When this phase of the transformation was initially completed, Hoshino slowly opened his eyes, a strange light flashing within them.
He could clearly sense the Kikaichū within his body; they seemed to have become an inseparable part of his body, and an unprecedented sense of control arose within him.
Try to mobilize the Kikaichū.
In an instant, several Kikaichū emerged from under the arm panel, flew rapidly in the air, and then precisely returned to the body.
"Next, we will perform the bone replacement surgery on the Shikotsumyaku." Hoshino's voice was slightly weak, but full of unwavering determination.
"Don't you need to rest?" the clone asked.
"No need. I'm afraid I'll give up if I take a break. I might as well just see it through!"
Upon hearing this, the clones quickly busied themselves in the laboratory, preparing various surgical instruments and specially cultured Shikotsumyaku cell samples.
First, the clones carefully extracted the Shikotsumyaku cells from the petri dish.
These cells exuded an eerie aura, trembling slightly in the specially prepared culture medium, as if they possessed life.
Hoshino gazed at the cells, feeling both nervous and expectant.
The surgery began. The clones first used laser scalpels to make a thin incision in Hoshino's leg, carefully separating the muscles to expose the leg bones.
Then, the Shikotsumyaku cells were slowly injected into the bone using a syringe.
As soon as he touched the bone, Hoshino felt a chilling coldness from his leg, followed by excruciating pain, as if countless steel needles were churning inside his marrow.
As the Shikotsumyaku cells continue to spread within the bones, they begin to erode and reshape the original bone structure.
Hoshino could clearly feel his bones changing. The originally fragile bone tissue gradually became hard and resilient, and at the same time, a strange power surged within his bones.
During this process, Hoshino's Chakra was also affected, becoming more violent and unstable.
The clones closely monitored the various data points, constantly adjusting the speed and dosage of the injected cells, while also using instruments to help alleviate his pain and stabilize his Chakra.
After the leg bones were modified, the next steps were to modify the arms, spine, ribs, and other parts.
After the last bone was injected with the Shikotsumyaku cells, Hoshino was exhausted and almost fell into a coma.
However, the renovation is not yet fully completed.
The cells from the Shikotsumyaku need time to fully integrate with the body, and during this process, Hoshino's body will continuously produce rejection reactions.
After thinking it over, the clone decided to go all out and begin the transformation of its entire body into a cybernetic body.
If we survive, we can move on to the third phase of transformation; if we don't, then everything will be for naught.
The clones exchanged glances and tacitly activated the program.
The robotic arm descended from the ceiling and precisely began peeling away the panel tissue from Hoshino's body, revealing the bright red muscles and nerves beneath.
"Neural reconnection initiated," the clone calmly reported the progress.
Excruciating pain overwhelmed Hoshino's consciousness like a tidal wave; he felt his soul being torn to pieces, then reformed, then torn apart again.
The Kikaichū seemed to sense something, writhing and rioting within the body, thus exacerbating the pain.
" Chakra fluctuations have exceeded the threshold, and blood pressure continues to drop!"
"This seems a bit risky. Is my main body going to die?!"
"It's all your fault, why were you so radical?"
"Why blame me? Didn't the main body say to go all out in one go? That's what I thought too, let's be straightforward!"
"..."
Alarms blared incessantly, and the red light in the laboratory stained everything blood-red.
The fingers of several clones flew across the control panel, but they couldn't stop the vital signs from continuing to deteriorate.
Sunagakure, a secluded and dimly lit stronghold of the Council of Elders.
The Second Elder sat upright at the head of the table, the candlelight beside him flickering, illuminating his wrinkled yet somewhat smug face.
Below, a group of elders sat together, with the table piled high with various accounts and intelligence scrolls.
The position of Grand Elder had always been held by Ebizo. Although Elder Chiyo held the title of Elder, Ebizo handled the basic affairs.
Therefore, there are actually two so-called elders, but Grandma Chiyo rarely appears in public.
Afterwards, Ebizo was persuaded by Chiyo to step down from his position as elder, and the position of Grand Elder remained vacant, with no intention of moving up to the next level.
Since it was really unnecessary, and it was also to give face to Ebizo and Grandma Chiyo, to show that the position of Grand Elder would always belong to the two siblings.
"Gentlemen, the Sunagakure may appear calm on the surface now, but beneath the surface, undercurrents are surging, and this pains me greatly!"
The Second Elder cleared his throat, glanced at the elders present, and slowly began to speak.
"The various schemes the Reform Society came up with, like prosthetic bodies and internet surveillance, were just making things difficult for the villagers and turning the village into a mess."
An elder chimed in, "Yes, Second Elder. They're using the banner of reform, yet the villagers are suffering terribly, while the higher-ups of the Reform Society are reaping the benefits from their positions in the building."
The second elder scoffed, "Hmph, they think they can control the village with these fancy tricks. Our Council of Elders been rooted in the village for many years, with deep roots and noble backing. How can they compare?"
Back then, the Council of Elders held absolute power in Sunagakure, and the villagers obeyed their orders without question.
But now, these novel gadgets that the Reform Society has come up with have actually shaken the resolve of many villagers.
I recall receiving intelligence a few days ago, saying that the villagers working in the mines, even though their bodies were scarred and battered by prosthetics, still gritted their teeth and persevered for the extra rations.
In the eyes of the Second Elder, this was irrefutable evidence that the Reform Society was corrupting the villagers with its own interests.
The Council of Elders always upheld the traditional view that villagers should be content with their lot and work hard, even if the rewards are meager, because it brings stability and longevity.
The Reform Society disrupted this balance, using seemingly generous rewards to entice the villagers into a dangerous game.
Thinking of this, the Second Elder felt his resentment grow stronger, and the wrinkles on his face became even more pronounced due to the fluctuations in his emotions.
"Our Council of Elders has existed since the founding of Sunagakure, and has weathered countless storms to achieve its current glory."
"Those so-called innovations are nothing but rootless duckweed, attempting to shake our foundations."
"Hmph, that's just wishful thinking!"
After a moment's hesitation, one of the elders said, "That's true, but the Reform Society's power is indeed not to be underestimated. It would be great if we could cooperate with them."
Although the measures implemented by the Reform Society were radical, they did bring about some changes in the village and attracted many villagers who were eager to change their status quo.
The traditional model that the Council of Elders relied on for so long is gradually becoming outdated in today's rapidly changing world.
And then there are the nobles, who outwardly show great respect to the Council of Elders and promise to fully support Council of Elders in its fight against the Reform Society.
In reality, they were merely securing their own families' future; should the situation change, these nobles were highly likely to turn against them.