Uchiha Chunwu and Rin's Self-Reproach, Uchiha Kei's Reassurance
Qi picked up the scabbard and gently tapped Chunwu's shoulder with a gentle touch, carrying the guidance and expectations of a senior.
Finally, he added with certainty, "My overall performance tonight will be rated as 'Excellent' in the mission report."
The Susanoo sword strike that shook the entire port area just now, and the overwhelming support that crushed Jack the Drought, seemed to him to be nothing more than a piece of cake, not worth mentioning.
The two tiptoed out of the cabin. The evening breeze rushed towards them, carrying the unique salty smell of the deep sea, mixed with the faint scent of charred wood from the distant ruins. The contrast of hot and cold made them exceptionally alert.
Lin stopped beside him, gently shaking her head in the evening breeze. "Times are different. The battlefield environment back then was far harsher than it is now."
Chunwu chuckled softly, his brows and eyes relaxing completely. "With a genius like him raising the bar, it's fortunate we don't have a uniform standard, otherwise, we'd probably never be able to hold our heads high."
They all knew perfectly well what was going on.
At this moment, they still have the support of their seniors and the protection of powerful figures.
But ultimately, you have to walk this path yourself.
One day, they will shed their immaturity and grow into strong individuals capable of standing on their own, becoming the ones who shelter their companions from the storm and protect them from harm.
Origin Island, Uchiha Research Institute.
Today, Vallen is acting very strangely.
His white lab coat, which was usually stained with reagents and loosely draped, was now meticulously made, with the buttons fastened all the way to the top.
Her messy hair was no longer the bird's nest it had been growing from years of exposure to the fumes of a petri dish. She had carefully wet her hair and combed it neatly. She had shed her former madness and was now exuding a rare seriousness.
Caesar Clown hovered in mid-air behind him, a carbon pen between his teeth, a thick stack of experimental data clutched in his fingers, and he grumbled reluctantly.
From early morning, Vallen kept nagging him to clean the laboratory repeatedly, sweeping it inside and out several times, determined to make the perpetually messy experimental area spotless, as if he were about to welcome some extremely distinguished guest.
He was utterly baffled. It was just Lord Natsu returning to Origin Island; why the commotion?
Just as he was silently complaining, the alloy door of the laboratory was pushed open from the outside, and a cool breeze blew in through the crack in the door.
Caesar Clown's nonchalant demeanor froze instantly, the pen he was holding in his mouth fell to the ground with a "thud," and he uncontrollably floated back half a meter, his suspended body trembling slightly.
The man's chilling aura of bloodlust was not something that could be cultivated through ordinary battles. It was a heavy, malevolent aura that had been forged through countless battles, steeped in the flames of war and slaughter. Just by standing there, one could feel the pressure and make it hard to breathe.
Caesar Clown swallowed hard, not daring to be disrespectful, and obediently shrank into a corner of the laboratory, remaining completely silent.
Vallen strode forward, his gaze politely sweeping over Ban's figure, but a flash of pure scientific fervor dared to cross his eyes.
That was the researchers' instinctive desire to explore when faced with top-tier special physiques; it had nothing to do with awe, but only with the pursuit of knowledge.
Natsu tilted her head slightly, her tone casual and relaxed, as if introducing an ordinary clansman, without any deliberate formality. "This is the newly promoted Elder of the Uchiha, Madara Uchiha."
From now on, his physical monitoring, fitness matching, and genetic data tracking will all be handled entirely by the research institute.
The final injection of Light of Susanoo be performed by you, Vallen, yourself.
Vallen immediately composed himself, instantly switching into a highly professional work mode. He adjusted his glasses and began to report on the core results in a steady and clear manner.
"Currently, the core self-developed project of the research institute is the first-generation gene enhancement drug - Light of Susanoo."
The core principle of the drug is to deeply activate the Indra Factor latent within the Uchiha bloodline, breaking through the conventional upper limit of eye power, while simultaneously greatly Chakra and Natural Energy.
"At present, dozens of clansmen have completed the injection and adaptation, and their overall combat strength has increased several times. Among them, several exceptionally talented individuals have even successfully Awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan under the influence of the drug. The adaptation data has remained stable throughout the process, with no serious rejection reactions."
Caesar Clown, who was hiding in the corner, couldn't help but peek out and whisper, "I personally prepared the cell proliferation adaptation and the basic culture medium for Light of Susanoo!"
The words had barely left his mouth when he was caught off guard by Natsu's deep, scarlet Sharingan. He tensed up, instantly admitting defeat, and quickly added, "Of course! The core formulas and data deductions are all thanks to Vallen. I was just helping out and running errands!"
Natsu withdrew her gaze, offering neither further jokes nor harsh criticism.
At this moment, Ban's deep, indifferent voice slowly rang out. "This potion, is it still useful to me?"
In his mind, he had already reached the pinnacle of the Mangekyo Sharingan level, and ordinary eye-enhancing potions could no longer amplify his abilities.
"It's extremely useful." Natsu answered decisively and confidently. "Your eye power and physical strength are already firmly among the top ranks of the Mangekyo Sharingan. The direct boost to your combat power from the potion may not be as dramatic as the doubling of other members of your clan. But the most precious value of the Light of Susanoo has never been limited to just increasing combat power."
He paused briefly before pinpointing the core issue. "It can accelerate the fusion efficiency of Chakra and Natural Energy to the extreme, which is precisely the core threshold of Sage Mode."
For others, it might take months of adjustment to reach the limits, but with your talent and foundation, you might be able to unlock the door to Sage Mode in just a few days."
Upon hearing this, Ban's eyes flickered slightly, and he nodded gently, acknowledging this explanation.
Seeing this, Vallen immediately seized the opportunity, his eyes shining, and tentatively asked, "Senior Ban, during the subsequent physical monitoring, could I collect a small amount of your blood and tissue samples?"
I have a great interest in your unique Chakra pathways and top-purity Indra Factor, which may be able to completely perfect the compatibility system of Light of Susanoo!
Caesar Clown, sitting in the corner, silently curled his lip and muttered to himself, "Typical research maniac, he completely loses control when faced with top-tier samples."
Madara didn't immediately agree, turning his head to look at Natsu beside him, his tone flat and indifferent. "Although this researcher is verbose and noisy, he's much more pleasing to the eye than Tobirama Senju."
Natsu chuckled upon hearing this, "Tobirama wouldn't be spending all his time in a lab coat."
"That's even more terrifying," Madara added casually.
Natsu a moment, then nodded in deep agreement.
He turned and walked towards the laboratory door, but stopped abruptly at the entrance, glancing sideways at Caesar Clown huddled in the corner, his tone light:
"I've noted down the optimized formula for the culture medium. I'll ask Elder to grant me a special batch of top-tier experimental equipment Setsuna. Consider it a special gift from me for my trip to the parallel Ninja World."