Konoha, Root laboratory.
A bare-chested Uchiha lay on the cold operating table, his limbs and even his neck firmly restrained by metal rings.
Uchiha Qingguang was about to become an experimental subject. The discomfort made him instinctively activate his Sharingan.
That unusual change caught Orochimaru's attention. "Qingguang-kun, I recommend that you temporarily deactivate your Sharingan."
"The Yin Release Chakra energy is too strong. It'll make it difficult for me to control the dosage, and could very well cause the operation to fail."
"If you've changed your mind, Qingguang-kun, there's still time."
Faced with Orochimaru's kind reminder, Qingguang gave a slight shake of his head. When he opened his eyes again, his Sharingan had been replaced by dark pupils.
"Senior Orochimaru, I'll be careful."
"As for giving up, please don't say that, senior. If I back out now, I'll be disgracing the Will of Fire passed down to me by my father."
"I'd also be letting down Lord Danzo, who has placed his trust and hopes in me."
After speaking, Qingguang turned his head and looked through the glass window at the man outside the operating room—Danzo.
Feeling the burning loyalty in Qingguang's gaze, Danzo couldn't help but admire the young man even more.
Kagami, Qingguang truly is your son. He's even better than you were. He hasn't been deceived by Hiruzen's hypocritical act.
Danzo could feel the Sharingan hidden beneath the Fuinjutsu sealing his bandages growing hotter and hotter.
Qingguang was one of the Uchiha Clan's most talented young shinobi. If the Wood Release experiment succeeded with him,
then Danzo would surely be able to replicate it in his own body!
Suppressing and concealing his desire, Danzo nodded at Qingguang, his eyes full of admiration. "Qingguang, the situation in the Shinobi World is dire. War could break out at any moment, and Konoha's Jinchuriki still hasn't grown strong enough."
"Wood Release is our last hope."
The concern for Konoha in Danzo's words practically overflowed, as if Qingguang were the one and only savior, Konoha's sole hope.
The chosen one destined to become a pillar of Konoha's future.
Qingguang took a deep breath and steadied himself.
That old bastard's acting really was impressive.
If I weren't a transmigrator, I'd probably have fallen for his act, and willingly worked like a beast of burden for him—even volunteered as a Wood Release guinea pig for him and Orochimaru.
But all of this was just to give me a chance to reallocate my points.
His father had died before he was born, and his mother had passed away in childbirth. He had grown wise at a young age, learned to read at two, and started studying the scrolls among his father Kagami's belongings at four. He learned to refine Chakra at five, mastered the Three Body Technique and Great Fireball at six, and graduated early at the age of eight, during peacetime.
He became a jōnin at fourteen. Now, having just turned seventeen, Qingguang had already reached the limits of an ordinary Uchiha's strength.
Over the years, Qingguang had used the system's ability to reallocate his points again and again, pushing the Great Fireball to its absolute limit.
Unfortunately, the system's point reallocation had its limits.
The five basic elements could be converted into one another. Chakra nature and form transformations could also be exchanged with Yin Release and Yang Release.
But if he wanted to convert points across ranks, he could only do so at a ratio of ten to one.
And evolving the Sharingan required special Yin Release Chakra—a Yin Release Chakra that had undergone a change in nature.
The exchange rate for that stuff was a hundred to one!
Qingguang had awakened his Three Tomoe after learning and practicing the Great Fireball an uncountable number of times over the years.
As for advancing to the Mangekyo...
Those ten thousand points in special Yin Release meant he'd need to learn the Great Fireball a million times.
It had taken him ten years to earn a thousand points by the age of sixteen. Did that mean he'd have to practice the Great Fireball for a hundred years to awaken the Mangekyo?!
So Qingguang had decisively given up and decided to find another way.
Wood Release, like the Sharingan, was a kekkei genkai—and one of the very highest order. Going by the system's logic, it should be possible to exchange points for it, too.
Qingguang didn't yet know if it would work, which was why he felt nervous lying here.
"Senior Orochimaru, let's begin."
Qingguang's expression was calm, his gaze resolute, and he looked ready to face death.
Come on, let me see if my theory holds up!
"I understand."
Orochimaru picked up a prepared syringe and gently pushed the plunger. A thin stream of pale green liquid emerged from the sharp, slender needle.
"By the way, Qingguang-kun."
"We can't use anesthetic during the operation. It might hurt a little, so please bear with it."
As he said this, the needle had already pierced Qingguang's skin and entered the vein in his neck.
(O_o)??
Why the hell didn't you say so earlier?
With no time to react, Qingguang felt his body immediately grow scorching hot. The veins all over him bulged, and it felt as if countless ants were gnawing at him from the inside.
He struggled uncontrollably on the operating table.
Orochimaru had stuffed a towel into his mouth in case he bit down too hard and cut his tongue.
This symptom had appeared in other test subjects before.
In the midst of his agony, Qingguang called up the transparent system panel before his eyes.
His pupils began to change against his will, and his Sharingan appeared again.
Come on, bro, show up! If you don't, I'm really done for!
Just as he was about to pass out from the pain, the laboratory door suddenly boomed.
BANG!
A thick, pitch-black staff with gold ends smashed the metal door away, sending it crashing to the ground at Danzo's feet.
Danzo immediately gripped a kunai in reverse and took a fighting stance. "Who's there?!"
When he turned around, he saw that the newcomer was his old classmate, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Hiruzen, how did you find this place?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi ignored Danzo. His gaze passed through the glass window, and he immediately saw Qingguang struggling on the operating table. A blaze of fury flared within him, and he roared at Danzo, "I ordered the Wood Release Plan shut down six months ago! You're still carrying it out, and you've even used Qingguang as a test subject. He's Kagami's only son!"
"How can you face Kagami after what you've done? He gave his life to cover our retreat!"
He rushed to the glass enclosure, knocked Danzo aside with his staff, and shouted to the disciple he cherished most, "Stop the experiment immediately! No matter what, Qingguang must survive!"
Orochimaru spread his hands, looking helpless. But inside, he was thrilled—almost excited.
The data that had just collapsed was gradually stabilizing again!
But first, he needed to calm Teacher Sarutobi's anger—or, more importantly, make sure Sarutobi didn't take it out on him.
Orochimaru glanced at Danzo, who had fallen to the ground, then looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Teacher Sarutobi, Qingguang agreed to the operation of his own free will. I even asked him again before we started whether he wanted to back out, but he insisted."
"Besides, it's too late to stop now. All the medicine has already been injected. We can only leave it to fate."
Before you continue