186-190

Chapter 186: Deciphering the Kaguya Treasure  

Two fingers curled tightly around the white orb of unknown material.  

The Yang Release clone handed it to the main body. As the clouds above parted slightly, golden sunlight spilled down, illuminating the smooth, jade-like surface of the orb, which gleamed unnaturally—its brilliance unmistakably extraordinary.  

Holding the fist-sized orb in her palm, Hikari found it too large to grip properly, so she simply cradled it, examining it closely.  

Truthfully, she had already glimpsed it when the clone returned, but at the time, she had been in the critical stages of reversing the Eight Gates and had no leisure to study this enigmatic artifact of the Six Paths. Thus, it had remained in the clone’s possession until now.  

Seeing her main body scrutinizing the orb, the Yang Release clone explained:  

"I’ve tried every method I could think of during this time."  

"Sealing techniques, the Byakugan, Sharingan ocular stimulation, even implanting Hashirama’s cells and stimulating them with Yang Release—nothing worked."  

"I even fed it to Samehada, but it couldn’t digest it. Since I don’t have the Shikotsumyaku, I had to leave it to you. Maybe you can unlock its secrets."  

"Mmm~"  

Samehada, its body wrapped in bandages, let out a muffled sound, as if corroborating the clone’s words.  

Hikari nodded slightly in acknowledgment.  

Her eyes began to glow, veins bulging around them like squirming earthworms, crawling outward along her cheeks. Her ashen pupils rippled like liquid mercury as an invisible wave of ocular power swept forward, probing deep into the orb’s interior.  

Her clone’s Byakugan had been unable to see inside the orb clearly, so she now relied on her own unique gray eyes—currently undergoing their "fetal movement" phase—to see if they could trigger some kind of reaction.  

Her ocular power easily penetrated the smooth outer shell, encountering no resistance. Yet, in an instant, her gaze turned blank with confusion.  

Darkness.  

An endless, boundless darkness stretched before her, devoid of even the faintest glimmer of light. The orb was like a solid iron sphere, seamless inside and out.  

She had never encountered anything like this before.  

With the Byakugan, objects typically fell into one of two categories:  

1. Transparent—Even completely solid objects could be seen through, their internal structures laid bare in perfect detail.  

1. Blocked—Like the Root’s barrier seals, where only obstructing chakra could be seen, preventing any penetration. 

But this mysterious white orb presented a third scenario.  

Her ocular power could penetrate it effortlessly, yet she still couldn’t perceive its interior—as if it were nothing but an abyss of pure void.  

This thing must hold an incredible secret.  

Her eyes burned even brighter.  

The "key" at her brow slowly rotated. The triangular seal’s inner ring expanded, enveloping it in reverse. Then—  

Boom!  

Three great gates swung open simultaneously, unleashing a torrent of vitality so potent it seemed to overflow like divine nectar.  

A fierce gust sent her white robes fluttering wildly.  

Purple.  

A dazzling violet radiance erupted around her, so intense it seemed to dye even the sky.  

The Yang Release clone, watching her main body unleash such chakra, couldn’t help but feel a shiver of awe. Behind her, Samehada writhed uncontrollably—like a starving beast catching the scent of a feast.  

After reversing the Eight Gates, Hikari had drained the life force from every plant and tree within a half-mile radius of the pond.  

Though the Sharingan had filtered out most of the impurities, the sheer volume of energy she had absorbed was staggering.  

The repeated strain of the Eight Gates, the rapid healing via Shikotsumyaku, and the life force consumed by her evolving gray bones—all these deficits had been filled to overflowing by the external life energy.  

Her life essence had been fortified, fundamentally elevating her base attributes. Normally, this vitality remained dormant, invisible.  

She had only felt healthier, stronger, more energetic—her chakra reserves thicker than before.  

But that was it.  

After all, even Naruto Uzumaki—with his vastly superior Sage Body and dozens of times more vitality—merely had greater chakra reserves and faster healing. Nothing truly extraordinary.  

Yet she had forgotten one crucial difference.  

Naruto’s immense chakra and vitality suffered from the same flaw as all Uzumaki and Senju: raw fuel without the proper mechanisms to utilize it.  

The Senju and Uzumaki were like massive fuel tanks—lacking the firepower of cannons or the defense of steel plating. No matter how vast their life force, it couldn’t bring about fundamental change.  

But she was the opposite.  

Her gray eyes, deep in their fetal movement phase. 

Her Shikotsumyaku, evolved to its third stage. 

The all-purpose offense and defense of Lightning Release Chakra Mode. 

The chakra-draining Tailed Beast Cloak. 

The life-force-exploding Eight Gates. 

Mastery over all five nature transformations.  

She was a walking arsenal of elite abilities—only lacking a proper fuel source.  

Reversing the Eight Gates had filled that final gap. Now, all those previously constrained powers were finally revealing their true potential.  

The moment she lifted the seal, she realized the cascading effects of her enhanced vitality.  

Just opening the first three Gates produced more chakra than the Sixth Gate had before.  

The Yang Release clone no longer cared about the Kaguya treasure—her full attention was locked onto the profound mysteries of the reversed Eight Gates.  

This was the path to godhood she had longed for.  

Endlessly absorbing external life force to push her physiological limits. 

Infinitely increasing chakra, physical prowess, and spiritual power.  

At the start, it granted a budding Sage Body. 

The more life force devoured, the greater the unleashed power upon release.  

A supreme S-rank ninjutsu combining growth and explosive force—requiring the Byakugan’s precision, Shikotsumyaku’s bodily control, the Sharingan’s extreme Yin power, and Hashirama cells’ Yang shell to construct this ultimate Yin-Yang secret art.  

If she ever reached the Six Paths level, she could name this technique:  

Kekkei Mōra – Six Paths: Reversed Eight Gates!  

While the Yang Release clone marveled at the transformation, Hikari’s ocular veins bulged further, stretching from her eyes down to her cheekbones.  

A violet torrent of chakra surged through the pathways beneath her eyes. Her pale skin made the engorged veins appear faintly purple, forming intricate, root-like patterns.  

Her eyes were changing.  

She could feel it—a yet-unformed ocular power stirring within, forcibly awakened by the chakra infusion.  

