Chapter 254: The Mystery of the Tenseigan
A week passed in the blink of an eye. Today, Konoha would welcome its Fourth Hokage.
His name was Minato Namikaze.
Kyosuke was awakened by Shisui's knocking. He quickly got dressed and led his two students toward the Hokage tower. The inauguration ceremony was about to begin.
Along the way, Anko appeared from out of nowhere and joined them. The four of them made their way slowly through the crowded streets. The village was packed with people—villagers, merchants, shinobi, and even visitors from other villages who had come to witness the event.
The Security Police were stretched to their limits. Every Uchiha, with the exception of the leisurely Kyosuke, was on duty.
Villagers and old acquaintances greeted Kyosuke as he passed. By the time they reached their destination, his face was aching from smiling.
"Yo, Kyosuke! You're finally here! I've been waiting for you!"
He didn't have to turn to know who it was.
"Guy, I'm not late. The ceremony doesn't start for a while," he said, then gave a nod to Duy, who stood beside him.
"Youth cannot be wasted! Since we have time, how about we race around the village on our hands?" Guy's teeth flashed, and he gave a thumbs-up that made Kyosuke's eye twitch.
"Well said, Guy! That's the spirit of youth!" Duy added enthusiastically.
It wasn't just Kyosuke who was taken aback. His three students were also stunned by the duo's bizarre antics.
That's Might Duy? The super-strong genin? He seems kind of... Anko's mouth twitched. She had been about to say "like an idiot," but she caught herself. They were her elder and her teacher's friend. It was better to keep such thoughts to herself. Her two teammates silently nodded in agreement.
Just as Kyosuke was trying to figure out how to respond, his savior appeared.
"Haha, long time no see, Kyosuke!"
The newcomer clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a conspiratorial wink. It was Hyuga Hizashi, the Hyuga clan's representative for the ceremony. The reason for his strange behavior was the person following behind him: Hyuga Saori, whom Kyosuke had not seen in some time.
Since the end of the war, she had left the Anbu and dedicated herself to her research, trying to find a way to undo the Caged Bird seal. With the research data provided by Root, the Anbu, and Kyosuke, her skills in sealing jutsu had improved dramatically, but she was still a long way from her goal.
Hizashi had misinterpreted her long seclusion as a sign that she and Kyosuke had had a falling out.
Ignoring the gossip-filled looks from the others, Kyosuke looked at the exhaustion in Saori's eyes. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Don't put so much pressure on yourself. Leave the rest to me."
His words made her flinch. She looked up at him, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You've... succeeded?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
He gave a slight nod, then took her hand and turned to face the Hokage tower, where Minato Namikaze had just appeared on the balcony.
The moment the figure in the red and white Hokage robe appeared, the entire village erupted in a deafening cheer.
Kyosuke looked at the celebrating crowd, a strange, enigmatic smile on his face.
Hokage...
After the ceremony, Kyosuke sent his students home and, with a still-confused Saori in tow, returned to his room.
Ignoring her strange, teasing smile, he took her hand and, with a surge of chakra, the two of them vanished.
When Saori came to her senses, she found herself in a massive, secret laboratory.
"I can't believe you built all of this in such a short time," she said, looking around in awe. She then turned to the smug-looking Kyosuke, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "So, did you bring me here to have your way with me, little Kyosuke?" she teased, her eyes raking over him.
Kyosuke, who was used to her personality, ignored her and led her to a smaller, adjacent lab.
This one was filled with cloned test subjects, each with a green, cross-shaped mark and two opposing hook-like patterns on their foreheads, a near-perfect replica of the Hyuga's Caged Bird seal.
Saori's eyes widened in shock. The words of gratitude died on her lips. For two people as close as they were, such words were unnecessary.
"I've simulated the Caged Bird seal based on the data I have. There are bound to be some differences, but you can modify it as you see fit. I'm sure it will be a great help to your research," Kyosuke said, gesturing to the test subjects in their cultivation tanks.
"...I understand," Saori replied. She paused for a moment, then looked at him, her expression serious. "Are you still not going to tell me your plan?"
"Alright. If you really want to know."
"Have you ever heard of... the 'Tenseigan'?"
"The Tenseigan?" The name sparked a memory of some of the old, fragmented records she had read in the Hyuga clan's archives. She had always dismissed them as mere legends, but now, hearing Kyosuke say the word, she wasn't so sure.
He hadn't expected her to know the details. The question was just to prepare her for what was to come. He then began to explain everything he remembered about the Tenseigan.
"It is the ultimate dōjutsu, achievable only by combining the chakra of the Otsutsuki clan with the Byakugan of the Hyuga clan. Once awakened, it grants the user the power of creation and destruction."
"According to my research, both the Uchiha and the Hyuga are descendants of the Otsutsuki clan. By pushing our respective dōjutsu to their absolute limits, we can awaken a power that can truly be called 'divine.' The Byakugan, through a special method, can evolve into the powerful bloodline known as the Tenseigan."
"Wait, wait a minute," Saori interrupted, a look of disbelief on her face. "This is getting a little ridiculous. The Otsutsuki clan? I've never even heard of them."
Kyosuke gave a wry smile and proceeded to explain the origins of the Otsutsuki and the Sage of Six Paths, attributing his knowledge to the Uchiha clan's secret archives. Saori didn't question it.
After a long while, she finally spoke. "So, to awaken this Tenseigan, I need the chakra of the Otsutsuki clan. Where am I supposed to... wait."
A thought struck her. "The cell transplant work you've been doing... it's to obtain the Otsutsuki's chakra, isn't it?"
"Exactly," Kyosuke confirmed. "The Sage of Six Paths was a descendant of the Otsutsuki. His power can be used to awaken the Tenseigan, and it will also allow me to reawaken my own Sharingan and evolve it in a miraculous way."
Saori finally understood. His ultimate goal was to steal the power of the legendary Sage of Six Paths, to one day reach that same level of power himself.
"So, can I undergo the transplant now and awaken the Sage Body?" she asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.
"Uh... not yet."
"Why not?"
"The technology is not yet perfected. A premature transplant might not achieve the desired results. You'll have to be patient."
"Alright. I've waited this long. A few more days won't make a difference."
Saori turned her gaze back to the test subjects, her mind racing.
"Don't blame me, Saori. This is the destiny of our clan..."
"Don't, Father! It hurts! Stop!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."
The unpleasant memories resurfaced, and a deep-seated hatred flashed in her eyes.
Just you wait. It won't be long before I break free from your chains.
And when that day comes, I will repay the pain you inflicted on me a hundred, a thousand times over.
Damn the main family...
And so, Hyuga Saori officially became a part of Kyosuke's plan, a crucial piece in the game he was playing. If she could successfully awaken the Tenseigan, her power would be unmatched in the shinobi world. She might even surpass Kyosuke himself.
And with her power, he planned to have her take complete control of the Hyuga clan. With both the Uchiha and the Hyuga under his influence, his power within Konoha would be immense.
Then, the time would come when he could finally challenge the Hokage's authority.
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