261-265

Chapter 261: I Get It Now! 

Ebisu, looking shifty as a rogue ninja, snuck into Shindai's shop. He made a beeline for Uchiha Hikari, who was zoning out like she was in a genjutsu. 

Ebisu nervously glanced around and whispered, "I'd like to buy a second-tier Maria No. 1." 

He'd been at Shindai's Dream Hut opening day and had his eye on Maria No. 1 ever since, swearing he'd take one home. Ebisu had been saving up money from missions for ages, plus his own savings, just to get enough. Now, he was finally about to bring Maria No. 1 home, and he was incredibly excited. 

Uchiha Hikari's gaze slowly sharpened, focusing on Ebisu. She asked blankly, "Huh?" 

Ebisu repeated himself. 

Uchiha Hikari looked him up and down, confirming, "You sure?" 

Ebisu looked at Uchiha Hikari strangely. Of course he was sure; he was there to buy something! Why were she and that kid with glasses next to her looking at him with a mix of surprise and disdain? What happened to "the customer is king"? 

Ebisu said very seriously, "I'm sure!" 

"Alright, just a moment then." Uchiha Hikari turned to Yakushi Kabuto. "Kabuto, I'm going to find Shindai. You take care of this customer." 

"Understood, Asuka-nee-chan." 

Uchiha Hikari left to find Shindai. 

Ebisu, puzzled, asked Yakushi Kabuto, "Don't I just pay and take it with me right away?" 

Yakushi Kabuto explained, "Not exactly. The ones here are just display models. Shindai-nii-chan says that to ensure quality, every puppet has to be custom-made. It's about being responsible to the customer. But we do need half the deposit upfront, just in case the customer changes their mind after the puppet is made." 

"That's so thoughtful, truly impressive!" Ebisu had felt the service attitude wasn't great just now, but he no longer thought so. This service was too good! Of course, it's better to have it custom-made rather than taking one that's been sitting in the shop for months. 

Yakushi Kabuto's eyes darted away, not daring to look at Ebisu. What "ensuring quality" and "custom-made"? The truth was, Shindai simply didn't have enough money to make extra puppets. And Shindai was the one who told Kabuto to say that. 

Feeling like he'd just pulled a fast one, Kabuto nervously poured Ebisu a cup of water. "Please, have some water." 

"Thanks!" Ebisu took the cup, drinking as he waited. 

In the Underground Research Base 

Uchiha Hikari found Shindai. Shindai's eyes were bloodshot, and he was scratching his messy head, muttering, "Where did I go wrong? It shouldn't be like this. According to my calculations, it should be stable after balancing..." 

Uchiha Hikari watched Shindai, who seemed possessed, and sighed. Shindai had been like this lately, sometimes even more exaggerated. 

"Shindai, someone wants to buy a puppet." 

"Huh? Oh..." Shindai grunted, then went back to muttering to himself. 

Uchiha Hikari's expression was helpless. Shindai definitely hadn't heard what she said. 

Uchiha Hikari raised her voice. "Someone wants to buy your puppet! 350,000 ryo, a second-tier one!" 

This time, Shindai heard her. He snapped out of it, a look of pleasant surprise on his face. "Really?!" 

Uchiha Hikari nodded. "Really. They're waiting in the shop." 

"Then let's go, quickly! We can't let him get away!" Shindai grabbed Uchiha Hikari's arm and rushed out of the base. 

Finally! Finally, they were going to make a sale! It had been months! Shindai had gone from being full of ambition to nearly losing all hope. If this customer ran off, Shindai felt he'd regret it for the rest of his life! 

While waiting with nothing much to do, Ebisu admired the Maria No. 1 in the display case. He listened to its delicate voice say, "Please give Maria your commands," and a very satisfied expression appeared on his face. 

Suddenly, Ebisu felt a burning gaze on him. He turned his head and saw Shindai staring at him with shining eyes. In a flash, Shindai was in front of Ebisu. 

"So, it's you, Ebisu! Buying a puppet?" 

Ebisu felt a chill run down his spine from Shindai's intense stare. He answered somewhat unnaturally, "Uh... yeah." 