Her ashen pupils underwent a qualitative shift as her ocular power wove an impossibly complex structure.  

A new dojutsu was emerging.  

Her heart raced. She had successfully tapped into her gray eyes’ latent potential.  

But ocular power drained rapidly. She couldn’t afford to waste time.  

Her gaze locked onto the orb.  

The darkness remained, yet… she glimpsed something.  

Tiny black seals, covering the inner walls like an intricate labyrinth—no exit, no end in sight.  

Her chakra converted into ocular power at a frantic pace. Her still-developing eyes, forced to activate prematurely, grew dry and itchy—like overuse after days without sleep.  

But it didn’t matter.  

Pure green life energy flowed from the "Gates", merging with the violet chakra to nourish her eyes.  

Under this supreme vitality, the discomfort vanished instantly. Her eyes felt reborn—warm, moist, as if returned to the womb.  

"Life energy really is omnipotent."  

She marveled inwardly.  

This green energy represented the purest form of life itself—a panacea capable of healing any wound. A mere wisp could save a ninja on death’s door.  

In theory, with enough life force and an intact soul, even resurrection was possible. Restoring damaged Byakugan or Mangekyō Sharingan was but a trivial application.  

As she continuously repaired her eyes, her ocular power pressed onward, slowly deciphering the orb’s inner inscriptions.  

These were not normal seals.  

They belonged to no known system in the ninja world. Yet…  

She could read them.  

Forgotten memories surfaced—Kaguya clan scriptures, a script every member was required to learn, said to originate from their ancestral progenitor.  

Their sacred texts, ceremonial tools—all bore these symbols.  

And now, these very same markings covered the orb’s interior.  

"So this really is a Kaguya treasure!"  

Excitement blazed in her eyes. This artifact, rumored to be a relic of the Sage of Six Paths, was finally yielding its secrets.  

Seeing her main body’s exhilaration, the Yang Release clone realized—the mystery had been solved.  

She quickly pulled Samehada forward, its bandages unraveling.  

The orb had come into their possession thanks to Samehada. Now that its secrets were being unveiled, it was only right to share the discovery.  

(Even if Samehada had no eyes.)  

"Yo-ho-ho-ho—"  

For some reason, she imagined a certain skeletal laugh.  

"Mmm~"  

Samehada, oblivious, wriggled its tail-like hilt like an eager pet dog—a weaponized, fish-like canine.  

Shaking off the odd thought, the clone channeled violet chakra into her palm and gripped Samehada’s hilt.  

It shuddered in delight, its spines bristling as it feasted on the rare delicacy, no longer begging Hikari for more.  

Clone and sword sat atop a boulder, patiently awaiting the main body’s findings.  

Time passed.  

The sun dipped westward. Clouds drifted.  

The distant roar of the waterfall grew irritating.  

Hikari’s expression cycled through shock, elation, confusion, and back to shock in an endless loop—each shift making the clone fidget like a child with a toothache.  

Samehada, sensing its master’s impatience, wriggled eagerly as well.  

Finally, after minutes of unbearable suspense, the clone blurted:  

"What did you see?! At least give us a hint!"  

"Almost done!"  

Hikari waved her off, muttering as she committed the inscriptions to memory. Then, the purple markings receded, her ocular power calming.  

She looked up.  

The clone sat stiffly, waiting.  

Hikari couldn’t suppress her grin.  

"It’s an Ōtsutsuki sealing technique!"  

The clone blinked.  

Given the Kaguya clan’s origins, an Ōtsutsuki artifact wasn’t entirely surprising.  

"What kind of seal has you this excited?"  

After reversing the Eight Gates, only something capable of achieving Kekkei Mōra or reaching Six Paths-level power could elicit such a reaction.  

"Don’t tell me it’s Chibaku Tensei!"  

"Of course not!" Hikari wasted no time.  

"It’s a space-time seal—one that can imprison objects in another dimension, similar to Kamui. But the seal itself isn’t the prize. What’s inside is—"  

She took a breath.  

"The Ten-Tails."  

"WHAT?!"  

The clone shot to her feet, staring at the tiny orb in disbelief.  

"That’s impossible! The Gedo Statue is with Akatsuki! The tailed beasts haven’t been—"  

"A different Ten-Tails."  

Hikari’s grip tightened. Her ashen eyes reflected the golden sun.  

"To be precise—a Ten-Tails embryo. Or… the seed of the Divine Tree."  

"The Divine Tree?!"  

The clone’s mind reeled.  

She knew exactly what that meant.  

The Divine Tree was the cornerstone of the Ōtsutsuki’s conquest. Planted on a planet, it drained all natural energy and life force, bearing a chakra fruit that granted godhood.  

Kaguya herself had ascended this way.  

If this orb truly contained a Divine Tree seed, it wasn’t just a cure for Shikotsumyaku’s degeneration—  

It was a key to omnipotence.  

Plant it. Wait a thousand years. Consume the fruit.  

No training needed. Just power rivaling Kaguya’s.  

But then—  

The clone froze.  

A Ten-Tails embryo required an Ōtsutsuki sacrifice to activate.  

And the only living Ōtsutsuki in this world was…  

Her gaze slowly lifted, mirroring Hikari’s.  

On the moon. 

Chapter 187: New Year  

The setting sun cast long shadows as twilight deepened.  

The two figures gazing upward weren’t looking at Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.  

If Hikari could kill Kaguya and feed her to the Ten-Tails’ juvenile form, she wouldn’t even need to plant the God Tree. At this point, the easiest target was the naturally disabled Ōtsutsuki Toneri—still without his Byakugan, unable to awaken the Tenseigan, guarded only by a few Ōtsutsuki puppets.  

He might be able to tap into the giant Tenseigan’s power slightly, but compared to Kaguya? He was practically begging to be slaughtered.  

Beyond him, Hikari vaguely recalled another Ōtsutsuki from Boruto—Isshiki, or something?  

She hadn’t watched the infamous "unburnable trash" of a sequel, only catching fragmented details from短视频 clips. Her memory was hazy, but she knew he had some Ant-Man-like shrinking ability.  

