206-210

*Chapter 206: It’s Ichiraku Ramen!*

In Kaneki's plan, as tensions escalated between the Uchiha and Konoha, both sides should have gathered all their strength and fought fiercely.

But as the saying goes, man proposes, God disposes. Kaneki hadn’t anticipated that Shisui would walk into the lion’s den alone, where Danzo easily took one of his eyes using a forbidden jutsu with severe side effects.

Even after losing an eye and sustaining serious injuries, Shisui managed to unleash Susanoo in a desperate bid, displaying extraordinary power. Yet, escape was nearly impossible.

Rather than letting him fall into Danzo’s hands, Kaneki decided it would be better to take Shisui himself and pin his death on Danzo. This would deepen the conflict between Konoha's higher-ups and the Uchiha clan.

What puzzled Kaneki the most, however, was that even when pushed to the brink by Danzo, Shisui still showed no desire to rebel against the village.

Shisui even left a will, instructing Itachi to fake his death as a suicide to prevent further conflict between the clan and the village.

At the same time, he pressured Fugaku to temporarily suppress the clan’s plan for a coup.

After all, with Shisui’s death, the Uchiha’s strength was no longer sufficient to carry out a coup, and even the possibility of a quick decapitation strike was unlikely to succeed.

As clan leader, Uchiha Fugaku could only postpone the coup and wait for a better opportunity.

In this sense, Shisui’s plan was indeed successful.

His final words also pushed his close friend Itachi to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, transferring all the pressure and responsibility onto him.

However, for now, Itachi seemed unwilling to reveal his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Was he afraid that if he revealed his Mangekyō, those arrogant and ignorant clansmen would entertain dangerous thoughts again?

"This doesn’t align with my interests," Kaneki thought.

Kaneki, currently in the Anbu, quietly glanced at Itachi, who was also reporting in the same Anbu office.

---

Meanwhile, a scruffy little boy carrying a bucket of paint wandered down the busiest street in Konoha.

The moment he appeared, the once lively street seemed to freeze.

People instinctively stepped back, eyes filled with wariness, vigilance, and even disgust as they looked at the blond-haired boy.

“Isn’t that brat the Nine-Tails demon fox?”

“Yeah, stay far away! The demon fox brings misfortune!”

“Damn it, what’s he doing here?”

“Mom, why does he have whiskers on his face?”

“Those are the marks of the demon fox. Don’t play with him, okay?”

Countless words, like arrows, rained down on the boy.

Yet, he ignored them. Dipping his brush into the paint, he began scrawling on the street with great enthusiasm.

Soon, a crooked, abstract ninja face wearing a forehead protector appeared on the street.

The blond-haired boy wiped some paint off his face, smacked the wall with his hand, and grinned brightly at the glaring crowd.

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto, and I’m going to be Hokage someday!”

For a moment, there was silence. Then the street exploded with laughter.

“Hokage? A demon fox like you wants to be Hokage? You’re crazy!”

“Fox brat, you’d be lucky not to cause trouble, let alone become Hokage!”

“Go away! Stop making a mess here!”

“Yeah, you’re disturbing business!”

People pointed and whispered as if they would have thrown trash at him if not for the Hokage’s orders forbidding it.

Naruto ignored them, picked up his bucket, and prepared to continue painting.

Finally, one of the shopkeepers couldn’t stand it anymore.

If he let this little fox brat keep causing trouble, how would he do business?

Angrily, the shopkeeper marched up, grabbed Naruto by the collar, and hoisted him off the ground.

“Brat, if you want to cause trouble, do it somewhere else! Stop ruining my business!”

Naruto flailed and kicked, but his small body was no match for the middle-aged shopkeeper. He was quickly tossed aside.

Seeing someone take action, the crowd clapped and cheered.

Naruto, now covered in dust, didn’t get angry. It seemed he was used to this kind of treatment. He patted the dirt off his clothes and got up to leave.

He didn’t leave because of the people’s shouts—he left because he’d run out of paint.

Also, he was getting hungry.

As he walked away, he counted on his fingers and mumbled, “This month’s living allowance is almost gone. I guess I’ll go fishing tonight.”

---

Not long after, Naruto appeared by the river. He rummaged through the grass and pulled out his homemade fishing gear, expertly casting his line into the water.

