Soft Body Modification

Time pushed forward another month, the year's end drawing ever closer.

Deep within Orochimaru's underground base, a critical experiment was underway.

"How are the muscle density modulation values?"

"In good shape."

"And the muscle extensibility?"

"Beyond a certain length, muscle density drops sharply, but overall, it doesn't deviate much from our projections."

"Excellent."

Before a massive culture tank, Kyosuke and Orochimaru stood side by side, their gazes fixed on the "Subject" within.

Lately, as Kyosuke's "Human Modification" technique had grown increasingly refined, Orochimaru had invited him to collaborate on an experiment called "Soft Body Modification."

What was Soft Body Modification?

As the name implied, it involved using special methods to "soften" the body.

After this modification, the body's flexibility and extensibility would be greatly enhanced, allowing limbs, the head, and other parts to freely stretch, contract, or twist at any angle at will.

This was a Secret Technique of Orochimaru's own creation.

In the original story, Orochimaru used this ability with remarkable frequency.

Most importantly, Soft Body Modification was one of the prerequisites for many of his unique "Forbidden Techniques."

Take, for instance, the "Ten Thousand Snakes Constellation" he unleashed during his fierce battle with "Tailed Beast Naruto."

Though the technique's essence relied on the Summoning Technique, without the support of Soft Body Modification, the tens of thousands of snakes crawling out of his mouth would have long since burst his head apart.

Thus, Kyosuke was determined to master this modification.

Not only master it—he was genuinely intrigued by the ability itself, believing that if he could wield it skillfully, his strength would undoubtedly advance further.

And so, an entire morning passed as the two of them immersed themselves in the experiment, utterly focused.

Whether due to Kyosuke's assistance or not, this inherently challenging experiment succeeded after just a few attempts.

What remained were ongoing optimizations, but that didn't hinder the two from proceeding with their own modifications soon after.

Three days later.

Kyosuke sat on the stone bed in his chamber, staring at a bottle of water on the table across the room. With a subtle flow of Chakra, his arm abruptly elongated, snatching the cup five meters away.

When he brought it before him, he found the water inside perfectly still, without a single ripple.

Smiling, he downed the water in one gulp, then rose and left the stone chamber, ready to test its combat effectiveness.

After an afternoon of repeated trials, he confirmed that the modification was essentially a complete success.

With Soft Body Modification, combined with his Sharingan in combat, he now possessed the strength to go head-to-head in taijutsu with an average Chunin.

Though the system still rated him as a "Genin," his actual combat power had reached the Chunin level.

Unfortunately, his physical attributes limited him from excelling among Chunin, but compared to many ordinary ones, his strength was already quite respectable.

At the very least, among his peers—aside from Kakashi at present—he feared no one.

Then, with less than a month until the year's end, a major event shook the Uchiha Clan.

The current Uchiha Clan Head announced his abdication, citing poor health.

Instantly, the atmosphere within the entire Uchiha Clan grew tense.

Countless individuals qualified to run for Clan Head began sharpening their ambitions, while the thresholds of the several elders' homes were nearly worn down by Elite Jonin over the following days.

Though the clan was currently dominated by the four elders' autocratic rule, the allure of the Clan Head's seat remained undeniable.

According to the original story's progression, Fugaku would ultimately win this election, but the narrative didn't detail the process, so Kyosuke had no idea what transpired.

Yet, whether from personal sentiment or self-interest, backing Fugaku's rise was the best choice for Kyosuke.

Thus, just as the clan members were buzzing with speculation, Kyosuke—bearing the title of "Uchiha's Greatest Genius"—abruptly and loudly declared his support for Fugaku Uchiha.

This move immediately stirred a massive uproar within the clan.

After all, even though Kyosuke was only five years old, countless clan members saw him as the key to the Uchiha's future revival. His declaration drew the attention of many previously wavering high-ranking members, who began to focus on Fugaku.

Originally, though Fugaku held the important post of Military Police Force Captain, everyone knew he was merely a puppet of the Second Elder.

He had little decision-making power, and his personality meant few high-ranking members knew much about him.

But once they turned their attention to him, they discovered that Fugaku was an exceptional choice in both skill and political acumen.

He far outshone the other candidates by no small margin, and so, one by one, they began to rally behind him.

Over the following days, Fugaku was run ragged.

Yet, despite his hectic schedule, he still found time to personally thank Kyosuke and invite him to dinner at his home.

Kyosuke gladly accepted, curiosity piqued as he made his way there.

He thought he might finally meet Uchiha Mikoto, who appeared so rarely in the original story. But upon entering Fugaku's home, something deeply unsettling occurred.

There was indeed a young woman preparing dinner, but she was not Uchiha Mikoto.

At first, Kyosuke clung to a sliver of hope, thinking she might be something like a cousin.

But then Fugaku's embrace, brimming with affection, told him plainly—this was his girlfriend, no doubt about it.

Not long ago, Kyosuke had been worrying about what to do if Naruto and Sasuke's growth didn't go smoothly.

Now, no need to worry anymore.

Damn Fugaku had gone and wiped out Itachi and Sasuke altogether.

"What did I even do to make the plot change this much?" Kyosuke hung his head in dejection, unable to muster any interest in the lavish dinner spread before him.

Fugaku and the girl named Uchiha Ikezi sat across from him. Seeing this, they exchanged a confused glance.

"Kyosuke-kun, is my cooking not to your taste? What do you like to eat? I'll go prepare something else." Ikezi blushed, speaking softly to the downcast Kyosuke.

Fugaku nodded too, signaling Ikezi to check what other ingredients were in the house, and if necessary, to make a whole new meal.

Hearing her words, Kyosuke snapped back to reality—his low mood had given them the wrong idea.

Realizing this, he quickly waved his hands, explaining that he'd just suddenly remembered some things, not that he disliked her cooking.

As Ikezi breathed a sigh of relief, the dinner officially began.