181-185

Chapter 181: Beyond the Three Tomoe

Late at night, in the Uchiha Clan district, the clan leader Fugaku and his eldest son, Itachi, were engaged in a conversation.

“Are you saying that someone is deliberately targeting the Higanbana Merchant Guild and the Uchiha Clan?”

Under the dim light, Uchiha Fugaku gazed at his calm and composed eldest son. He realized that at some point, even he could no longer read his son's thoughts.

Itachi appeared unaware of his father’s gaze and replied respectfully and politely, “Yes, Father.”

“Before the Higanbana Merchant Guild opened, the village’s pharmaceutical industry was essentially monopolized by a few families led by the Nara Clan. The food pills being sold by the Higanbana Guild are extremely effective and have already severely impacted their businesses. Stirring up trouble under such circumstances is not unusual.”

“The opposition probably anticipated that the Uchiha Police Force would intervene and mediate, and they are taking advantage of the situation to further damage the Uchiha's reputation.”

As Itachi spoke, his words were logical and clear.

Suddenly, he looked up and seriously addressed the Uchiha clan leader, “Additionally, Father, I believe you should restrain the clan members’ behavior. In this environment, we must avoid using excessive force during enforcement. Otherwise, it will only increase the village leaders' distrust of us.”

“And be wary of those clan members who wish to incite a coup.”

This was what worried Itachi the most.

The clan’s atmosphere had grown increasingly heated, and many held grievances toward the village leadership. Itachi had already overheard rumors about rebellion more than once or twice.

If his father truly heeded those voices, Itachi would undoubtedly find himself in an impossible situation.

On one side were the family and clan who had raised him; on the other was the village he had loved since childhood.

What was certain was that no matter who won in the end, the Uchiha Clan's honor would be destroyed by a “rebellion.” That was something Itachi absolutely did not want to see.

Fugaku, of course, understood this reality and responded solemnly, “Itachi, you must understand. Although I am the clan leader, I cannot control everyone’s thoughts.”

Itachi’s expression shifted slightly, but in the end, he said, “Please rest assured, Father. Shisui and I are doing everything we can to communicate with the village leadership. We will definitely find a way for the clan and village to coexist peacefully.”

“Hmm.”

Fugaku closed his eyes without saying more.

Itachi slowly stood up. “In that case, I will take my leave.”

Just as Itachi was about to turn and leave, Fugaku called out to him again.

“Itachi, although you are part of the Anbu, do not forget that your surname is Uchiha.”

Hearing those words, Itachi paused. His gaze wavered slightly before he replied, “Understood.”

“Good. Go.”

Moonlight fell on Itachi’s troubled face, making the thirteen-year-old appear even more sorrowful.

His father’s words echoed in his mind:

"Although I am the clan leader, I cannot control everyone’s thoughts."

"Itachi, do not forget that your surname is Uchiha."

Was his father already preparing for a coup? Was his final statement a warning for Itachi?

Itachi felt a sense of confusion.

He didn’t understand why people constantly had to fight or what the purpose of a coup would be.

If a coup were launched, the Uchiha Clan’s honor would be destroyed.

And what if they failed?

The Uchiha Clan would undoubtedly be wiped out—even Sasuke.

Growing increasingly agitated, Itachi unknowingly found himself by the Naka River. He crouched by the riverbank and splashed his face with cold water.

Just after he washed his face, he turned toward the nearby forest.

“Why are you here?”

A young man with short black hair, a sunny demeanor, and attire similar to Itachi’s emerged from the woods.

“I just finished a mission and was passing by. I saw you here and thought I’d check on you.”

Shisui looked at Itachi’s weary expression and smiled warmly, like sunlight piercing through the darkness. “What’s wrong? Is it the same worries again?”

Itachi smiled bitterly. “It’s always the same.”

Though Shisui was several years older than Itachi, the two were the closest of friends.

In fact, Shisui could be considered Itachi’s ideological guide.

During Itachi’s most uncertain moments, when he questioned the world, Shisui was the one who appeared before him.

Because of this, Shisui immediately understood what troubled Itachi.

Staring at the Naka River as it flowed under the moonlight, Shisui spoke softly, “Itachi, no matter what, we must not be bound by narrow clanism. We cannot let the Uchiha bear the shame of rebellion.”

He turned to face Itachi and said earnestly, “Don’t worry. The Third Hokage has promised me: as long as we can prevent the clan’s rebellion, he will convince the other village leaders to accept the Uchiha.”

Hearing this, Itachi felt a slight sense of relief.

At the very least, in his and Shisui’s eyes, the Third Hokage—the one who held the highest power in the village—still had hope for the Uchiha.

“So our most important task now is to stop the rebellion?”

Shisui nodded. “Exactly. And regarding this, I already have a plan.”

Itachi’s eyes lit up.

Then, he noticed Shisui suddenly activate his Sharingan.

One tomoe. Two tomoe. Then the familiar three tomoe.

But after the three tomoe, something shocking occurred.

The three black tomoe in Shisui’s eyes began spinning rapidly and fused into one. In the center, a black dot condensed.

From that black dot, a shape resembling a fūma shuriken emerged, radiating from the center of his eye.

Feeling the intense ocular power emanating from Shisui’s eyes, Itachi instinctively activated his own three-tomoe Sharingan, only to feel an overwhelming suppression.

It was as if a higher power was naturally oppressing a lower one.

If they were to fight now, Itachi realized his Sharingan would likely be far less effective.

“What… is this?” Itachi asked in disbelief.