Unfortunately, the river was calm that day. After fishing for a long time, Naruto only managed to catch a tiny fish.

“Looks like I’ll go hungry again tonight,” he sighed.

“Seems like the fish aren’t biting today,” a voice said behind him.

Naruto turned around to see a middle-aged man with glasses who gave off a gentle and refined vibe.

“I’m Kaneki. What’s your name?” the man asked.

The man was none other than Kaneki, disguised as the president of the Higanbana Merchant Association. As for why he was there? Let’s just say it was the guidance of the Evil God.

“I’m Uzumaki Naruto! My dream is to become Hokage and protect the village!” Naruto shouted enthusiastically, unprompted.

Kaneki pushed up his glasses and nodded approvingly. “What a bright and cheerful child.”

“Eh?” Naruto’s face froze in shock.

In his memory, no one had ever praised him—especially not like this.

“But Naruto, it’s getting late. You should go home. Otherwise, your parents will worry,” Kaneki said kindly, the perfect image of a caring adult.

Naruto’s expression dimmed. “Kaneki-ossan, I don’t have any parents.”

“Oh?” Kaneki raised an eyebrow in ‘surprise’ and then, as if realizing something, quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, Naruto. I didn’t mean it.”

Naruto smiled brightly. “It’s okay, Kaneki-ossan! Even though I don’t have parents, I’m doing fine!”

To prove it, Naruto lifted his bucket and showed off his tiny fish.

Kaneki pushed up his glasses again. “Just one little fish like that? Is it enough?”

Naruto scratched his head. “I’ve still got some bread and milk at home. I guess it’ll be okay.”

At that moment, Naruto’s stomach let out a loud growl.

Kaneki chuckled. “Let me treat you to dinner.”

Naruto started to refuse, but Kaneki added, “It’s Ichiraku Ramen.”

---

(End of Chapter)  

*Chapter 207: The Nine-Tails*

Amid the rising steam of delicious food, a blond boy slammed his hand on the table.

"Uncle Teuchi, I want another bowl of tonkotsu ramen!"

"Sure thing!"

The owner of Ichiraku Ramen, Uncle Teuchi, responded cheerfully. With skillful movements, he quickly prepared a steaming bowl of ramen and placed it in front of Naruto.

"Thank you, Uncle Teuchi!"

Naruto clasped his chopsticks together and pressed his hands in front of him.

"Time to dig in!"

To be honest, at first, Naruto felt a bit embarrassed to be treated to a meal by a stranger.

But...

This was Ichiraku Ramen, his favorite!

Usually, his living expenses only covered bread and milk. It wasn’t every month that he could afford a piping hot bowl of Ichiraku Ramen.

Faced with such temptation, Naruto gave in.

"Ugh... so full."

After devouring two large bowls of ramen, Naruto wiped his mouth and grinned in satisfaction.

"I didn’t expect you to love ramen so much," said Kaneki, who was sitting beside Naruto. He had also finished his ramen and wore a kind smile under the warm light.

"Yeah! I think Ichiraku Ramen is the best thing in the world!" Naruto said with conviction.

Kaneki chuckled softly. "If that’s the case, how about I treat you to ramen every day from now on?"

Naruto quickly shook his head. "No, no! I’m already really grateful you bought me this meal. I can’t let you do it every day."

Seeing Naruto’s response, Kaneki didn’t press the matter. He glanced at the now pitch-black street outside and said, "It’s getting late. We should head back."

"Okay!"

Naruto immediately stood up without hesitation and waved goodbye to Uncle Teuchi.

Teuchi responded with a laugh. "Come back anytime!"

As they left the warm light of the ramen shop, Kaneki led Naruto into the darkness, ignoring the strange stares they received.

Kaneki seemed invincible, like armor against arrows—those sharp gazes had no effect on him.

Naruto, on the other hand, was only human and could be hurt by these rumors. But he had gotten used to it and learned to heal himself quietly.

"You seem to really like that shop owner," Kaneki said softly on their way back.

Naruto nodded without hesitation. "Uncle Teuchi is a good person."

"Why do you think that?"

"Because he lets me eat at his place, and sometimes he even lets me pay later!" Naruto’s eyes shone brightly in the darkness as he said this.

"That’s the only reason?" Kaneki turned his head, curious about this seven-year-old boy.