Shindai excitedly grabbed Ebisu's hand and shook it frantically. "You really have good taste, you know! And I'm not just bragging, but if you buy this Maria No. 1, it'll definitely be worth every penny. It'll make every day a wonderful one!" 

Ebisu yanked his hand away forcefully; Shindai had squeezed it tight. Ebisu asked, "Kabuto said the puppet needs to be custom-made and requires half the deposit, right?" 

Shindai nodded excitedly. "Yup, that's right! We'd never try to trick customers with old, dusty stock. Everything is freshly made!" 

Uchiha Hikari and Yakushi Kabuto looked at Shindai with disdain. Old, dusty stock? What stock?! "Freshly made"? Are we buying vegetables?! 

Kabuto then asked, "How long will it take?" 

Shindai replied, "Only three days... No! Two days! You can pick it up tomorrow!" 

"Okay, then I'll pay the deposit. Half of 350,000, so 175,000 ryo, right?" Ebisu pulled out his money, ready to pay, but Shindai put a hand on his shoulder and asked, "Ebisu, would you like a third-tier Maria No. 1?" 

Ebisu sighed. "Of course I would, but I don't have that much money. 600,000 ryo is too expensive for me." 

Shindai proposed, "How about we make a deal? I can sell you a third-tier Maria No. 1 for 350,000 ryo, but you'll have to help me promote them. For every puppet you help me sell, I'll give you a cut. What do you say?" 

Ebisu's eyes widened. "Really?" 

Shindai nodded. "Of course, really! But you have to do a good job promoting them!" 

Ebisu pushed up his sunglasses and said, "Actually, a lot of people really like your puppets." 

Shindai looked puzzled. "Huh? Like them? Then why haven't I sold a single one in months? Is it because they're expensive?" 

"That's part of it, but it's not the main reason. The main reason is... embarrassment." 

"Huh?" 

Ebisu explained to Shindai, "Your puppets are just so new and unique. Usually, when people go to bookstores for 'those' kinds of books, they do it discreetly. But your shop is too open about it. If you just put four words on it, I think your business would pick up." 

Shindai humbly asked, "What words?" 

"Complete Secrecy! That poster of Jiraiya-sama by your door makes everyone think that if they buy your puppets, everyone will know about it. That's why no one dares to buy them. I only worked up the courage to come in when your shop was empty." 

Upon hearing Ebisu's words, Shindai felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his mind. So, everyone was just too shy! Shindai flashed a gleaming smile and gave Ebisu a thumbs-up. "I get it now, Ebisu! I've truly understood!" 

Chapter 262: "That's the Feeling, the Feeling of Youth!" 

Shindai finally understood after Ebisu's advice. It turns out he was being too flashy, and everyone was too proud to buy his puppets. Shindai couldn't help but laugh out loud. 

Ebisu rubbed his hands together and asked, "So, Shindai, my third-tier puppet..." 

"I'll definitely get it done for you, no problem! Come pick it up tomorrow at noon! Just fill out this form if you have any special requests, Kabuto!" 

Kabuto Yakushi immediately handed Ebisu a form. Ebisu was overjoyed. He had originally planned to buy a second-tier "Maria No. 1," but now he could get a third-tier one! After filling out the form, Ebisu gave it back to Shindai, then pulled out a poster and said, "Just make it according to this." 

Shindai glanced at the beautiful woman on the poster and replied, "No problem, just leave it to me!" 

Ebisu promptly handed Shindai 350,000 ryo. "Then... I'm counting on you, Shindai! I'll pick it up tomorrow!" Ebisu left, feeling incredibly satisfied. 

Being a man of action, Shindai immediately got to work. He scribbled "Strictly Confidential" on Jiraiya's poster. "Alright! I'm off to work now. Once this order is done, I'll treat you all to a feast!" Shindai also left, feeling pleased. 

Two hours after Shindai left, another person entered the shop, asking about the "strictly confidential" service and how it worked. Uchiha Hikari and Kabuto exchanged glances, both feeling a bad premonition. They had both been waiting for Shindai's shop to go out of business, but now it seemed like it was coming back to life! 

