The Hokage is a symbol of strength, the village's pillar. Ordinary villagers believe that as long as the Hokage is there, victory in war is inevitable!
"Peace is good, but it won't last," Yaito murmured, observing the villagers' joy.
He knew peace wouldn't last; the future would be far more dangerous. His current strength was insufficient to survive.
The future would be more treacherous than the Third Great Ninja War.
'I need to get stronger!' This thought spurred him onward. Reaching a secluded area, he activated his Byakugan and Observation Haki, ensuring no one was watching before dashing towards the Death Forest.
He'd been there before; it was his training ground, where he could freely use his otherworldly abilities. He even had a partially built underground laboratory there.
His purpose was to test a new ability. After his points surpassed 1000, he'd spent them on a skill: [Super Regeneration]!
From the name, he guessed it was from the world of "Bleach": Hollow's Super Regeneration! It rapidly heals injuries.
He'd planned to learn medical ninjutsu, but his cheat had provided a powerful recovery skill. He hadn't used it before, fearing questions from his teammates.
He proceeded cautiously, his Byakugan and Observation Haki constantly scanning for trackers.
Arriving at his destination, he still hadn't deactivated his Byakugan, but he also used his Observation Haki.
He paused, looking in a certain direction: "Hmm? There's a living creature's presence underground? What's going on?"
He approached, using his Byakugan to see what was there. But he saw nothing unusual.
However, his Observation Haki detected a living creature, more than one!
"Is it a sealing jutsu? Blocking my Byakugan's vision?" Yaito wondered.
The Byakugan isn't perfect; sealing jutsu can block its sight. Many important locations in Konoha use such jutsu for protection and early warning.
"But who's using sealing jutsu in the Death Forest? Hiding something?" Yaito muttered, sensing the creatures' auras.
His expression turned strange: "Cold-blooded creatures? Snakes? Orochimaru?"
His Observation Haki detected cold, dampness – signs of cold-blooded creatures.
'Is this Orochimaru's secret lab? I didn't have Observation Haki last time, so I didn't notice?' Yaito thought, annoyed.
Orochimaru's labs were scattered throughout the ninja world. One in the Death Forest wasn't impossible... It was very likely!
'Even if it's not Orochimaru, it could be Danzō... No, that cold aura definitely belongs to Orochimaru... I can't stay here! Bad luck!'
The thought of becoming Orochimaru's "neighbor" made Yaito annoyed!
Last time, lacking Observation Haki, his Byakugan couldn't penetrate the sealing jutsu.
He didn't want to be Orochimaru's neighbor...
"Let's move. I might be discovered," Yaito shook his head, deciding to leave. His lab wasn't finished anyway.
Orochimaru was a powerful S-rank ninja. He was a mad scientist with a cruel, relentless personality. Being targeted by him would be troublesome...
Yaito knew his limits. Even fully healed, he might not be Orochimaru's match. It was best to avoid him for now...
Yaito glanced at the underground location, but left without acting.
After he left, a small gray-brown snake emerged from a tree, its tongue flicking. It had no chakra, was smaller than other snakes, and lacked the cold aura of cold-blooded creatures. It looked like a normal animal.
The snake slithered into a tree hole and disappeared...
...
The Death Forest was vast; finding an empty area was easy. After checking for abnormalities, Yaito began testing [Super Regeneration].
He wanted to see how otherworldly skills worked in this world. Hadō became ninjutsu, Bakudō became sealing jutsu, Observation Haki became sensing jutsu. Many skills needed testing.
He didn't want another "Hollow Mask" incident.
Fortunately, the [Super Regeneration] test went smoothly. It drained 90% of his chakra, but it was worth it.
His injuries and meridian damage were completely healed. His chakra reserves had even increased!
This was great news!
Yaito's body wasn't particularly talented; his chakra reserves were lower than average Chunin. Chakra reserves determine a ninja's potential. Low reserves limit jutsu usage.
The recovery had increased his chakra! It wasn't much, but it gave him direction!
"Super Regeneration is similar to Tsunade's Creation Rebirth... Uzumaki's vitality, the First Hokage's Sage Body, all have rapid recovery... Jinchuriki also recover faster..."
