[Fusion successful. Congratulations, Host, you have obtained the Excellent Trait Wood Release Cells · Remnant (Blue). The division rate of Wood Release Cells has decreased.]
With the help of Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!
Wood Release Cells · Remnant!
Had finally improved a little.
Especially the ability to control the division rate.
That part was crystal clear.
Uchiha Jin closed his eyes and sensed his body for a moment. His cells were now dividing at half their previous rate.
The discovery let him breathe a sigh of relief.
"Good thing I can improve it."
"Otherwise, the combined strain on my body and mind would be too much for little old me."
Who could have guessed that the Wood Release he'd relied on to balance the Mangekyo's toll would end up draining him as well?
"I hate defective products!"
He muttered and looked away.
But just then, he noticed that another trait above his head seemed to be changing.
The originally purplish-black [Seven-Year Itch] seemed to have grown dimmer.
It had gone from so intensely dark it could scare someone to death at a glance to noticeably faded.
And faintly, the black orb of light seemed to ripple and shift.
Before long, the original Seven-Year Itch had become—Six-Year Cycle.
[Detected that the Host has spent six years and finally gained the ability to change fate. Trait evolving.]
[After the evolution succeeds, the Host will obtain the God-Tier Entry Six-Six Smooth Sailing (Rainbow).]
"Six-Six Smooth Sailing? What kind of trait is that?"
At the system's prompt, Jin's dark eyes lit up.
He only had two rainbow-colored traits so far.
But!
Both Golden Body of Light and Weak Presence were conceptual!
It was no exaggeration to say those two were the key to his safely looting corpses and growing stronger!
He couldn't help looking forward to this trait.
But Yamato had woken several times beneath his feet, only to get knocked unconscious again. By the time the sky was nearly dark, the trait still showed no sign of evolving.
It remained a hazy mass displayed above him.
"Forget it. Evolve whenever you're ready."
The moonlight grew brighter.
A thread of silver light spilled over the dense forest, slanting down beside the pit.
It cast shifting shadows across Jin's face.
After a whole day, he had finally confirmed that this trait's evolution would take a long time.
Or maybe...
"Could it be that I really have to completely change the Night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre before it can evolve?"
"If that's the case, I can't keep waiting for Itachi, that traitor. He's taking way too long."
He moved his stiff neck, which had been motionless all day.
His body immediately crackled.
Who could understand the pain of staying still for a whole day, only moving to smack Yamato whenever he was about to wake up?
"Ugh... That hurts... Why does it feel like someone hit me in the head..."
Below him, Yamato—knocked unconscious for the seventh time—rubbed his head.
It hurt terribly.
"Awake again?"
Jin raised his hand without thinking, about to smack him, when he heard a rustling behind him.
A tall figure slowly emerged from behind a tree.
Kakashi stepped out, his silver hair tousled above his mask.
His expression was strange. "Ahem... Jin, if you keep hitting him, you'll crack the kid's skull."
"Oh, Kakashi-senpai. Are you monitoring me so openly these days?"
Jin glanced at him and replied coolly.
But the corner of his hidden mouth curled upward.
The fish had taken the bait.
Though Kakashi was still in the seven-day cooldown for copying traits, making him not exactly the most appealing person to chat with.
Still!
The chakra fluctuations Kakashi had given off when he saw Yamato get hurt had been obvious.
So Jin guessed the two of them had already become quite close by now.
And he just happened to need a regular NPC to farm Wood Release from.
After all, other than Danzo, Yamato was the only one he could farm Wood Release Cells from.
Danzo was a dying man. There weren't many chances left to farm him.
Yamato, on the other hand, would live for a very long time.
If he got lucky and copied First Generation Cells, could a few fusions produce a Legendary Trait?
"Ahem..."
Kakashi walked over slowly, still with lingering shock in his eyes.
He knew the Second Young Master of the Uchiha Clan was no ordinary person.
His strength was deeply mysterious.
Jin often managed to find him without making a sound, then disappear just as silently.
He was exceptionally skilled at concealment.
But what had Kakashi seen today?
Jin had started beating Yamato as soon as they left the academy.
By the time they reached the village outskirts, he'd stopped holding back, casually beating Yamato at every opportunity.
Kakashi had clearly seen that more than half of Yamato's ribs were broken!
If Jin kept hitting him, wouldn't he end up beating Yamato to death?
So Kakashi had no choice but to step in and try to get Yamato out of danger.
But...
He didn't realize that he'd stepped into danger himself.
Kakashi gave an awkward smile, walked over to the side, and pointed at Yamato as he said, "This one's different from the other Root members. He has a mind of his own, and he's a good person."
Everything he said boiled down to one thing.
He's a good person. Don't hit him.
"What's that got to do with me?" Jin said without turning around.
His words made Kakashi's awkwardness all the more obvious.
The atmosphere grew increasingly strange.
In the pit, Yamato struggled to get to his feet.
He'd naturally heard their conversation. A flash of shame crossed his eyes, but he stubbornly said, "Kakashi-senpai, you don't have to plead for—"
Bam!
Another tremendous force came crashing down.
Little Jin sprang into the air and dropped straight down!
He moved as fast as lightning!
His foot slammed down.
Thud—crack!
Yamato was driven into the middle of the pit once again.
His entire body was practically embedded in the ground, fitting into it perfectly.
"Pfft—"
This time, he could no longer hold on. A mouthful of blood gushed out.
His injuries were severe.
"So fast! Jin's taijutsu is every bit as good as an average Jonin's!"
"I've never heard that the Uchiha are particularly skilled in taijutsu or physical strength..."
Kakashi's pupils contracted again at the sight.
Jin was so fast that Kakashi could only catch a blur.
But when he saw Yamato's injuries, he grew anxious.
"Kinoe! Stop!"
He couldn't tell what Uchiha Jin was thinking.
But he cared about Yamato, and felt he had to do something.
Crackle, crackle.
A flicker of lightning appeared in his right hand.
Blue-white lightning gradually spread through the air.
Lightning Release: Chidori!
The speed! The physical strength! He could even tear through Wood Release!
Kakashi couldn't afford to take this guy lightly.
So he went straight for a killing move.
To keep from losing sight of Jin, he'd even let his left eye show.
In his eye, three crimson tomoe spun steadily.
The Sharingan!
Then his whole body turned into a bolt of lightning as he charged forward!
Zzzt—
He was so fast that all that remained in the air was the sound of lightning.
Zzzt—
Smack!
But just as he reached Jin, the lightning was abruptly severed!
A wild hand had crushed it!
One of Jin's feet was still planted on Yamato's chest. Two meters in front of him, his other little hand had turned into a huge crimson palm and clamped tightly around Kakashi's throat.
A restless glint flickered in his eyes.
He smiled, his tone mocking.
"Kakashi, using something from the Uchiha Clan against the Uchiha—isn't that a little naive?!"
Across from him,
Kakashi struggled desperately.
But the moment he looked up, he suddenly froze.
Before him,
A complete pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan clearly reflected his own battered appearance.
Before you continue