Honestly, if not for the Tenseigan’s absurdly broken powers piquing her curiosity, she wouldn’t even have known about Toneri.  

"Why would the Ōtsutsuki bring two God Tree seeds?" The Yang Release clone lowered her gaze, frowning at the main body.  

"Backup."  

Hikari’s fingers traced the faintly glowing seals on the spherical containment jutsu as she spoke coolly:  

"Not every God Tree bears a chakra fruit. It depends on the seed’s quality, the sacrificed Ōtsutsuki’s potential, and the host planet’s energy reserves. They can screen planets and vessels in advance—but whether a seed succeeds? Only blooming reveals the truth. If the first fails, the second seed activates."  

"Makes sense."  

The clone nodded. The cosmos was vast. Even for the Ōtsutsuki, interstellar travel took centuries. They weren’t some slapdash operation—for a project as critical as harvesting entire worlds, redundancy was logical.  

"If we plant the God Tree, we’ll make enemies of the entire shinobi world," the clone murmured, unease flickering across her face.  

A significant part of Hikari’s relentless training had been to stop Kaguya’s resurrection. But if she planted the Tree, she’d become the world-ending villain.  

"We don’t need to plant it. And we can’t afford to wait." Clenching the seed, Hikari’s eyes burned with fervor. "The Reverse Eight Gates are incomplete. Far from our original goal."  

Goal?  

The clone blinked—then remembered.  

The initial purpose of the Reverse Gates wasn’t to suppress the Shikotsumyaku’s corrosion. Back then, before absorbing Kurama’s chakra, before the gray bones’ crisis erupted, the aim had been to convert chakra into life force to solve Hikari’s energy shortages.  

It was only after collaborating with Chihaya Tō that they bypassed the conversion hurdle using medical ninjutsu’s life-manipulation principles, achieving a half-success.  

Now, the Reverse Gates could absorb life force—but not transform chakra into it.  

"Our technique is still flawed!"  

Hikari’s grip on the seed tightened like a lifeline.  

"The God Tree absorbs all energy—life, chakra, nature energy—condensing it into the ultimate chakra fruit. Even an Ōtsutsuki’s essence is fuel. I’ve hesitated to drain the tailed beasts, fearing Kaguya’s resurrection within me. But with the God Tree’s power..."  

Her voice sharpened. "We could purify the tailed beasts’ chakra into pure life force, erasing Kaguya’s imprint. It’d be like extracting the very fruit she consumed and remaking it as ours. No need to plant the Tree. No global war. And once done?"  

A razor-edged smile. "Kaguya’s revival becomes impossible. The world will hail me as its savior."  

"...But to achieve that, the Ten-Tails must devour an Ōtsutsuki sacrifice to become the God Tree," the clone finished, grinning as she caught on.  

"Grrr~!"  

Samehada, sensing its master’s excitement, gaped its maw skyward as if ready to charge into space and taste Ōtsutsuki chakra itself.  

"Patience."  

The clone patted the sword’s hilt. "Reaching the moon requires locating the spatial tunnel. First, reach Kage-level, kill Danzō, seize control of Root’s intelligence network to scout the path—or develop flight capabilities to brute-force the ascent. At our current strength, discussing the God Tree is premature."  

Hikari agreed. Charging blindly to the moon would be delivering herself to Toneri as a gift.  

Kaguya’s revival was still distant. Her Byakugan’s evolution—its final form and abilities—remained uncertain. Her nascent Sage Body was still fragile, while the Shikotsumyaku neared its third stage. The imbalance was dangerous.  

She needed to gorge on life energy until her Sage Body could withstand the gray bones’ full awakening.  

Then, with absolute control over their annihilating power?  

Almost no one in the shinobi world could stop her.  

Toneri and the Tenseigan could wait.  

The bloodline disease crisis was resolved.  

Time was now her ally.  

Glancing at the dimming sunset, Hikari stretched—her steel-hard bones clinking like forged metal.  

"I’m exhausted."  

The absorbed life force still needed digestion. Months of relentless research demanded rest.  

"Agreed."  

The clone eyed her weary main body. Even Naruto’s stamina would’ve crumbled under such shadow-clone abuse. Only the gray bones’ mortal threat had driven Hikari this far. Now, with the tide turning, she deserved respite.  

Autumn faded into winter.  

The New Year approached.  

Snow fell over Konoha like a suffocating quilt, the sky a leaden shroud.  

In the Hatake compound, steam curled from a heated kotatsu. Hikari—bundled in an oversized white onesie with a bear-eared hood—lay sprawled across a reinforced tatami platform, her silver hair fanned around her like a plush toy’s fur.  

Creak.  

The stone beneath her groaned as she flopped onto her back, limbs splayed.  

Behind her blindfold, her Byakugan lazily observed the blizzard outside. Everything was monochrome.  

"Hikari! The snow’s perfect! Aren’t you coming out?"  

Might Gai barged in, trailing frost and sweat. His face was flushed from training, body radiating heat like a furnace.  

"Ever heard of ‘winter cat mode’?" Hikari didn’t budge. The hood obscured her face further, her voice muffled by fabric.  

"…What mode?"  

Gai’s brow furrowed.  

"Smart cats don’t go out in blizzards. They loaf indoors. My hometown called it ‘cat-wintering.’"  

As she explained (lifting a term from some Northern Earth acquaintance), she rolled over—prompting another groan from the flooring.  

Gai eyed the newly reinforced platform warily.  

This room’s original bed had shattered under her weight. The replacement suffered the same fate. Upon inspection, he’d found the steel frame bent—how something so small weighed so much defied logic.  

Eventually, they’d ripped out all furniture. Hikari had used Earth Release to sculpt solid stone slabs, reinforcing them with chakra. Only then could she "sleep" without collapsing everything.  

"You’ve been ‘catting’ for two months. At least move! Youth thrives on activity!"  

Gai didn’t understand the change.  

Since returning from his last mission, he’d found her like this—vanishing occasionally, only to reappear and resume loafing. She barely ate, claiming she "wasn’t hungry" or had "already eaten." He and Kakashi hadn’t seen her consume a proper meal in ages.  

When pressed, she’d blamed a "side effect" of her new jutsu.  

