Research success

As Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward, the villagers of Konoha downstairs gradually dispersed.

The ninja who had been halfway through a hand seal also lowered his hands.

There was no helping it. Before, he could have claimed that using ninjutsu on the Hokage's Office was firefighting, a good deed.

If he kept going now, it would become an attempted assassination of the Hokage.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the "Water Release Ninja," who kept looking back as he walked away. On his back was a very conspicuous fan emblem, red on top and white on the bottom.

Wonderful. Another member of the Uchiha Clan!!!

I'll remember this grudge!

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze darkened.

"Someone, go ask the Uchiha Clan about their eldest young master's enrollment again."

"Yes, Lord Hokage!"

Then Hiruzen Sarutobi became very, very angry!

He even squeezed the stem of his favorite tobacco pipe out of shape, the one he normally never put down.

He had considered the possibility that Uchiha Seiichi might refuse, but he had not expected him to reject the offer without even making an excuse, leaving him no face whatsoever.

This also made him commit Uchiha Seiichi's name to memory.

Verdict reached: a menace!

Although Seiichi really did look down on the Konoha High Command's struggles for power and personal gain, as well as their character.

This time, however, he truly had been wronged.

Seiichi had indeed clearly refused at the Elder's house.

But the person who dealt with the Anbu Hiruzen Sarutobi had sent was the Elder.

The Elder already disliked-no, hated-Hiruzen Sarutobi. How could he possibly say something nice out of consideration for the Hokage's dignity? Of course he told it exactly as it was.

The fact that he had not launched into a string of curses meant he had not yet lost his reason.

Seiichi knew none of this.

Of course, even if he had known, he would not have bothered.

He knew perfectly well that no amount of currying favor with the Konoha High Command would help the Uchiha Clan.

The Uchiha Clan was like a blade in the Hokage's hand.

The brothers Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju had enough strength to keep that blade under control, so neither feared that it would hurt them.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, could not. His strength could not keep the Uchiha Clan in check, even with his own Sarutobi Clan added to the equation.

Thus, the Uchiha Clan, a blade pointed at the enemy, became a double-edged sword in his mind, capable of harming both the enemy and himself.

No matter how useful that blade was, in the eyes of all the higher-ups, if it showed any tendency to harm its wielder, they were better off without it!

So, from the moment Hiruzen Sarutobi took office, the Uchiha Clan's fate had already been sealed!!!

Seiichi had been very busy lately.

He had entrusted Fugaku with purchasing a large batch of scientific equipment for him over time.

His laboratory was bigger than even the home of Fugaku, the clan head.

The consequences were also serious. Since Seiichi could not yet explain his objective, his own family had to foot the bill.

As a result, Fugaku, the head of a prestigious clan renowned throughout the Shinobi World, was on the verge of bankruptcy.

But none of that mattered.

It was only money. Material possessions like that were trivial. If he could spend it, he could earn it!

The real work mattered more.

Then, with the support of the clan head and the Elder, Seiichi planned to have every clan member contribute two drops of blood.

At first, it was only ordinary clan members who had not awakened their eyes.

For those who had, he was currently using blood from himself, Fugaku, and Fugaku's guards.

It was not just training that made the years slip away unnoticed. Time also flew when one was deeply absorbed in research!

"That's right! This is it! The Uchiha Clan's chance to stand above the heavens!!!"

Holding a vial of serum as scarlet as a flowing ruby, Seiichi was ecstatic!

A full year had passed since Seiichi began his research, and today, he finally had results.

His research had been headed in the right direction.

There were indeed defects in the Uchiha Clan's bloodline, but not everyone was missing the same genetic code.

That was good news!

There was even better news.

Over the past year, he had collected blood from the entire clan, and now he had found all the genetic codes.

This vial of serum contained the blood essence and genetic codes of all 20,928 members of the Uchiha Clan. It also represented the most comprehensive, complete Uchiha bloodline, free of any hidden dangers.

The serum in his hand was the key to opening a new era for the Uchiha Clan.

All he had to do was inject this serum containing the complete genetic code.

This tiny amount of complete genetic code would gradually transform the body, restoring the incomplete bloodline to wholeness.

Moreover, its greatest advantage was its capacity for growth. With the gradual transformation process, there was no need to worry that Seiichi's child-sized body could not withstand it.

He acted at once.

This serum had to be injected into the heart.

He did not trust anyone else with it. With no other choice, Seiichi created a Shadow Clone and had it help inject the serum into his body.

Lying bare-chested on the bed, Seiichi felt a distinct stab of pain, then watched his other self slowly push the serum into his body.

The scarlet liquid in the vial gradually disappeared.

Aside from feeling something cool enter his body, Seiichi felt nothing else.

Nor was there any of the pain of cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews described in novels.

Oh, on second thought, he had been overthinking it!

Cleansing the marrow and transforming the sinews improved a person's muscles and bones by removing excess impurities from the body. It was equivalent to using countless tiny, invisible knives to scrape impurities out of your body. Of course that would hurt.

What Seiichi was doing now was completing his genetic code, adding something to his body, much like receiving an IV when sick or getting a vaccination.

Moreover, it was all prepared blood from members of his own clan. There was no rejection, and it was a process of making him whole, so there was no pain.

For this initial process of making his body whole, he needed to ensure sufficient nutrition and sleep.

He had his clone bring him two vials of the nutrient solution he had specially made because Soldier Pills tasted so awful. After drinking them, Seiichi fell asleep without even getting out of bed.

Seiichi had often stayed in the laboratory over the past year, and Fugaku and Mikoto had both grown used to it.

Grrr...

An unusual pang of hunger from his stomach jolted Seiichi awake.

The hunger was agonizing. Seiichi discovered that his limbs were weak, he felt listless, and his stomach felt as though it were on fire.

He hurriedly got up, stepped barefoot onto the floor, and staggered over to take out a vial of nutrient solution. Holding the bottle in a trembling hand, he drank it down.

Gulp...

One vial of nutrient solution made no noticeable difference.

Then he would keep going...

Gulp, gulp...

Burp~

Seiichi finally felt full, at the cost of a floor littered with empty nutrient-solution bottles he had tossed aside after drinking.

But it was well worth it.

He clenched his fists, feeling an endless stream of strength surging through his body.

He looked down at his body.

Judging by how much higher his viewpoint was than before, he should now be about a head taller.

He had also developed well-built muscles.

They were clearly defined, but not the bulky, unwieldy kind. The lines of his muscles were smooth and powerful, displaying the appeal of a healthy physique and a perfect figure.

His abdomen was firm and strong, his back broad, and his shoulder muscles full. All of these should have required prolonged exercise and good lifestyle habits to sculpt into such a perfect physique.

Yet now he had it outright.

His physique displayed masculine strength without sacrificing elegance or balance, the ideal body type many people sought.

Most importantly, his chakra and eye power had increased enormously.