Shindai worked late that night, finishing Ebisu's puppet before heading home. Once he got back, Uchiha Hikari told him someone had come to ask about the confidential process, and Shindai couldn't stop smiling all night. Shindai instructed Uchiha Hikari that if anyone else wanted to place an order, they should follow the usual procedure: pay a deposit, fill out the form, and give it to him when he returned in the evening. 

The next day, Shindai personally delivered the freshly made Maria No. 1 to Ebisu. When Ebisu heard his Maria No. 1 gently call out "Lord Ebisu~," he felt like he was floating on clouds—it was absolutely amazing! 

After Ebisu's order, luck seemed to be on Shindai's side. While business wasn't booming, he was getting two or three orders a week. Shindai's "Dream Workshop" was finally making a profit! 

It was time to get Sarutobi Hiruzen's puppet ready. Shindai had promised to make it once the shop opened, but he'd put it off until now because he genuinely had no money. Previously, Shindai's pocket money came from Minato Namikaze reimbursing Uchiha Hikari, basically conning him out of it. 

Finally receiving his order, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the younger version of Sarutobi Biwako in front of him, his eyes filled with nostalgia and affection. "Shindai, I almost thought you'd forgotten about mine." 

Shindai buttered him up, "How could I forget about anyone, especially you, Third Hokage? Good things just take time to perfect." 

Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in agreement, "Well said!" 

Then, Sarutobi Hiruzen pressed a button as Shindai had instructed. 

"Hiruzen I've missed you so much" 

The Biwako puppet wrapped its arms around Sarutobi Hiruzen's arm, playfully clinging to him. Sarutobi Hiruzen's face instantly flushed! That was the feeling, the feeling of youth! 

Shindai cautioned, "Third Hokage, you have to be careful. If Lady Biwako finds out, you'll be in big trouble, and it might even drag me into it." 

Sarutobi Hiruzen assured Shindai, "Don't worry about that at all, Shindai. However... Shindai, what exactly have you been tinkering with in that abandoned research lab lately? I keep hearing explosions." 

Shindai replied, "Just researching my Kekkei Genkai, trying to innovate a bit." 

Sarutobi Hiruzen earnestly advised, "Don't be like Orochimaru, completely engrossed in research. Life isn't just about research; you need to spend time with Yakura and Asuka too." 

Shindai grumbled, "Huh? Me spend time with them? Why should I?! Those two are ganging up on me now, and with Kushina-nee joining in, if I hang out with them, I'll probably just get yelled at, maybe even get a good beating." 

"You're still not mature enough. You'll understand when you get older. I have high hopes for you, you know." Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head. 

Shindai looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen strangely. High hopes for him? High hopes for what? Besides, he didn't need to be too mature right now; he was already just right. 

The Calm Before the Storm 

Another two months passed, leaving only about three months until Uzumaki Kushina's delivery. In the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Koharu Utatane, and Homura Mitokado were discussing with Minato Namikaze. They were taking Uzumaki Kushina's delivery very seriously because when a female Jinchuriki is pregnant, the sealing energy that suppresses the Tailed Beast is used to nurture the fetus, which weakens the seal. The seal almost broke when Uzumaki Mito gave birth before. 

Sarutobi Hiruzen suggested, "Minato, let's set up the delivery room outside the village. It will be protected by a strict barrier and Anbu. For the delivery, Biwako will be the midwife, and you will accompany Kushina to ensure the seal doesn't break. Also, this matter must be kept a secret. The fewer people who know, the better." 

Minato Namikaze replied gravely, "Understood." 

Outside the office window, several insects flew away. 

Danzo's Scheme 

At Danzo's house, even though it was broad daylight, Danzo sat in a dimly lit room, illuminated only by a single candle. The flickering candlelight cast an eerie shadow on Danzo's face. 

Aburame Ryoma entered the room and reported to Danzo, "Lord Danzo, the Jinchuriki is expected to give birth in about three months. The delivery room will be set up outside the village, guarded by a seal and Anbu. Minato Namikaze will also be present to maintain the seal." 