Worried, he’d consulted the Third—only to be met with a sigh and a pat on the shoulder. "Let her be." The old man’s expression had screamed terminal illness.  

"Nope."  

Hikari tugged the hood over her face completely, sinking deeper into warmth.  

The Reverse Eight Gates’ effects exceeded expectations.  

After devouring every living thing within a kilometer of that waterfall, her body had entered this state—limp, feverish, flooded with a molten vitality. Her cells, already tempered by Lightning Armor, now thrummed with energy.  

Her mind floated weightlessly, yet her soul felt denser—cotton compacting into steel.  

Teeth, nails, hair—all shed and regrew, tougher than before. Even her skin peeled away, replaced by softer, luminous new layers.  

The Sage Body wasn’t just triggering her Byakugan’s evolution. It was rebirthing her.  

And she was addicted.  

Whenever the life-force high waned, she’d vanish into the Forest of Death to "refuel," then return to bask in the metamorphosis.  

Her clone had consulted Senju Tsubaki about Sage Body traits, but found no parallels.  

The Senju’s power was innate—either born with it or never. No recorded case of acquiring it midlife existed.  

Watching her laze, Gai sighed.  

Konoha’s top genius… becoming like Kakashi.  

Speaking of whom—Kakashi had also succumbed to "winter cat mode," glued to his Icha Icha books. Despite "resting" all day, dark circles haunted his eyes.  

Is "genius" a curse?  

The absurd thought surfaced before Gai violently dismissed it.  

(Unbeknownst to him, he’d brushed against a grim truth: Konoha’s prodigies did share tragic fates.)  

"Hikari—! Hakureeei—!"  

Before Gai could drag her up, a boisterous voice cut through the storm.  

He recognized it instantly.  

With the academy on winter break, that knucklehead had become a frequent visitor.  

The door rattled with surprisingly polite knocks—a courtesy Gai appreciated until—  

"Uncle! Hi!"  

A yellow blur in a red scarf and puffy jacket stood there, goggles askew, snow melting off his spiky hair.  

Un…cle?  

Gai turned to stone.  

I’m twenty.  

TWENTY.  

Do I look like a middle-aged man?!  

Beneath her blindfold, Hikari smirked. She’d sensed Naruto’s vibrant chakra the moment he’d neared.  

Gai’s reaction was priceless.  

(The man did look older than his years, his face weathered by relentless training. Next to Kakashi, he seemed a generation apart.)  

"Naruto? What’s up?"  

She pushed her hair aside, sitting up. The bear hood’s flopping ears made her resemble a giant plushie.  

Naruto’s already wind-chapped ears reddened further. His usual volume dropped to a mumble.  

"Tomorrow’s New Year’s! So, uh… h-happy New Year!"  

He thrust forward a clumsily wrapped box, toes digging into the reinforced floor like he wanted to tunnel away.  

Gai’s eyebrow twitched.  

This kid…  

Something’s off.  

(´∀｀)♡ 

Chapter 188: Family  

Naruto’s New Year’s gift wasn’t anything extravagant—just a simple black hair ribbon.  

Of course, Hikari didn’t rudely open it right away. The Byakugan’s penetrating vision was unbeatable for gathering intel in battle, but in daily life, it robbed things of their sense of surprise.  

"I’m sorry, Naruto. I can’t accept this."  

Hikari sat upright, her expression serious—or at least, as serious as one could look while wearing fluffy pajamas. Still, Naruto and Might Guy could tell she meant every word.  

"W-Why not?"  

His carefully chosen gift rejected, Naruto’s blue eyes wavered. His fingers dug into the box, leaving small dents in the wrapping.  

"If you’d given me a kunai, I’d have taken it. But between friends of the opposite sex, personal gifts like this… aren’t appropriate."  

Her refusal was firm.  

She wasn’t a child.  

She knew exactly what Naruto felt for her. Most people could sense when someone liked them—some were just more perceptive than others.  

Claiming ignorance? That was just lying to avoid responsibility while still enjoying the perks of being liked.  

Hikari refused to play that game.  

Accepting gifts, then acting clueless when confronted? That was just… tea-drinking behavior.  

Some things were better said outright.  

Clutching the gift he’d agonized over, Naruto’s lips trembled. His barely-formed feelings had been exposed before he could even confess. His crush was over before it began.  

"I… I get it."  

Outside, the snowstorm seemed to worsen. Even through the frost-covered windows, the heavy flakes were visible, drifting like feathers.  

His head drooped.  

The snow in his hair had melted, leaving his blond locks damp and sticking to his scalp—utterly pathetic.  

His voice, once bright, now carried a bitter weight. His sky-blue eyes dimmed, losing their usual spark.  

Hikari didn’t comfort him.  

Better to cut things clean now than let false hope fester. That way, they could at least stay friends.  

"Ahhh, YOUTH!"  

The heavy atmosphere shattered as Might Guy suddenly clenched his fists, tears streaming down his face like twin waterfalls.  

"Naruto, my boy! This is the PAIN of young love! But remember—YOUTH NEVER GIVES UP! WAAAAAH—!"  

Snot dripped from his nose as he bawled, though it was unclear what exactly he was so moved by.  

"Thanks, Uncle Guy…"  

Naruto’s voice remained dejected.  

When it came to heartbreak, encouragement rarely helped—unless…  

His body stiffened.  

Wait. Uncle Guy is Hikari’s adoptive father. Does this mean… I have her family’s approval?  

His head snapped up.  

Eyes locking onto the still-sobbing Guy, hope reignited in his chest. Mimicking Guy’s pose, he pumped his fists.  

"You’re right! I won’t give up!"  

"THAT’S THE SPIRIT! WAAAAH—!" Guy yanked Naruto into a tearful embrace, no longer caring about the "uncle" title.  

What the hell is this idiot doing?  

Hikari narrowed her eyes, exasperated.  

She’d finally extinguished Naruto’s little crush, and now Guy had gone and relit it.  

A dull ache pulsed in her head—a side effect of her ongoing Sage Body evolution. She lay back down, letting the process continue.  

She’d said her piece.  

Naruto was stubborn but resilient. He’d be fine. And if he did spiral into emo darkness over this? Well, that was Guy’s fault.  

