Haa, it's been ages since I slept this comfortably.
Inside the experimental base, Takuno stretched. For so many years, he had either been practicing Ninjutsu or experimenting with it. He only managed to rest when his body could no longer hold up, and while the rest was effective, the time he spent resting was never sufficient.
Humming a tune, Takuno slowly approached the corpse possessing the Uzumaki Bloodline that he had selected, his eyes burning with intense fervor as he gazed upon it.
Finally, the corpse that had been soaking in the cultivation tank for so many years was taken out, wiped dry, and placed upon a massive scroll covered in Jutsu formulas.
This scroll served as an auxiliary Jutsu formula, capable of preventing the vast majority of accidents.
Standing before the scroll, Takuno took a deep breath, formed hand signs, and prepared to execute the Jutsu himself this time.
"Ninjutsu: Chimera Technique!"
Finally, Takuno pressed his hands onto the scroll. Instantly, the corpse lying on the scroll transformed into a black liquid that began to envelop him. He sat cross-legged on the scroll, watching the black liquid surge towards him, his eyes filled with unwavering determination.
The Jutsu formulas etched onto the scroll beneath him seemed to come alive, crawling up onto his body.
Finally, the moment the Jutsu formulas on the scroll completely vanished, Takuno opened his eyes. He looked down at the black marks covering his already naked body, along with the Sealing Curses surrounding those marks. These traces were not unexpected.
After thoroughly washing himself, he retrieved the white bandages he had prepared and slowly wrapped them around the marks, layer by layer.
Hiruko might not have chosen to wrap his entire body in bandages, but those marks would have been far too conspicuous without them. This was merely the result of merging with one Kekkei Genkai; if it were Hiruko, who had already merged with four, his body would have been transformed into something unrecognizable.
Once the bandaging was complete, Takuno looked at himself in the mirror. Since he had only merged with a single Kekkei Genkai, the black marks on his body were not extensive, making him appear relatively normal.
However, in this state, he probably wouldn't be able to find a suitable wife within Konoha. From now on, his body held a secret, one that he clearly could not reveal even to a spouse.
Fortunately, while Takuno was not entirely uninterested in romance, that interest paled in comparison to his desire to become stronger.
Beauty will only slow down the speed of becoming stronger!
This saying applies equally to both men and women!
After putting on his clothes, a hint of excitement appeared in Takuno's eyes. The fusion was complete, and the next step was naturally to begin experimenting with the resulting changes.
In fact, he didn't need to specifically experiment; he could already feel the difference. Although he hadn't deliberately extracted Chakra, the sheer amount that was being extracted instinctively was far greater than he could have ever imagined before!
Takuno quickly entered a training room, sat cross-legged, and began carefully sensing everything inside his body.
Chakra = physical energy + spiritual energy
What he lacked was never spiritual energy, but purely physical energy.
Previously, whenever he formed Chakra, he could feel his spiritual energy flowing like a long river, while his physical energy was merely a winding stream, easily drained dry if he wasn't careful.
Now, Takuno sensed physical energy that, while not surpassing the river of spiritual energy, was able to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with it. This physical energy had increased by countless magnitudes compared to before, causing him to instantly open his eyes.
At this moment, he could no longer contain his inner delight and burst out laughing.
Finally, the flaw that had hindered his training since he entered the academy was now resolved!
After laughing for an unknown amount of time, Takuno finally calmed down and reflected on what he had just experienced.
The Uzumaki Clan's Kekkei Genkai was naturally powerful, but what surprised him was that his spiritual energy was actually able to keep pace. He had always known his spiritual energy wasn't weak, but he never imagined it could compare favorably to the Uzumaki constitution.
This was likely a unique benefit of having lived two lives.
Now that the issue of Chakra quantity was resolved, it was time to consider the next problems.
Although the most important factor for him was the amount of Chakra, the Uzumaki Clan's Kekkei Genkai possessed more than just massive Chakra reserves!
It also had at least three special abilities.
First, the Sealing Jutsu unique to their Kekkei Genkai: Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Second, a sensory ability superior to the Byakugan: Mind's Eye of Kagura.
Third, a regenerative constitution, capable of healing injuries and restoring Chakra by absorbing their blood.
Regarding the third ability, he didn't need to dwell on it. This constitution was not possessed by all Uzumaki Clan members, and Takuno had already confirmed through experimentation that the individual he fused with did not have it.
Takuno did not actually desire this constitution. He knew Medical Ninjutsu himself, and while this constitution could heal his injuries, it was like robbing Peter to pay Paul; excessive absorption would inevitably accelerate death, and he did not want to be targeted by others because of this ability.
Mind's Eye of Kagura not only boasts a vast sensory range, but it can also 'roughly' detect an opponent's morality and honesty by sensing their Chakra. This level of perception is stronger than the Byakugan, which perhaps only surpasses Mind's Eye of Kagura in its ability to visualize the precise flow of Chakra within a person's body.
Similarly, Mind's Eye of Kagura is not possessed by all Uzumaki Clan members; one must have sensory talent.
Takuno also believed he must focus heavily on developing his sensory abilities in the future. If he could unlock the Mind's Eye of Kagura, he would essentially not need to learn any other sensory Ninjutsu.
As for the final ability, Adamantine Sealing Chains... it wasn't difficult.
Takuno himself became a Special Jonin in Konoha based on his mastery of Sealing Jutsu. The Jutsu formulas carved onto the scrolls were all inscribed by his own hand, so he quickly sensed the Sealing power contained within this Bloodline Sealing Jutsu.
Takuno attempted to mobilize this portion of power, and very quickly, it transformed into streams of golden chains that erupted from his back, dancing throughout the training room.
This... was Adamantine Sealing Chains, the Sealing Ability unique to the Uzumaki Bloodline!
It was also an ability that could be mastered without Jutsu formulas, just like Karin, who lacked the full heritage of the Uzumaki Clan, could still unleash the power of Adamantine Sealing Chains when facing a crisis.
The problem was that although he could use Adamantine Sealing Chains, it was far too conspicuous. Using it would inevitably reveal that he possessed the Uzumaki Bloodline, so it would be better not to use it unless absolutely necessary.
Takuno pondered this. Even if he were exposed, it was still justifiable. After all, he was a member of Konoha, and given the historical friendship between Konoha and the Uzumaki Clan, intermarriage was entirely plausible. Even if Konoha possessed records of him, they would not be as detailed as they would have been in his previous life, considering the era.
Therefore, it wouldn't be too strange for him to possess the Uzumaki Clan's Kekkei Genkai.
It could even explain his sudden surge in Chakra reserves, that his Uzumaki Bloodline had accidentally awakened after so many years.
As he thought, Takuno smiled and stretched. As for exposure, he would just take things one step at a time!