Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

Staring at the unconscious Hikari, Black Zetsu narrowed his eyes and muttered, "The fusion progress with non-bloodline Sharingan is still too slow. Perhaps it requires a little... assistance."

'Very well. With her current state, possessing both Indra's and Asura's power, she has the potential to awaken the Rinnegan in the future. I'll use Yin-Yang Release to give her a little push,' Black Zetsu murmured, placing his pitch-black hands over Hikari's eyes.

As the will of Otsutsuki Kaguya, Black Zetsu was naturally adept at Yin-Yang Release. Of course, his mastery paled compared to that of Hagoromo or Hamura Otsutsuki. After all, Black Zetsu was merely a manifestation of Kaguya's desperation.

He could not compare to a true Otsutsuki.

Still, even his level of Yin-Yang Release was sufficient to accelerate the fusion of Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. It would ensure the process was faster.

After a few moments, Black Zetsu removed his hands, nodding in satisfaction.

This should shave off about six months. Only one year to go now.

He roused Uchiha Hikari from her slumber.

Feeling the change in her eyes, Hikari frowned.

"The fusion process seems slow. At this rate, it'll still take a year. Why is it so sluggish?"

"There's no helping it. Uchiha Madara wasn't your blood relative. Using someone else's eyes for awakening is always this slow," Black Zetsu replied calmly.

"That said, Hikari, for the next year, I advise you to avoid using any Sharingan-related abilities," he warned gravely.

"Is that so? Understood. My current Sage Mode and Wood Release should suffice for now," Hikari shrugged, wrapping her eyes in a cloth before leaving the lab.

Despite being unable to see, she moved as though her vision was perfectly intact.

After transplanting Senju Hashirama's cells, Hikari had gained an extraordinary sensory ability. Although inferior to Nagato's Rinnegan perception, it was monstrous compared to ordinary shinobi.

...

Time flew by, and six months passed in the blink of an eye.

The reforms in Konohagakure were beginning to bear fruit after a year.

The village's prosperity now surpassed any point in its history.

The residential areas had tripled in size and were still expanding. Various departments were seeing results, with construction and transportation generating substantial profits.

The medical sector, with Tsunade—the strongest medical-nin in the ninja world—at its helm, had begun dominating the market. A steady stream of new drugs from the department proved unmatched by any pharmaceutical company.

...

In the Hokage's office

Nara Shikaku gazed at Uchiha Akira, who stood by the window, and said gravely, "Hokage-sama, the daimyo has sent his envoy again."

"Ignore him. Find an excuse to send him away," Akira replied indifferently.

Since the reforms, the daimyo had repeatedly sent envoys, but Akira never met with them, leaving Shikaku to handle them casually.

To Akira, the daimyo of the Land of Fire was nothing more than a relic destined for the trash heap of history.

With economic independence and control over the military, why should he bother with the daimyo?

"I understand. Haichi is currently entertaining him," Shikaku replied with a faint smile.

After a year of working together, Shikaku had grown adept at reading the Fifth Hokage's intentions. Knowing Akira wasn't one to sweat small matters, those frequenting the Hokage's office had grown more relaxed, with their conversations resembling those of friends.

"By the way, is there any news from Kirigakure about the revival of the Three-Tails?" Akira asked.

By his calculations, it was late in the year 53 of the Hidden Leaf Calendar, and the Three-Tails' revival was imminent.

"Hokage-sama, our people have found some clues. With a little more time, we should pinpoint its exact revival location," Shikaku replied.

"This matter is urgent. Akatsuki's intelligence network surpasses ours. We must locate the Three-Tails before its full revival," Akira instructed.

"I'll allocate more resources to this," Shikaku promised.

Akira nodded. The cultivation of spies was no overnight task, but the matter was pressing.

"What about the Two-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Four-Tails? Any signs of revival?" Akira inquired.

These three tailed beasts had fallen directly by his hand. However, with most of the Two-Tails and Eight-Tails consumed by the Demonic Statue, their chances of revival were slim.

Still, Akira believed the Four-Tails had a better chance.

"So far, our operatives have no related intelligence," Shikaku admitted.

"Keep monitoring this closely," Akira ordered.

"I'll make sure our intelligence team stays vigilant," Shikaku replied.

At that moment, sharp footsteps echoed in the corridor.

"Hokage-sama, I've made an unexpected discovery in my research!" Yakushi Nonō's urgent voice called out.

"I'll take my leave," Shikaku said, recognizing her tone.

Akira nodded. "Come in," he called.

The door opened, and Yakushi Nonō, clad in a white coat and black-rimmed glasses, entered briskly.

Turning to face her, Akira asked, "What's so important that you came rushing here?"

"Hokage-sama, do you remember the origin of the elixir?" Nonō asked.

Of course, Akira remembered. The elixir originated from a pseudo-Divine Tree that grew from the tissues shed by the Demonic Statue.

"What happened? I recall assigning those pseudo-trees to joint research between the medical and technology departments. Did something go wrong?" Akira queried.

"Not wrong—something astonishing. We extracted genes from the pseudo-tree and transplanted them into an experimental summon. The summon developed Wood Release abilities!" Nonō revealed, her voice filled with wonder.

"What?!" Akira exclaimed. "The experiment succeeded on the first attempt? And the summon demonstrated Wood Release capabilities immediately?"

"Exactly. Lady Tsunade was present and can confirm this," Nonō stated firmly.

Akira frowned. That the pseudo-tree's genes granted Wood Release wasn't entirely surprising, given the Divine Tree's inherent abilities.

What shocked him was the experiment's unprecedented success.

Could this pseudo-tree hold untapped potential far beyond expectations?

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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