Because Aura is a form of mental perception that can even communicate with certain creatures, it can be considered a kind of universal energy decryption key.
Chakra itself cannot "speak," but through Aura, Ash could clearly comprehend subtle abnormalities within chakra—something even the most talented sensory-type ninja could never achieve.
This was the fundamental difference.
"Uzumaki… Uchiha… Hyūga… and that unfamiliar resonance I've never encountered before…"
Ash's eyes flickered with an unreadable light as he sensed the chakra within Hinata.
"There must be a connection between them."
The more he analyzed it, the clearer the resonance became—distinct yet intertwined.
"…Interesting."
"It seems the Naruto world still follows many of its original trajectories."
"So the Sharingan truly records what it sees."
After confirming his conclusion, a faint smile appeared on Ash's face. Without hesitation, he activated his Sharingan and sealed the memories of the three who had witnessed his actions.
Once that was done, Ash turned and left the Forest of Death.
He had lost all interest in the remainder of the Chūnin Exams.
What mattered now was uncovering the reason behind this phenomenon—and he already had a method in mind.
The System Store.
The system within Ash's body had already reached Level Two, allowing him to temporarily open a store corresponding to the world he was currently in.
As long as he possessed enough attribute points, he could purchase anything that existed within this world's rules.
Back at his hidden location, Ash sat down cross-legged, his consciousness sinking into the system space.
The store opened.
"System," Ash said calmly, "display all dōjutsu-related items."
Ding~!
"Request confirmed."
Rows upon rows of dōjutsu-related items appeared before him. Many of them were completely unfamiliar, so Ash instinctively filtered out everything with low attribute requirements and focused only on the high-tier entries.
"…What?"
"The attribute cost of the Byakugan is the same as the Sharingan?"
Ash frowned.
The Sharingan's value justified its price—but the Byakugan?
On its own, it shouldn't be worth that much.
"And the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan requires 3.5 million points… the same as Mokuton."
"Even the Byakugan costs over a million?"
Confusion surfaced in Ash's expression.
Something wasn't adding up.
"…Hm?"
His gaze suddenly froze on the topmost listings.
Moon Eye.
Tenseigan.
He had heard of the Moon Eye before—the masked man in the original timeline had mentioned the so-called Moon Eye Plan—but its actual abilities had never been explained in detail.
As for the Tenseigan…
Ash's pupils constricted slightly.
Ding~!
Moon Eye (also known as the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan)
Possesses all abilities of the Sharingan and the Rinnegan.
Capable of launching the ultimate illusion and reality-altering creation.
Requires special Yin–Yang chakra and original chakra lineage to awaken.
Required attribute points: 12,000,000
"Twelve million…"
Ash drew in a sharp breath.
"That's even more expensive than Floating Gems."
Then his eyes moved to the final entry.
Ding~!
Tenseigan
An evolved dōjutsu derived from the Byakugan.
Possesses partial abilities of the Byakugan, Sharingan, and Rinnegan,
along with a unique chakra mode exclusive to the Tenseigan.
Required attribute points: 15,000,000
"…So that's how it is."
Ash leaned back slightly, expression calm but thoughtful.
"No wonder the Byakugan's price is so high."
"It isn't weak—its potential is simply locked."
"Hiss…"
Looking at the price—nearly on par with Infinite Gems—Ash fell into brief silence. Even the system's description of the Tenseigan appeared dim and restrained, as if deliberately obscured.
"So the Hyūga clan's Byakugan can also evolve…"
"And once it does, it possesses fragments of the three great dōjutsu, along with its own unique chakra mode."
Ash's gaze sharpened.
"That means the ancestors of the Hyūga clan were anything but ordinary."
"No wonder the Byakugan stands alongside the other two great dōjutsu."
As he reviewed the Tenseigan's abilities, countless thoughts crossed Ash's mind. He could feel himself drawing closer to the true structure of this world.
If he wanted definitive answers, then sooner or later, he would have to awaken either the Moon Eye or the Tenseigan.
"If the Nine-Tomoe Rinnegan requires special Yin–Yang chakra and original chakra lineage to awaken…"
"…then what exactly qualifies as 'special'?"
Ash rubbed his temple, a faint headache forming.
Compared to the Tenseigan—which had unclear awakening conditions—the Moon Eye felt more realistic for the time being. But the requirement of special Yin–Yang chakra still blocked his path completely.
"Forget it. There's no need to rush."
"The main storyline hasn't even fully begun yet. I still have plenty of time."
"The priority is Mokuton."
"As for the Tenseigan, I'll find an opportunity later."
Ash exhaled slowly.
He had long suspected that the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan was not the final stage. The system had already confirmed this—under the right conditions, it could evolve further.
The method was simple in theory.
Mokuton.
Or more precisely—Hashirama's cells.
Under certain circumstances, the fusion of Sharingan and Thousand Hands cells could naturally give birth to the Rinnegan.
But theory didn't solve the practical issue.
The attribute cost of Mokuton was 3.5 million points.
Ash currently possessed just over 340,000.
Not even close.
Fortunately, the system had already marked the upcoming Konoha Crush as a major task.
Based on the scale of destruction inflicted upon Konoha, the system would distribute attribute points accordingly. The exact reward depended entirely on how much chaos Ash caused.
A risk–reward relationship.
"…Still."
Ash's thoughts suddenly drifted.
"That girl… Hinata."
"She really looks pitiful."
Before he realized it, her image overlapped with another figure.
Haku.
"What am I thinking about…"
Ash frowned slightly.
In his previous life, among all the female characters in Naruto, the one he liked most had always been Hinata.
Quiet.
Gentle.
Stubbornly persevering.
That soft appearance, the reserved personality, and especially her long hair during the Fourth Shinobi World War—
She had left a deep impression on him.
Even compared to Haku, that feeling had been stronger.
But that was the past.
This was reality.
And Ash knew very well—
He couldn't simply rely on memories from another life to claim someone in this world.
(End of Chapter)
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