It seemed to be showing signs of connecting!
During the fusion, the Yang Release Chakra not only remained stable but actively guided the seemingly opposing power of Indra, infusing it with tremendous vitality.
Amazing~
His ocular power kept soaring.
At that moment, a joy that came from his very genes surged through him. Uchiha Xiu could clearly feel every cell in his body leaping with excitement, while his mind began to fluctuate violently.
And so, Naicai and Kobayashi witnessed this scene:
The captain, sitting cross-legged where he was, pressed a hand to his forehead. His shoulders began to shake uncontrollably. "Ahahahaha! Hahaha~"
There it was: the Uchiha clan's trademark maniacal laughter.
His bloodline was truly pure.
At that moment, three black Tomoe suddenly solidified in his blood-red eyes. Fine angular patterns appeared along their edges, as if they were about to mutate into the intricate design of a Mangekyo Sharingan in the next instant.
Unfortunately... he was just a little short.
The illusory angles crumbled before they had lasted two seconds.
In the end, his Yin Release power was insufficient, and the embryonic Mangekyo vanished without a trace.
"..." Uchiha Xiu couldn't laugh anymore.
Granted, he'd expected this. Even though he'd followed the formula, knowing that this kind of enhancement could achieve an effect greater than the sum of its parts, it was still difficult to break through two barriers in one go.
The Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't cheap.
The fact that two B-rank side-mission rewards had gotten him halfway there was already a pleasant surprise.
"No rush. My power has already increased by an outrageous amount in the short term. It's good to take a breather."
"Once I've returned to the Ninja World and let things settle for a while, maybe I'll awaken it through my own efforts."
The laughter brought on by his agitated mind subsided, and Uchiha Xiu regained his composure. He thought to himself:
"As long as I take that other half-step, I'll be in a state similar to Uchiha Obito's."
"High chakra reserves, low ocular-power consumption, and the simplified Sage Body will give me powerful healing. That should be enough to sustain me through intense battles and bring my performance close to that of an Eternal Mangekyo."
A weak Kage.
Uchiha Xiu rose to his feet, defining his own combat strength that way.
Once he'd had time to consolidate his gains, picked up enough high-level ninjutsu and Sealing Jutsu for free, and rounded out his Wood Release techniques... he'd definitely be able to hold his own at Kage Level.
And he had the advantage in intel!
Against a Jinchuriki, he'd land critical hits nonstop~
He'd be the Tailed Beasts' strictest father.
After all, his Wood Release had been inherited from improved Hashirama Cells that had faintly reverted toward the Ten-Tails Divine Tree. It could absorb Tailed Beast Chakra and use it to strengthen itself.
"Main God, show me my six stats."
[East Sea Team Captain Uchiha Xiu, current six stats-- Intelligence: 395
Mental Strength: 1588
Neural Reflexes: 1601 Muscle Strength: 897 Cellular Activity: 1227 Immunity: 985]
These were his static stats, without taking into account the bursts of power from repeatedly activating the second stage of the Gene Lock.
Because East Sea Team had been wiped out and reformed, and the difficulty of the new stage had been locked in, Uchiha Xiu hadn't yet met a single opponent who could give him a satisfying fight.
"There's no shortcut to improving your combat smarts. I'll have to fight more."
His attention lingered on his weakest stat: intelligence.
As for the massive increases to attributes like muscle strength and immunity, Uchiha Xiu wasn't surprised at all. To borrow a phrase from Shrouding the Heavens, when yin and yang work in harmony, one reigns supreme beneath the heavens.
In a way, the Naruto World leaned toward the cultivation genre, with elements from Chinese mythology like yin and yang, the Five Elements, dragon veins, and sacred lands.
"I'll get started too." With a quiet thought, Kobayashi Yoshito was once again drawn in by the Main God's Great Light Sphere.
Two C-rank side missions and 2,500 reward points were just enough to advance him from Ghost Swordsman to Soul Bender.
Crimson energy burrowed into the sealing chains on his left arm like a living thing. The chains shuddered violently, then shattered piece by piece!
"Soul Bender, the summoner among the five Ghost Swordsman classes, is the only one who can break the seal on his left hand and wield the power of the ghost gods."
Kobayashi groaned as his body arched from the pain. The veins beneath the skin of his left arm instantly turned a dusky purple, spreading across his chest like a web.
At the same time, a vast, chilling aura erupted from his body.
Within the Main God's beam of light, a translucent, dusky-purple wraith slowly took shape behind him—Kalla of Gloom!
It swirled around him like smoke, its outline indistinct but radiating a bone-deep chill. Without a sound, it melded against Kobayashi Yoshito's body.
"Interesting." The three Tomoe spun rapidly in Uchiha Xiu's scarlet eyes.
Out of curiosity, and thanks to his exceptional insight, he managed to discern what was happening inside Kobayashi Yoshito.
