"Yes."
"There are almost no side effects, but it does consume stamina and mental energy."
Uchiha Tamaharu nodded.
Then he spun around and slammed a Rasengan into a steel plate nearby. This was where Germa 66 tested its weapons.
The Rasengan punched straight through the plate, and the resulting blast shattered the wall behind it as well.
"Lightning Release: Chidori."
Next, he demonstrated Chidori, slicing through the steel plate this time.
"Fire Release: Hōsenka no Jutsu."
Then he used Fire Release with a nature transformation, melting the steel plate outright.
"That's about it."
"This energy can be transformed into fire, wind, earth, lightning, and water, as well as a few special properties."
"I can teach you this power to help improve the Uchiha bloodline."
Uchiha Tamaharu began tempting him with the offer.
Earlier, he had relied on threats. Now he was offering Vinsmoke Judge something he desperately wanted and considered a treasure.
He wanted the man to work in earnest and strive for the glory of the Uchiha.
Threats and incentives were what it took to win someone over completely.
"Understood!"
"Germa 66 will follow your glory and press onward!"
Vinsmoke Judge felt as if he could finally see the light at the end of the tunnel—the day he would create a truly perfect being seemed within reach!
He had to get his hands on this power!
He then carefully studied the blood of Uchiha Itachi and Izumi, while also arranging plans to manufacture combat suits and drawing up a list of supplies to purchase.
Uchiha Tamaharu also told him he would be taking him away and leaving Reiju behind to look after the place.
Judge had no objections. To figure everything out, he needed more samples. Without enough data, he couldn't analyze everything based on the blood of just two people.
"Stay in the North Blue for now. Don't go to the Grand Line."
"If anything comes up that you can't handle, contact me with a Den Den Mushi. I should be able to get there within a day."
Uchiha Tamaharu gave Reiju his instructions.
After discovering Chakra, he had stayed for another five days, giving Vinsmoke Judge time to pack the research equipment he needed to take with him.
Everything had now been packed. It came to only about ten cubic meters, so Uchiha Tamaharu used a Sealing Scroll he had prepared to seal it all inside.
Vinsmoke Judge stared in astonishment. When he learned that Chakra could do this too, he could hardly wait to get to work and obtain this power called Chakra as soon as possible!
Before, he couldn't have sealed away this much. But now he had plenty of Chakra, and they had brought along the scrolls the Uchiha Clan used when moving. That was how he had managed to fit everything, with room to spare. He even packed up a load of Germa 66's weapons.
"Yes, Lord Tamaharu!"
Reiju had given up on resisting.
It was enough that everyone was alive. Besides, she had no particular ambitions; looking after the place in the North Blue would suit her just fine.
Uchiha Tamaharu had placed the three brothers under a genjutsu, making them obey Reiju without question. Vinsmoke Judge had also given the brothers instructions himself, creating a double safeguard.
There wasn't much room for further development in the North Blue, and Uchiha Tamaharu hadn't come to make money. It was already good enough if Germa 66 could maintain its current state. He didn't want to spend more effort on it.
"Let's go!"
As soon as Uchiha Tamaharu finished speaking, he activated Susanoo.
He brought Itachi, Izumi, and Vinsmoke Judge along, then took to the sky and flew toward the Uchiha Clan's homeland.
"Is this also the power of Chakra?"
Vinsmoke Judge wasn't particularly impressed by the flight itself.
He was thrilled to be inside Susanoo. To a scientist like him, anything unknown held an enormous allure.
"It needs Chakra as a power source, but it also requires a converter: the Mangekyō Sharingan, which comes after the Three Tomoe."
"You can think of the Sharingan as a Devil Fruit, except this fruit can be passed down through bloodlines. Once we reach my place, I'll tell you more so you can study it properly."
Uchiha Tamaharu answered him.
The most important details were where the bloodline came from and how the Senju Clan could make up for the Uchiha Clan's weakness.
He could tell him a rough version of the truth then. This wasn't something that could be fully researched overnight, anyway.
Once he could return to the Shinobi World, he would bring Judge along to continue the research there.
"Yes!"
Vinsmoke Judge was so excited he could barely wait.
About eighteen hours later, they returned to the Uchiha Clan's homeland.
The clan members watched Susanoo slowly descend from the sky, their hearts filled with pride.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. It was early morning.
Uchiha Tamaharu summoned Uchiha Fugaku and told him about Vinsmoke Judge. Fugaku immediately arranged a place for Judge to set up his research equipment.
Uchiha Tamaharu then used the Sharingan to create a genjutsu and tell Vinsmoke Judge about the Uchiha and Senju Clans, as well as the different grades of Uchiha bloodlines.
"Is there no one left alive from the Senju Clan?"
After coming to his senses and thinking it over, Vinsmoke Judge couldn't help asking Uchiha Tamaharu.
This was the first time he had heard of bloodlines making up for each other. It felt like the way the bloodline complementarity had made the side effects of Devil Fruits—their vulnerability to Seastone and seawater—disappear entirely.
He could also tell that Uchiha Tamaharu had kept plenty of information from him, but he didn't press the matter. He knew his place.
"There are still some, but not right now. Within a year, I'll find you Senju Clan tissue to study."
"But if you don't prove your worth, that research won't involve you."
"Your most basic task is to find out what distinguishes the bloodline power of an ordinary Sharingan from that of a Mangekyō. That's your test."
Uchiha Tamaharu answered him.
After the Summit War, once someone in the Uchiha Clan had learned Armament Haki and their physical abilities had improved, he would go back to the Shinobi World.
Uchiha Tamaharu wanted to wipe out Konoha in one fell swoop and rebuild it on the spot. He had no intention of destroying Konoha and then coming straight back here.
So he planned to stay a while longer before taking action.
He had considered sneaking back first to obtain First Hokage Cells and awaken the Rinnegan.
But the First Hokage Cells available now had side effects. After using them, a face of the First Hokage appeared on the user's chest, and Uchiha Tamaharu couldn't accept that.
He planned to wait until Orochimaru developed a gentler version of the First Hokage Cells, like the milder ones Kabuto Yakushi used on Sasuke during the Great Ninja War, before trying them.
Besides, he didn't think he would need the Rinnegan for the tasks ahead. All things considered, returning to the Shinobi World was too risky. He didn't think he could withstand the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, and there were also two schemers to watch out for: Black Zetsu and Hagoromo Otsutsuki.
"Yes, I'll do it. I absolutely won't let you down!"
When Vinsmoke Judge heard that he could get Senju Clan cells, he was immediately thrilled.
He was confident he could meet Uchiha Tamaharu's demands. After all, he had spent years researching and had nearly mastered the Lineage Factors of the people in this world. That was how he had modified his four sons.
They might have been failures, but they were proof that the process was possible!
After that, he got down to work in earnest, analyzing the data being extracted from the blood samples by the machines.
Thank you all for the recommendation tickets and monthly tickets.
Thanks to the reader Zhai Nanxia for the 100-book-coin reward.
Before you continue