"Suigetsu, Guren, you two have a rough idea of my abilities, but you haven't seen them firsthand. Today, I'll show you what I can do."
"That's great, Kimimaro! I believe in you—help me get stronger!" Suigetsu said, bouncing over excitedly.
Guren, though not fully integrated into the team yet, watched with clear curiosity.
"You, stand back. You haven't contributed much yet and already want to get stronger? You're not my wife," Kimimaro said bluntly, glancing at Karin and Hanabi.
Karin looked a bit jealous but blushed and turned her head away.
Hanabi, still young, puffed her cheeks slightly. Sister Guren had told her she couldn't kiss yet, but her marriage had been decided by her father himself!
"Wait a moment."
Kimimaro suddenly remembered something and turned to Granny Sansho.
"Granny, would you consider coming with us in the future? I plan to find a stable base. I could make you the chief of logistics and have people collect the rare herbs needed for Life Curry. I can't keep cooking it myself once more people join. I won't always be the chef."
Kimimaro had decided early on that Life Curry must be preserved—but he had no intention of making it himself every time. Once he began building a force of his own, reliable hands would be necessary. Ninjas weren't usually good cooks, and though civilians could learn, he didn't want just anyone knowing the process.
So it was best to bring Granny Sansho along.
"I'll pass," Granny Sansho replied after a moment. "I'm old. This shop, and the friends I've known for decades, are here."
Kimimaro had anticipated that. But his true target wasn't Granny Sansho—it was Sansho himself.
"Then it's fine if Sansho comes with me. His cooking is excellent, and he's not content with staying in a mountain village forever. It'd be more reassuring for him to follow me than run off alone, right?"
Granny Sansho seemed to consider this seriously and glanced at Sansho.
Sansho's eyes lit up with excitement, but then he lowered his head.
"But I can't do anything except cook… I just spoke with Ranmaru and realized—becoming a ninja isn't something anyone can do. I don't have the aptitude."
Exactly what I wanted to hear.
Kimimaro smiled. "I can guarantee that if you sincerely follow me, I'll teach you ninjutsu."
"Really? But doesn't that require talent?"
"Normally, yes. But I can change your talent. If you don't believe me, I'll prove it to you right now. Ranmaru, I hope you'll become my companion too."
Kimimaro wouldn't miss the chance to recruit someone like Ranmaru. Once he truly joined, his loyalty would be absolute—and that was even before considering the power of his Kekkei Genkai, the Red Eye, which disrupted chakra perception.
After gathering everyone, Kimimaro turned to Sansho:
"You've been around Raiga Kurosuki, so you must've learned a bit about shinobi. Ever heard of Kekkei Genkai?"
"Yes. It's a kind of ability tied to specific bloodlines. Not something just anyone can use."
"Good. Then you should've seen Guren's Crystal Release. It's a Kekkei Genkai. Ask Ranmaru—he's seen a lot with his abilities."
Ranmaru nodded. "It's definitely not normal ninjutsu. I've never seen anyone else use it."
"Now, I'll prove to you that I can integrate Kekkei Genkai into others. Just saying it wouldn't convince you. Guren, do you mind helping out?"
"Jugo mentioned it, and I've seen your Wood Release. But if you really can do it, I want a powerful Kekkei Genkai too in the future."
"Of course."
Exactly one month had passed since his last gene agent was created, so he didn't need extra life energy for this one. Originally, Kimimaro had prepared this gene for himself—to integrate the Byakugan or Uzumaki bloodline—but Jugo rarely made personal requests. And companions needed strength.
He took out a blank test tube and drew blood from Guren.
[Crystal Release bloodline gene material detected. Activation requires 12,000 life energy. Estimated completion: 2 months. Reducing the duration costs 150 life energy per day.]
To complete the agent immediately, he needed to invest 21,000 life energy in total.
Kimimaro didn't hesitate. He directly invested the full amount.
Then, in front of everyone, he injected the completed Crystal Release gene agent into Jugo's body.
Instantly, a sharp pain surged through Jugo's body, but he gritted his teeth and endured it.
In just a few minutes, the transformation settled, and Jugo returned to a stable state.
"Try it," Kimimaro instructed.
Jugo extended his hand, concentrating. With a soft hum, countless small crystals began to form and float around him—fragments of Crystal Release ninjutsu.
"It actually worked!" Suigetsu's eyes lit up as he looked at Kimimaro. "Kimimaro, draw my blood next! I'll even share our clan's Hydrification secrets if you promise me a strong Kekkei Genkai in return!"
Kimimaro's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It was indeed a viable method—use blood samples from unique bodies to synthesize bloodline-limit potions. Activate them in advance, and let time handle the rest. He didn't need to immediately integrate every Kekkei Genkai. Some could remain in storage for future use, especially when stability and control were concerns.
The pre-activation process also helped ensure safety. Once integrated, powers like Jugo's Sage Transformation or Guren's Crystal Release could pose compatibility risks if rushed.
"Lord Kimimaro... is it really possible for someone like me to obtain a Kekkei Genkai?" Sansho asked, eyes glowing with fanatic hope.
"If you continue to serve me with dedication," Kimimaro replied coolly, "I won't forget your loyalty."
"Yes, my lord! I'll go inform Granny Sansho now!" Sansho darted off toward the curry shop, already dreaming of bringing his mother along once he had secured his new future under Kimimaro's leadership.
Kimimaro turned to the group. "I've considered Suigetsu's proposal, and it's feasible. But I can't keep using my life energy recklessly. Normally, the synthesis and activation of these genetic agents take time. I only gave Jugo's ability a direct boost because of the urgency. From now on, we wait for the proper maturation cycle unless a critical need arises."
To prepare for the next phase, he began absorbing life energy from his companions—but only to the limits they could handle.
Suigetsu, brimming with enthusiasm and feeling temporarily useless in the fight against Raiga Kurosuki, volunteered over 20% of his reserve. Plus, with Granny Sansho's Life Curry to aid recovery, he wasn't too concerned.
After gathering everything, Kimimaro's life energy reserves climbed back to 60,000—but 20,000 of that was still in the process of conversion.
"The Crystal Release sample and its activation cost around 17,000... the Uzumaki lineage took 15,000. That's already a significant chunk. But I haven't even calculated how much I'll need for the Byakugan, the Red Eye, or even Jugo's and Suigetsu's unique body structures." He sighed, already feeling the strain of limited resources. "Life energy is never enough."
For now, he chose not to draw more blood from Guren. She was still adjusting, and her Crystal Release had already served its purpose.
His eyes then settled on Suigetsu, who was practically bouncing with anticipation.
No one was more enthusiastic than this guy.
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