Shisui gently touched his eye, a trace of sadness on his face. “This is a level beyond the three-tomoe Sharingan. A power obtained through endless pain and sacrifice—the Mangekyō Sharingan.”

Hearing this, Itachi instantly recalled the moment his own Sharingan awakened.

His two teammates had died before his eyes. The sorrow, pain, and fear had triggered his Sharingan’s activation.

After that mission, everyone in the clan congratulated him, celebrating the birth of another Uchiha genius.

Even his father was thrilled and proud.

But no one cared that the price of this power was the loss of two dear friends.

If he could, Itachi would give up his Sharingan in exchange for his friends’ lives.

Now, he could feel the depth of the pain Shisui had endured to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

“Shisui…”

Itachi hesitated, knowing no words could ease such pain.

But Shisui smiled cheerfully. “Don’t worry, Itachi. I’m fine now.”

He lowered his hand and clenched his fist. “The pain I’ve endured will become the power that protects the village.”

Seeing Shisui’s resolve, Itachi’s determination to protect the village and his clan was reignited.

“Itachi, you must have noticed. The Mangekyō Sharingan has a strong suppressive effect on ordinary Sharingan. With this power, I can easily defeat most Sharingan users, including you.”

Itachi did not deny it. In the face of Shisui’s terrifying ocular power, even his pride in his genjutsu was meaningless.

“In other words, as long as the Uchiha clan members do not awaken the Mangekyō, you have an absolute advantage over them?” Itachi surmised.

Shisui nodded and added, “Not only that. I can sense an even greater power within these eyes—some kind of ocular technique. I just can’t control it yet. Once I master it, my strength will rise to another level.”

Hearing this, Itachi’s expression revealed a trace of regret. “This was our shared dream, yet now it relies solely on you. If I had enough strength…”

Shisui cut him off, deactivating his Mangekyō. “If possible, I hope you never acquire this power, Itachi.”

Itachi immediately understood. He exhaled deeply and smiled. “I understand, Shisui. I believe we will achieve our dream—a peaceful coexistence between the clan and the village.”

“Yes, I believe that day will come,” Shisui replied confidently. He had begun to sense the potential of his ocular technique. If it was what he suspected, then peace between the Uchiha and the village was not a mere dream.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Shisui and Itachi, a black beetle quietly burrowed underground.

At the same time, someone locked in a detention cell suddenly opened his eyes.

“So, the Sharingan is far more than it appears. Beyond the three-tomoe is the Mangekyō Sharingan, huh?”

He stroked his chin thoughtfully.

In his Konoha Plan, the Sharingan was undoubtedly ranked highly in value.

First place, of course, was the intact body of Hashirama Senju.

Kaneki was deeply intrigued as to why Hashirama had been able to end the Warring States period and earn the title of the God of Shinobi, especially now that Kaneki also possessed Wood Release.

While Wood Release was undoubtedly powerful, granting tremendous vitality and control, it was still far from the level of a God of Shinobi in Kaneki’s hands.

There had to be some secret.

Next in importance was the Sharingan.

To most people, the Sharingan’s abilities were threefold: powerful genjutsu, enhanced dynamic vision, and the ability to copy ninjutsu.

But none of these abilities particularly impressed Kaneki, as he could achieve them through other means.

The true reason the Sharingan ranked so highly for him was because of that man—Uchiha Madara, the legendary ancestor of the Uchiha Clan who had once rivaled Hashirama Senju.

Madara’s existence had been carefully erased from Konoha’s history, but Kaneki had learned of him through whispers among the Uchiha. The stories of his earth-shattering power were enough to prove that such strength was not something a mere three-tomoe Sharingan could achieve.

Beyond the Sharingan was the village’s Nine-Tails, the most powerful of the tailed beasts, whose rampage had caused the death of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, and immense damage to Konoha.

Then came Konoha’s forbidden techniques, followed by other bloodline limits such as the Byakugan.

Finally, there were the clan secrets and samples of exceptional ninjas.

If time allowed, Kaneki also intended to use his black beetles to gather data on Konoha’s key shinobi to create a database for future conflicts. After all, information was crucial in ninja battles.

And if Sunagakure lacked the strength to confront Konoha, how could Kaneki weaken them further?

At the end of the day, the great Lord Jashin was simply too kind.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 182: This Ninjutsu Is Quite Difficult*

The aftermath of the street battle between Uchiha Inoka and Kaneki wasn’t something that could be resolved so easily.

Although Danzo, as the leader of the Root, personally visited Uchiha Fugaku, the clan head of the Uchiha, to discuss matters in-depth, and the Uchiha clan expressed their acknowledgment and understanding of Elder Danzo’s work, the incident continued to spread like wildfire among the villagers.

With certain people fueling the fire, the narrative evolved into claims of the Uchiha Police Force being arrogant and domineering—not only beating people in the streets but even showing no regard for Anbu ninjas. Eventually, it was said, the village leaders had to step in and humble themselves by apologizing to the Uchiha.

Such rumors perfectly aligned with the long-standing stereotypes the villagers held about the Uchiha—a defiant, overbearing, and uncontrollable clan.

And the Uchiha?

Only a few members tried to explain, but their efforts had little effect.

After all, as the most prestigious clan in Konoha, the Uchiha had always been straightforward and proud, relying on their strength rather than stooping to manipulate public opinion.

Even if they wanted to, their impulsive nature likely meant they couldn’t manage it effectively.

In the end, the Uchiha could only resign themselves to the situation, labeling it as a deliberate provocation from the village’s higher-ups.