The violent dark energy that had been suppressed within him was unleashed at once, surging forth and forming a connection with the newly born shadow. It gave off a cold, ethereal ripple, with a faint sense of space twisting around it.
"It worked."
The beam of light disappeared. Kobayashi was freed from his agony, and the tearing burn in his left arm was replaced by a chilly, flowing sensation.
Thanks to Kalla of Gloom's constant support, his body felt exceptionally light, and his perception of the surrounding air currents and energy trajectories had become drastically sharper.
"The Main God's description says my resistance to the supernatural has greatly increased from now on. That includes attacks from ghosts and spirits, dark curses, and more. I can also nullify some physical damage. Maybe I could even take a bullet?"
"Every so often, I can also enter a Shadowless Step state and increase my dashing speed."
In response to the captain and healer's scrutiny, Kobayashi proactively projected some text.
[Skill: Kazan of the Blade Soul. Consume a certain amount of ghost-god power to summon the phantom of Kazan, the War Ghost God, creating a vast orange-red field. While the field lasts, the physical attributes and mental strength of all allied Reincarnators within its range are enhanced, and they gain additional resistance to mental corruption caused by hostile Abyss, Devil, and ghost-type units. The buffs end when the field disappears.]
The sign of a support DPS had arrived!
Kalla of Gloom was a Soul Bender-exclusive buff, while Kazan of the Blade Soul could boost anyone on his side.
"I've got just over 390 reward points left. I'll spend 20 on a basic sword manual and teach myself Uppercut, Triple Slash, Block, Mountain-Splitting Strike, Cross Slash, Moonlight Slash..."
"With the power of the ghost gods added to them, none of these moves will be ordinary."
"I'll spend 350 points and have the Main God make me a sharp Kodachi. A slab-sized greatsword isn't suitable anymore."
Kitagawa Nacai: "..."
The dark aura surging from Kobayashi seemed to stand in clear opposition to the light within her, but in truth, they didn't conflict.
In other words, their buffs wouldn't clash. At the very least, their combined effect would be greater than the sum of its parts.
"Not bad."
With two support teammates in tow, Uchiha Xiu nodded, convinced that he was in for good fortune, then turned his gaze away.
The beam of light lifted the healer into the air.
East Sea Team was moving forward!
Now that the right-wing extremists were gone, could this Reincarnator team—with its healthy morale—escape the fate of being crushed in the final battle?
Holy Light burst into view.
Uchiha Xiu kicked off the team's final round of enhancements, with Kitagawa Nacai bringing up the rear.
The light traced the graceful lines of her figure, lending them an even more fluid look.
Her skin seemed to have been washed in the purest radiance, glowing with the soft luster of jade.
Her features hadn't changed, yet she seemed to have been imbued with a deeper serenity and strength. An indescribable divine radiance gathered between her brows.
If Kobayashi Yoshito had to describe her, he'd say she looked like a holy maiden from a Western church mural, bearing the weight of faith and a sacred mission.
Holy Purification, acquired!
Weapon Block, acquired!
For some reason, Naicai didn't know why, but though she and Kobayashi Yoshito were both changing classes, he'd needed two C-rank side missions while she only needed one.
Maybe the Main God considered healers underpowered in the current version, compared to Soul Benders?
Uchiha Xiu knew the real answer:
The Great Light Sphere was a shameless hypocrite.
Giving her a discount was only fair.
It would be truly unfair if certain rewards were available only to specific Reincarnators.
Let's just say the Main God had decided to feed them.
Of course, expecting fairness from this breeding ground was a joke.
"My last D-rank side mission and 800 reward points will get me a heavy armor set with a cross."
With a thought, the healer underwent another dramatic transformation.
Her slender, graceful figure was encased in armor, and a wood-grain cross almost as tall as she was rested on her back. Only her flawless face and gentle, peach-blossom eyes remained exposed.
Her ear-length hair gave off a faint, holy white glow.
[Life Heavy Armor] [Magic legendary-class · light armor set. Includes chest armor, arm guards, leg guards, boots, and a large wood-grain cross. Made from the ancient tree of life from a broadly defined fantasy universe. Its physical defense is equivalent to a military-grade Level 4 ballistic plate. When the wearer moves, pale green vine patterns appear on the armor's surface. It continuously absorbs trace amounts of Natural Energy from its surroundings, slightly increasing stamina recovery and alleviating fatigue. When the wearer's life is threatened, it automatically activates a protective barrier. Limited to ten uses...]
"The extra 300 points over the protective jade pendant must be for the weapon." Uchiha Xiu looked at the wood-grain cross Naicai was holding.
It was 1.5 meters tall, a standard large blunt weapon.
"It comes with a Nature Prayer skill. When I plant the cross in the ground, it creates a Restoration Field with a ten-meter radius that lasts for thirty seconds, greatly increasing the wound-healing speed of allies."
Naicai explained gently, "It can only be used three times per horror-movie world..."