Danzo, who already looked sinister, now appeared even more so. He said in a chilling voice, "Meaning, when Uzumaki Kushina gives birth, Minato Namikaze will be occupied maintaining the seal and unable to focus on anything else. This is a good opportunity to eliminate him." 

Danzo took out a blank scroll, picked up a brush, and began writing. He then handed it to Aburame Ryoma: "Go to the underground black market. The Akatsuki organization, which I and Hanzo jointly destroyed during the Third Great Shinobi War, has been rebuilt. The current Akatsuki is a mercenary organization that accepts commissions through the underground black market, and their strength seems decent. Give this scroll to someone from Akatsuki and have them carry out this task. Remember, conceal your identity. Minato Namikaze's Flying Raijin Jutsu is troublesome. If they fail, it won't implicate us." 

Aburame Ryoma took the scroll and immediately left to carry out the mission. Danzo's cold voice echoed in the dimly lit room. "The Fourth Hokage... Hmph." 

Chapter 263: A Conspiracy Begins to Unfold 

Ryoma Aburame accepted a random mission and left the Hidden Leaf Village. 

Since Root often handled shady dealings, Danzo would occasionally entrust missions to the ninja exchange. After all, ninjas who accept commissions at the exchange are willing to do anything for money, making them quite useful. 

Danzo was a frequent visitor to the underground ninja exchange. It was through this connection that he learned the Akatsuki, once a group dedicated to peace, had transformed into a mercenary organization willing to take on any request, as long as the payment was right. 

In an underground ninja exchange within the Land of Fire, Ryoma Aburame successfully delivered Danzo's scroll to an outer member of the Akatsuki. He instructed the member to pass the scroll to their leader and paid a portion of the deposit. 

Three days later, Danzo's scroll landed in the hands of Pain's Deva Path. 

At this point, the Akatsuki was still just a makeshift organization. Its official members included Nagato's Pain, Konan, Black Zetsu, Kakuzu, Sasori, and Uchiha Setsuna, who wore a mask, called himself Obito Uchiha in front of Nagato, and also went by the alias Tobi. 

Under the influence of Black Zetsu and Uchiha Setsuna, and driven by the hatred from Yahiko's death at the hands of Hanzō and Danzo Shimura's conspiracy, Nagato had embraced Uchiha Setsuna's ideology. He accepted the idea of transforming the Akatsuki into a mercenary group, now preparing to amass significant wealth to capture the Tailed Beasts. 

With Kakuzu and Sasori currently out on missions, only Black Zetsu and Uchiha Setsuna remained at the Akatsuki's base. 

After reviewing the scroll, Pain's Deva Path summoned Black Zetsu and Uchiha Setsuna. 

Pain's Deva Path tossed the scroll to Black Zetsu. "Take a look, both of you. A ninja from who-knows-what village specifically sought out one of our outer members at the exchange to commission a mission." 

After reading the scroll, both Black Zetsu and Uchiha Setsuna's eyes narrowed slightly. "The Leaf Village's Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is about to give birth? And they're hiring us to assassinate the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze?" 

Pain's Deva Path stated, "That's right. The client has already paid half the deposit, a total of 30 million ryo. The remaining 30 million will be paid upon completion. Although the person hid their identity, they must be from the Leaf Village, otherwise, they wouldn't have such detailed information." 

Black Zetsu inquired, "Can we confirm if this information is accurate?" 

Pain's Deva Path replied, "We can't confirm it yet, but personally, I believe the information is likely true. There's no need for them to deceive us; 30 million ryo isn't a small sum for just a deposit. If the total reward is 60 million ryo, then 10 million would have been enough for a deposit. However, to be safe, if we accept this mission, we'll definitely need to confirm it. The scroll says that when the Jinchuriki gives birth, the delivery room will be set up outside the Hidden Leaf Village. So, we just need to monitor movements outside the village to verify the information. Therefore, what do you two think? Should we accept this mission to assassinate the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze?" 

Black Zetsu and Uchiha Setsuna exchanged glances. 