As a result, the rift between the Uchiha and the village grew even wider.

For now, however, none of this had much to do with Kaneki.

Three days later, the time was up.

Ahem, Kaneki’s break had officially ended.

When Kai arrived at the detention room to fetch Kaneki, what he saw left him dumbfounded—a pile of leftover food wrappers, including plastic ramen bowls, roasted chicken packaging, and pork chop bones.

Kai was stunned.

He knew detention was one of the harshest punishments in the Root.

During detention, the punished individual would endure unending darkness without water, food, light, or any sense of time—as if banished from the world entirely.

Usually, a single day of this was enough to destabilize a person’s mental state. After three days, most detainees were completely broken and required treatment to recover.

This punishment was designed to instill fear, ensuring the offender would never defy orders again.

That was precisely what Danzo hoped to achieve.

He wanted Beta, one of the Root’s future weapons, to experience fear, making him easier to control and less likely to cause trouble.

But clearly, his plan had failed.

At least, that’s how it looked to Kai.

The moment he opened the door, Kaneki greeted him with a cheerful smile.

“Ohayo, Kai!”

That bright demeanor, combined with the pile of food wrappers, made it hard for Kai to believe this guy had treated his detention as a chance to take a vacation.

As expected, this guy always defied expectations.

Kai rubbed his temples and sternly warned, “Beta, you’d better hide all this stuff and get rid of it, or there’ll be big trouble if Lord Danzo finds out.”

Kaneki, recognizing Kai’s good intentions, readily complied. He clapped his hands together, used an Earth-Style jutsu, and buried the evidence in the walls.

“That’ll do. Let’s go.”

Watching Kaneki stride confidently out of the detention room, Kai shook his head in exasperation but soon smiled faintly.

After all, it was better for Beta to stay spirited than to end up broken.

As they left the room, Kaneki even enthusiastically thanked the ninja who had been guarding him, leaving the latter utterly flustered.

Why is he thanking me?

Is he planning to get revenge later?

After all, everyone in the Root knew about how Aburame Ryoma had almost been killed by this guy.

Practically everyone regarded him as a bloodthirsty lunatic, ready to kill at the slightest provocation. Just recently, he reportedly wanted to single-handedly wipe out the Uchiha clan.

How absurd.

Does he even realize the Uchiha are Konoha’s most powerful clan? That’s not something one or two people can accomplish.

Ignoring the guard’s internal panic, Kaneki and Kai quickly arrived at the familiar training arena.

Unlike his earlier energetic demeanor, Kaneki now appeared completely drained as he stepped into the arena. His hair was disheveled, his eyes bloodshot—he looked like someone who had suffered greatly during his three-day detention.

Kai, standing beside him, was stunned by the dramatic transformation from inside out.

This guy… seriously?

But the change was precisely what Danzo had hoped for. He wanted the punishment to leave an impact.

Danzo stepped forward, his tone calm, devoid of anger. “Do you realize your mistake, Beta?”

Without hesitation, Kaneki replied, “Yes, Lord Danzo. I’ll never act without your orders again!”

Looking at the exhausted Kaneki, Danzo nodded in satisfaction.

As the leader of the Root, Danzo was well-versed in the art of manipulation. He understood the importance of balancing punishment with reward.

So, after punishing Kaneki, he presented him with a reward.

“This is a new Wood-Style jutsu. Train hard and don’t let me down,” Danzo said, handing Kaneki a scroll.

Kaneki’s eyes lit up immediately as he eagerly took the scroll.

“Don’t worry, Lord Danzo! I’ll become the Root’s sharpest weapon. Whoever you want dead, I’ll kill without hesitation!”

Danzo observed him. Though Kaneki’s bloodthirsty tendencies were still evident, as long as he obeyed orders, that was enough.

“Work hard,” Danzo said before vanishing.

The moment Danzo left, Kaneki eagerly unrolled the scroll.

He was curious about what gift the old man had prepared to soothe his wounded spirit.

After proving his loyalty repeatedly, he wouldn’t tolerate being given scraps again.

Sure enough, as Kaneki expected, Danzo had gone all out this time, likely to nurture him as a promising talent—or perhaps as preparation for dealing with the Uchiha clan.

Wood Release: Birth of the Dense Woodland

One of the most commonly used Wood Release jutsu by the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.

An upgraded version of *Wood Release: Great Forest Technique*, this jutsu creates a vast forest instantaneously. Within this forest, the caster gains an overwhelming geographical advantage, using every tree to attack enemies at will.

In terms of both range and power, it far surpasses the earlier *Great Forest Technique*.

---

“It looks really hard.”

Kai leaned over next to Kaneki, openly studying the jutsu together with him.

“It is pretty tough,” Kaneki nodded in agreement.

Kai looked at Kaneki in surprise. “I didn’t think you’d admit that. I figured you’d just clap your hands and use it instantly.”

Shaking his head, Kaneki replied, “Not every technique works that way. This is, after all, the signature move of the First Hokage. It takes some time to figure out.”

“How much time?” Kai asked curiously, eager to know how long it would take a genius like Kaneki to master the technique.

“Three.”

Kaneki held up three fingers.

“Three days?”

Kai wasn’t too surprised; after all, Kaneki was an exceptional genius.

But Kaneki quickly retracted one finger.

“Two.”

Kai's face showed a hint of confusion.

Two days? Was three days still too long for him? How confident could someone be?

Under Kai’s bewildered gaze, Kaneki lowered another finger, leaving only one.

“One.”

“Wait, you don’t mean...”

Kai’s pupils shrank as he realized something.

