Chapter 224 – Preparing the Experiment
The meeting with Minato had yielded far too much—too many agreements, too many gains.
Kei Uchiha knew now that the Konoha of the future would likely bear little resemblance to the "original story."
But so what?
The very fact that Minato was alive already meant the timeline had been rewritten.
As for the reform plans, those were Minato's proposals. No one would ever suspect where he had found such ideas. The Uchiha clan was only "cooperating," with Fugaku as its head. On the surface, Kei's presence was invisible.
And yet—everywhere, his influence lingered.
He was like a ghost in the background, unseen but quietly tugging the strings of those in power, guiding their thoughts and even their loyalties.
Kei was honest with himself: in political cunning, he was no match for Hiruzen Sarutobi and his generation. Those men were masters, self-taught geniuses who had, without guidance, devised a system of "vertical slicing"—identity politics that preserved their power while siphoning the village's wealth.
They probably didn't even realize how sophisticated their schemes had become… or how fragile. Their system was rushed, incomplete, and worst of all—they never properly identified their true political enemies.
Now, with a man like Minato in the mix—a leader with ideals, faith, and the purity of conviction—things could change. Things would change.
And Kei would make sure to use that idealism, channel it into reshaping the village with Minato himself as the engine.
Power and profit could be drawn in countless ways. What mattered was perspective. Under the old regime, identity politics had shackled everyone to rigid stereotypes, limiting action within the confines of "clan" or "status."
But when that structure finally collapsed—when the dye pot was stirred again—the possibilities for hidden players like Kei would be endless.
"Truth is, the system Sarutobi created made profit much easier," Kei sighed inwardly. "But once you cement identities and stigmatize entire groups, the rot spreads too deep. Change becomes inevitable."
The meeting ended. Kei and Fugaku both sensed Minato's attitude toward the Uchiha had warmed considerably. With more knowledge in hand, Minato had also grown bolder.
Within just a week, he asked Fugaku for manpower. He wanted Uchiha operatives slipped into the ANBU. To anyone watching, it looked like favoritism had already taken root.
That was Fugaku's arena. Kei left him to it. Mercenaries or not, it was still a foot in the door.
What caught Kei's personal interest was something else entirely: Minato had confided that Kushina was pregnant.
This was critical intelligence. Even if Kushina later ended up telling Mikoto out of boredom, for Minato to reveal it now showed the depth of his trust.
Kei promised to increase patrols around the Fourth, though Minato laughed and politely declined. Kei didn't mind. He had what he needed: a timetable.
It was already April. He had only six months left.
Six months to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Six months to push his "self-upgrade" further.
His current Mangekyō consumed almost no chakra—partly because he hadn't held it long, partly because he was frugal with its use. But that frugality chafed. Every time he restrained himself, it stung.
"I've already started developing Susanoo, and the progress is decent. But my unique ocular technique… that's still what draws me most. Especially the so-called 'complete form.' Can I really reach it?"
Doubt gnawed at him. But doubts wouldn't stop him from trying. Why else had he gone through the trouble of capturing Shuu and Yuu Uchiha, even at the cost of being caught by Fugaku and Ayaka Hyūga?
For now, things remained stable. But the future was uncertain. If their interests ever diverged irreparably—then he would have to act.
That was why strengthening himself came first. Above all else.
So he would accelerate his plan: prepare to fuse two pairs of Mangekyō, and monitor Ayaka Hyūga's progress.
Ayaka had been under house arrest all month—punishment for beating Hyūga Sora so brutally that the boy was still in the hospital.
Injuries in sparring weren't unusual. But her target was the wrong one: the grandson of a clan elder. For a branch family member to cripple a main family member was unforgivable. The fact that she was only confined showed remarkable leniency.
Hiashi Hyūga wasn't a fool. He knew Ayaka had once served under Minato, and that connection was worth preserving. Otherwise, her punishment would have been far harsher.