Then, Black Zetsu asked Pain's Deva Path, "So, what are your thoughts, Pain? Do you want to capture a Tailed Beast right now?" 

Pain's Deva Path shook his head. "No, the Akatsuki isn't ready yet. Capturing the Nine-Tails from the Hidden Leaf, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, would immediately make the Akatsuki a target for everyone. Now isn't the time to begin the Tailed Beast capture plan. 

However, I believe this mission is worth taking. A total of 60 million ryo is a significant amount of capital for us right now. Secondly, if we can truly kill Minato Namikaze, it would be a devastating blow to the Hidden Leaf. Tobi, your Mangekyo Sharingan can control Tailed Beasts, correct?" 

Uchiha Setsuna nodded. "The genjutsu from my Mangekyo Sharingan can control Tailed Beasts, but not for very long." 

Pain's Deva Path said gravely, "The Hidden Leaf is developing too well. If we let them continue to grow, it might be very difficult to capture the Leaf's Jinchuriki in the future, especially with Minato Namikaze's Flying Raijin Jutsu, which is hard to counter. Therefore, if the information is true, we'll take this mission. Assassinate Minato Namikaze, release the Nine-Tails, and Tobi, you'll control the Nine-Tails to attack the Hidden Leaf." 

Black Zetsu and Uchiha Setsuna agreed. "We also think this mission should be accepted." 

Pain's Deva Path looked at Black Zetsu. "Then, Zetsu, you'll infiltrate the Land of Fire and investigate the authenticity of the mission's information." 

Black Zetsu affirmed, "Understood." 

Then, Pain's Deva Path looked at Uchiha Setsuna. "If the information is confirmed, then Tobi, you and I will act together." 

Uchiha Setsuna also agreed. "Yes!" 

Uchiha Setsuna was more than eager to do this; he harbored a deep hatred for the Hidden Leaf and longed for revenge against the village. After all, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, had inflicted an indelible wound upon him. This mission was the perfect opportunity for him to get his revenge on the Hidden Leaf. 

Time flew by. 

Only about two months remained until Kushina Uzumaki's delivery, and the countdown had begun. 

Shindai's puppets had been selling quite well recently, but he hadn't actually made any new ones, so orders were piling up. Furthermore, Shindai's Dream Hut was temporarily closed to prevent more orders, and all deposits had been returned. 

The reason Shindai did this was because Kushina Uzumaki was about to give birth. Although Shindai wasn't sure if something would happen that day, he had a bad feeling, like something bad was about to occur. 

Currently, Shindai's research had hit a bottleneck. He was grabbing his head, looking incredibly distressed. "I don't have enough chakra to merge the magnetic fields. What am I supposed to do? I don't have a massive amount of chakra like a Tailed Beast; this is impossible!" 

Shindai had been trying to fully merge positive and negative magnetic fields while maintaining their original properties, so he could then unleash their power by making them interact when needed. However, the moment the positive and negative magnetic fields touched, they would immediately erupt with power, instantly sending Shindai flying, making it impossible to control. The root cause was Shindai's insufficient chakra; attempting to merge them while maintaining their original properties consumed a massive amount of chakra, and he'd run out in just a few seconds. 

Uchiha Hikari, with nothing much to do, had been spending her time in the research base watching Shindai's experiments. Though she didn't understand what he was doing, it was entertaining to watch. 

Uchiha Hikari advised, "Stop pulling your hair out. I'm afraid you'll go bald with the little you have left." 

Shindai dropped his hands from his hair and started rubbing his face instead. 

Shindai asked, a bit dejectedly, "Asuka, tell me, is there any way for me to suddenly have a massive amount of chakra?" 

Chapter 264: The Imprint 

Shindai asked Uchiha Hikari how to get a massive amount of chakra. Honestly, he just asked on a whim, not really expecting a solution from her. 

Uchiha Hikari pursed her lips. "About that... I actually do have a way." 

Shindai waved her off. "Don't mess with me, I was just talking. Let me think hard about how to solve this. I don't need that much chakra, but I'm running out of time. Even if I think of something, it might be too late!" 

