "We already did."  

The Fusion 

The basement trembled as Hikari shed her restraints.  

A crimson barrier shattered.  

Purple chakra—thick as a storm surge—erupted from her pores. The air itself seemed to recoil. Shadow clones staggered back; Samehada whimpered, its spines scraping the floor. Even the Hashirama cells in their glass prison twitched.  

This was the monster they’d created.  

No single power explained her. Not the Byakugan’s mutations, not the Shikotsumyaku’s bones, not even the mangled Senju DNA. She was an amalgamation—a forced evolution.  

And now, a fifth bloodline would join the mix.  

"Ready?" The yang clone’s hands glowed—water in her left, earth in her right.  

Hikari’s veins pulsed like live wires. "Do it."  

The clone slammed her palms together.  

A spark of green—yang—bloomed between them. Threads of light laced downward, stitching water and earth into a pyramid. Then—  

Crack.  

A seed split.  

Black roots speared through the structure, drinking the water, clawing into the earth. The pyramid collapsed—reborn as a sapling that unfurled leaves, then flowers, their perfume thick as syrup.  

Creation itself.  

Hikari’s breath hitched. This wasn’t just combat prowess—it was genesis. Hashirama’s forests, said to have birthed Konoha’s borders, were no myth.  

The clone didn’t hesitate. She drove the chakra into Hikari’s chest.  

THUD.  

Hikari’s heart detonated.  

The world whited out.  

Awakening 

Her chakra seed—a violet star—quaked as emerald light pierced its core.  

THUD-THUD-THUD!  

Each beat hammered the basement walls. The fusion wasn’t just integrating; it was rewriting her on a cellular level. Same as when she’d absorbed tailed beasts.  

Muscles itched. Bones sang.  

Then—  

Snap.  

A vine burst from her wrist.  

Then another. And another.  

Hikari watched, transfixed, as wood grew from her flesh—not as a technique, but as naturally as hair.  

"It’s… adapting me," she realized.  

Not just chakra. Her body was becoming compatible.  

The yang clone’s grin turned feral. "Welcome to the Senju’s apex, partner."  

Chapter 200: The Land of Waves and Flower Fruit Mountain  

Konoha, Training Ground 12  

As Hikari meditated on merging Wood Release chakra, her shadow clone—now officially "Genin Hikari"—lounged against a towering tree near the Daimyō's estate.  

Her beauty was so striking that even the ancient tree seemed to lean toward her.  

...Or maybe it was just breaking under her weight.  

Kakashi winced as the massive trunk groaned, its roots creaking ominously.  

Who in their right mind would marry this human-shaped disaster? he mused. That person would earn my eternal respect.  

Unaware of Kakashi's thoughts, Hikari raised a walkie-talkie, shouting directions:  

"Target southeast, two kilometers!"  

"Got it!" Two voices crackled back.  

A blur of orange and black (Naruto) and blue and white (Sasuke) shot through the forest like twin comets.  

Hikari's near-opaque Hikari eyes—now almost fully evolved—glowed faintly behind her blindfold. These "Hikari Eyes" were her version of the Byakugan's ultimate evolution, rivaling even the Rinnegan or Tenseigan.  

The胎動期 (gestation period) was long, but for good reason. The Tenseigan had the Giant Tenseigan to accelerate its growth; the Rinnegan took Madara a lifetime to awaken. Her progress, fueled by the Reverse Eight Gates, was already unprecedented.  

Though the final abilities hadn't manifested, her enhanced vision could now scan all of Konoha—every street, every shadow—save for a few shielded areas.  

A surveillance network rivaling Pain's Rain Tiger at Will Technique, but far more precise.  

If someone like Jiraiya or Hiruzen got this power... she shuddered. Konoha's women would riot.  

But such power came at a cost.  

For two years, her eyes had devoured chakra like a black hole. Without her Sage Body and the Forest of Death's resources, she'd have been drained dry.  

Between her evolving eyes, Reverse Eight Gates, stolen Kotoamatsukami, bone-strengthening metabolism, and shadow clone research...  

Energy conservation was a joke.  

Every cell in her body screamed "More!"  

Which was why she now lazed against the tree, directing Naruto and Sasuke like a couch-bound strategist.  

"Sasuke! 3 o'clock, 700 meters! It's spotted you—move!"  

The "target" in question?  

A chubby brown cat named Tora.  

"MEOW—!!"  

The feline yowled as Sasuke, lightning crackling around his legs, cut off its escape.  

Tora spun mid-air—only to be smothered by Naruto's orange jacket, flung like a net.  

"Gotcha!" Naruto grinned, holding the squirming bundle.  

Two kilometers away, Hikari gave Kakashi a thumbs-up.  

With a sigh, Kakashi marked their seventh D-rank completion.  

As an elite jōnin, he knew the Chūnin Exams were coming. But with only eight missions required (usually including C-ranks that took months), they'd needed quick D-ranks to qualify.  

Thank god this farce is over.  

Hokage's Office  

"NO MORE CATS!" Naruto slammed his hands on Hiruzen's desk. "Give us a REAL mission!"  

Hikari blinked, struck by déjà vu.  

Wait... this scene...  

Her mind flashed to an anime episode she'd watched lifetimes ago.  

"Right, Hikari?!" Naruto whirled to her, desperate for backup.  

...Did the 4th wall just break?  

She nodded mechanically.  

Hiruzen sighed. "Fine. There's a new mission—"  

He handed a scroll to an ANBU, who vanished in a puff.  

Moments later, a straw-hatted old man—Tazuna the bridge builder—entered, sweating nervously.  

Hikari's pulse quickened.  

Land of Waves. Zabuza. Haku.  

Would they still appear after six years?  

Her thoughts scattered as Hiruzen spoke:  

"How's Enma's injury?"  

"Recovered," Hiruzen said, lips twitching. "But he couldn't find a monkey strong enough to contract you."  

"He's mad?"  

She needed that Vajra Body technique. With it, even Might Guy's Eighth Gate might not surpass her.  

"No. Just... motivated." Hiruzen chuckled. "He's training on Flower Fruit Mountain for a rematch."  

"Flower... what?"  

"The monkey clan's homeland."  

Hikari's brain short-circuited.  

Flower Fruit Mountain. Ruyi Jingu Bang (Adamantine Staff). Vajra Body.  

And the Four-Tails' lair is...  

"Wait. Is the Four-Tails' Water Curtain Cave on that mountain?!"  

Hiruzen frowned. "How did you—?"  

"Just a guess."  

Her mind raced.  

The Three-Tails had Isobu. The Four-Tails has... the monkey clan?  

Were they symbiotes? Like how Isobu's little fish companion, Samehada, helped digest food?  

If so...  

That "mountain" might hold more than monkeys.  

It might hold Sage Mode.