Before he could react, Kaneki clapped his hands together in front of his chest.

“*Wood Release: Birth of the Dense Woodland!*”

In an instant, thousands of colossal trees erupted from the ground. Roots surged like waves, shattering every structure in the area. The foundation of the Root headquarters shook violently, resembling a powerful earthquake.

From a distance, Danzo turned back to see that the central area of Root had been transformed into an entire forest. His aging mouth opened slightly, caught in silent astonishment.

The other Wood Release techniques Kaneki had used before were one thing.

But now, even the First Hokage’s signature move could be executed with ease?

How long had it been since he handed over the scroll to Kaneki? Ten minutes? No, it hadn’t even been five!

“Lord Danzo, there are still Anbu agents monitoring the area near Root,” a subordinate quietly reminded him.

The reminder brought Danzo back to his senses, refocusing him on the priority.

“Seal off all information immediately. Ensure nothing leaks out. With the barrier concealing us, the Anbu shouldn’t notice anything too quickly. I’ll have Kaneki dispel the forest at once.”

Danzo swiftly issued orders. Kaneki, as a Wood Release user, was his ultimate weapon, and the existence of such power had to remain a secret.

If Hiruzen found out, the old man would never rest easy!

“Yes!”

The Root ninja disappeared instantly to carry out the order.

Danzo hurried back to the site, his gaze complicated as he sternly commanded Kaneki: “Dispel this forest immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

Kaneki, adopting the obedient demeanor of a subordinate, clapped his hands together once again.

The chakra within the trees was quickly withdrawn, causing the massive forest to wither and collapse, leaving only ruins in its wake.

The impact of the roots had already dealt catastrophic damage to the entire Root headquarters.

“Uh... Lord Danzo, I didn’t realize this technique was so powerful. Sorry about that. If you’re really angry, you can just put me in solitary for three days.”

Kaneki’s apologetic tone, paired with his pitiful expression, left Kai speechless.

Solitary confinement? For him, that was practically a vacation! No, maybe Kaneki did this on purpose just to get some rest!

Surprisingly, Danzo didn’t punish Kaneki this time. Instead, he said solemnly:

“Kaneki, from now on, you are forbidden to use Wood Release outside of my presence!”

Danzo was genuinely frightened.

He feared that if Hiruzen discovered this genius Wood Release user he’d cultivated, he would lose control over such a powerful weapon.

With his decaying principles, Hiruzen would never allow such a sharp blade to remain in Danzo’s hands.

Kaneki scratched his head, looking conflicted. “I mean, I could, but how am I supposed to train then?”

Danzo’s sharp gaze bore into Kaneki. “I’ll personally oversee your training. You are only to practice these techniques in my presence.”

“Well, that’s great!”

To Danzo’s surprise, Kaneki accepted the order cheerfully.

If Danzo was going to personally train him, he wouldn’t dare use basic techniques to brush him off, would he?

---

After handling the situation, Danzo sat at his desk, Kaneki’s overwhelming talent occupying his thoughts.

The level of ability Kaneki displayed was terrifying.

Danzo’s eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Tell Orochimaru I’m willing to double his funding. In exchange...”

“I need that forbidden jutsu.”

*Living Corpse Reincarnation.*

When the scroll representing Danzo’s will reached Orochimaru, the latter’s face twisted into a sly smile.

“It seems Danzo can’t wait to get his hands on a Wood Release body, can he, Kaneki-kun?”

Orochimaru turned to glance at Kaneki, who stood nearby.

Indeed, Kaneki was now by Orochimaru’s side, wearing the red cloud-patterned Akatsuki cloak.

Clearly, in Orochimaru’s eyes, Kaneki’s status had surpassed that of Danzo. Otherwise, Orochimaru would never openly discuss such a secret matter in front of him.

Hearing Danzo’s desire to take his clone, Kaneki remained unfazed.

“If you’re willing to make a deal with Danzo, I have no objections. We can use the funds for more experiments.”

Kaneki adjusted his glasses, showing no concern for the potential danger to his clone.

“You must be confident in those two Wood Release experimental subjects,” Orochimaru remarked, his snake-like eyes studying Kaneki’s face for any reaction.

Unfortunately, Kaneki’s expression remained unchanged, revealing nothing.

Even now, Orochimaru didn’t know what Kaneki had done to those experimental subjects.

“However...”

Kaneki’s sudden comment caught Orochimaru’s attention again.

“Living Corpse Reincarnation is an extraordinarily valuable forbidden jutsu. If you’re going to trade with Danzo, why not raise the price a little?”

Orochimaru’s smile grew cold. “Of course. Without sufficient compensation, I wouldn’t dream of giving up such an important technique.”

(End of Chapter)

 Chapter 183: The Secret of the Hyūga Clan

For the next month, Kaneki spent most of his time training Wood Release techniques under Danzo's guidance.

The old man was truly cautious, repeatedly warning him never to use Wood Release in front of others without explicit permission.

Of course, Kaneki obediently agreed and, indeed, refrained from using it in public.

At the newly renovated arena in the Foundation, Danzo had already arranged a barrier around the area. This ensured that no matter how much noise Kaneki made, no one outside would notice.

Looking at the young prodigy before him, Danzo said blandly, “Try it out.”

Kaneki nodded.

Over the past month, he had successfully mastered all the Wood Release techniques Danzo had taught him. Not only mastered, but he was also quite proficient in them.

As usual, he clapped his hands together.

*“Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!”*

As Kaneki’s chakra surged outward, the ground trembled violently before shattering. A colossal wooden dragon, dozens of meters long, erupted from beneath him, lifting him into the air.