Uchiha Hikari insisted, "No, I really do!" 

Shindai wasn't listening to Uchiha Hikari at all, muttering to himself, "Hmm, actually, I could try a different approach. Maybe find a way for Kushina-nee to hold out and give birth ten months later? That would give me enough time to figure things out. But this method is totally outside my expertise. I'd have to ask Orochimaru-sama. It's a bit tough, though. Kushina-nee and Minato-sama definitely wouldn't agree, and they might even punch me. If a beating would make them agree, then maybe, but what if they still don't agree after I get beaten?" 

A familiar vein throbbed on Uchiha Hikari's forehead. She slapped Shindai hard on the back. 

Shindai twisted like a zombie. "Ow, ow, ow! That hurts! Asuka, what was that all of a sudden?!" 

Uchiha Hikari's face was dark. "Kushina is already working so hard, and you want her to hold out for another ten months?! The moment that thought came out of your mouth, I wanted to hit you! If Yakura knew, she'd hit you too!" 

Shindai rubbed his back, pouting. "I just wanted more time." 

Uchiha Hikari frowned. "What are you in such a rush about, anyway? What's going to happen on Kushina's delivery day? You never tell me when I ask. You're not usually this tight-lipped about anything else." 

Shindai sighed and told Uchiha Hikari, "Kushina-nee's situation is a secret, but you're family, so it's fine if I tell you. Just don't let it slip, okay? Kushina-nee is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki." 

Uchiha Hikari was shocked; this was the first she'd heard of it. 

Uchiha Hikari pinched her chin, speculating, "I see. Because she's carrying a baby, the seal's power will weaken, and during childbirth, the seal will be at its weakest point. So you're worried the Nine-Tails will break free from Kushina, right?" 

Shindai shook his head. "Actually, I'm not worried about that part. Minato-sama's sealing jutsu is amazing; he'll definitely help Kushina-nee. What I'm worried about are other factors." 

Uchiha Hikari asked, "Other factors?" 

Shindai replied, "Yeah, Minato-sama has a ton of enemies. If his enemies find out, they might attack Kushina-nee. Even though Kushina-nee's pregnancy is a secret, there's no such thing as a completely airtight secret in this world. Minato-sama's enemies might already know." 

Uchiha Hikari tilted her head, looking at Shindai. "But... that's just your guess, isn't it? Since Kushina is the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, there's definitely comprehensive protection. We shouldn't need to worry too much, right?" 

"Better safe than sorry, you know? What if? Right? That's just how I am; I'm very cautious. It's always good to be more prepared, isn't it? Anyway, let me keep thinking of solutions." 

Uchiha Hikari watched Shindai in thought, then activated her Mangekyo Sharingan and placed her hand on his shoulder. 

Shindai looked at Uchiha Hikari in confusion. "Huh? What's up... Oh my goodness, Asuka, is that a Mangekyo?!" Shindai was completely stunned when he saw Uchiha Hikari's Mangekyo Sharingan. This was the first time Shindai had seen Uchiha Hikari's Mangekyo Sharingan in all the time he'd known her. 

"Asuka, when did you awaken your Mangekyo Sharingan? Why didn't you tell me you went through something so traumatic? What happened? Don't bottle it up; if you do, it's easy to turn dark! Come on, tell me, I'll help you through it!" 

Shindai thought Uchiha Hikari had awakened her Mangekyo Sharingan due to extreme negative emotions recently and was worried she might go to extremes. He grabbed her shoulders anxiously, shaking her, urging her to speak. 

Uchiha Hikari rolled her eyes and forcefully pulled away from Shindai's hands. "Stop shaking me! Are you trying to make me dizzy? My Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't activated recently. I awakened it much, much earlier, long before I even knew you." 

Shindai was puzzled. "Huh? You awakened it a long time ago? Then why didn't you tell me?" 

Uchiha Hikari spread her hands. "You didn't ask, so why would I say anything?" 

Shindai huffed, "Your way of thinking is flawed! You don't tell me unless I ask? We live under the same roof; how can we have secrets?!" 