"Good. You two can go practice in your private spaces."
"I'm going to the Naruto World alone and will stay there for a while."
The Ninja World was full of danger. His two teammates couldn't handle it yet, and Uchiha Xiu's plan didn't require them.
Bringing them along would only be a burden.
Two strangers suddenly showing up in the Uchiha Clan Compound would be hard to explain. It might even draw the village's attention.
Old Dog Danzo wanted Root shinobi to investigate everything, even which family's pet dog had given birth.
"Also, how will the timeline work on my first return to Naruto? It can't jump ahead to after the massacre, can it? How would I stop the tragedy from happening?"
"I'll need a fallback plan too, just in case."
"If a major conflict breaks out in the open, I really can't take on the Third Hokage—an old, shriveled monkey—and the Anbu."
Having checked on his teammates and familiarized himself with East Sea Team's current lineup, Uchiha Xiu examined the list. One interesting item caught his eye, and the corresponding scene had already appeared in his mind.
[You are too arrogant, Ukitake...] [No one has stood in the heavens from the very beginning. Not you, not me, not even God. But the intolerable vacancy on the throne of heaven is about to end.] [From now on, I will stand at the top! Farewell, Soul Reapers. Farewell, Ryoka boy. For a human, you really are quite interesting...] [Bankai: Hair Gel Hand!] One-use item: Negacion. From the Bleach Universe. The inside and outside of its light are two mutually isolated worlds. Anyone surrounded by this light is effectively transported to another space, and nothing outside the Negacion can ever touch anything within... Note: To break through this space-type skill, an ability must surpass Negacion. Once he redeemed it, Uchiha Xiu could mark any area in advance. When faced with a lethal threat he couldn't overcome, he could activate it at will, opening a light barrier that couldn't be interrupted, tracked, or observed. It would transport him across any distance.]
Out of caution, Uchiha Xiu asked the Main God silently:
"Could it ignore a top-tier space-time ocular jutsu at the Six Paths Level threshold? Yes, I mean Kamui."
His captain privileges took effect.
The Great Light Sphere immediately responded with a formulaic thought:
"The ocular jutsu will fail."
"Suppose I'm trapped by a top-tier Sealing Jutsu, restrained, and out of chakra and ocular power. If I trigger Negacion with a thought, will it break me out of that desperate situation?"
"Yes."
That led him to a conclusion—
"Kamui for showing off."
"A life-saving item that lets me escape a desperate situation at my leisure. And it isn't limited to one person. It'll take everyone I recognize within five meters and teleport them along with me."
After giving it a fair assessment, Uchiha Xiu decisively spent one C-rank side mission and 2,000 points.
He had one C-rank side mission and more than 10,000 points left.
He'd need to break those down further.
Logging a world for the first time required one D-rank side mission.
"I'll go back for thirty days and test the waters. I've got enough reward points to live for most of a year."
"There's far too much of this stuff."
A few minutes later.
The light of teleportation descended!
As his thoughts shifted in a half-dreaming daze, the square transformed into another indistinct scene.
Konoha!
It was called a village, but it looked more like a large town. Its surroundings featured a variety of terrain, and the buildings had a classical style. There weren't many towering structures, but it was hardly backward—power lines were everywhere, and the roads were wide.
Uchiha Xiu's house: a detached home with a courtyard.
A thick tree spread its lush branches overhead. Its leaves broke up the sunlight, which dappled the second-floor computer room. The aroma of a neighbor's breakfast drifted through the air, lending everything a warm, lived-in feel.
When he'd first entered the Main God Space, it had been breakfast time.
"Only one second passed?"
Glancing at the clock in the lower-right corner of the computer screen, Uchiha Xiu smiled.
It was great!
"I'll go find the easygoing Elder Shin and squeeze him for cash, then fill out my skill pool~"
"In the Warring States era before Konoha was founded, the Uchiha were the only clan that could stand toe-to-toe with Senju Hashirama. They might well have scrolls of Wood Release techniques."
"Know your enemy and know yourself, and you'll never be defeated."
Uchiha Xiu closed the newly created folder, then used the Body Flicker Technique to leap out the window.
I'm done writing Young Obito.
Making money? I've got another way.
Gold was one of the Ninja World's hard currencies, and in the Main God Space, it was about as cheap as rocks—sold by the cubic meter.
Uchiha Xiu exchanged five tons in one go. The Ninja Cat Clan, with its own arms-dealing connections, could probably take it all!
"Morning, Xiu."
"Morning, Yuto."
As he walked along, Uchiha Xiu felt much calmer than he had when he'd once been so flustered inside.
Before long,
a courtyard spanning roughly two acres came into view.
"Xiu, is that you? Come in."
"I heard you're being promoted to squad-leading Chunin next week. There might be an assessment, so you're here to learn a new technique, right?"
An elderly voice came from inside the courtyard.
Before you continue