Eyes and Abilities

"You... Are you sure there's no special bloodline in your family?"

Senju Tobirama looked at the White Eyes in Li Ke's eyes and finally couldn't hold back the question.

"I don't know... You can't tell just by looking at the family records. But I do know that our family got along pretty well with all the major Ninja Clans back then..."

Li Ke was at a loss for words, too. Intermarriage between Ninja Clans in the Ninja World really wasn't all that rare. Even among the Hyuga Clan, there were plenty of people who married into other clans or married outsiders.

After all, not everyone could awaken the Byakugan. Those who didn't awaken it didn't need to be branded with the Caged Bird. Only those who successfully awakened the Byakugan did.

Kekkei Genkai weren't all that easy to inherit, after all.

Li Ke gently ran his fingers over his newly regrown White Eyes. Though it wasn't quite right to call them Byakugan, since these eyes seemed more blue and Light Cyan, with a hint of white.

What's more, this eye he'd regained saw more clearly and much farther than the Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye. And when the two fields of vision overlapped, Li Ke noticed something.

The forest he saw with the Sharingan wasn't visible through his Byakugan. His right eye saw a vast plain instead.

There was no doubt that this was X-ray Vision, but Li Ke was puzzled. The Byakugan's X-ray Vision should only show things in black and white, so why was his in color?

Was it a mutation, or the result of Izuna Uchiha's chakra?

Or—

Was it something special about him?

Li Ke suddenly thought about his other selves. The versions of him in other worlds all had special powers. French Li Ke had a talent for magic, Smiling Proud Li Ke had the Hard Drive Spirit's ability, and Daily Life Li Ke had given him an extraordinarily strong body and vitality. Though he didn't know what talent Diablo Li Ke had given him, it was obvious there had to be one.

And what about him?

Looking at himself in the ice mirror, Li Ke realized that what stood before him was Ice Release!

"And this Sharingan feels strange. It gives me the sense that it'll disappear as soon as its power runs out. Also, Second Hokage, you have Ice Release as a Kekkei Genkai?"

Li Ke couldn't help asking. He'd never heard anything about this!

"This is your talent... Qingtan, your talent may be beyond what I can imagine..."

Senju Tobirama's voice was complicated. He'd now realized that the Mangekyō in Li Ke's left eye was actually the remnants of Izuna Uchiha's chakra. Once its power was used up—or Li Ke subdued that ocular power—he could easily hide the Mangekyō.

But what was going on with his right eye? No matter how pure the Byakugan was, it couldn't grant the abilities Li Ke had just displayed.

Was it a new Kekkei Genkai, or a mutation of the Byakugan?

Senju Tobirama quickly reviewed the Murata Clan's family records in his mind, then fell silent.

Because there really was something there!

The Murata Clan had been selling charcoal for hundreds of years. They'd always been a small family, but they'd never made enemies of any other clans. For a long time, they'd even served the Daimyo.

It was only after the era of the Ninja Villages began that they'd completely shifted to becoming ninjas.

But before that, quite a few branches of other clans had indeed married into the family.

The Uchiha Clan, the Senju Clan, the Uzumaki Clan, the Kaguya Clan, the Hagoromo Clan, the Hyuga Clan, and the Sarutobi Clan had all intermarried with the Murata Clan.

But this wasn't anything unusual. Many Ninja Clans did the same. The Senju Clan was no exception. They'd intermarried with all the clans above, apart from the Uchiha Clan—and with far more clans than the Murata Clan had!

After all, intermarriage was essential for Ninja Clans that wanted to form alliances.

But those who married across clans were usually marginal figures in their own families. Even if they were lucky enough to awaken a Kekkei Genkai, it was always incredibly weak and accompanied by a severe bloodline disease.

That was why most Ninja Clans arranged marriages between their own bloodline ninjas.

But... Li Ke's situation couldn't be explained as an anomaly!

This was a full-blown mutation!

Senju Tobirama's desire to investigate grew stronger and stronger, but in the end, he only sighed and abandoned the idea.