"If someone notices something unusual, I can use this as an explanation..." Yaito wrote down his observations.
The world wasn't without rapid recovery methods: Tsunade's Creation Rebirth, Uzumaki vitality, the First Hokage's Sage Body. Super Regeneration had explanations.
"The Hollow Mask's power is similar to the Tailed Beast's chakra..."
Yaito took out the Hollow Mask: "After that, it became unusable. Was it because the Hollow's power was depleted?"
"I wonder if Tailed Beast chakra could activate it... Too far-fetched..."
"I need to increase my chakra reserves. This body is too weak..."
"There are ways to improve the body in this world: First Hokage cells... natural energy... Body Regeneration Technique... These might work..."
"But where do I find them? Orochimaru might have First Hokage cells... Natural energy is linked to Sage Mode, the three great summoning locations... The Body Regeneration Technique is with the God of Medicine... It won't be easy..."
"Let's take it slow... I'll write it down. I'll consider it when I'm stronger..."
Yaito put away his notebook. He had a lot to do, but he needed more strength.
After recovering his chakra, Yaito carefully left the Death Forest.
Thirty minutes later, a man in a white kimono, pale skin, golden vertical pupils, purple eyeshadow, and a long tongue appeared where Yaito had been. It was Orochimaru!
He sensed the lingering chakra, smirking: "Interesting. A Hyuga branch member? This chakra... an ominous, evil aura, like Tailed Beast chakra, but different..."
"Researching something? This unknown chakra... to break the Caged Bird Seal? Or something else... Intriguing... A Hyuga branch member!"
Orochimaru disappeared into the shadows.
...
Yaito didn't know he'd been spotted. He returned to the village after the Fourth Hokage's inauguration ceremony.
Yaito wasn't interested in the ceremony. At noon, he was hungry and considered ramen.
A familiar voice called out: "Hey, Yaito, you're back?"
A boy with a bowl cut and thick eyebrows smiled and gave a thumbs-up. It was Might Guy!
They were classmates and friends. Their classmates were close.
Yaito greeted him: "Guy, I just returned from the front lines."
"Perfect! Kakashi, Asuma, Inoichi, Kurenai, and others are at the barbecue place. We went to your house, but you weren't there. Let's go?" Guy suggested.
"Kakashi, Asuma? What's going on? Is the miser Kakashi finally paying?" Yaito wondered.
"Not Kakashi. He's cheap. His allowance is higher than ours, but he never pays," Guy shook his head, whispering, "Asuma's paying. He's celebrating his father's retirement..."
Yaito was speechless. He didn't understand rich kids' logic...
He went with Guy to the barbecue place. Asuma, Kurenai, Inoichi, Hayate Gekko, Kakashi, Daichi, Nami, and others were there. Tsukiko wasn't; she disliked crowds.
Yaito was happy to see his surviving classmates.
"Hey, Yaito, we went to your place, but you weren't there. Where were you?" Asuma greeted him.
Yaito simply said, "I was walking around the village."
Inoichi leaned in, looking at Kakashi and Yaito: "I heard you asked Kakashi about the Chidori? Did you learn it?"
Yaito shrugged: "I didn't ask; we exchanged techniques. His Chidori, and my techniques as a Kekkei Genkai user."
Kakashi scoffed: "Even without your help, I'd have learned it. And I've mastered what you gave me. You haven't even scratched the surface of my Chidori!"
Kakashi was colder and more withdrawn after his father's suicide, Rin's and Obito's deaths. But he was more open with his classmates.
He'd become completely withdrawn after his teacher's death in the Nine-Tailed Fox attack.
But the current Kakashi was still ambitious!
"I'd say I learned it..." Yaito smiled.
"Chidori is an A-rank jutsu. Even Jonin struggle to learn it. You learned it? I have another rival!" Guy said seriously.
Only Kakashi had become Jonin among their classmates.
No one doubted Yaito; he is a Hyuga. They were proud and didn't lie.
In the academy, Yaito was unremarkable.
But after the war, his classmates noticed a change. He was no longer rigid; he learned other jutsu and taijutsu, not just Gentle Fist...
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