"Of course! Don’t you think Ichiraku Ramen is really tasty, Uncle Kaneki?" Naruto responded innocently, as if having a bowl of hot Ichiraku Ramen was the happiest thing in the world.

"Ichiraku Ramen is delicious, no doubt. But don’t you have any feelings about those stares? Like anger?" Kaneki gazed into Naruto’s bright blue eyes, as if trying to uncover something.

Rather than just loving the ramen, Kaneki thought Naruto cherished the kindness Teuchi showed him. After all, other shopkeepers wouldn’t even let Naruto walk through their doors...

Naruto fell silent for a moment, then tilted his head up to Kaneki and said, "I don’t know why everyone hates me, but I still like the village. That’s because there are people like Grandpa Hokage, Uncle Teuchi, and you, Uncle Kaneki!"

"As long as I keep working hard, one day, everyone will acknowledge me, and I’ll become a hero like the Fourth Hokage!"

Kaneki looked at the boy in surprise.

Despite growing up surrounded by such oppressive darkness, Naruto could always find even the smallest sliver of kindness.

That kindness, like a spark, ignited within Naruto’s heart. It made him want to become a flame—a star in the night, perhaps even the moon or the sun that could shine on everyone.

Is this the true "Will of Fire"? Kaneki felt a pang of emotion.

Though he wasn’t particularly fond of the empty ideals the Third Hokage often preached, Naruto’s optimism in such a harsh environment truly earned his respect.

Kaneki wasn’t quite human anymore, but he still admired those who upheld unwavering ideals. Even if their philosophies differed, he respected them.

"Then work hard, Naruto!"

Kaneki placed his hand gently on Naruto’s blond head.

Suddenly, the surrounding scene shifted.

It was as if they had changed worlds. Kaneki’s soul began to sink, eventually coming to a stop.

The dim light reflected off the water beneath his feet, creating ripples that spread outward.

In front of Kaneki was an enormous red cage, its bars towering like massive pillars, separating him from a terrifying, unknown presence.

"So this is where the Nine-Tails is sealed?" Kaneki muttered as he took in the scene.

Although Konoha’s higher-ups had tried to keep Naruto’s identity as the Nine-Tails’ Jinchūriki a secret, many people knew.

This included ninjas who had fought during the Nine-Tails’ rampage, such as Iruka, Naruto’s teacher, whose loved ones had been killed in that chaos.

And given how the villagers always referred to Naruto as "the demon fox," it wasn’t difficult for Kaneki to confirm Naruto’s identity as the Jinchūriki.

Kaneki extended his gaze into the darkness beyond the bars.

This seal’s strength far surpassed the one on Shukaku...

As expected of the Uzumaki Clan’s handiwork.

Just as Kaneki marveled at this, a massive ripple spread from the depths of the cage’s darkness.

A pair of crimson eyes glowed like suns in the blackness, and an overwhelmingly violent aura filled the entire space.

The ripples turned into towering waves, crashing mercilessly toward Kaneki.

"Impressive. The strongest Tailed Beast can unleash such power with just a thought," Kaneki remarked. However, with a simple wave of his hand, the violent waves shattered into fine mist and scattered.

From behind the bars, the figure hidden in the shadows finally revealed itself.

A gigantic, crimson fox!

Even though it lay lazily on the water’s surface, its immense form and suffocating aura were overwhelming.

Not to mention the nine massive tails swaying through the air like serpentine monsters.

"Who are you, brat?"

---

*(End of Chapter)*

Chapter 208: The Divine Nation’s Ritual

“Kid, who are you?”

The Nine-Tails lazily sprawled on the ground, its gaze fixed on Kaneki, filled with scrutiny.

Kaneki had no objections to the Nine-Tails addressing him as “kid”—after all, this was a legendary creature that had existed for thousands of years. Being called a “kid” was hardly an insult.

Staring steadily, Kaneki replied with confidence, “Allow me to introduce myself: I am the earthly emissary of the Great Evil God—Shenyue Kaneki.”

“Evil God?”

The Nine-Tails narrowed its eyes slightly, as though the name sounded familiar.

Pushing up his glasses, Kaneki asked, “Has Lord Nine-Tails heard of the Evil God’s name, which is enough to shake the entire ninja world?”

The Nine-Tails glanced at him with slight disdain and muttered, “I’ve heard of it, vaguely, from that old Six Paths guy… but shaking the ninja world?”