After all, he was already dead. Instead, he focused on examining what was going on inside Li Ke's body.

Soon, he understood what was happening.

"Incredible... Izuna Uchiha's Yin Release Chakra activated the power you already had. But your own Dojutsu Kekkei Genkai was too weak, so one eye couldn't bear the power of the Mangekyō. The remaining power combined with your excess vitality and regenerated your eye..."

The more Senju Tobirama examined Li Ke's body, the more absurd it seemed. Li Ke's body kept bringing one possibility to mind.

A Sage.

"A Sage's body... Qingtan, I need you to try something. Try controlling the Yin Release Chakra in your left eye, then try to create the same kind of Yin Release Chakra and coat your right eye with it..."

Senju Tobirama's voice grew low.

Li Ke, who'd been waiting for the old Senju medic to examine him, quickly focused and carefully tried to control the sinister Yin Release Chakra in his left eye, then draw it out.

In the next moment, the unsettling chakra came out of Li Ke's left eye as easily as if he were manipulating his own chakra. In the ice mirror, the Mangekyō pattern in his left eye vanished, revealing a pale-blue "Byakugan" identical to the one in his right eye!

Meanwhile, his right eye began to ache, gradually taking on the appearance of Izuna Uchiha's Mangekyō.

"Just as I thought!"

Senju Tobirama spoke immediately. His theory had been right. The Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan and the Byakugan were both simply changes in the eyeball caused by powerful ocular energy.

But the Kekkei Genkai awakened in Li Ke by the Mangekyō's ocular power was too powerful. Not even the Mangekyō's power could force its way over that Kekkei Genkai and turn Li Ke's eyes into Sharingan!

Thank goodness it wasn't a Sharingan!

Senju Tobirama couldn't help feeling relieved. But his scientific curiosity made him want Li Ke to try more things—to see whether they could preserve this ability and put it to use!

He could tell that although this chakra circulated through Li Ke's body, it didn't put any pressure on Li Ke's brain, nor had his brain undergone any deformation.

In other words, Li Ke wouldn't go insane from the Sharingan's curse!

"Good. Now try creating chakra like this."

Following Senju Tobirama's instructions, Li Ke tried to produce chakra with a Yin Release affinity. To his own surprise, even though he'd previously had only Wind, Water, and Earth Release, manipulating Yin Release Chakra came easily to him.

The next moment, Li Ke produced chakra that lacked the cold sensation of Izuna Uchiha's Yin Release Chakra. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't replicate Izuna Uchiha's chakra.

Senju Tobirama was a little disappointed, but he still helped Li Ke guide this power into his left eye.

The next moment, three Tomoe appeared in Li Ke's left eye. With Senju Tobirama helping him increase the flow of chakra, more chakra similar to Izuna Uchiha's Yin Release Chakra poured in. The Tomoe in Li Ke's left eye spun faster and faster, until they finally formed a pinwheel.

A complete Mangekyō Sharingan appeared in Li Ke's eyes. The patterns in the two Mangekyō weren't the same, though. Li Ke's Mangekyō had a Four-pointed Star pattern, making it look like a starry eye.

Senju Tobirama and Li Ke could both tell that if they kept pouring in more Yin Release Chakra over an extended period and let Li Ke's eyes convert it into ocular power, it might even produce more changes!

"So it really works... Kid, can you sense the power in your Sharingan? Never mind. Pour chakra into your eyes and see what happens."

Li Ke nodded. Chakra poured into his left eye. He was more curious about the power of the "Sharingan" he'd created by imitating Izuna Uchiha's Yin Release Chakra than the one in his right eye.

As Li Ke's chakra flowed in, the Four-pointed Star in his left eye began spinning rapidly. The next moment, he felt his chakra becoming much easier to control.

Li Ke paused, then instinctively released chakra from his hand and used his will to shape it.

In the next moment, his chakra swiftly transformed into Wind, Water, Lightning, Fire, Light, Ice, and even wood!