The newly renovated arena was instantly destroyed again as the intimidating presence weighed on Danzo’s heart.

From above, Kaneki overlooked the entire Foundation base.

To be honest, the Wood Dragon Technique was still somewhat challenging for him. It took him about a week to fully learn it.

“Lord Danzo, I’ve successfully mastered this technique. When can we start learning the next one?”

This question caused Danzo’s face to darken instantly.

Because he realized a significant, unsolvable problem: Kaneki had already learned every Wood Release technique Danzo knew.

In other words, there were no more techniques Danzo could teach him!

The more advanced Wood Release jutsus were recorded in the Scroll of Seals held by Hiruzen. Those techniques were considered forbidden jutsu.

Even if Danzo wanted to learn those techniques himself, he’d have to apply for permission from Hiruzen, the Hokage.

The problem was that Danzo wasn’t a Wood Release user. Requesting those jutsus so abruptly would inevitably arouse suspicion.

As a result, he realized Kaneki’s Wood Release training needed to be slowed down.

With this thought in mind, Danzo said sternly, “Have you also mastered the Wood Human Technique I taught you last time?”

“Yes.”

Kaneki nodded. To prove it, he clapped his hands together once more.

The arena, already in ruins, suffered another round of destruction. Countless roots burst from the ground, forming a terrifying wooden giant over 60 meters tall right in front of Danzo.

The previously summoned wooden dragon now coiled around the giant, its gaping mouth poised threateningly.

This kid… he’s a genius!  

Danzo’s eyes burned with excitement. Kaneki’s performance had redefined his understanding of talent, again and again.

At the same time, his determination to strike a deal with Orochimaru grew even stronger.

I must obtain this boy’s body!  

Kaneki tilted his head slightly as he noticed Danzo’s sudden excitement. “Lord Danzo, are you okay?”

Danzo quickly gripped his cane, forcing himself to calm down.

Not yet…  

Coughing, he looked at Kaneki’s summoned wooden constructs and said, “While your talent is extraordinary, your Wood Release still falls far short of the First Hokage’s. Keep practicing.”

*?*

Kaneki mentally conjured up a question mark.

What does he mean, my Wood Release isn’t as good as the First Hokage’s?  

If I were on Hashirama’s level, would I still need to be sucking up to this old fool? Seriously?  

Just as Kaneki looked at Danzo with a puzzled, accusatory expression, the old man had already disappeared using the Body Flicker Technique.

Sighing, Kaneki murmured to himself, “Looks like the old man really doesn’t have anything left to teach me.”

Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, he mused that perhaps he shouldn’t keep exploiting the same resource.

His eyes narrowed dangerously, a gleam of malice flashing through them.

After a moment of contemplation, he turned his gaze back to the massive wooden constructs he had created.

To be fair, Danzo wasn’t entirely wrong—Kaneki’s Wood Release wasn’t as strong as the First Hokage’s.

Although this was an obvious fact, what truly bothered Kaneki was why he fell short.

They used the same hand seals and techniques, yet the power described in the records for the First Hokage was leagues beyond his.

There must be a secret hidden within Hashirama’s body—a crucial key that significantly enhanced the power of Wood Release!

Unfortunately, the Hashirama cells Kaneki had obtained so far were too few to uncover this mystery.

With no new jutsu to learn, Kaneki didn’t have much else to do in the Foundation.

After briefly instructing one of his subordinates, he ate a medicinal meal prepared by Kabuto and then naturally returned to his room to rest. He waited for Danzo, that decrepit old man, to come and “hypnotize” him.

It was a truly decaying routine.

Of course, Kaneki had far more on his agenda at night.

Now that his Wood Release training was mostly complete, it was time to focus on other matters.

As tensions between the Uchiha Clan and the village escalated, the atmosphere in Konoha grew increasingly tense.

The Uchiha were holding secret meetings constantly, like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.

In Kaneki’s view, it was only a matter of time before the Uchiha staged a coup.

After all, the conflict between the Uchiha and the village leadership was nearly irreconcilable.

None of the higher-ups trusted the Uchiha. Danzo, the radical, didn’t need to be mentioned—he would wipe them out in a heartbeat just to graft another hundred Sharingan onto his arm.

Even the seemingly kind Sarutobi Hiruzen had begun considering drastic measures. What if the Uchiha really did stage a coup? Should the village act preemptively to eliminate the threat before it grew out of control?

The most critical factors in this inevitable conflict, however, were the two young Uchiha prodigies: Shisui and Itachi.

Shisui had already awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, granting him overwhelming dominance over other Uchiha.

The ironic part? Both Shisui and Itachi leaned toward the village rather than their clan.

If they refused to join the rebellion, the Uchiha’s coup would be doomed.

Even with two of the Three Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya and Tsunade—absent from the village, the Uchiha would still stand no chance of success.

Of course, Kaneki’s role in all this was to quietly stoke the flames, ensuring the conflict grew as large and destructive as possible to weaken Konoha to its core.

Before the war erupted, he needed to prepare thoroughly, ensuring he could exploit the chaos to obtain the information and materials he desired.

Under the cover of night, a swarm of black beetles silently slipped past a barrier and into the Hyūga Clan’s territory.

The insects moved like ghosts, bypassing layers of security until they reached the Hyūga Clan’s shrine.

For Kaneki, this was nothing new.

Over the past several nights, he had come here repeatedly. By now, he had memorized every patrol schedule and route.