Kaneki nodded, unsurprised. As expected, the Sage of Six Paths had indeed been involved during the Age of Deities.

But what role had he played in all of it…?

“Kid, what are you doing here?”

This time, it was the Nine-Tails’ turn to question him. It was equally curious about someone who could so easily infiltrate Konoha and enter Naruto’s mental space.

Although it didn’t care much for Konoha or its people, the Nine-Tails had to admit that these folks, who constantly shouted about the Will of Fire, were indeed formidable—at least some of them.

Specifically, there were certain people from Konoha it respected: the First Hokage, that Sharingan user…

And, of course, every generation of Hokage and the Uzumaki clan’s jinchūriki.

The truth was, Konoha held a natural advantage in sealing techniques against the Nine-Tails. The Wood Release, Uzumaki sealing techniques, and the Sharingan all worked as effective suppressants against it.

It could be said that nearly every family or secret technique capable of restraining tailed beasts could be found in Konoha—a testament to the Nine-Tails’ unparalleled power. No other tailed beast had ever experienced such suppression.

If not for these circumstances, the Nine-Tails wouldn’t have “obediently” remained in Konoha.

Well, not exactly obedient…

Facing the Nine-Tails’ question, Kaneki made no effort to hide his intentions: “I’m seeking the right opportunity to free you from Konoha or break the jinchūriki’s seal—to recreate the Night of the Nine-Tails.”

“Hah, quite honest,” the Nine-Tails said, its eyes—enough to make anyone tremble in fear—revealing a hint of surprise.

Most people would babble about things like passion, love, or justice.

Kaneki’s blatant honesty was rare indeed.

Kaneki smiled faintly. “There’s no point in lying about something like this.”

“Hmph, you want to use me? With your current strength, you’re not qualified.”

The Nine-Tails assessed Kaneki openly and stated its opinion bluntly.

Kaneki accepted the evaluation without any objection.

“True, now is not the time to break the seal. Until next time, Lord Nine-Tails.”

With that, Kaneki’s consciousness rapidly withdrew, returning to the physical world where he was speaking with Naruto.

Though it seemed like his exchange with the Nine-Tails had lasted a while, only five or six seconds had passed in reality. To the onlookers, it simply looked as though Kaneki had patted Naruto’s head, offered some words of encouragement, and then left.

It all seemed perfectly normal, and the Anbu hidden in the shadows relaxed slightly.

Still, even if everything appeared normal, a foreigner like Kaneki interacting with Konoha’s jinchūriki was no trivial matter—especially since the village was in such a sensitive state. On top of that, the organization Kaneki represented, the Higanbana Trade Association, had conducted significant dealings with the Uchiha clan.

“Could the Uchiha be planning to use the Nine-Tails again?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, puffed on his pipe, his expression grave.

Why “again”?

Because on the night of the Fourth Hokage’s death, the Mangekyō Sharingan had clearly appeared in the Nine-Tails’ eyes.

This was a bloodline ability exclusive to the Uchiha clan. To claim they weren’t involved would be far too implausible.

Now, with Shisui gone, if the Uchiha could gain control of the Nine-Tails, the likelihood of a coup would increase significantly.

As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not ignore such possibilities.

---

After meeting with the Nine-Tails, Kaneki returned to the Higanbana Trade Association. His original goal had been to probe the Nine-Tails, but the number of Anbu monitoring Naruto was greater than expected. Forcefully intervening would inevitably have led to discovery.

The ripples Kaneki caused quickly subsided under the heavy cover of night.

Over the next few days, Kaneki devoted himself fully to analyzing Uchiha Shisui’s body.

However, samples from the Uchiha clan were still rare, which made progress slower than anticipated.

Perhaps this problem would resolve itself after the Uchiha’s planned coup…

---

Far beyond Konoha, at a hidden base thousands of miles away, a body slowly emerged from a pool of blood.

Under Kaneki’s control, the body’s eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of intricately patterned Mangekyō Sharingan. The overwhelming power emanating from the eyes filled the entire base with a terrifying presence.

This was Kaneki’s latest creation—an Uchiha clone.

He had considered directly taking over Shisui’s body, but unfortunately, Shisui’s physical form was incompatible with Kaneki’s soul, making fusion impossible.

Thus, Kaneki had to create a new body and transplant Shisui’s Mangekyō Sharingan into it.