After changing nature, the chakra also quickly changed shape. Under Li Ke's control, it transformed into chains, a lightning beast, a Wind Blade, and even a network of lasers!

"This..."

Senju Tobirama was dumbfounded. He'd more or less figured out the ability of Li Ke's left Mangekyō.

Chakra control! With this ability, no technique would remain a mystery or a problem for Li Ke!

Aside from some Fuinjutsu and other special techniques, Li Ke would hardly need to learn any more elemental ninjutsu!

But Li Ke frowned slightly. He withdrew the Yin Release Chakra in his left eye—the chakra similar to Izuna Uchiha's—and revealed his blue-white eye. Still, he continued supplying his own chakra, letting his eye convert it into ocular power.

The result was—

His abnormal ability to control chakra remained, and using it had even become easier!

Even so, Li Ke still felt a sharp ache in his eyes. He couldn't help stopping the conversion of chakra into ocular power and covering his eyes.

"So this is the ability of your own Kekkei Genkai? Then what's your Mangekyō's ability? Or does using the Mangekyō you imitated prevent you from awakening a Dojutsu? Well... it's disappointing, but Qingtan, try the eye that contains Izuna Uchiha's power! Use the Yin Release Chakra you created, the kind that's close to his!"

Senju Tobirama was a little disappointed, but even more excited.

Li Ke nodded and immediately transferred that Yin Release Chakra over. The next moment, black flames instantly blazed across the ice mirror in front of him!

Amaterasu!

But Li Ke felt that he still hadn't used one of the abilities, so he increased the flow of Yin Release Chakra. In the next moment, the Amaterasu flames rapidly changed shape, turning under his eyes' control into a series of sharp black spears!

Li Ke could tell he could unleash another ninjutsu. More of the special Yin Release Chakra formed, and the next moment, a blue skeleton began to emerge around him.

But at that point, Li Ke felt warmth at the corner of his eye. His left eye, which had already stopped being a Mangekyō, now saw tears running from the corner of his right eye. The tiny chakra meridians and blood vessels around his eyes were already being pushed past their limits.

Some of the tiny blood vessels had actually burst!

Li Ke quickly dispelled his "Sharingan," restoring his eyes to their blue-white color. Then dizziness flooded his mind, and he couldn't help dropping to one knee.

"Izuna Uchiha's chakra hasn't been used up at all. It seems that when you use your own Yin Release Chakra, Izuna Uchiha's chakra isn't consumed... But to keep this chakra from affecting your brain, kid, I recommend sealing it above your neck with Fuinjutsu. You can undo the seal when you need to use it."

Senju Tobirama finally relaxed. As long as it wasn't a Sharingan, that was good enough. As for everything else, it didn't matter as long as it didn't harm the body.

"That's true, Second Hokage. But the Sharingan really does consume a lot of chakra..."

Li Ke sensed that he'd used up more than half his chakra and couldn't help marveling at how much it drained the body. He really didn't know how Kakashi had managed to endure it.

But—

Why did he feel that something inside his body was slowly awakening as it endured the drain of all that powerful chakra?

What exactly was his ability?

And what was going on with his eyes?

Li Ke was filled with questions.

"There's nothing to be done about that. But are you worried about your eyes? You're right, they could easily cause a misunderstanding..."

Using Li Ke's hands, Senju Tobirama quickly formed a few hand seals. The next moment, Li Ke's eyes returned to their normal black color.

"This is a transformation technique I just improved. As long as someone from the Hyuga Clan doesn't stare at your eyes, they won't notice anything. Even if they do notice something unusual, you can just say you're developing a Dojutsu. Kid, remember how this technique works. Also..."

Senju Tobirama's voice was full of delight.

"When you become a powerful ninja, show your eyes to those Hyuga Clan bastards and let them see that times have changed!"

He'd been sick of the Hyuga Clan for a long time!

I write 4,000 characters per chapter... sometimes even 5,000.

And during the new-book period, I can't post more than one chapter a day. The requirement is 4,000 characters.

So I can't do that.

Or should I split it into two chapters?