Chapter 95: The Architect of a New World
A profound sense of completion settled over Ren. The fusion was seamless, perfect. The vibrant, life-affirming chakra of Hashirama Senju now flowed as naturally through his veins as his own Uchiha energy. It was a paradox made flesh: the destructive potential of the Sharingan harmoniously intertwined with the ultimate power of creation. He felt stronger, more resilient, his very cells buzzing with amplified vitality. The constant, low-level drain of maintaining his base abilities felt trivial now, as if a vast new reservoir had been tapped deep within him.
"Heh," he whispered to the endless black void, a genuine, exhilarated smile gracing his features. "This is an unprecedented feeling. This... is true potential."
His gaze then swept across the infinite, empty darkness of his personal dimension. The sheer nothingness, once a practical storage solution, now felt unsettling, a void that emphasized his isolation. With the power of a god humming in his blood, his surroundings felt woefully inadequate.
*It's time to build a proper sanctum,* he decided. A place that reflected the power he now wielded.
"System," he commanded, his voice echoing with newfound authority. "Initiate environmental modification. Begin with the foundation. Exchange for the 'Source of Earth.'"
***Ding! Item: 'Source of Earth.' Type: World-Forging Element. Rank: S. Cost: 10,000 points. Confirm exchange?***
"Confirm."
***Ding! Exchange successful. 10,000 points deducted. Host's remaining points: 111,000.***
The effect was instantaneous and breathtaking. Beneath his feet, the featureless "non-ground" of the dimension shuddered. Then, with a deep, grinding rumble that was more felt than heard, solid earth erupted into existence. Dark, rich soil spread out from a point directly below him, expanding in a wave that raced to the very limits of his spatial control. In moments, the entire floor of his once-void dimension was covered in a vast, flat plain of solid ground. The air filled with the clean, mineral scent of fresh earth.
Ren stomped his boot on the ground, feeling the satisfying solidity. "Much better. A foundation. Something real to stand on."
Next came light. "System, exchange for the 'Source of Light.'"
Another deduction, another transformation. A soft, warm, omnipresent glow permeated the space, banishing the oppressive eternal night. It wasn't harsh like sunlight, but a gentle, even illumination that revealed the true scale of his domain—a vast, empty land under an artificial sky. It was no longer a void; it was a blank canvas.
Satisfaction, however, was quickly followed by a jarring realization. He held up his hand, remembering the tree that had sprouted from his arm. The power was there, but the knowledge was not. He knew he could create wood, but *how* did one shape it? How did one form the legendary techniques—the Wood Dragon, the Deep Forest Emergence? The intricate hand seals and chakra molding sequences were a complete mystery.
"System," he began, a knot of suspicion forming in his gut. "I've fused the cells. I have the Kekkei Genkai. Why don't I possess the knowledge of Wood Release ninjutsu?"
***Answer: Cellular fusion grants the biological capability and chakra nature affinity for Wood Release. It does not impart the learned skill, technical knowledge, or hand signs required for specific jutsu. To acquire the complete repertoire of Wood Release techniques (excluding Sage Art-level jutsu), an additional exchange of 50,000 points is required for the 'Wood Release Ninjutsu Package.'***
Ren's face fell. "You have got to be kidding me. That's a racket! That brings the total cost to 100,000 points! I might as well have just bought the entire Kekkei Genkai from you directly! What was the point of the cells?!"
***Clarification: A direct 100,000-point exchange for 'Wood Release' would only grant the bloodline limit itself—the capacity to use it. The techniques would still need to be purchased separately. By providing the First Hokage's cells, the host has effectively saved 50,000 points on the initial acquisition cost. The process is not without significant benefit.***
"A profiteering loophole!" Ren snapped, frustration mounting. "Then why did the Mangekyō come with its techniques? Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, Susano'o—I knew them instinctively!"
***Clarification: Ocular techniques are psychosomatic abilities, activated by will and emotion. They are inherent to the eyes themselves, not learned skills requiring formalized hand signs or chakra molding patterns. They are an exception, not the rule.***
"What a flimsy, convenient excuse!" Ren retorted, scowling. "I think you just saw my balance and decided to invent a new fee!"
***Query: Does the host wish to proceed with the exchange for the Wood Release Ninjutsu Package?***
Ren let out a long, exasperated sigh. He was trapped. He had the engine but no manual. Grudgingly, he conceded. "Fine. Do it. Exchange the package."
***Ding! Exchange successful. 'Wood Release Ninjutsu Package' acquired. 50,000 points deducted. Host's remaining points: 61,000.***
A flood of information surged into his mind—a complex lexicon of hand signs, chakra flow diagrams, and mental visualizations for dozens of techniques. The knowledge settled into his consciousness, feeling as natural as breathing. The frustration was instantly replaced by a burning desire to test this newfound knowledge.
"Now, let's see what this power can truly do!"
He moved through a rapid, complex series of hand seals, his movements fluid and precise with the system's ingrained mastery. He focused his will, channeling the vast, green chakra through his body and into the earth beneath him.
**"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"**
The ground beneath him roared. The solid earth he had just created buckled and split as thick, powerful roots and trunks erupted forth with terrifying force. They grew at an astonishing rate, shooting towards the artificial sky, weaving together, branching out, and sprouting countless leaves. In a matter of seconds, a dense, thriving forest now stood where there was once empty plain. The scale was immense, covering nearly a hundred meters in radius, and he had stopped the flow of chakra before it could consume his entire available space. The air was now filled with the scent of damp earth and fresh pine.
He stood panting slightly at the center of his self-made jungle, a grin of pure, savage awe on his face. "Incredible. An ultimate area-denial technique. This... this is true power."
But the cost was also immense. He felt a significant portion of his formidable chakra reserves drain away in that single, magnificent display. *The First Hokage really was a monster,* he thought with a shake of his head. *To use this like it was nothing...*
His reserves, bolstered by the pseudo-One-Tail and Hashirama's cells, were already beginning to replenish at a visible rate, but the sheer scale of the technique was staggering.
*This is a good start,* he thought, *but it's not enough. For sustained large-scale combat, I need more. A larger reserve. Faster recovery. But that is a project for another day.*
With a final look at the forest he had created, he willed himself away. The world shifted, and he was back in the cold, crumbling ruins of the Garel mine. The place was silent now, the violent tremors having subsided into an eerie calm, with only the occasional pebble skittering down from the damaged ceiling.
*My business here is done,* he thought, turning to leave. *The Stone is mine. The vein is mine. There's nothing left—*
His thoughts cut off abruptly. His newly enhanced senses, sharpened by the fusion of Uchiha and Senju prowess, prickled. A presence. Faint, carefully concealed, but there. Watching.
His head snapped towards a shadowy crevice in the shattered rock. His voice, when he spoke, was cold and sharp enough to cut stone.
"Who's there? Show yourself."
From the darkness, a sigh of resignation was heard. A figure stepped out, hands raised in a placating gesture, glasses glinting in the dim light. A familiar, smirking face that made Ren's eyes narrow to slits.
"Pharmacist Kabuto," Ren said, his voice dripping with icy menace.