In the Hyūga clan, the branch family's fate was always disposable. Expecting mercy from the main house was a fool's dream.
When Kei entered the lab, he found Ayaka already there, bent over racks of test tubes, carefully comparing samples.
It had only been a month since he last saw her, but she seemed colder, more detached than ever. Kei noted it, but didn't dwell on it.
Ayaka Hyūga had always given him that impression.
The first time they'd met, this woman had looked at him with nothing but disdain. Kei could still recall the chill in her eyes, the hostility radiating from her as naturally as breathing.
"Another month of confinement, huh? Seems your clan still treats you fairly well," Kei said casually as he pulled out a chair and sat down.
"After all, you crippled someone important, and yet the punishment is only this mild. Looks like your clan head is looking out for you."
"You flatter me," Ayaka replied flatly. "Pretending to be ignorant doesn't suit you. The clan leader simply sees my value, that's all. I did, after all, once serve alongside the Fourth Hokage."
Her voice was cold, matter-of-fact. "As for punishment, I expected it. I'm just a branch member. Hurting someone from the main house—not being punished would be the real surprise."
Then her pale eyes shifted toward him, calm and cutting. "But you got what you wanted too, didn't you?"
Kei tilted his head, gaze flicking to the row of test tubes on the desk. Ayaka held one in her hand, and the rest were lined neatly in front of her, each marked with coded initials and numbers. Evidence of her progress despite her confinement.
For all her restrictions, Ayaka had clearly worked relentlessly this past month. Kei counted at least seven samples, neatly categorized.
He picked one up, examining the labels. He wasn't a scientist, but he'd studied enough to understand the basics. His future—and his survival—demanded it.
"So the Hyūga clan's unique genetic sequences number thirty-three in total?" Kei asked, setting the tube back down. "The higher the sequence, the rarer and harder to awaken—that's the gist of it, right?"
"You've read this kind of data?" Ayaka arched a brow, then gave a small nod. "Makes sense. Someone as cautious as you wouldn't risk ignorance. Of course you'd study the fundamentals. You'd never let me deceive you… would you?"
"Exactly." Kei didn't bother to deny it.
"And you don't trust me either," she said coolly. "We both know the truth. There's no point spelling it out—unless the day comes when you actually lower your guard around me. Maybe then, I'll accept you."
"Who can say what the future holds?" Kei shrugged.
Her lips curved faintly, but her eyes remained cold. "More likely, if you ever stop guarding against me, it will mean I've lost all value. And when that day comes, with all the secrets I've learned about you… you won't welcome me. You'll erase me."
Kei said nothing. She was too pessimistic. But she wasn't entirely wrong either. If Ayaka ever ceased to be useful, he couldn't guarantee her survival.
That was the life of a shinobi. Especially for those who had already dirtied their hands with unforgivable deeds—always prepared for the worst, always hoping to stave it off.
Ayaka had chosen him once out of desperation, seeing Kei as her bridge to freedom. But now she knew she couldn't stir up any storm in his hands. Not when those patterned scarlet eyes of his promised annihilation to anyone who dared.
Her one true shield was her Byakugan—the same eyes she had loved and hated in equal measure. They were the only reason she still had a place here.
"Only sequences seventeen through thirty-three are active." Kei shifted the topic, unwilling to dwell on their complicated bond. Dwelling on it only led to headaches. He studied the tube again. "So… one through sixteen remain dormant. How does that rank?"
"Average. Painfully average," Ayaka replied without hesitation. She, too, had no interest in continuing the earlier line of thought. There would be time for that later.
"My own sequence spans fourteen through thirty-three. Most Hyūga are similar. The boy you saw was simply unlucky to face me in a spar."
"Oh? What's his name?" Kei asked absently.
"You should know him. He was your classmate—Hyūga Kuroto."
The name struck Kei like lightning. His hand trembled, the test tube nearly slipping from his grasp.