While the process of transplanting the Mangekyō Sharingan wasn’t particularly complex, unlocking its true potential was no small feat. Without fully analyzing Shisui’s body, Kaneki had achieved only partial success. For now, activating the Mangekyō Sharingan was a great accomplishment, but abilities like Susanoo were still out of reach.

Kaneki gently touched his eyes, feeling the immense power within them.

When chakra flowed through these eyes, it automatically condensed into “pupil power,” a force capable of directly influencing the soul—a significant boost to Kaneki’s illusionary abilities.

If he could replace the Apostle of Fear’s massive eye with a Sharingan…

Tsk…

As he considered this, a voice rang out from outside.

“Master.”

The voice was soft—so delicate it was easy to picture the owner’s tender appearance.

At Kaneki’s signal, Uzumaki Riyi entered his view.

“What is it?”

Riyi knelt respectfully before Kaneki, her hands placed on her thighs. The white-and-red shrine maiden attire she wore hung loosely, exposing patches of flawless, jade-like skin.

“Master, the first round of rituals in the Divine Nation, located within the Land of Hot Water, has begun. A total of fifty thousand believers are participating.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 209: Hosuke 's Mysterious Necklace

The Plan for the Divine Kingdom on Earth

This was a plan proposed by Kaneki.

Its main goal was to use supplies to attract refugees within the borders of the Land of Kawa, turning them into loyal followers of the Evil God Cult. In doing so, they would establish a massive organization within the Land of Kawa known as the Divine Kingdom.

Using this organization as a foundation, the Evil God Cult could significantly enhance its reputation and gain fame.

At this moment, Kaneki listened to Uzumaki Liyi's report on the number of followers, showing no surprise on his face.

After all, to restore its international reputation, the Land of Wind had begun deploying forces into the Land of Kawa. The battles between Konoha and Sunagakure had plunged the Land of Kawa into the fires of war.

The most tragic victims were, without question, the people who had lived in the Land of Kawa for generations.

Under the spread of war, their already difficult lives became even more unbearable.

To escape the conflict and avoid the devastating aftermath of the ninjas' battles, these people had no choice but to flee en masse into the mountains and forests.

The forces of Konoha and Sunagakure, meanwhile, continuously ransacked towns and villages within the Land of Kawa to sustain their supplies.

They would even burn the remaining farmland before retreating to prevent their enemies from obtaining resources.

And all the suffering would ultimately fall upon the people of the Land of Kawa.

It was in these dire circumstances that the Evil God Cult emerged.

Hidden within the mountains, the cult promised free food, land, and houses to anyone who joined.

Although it didn’t offer great wealth or luxury, it provided a means of survival.

For the citizens of small nations, such an offer was something they could only dream of.

Moreover, some followers who passed certain tests could join the cult's guard force and become revered Chosen Ones.

To gain all of this, the only thing they needed to give in return was their insignificant faith.

In a time of chaos and on the brink of death, who would care about their beliefs?

Even if it meant worshiping an “Evil God,” so what?

As long as it gave them hope to survive, what harm could an Evil God do?

Thus, it was only natural that the Divine Kingdom developed so rapidly.

The fifty-thousand-strong membership was primarily limited by the population of the Land of Kawa. The war had left many people unable to travel, or they had died along the way, caught in the crossfire.

Otherwise, the numbers would have been even higher!

"Well done," Kaneki said calmly.

Yet, even this simple praise turned Uzumaki Liyi’s face bright red, her breathing growing heated and rapid.

“Thank you for the compliment, Master!”

Uzumaki Liyi responded in a sweet voice, looking as though she might faint the next second.

Adjusting his glasses, Kaneki said, “Continue preparing according to the plan. Both Sunagakure and Konoha will notice you soon.”

“Yes!”

Uzumaki Liyi responded, and seeing that Kaneki had nothing further to say, she left, her eyes filled with reluctant longing.

As Kaneki mentioned, with the rapid rise of the Divine Kingdom, Konoha and Sunagakure would undoubtedly notice it soon.

Perhaps they already had.

However, Konoha’s leadership was currently preoccupied with the potential coup by the Uchiha clan, leaving them no time to deal with the Evil God Cult in the distant Land of Kawa.

Once the Uchiha matter was resolved, though, given Jiraiya’s trust in the Great Toad Sage’s prophecy, the Divine Kingdom would undoubtedly face a terrifying crisis.