CRACK!  

Despite her thoughts, irritation made her lie down harder than intended. The raised earthen platform beneath her groaned before splintering like a spiderweb.  

After a month of service, her bed had finally given out.  

Ever since awakening her Sage Body, her chakra had skyrocketed. The Kaguya lineage’s bones, now reinforced by Sage vitality, had become dense as tungsten steel. Her muscles thickened, her physique tightening like coiled springs.  

Her chakra reserves had quadrupled—maybe quintupled. Even without Samehada, she was undeniably Kage-level now.  

If she combined the Sixth Gate, Tailed Beast Cloak, and Lightning Release Chakra Mode? She wasn’t even sure how strong her taijutsu would become.  

She’d tested it once in the Forest of Death.  

Then spent the next day bedridden.  

Her bones could handle the strain, but her muscles, organs, and blood vessels? Not so much.  

The sheer pressure had ruptured everything at once. Without her insane regeneration, she’d have dropped dead on the spot.  

Her body, enhanced by the Shikotsumyaku, had long surpassed human limits—but it was still flesh and blood. Unlike her near-indestructible bones, the rest of her had its limits.  

To compensate, she’d pushed her skeletal manipulation to accelerate muscle growth. The results?  

Mixed.  

Her strength had improved, but not enough to handle full power. Worse, her density kept increasing uncontrollably.  

She didn’t even know her weight anymore. Two household scales had already shattered under her.  

CRACK-CRACK—!  

The fractures spread rapidly, black lines branching like lightning across the platform before it collapsed entirely.  

Naruto, now fired up by Guy’s pep talk, turned at the noise—  

BOOM!  

Hikari sank three inches into the platform, leaving a perfect crater of her body. The edges bulged outward as dirt and stone crumbled away.  

Guy and Naruto’s faces froze.  

They knew Hikari was abnormally heavy, but this? This defied logic.  

CRUNCH.  

Hikari climbed out, her delicate-looking hands effortlessly crushing the remains of the platform like wet clay.  

GULP.  

Both males swallowed hard.  

"Naruto… you really need to train harder," Guy said gravely. If the kid wanted to pursue Hikari, he’d need to toughen up—fast. Otherwise, one accidental hug could snap him like a twig.  

Naruto paled, wiping his damp hair. The cold sweat (or was it melted snow?) made his scalp tingle.  

Maybe the chill helped.  

The fiery passion in his chest cooled, replaced by sober realization.  

Sometimes, rejection wasn’t enough.  

Only by seeing the gap between them could his heart truly accept it.  

Hikari, oblivious to their thoughts, carefully stepped down and began repairing the platform with Earth Release.  

Her weight was becoming a real problem.  

Moving too quickly meant her momentum had to be measured in tons. In battle? Devastating.  

In daily life? A nightmare.  

Ordinary furniture broke if she so much as leaned on it. Walking required caution—one misstep could crater the ground.  

No wonder she’d adopted Kakashi’s "lazy" demeanor. Less movement meant less destruction.  

The only solution might be Ōnoki’s Light-Weight Rock Technique—but facing the Tsuchikage’s Particle Style was suicide. Her steel-like bones would disintegrate just like her poor bed.  

"Hikari! It’s New Year’s! There’s fireworks tonight—let’s go out!" Guy interjected, blocking her path back to bed.  

"You two go ahead."  

She shook her head. As much as she wanted to see Konoha’s celebrations, her control was too shaky right now.  

A crowded festival? Too risky. One accidental bump could turn a civilian into paste.  

"New Year’s is about being together! You can’t just stay home alone!"  

Guy’s voice carried a rare weight. As an orphan, he knew exactly how lonely holidays could be—sitting by a window, eating soba alone while others celebrated.  

Naruto’s shoulders slumped. If they weren’t going out, he’d be heading back to an empty apartment.  

Just then—  

KNOCK KNOCK.  

The door slid open, revealing a one-eyed man in black fatigues, silver hair dusted with snow.  

"Kakashi?"  

"Bored. Came to play cards."  

With a flick of his wrist, Kakashi produced a deck—his "cool guy" pose making Naruto’s eyes sparkle.  

"Perfect! We were just looking for something to do!" Guy cheered.  

Kakashi’s lone eye shifted to Hikari. "You in?"  

"Sure."  

Card games were safe. No movement, no collateral damage.  

Kakashi then glanced at Naruto. The boy’s blond hair and whirlpool crest made his eye soften momentarily.  

"I’m Uzumaki Naruto! Future Hokage!" Naruto grinned, striking a pose.  

"I’m Uchiha Obito! Future Hokage!"  

The ghost of a memory flashed through Kakashi’s mind.  

"Hatake Kakashi. Wanna join?" He shook the deck.  

"Hell yeah!"  

Naruto’s face lit up. New Year’s was always the loneliest time—even the Third Hokage was busy. This was his first invitation.  

"Four players works, but five’s ideal. Otherwise, we’d have to tweak the rules…" Kakashi mused.  

Finding a fifth at this hour would be tough.  

"I—I know someone!" Naruto blurted, eyes darting to Hikari.  

She sighed.  

Of course she knew who he meant.  

The only person Naruto would think of—the only one free on a family-centric holiday.  

Is this the bond between Asura and Indra?  

"Go ahead."  

"Heh!" Naruto bolted out the door, snowflakes swirling behind him.  

If anyone could drag Sasuke out, it was Hikari.  

Warm light filled the room as five figures sat in a circle—two adults, three kids—with a deck of cards and a cup of water between them.  

"So you had Naruto drag me here… for this?" Sasuke sat stiffly beside Hikari, face impassive.  

He’d been training his Fire Release when Naruto showed up, claiming Hikari needed him. And now? Cards?  

His clan’s massacre remained unavenged. He didn’t have time for games!  

Hikari side-eyed him, then glanced at Naruto—currently engrossed in learning the rules.  

"You’re already here. A break might help your training."  

Sasuke shut up.  

He respected strength. Hikari was stronger. Her words carried weight.  

And if he was honest? The Uchiha compound was too quiet these days.  

