The White Snake Sage looked at the young man beside Shiraishi, her tongue flickering with a look of predatory delight. "This human... how can his physical body be so fresh and vibrant?"
In the era before the Chakra Fruit was planted in this land, the primal human body was considered incredibly fresh and delicious in the eyes of the White Snake Princess.
After countless eons, seeing such an "atavistic" body again made her eyes shine with an almost manic light.
Moreover, she could sense a remarkably pure natural energy within him—it was a Sage Body extremely similar to that of the First Hokage.
This constitution was so pleasing to her senses that she momentarily ignored Shiraishi's presence, her gaze scanning Ace from head to toe. Her thirsty expression was so intense that Ace instinctively retreated behind Shiraishi.
This woman is even scarier than the one on Amazon Lily... though in terms of charm, the Empress of Kuja wins. This one looks more like a wanton demon.
"Apologies. She's a snake spirit who attained immortality; she gets a bit excited when she sees an exceptional young human," Shiraishi remarked dryly. He stepped forward and produced the Dragon Ball. "As agreed, I've brought it back."
At the sight of the Dragon Ball, the Princess snapped back to reality. After reclaiming her treasure, she still couldn't let go of her curiosity. "First, tell me: where did this man come from?"
Shiraishi hadn't expected her to detect the oddity of Ace's origin so quickly. He replied simply, "He is a ninja from our village."
The White Snake Princess burst into a giggling fit. "You expect me to believe that?"
Even if the boy wore a forehead protector, she was a thousand-year-old monster. The natural energy in this boy was purer than even Uzumaki Tomoki's; how could he possibly be a standard Sand ninja?
"I discovered a human preserved since the ancient era and used the refining of the Divine Tree as a catalyst to revive him."
Shiraishi's explanation was eccentric and legendary. The Princess rolled her eyes. If such a powerhouse had been sealed since ancient times, how had she never heard of him? It was clear Shiraishi was hiding a massive secret—no wonder he wouldn't tell her the details of how he refined the Gedo Mazo fragment.
"Then, let me see the ninja tool you've forged."
The moment Shiraishi revealed the Seven Treasures Tree, the Princess's expression changed. She noticed the four Guardian Dragon Souls protecting the artifact, and her voice turned sharp. "You actually used them..."
Her greatest ambition was to master the Yamata no Orochi Sage Art to become a dragon-like sacred beast. Shiraishi's move had essentially used her "backups" as materials, wasting her hard work. For a moment, her aura flared as if she might strike.
However, she quickly regained her composure. The fact that the Kazekage dared to show her the four dragon souls meant he was no longer afraid of a fallout; it was a silent warning.
On second thought, while she had lost those souls, it didn't mean her dream of the Yamata form was dead; she just needed to reshape and fuse new spirits.
Moreover, this might lead to fewer schemes between herself, Orochimaru, and the Kazekage.
Compared to the previous White Snake Sage, her ambition was relatively manageable. Shiraishi still had uses for her, so after showing his strength, he watched as she departed with a resentful huff.
"A village leader, huh? Your presence is pretty intense," Ace teased.
Shiraishi shook his head. "She was getting ahead of herself. I just had to make her recognize the situation so she doesn't overstep."
The Uchiha Shadow
In the Hidden Leaf Village, Uchiha Kaede sat cross-legged. Ever since the "Lop Nur Incident," he had stayed secluded within the Uchiha district, spending his days in meditative cultivation.
A specialized syringe appeared before him, containing cellular energy extracted from Portgas D. Ace.
During the process of reviving Ace, Shiraishi's chakra threads had performed extensive "surgery," leaving behind a wealth of samples—blood and cellular tissue that became Shiraishi's research specimens.
After rigorous testing for rejection reactions, Shiraishi had reached a conclusion: Uchiha Kaede was the perfect candidate for an Ace cell transplant.
A Sage Body paired with Sage Eyes... perhaps the combination of Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju truly is the most terrifying existence in the ninja world.
While Ace's cells weren't as "miraculous" as Hashirama's, his pure fire-controlling nature had a much higher compatibility with Uchiha Kaede's Fire Style.
The moment Kaede integrated the cells, a violent vortex of fire energy erupted around him. His Mangekyo Sharingan spun with a crimson glow.
He could feel the cellular vitality significantly slowing the degenerative damage the Mangekyo inflicted on his body.
During his seclusion, Kaede could feel the tension between the Uchiha and the Leaf leadership reaching a boiling point. Today, however, he received an invitation from Uchiha Fugaku for a private tea session.
The aroma of tea filled the courtyard where Fugaku sat, enjoying a brew prepared by his wife. Taking in the scent, a weary Fugaku slowly opened his eyes. "Kaede, are you here?"
"I am."
The wooden doors slid open. Kaede entered and bowed respectfully to the clan head.
"Lord Patriarch..."
"Uchiha Kaede," Fugaku began, his voice calm yet heavy. "You've awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan long ago, haven't you?"
The teacup clinked. Kaede's eyelid flickered, but he regained his composure quickly. His Sharingan spun, morphing into the Fuma Shuriken shape of his Mangekyo.
"When did you find out, Lord Patriarch?"
Fugaku remained serene. "Itachi is so wary of you; I should have noticed your abnormality long ago."
Fugaku had previously used his own Mangekyo to place Kaede under a subtle genjutsu, believing the young man was under his control.
Now he realized that like Itachi, Kaede was a variable that had escaped his grasp.
"Since you possess such power, why hide it?"
"An extra pair of Mangekyo isn't necessarily a good thing for the current Uchiha clan."
"Oh?"
"Whether it's Danzo or the Third Hokage, they have never lowered their guard against us. The power of two pairs of Mangekyo would only give the clansmen more reckless ideas. Otherwise, it is meaningless."
Kaede's words made Fugaku's eyes brighten. He hadn't expected the boy to be more perceptive than he had imagined.
Furthermore, there was another unpredictable variable within the clan: Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi was Fugaku's son. Even though he had drifted away from the clan's path, Fugaku still hoped his son would remember his bloodline and stand with the family. If they could count on Itachi as well, the Uchiha's chances of success would be significantly higher.
This was the true reason Fugaku had been wavering for so many years.
🌟 The story is already written… waiting to be unleashed. Claim early access on Patreon: Patreon.com/kazama677
🔓 You hold the keys to bonus chapters:💬 10 reviews ignite 1 bonus chapter🔷 100 Power Stones summon another
🔥 Your power determines how fast the tale unfolds.