Of course, compared to Kaneki's plan to incite chaos within Konoha, a mere fifty-thousand-strong Divine Kingdom was nothing.

Meanwhile, in Konoha's research facility, Dr. Hosuke stared at the computer screen in front of him. After a long moment, as a red warning alert popped up, his body collapsed onto the ground as though his soul had been drained.

“Why… Why is it still not working?”

He clutched his hair tightly, his brain racing, but he still couldn’t understand why this experiment had failed.

The doors to the lab opened, and Arima emerged, holding his kagune weapon.

Seeing the collapsed Hosuke , Arima gave a wry smile. “I guess it failed again, huh, Doctor?”

Hosuke nodded weakly, still unable to recover from his earlier disappointment.

Although Arima was also frustrated, he comforted him proactively. “Don’t worry, Dr. Hosuke . Combining kagune with ninjutsu was never going to be simple. Failure is normal. Let’s go grab some food.”

Indeed, Dr. Hosuke was currently conducting experiments on combining kagune with ninjutsu.

He wanted to extend the abilities of ninjutsu onto kagune to vastly increase its combat potential.

But such a groundbreaking experiment was far from easy. He had failed repeatedly for several months and still hadn’t made any progress.

This relentless failure left Hosuke numb. Not even Arima's words could cheer him up.

Seeing this, Arima scratched his head and silently left.

He figured giving Dr. Hosuke some time alone would be for the best.

Lying on the cold floor, Hosuke eventually fell asleep.

In his dream, a crimson symbol appeared before him.

It was an intricate array with an outer circle and an inner triangle. In the center of the triangle, a terrifying, abyss-like eye seemed to open.

Hosuke jolted awake.

Drenched in sweat, he hurried to his office desk, pulled open a drawer, and took out a crimson necklace that perfectly matched the symbol in his dream.

“Could it be… that you’re trying to guide me?”

Through his glasses, Hosuke stared at the necklace.

He had purchased it a year ago at an antique market.

At the time, he had just begun researching the kagune project. Much like now, despite having Arima as such an exceptional test subject, he had made no progress.

However, on the night he bought the necklace, he had a nightmare.

In that dream, he conducted countless experiments on Arima and eventually succeeded in replicating kagune by mimicking the unique connection between the kagune sac and its host.

Ever since, Hosuke had kept the necklace as a lucky charm.

Of course, as a scientist, he didn’t really believe his success was due to the necklace.

But the dream he just had suggested that this necklace might not be ordinary after all.

Without hesitation, Hosuke picked up the necklace and put it on.

Clutching it with both hands, he lay back down on the cold floor and fell asleep.

As the necklace flashed with a cold red light, Hosuke instantly entered another dream.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 210: The Further Evolution of Quinque*

Three days later, a loud explosion echoed from the research facility where Hosuke resided.

Inside the laboratory, Arima stood gripping his quinque tightly with both hands. The weapon, which originally resembled a knight’s lance, now had its tip opened like a blooming flower, arcs of electricity flickering continuously within the dark void at its center.

The wall facing the lance had a gaping hole blasted through it, with fragments of rubble scattered on the ground, still crackling with faint electric sparks.

Arima stared at the scene in disbelief.

He had not expected that in just three days, Dr. Hosuke would truly devise a way to combine the quinque with chakra—and for him to successfully unleash its power.

Arima had always held a misconception.

He had thought of the quinque merely as a weapon.

Under this mindset, the only way he could conceive of enhancing the quinque’s potential was by integrating ninjutsu.

For instance, similar to how shinobi used ninja tools, he could boost the quinque's offensive power through ninjutsu.

However, through Dr. Hosuke ’s recent experiments, he had finally understood the true essence of the quinque.

The quinque was a part of his body!

The so-called quinque was created by embedding a ghoul’s kagune into part of a human body. After undergoing specific modifications, it formed a unique weapon capable of resonating with its host.

In Arima’s case, the kagune had unintentionally fused with his arm to create his quinque.

For other quinques, Dr. Hosuke had developed a process that extracted cells from the host to cultivate a compatible body part. This cultivated tissue would then serve as the host for the kagune. Once the kagune integrated into it, secret techniques would be applied to form a quinque.

