A Thousand Cuts

Itachi Uchiha gradually gained the upper hand, suppressing the wooden transformation until only one-third remained.

As time passed, all the liquid in the IV bag flowed into Itachi Uchiha's body.

"Itachi! The infusion is over now, but don't celebrate just yet. The battle for control of your body officially starts now. You must completely suppress every Wood Release Cell within you and force the remaining wooden transformation back. Once your body returns to normal, that will count as an initial success!"

Doichi Hyuga spoke with a smiling expression.

"You still can't let your guard down. Not if you want to turn into a tree!"

Doichi Hyuga added with a chuckle as he watched Itachi Uchiha.

"..."

Itachi Uchiha parted his cracked lips, but he could not utter a single word. He was lying in a pool of water, all of it sweat that had poured from him as he fought against the pain!

"You can drink water, but you can't lose focus!"

Doichi Hyuga hung up another IV bag, removed the needle, and fed the infusion tube into Itachi Uchiha's mouth.

That way, he would not choke and get distracted! Doichi Hyuga was a very meticulous man.

It was better to keep the test subject alive, since it would make gathering follow-up experimental data more convenient!

The liquid in the IV bag was bluish-green, a highly concentrated nutrient extract that Doichi Hyuga had prepared in advance.

Green, healthy, and pollution-free. One bottle meant no food for three days, and its energy density was off the charts.

What followed was an intense tug-of-war, back and forth, advance and retreat, retreat and advance.

Another four hours passed, and Itachi Uchiha barely managed to keep the wooden transformation below his elbows.

"I almost died! Don't you owe me an explanation?"

Itachi Uchiha stared gloomily at Doichi Hyuga, with a powerful urge to hit him.

"You can talk now? Congratulations! You've already succeeded by ninety percent. But don't get cocky. You still need to keep working hard!"

Doichi Hyuga smiled as he rapped on Itachi Uchiha's wooden hand, producing a series of crisp thump, thump, thump sounds.

"Don't change the subject! If I'd known it would be this dangerous and painful, I'd rather have waited to die!"

Itachi Uchiha's anger surged to his head, and the wooden transformation climbed another stretch up his arm.

"That's enough, Itachi! Calm yourself. You need to keep your mind at peace if you want to succeed."

"I came thoroughly prepared. That injection just now was only one of the things I had ready! No matter what happens, you won't die!"

Was that the drug he injected when I nearly turned into a tree? It really did pull me back from the brink of death. Doichi Hyuga hadn't lied to me. Perhaps he really was confident.

Itachi Uchiha's expression improved considerably, though the veins on his face continued to throb violently. The muscles beneath his skin kept twitching and twisting, as if countless insects were constantly burrowing through him.

It was practically like being cut by a thousand blades!

"You should still have that medicine. Give me another injection! My entire body itches as if countless insects are burrowing through me, and waves of intense stabbing pain keep coming over me. It feels like tens of millions of needles are piercing through my body again and again!"

"Are you sure you want to do that? This is a rare opportunity to temper your mental fortitude!"

This was a rare observation opportunity. What the hell were you dreaming about?

Doichi Hyuga offered a "kind" reminder and continued persuading him.

"Only someone with an unbreakable will can become a true powerhouse. You're someone I recognize as strong. Are you sure you want to give up?"

Doichi Hyuga coaxed him.

"..."

Itachi Uchiha was utterly speechless. This pain was worse than death.

"Then why don't you try it?"

"Heh. When I first began training, I went through pains you couldn't imagine—my body being torn apart, my bones shifting out of place, my internal organs being pierced, and more."

"And I endured those pains for at least a year. Without that kind of will, how could I have gained this level of strength!"

Doichi Hyuga looked at Itachi Uchiha teasingly and continued spinning his tale.

"..."

Itachi Uchiha had nothing to say. He was not confident that he could defeat Doichi Hyuga. When his Sharingan had briefly swept over Doichi Hyuga earlier, he had seen terrifying chakra flowing through him, powerfully and swiftly suppressing the First Hokage Cells and rapidly opening the blocked blood vessels.

With such powerful mental fortitude and chakra, wasn't it only natural for Doichi Hyuga to possess such overwhelming strength?

Itachi Uchiha could only submit. What else could he say? He could only grit his teeth and endure.

"I originally planned to inject the First Hokage Cells all at once, but I was afraid you wouldn't be able to take it and would die on the spot! An infusion was already the gentlest method, giving you more time to adapt!"

He explained with a smile. He had to keep his tool stable.

"Sorry! I misunderstood you! You put so much effort into this for me. Thank you very much!"

Itachi Uchiha: Thanks so much~

"I already removed the most violent parts of the First Hokage Cells!"

Of course, the main thing I removed was the First Hokage's personal spiritual will. At least he wouldn't end up like Uchiha Madara, walking around with an ugly face sticking out of his chest and showing it off everywhere.

After removing those parts, the First Hokage Cells' strength had dropped considerably, leaving only eighty-nine percent of the original cells' potency. Aside from Uchiha Madara, Itachi Uchiha was probably the person with the strongest First Hokage Cells in his body.

Even without perfect purity, surviving them with a Mangekyo Sharingan was still a near-death experience. Uchiha Madara was absurdly powerful and possessed an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, allowing him to directly overpower the First Hokage Cells. Ordinary people truly could not do that.

Kenji Uchiha had used White Zetsu, which was itself an inferior imitation of the First Hokage.

Danzo was another case entirely. Even his arm was not his own, and he needed the Sharingan and Mangekyo Sharingan to suppress it. There was even less comparison to be made.

Itachi Uchiha focused all his strength and spent another two hours slowly working at it before finally eliminating the wooden transformation completely.

After enduring for eight or nine hours straight, Itachi Uchiha finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"How do you feel?"

Doichi Hyuga asked.

"The itching and pain aren't as intense anymore. My vision has recovered somewhat, and my ocular power seems to have increased a little."

Itachi Uchiha activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, carefully sensed the changes, and spoke.

"That sinister, cold feeling from the Mangekyo Sharingan has faded considerably! Perhaps your eyes may even go a step further in the future!"

Doichi Hyuga observed him for a moment and gave an objective assessment.

The Rinnegan was probably out of the question; it would take far too long. But ocular power on the level of an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan might be worth looking forward to.

After all, even Uchiha Madara had waited decades despite possessing an Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

However, Uchiha Madara had gone blind in one Eternal Eye after using Izanagi, and restoring that eye had probably taken quite a bit of time as well.

"Within the next seven days, wooden assimilation may still occur! If your Wood Release loses control, stay calm! Just suppress it with your Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular power and chakra. Your ocular power will continue to grow gradually, and suppressing it will become easier and easier! Once your body gradually adapts and the discomfort disappears completely, there will no longer be any such risk!"

"Take these three suppressants with you. If anything uncontrollable happens, inject one promptly to force an intervention."

Doichi Hyuga handed Itachi Uchiha three syringes, then gave him a scroll as well!

"This is... a Wood Release ninjutsu scroll!"

Itachi Uchiha opened it, took a look, and said in surprise.

"Once your body fully adapts, you can try cultivating Wood Release!"

"Also! Congratulations on your rebirth, Itachi!"

Doichi Hyuga examined his handiwork and spoke with a smile.

"Dao Yi! Thank you!"

"You can rest in the laboratory for a few days. That would be safer!"

"No. I can't be away for too long. Kisame Hoshigaki isn't easy to fool!"

"Fine! Decide for yourself, then! I'm going back to sleep first. It's already late at night!"

Itachi Uchiha rested for one night, then hurriedly left before dawn.