Shinji had never overestimated the moral standards of the Uchiha clan, but upon hearing that they had imprisoned Mumei, treating her as a weapon for their final battle against the Senju clan, he still felt a chill run down his spine.
If even a Mangekyo Uchiha could be treated as a disposable weapon within the clan, what safety could other clan members possibly have? For such a clan to have survived from the Warring States period until the era of the shinobi villages, only to be wiped out then, now seemed incredibly fortunate in hindsight! After his lament, Shinji asked, "Mumei, what exactly is the ability of your 'Yachihoko'?"
Mumei explained, "My 'Yachihoko' is somewhat similar to your 'Jikibi' and 'Wazunagi' abilities. It can link to anyone, extracting or transferring chakra, and even control their will and chakra through that link!"
Hiss
Shinji sucked in a breath of cold air after hearing this.
Not only did 'Yachihoko' possess the linking ability of 'Jikibi' and the chakra extraction and transfer capabilities of 'Wazunagi,' it seemed to also allow control over the target's mind through that link.
Thinking of this, Shinji asked again, "Is there a limit to the number of people?"
Mumei shook her head. "As long as there's a mark, I can activate 'Yachihoko'!"
As she spoke, Mumei raised her hand, and a stone glowing with a faint golden light floated out from above Shinji's head, landing in her palm.
Shinji looked puzzled. "What's this?!"
"This is a Glowstone! It records every moment of our acquaintance and bond. Look."
Mumei gently tossed the Glowstone, and it floated in front of Shinji.
Shinji peered at it and realized that this small, luminescent stone truly contained every instant of his interactions with Mumei.
Even when he had previously attempted to awaken the Rinnegan, and Mumei had agreed to safeguard his 'Jikibi,' 'Wazunagi,' and 'Susanoo Tomoshibi,' they were all stored within this tiny Glowstone.
"This…"
Shinji was genuinely shocked.
"As long as I have this, I can use 'Yachihoko' to extract or transfer chakra to you," Mumei said, pausing before adding, "Want me to try it now? I can use 'Yachihoko' to send some chakra to you, and then you'll understand its power!"
Shinji hurriedly stopped her. "No!"
Mumei grew nervous. "Why? Are you worried I'm lying?"
Shinji smiled. "Of course not! I'm worried about your body! You've only just escaped the seal, and your body is barely in a balanced state. If you recklessly use chakra now, I'm afraid that balance will collapse!"
Mumei let out a sigh of relief. "So that's it!"
Shinji continued, "Once we're back at the lab, I'll give you a full medical check-up and stabilize your body completely. After that, you can use chakra freely!"
Unlike the middle-aged shinobi from before, who withered away in the wind, the most likely reason Mumei hadn't was her hegemonic dojutsu, 'Yachihoko.'
Without a doubt.
'Yachihoko' was a more powerful version of 'Jikibi' and 'Wazunagi.'
Moreover, because it could create Glowstones that stored memories, 'Yachihoko' even had the ability to store dojutsu to some extent.
When Mumei mentioned safeguarding Shinji's 'Jikibi,' 'Wazunagi,' and 'Susanoo Tomoshibi,' she had used 'Yachihoko' to store them in the Glowstone tied to her and Shinji.
It was precisely because of 'Yachihoko's' hegemony that Mumei's chakra had broken through the seal's restrictions, leaking out.
The mountain villagers who had wandered into the forest, influenced by Mumei's leaking chakra, unconsciously fell into a dreamlike state.
This process, in hindsight, was likely Mumei's chakra leaving a mark on them, creating Glowstones.
When those villagers awoke and forgot parts of their dreams, it was likely because Mumei had retrieved those Glowstones.
Glowstones were both crystals of memory and the markers for 'Yachihoko,' so Mumei relied on these stones to continuously draw fresh chakra, sustaining herself.
This was probably why Mumei, despite being sealed for over a hundred years, hadn't aged or perished.
Glancing at Mumei, who was still enthusiastically explaining the Glowstone's abilities, Shinji chuckled inwardly. She probably didn't even realize all of this herself.
While sealed, she had lost the ability to control everything consciously, leaving only a sliver of chakra that escaped the seal to randomly seek targets. Driven by survival instinct, it extracted small amounts of chakra from others without harming them, preserving her life.
After a long while, Shinji finally brought Mumei to his laboratory.
Considering that Mumei had always been treated as a weapon by the Uchiha clan, Shinji patiently explained before leading her inside, "This is one of my labs. I usually use it to monitor my own physical condition and conduct experiments on cells and biology. Don't be scared when we go in!"
Clutching Shinji's sleeve, Mumei shook her head. "I'm not afraid!"
"Mm!"
Shinji nodded and led Mumei into the underground laboratory.
Once inside, Mumei curiously looked around, showing little fear on her face.
Shinji couldn't help but ask, "How are you not scared at all?"
"What's there to be scared of?"
Mumei touched an instrument one moment and darted to Shinji's desk the next.
Shinji muttered, "Weren't you imprisoned by your clan? They must've used you as an experiment subject plenty of times, right?"
Mumei nodded. "Mm, mm, but that was all in a dungeon. This place is bright and clean—nothing scary about it!"
"A dungeon!?"
Shinji was momentarily speechless.
In his view, the Uchiha clan was far too wasteful, locking Mumei in a dark dungeon. But then again, over a hundred years ago, medical ninjutsu hadn't been fully developed, and experiments naturally seemed bloody and primitive.
Leading Mumei to the operating table, Shinji hooked her up to various instruments, recording data as he spoke. "From these readings, your body is already in serious trouble. If not handled carefully, you've got five years left at most."
Mumei beamed. "Five years? That long? Does that mean I can go see the Hidden Leaf Village where you grew up, Shinji?"
"Uh…" Shinji paused before saying, "Don't interrupt. I mean that's the worst-case scenario. Luckily, you've got me, one of the strongest medical shinobi in the current shinobi world. As long as you cooperate with my treatment, I can fully restore your body, giving you a complete life again!"