The beetles, lacking chakra, passed through barriers undetected, appearing no different from ordinary bugs.

In the shadows of the shrine, the insects gathered and formed a humanoid figure.

Kaneki glided through the darkness like a phantom, quickly making his way to the underground archives of the Hyūga Clan.

Staring at the countless scrolls and records, a crimson eye emerged from the writhing shadows.

---

*The library stored various secret techniques developed by the Hyūga Clan over the years, as well as the clan's historical legacy.*

Compared to the secret techniques, what Kaneki cared more about was the Hyūga Clan's historical legacy.

Unlike those ignorant members of the Jashin Cult, the Hyūga were an ancient family comparable to the Uchiha and Senju Clans.

The books passed down through such ancient families, along with records of the Warring States Period and even Kaneki's envisioned Age of the Gods, were the things he valued most.

During the chaotic Warring States Period, the rise and fall of families was common. Only families like the Hyūga and Uchiha could possess such extensive collections of ancient books.

Thinking of this, Kaneki eagerly dispersed all his black beetles.

These specially crafted black beetles possessed exceptional visual perception abilities, capable of transmitting everything they saw to a Mokumoku clone at the Higanbana Trading Company. The clone would then perform preliminary organization before sending the information to the main body for analysis and processing.

In other words, the black beetles were essentially miniature cameras that did not require information-processing capabilities.

Tens of thousands of black beetles scattered instantly, operating in groups of thirty to record the contents of the books.

The reason for grouping them in thirties was that the beetles' light weight and small numbers made thirty the optimal configuration for turning pages and recording text.

Regardless of the content, as long as the beetles saw it, the main body could record it effortlessly.

In other words, Kaneki was simultaneously recording the contents of thousands of books.

This terrifying efficiency was something no human could match.

Even so, it still took Kaneki nearly a month to record all the books.

By tonight, the work should finally be complete.

However, halfway through the recording process, the black beetles responsible for scouting outside transmitted an alert.

Someone was coming.

In the middle of the night, who would come to read? Are they really that diligent?

Although Kaneki was puzzled, he still followed the contingency plan: returning all the books to their original positions and scattering the black beetles into the temple's crevices and shadows to escape.

That way, even if the Hyūga Clan's ninja noticed something unusual and used the Byakugan to investigate, they would only see a few stray black beetles and wouldn’t become suspicious.

As Kaneki waited, the visitors quickly entered the shrine.

To Kaneki's surprise, the visitors were none other than the Hyūga Clan head, Hiashi Hyūga, accompanied by an elder and a member of the branch family.

Kaneki remembered that the branch member was a talented jōnin named Hyūga Ryūkō.

At this moment, Ryūkō's eyes seemed to be injured. He was pressing a bandaged hand against them, with blood seeping through the cloth.

Hiashi entered the underground section of the shrine and prepared to form hand seals against a wall, but the elder beside him stopped him.

“Hiashi, be careful.”

The elder immediately activated his Byakugan.

The veins on the sides of his eyes bulged as his vision turned monochromatic, revealing everything within the shrine and the surrounding kilometers.

After confirming that there was nothing unusual, the elder deactivated the Byakugan and gave Hiashi a slight nod.

If Kaneki hadn't dispersed the black beetles earlier, their presence would surely have been discovered.

A gathering of tens of thousands of black beetles was bound to attract attention.

Hiashi resumed forming hand seals against the wall.

As a series of incantations emerged from Hiashi's hands, the wall responded, slowly opening to reveal a passage leading further underground.

Kaneki was even more surprised by this.

*Is this some kind of barrier?*

As expected of the Hyūga Clan. Their barriers were so well-designed that even he hadn’t noticed them.

After the passage opened, the elder entered first, followed by Hiashi, who guided the injured branch member inside.

What they didn’t know was that one black beetle had followed them in.

After walking for about a hundred meters, the path opened up into a vast underground laboratory filled with various research tubes.

As a researcher, Kaneki immediately recognized through the beetle's perspective that this laboratory was not in regular use.

Rather than a laboratory, it was more of a *storage room*.

A storage room specifically for Byakugan.

Indeed, inside every tube floated a pair of pale eyes—the Hyūga Clan’s unique Kekkei Genkai, the Byakugan.

The faint green light emitted by the lamps reflected off the pale eyes, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Yet the Hyūga elder remained calm.

He carefully examined the tubes and eventually selected a pair of Byakugan. Turning to Ryūkō, he said, “Ryūkō, lie down. Don’t worry, your vision will be restored.”

Hearing the elder’s words, Ryūkō obediently lay on the operating table.

During a mission, Ryūkō’s eyes had been deliberately targeted and destroyed by enemies, robbing him of the eyes he had always been proud of.

In his despair, he was brought here by the clan head and elder, who promised to restore his sight.

Ryūkō did not resist because, in the Hyūga Clan, any rebellion from the branch family led to only one outcome: a fate worse than death.

The elder worked swiftly. After using a jutsu to knock Ryūkō unconscious, he efficiently extracted the ruined eyeballs.

Then, without hesitation, he installed the prepared pair of Byakugan and completed the process with a Healing Palm Technique.

The entire eye replacement surgery was done in one smooth motion, leaving Kaneki watching in stunned silence.

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 184: The Benevolent Evil God*

Thanks to the special constitution of ninjas, the process of eye transplantation was absurdly simple. Essentially, the old eye was removed, and the desired eye was inserted.

A bit of medical ninjutsu to seal the deal, and it was done.

Kakashi’s Sharingan must have been implanted in a similar manner.

