"Doesn't feel all that different, honestly…"
Even the natural scent that clung to him could now be retracted or released at will.
All in all, things were far more convenient than before.
Still, Uchiha Kaien kept the scent as it was—just noticeable enough for him to sense it too.
Any sudden change would arouse suspicion. Maintaining the status quo was always the safest bet.
After all, no change means no surprises.
"As for natural energy... yeah, I can start to sense it now."
In Kaien's perception, there was something new lingering in the air around him—indescribable, subtle, yet undeniably present.
Thanks to the [Seed of Perception], which slowly and steadily enhanced his sensory trait, Kaien was able to detect the ambient natural energy immediately after acquiring [Spirit of Nature].
After all, sensing natural energy was a perception-related trait, and anything tied to perception could be improved gradually with [Seed of Perception].
More than that, the surrounding natural energy was beginning to drift toward Kaien, as though drawn to him—almost affectionate.
The plants along the street flourished with vibrant life. As Kaien walked by, they almost seemed sentient, bowing their leaves and stems in deference.
It was the conclusion Kaien had reached on his own.
Trees rustled without wind. Flowers subtly shifted their faces as he passed, and threads of natural energy curled around him in a warm embrace.
"So this is what it feels like to be loved by nature… everything around me feels so… gentle."
That was Kaien's most immediate impression.
If nature itself welcomed him this way, wouldn't training in Sage Mode become much easier?
He wouldn't have to worry about the wild, volatile nature of natural energy. As long as he accepted it, he could tap into that power directly.
But then there was the part about his body shifting toward becoming a "Spirit of Nature." Did that mean he'd gain some transformation ability, like turning into water using the Hydrification Technique?
The system had a habit of going radio silent at times like this. It had explained things before, but now? Nothing.
"Whatever, I'll figure it out myself. It's still way more useful than my old affinity."
Kaien wasn't bothered whether the system chimed in or not. Power was something one had to grasp through experience. No written explanation could compare to firsthand understanding.
When he pushed open the door to his house, he found that not even a speck of dust had gathered over the past six months. The furniture inside looked freshly cleaned and polished—someone had been tidying up regularly.
It couldn't be the White Zetsu clones. They'd followed him to Kumogakure. That only left one person with a spare key: Namikaze Minato.
"That blonde's more considerate than you guys. You only think to clean the place right before I come home?"
Kaien stared blankly at the White Zetsu clones busying themselves in the courtyard.
"Your house was already spotless, so we just did your laundry instead. These are the clothes you wore in Kumogakure."
"We did all the washing and he still thinks he's the one being diligent…" one clone muttered under its breath.
"And the bonsai and rock garden! Only we have the finesse to clean those properly!"
The White Zetsu scrambled to claim credit—except for the one who kept quietly grumbling.
"And today, you look even more dazzling."
"…?"
Kaien blinked, confused.
"You seem more approachable too. Even when you yell at us, it feels... kind of blissful..."
"…?"
"Basically, you're like a spirit being adored by nature itself!"
That was the best way they could describe it. To them, viewing Kaien from a plant's perspective, he now seemed like the ideal existence.
As plant-beings, most of the White Zetsu had been cultivated by Uchiha Madara using the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and Hashirama's cells. Other than the cells, their biology was purely plant-based.
A minority of them were originally humans transformed by the Divine Tree in ancient times and had been preserved within the Demonic Statue. Their prolonged transformation process had made them fundamentally plant-like as well.
As a result, they too fell under the domain of nature. And Kaien, now bearing the [Spirit of Nature] trait, was their absolute favorite presence.
'Looks like [Spirit of Nature] really is useful… I can fool humans and plants now. Maybe I can even take control of the Demonic Statue someday…'
Stuffed and content, Kaien's thoughts began to drift. The sunny afternoon was so warm it made him drowsy. With a flick of wind chakra, he floated himself onto the bed in his room, his breathing gradually slowing.
In Kumogakure, he always had to keep up appearances. He hadn't napped there once. But at home? This was bliss.
...
While Kaien took his nap, someone else was skipping both lunch and rest altogether.
After gaining clearance, Orochimaru had eagerly buried himself in classified documents.
Among them was confirmation that the "Shinigami" was indeed real. It was the first time he'd encountered the S-rank soul-sealing technique known as the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
"Offering the caster's soul to the Shinigami in exchange for sealing the soul of the target… huh."
Orochimaru's brow furrowed.
There didn't seem to be a limit to the number of targets. So at worst, the caster could guarantee a one-for-one soul exchange?
He was also reminded of the Death Controlling Possessed Blood—another life-for-life ritual.
Why were all these divine arts obsessed with trading life for life?
Orochimaru wasn't impressed. Life was a one-time deal. Throwing it away just to take someone else down with you was a waste.
The Death Controlling Possessed Blood could potentially be circumvented. His newly developed Orochi-style Substitution Jutsu might even do the trick.
The only issue was that learning the jutsu required faith in an evil god. Without that belief, the spell's core wouldn't activate.
In Orochimaru's eyes, any technique that came with a religious prerequisite was worthless.
"Guess I'll have to shelve the Death Controlling Possessed Blood for now."
He decided to resume the research only after figuring out a workaround for the god-worship condition.
After all, his goal was immortality. No way would he let some backwater deity shackle him.
To master every jutsu in the world, he needed time—and figuring out how to bypass preconditions was part of the fun.
"Evil god jutsu requires belief. But the death god jutsu isn't nearly as picky."
His golden snake-like eyes shimmered with intrigue.
"But its drawbacks are much harder to avoid."
"If I could only seal the enemy's soul without sacrificing my own, this forbidden technique would be terrifying beyond measure."
"Seems like soul-related jutsu are worth diving into after all…"
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
Fanfic is finished on Patreon (156 chapters in total.)
Patreon(.)com/Jixo (for only $4.50, read this entire fanfic)