Bloodline Theory? Just Trash

What we had to do was send them to meet the Sage of Six Paths!

Because we had no right to forgive them on behalf of the dead!!!

The only thing we could do was avenge the dead.

Make the people of Konoha, Sunagakure, and Iwagakure pay their blood debts in blood!!!

An eye for an eye... a tooth for a tooth!!

A moment later.

In Mingren's embrace, Tetsuya Senju had been burned alive.

Flames still wrapped around both of them.

Within the flames.

Mingren stood up.

His body was burning.

His flesh had curled and split open; many places were even charred black, exposing bone.

And yet, even so.

Those eyes burning with pitch-black flames remained just as steadfast and bright.

Yes, it sounded strange, but they truly were bright...

Asuka stared into those eyes. It was the first time she had looked into a man's gaze for so long.

"Master, let's go."

The exposed gums did nothing to diminish his bearing.

Instead, they added a peculiar dash of heroic spirit to him.

[Strength... 8!]

After some experimentation, Tetsuya Senju had died in the utmost pain and despair. The Negative Emotions Mingren absorbed became nourishment for himself.

They raised Mingren's strength level into the realm of "8" in one go.

This Strength Value.

Already allowed him to contend with the Part I versions of Asuma and Momochi Zabuza.

It also meant he could knock down several ordinary Chunin with one punch, or effortlessly lift the 2.1-meter-long steel Kubikiribōchō with one hand.

Strength was everything.

Muscles were philosophy.

Mingren, who believed iron fists surpassed all else.

Felt the surging power within his body...

And knew that he now had the possibility of changing this Ninja World!

As long as he kept growing.

Kept killing enemies and strengthening his own Mental Energy.

One day, he would be able to smash Naruto and Sasuke to pieces and defeat the Ōtsutsuki family!

"I will prove that even ordinary people without bloodlines can surpass all kinds of bloodlines through wisdom!"

"What I oppose is not cheating, nor bloodlines themselves... but Bloodline Theory through and through!! And blatant deception!!"

"Of course, the most important thing right now is to increase my strength in this war called the 'Third Shinobi World War,' then... fight! Drive the invaders out of the Land of Rain!!"

Change This World!

"Um..."

Just as Mingren was about to leave.

Asuka called out to him.

"What is it?" Mingren turned around and looked at her expressionlessly.

The flames gradually died out.

Charred muscles fell away as new muscles and epidermal tissue grew in.

The newly formed flesh was even more robust.

As his strength increased, his Defense Power also rose.

"She is Hanzo's Granddaughter. She is thirteen this year, and her name is Asuka..." Shennong said with a smile from the shadows.

He was satisfied, truly very satisfied.

Especially after seeing his disciple's cold and merciless appearance as he slaughtered the enemies cleanly and efficiently.

Shennong was even more satisfied.

Such ruthlessness... worthy of being my disciple. The ultimate Dark Chakra should one day manifest within him... However... I cannot fall behind either... To prevent the situation from spiraling out of control, I should make preparations early...

"Hanzo? The Demigod... Hanzo of the Salamander?"

Asuka could not discern any particular emotion from Mingren's words.

She only felt that... the air had suddenly dropped several degrees.

"According to the intelligence, she is merely a little girl without a Kekkei Genkai... just like us. The only special thing about her is that a poison sac from Ibuse was implanted in her body when she was young..."

Ibuse.

Was a special, highly venomous creature found in the Land of Rain.

Implanting its poison sac gave one the ability to use poison.

But because of that venom, they could not casually open their mouths and had to wear a specially filtered Breathing Apparatus.

Only then could they avoid harming others.

It could be said to be both power and a prison of cost.

Besides.

In the original Naruto Ninja manga... Shippuden.

Jiraiya had infiltrated the Land of Rain and captured two minor characters for interrogation.

One of them told Jiraiya that Pain had slaughtered Hanzo's entire family, not even sparing children, and so on...

In other words.

Hanzo had a wife and children.

If one looked closely at the strange pupils of the girl before him...

Only Hanzo of the Salamander possessed such eyes in the entire Land of Rain.

Sure enough... she was his granddaughter.

Mingren said, "Asuka... In an environment like the Land of Rain, the meaning behind that name is likely the hope of spreading one's wings and flying high, or freedom. It truly suits the setting."

Asuka, who had PTSD concerning Kekkei Genkai... that was, Bloodline Theory... still did not quite understand what was going on.

"If possible, I hope you can join Amegakure..."

Someone this capable.

It would be too regrettable if she drifted among the common folk.

And more importantly...

"I will not join Amegakure for the time being."

Mingren stared at Asuka, his eyes holding nothing but simple appreciation.

After all, no matter how stirred his feelings were, it was impossible for him to feel anything for a thirteen-year-old Beautiful Girl.

—At the very least, she should be fourteen.

Mingren said, "Also, you need not worry. I will not join Akatsuki either."

Asuka: "!"

Akatsuki.

Was an armed organization whose members wore Amegakure Headbands while acting under the name Akatsuki.

Mingren had known them before because of his medical work.

There was a reason Mingren had not joined Akatsuki.

If Yahiko's group believed Hanzo of the Salamander was wrong and wanted to overthrow him through revolution.

Then they should establish their own state.

They should confront him openly and honorably.

Instead of secretly calling themselves Akatsuki.

While wearing Amegakure Headbands, flying the banner of Amegakure shinobi, refusing to obey the commands of Amegakure's true leader, Hanzo of the Salamander, and even poaching people everywhere...

Such behavior was undoubtedly despicable.

Still, Asuka's worries were entirely reasonable.

After all, many young people in the Land of Rain had answered Yahiko's call, and Akatsuki had thus become a force among the new generation that could not be ignored...

Mingren glanced at Asuka, turned, and left.

"May I ask... your name, sir?" Asuka hurriedly asked.

"His name is Amakawa Mingren. He is thirteen, the same age as you... an ordinary person with no bloodline, a clean family background, and parents who both died in the war... He likes making ramen and dreams of becoming a chef. When the war broke out, he changed careers and became a doctor. Then he discovered that medicine could not save the people of the Land of Rain, so he had no choice but to learn some shinobi skills..."

Shennong took out a Scroll and handed it to Asuka.

Inside were the preserved bodies of her three companions who had died earlier.

In a very good mood, Shennong spoke for a while before leaving with a smile.

"Amakawa... Mingren..."

Asuka murmured the name. Holding the Scroll, she quickly followed after him and left the scene as well...

After they reached the outside world and parted ways with Hanzo's Granddaughter.

Mingren frowned slightly. "I don't recall gaining a surname at any point..."

"Don't you think it sounds kind of cool? I think that surname suits your name very well... It also makes it easier to attract girls... It's packaging..."

Shennong stroked his chin, a dispirited smile on his face.

"Besides, perhaps you or I may have need of Hanzo of the Salamander, or even Amegakure, in the future. It wouldn't hurt to make connections..."

This was Shennong's habit: disguising himself as a harmless physician who traveled the land healing people, all while making connections with all kinds of figures.

Empty Village had already been destroyed.

Though remnants still survived.

They would need at least nearly twenty years to recuperate and rebuild...

Before then.

He traveled everywhere, studying Dark Chakra while making connections with all sorts of people and gaining assistance.

In the theatrical animation, Shennong had even made a deal with Orochimaru.

"..."

Mingren did not continue replying to Shennong.

Instead, he raised his arm and looked at his palm.

After clenching his hand, abundant power flowed through it.