Not only was the implantation process straightforward, but the patient’s adaptation was also astonishingly quick.

In just a couple of minutes, the branch family Jonin had successfully opened his eyes.

“Where am I?”

Hyuga Ryuko scanned the room, noticing jars filled with numerous Byakugan. Realization struck instantly, and his expression turned grim.

There were at least a hundred pairs of Byakugan here, while the main family only had a handful of members.

This could only mean that these Byakugan were likely taken from the branch family.

“Clan leader, elders, what is the meaning of this?”

Ryuko sat up from the operating table, his newly transplanted eyes glaring at the clan leader and the elders before him.

“Ryuko,” Hyuga Hiashi responded calmly, “every Byakugan in the clan is of utmost importance. We collect the Byakugan from deceased members to ensure replacements are available in case of injury.”

From Hiashi’s perspective, this practice was perfectly reasonable.

Rather than let the Byakugan lose their vitality along with their hosts, it was better to preserve them for emergencies.

However, Ryuko couldn’t accept that his clansmen’s eyes were harvested even after death.

No, not just after death.

Every member of the branch family bore the Caged Bird Seal. Upon their death, their Byakugan would be destroyed.

To obtain an intact Byakugan, the Caged Bird Seal must be deactivated before the host’s death.

This revelation drained the color from Ryuko’s face.

When he was no longer of value, would he meet the same fate?

As Ryuko’s thoughts spiraled, one of the elders standing beside Hiashi spoke coldly.

“Hiashi, as the clan leader, there’s no need to waste words on him.”

Ryuko looked up in shock, only to see the elder form a hand seal.

The next moment, excruciating pain exploded in his mind, as if a thousand ants were gnawing at his brain.

In an instant, this seasoned Jonin, who had earned countless merits for the Hyuga clan on the battlefield, was reduced to writhing in agony on the ground.

Seeing Hiashi’s conflicted expression, the elder admonished him. “Hiashi, as clan leader, you must maintain your authority. Compassion will only bring more harm.”

Hearing this, Hiashi gritted his teeth and nodded slightly.

Only after confirming Hiashi’s resolve did the elder end Ryuko’s torment.

“Remember, you are forbidden from speaking of today’s events. Otherwise…”

He didn’t finish the threat, but Ryuko understood perfectly.

As a member of the branch family, he had no say over his own life.

From the moment he was born, he was destined to be a caged bird.

No, calling him a bird was too kind.

He was a dog of the main family.

Drenched in sweat from the ordeal, Ryuko still knelt respectfully on the ground, bowing to Hiashi and the elder.

“I understand, clan leader. Elder.”

Once the three left, a swarm of black beetles emerged from the crevices, gathering to form a shadowy figure.

“Tch, the older the lineage, the more feudal the traditions,” Kaneki muttered, a sly grin forming on his lips. “It seems the miserable Hyuga branch family is in dire need of salvation from Lord Evil God.”

But now wasn’t the time.

Kaneki turned his attention to the jars surrounding him.

Pale Byakugan floated in greenish liquid within each jar.

As much as he wanted to take them all for research, such an act would inevitably alert the Hyuga clan. He had to restrain himself for now.

Leaving behind a few beetles, Kaneki’s body disassembled and reformed in the Hyuga library.

There, he continued recording the clan’s texts.

The data collected by the beetles was transmitted to Kaneki’s clones, then processed by his true form.

By dawn, he had finished documenting every book in the Hyuga archives.

As Kaneki prepared to leave the Hyuga compound unnoticed, someone caught his attention.

Hiding in the grass, the black beetles watched a boy practicing punches in the yard.

It was only six in the morning, yet the boy had clearly been training for at least an hour.

“If I’m not mistaken, that kid’s name is Neji Hyuga.”

In just a month, Kaneki had memorized every member of the Hyuga clan.

The moment he saw the boy, a stream of information surfaced in his mind.

Neji was the nephew of Hiashi, the current clan leader. Years ago, to prevent war between Konoha and the Hidden Cloud Village, Neji’s father, Hizashi, had voluntarily sacrificed himself under pressure from both the clan and the village.

This left Neji with an insatiable desire for strength.

Though talented in the art of Gentle Fist, his status as a branch family member prevented him from receiving full support from the clan.

“Tch, another child burdened by the unfairness of fate.”

Kaneki smirked.

“I, Lord Evil God, cannot stand for this.”

A shadow formed of black beetles darted toward Neji from behind.

Though his Byakugan wasn’t activated, Neji’s heightened senses alerted him to the attack.

Reacting instantly, he gathered chakra in his hand, twisted his body, and struck with a palm.

The chakra burst from his palm, scattering the shadow.

But before he could relax, the dispersed beetles reassembled into a humanoid figure.

“Who are you?”

Neji’s wary eyes locked onto the shadow, his trembling hand instinctively gripping his back.

Quick reactions, decisive action, and remarkable skill.

Kaneki’s assessment of the boy rose.

The shadow spoke. “Who I am doesn’t matter. What matters is that I can give you power.”

Before Neji could respond, the shadow tossed a scroll, landing it at his feet.

“This is a higher form of Gentle Fist. It’s yours.”

With that, the shadow dissolved into a swarm of beetles, vanishing.

*(End of Chapter)*

*Chapter 185: Neji's Special Training Method*

“A higher level of Gentle Fist?”

Neji stared at the scroll lying on the ground, hesitating.

He couldn’t help but wonder if this was a trap.

If he opened it only to find an explosive tag, that would be the end of him.

To be cautious, he picked up a branch and carefully unrolled the scroll, ready to retreat at any moment.