Then Shindai curiously asked, "But why are you actively showing me your Mangekyo Sharingan now?" 

Uchiha Hikari sat on a chair, took a sip of water, and said, "It's because you said you wanted chakra. I told you I had a way to give you more chakra, but you didn't believe me, so I just decided to put an imprint on you." 

Shindai looked bewildered. "An imprint?" 

Uchiha Hikari explained, "My ocular jutsu, Yasaka no Magatama, allows me to bypass distance and connect to anyone's mind and chakra through an imprint on their body. That means I can transfer my own chakra to you. If someone else also has an imprint, I can even transfer their chakra to you through their imprint." 

Shindai's eyes immediately lit up. "That's incredible! But what do you mean by 'controlling someone's mind'?" 

Uchiha Hikari replied, "Exactly what it sounds like. I can control your mind, just like you control your Hozuki puppets. The most basic example is... I can speak to you directly in your mind." 

Uchiha Hikari didn't open her mouth, but Shindai heard her voice in his head. Shindai's eyes widened. "Does that mean I'll be at your mercy from now on?!" 

Uchiha Hikari smirked a bit mischievously. "That's right. Your life will be under my control from now on!" 

Shindai rushed to Uchiha Hikari, his expression pitiful as he pleaded, "Can we talk about this, Asuka? After everything is over, can you remove my imprint? Please!" 

Uchiha Hikari turned her head, refusing adamantly. "Not really, no discussion. Aren't you in a hurry with your research? Instead of begging me to do the impossible, you should get back to your research." 

Shindai silently grumbled about Uchiha Hikari, but he was indeed in a hurry. He figured he'd badger Uchiha Hikari later. After all, she always gave in when he bothered her enough. 

Chapter 265: Supernova Ring of Ominous Signs 

Shindai now had a Flying Raijin Jutsu formula (the special seal) carved onto him by Uchiha Hikari. 

Shindai continued his research, using his Magnet Release kekkei genkai to create a positive magnetic field and a negative magnetic field. 

"Asuka, come on, fill me up! Don't hold back!" 

Uchiha Hikari looked at Shindai with an expression usually reserved for garbage. "Don't make me punch you!" Despite her words, Uchiha Hikari transmitted her chakra to Shindai through the seal. 

Shindai instantly felt a surge of energy, like he'd been injected with a chakra booster. "Whoa, you've got so much chakra!" 

Uchiha Hikari simply scoffed. After all, she was once trained as a weapon; how could her chakra reserves be small? 

Shindai calmed himself and slowly began to merge the two magnetic fields, carefully maintaining their original properties. With Uchiha Hikari's chakra flowing in, the two distinctly different magnetic fields began to touch and slowly overlap. Shindai breathed a sigh of relief as there was no immediate interaction or burst of power upon contact. 

He continued to merge the two magnetic fields. Uchiha Hikari's brow furrowed tightly. This jutsu Shindai was creating was consuming an excessive amount of chakra. Uchiha Hikari had to keep increasing her chakra output to Shindai. 

Under Shindai's meticulous control, after ten minutes, the two magnetic fields finally merged into one. Shindai was thrilled, looking at the ball of energy in his hand. This energy ball was the product of the two magnetic fields merging and compressing. Inside this energy ball, positive and negative charges were not attracting, touching, or interacting. Instead, brilliant, colorful specks of light appeared. Charges themselves don't have color; they're just properties. The vibrant specks of light were caused by their absorption and reflection of light. 

Uchiha Hikari leaned in, curiously examining the energy ball in Shindai's hand. "You worked all that time just for this? It's pretty, but it doesn't seem to have any power." 

Shindai grinned, explaining, "Of course it doesn't feel powerful yet! The positive and negative charges inside this ball aren't interacting; they're maintaining their original properties. But the moment they do interact, it'll unleash an incredibly powerful force! Like this!" 

The specks of light inside began to spin erratically as the positive and negative charges started to interact. Shindai looked at the energy ball in his hand, a little surprised. "Huh? Why does it look so much like a Rasengan?" 

