After explaining for hours,
Gin finally reluctantly accepted everything.
After all, everything inside that illusion had been far too realistic.
Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine.
Fortunately, though, the experiment had succeeded.
The power boost and thrill from activating his [Three Tomoe Sharingan] made him quite excited.
That thrill helped ease his lingering fear.
Of course, the enhanced eye power,
and improved mental resistance,
had also provided positive effects, helping Gin withstand part of the psychic backlash.
By that logic,
if the illusionary stimulation failed, it would likely have been extremely dangerous!
So how could they increase success rates?
How to reduce the backlash effects?
How to maximize efficiency?
And so on...
All of these were critical issues that needed solving before the plan could truly progress.
At the very least, Gin's success right now
truly marked a meaningful success for the entire project!
They saw its practical value! They saw a glimpse of the future!
And that was enough.
After all, if they could cultivate a Three Tomoe today, who's to say tomorrow they couldn't unlock a Mangekyō?
As long as they persist steadily,
their 'Susano'o Army' will eventually take shape one day!
...
"Alright, alright."
"That was just an illusion. No need to dwell on it."
"While it might inevitably bring some negative impact,"
"I believe you can handle it."
"Don't think too much about it."
"I'll give you three days off. Go take a bath and relax properly."
Shimoku patted Gin's shoulder and loudly comforted him,
generously giving Gin three full days off to rest well.
After all,
as an excellent capitalist, one must master the art of measuring limits.
Truly exhausting the 'horse' would be an unwise loss.
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Gin forced out a slight smile.
Truthfully, he really did want to take a nice hot bath and rest.
Getting worked over every day by Sensei Zabuza had been absolutely brutal!
"Stop looking so gloomy. Think positively."
"With your Three Tomoe Sharingan boosting your strength,"
"next time, maybe it'll be Zabuza on his knees in front of you—that'd be awesome, right?"
Shimoku happily egged him on again.
Upon hearing this, Gin's eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
"That's right!"
"Next time we fight, I'll definitely give him a huge awakening!"
He whispered to himself, grinning in excitement.
"Young Master, I'll head back first!"
"Ah, Itachi-san, goodbye..."
Gin cheerfully greeted everyone before giving Uchiha Itachi a slightly nervous farewell bow.
Then he immediately left.
Clearly,
after this experiment, his fear toward Itachi's [Tsukuyomi] technique had grown even stronger.
After all,
being able to freely create an almost unbeatable illusory world exactly as one desires
is truly terrifying!
Once caught in it, defeat is inevitable...
He definitely didn't want to end up like that little punk Dilaa, parading around naked in someone else's illusion world!
That'd be a lifelong psychological trauma!
...
"What's your opinion?"
"The aftereffects are quite severe. It'll take a long time to eliminate their influence..."
Itachi commented in an indifferent tone.
Although the entire plan was devised by Shimoku,
as the one who performed the jutsu, Itachi naturally understood the test subject Gin's condition better.
Just now, if his illusion had lasted a few more moments,
Gin's mind might have truly collapsed.
Even so, it would definitely leave him with significant psychological trauma.
"I'm not worried about it. I believe he'll pull through."
Itachi: "Will we continue?"
"Of course!"
Shimoku affirmed firmly.
"I know this isn't a perfect plan.
But compared to the benefits, this level of risk is already quite low—and could be further reduced.
In this cruel world, obtaining power is never easy!
But without power, what Gin experienced within the illusion—
could very likely play out in reality.
I don't want to wait until that moment arrives before I feel regret and sorrow."
"Of course, I won't force anyone either.
The decision to participate in this experiment will rest entirely in each person's own hands. They may choose for themselves."
Living in the Ninja World is like rowing upstream—if you stop, you fall behind. Without struggle, there's only death.
Even with formidable strength and a balance of power resembling a tripartite division, Shimoku remained unmoved.
He clearly understood that if he didn't swiftly enhance both himself and the entire village,
he himself might end up as the defeated party.
After all, his opponents were none other than two true Warring States warlords!
Not to mention scheming figures like Black Zetsu and Jigen hiding in the shadows...
This situation was infinitely more difficult than being transported to the Three Kingdoms era
and fighting alone against Cao Cao and Liu Bei.
There was absolutely no room for complacency or mistake.
"When will the next experiment be?"
Itachi closed his Mangekyō, wiped away the bloodstains at the corner of his eyes, and asked coldly.
"Not in a rush. Let's wait a few more days and observe."
"Just to make sure Gin doesn't develop any other unexpected side effects.
After all, this method indeed feels somewhat like a shortcut.
Additionally, the New Year approaches; it's time to take a few days off and let everyone relax..."
Itachi nodded slightly in agreement:
"Fine."
"Oh, and during these days, I'll arrange for Orochimaru to transplant some Hashirama cells into you."
"To suppress the side effects of your Mangekyō."
Itachi paused momentarily, glancing at Shimoku with mild surprise.
His expression seemed to say [*You're serious?*][*You're genuinely doing this for me?*]
After all, he clearly understood the relationship between himself and Shimoku.
Though currently in a 'sweet cooperative phase,' the underlying dynamic remained quite delicate.
So, would he really be willing to give him something as precious as [Hashirama's cells]?
To significantly enhance his strength?
"Don't overthink it. There's no ulterior motive.
Merely prioritizing the bigger picture.
Right now the plan has just begun, and I certainly don't want your eyesight failing too early...
There are still many clan members' Sharingan waiting for you to upgrade them!"
Shimoku smiled kindly.
In his opinion, even if Itachi obtained a tiny amount of Hashirama's cells, there was no way he could surpass him.
Whether he could even reach a level beyond the Kage was already questionable.
Compared to where he is now, there was still a huge gap.
Moreover, once their plan kept moving ahead,
and a few more warriors with Mangekyō Sharingan emerged within the clan,
they wouldn't have to worry about Itachi's threat anymore.
Draining the pond to catch the fish was a bad idea — it would destroy the resource.
Controlled, long-term extraction was the way to go!
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