Fortunately, the expected trap didn’t appear.

After waiting a moment to confirm his safety, Neji picked up the scroll and began reading it carefully.

The more he read, the more astonished he became—because the scroll truly contained the Gentle Fist techniques passed down by the Hyūga Clan.

It wasn’t just any Gentle Fist, but advanced techniques reserved exclusively for the clan's main branch, something Neji could confirm without a doubt.

“How did that man get this scroll?”

Neji furrowed his brow slightly.

From what he knew, such scrolls were strictly controlled by the main branch, completely out of reach for those in the branch family. Unless...

Neji glanced toward where the mysterious figure had disappeared but stopped himself from thinking further. Even if he figured out the truth, what could he do about it with his current strength?

Right now, what he needed was to focus on improving his abilities.

That left him with two choices.

Should he hand the scroll over to the clan leader or keep it for himself and secretly train?

If he chose to keep it and was discovered by the main branch...

At that thought, the scene of his father being forced to kneel before the clan leader—his uncle—flashed through Neji’s mind. His father’s anguish and humiliation replayed vividly.

Unconsciously, Neji clenched his fists tightly.

Why was the branch family born to be inferior?

Why must the branch family remain subservient for their entire lives?

As those thoughts swirled in his mind, his gaze gradually became resolute.

After surveying his surroundings, he tucked the scroll away.

Watching this through his black insects, Kaneki’s lips curled into a faint smile, and he nodded slightly.

“The Caged Bird Seal, huh...”

Kaneki had heard of this seal before.

On the surface, it seemed like an effective way to protect the Hyūga Clan members.

Once the seal was placed, any attempt to kill the bearer or remove their Byakugan would trigger its power, destroying the eyes.

This meant that, unless the seal was removed, no outsider could ever steal the Hyūga Clan's Byakugan—unless they captured a member of the main branch, who didn’t bear the seal.

Unfortunately, the main branch’s numbers were extremely limited. As high-ranking members of the clan, they rarely left Konohagakure to take on missions. For other villages, even getting close to a main branch member was nearly impossible, let alone capturing one.

In that light, the Caged Bird Seal appeared to be a form of protection for the branch family.

After all, the Byakugan—a Kekkei Genkai with unparalleled perception—was far too valuable. Without such measures, other villages would undoubtedly do everything in their power to seize it.

The problem, however, was that the Caged Bird Seal could also be manually activated by the main branch.

In other words, the main branch could activate the seal at any time to inflict pain or exert control over the branch family.

What Kaneki had seen earlier in the laboratory was a clear demonstration of this power.

As a result, the branch family dared not disobey the main branch. Any hint of rebellion was met with severe punishment.

Every Hyūga clan leader was taught from a young age that they must never show mercy to the branch family—otherwise, the consequences would be even more severe.

Perhaps the original intent behind the Caged Bird Seal was to protect the Byakugan and safeguard the branch family’s lives.

But under absolute power, corruption was inevitable.

“What a twisted world...” Kaneki muttered, then smiled faintly.

“Don’t worry. Lord Jashin will cleanse you all.”

Over the following days, Kaneki continued using his black insects to collect samples from the Hyūga Clan’s territory.

To avoid detection, he refrained from directly capturing clan members. Instead, he had his insects gather shed hair, skin flakes, and other materials.

Additionally, he sent out a new breed of mosquitoes he had developed to secretly draw blood from clan members—all while remaining undetected.

Obtaining large-scale experimental subjects from the Hyūga Clan would have to wait for the right opportunity.

And Kaneki could sense that this opportunity wasn’t far off.

Besides collecting samples, Kaneki frequently visited Neji’s house.

Tonight, in Neji’s room, the black figure composed of insects reappeared.

“Today’s lesson is the complete diagram of human chakra points,” the black figure stated calmly. “Neji, are you ready?”

Hearing this, Neji immediately sat up straight, his small eyes shining with determination. “I’m ready, Mr. Bug. I can handle it.”

Although Mr. Bug’s training methods were... unconventional, Neji couldn’t deny their effectiveness.

At the very least, none of his peers—nor even those two or three years older—were his match anymore.

Neji could sense that he was becoming the strongest of the Hyūga Clan’s new generation.

After Neji spoke, the black figure dissolved into a swarm of insects.

Neji cooperatively opened his mouth, allowing the black insects to swarm inside like a dark cloud.

“Ugh...”

Even though this wasn’t the first time, Neji still found it slightly uncomfortable.

Fortunately, the discomfort only lasted a few seconds.

The black insects coursed through his chakra pathways, widening them and simulating the flow of chakra. This helped Neji quickly grasp how to control his chakra more effectively.

All Neji had to do was remember Mr. Bug’s instructions and his body’s responses.

By now, this training had occurred six times.

From his initial resistance, Neji had slowly begun to accept it.

As unpleasant as it was, this training method worked.

Two hours later, hundreds of black insects flew out of Neji’s mouth.

Kaneki had successfully completed tonight’s lesson. He had already taught Neji the precise chakra points needed to execute Gentle Fist techniques.

Through the black insects, Kaneki had simulated chakra movement for Neji several times. With Neji’s talent and determination, it wouldn’t take long for him to master these techniques.

“Alright, practice on your own for now. Once you’ve mastered the Eight Trigrams Palm, I’ll come find you again.”

Without waiting for Neji’s gratitude, Kaneki vanished.

He had something far more important to attend to—

The complete analysis of the Hyūga Clan’s data was finally finished.

(End of Chapter)