Although Minato Namikaze had taught Shindai the Rasengan, Shindai hadn't mastered it. The Rasengan is a technique that concentrates chakra in the hand, making it flow in irregular directions and compressing it to form a palm-sized, formless chakra sphere. The ball in Shindai's hand now, though different in color, looked incredibly similar to a Rasengan. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a derivative of the Rasengan. 

Suddenly, all the hairs on Uchiha Hikari's body stood on end. She urged, "Shindai! Get rid of that energy ball in your hand, now!" 

Shindai's face changed too. "I can't! I can't stop the charges from interacting now! If the positive and negative charges fully interact, it'll explode! I can only slow it down, not stop it. But I can throw it!" 

"Then hold it, slow it down! Don't throw it here!" Uchiha Hikari grabbed Shindai by the back of his collar and dashed out of the research base. Just as they were about to burst out, Uchiha Hikari shouted, "Throw it now! Throw it into the base!" 

Shindai, his face red and neck strained from his collar, threw the energy ball. Uchiha Hikari, still clutching Shindai, picked up speed. 

Suddenly, "BOOM!" 

The underground research base seemed to have its top blown off. Countless electrical currents flashed, and the ground in the area trembled. A shockwave hit, sending Shindai and Uchiha Hikari flying. They rolled several times before crashing into a tree, finally coming to a stop. 

Shindai stared, dumbfounded, at the chaotic scene before him. "This... did I do this?" 

Uchiha Hikari rubbed her shoulder, which was sore from hitting the tree. She snapped, "If not you, then who? Me?! You created this jutsu; don't you know? Only you would create a jutsu you can't undo!" 

Shindai scratched his head. "I-I just researched it, you know! It's new!" 

As Shindai stood up, Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and several members of the Anbu Black Ops appeared before Shindai and Uchiha Hikari. Minato Namikaze looked at Shindai and Uchiha Hikari, a hint of bewilderment in his eyes. "That explosion just now... was that you two?" 

Uchiha Hikari moved a step away from Shindai. "Not me. It was him." 

Everyone's eyes, including Minato's, turned to Shindai. 

Shindai chuckled nervously. "I-I didn't do it on purpose." 

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned, asking in confusion, "Shindai, what did you do? How did such a massive explosion happen? And cause so much destruction? Luckily this area is remote, otherwise, the consequences would be unimaginable." 

Shindai grew even more embarrassed, lowering his head. "I just did a small research project, or rather, created a jutsu, and then this happened. But it was an accident, because it's the first time, I have no experience. It won't happen again!" 

Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi exchanged glances. A jutsu? A single jutsu with such power? Just looking at the ravaged area proved that the jutsu Shindai created was at least A-rank in power. 

Minato Namikaze instructed Shindai, "We support your desire to research and create jutsu, but you need to take safety precautions! This is far too dangerous. What if you got injured?" 

Shindai promised, "Next time, I'll definitely take precautions!" 

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked curiously, "By the way, what kind of jutsu did you create, Shindai?" 

Shindai looked at Uchiha Hikari. Uchiha Hikari turned her head away. "Don't look at me. My chakra's almost gone too. I can't support you for a second try." 

Uchiha Hikari's words made Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi raise an eyebrow. It was Shindai who performed the jutsu, yet Uchiha Hikari's chakra was almost depleted... Was it through the Eight Thousand Spears seal that she transferred chakra to Shindai? 

Shindai continued, "The jutsu looks a lot like a Rasengan, but the principle is different. It's about unleashing power through the instant interaction of two completely opposite magnetic fields." 

"And the name of the jutsu? Have you decided?" Minato Namikaze suddenly seemed eager. He loved naming things! 

When Shindai saw Minato Namikaze's expression, he immediately guessed that Minato wanted to help him name his jutsu. How could that be? In battle, the name of a jutsu needs to be shouted to have impact, and Minato Namikaze's names were always long and convoluted; by the time you finished shouting the name, the jutsu would already be over. 

Shindai immediately said, "I've decided! The jutsu is called "Supernova Ring of Ominous Signs!"