"Rules clear?" Kakashi clapped. "Losers get paper strips on their faces. No cheating."  

Four nods.  

Then—  

SHING!  

A Byakugan and three Sharingan activated at once.  

"SHE’S CHEATING!" Kakashi and Sasuke pointed at Hikari’s glowing eyes.  

"Wha—NO!" She shot up, indignant.  

"STRIP! STRIP!" Guy, ever the instigator, dunked a paper slip in water and slapped it onto her forehead.  

The sight of her pouting face—adorned with a fluttering slip—made everyone crack a smile.  

Seeing the normally monstrous Hikari like this? Priceless.  

Even Sasuke felt a flicker of amusement.  

Hikari gritted her teeth, deactivating her Byakugan. Darkness engulfed her vision.  

"Again!"  

Laughter filled the room, warm against the howling winter outside.  

For the first time in a long time—  

None of them felt alone.  

This…  

This was what family tasted like.  

Chapter 189: Five Years  

On New Year’s Eve, Kakashi met Naruto and Sasuke earlier than fate had originally intended.  

With paper strips dangling noisily from his face, his dead-fish eyes rolling back, he finally uttered that infamous line:  

"My first impression of you guys? Yeah… I kinda hate you—"  

"Enough talk—stick him!"  

Hikari, her own face plastered with paper strips, wasn’t having it. She waved at Naruto and Sasuke—their hair sticking up like brooms—and dunked a fresh strip into a half-empty cup of water.  

Once soaked, they slapped it onto Kakashi’s chin, the damp strip hanging like a ridiculous beard. Nearby, Might Guy stifled laughter at his rival’s misery.  

The five of them—orphans, unbound by tradition or grudges—threw themselves into the night. They laughed, fought, and talked until dawn painted the sky clear and the ground glittered with fresh snow. Only then did Naruto and Sasuke trudge home, their footsteps crunching in the winter silence.  

After the New Year, life settled.  

Winter was a slow season for missions, and after a few long assignments, Kakashi and Guy had stacked enough coin to follow Hikari’s lead—holing up at home like hibernating bears.  

Of course, they weren’t as lazy as her. Guy kept up his brutal training, often with a certain blond brat trailing behind him like a determined duckling.  

Within days, Hikari spotted Naruto in that infamous green spandex, frog-hopping alongside Guy. Soon after, a bowl-cut Lee joined them.  

The sight of this bizarre green trio bouncing around Konoha was… something.  

Hikari assumed Naruto would become Lee’s senior, but Guy hadn’t taught him the Eight Gates. Instead, he drilled him in the Strong Fist style.  

When she asked why, Guy explained:  

"The Eight Gates demand pushing the body to its absolute limit. You bypassed that with your flesh manipulation, but Naruto? His chakra never runs out. Even if he exhausts himself with shadow clones, it just… refills. I’ve never seen anything like it."  

Under Guy’s training, Naruto’s taijutsu improved rapidly. With shadow clones swarming, even Sasuke—now with his Sharingan—couldn’t keep up.  

And that burned Sasuke.  

The once-proud Uchiha, left behind by the "dead last," trained harder than ever. But without a proper teacher, relying only on dusty clan scrolls, his progress was glacial.  

Pride shattered, desperation took hold.  

Swallowing his ego, he started showing up at the Hatake compound, begging Hikari for guidance.  

Surprised but amused, she obliged—sort of.  

Root’s archives had plenty of Uchiha techniques, so teaching him wasn’t hard.  

Then she regretted it.  

Talent didn’t equal teaching skills.  

Slow hand seals? Just don’t use them. 

Poor chakra control? How was that even a problem? 

Clumsy taijutsu? Move better.  

She had no frame of reference for these struggles. To her, it was all instinctive.  

The only help she could offer was occasional advice on Fire and Lightning nature transformations—and even that was limited.  

Her own mastery made his struggles incomprehensible.  

Why can’t he grasp basic Fire Release? What’s so hard about it?  

Frustrated and wanting peace, she pointed at Kakashi—lounging with his smutty novels—and dumped Sasuke on him.  

Peace at last.  

Spring Arrives, School Begins 

With winter’s end, the Academy reopened.  

Hiruzen, as acting headmaster, gave his usual Will of Fire spiel to the new students. Hikari, having joined mid-term, was now a year behind Naruto’s class.  

She sent a shadow clone to school—no familiar faces among the freshmen.  

The Academy’s lessons were useless to her now. She only attended to spar with Ino-Shika-Chō, studying their clan techniques for inspiration.  

Her body, transformed by the Reverse Eight Gates, had become denser, heavier. She rarely used taijutsu anymore, preferring to stand still, unleashing Water and Earth techniques like an immovable fortress.  

Her appearance had changed too.  

Her soul, constantly fed by stolen life force, radiated vitality. Her features hadn’t shifted, but her skin glowed, her sharp edges softened into an almost ethereal grace. The mysterious key-shaped mark on her forehead only added to her mystique.  

She’d become a phenomenon.  

A fan club exploded in her wake, devouring the school like a tidal wave. Factions formed, battles waged—new recruits were press-ganged into service before they’d even met her.  

Their banner? A stolen photo of her, likely snapped by a snack-bribed Chōji Akimichi.  

Hikari hung him from the school gates with a water jutsu as a warning, then let them be.  

Fandom, she realized, wasn’t about her. It was about them.  

Root’s Shadow, Progress Unseen 

Meanwhile, her Yang Shadow lurked in Root’s depths, researching the Sharingan and replicating Mangekyō abilities.  

She’d planned to kill Danzō with her main body, but evolution took priority. And Ryōma’s slow coup needed time.  

Hiruzen’s request—minimal bloodshed—meant patience.  

Danzō, obsessed with his new arm and Sharingan experiments, stayed hidden. Her influence grew. Root, drawn to strength, began seeing her as its second-in-command.  

The Work Continues 

With chakra to spare, Hikari split into more shadows—Wind, Fire, Water, Earth—each researching nature transformations and fusion.  

• Wind & Fire: Combined release, aiming for high-pressure techniques like Water Cutter.  

• Water & Earth: Studying Hashirama’s cells, attempting to recreate Wood Release.  

