Hair

It was like the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique: there was only one hand seal, and with Naruto's speed at forming Hand Seals, even a blind man could figure out exactly how to perform it! But without knowing the chakra pathways, outsiders could only watch in bewilderment!

Elder Chiyo knew this, which was why she wasn't afraid of the Konoha shinobi watching her treatment. The only person who needed to learn One's Own Life Reincarnation was Gangbalang, the condemned prisoner serving as its host! And since Gangbalang was fated to die after using One's Own Life Reincarnation, Chiyo wasn't worried about him betraying her. At most, she could destroy his brain afterward to be safe. Besides, Gangbalang couldn't exactly be said to have learned One's Own Life Reincarnation. He had only seen it and learned its chakra pathways and method of execution, then cooperated with Elder Chiyo as she performed it on his body. He was still a world away from actually mastering it.

It was like taking a driving test. I know what all the controls do, but actually getting behind the wheel is a different matter entirely! Gangbalang was like an elementary school student holding the blueprints for a sixth-generation fighter jet. He hadn't learned to build one himself, but he could hand the blueprints to someone else!

And now Uchiha Gen wanted to use Gangbalang's hair to get Orochimaru to revive him with Impure World Reincarnation, then control Gangbalang with Genjutsu and have him recreate the exact process and details of One's Own Life Reincarnation!

As for whether Orochimaru would cooperate? Uchiha Gen didn't care in the slightest. With his current ocular power, even Madara Uchiha would have to kneel if he showed up (Madara with the Rinnegan, sit down first. I'm not talking about you). Orochimaru was nothing to worry about!

"I see. That's a relief!" Pakura finally relaxed when she heard this.

"Of course, all of this depends on you getting Gangbalang's hair, Kurenai. It doesn't have to be hair, though. Any other part of his body will do!" Uchiha Gen explained.

"Wait a moment!" After searching around, Pakura took a lock of hair from beneath the desk in the room. Though she'd been complaining about Uchiha Gen, she'd still kept in mind what he'd asked her to do. After all, something like that had happened between them.

"This is what you wanted. But how are you going to take it with you in this state?" Pakura asked, puzzled, as she looked at Uchiha Gen's spirit form.

"I'll leave it with you for now. As long as we have it, that's enough! By the way, you need to be especially careful about what I told you earlier. Kirigakure really is planning to make a move against you. I'm not joking!" Uchiha Gen said gravely. From what he could tell, Pakura had accepted their relationship. Since he'd forced himself on her, he hadn't been sure how she would feel about him. But things seemed to be moving in a good direction. All the more reason not to let her die because of a plot between Kirigakure and Sunagakure!

"Yeah, I know. Sunagakure has been planning to discuss a peace treaty with Kirigakure lately, but Kirigakure doesn't seem very interested." As an important fighting force for Sunagakure, Pakura was privy to this intelligence. And from what Uchiha Gen had said, he knew even more about the situation than she did. Naturally, she had no reason to hide anything from him.

"Is that so? Remember what I told you? Kirigakure wants peace too. They've been fighting for so long. Kirigakure isn't like Konoha. Konoha is already struggling to fight on two fronts, so imagine how hard it must be for Kirigakure under the Bloody Mist Policy! Still, even if they want peace, don't forget what I said about the price they'll demand. Sunagakure will probably hand you over for the sake of peace. You'll surely be part of the delegation negotiating the treaty, so contact me when the time comes. Don't go there alone like a fool!" Uchiha Gen said with concern. He cared deeply about his own people!

"Mm, don't worry. I'm Sunagakure's Scorch Release user. How could I fall for such a cheap, underhanded plot?" Pakura gazed at the man before her, brimming with confidence.

Ahem! Don't get too cocky. In the original story, this was exactly where you fell! But with me involved, your fate is bound to change!

"I've kept you here for so long. I should be going!" Though he said this, Uchiha Gen made no move to leave.

"Mm. See you next time. If things really happen the way you said, I'll contact you before I go to Kirigakure for peace talks!" Pakura waved goodbye.

"Hm? Why aren't you leaving? Is there something else?" Pakura looked at Uchiha Gen and seemed to realize something.

"You wouldn't happen to be having another dirty thought, would you? But can you even do anything in that spirit form?" Certain that Uchiha Gen couldn't act on his urges in this state, Pakura chuckled and taunted the man before her.

"Of course I can. Let me teach you something, woman: the Tsukuyomi World is a spiritual realm. The body isn't necessary!" Uchiha Gen smirked wickedly.

"What? I was wro—"

"Tsukuyomi!"

One second later!

Pakura lay on the ground, utterly limp, her face flushed and her chest heaving!

Uchiha Gen shivered where he stood, waved, and turned to leave, his stride carefree as he departed without a trace.

The Tsukuyomi World really was the best. There was no need to worry about running out of stamina, and physical limitations wouldn't hold him back. As long as he wanted to and had enough chakra and ocular power, he could go three days and three nights without rest!

In the blink of an eye, Uchiha Gen had returned to the Uchiha Clan Compound in Konoha. The Spirit Transformation Technique really was convenient. Too bad he wasn't talented enough to learn it; otherwise, mastering the Flying Thunder God would have been even more useful!

Now that he had Gangbalang's hair, all that remained was to deal with Orochimaru. That would be easy enough. Orochimaru hadn't defected yet. In the original story, he was still in Konoha when Itachi practiced Uchiha Shurikenjutsu! That was enough to show Orochimaru defected after the Fourth Hokage died and Hiruzen Sarutobi took office again!

Once things with Pakura were settled, he could bring her to Konoha. As for whether Konoha would accept her, who cared? Did those few useless old men in the leadership really think they could throw their weight around?

Think I can't take two blades over forty meters long and cut my way from the Sarutobi Clan to the back garden of the Shimura Clan? They've forgotten who's in charge!

"Knock, knock."

Uchiha Gen, lost in thought, was interrupted by a sudden knock at the door.

Why did the knock at Uchiha Gen's house sound different from the one at Fugaku's? Because Fugaku was the clan head, of course. The rich knew how to live! But Gen didn't care much about where he lived. Otherwise, with his current wealth, he could have afforded a mansion like Fugaku's long ago!

After all this time making a killing by constantly squeezing the life out of the market and pocketing the difference, his assets could buy at least dozens of Asuma's heads! But if Pakura moved in, this place really would be too small. And she might not be the only one. Mm, it was time to find a new place. It couldn't be too shabby; it had to be at least as nice as Fugaku's!