Tenseigan Progress (Happy New Year, everyone)

"A large amount of Yin Release?"

Looking at the reward, Hyuga Makoto's eyes lit up.

He had experienced Shisui's Yin Release before. Although it hadn't been much, it had still given him a considerable boost!

This time, it was truly "plentiful and filling." How could he not be excited?

Moreover, this time it wasn't just Yin Release. There was also something he had never seen before.

"Trait? Could it be something similar to Kotoamatsukami?"

Hyuga Makoto rubbed his chin. Strictly speaking, the Tenseigan also had something similar.

However, that was an advanced version of the Puppet Technique. It could directly attach Chakra to someone else and control their mind.

"That technique can be broken, but Kotoamatsukami..."

It completely rewrote the target's will!

Although Kotoamatsukami's two eyes had different effects—the left eye completed the process instantly but had a cooldown period of more than a decade, while the right eye slowly controlled and altered the target over a long period of time—

the final effects were the same.

"If this trait really is like that, things will get interesting..."

Hyuga Makoto couldn't help murmuring, but there was one thing he was very curious about.

Where was the upper limit of Kotoamatsukami's ability?

After thinking it over, he felt that it should be difficult to affect eyes of a higher level, or someone like Senju Hashirama.

"If even Senju Hashirama can be controlled by Kotoamatsukami, that would be ridiculous..."

Shaking his head, Hyuga Makoto couldn't be bothered to think about it any longer.

He felt that now was the time to properly reward himself!

Buzz—

In an instant, a vast energy began brewing frantically inside his body.

The energy spread throughout his body. As it surged into his eyes, it also covered his bones!

"This is..."

Hyuga Makoto was slightly stunned. He could clearly feel his bones growing harder, and he even felt that he could faintly control them.

Moreover, his bones seemed to have begun absorbing his Chakra, little by little!

"Could this be Shikotsumyaku?"

Hyuga Makoto slightly clenched his fist, and his joints cracked.

Although Otsutsuki Toneri seemingly didn't possess the Shikotsumyaku trait, he had always compared the Hyuga and Kaguya Clans to the Uchiha and Senju.

This change further confirmed his guess and also made him secretly marvel at how "pure" his bloodline was.

"This purity is almost like Otsutsuki Hamura without the five elemental Chakra natures!"

Moreover, his bones were clearly still in the process of evolving. If they continued evolving like this...

he didn't dare imagine what they would become!

"However, my eyes benefited the most this time."

Shaking his head, Hyuga Makoto reached out and couldn't help touching his eye sockets.

Perhaps because of the Yin Release, he could clearly feel that both his eyes' perception and abilities had improved considerably!

"With the current Tsukuyomi, I can obtain more lunar Chakra even more discreetly. This is a good thing..."

He had always been extremely careful when using the moon's energy.

Although being discovered didn't necessarily mean they could find him, if that group of madmen became wary and cut off the "hotspot" at a crucial moment...

Now that he could draw more energy while remaining even more concealed, he felt much more at ease!

"And the Puppet Technique is an even greater surprise. My judgment about the 'trait' was correct."

As he thought, he raised his hand. His golden eyes flickered faintly, and a green Chakra sphere emerged.

Chakra: Mental Sphere—this was the concrete result of his enhanced Puppet Technique!

Now, he could also try to control someone, just like Otsutsuki Toneri.

"Although the control effect probably won't be as good as his, and I can only control one person, but..."

His Mental Sphere possessed the trait of Kotoamatsukami!

Perhaps because he had obtained Shisui's right eye, the trait he acquired was "long-term self-will correction."

"This also means that even if I stop using Chakra: Mental Sphere in the future, the person under control will still be one of my own!"

Hyuga Makoto couldn't help sighing. Kotoamatsukami was truly somewhat abnormal.

Even though he had obtained the right eye, its effect was still extremely powerful!

[Name: Hyuga Makoto]

[Bloodline: Moon Ōtsutsuki (20%)]

[Dōjutsu: Tenseigan (5%)]

[Chakra Natures: Yin, Yang]

[Main Quest: Become the World Nucleus (3%)]

Looking at his status panel, Hyuga Makoto nodded in satisfaction.

Not only had he improved in every aspect, but his main quest had also progressed!

"It seems this time I successfully made Danzo believe that the Akatsuki Organization was responsible. In that case, I have to keep working hard..."

Hyuga Makoto was filled with motivation. He looked at the Chakra sphere in his hand, then at the unconscious Shisui.

He felt that saving someone had truly paid off...

"What a hassle..."

Inside an underground laboratory in the Land of Fields.

Orochimaru looked unhappily at Shinno before him. The man had overdrawn himself so severely that he still hadn't recovered!

For a moment, he had genuinely wanted to strangle the man and simply use Impure World Reincarnation on him.

However, reason still made him calm down. After all...

"Dead people can't perfect the Body Regeneration Technique."

Orochimaru was truly speechless. Who knew why this man had been beaten into such a state by a brat from the Hyuga Branch Family!

However, he couldn't be bothered to think about it. There were still plenty of other things giving him a headache.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, he suddenly sensed movement from the ring.

"The Akatsuki Organization?"

Orochimaru wasn't particularly concerned about the Akatsuki Organization. After all, the only reason he had joined voluntarily was the Rinnegan.

He was also somewhat curious about Pain at this time. He had always felt that this boy looked extraordinarily familiar.

As he thought, he entered a secret chamber and then opened the connection.

In an instant, three phantoms appeared before him.

"What is it?"

Orochimaru glanced at the three of them. They were Deva Path Pain and his "teammate," Scorpion, as well as that fellow called Zetsu.

"I still have some experiments to finish, so say what you have to say."

"Orochimaru, you've been slacking off on your missions lately."

Deva Path Pain's voice was especially indifferent, sounding almost like that of a dead man.

"Moreover, why didn't you report your encounter with the Konoha ninja?"

"Oh? You know?"

Orochimaru licked his lips, and his gaze became somewhat dangerous. Fortunately, Zetsu spoke up from the side.

"I discovered it while investigating. Gathering intelligence is my job. Besides, I also detected a Wood Release reaction."

"Is that so? I thought you had been watching me all along."

Orochimaru gave Zetsu a half-smiling look before speaking slowly.

"I merely encountered one of the test subjects from back then. It's nothing important. As for the mission, don't you still have Scorpion?"

"Indeed. I don't think having this fellow around is of any use either."

Scorpion spoke disdainfully. He and Orochimaru were extremely incompatible.

Not only because a Konoha ninja had killed his parents, but also because their philosophies were in complete conflict!

"The mission—I can handle it myself..."

"I don't want to interfere with your decisions, but you're on the same team. I think it would be better for you to act together."

Deva Path Pain shook his head and calmly interrupted Scorpion.

"That will be more efficient, allowing you to accumulate strength and money more effectively. Besides..."

At this point, Pain paused and looked toward Orochimaru.

"I don't want to see more trouble. Having one more person will make it easier to deal with, won't it?"

"Hmph..."

Scorpion snorted without replying, while Orochimaru merely licked his tongue with a dark expression.

Although he was very displeased with Pain's arrangement, he decided to endure it for the sake of the Rinnegan.

"Fine. I'll go to the Land of Rivers and meet up with him as soon as possible. I only hope..."

"that this mission will be a little more interesting..."