• Main Body: Devouring the Forest of Death, refining Lightning Armor with the Thunder Stone. Black Lightning—Yin-Thunder fusion—was another project. 

Progress was steady, if slow.  

But she wasn’t worried.  

The Divine Tree Seed was her ultimate cheat. Even if she couldn’t master Kekkei Mōra, she could always force it—absorb the tailed beasts, become the next Ōtsutsuki.  

The Reverse Eight Gates ensured growth. All she had to do was consume and wait.  

Power didn’t inflate her ego. It brought peace.  

The strength to protect her loved ones—no more helplessness.  

The Eyes Awaken 

Slowing down had an unexpected effect.  

The tension in her mind eased, triggering her Byakugan’s evolution.  

Her pupils pulsed, veins clearing like blocked needles yanked free. A strange chakra pooled in her eyes, its appetite staggering—more than a jōnin’s total reserves daily.  

No wonder her eyes had seemed ordinary before. If they’d evolved alongside her bones, she’d have been drained to a husk like Nagato.  

The Sage Body Mystery 

Her "Sage Body" wasn’t Senju or Uzumaki.  

It was something new—forged by stolen life, dense and heavy.  

According to Tsunade:  

• Uzumaki Sage Body: Focused on sealing, sensing, healing (Adamantine Chains, Mind’s Eye, Healing Factor).  

• Senju Sage Body: Combat-oriented (Wood Release, Sage Mode, Enhanced Physique). 

Hers?  

"Muscle Density Amplification."  

No wonder she weighed a ton without looking it.  

What would the final stage bring?  

Another blind box to unlock.  

Time Flows 

And so, five years passed.  

Chapter 190: The Overachievers of Team 3  

Early March. The grass was lush, and warblers sang in the breeze.  

Warm sunlight spilled through the branches, painting the cherry blossoms a dreamy pink. Petals fluttered like scattered confetti in the wind, and fresh green leaves shimmered with vitality.  

But the black-haired, white-eyed boy had no time to admire the scenery. The veins around his eyes bulged faintly as his milky pupils sharpened like blades. He assumed the opening stance of the Eight Trigrams Palms, blue chakra glowing faintly in his palms.  

"Eight Trigrams: Vacuum Palm!"  

A condensed block of chakra shot forward, distorting the air. The drifting petals were swept into a pink wave—  

BOOM!  

A dull impact shook the thick cherry tree violently, sending a storm of blossoms raining down. A deep palm imprint was left on the trunk, its force buried three inches deep without so much as cracking the bark.  

Thunk! Thunk!  

Two slender steel needles pierced through the falling petals, pinning them to the tree with unerring precision.  

Bzzzt—  

The needles trembled, their tips embedded firmly in the wood. The blossoms they skewered fluttered helplessly, forever anchored to the branch.  

A girl in a pink qipao and a cropped jacket, her hair tied into twin buns, watched with amusement. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled as she admired both the pinned blossoms and the cold-faced boy beneath them.  

"ONE THOUSAND AND SEVENTY-TWO!!!"  

A passionate roar shattered the tranquil atmosphere. The girl—Tenten—jolted, her appreciation of the scenery abruptly cut short.  

She turned to see a green-spandex-clad boy who looked like a kappa doing one-handed push-ups—upside down. His arms trembled with exertion, sweat pouring from his forehead and soaking the ground beneath him into a perfect circle of damp earth.  

"My teammates are such overachievers…"  

Tenten sighed, rubbing her sore arms. Her round face scrunched into a pout.  

She had graduated from the Academy last year and, by sheer luck, ended up in the same team as Hyūga Neji.  

At the time, she had been so excited she couldn’t sleep for a week—dreaming of sparking some romantic tension with the handsome Hyūga prodigy.  

But instead of romance, she found herself trapped in a team of workaholics.  

• Might Guy, the Blue Beast of Konoha, could carry a multi-ton stone pillar while running laps around the village—ten times in a row. And that was just one of his training routines.  

• Neji, the so-called "genius," lived and breathed training. His Byakugan saw nothing but practice, practice, practice. His Eight Trigrams Palms could reduce a tree thicker than a man’s embrace to sawdust.  

• Even Rock Lee, who seemed unremarkable at first glance, was a training monster who pushed himself to the point of hospitalization. 

Tenten had thought she was hardworking—until she saw these madmen. Compared to them, she felt pathetically weak.  

She tried to keep up, but the physical gap between men and women made it impossible. After just half a day of shurikenjutsu practice, her arms would be so sore she could barely lift them.  

"If this keeps up, the gap between us will only grow…"  

No!  

She shook her head, dispelling the negativity. Her eyes hardened with resolve.  

She massaged her aching arms, watching her teammates train with a mix of admiration and frustration. Even the falling cherry blossoms lost their beauty in her eyes.  

"Lee! Tenten! Neji! Break time!"  

Guy’s booming voice cut through the forest like a war horn. Tenten exhaled in relief as her teammates finally paused their training. Just hearing the word "break" made her rock-hard biceps soften slightly.  

Thud. Thud. Thud.  

A few moments later, Guy jogged into view, a massive stone staff balanced on his shoulders.  

His steps were slow and heavy, his breathing steady despite the sweat pouring down his face. Clearly, he had just finished his village lap training and was cooling down with a weighted jog.  

"Cooling down… with several tons on his back…"  

Tenten suppressed the urge to scream.  

After throwing thousands of kunai, shuriken, and meteor hammers in a single session, her arms felt like they were about to fall off. Meanwhile, Guy was out here casually carrying a boulder like it was nothing.  

She found a sturdy tree stump, brushed off the petals and dust, and sat down.  

Neji and Lee relaxed their muscles before pulling out four massive bento boxes from their packs and placing them on the stump.  

Guy set down his staff, and the four of them sat cross-legged around their makeshift table—but didn’t eat yet.  

After intense training, blood pooled in their muscles, leaving their digestive systems sluggish. As taijutsu specialists, they knew better than to eat immediately.  

They’d wait twenty to thirty minutes for their bodies to settle.  

And during that time?  

Q&A with Guy.  

Even their breaks were optimized for improvement.  

"Any training issues lately?" Guy asked, glancing first at Lee.  

