The laboratory smelled of sterilized stone, steel, and ozone. The familiar walls, once cold and alien to Hinata, now felt merely clinical. As she stepped inside, escorted by Kabuto and followed closely by Kuro, her attention was drawn immediately to the creature curled in the corner.
Mitsue.
The massive serpent had changed.
Gone was the towering beast that had once coiled like a dragon of old. Now Mitsue's form was sleek, compact—From half the size of her father Manda, she was now only an eighth of his size. Yet every inch of her glistened with coiled power. Her scales had become white with a burnished silver, faintly reflective, and her breathing was slow, controlled. Not dormant, but patient.
Kabuto glanced toward Hinata. "Her transformation has continued. Frankly, we're still documenting it. She's no longer cold-blooded. Metabolically, she's behaving like something... other."
Hinata approached quietly. Kuro stood to the side, her red eye watchful but calm.
When Hinata reached out a hand and gently stroked the smooth curve of Mitsue's head, the serpent stirred.
Bright silver eyes opened, slit pupils narrowing before softening at the familiar presence.
"It's good to see you again, Mitsue," Hinata whispered.
To the astonishment of Kabuto—and the silent curiosity of Orochimaru—Mitsue rose slightly and nuzzled Hinata's palm in greeting.
Kuro gave a brief, approving snort. The bond between beast and serpent had solidified in the Silver World. What once could have been a predator's dance had become mutual acknowledgment. Respect.
Orochimaru stepped forward, arms folded.
"She responds to you instinctively. That's... unusual. Even with summoning creatures, the bond rarely operates on this level before a contract."
Hinata said nothing. There was no need.
She moved toward the new version of the chakra transference apparatus. It was larger than the one from six months prior, with reinforced tubing, glowing seals along its reinforced base, and a full array of clamps to prevent instability.
Kabuto gestured proudly. "I designed this version myself. Variable pressure valves, modular flow regulators, and adaptive temperature shielding. We ran multiple tests with it. I'm confident it won't fail this time."
Hinata nodded once, her face calm.
Then, slowly, she climbed onto the second platform beside Mitsue. Her heart was steady.
"Let's begin."
The procedure began much like the first time. Twin tubes—one for chakra intake, one for expulsion—were connected to Hinata's arms. An intravenous solution followed, ensuring her body had the stamina to survive the coming storm. Orochimaru stood silent, analyzing every detail, while Kabuto took his place beside the machine, ready to inject medical chakra into the system at precise intervals.
But this time, everything escalated faster. The process surged forward with complexity. Hinata had to consciously harmonize her physical and spiritual energies, which now flowed faintly within her chakra network, with Mitsue's transformed chakra—denser, purer, more potent than ever before. Her body alone couldn't sustain it.
So Hinata reached inward—into the Silver World. There, in that plane of starlight and intention, she summoned vital energy. It came not from her, but from countless dreamers and dwellers of that realm, a refined, collective current. With it, Mitsue's chakra responded, absorbing, growing stronger. Then it began the real work: grinding through the residual blockages in Hinata's network.
Pain returned—searing, intimate—and Hinata called upon the Body Forging Technique. Breath after breath, each one a hammer on her body, transforming it. The chakra heated within her, igniting her insides. Blockages were not only crushed—they were reforged. The chakra of Mitsue, now infused with her own vital reserves, began reshaping Hinata from the inside. And returned to her own body, to do the same with her
As Hinata ascended into the state Takama once called the Fire Body, Mitsue too changed. Her mass began to shrink again, her essence condensing, transforming. Orochimaru's monitors spiked. Kabuto's hands, despite gloves, began to blister from the heat radiating from the machine. It was holding—but barely.
Hinata's skin flushed deep red, steam rising in waves as impurities evaporated through every pore. Mitsue mirrored her, her body trembling with strain yet refusing to collapse. Kuro tried to approach, but the heat forced her to retreat. She watched, helpless, but with unshaken faith.
Then it happened.
Hinata felt it—the threshold. Her body crossed into the Fire Body stage, a rebirth of flesh and soul into perfect harmony. But alongside her, Mitsue changed again. Not Fire, but something beyond: a luminous, fluid resonance. Plasma.
Three hours passed.
When the machine finally powered down, Hinata lay motionless, her skin shedding like a serpent's. New flesh beneath—pale as snow—glowed faintly with dormant power. Her hair was gone, her frame slightly smaller. But within her chest, a pulse echoed.
For the first time in over a year, a ripple of chakra surged through her veins.
Beside her, Mitsue rested, no longer monstrous in size but majestic in form. Sixty feet of white scales and silver patterns shimmered with an inner light. She was smaller, yes—but undeniably much more.
Kabuto approached cautiously, the air still shimmering.
Orochimaru's expression was one of fascination—almost hunger. But it passed quickly.
"Status?" he asked.
Kabuto placed a hand on Hinata's chest, sensing.
"Stable. Her chakra is different—thick, heavy—but minimal in volume. It feels... akin to Mitsue's, though still her own."
Orochimaru raised a brow. "Do you think some properties were transferred?"
"Possibly. And based on the readings, she was actively channeling a technique during the process. The machine logged everything. We may be able to replicate it."
Orochimaru's smile was cold. "Excellent. Transfer her to recovery. Make sure she has everything she needs. And show her companion the respect she's due. I'd hate for there to be... complications."
Kabuto, drained but resolute, nodded once. "Understood."
<<<< o >>>>
Hinata awoke to a familiar ceiling, though everything about it now felt different. Her senses had sharpened—sounds were clearer, distant voices sharper, the scent of stone and herbs more vivid. She moved her hand gently, only to hear the fabric tear under her fingers.
Startled, she glanced down. Her strength had shifted, become something unfamiliar yet inherently hers.
At her side, Kuro stirred, the wolf letting out a soft, delighted chuff before rising and placing her head on the edge of the bed, her one eye shining with relief.
A nearby maid, startled by the noise, rushed into view. She was one of the women who had assisted with Kuro's previous bath, and her face softened with both surprise and joy.
"Good afternoon, Lady Gin. You've been resting for nearly two days. We were all quite worried. How do you feel?"
Hinata blinked. She could hear the maid's heartbeat, feel the distant thrum of Mitsue's breath echoing through their shared bond. Two rhythms. Hers and Mitsue's—connected, but distinct.
She touched her stomach. An ache lingered there, but not of pain. Hunger.
"I think... Mitsue and I are both hungry," Hinata said softly, her voice dry but certain. "Could you bring food for us both? She's waking up."
The maid took a moment to process the request, then smiled brightly.
"Of course! I'll ensure something special is prepared for you and your companion. Please rest—I'll return shortly."
She bowed and hurried out.
Hinata leaned back against her pillow, exhaling slowly. Her hand reached for her face, brushing along her brow. Her eyebrows and her hair gone, though she could feel the slow return of growth.
"I hope this won't complicate things at court," she murmured.
Kuro gave a huff of amusement and nosed her hand, her tail thudding against the ground in joy.
The warmth in that simple moment reminded Hinata that despite the pain, despite the transformation, she had returned—stronger, but still herself.