Because these cultivated cells were highly homologous to the host, the quinque could resonate with them, allowing for precise control.

Thus, at its core, the quinque was a part of the host’s body—not just a mere weapon.

After realizing this misconception, Dr. Hosuke began improving his experiments.

He combined the combat framework of shinobi with a revamped method for refining the quinque.

Shinobi extracted chakra from their cells, then used hand seals to transform the chakra into specific jutsu for battle.

If shinobi could extract chakra from their cells, couldn’t the host extract chakra from the Rc cells that made up the quinque?

Dr. Hosuke immediately called upon Arima to test this hypothesis.

The results were clear: it was possible.

After all, the quinque itself was made from mutated cells, and since they were cells, meditation could be used to refine chakra from them.

Of course, there were limitations to this method. First, the host had to have a high degree of compatibility with the quinque. Second, it required long-term training to ensure the quinque could bear the extension of the host’s soul.

Only by extending one’s soul into the quinque could they use mental energy to extract chakra from it.

Undoubtedly, Arima had already met these prerequisites.

After successfully condensing Rc Chakra, a new problem arose.

The structure of the quinque was vastly different from the human body, making it impossible to perform hand seals or use ninjutsu!

Even seal-less jutsu could not be performed.

This was because the essence of ninjutsu didn’t lie in the hand seals but in guiding chakra through specific meridians and nodes in the body before releasing it according to the requirements of the technique.

Since the structure of the quinque was entirely different from that of a human, ninjutsu couldn’t be formed or released.

So how was Arima able to unleash such a devastating lightning strike?

The answer lay in the unique nature of the chakra condensed from the quinque.

Since it originated from the Rc cells within the quinque, Dr. Hosuke named it *Rc Chakra*.

This chakra was fundamentally different from ordinary chakra. The most notable difference was its inherent attributes.

While the Rc Chakra’s attributes were highly consistent with those of the host, it exhibited an exceptionally active nature.

For example, ordinary lightning chakra required hand seals to transform it into a powerful lightning strike. In contrast, Rc Chakra could autonomously manifest as a powerful lightning attack the moment it left the quinque due to its extreme activity.

In other words, using a quinque allowed one to achieve ninjutsu-like effects without needing hand seals!

Of course, this wasn’t entirely advantageous.

The purpose of hand seals wasn’t only to transform chakra into elemental attacks but also to fine-tune and control those attacks.

With ninjutsu, chakra could exhibit various characteristics and offer more versatility—one could even sculpt a dog’s head from it, for instance.

However, Rc Chakra released through a quinque was different.

It could only directly manifest as an elemental attack, such as lightning, fire, or water, with no control over the form of the element. It was straightforward and direct.

Even so, this marked a terrifying breakthrough in the use of quinques.

On the battlefield, every second mattered. The ability to attack without forming hand seals was enough to secure instant victories.

Realizing this, Arima’s expression became even more solemn.

Such a breakthrough could potentially shift the dynamics of warfare.

The strategic significance of quinques would rise dramatically, and it was possible that future battlefields would see more quinque users like himself.

However, one couldn’t be overly optimistic.

Geniuses like Arima, with his natural talent for mastering the quinque, were undoubtedly rare. Achieving such a level was no easy feat.

“It worked… it actually worked!”

Compared to Arima’s shock, Dr. Hosuke was almost overcome with madness.

A year of effort had finally borne fruit. He was on the verge of tears.

It was clear that this breakthrough would leave an indelible mark on the shinobi world’s development.

And all of it was because...

Hosuke knelt, silently pulled a dark red necklace from his chest, and smiled faintly.

Meanwhile, Kaneki, who was on a mission for the Anbu, slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

There was no denying it—Dr. Hosuke was truly a genius.

That night, Kaneki had merely mentioned the fundamental misconception regarding quinques. To his surprise, Hosuke quickly grasped the idea and launched into three consecutive days and nights of experimentation, ultimately devising a method to refine Rc Chakra.

Beyond Dr. Hosuke , Arima’s talent for manipulating the quinque was equally astonishing.

Upon realizing the fundamental concept of quinques, he achieved a state of seamless unity with his weapon after only brief meditation.

The two became almost indistinguishable from one another, and he effortlessly refined Rc Chakra as if it were his own.

“I look forward to seeing what choices you’ll make next,” Kaneki murmured.

(End of Chapter)