Neji trained in the Hyūga’s Gentle Fist, which Guy couldn’t teach. Tenten’s weapon techniques came down to three things: accuracy, weapon quality, and physical conditioning—the first two of which she could handle herself.  

"No problems here!" Lee said—but his expression was hesitant. His eyes darted around as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t.  

Neji and Tenten also shook their heads, but all three noticed Lee’s odd behavior. Their gazes locked onto him.  

"If there’s a problem, speak up! The forbidden technique I taught you is dangerous—if you’re doing it wrong, the consequences could be severe!" Guy urged, mistaking Lee’s hesitation for training concerns.  

"N-No, it’s not about training—"  

Lee’s face turned beet red. His bandaged hands flailed in denial.  

"Then… personal matters?"  

Lee froze. His thick eyebrows scrunched together, his face flushing even darker.  

Bingo.  

Even Neji, usually indifferent, looked intrigued. And Tenten?  

She leaned forward, eyes sparkling with gossip-fueled fire.  

"Do you… have a girlfriend?!"  

"N-No! I haven’t confessed yet!" Lee blurted—then immediately realized his mistake.  

Tenten’s grin widened.  

"Spill. Who is she?"  

"She—She—" Lee stammered, his face now the color of a tomato. Under the combined pressure of Guy and Neji’s stares, he finally squeaked out:  

"Her name is Haruno Sakura… She’s a trainee medic at Konoha Hospital. She treated me last time I… over-trained."  

"Ooooh~ Sakura!"  

Tenten dragged out the name teasingly. Lee looked ready to combust. Guy and even Neji cracked smiles, the training ground suddenly filled with laughter.  

After enduring the teasing, Lee finally composed himself. He turned to Guy, his face still red but his voice earnest.  

"Sensei… Sakura graduates from the Academy today. She’s becoming a full-fledged medic. I… I want to give her a gift. And… confess. But I don’t know what to get her… or how to do it. Please… teach me!"  

He clasped his hands together and bowed deeply.  

Guy’s gleaming grin froze.  

He had never confessed to a girl in his life.  

Where was he supposed to get dating advice from?! And ever since adopting Hikari five years ago, he’d fully embraced fatherhood—romance was the last thing on his mind.  

Five years ago… Five…  

Wait.  

Guy’s brain short-circuited.  

If Lee had graduated a year before Hikari, and Hikari was supposed to graduate this year… and Sakura was graduating today…  

That meant—  

Hikari was graduating TODAY TOO!  

"WHAT TIME IS SAKURA’S EXAM?!" Guy suddenly barked.  

"Uh… uh…" Lee, ever the airhead, blanked.  

"The Academy graduation is split into morning and afternoon sessions," Neji cut in, watching Guy’s panic with mild amusement. "My cousin is in the elite class—their exams were this morning. They’re probably done by now."  

"WHAT?!"  

Lee and Guy jolted upright in unison.  

Sakura (Hikari) was in the elite class!  

"I HAVE TO GO!" x2  

They snatched their bento boxes and the stone staff, vanishing in a green blur. A dust cloud erupted in their wake.  

"Cough! Cough!"  

Tenten waved away the dirt, utterly baffled.  

"Lee’s rushing to confess… but why is Guy-sensei in such a hurry?"  

"His daughter is graduating today."  

Neji’s voice was calm, but a flicker of warmth passed through his eyes.  

The image of a certain silver-haired girl, radiant as the sun, flashed in his mind. The Caged Bird Seal on his forehead burned faintly at the thought.  

"So even you feel fear…"  

"Guy-sensei has a DAUGHTER?!"  

Tenten’s jaw dropped.  

"You know her."  

"Huh?!"*  

Tenten’s mind raced through every girl she knew—none of whom resembled Guy’s boulder-shouldered, bowl-cut, bushy-browed appearance.  

Her brain conjured an image of Lee in a dress.  

She violently shook her head to erase the cursed thought.  

"Who?!"  

"Konoha’s strongest genius in history. And the only one I will ever pledge my loyalty to."*  

Neji’s gaze drifted to the cherry blossoms, the second half of his words left unspoken.  

Strongest genius in history?  

"Hikari… the Sun Chaser?!" Tenten gasped, her eyes bulging.  

Ever since that girl slaughtered a Cloud Jonin at age nine, there had been no debate about who held the title of strongest prodigy.  

Rumors even claimed she was the Third Hokage’s final disciple—a direct successor to the Legendary Sannin. And the Hokage hadn’t denied it.  

Hikari was Guy’s DAUGHTER?!  

Tenten’s mind short-circuited.  

She had seen Hikari from afar during her Academy days—one glance was enough to make her join the fan club.  

But comparing that ethereal silver-haired beauty to Guy’s… unique appearance…  

The world made no sense.  

It was like finding out some random, average classmate was the Hokage’s son.  

"How is that POSSIBLE?!"  

Neji didn’t answer. Hikari’s origins were… complicated.  

He packed the untouched bento boxes and stood.  

"Neji, you’re leaving too?" Tenten called after him.  

He didn’t reply, just raised a hand in farewell.  

All the Hyūga’s rigid etiquette seemed forgotten.  

Hikari had graduated.  

The day they had promised each other was approaching.  

He wanted to visit his father’s grave—to whisper the good news where only the wind could hear.  

Silence fell.  

The training ground was empty now, save for Tenten.  

Cherry blossoms drifted down, the only remnants of their training being the two petals still pinned to the tree.  

"Everyone’s gone…"  

Tenten sighed, watching Neji’s retreating figure.  

Teasing Lee had been fun, but now her own unrequited crush weighed heavily on her heart.  

She picked at her cold rice, then suddenly slammed the chopsticks down.  

Pulling a kunai from her pouch, she glared at the falling blossoms with new determination.  

"If those overachievers aren’t here… this is my chance to OUTWORK THEM!"  

Whish! Whish! Whish!  

Her arms became a blur.  

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!  

Needles skewered petals midair, pinning them to the tree in rapid succession.  

Soon, the trunk was covered in a coat of pink.  

Tenten grinned.  

"I, Tenten, am the TRUE overachiever of Team 3!"