"Assist you, sir."
"With my current chakra levels, six houses of this size are my limit."
Uchiha Hikaru looked at Yamato, who was visibly drained, and for a rare moment, felt a slight pang of guilt.
He reached into his ninja tool pouch and took out a special military ration pill, placing it into Yamato's hand.
"Six is enough for now. Eat this first."
"If it's not enough later, we'll just build more."
The first part of the sentence made Yamato breathe a sigh of relief—but the second half made him question his entire life.
Ah… this guy's gonna work me to death… (;¬_¬)
After swallowing the pill, Yamato felt his chakra begin to recover quickly. His pale face regained some color.
Uchiha Hikaru handed him an official appointment scroll, then turned around and began to leave, tossing out one more task before he went.
"Next, for the interiors, find a few craftsmen and buy furniture."
"Decorate the exteriors too. I'm leaving that to you."
"Don't forget to add some green belts."
Yamato stared at Hikaru's retreating figure and suddenly felt like the appointment scroll in his hands was cursed.
I've stepped into the sunlight… but somehow, life still feels harder than when I was in ANBU… ( ̄_ ̄|||)
Uchiha Hikaru didn't linger—he headed straight to the underground Ninjutsu Science Research Institute hidden behind Hokage Rock.
Orochimaru was inside, nose buried in a scroll, not even looking up.
"Do you have some new project for me, Hikaru?"
"I'm already swamped with research. Still trying to crack the Caged Bird Seal. If you've got something, just say it. I'll make time later."
Hikaru walked up and placed a scroll onto Orochimaru's desk without a word.
"You'll find it simple enough."
"Once you're done, just have Anko deliver it to Kurenai."
"I have another matter—something more important—I need your help with."
That caught Orochimaru's attention.
He set down his scroll and turned to face Hikaru.
"Oh? What is it?"
"I'll be leaving Konoha soon," Hikaru said calmly. "I'm heading to the Land of Wind to locate the Dragon Vein and use its power to push my Mangekyō Sharingan to the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan."
Orochimaru's expression shifted as he recalled a particular classified mission.
"The Fourth Hokage once tapped into the Dragon Vein's power. I remember."
"He sealed it personally… but after the mission, he seemed to forget everything about it. Even Aburame Shibi and Akimichi Choza, who were with him, lost all memory of what happened."
Hikaru tossed Orochimaru another scroll.
"I figured it out while going through old mission logs. The clues were buried there."
"I have no siblings," he added. "Even if I did, I wouldn't sacrifice their eyes to obtain the Eternal Mangekyō. So, I had to find another path."
Orochimaru opened the scroll. It described the massive chakra reserves of the Dragon Vein but said little else.
"But you already have Hashirama cells in your body," Orochimaru noted. "You shouldn't have to worry about blindness."
"Wait… could it be the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan continues to evolve in power?"
Hikaru took back the scroll and tucked it into his cloak.
"I'm no longer at risk of going blind, yes. But my current pupil strength is still far from what's required."
"Only the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan can unlock the full potential of the Uchiha bloodline."
"And it's one of the prerequisites for evolving into the Rinnegan."
At that, Orochimaru's mind snapped to the leader of the Akatsuki—the man rumored to possess the Rinnegan.
He'd been so focused on his recent research that he had nearly forgotten the threat the Akatsuki posed to the shinobi world.
"True… after all, that man has already awakened the Rinnegan."
"But even if you reach the Eternal Mangekyō, can you really stand against him?"
"The Rinnegan is the evolved form of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, after all."
A wave of intense chakra suddenly burst from Uchiha Hikaru.
It surged through the room like a thunderclap, thick and heavy like a living force.
Dark violet bones began to materialize around him—Susanoo—its skeletal frame forming without any visible use of pupil power.
"I can now use Susanoo without activating my eyes," Hikaru said coolly.
"No matter how strong the Akatsuki leader is, so what?"
"If he were truly that powerful, Madara and Hashirama would've conquered the world back then."
"He's just another insect. Even now, I could crush him."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly.
This man… carried both the power of Wood Release and the Mangekyō Sharingan.
The combination was terrifying—perhaps even equal to the legends of old.
This guy… with this level of power, and he's still so damn cautious? (눈_눈)
After leaving Orochimaru's lab, Hikaru made his way straight to Anko's research facility.
As soon as he opened the door, Anko looked up.
The next second, a snake slithered from her sleeve, wrapping around the ceiling beam above him, and she launched a cheeky smirk.
"Well, well, Hokage's right hand himself."
"To what do I owe the honor of this visit, hmm~?"
"What's a humble researcher like me supposed to do to entertain such an important guest~?"
Before Hikaru could respond, Anko slid into his arms, letting him carry her over to her desk as she sat on the edge, legs swinging.
Her lab coat slipped from her shoulders, revealing a tight purple top that clung to every curve.
The fabric rose and fell with each breath, warping against her body in a way that made Hikaru's temperature spike.
"Haven't seen you in your old combat gear lately," Hikaru noted, eyes flicking down. "Trying out a new look?"
Anko stretched, hands behind her head, and her ponytail came loose as the tie slipped free.
"I'm always holed up in the lab. No missions."
"So why bother dressing like I'm heading to war every day?"
"You don't like this look?"
"Isn't it pretty~?"
Her movements, her voice—every bit of it was calculated to tease.
And it worked.
Hikaru could feel the heat creeping down his neck. His body reacted before his brain could catch up.
"Anko… we're not at home."
"Are you sure this is the right place?"
Anko blinked innocently, eyes sparkling with mischief.
"Hokage-sama's assistant, I don't understand what you mean~"
"This is my official lab uniform."
"If there's anything… improper… you'd better teach me how to fix it~"
Hikaru grabbed both her wrists. The look in his eyes grew darker, hotter.
"Then as Hokage's assistant… it's my job to instruct you thoroughly."
He didn't even bother setting up a barrier.
They were underground. Sound didn't carry easily here.
And this was a research lab—built with natural soundproofing from the stone and insulation.
Nothing would escape.
…
…
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Send Power Stones
Bonus Chapter at 150 Power Stone
Second Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones
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