After finishing a simple meal, Shigure cleaned up and sent for Haku.
"How's Ringo doing?" he asked from the bathroom as he showered.
Haku's calm voice came from outside.
"Lady Tsunade has been personally overseeing RIngo's treatment these past few days. After some rest, she's finally ready for surgery. Lady Tsunade said that as long as the operation is successful, about eighty percent of her illness will be cured. The rest will depend on her recovery."
Shigure smiled faintly.
So Tsunade hasn't been idle at all… She really honored my brother's request completely.
He felt a twinge of embarrassment at the thought of her dedication.
"Good. I understand. Keep an eye on her for me," Shigure said.
Haku nodded silently and left.
Moments later, Shigure stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a white towel. His damp hair clung to his neck, so he released a small surge of Chakra to dry it instantly.
Standing before the mirror, he studied his reflection.
"It seems… I've gotten taller again."
[Great Sage]: The host's Shikotsumyaku has now been fully integrated.
"Oh?" Shigure murmured, feeling a sudden rush of strength surge through his body.
No wonder I've felt so energized since leaving the scroll archive.
He flexed his fingers, focusing Chakra into his bones—then extended them outward.
In an instant, sharp, ivory claws like Wolverine's sprouted from the back of his hands.
Examining the deadly protrusions, Shigure grinned.
"Not bad. This Kekkei Genkai isn't just about offense—it also boosts defense and physical resilience."
Exactly what he needed. With his immense Chakra reserves, his body needed to be able to withstand the strain. Otherwise, his potential would be capped by his own physical limits.
Now, that wouldn't be a problem.
He turned back to the mirror. His reflection had changed dramatically. He now stood about 178 centimeters tall—a noticeable growth spurt influenced by the Shikotsumyaku.
And he wasn't done growing yet. His body was still evolving.
His muscles had become lean and defined, the outlines visible even when relaxed. Compared to the scrawny twelve-year-old he once was, he now looked every bit a true shinobi—a shinobi forged by power itself.
Still, when he put on his clothes, his build appeared deceptively slim.
Only those who had felt his strength firsthand would know how much power lay beneath that frame.
After admiring his transformation for a brief moment, Shigure's expression turned serious. He still had work to do.
Since the Shikotsumyaku had been fully integrated, his passive skill set needed to be updated.
Passive Skill Slot 1: Shikotsumyaku (Complete Integration)
As the Shikotsumyaku continued to evolve through his passive skill enhancement, Shigure's physique became increasingly extraordinary. His bones grew denser and harder—almost unbreakable.
At this rate, his body might one day evolve into something truly indestructible.
Passive Skill Slot 2: Sage Mode
Since he had already mastered Sage Ninjutsu, it naturally became his core combat strength.
Sage Mode was, in essence, the refinement and control of Sage Chakra. As he continued this process, both his physical Chakra and spiritual energy would expand in tandem, enhancing every aspect of his power.
Passive Skill Slot 3: Water Breathing
This wasn't just a swordsmanship enhancement technique anymore. The improvement in his blade work was negligible compared to the vast increase in elemental affinity. The true value of Water Breathing now lay in amplifying the strength of his Water Release techniques.
Passive Skill Slots 4–7:
Wind Release
Fire Release
Lightning Release
Earth Release
Previously, Shigure's mastery of Water Release had already reached astonishing levels—far surpassing ordinary shinobi. But raw Chakra reserves alone weren't enough. To truly unleash his power, he needed to refine his control over the remaining nature transformations as well.
By strengthening all five basic elemental affinities, he could not only develop higher-level Ninjutsu but also lay the groundwork for new Kekkei Genkai—new Bloodline Limits.
Coincidentally, Water Breathing also enhanced his Water Release, creating synergy across his elemental nature transformations.
Shigure had now mastered almost every notable Ninjutsu from the original era.
Although Kirigakure was the Village Hidden in the Mist, the long years of war among the Five Great Nations had blurred the lines between exclusive village techniques. Most shinobi were at least familiar with the existence of each other's Jutsu, even if they didn't practice them.
However, out of respect—and sometimes pride—villages rarely shared their signature techniques.
For instance, even though the Hidden Mist possessed records of Konoha's Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation, the technique was never taught within Kirigakure. To do so would be seen as an insult to Konoha's legacy.
Unless another Great Ninja War erupted, such Ninjutsu would remain closely guarded secrets.
But Shigure was different.
He had already mastered them all.
With his foundation in Ninjutsu complete, his next target was the Bloodline Limits themselves.
Just as those Kirigakure shinobi had once remarked—if Shigure were to learn all of the Mist's forbidden scrolls, he would become the next Professor of Ninjutsu, like Hiruzen Sarutobi himself.
But that wasn't Shigure's goal.
He didn't seek titles or reputation. He sought evolution.
To Shigure, Bloodline Limits were not ends in themselves but stepping stones—ways to create even stronger techniques by combining and transforming Chakra Natures.
After all, Bloodline Limits were merely the result of nature transformation fusion. By mastering and fusing more attributes, new powers could be born.
This was evident from Storm Release, a fusion of Lightning and Water.
Even if fusing more nature transformations didn't automatically make one stronger, it provided the foundation for the Great Sage to craft new, more refined techniques—and that potential was limitless.
And now, Shigure had decided.
The next Bloodline Limit he would develop was—Storm Release!
He had already perfected Wood Release Ninjutsu, and with the guidance of the Great Sage, creating a new Kekkei Genkai was no longer an impossible dream.
But that wasn't the only progress made during his three days of research.
[Gluttony: 40%]
While Shigure studied, the Great Sage had continued repairing the Gluttony ability in the background.
After three days, another ten percent of the restoration was complete.
However, as the process advanced, the repairs became increasingly complex and slow. According to the Great Sage, reaching fifty percent completion would likely take another month.
When Gluttony's restoration reached forty percent, a new sub-ability was unlocked—Stomach.
[Stomach: Capable of storing prey and analyzed substances. Items stored within will remain unaffected by time.]
At first glance, Shigure thought it was merely a storage ability, but the Great Sage quickly corrected him.
[Great Sage: Once an object within the Stomach is analyzed, the host may modify it within a defined range according to his own will.]
Hearing this, Shigure's eyes lit up.
The first thing that came to mind—was his ninja sword.
With Gluttony's Stomach, he could modify and enhance his weapon exactly as he'd envisioned.
And with that thought, a faint grin crossed his face.
...
TN:
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