"Is that so?"
Hiruzen couldn't help but let out a deep sigh upon hearing that, his emotions completely swayed by Arata's words.
That made sense. Up to now, only Uzumaki Mito had truly mastered the Yin Seal. Even Tsunade had merely learned it, not fully mastered it. If Arata could grasp such a technique in a short time, Hiruzen might actually feel suspicion and wariness.
When someone is only slightly more talented than others, they're called a genius. But when they surpass others by too much… they're called a monster.
Arata understood this very well. This level was just right.
"..."
After pondering for a long time, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally patted his shoulder and said gently, "Remember, during this mission, you must be cautious, cautious, and even more cautious. Follow the instructions and commands of your seniors."
Truthfully, he was already reluctant to let this child leave the village and risk his life.
Loyalty that could inherit the Will of Fire, talent worth expecting, a lonely background, and no blemishes like Kakashi…
Aside from that detestable Caged Bird, that cursed mark, Arata was practically a blade made just for him.
But Hiruzen also knew that good steel must be tempered to become a sharp sword.
"Yes, Third Hokage-sama!" Arata said seriously. "Please rest assured, I will complete the mission and return safely."
"Mm, go on."
Hiruzen nodded with satisfaction and added, "If the Hyuga clan cuts off your resources, come to me. You are a good child, the future of Konoha. As Hokage and head of the family, I won't let you be wronged."
"Thank you."
Arata showed timely gratitude, while Hiruzen wore a kind expression, a warm scene between elder and junior.
But in reality, Arata's heart was as still as dead water, coldly watching Hiruzen's performance.
He had always known he was not like Naruto. He would never call him "Grandpa Third."
Hiruzen wouldn't accept it, and he himself wouldn't be willing.
But it didn't matter. This was enough.
Hiruzen played the role of kindness; Arata played filial devotion.
Hiruzen's "kindness" had been aged for decades; Arata's "loyalty" was warmed to just the right degree.
Both were masters of acting.
The only difference was that Hiruzen lowered his head to study the chessboard, unaware he was already a piece on it, while Arata had already set the board, watching him step into the game.
Arata left.
But he also took many things with him.
[Name: Hyuuga Arata
Age: 15
Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (9.9%)
Chakra Capacity: S-rank
Chakra Attributes: Wind, Fire, Water, Earth, Lightning, Yin, Yang
Ninjutsu:… Wind Release: Pressure Damage (B-rank), Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation (B-rank), Delicate Illness Extraction Technique (B-rank), Summoning: Rashomon (A-rank), Lightning Cutter (S-rank), Yin Seal (S-rank) …
Taijutsu: Front Lotus (B-rank), Reverse Lotus (A-rank) …
Secret Techniques: Shadow Strangle Technique, Adamantine Sealing Chains
Kekkei Genkai:
Tenseigan · Stage 2 (30.3%) [Abilities: Mental Puppetry, Chakra Orbs]
Achievements: …
Remaining Reality Points: 18094]
"What a huge harvest."
Leaping across rooftops, Arata smiled as he looked at the panel before him.
He had already been one step away from mastering Lightning Cutter, completing it after reading the scrolls was only natural.
But the true gains, in his eyes, were the Yin Seal and those two secret techniques.
Thinking of this, he raised his left hand and looked at his palm.
There was a faint black rhombus-shaped mark there.
Though still light in color, it proved he had already mastered the Yin Seal.
With it, he no longer needed to hide and refine chakra in advance like before in the Land of Hot Water to unleash maximum power.
However, what surprised him most… was the strange sense of familiarity he felt toward the Yin Seal.
Not familiarity from having seen it before,
But something from deep within his bloodline.
"Ōtsutsuki…"
Arata's gaze flickered as he stared at the mark in his palm. That sense of familiarity grew stronger.
Suddenly, something clicked.
"Kāma?"
He muttered, his heart skipping a beat before pounding violently.
Yes, that was it.
The Kāma is a unique ability of the Ōtsutsuki clan. They can digitize and copy their existence, implanting it into another person, who becomes a "vessel."
A black diamond-shaped mark appears on the vessel's palm, which is the Kāma.
Simply put, the Kāma is a compressed "backup file" of an Ōtsutsuki.
Over time, the data "decompresses," or it can be accelerated through battle.
Once fully restored, the vessel's body is overwritten, their existence erased, and the Ōtsutsuki is reborn.
"..."
Thinking about the similarity between the Yin Seal and Kāma, Arata subconsciously pressed his dry lips together.
If "data" sounded too abstract… it could also be called genes.
At its core, it was packaging one's genetic information and transferring it into another body, gradually taking over.
While the ninja world was still playing with organ and cell transplantation, the Ōtsutsuki were already copying and pasting their genetic data.
If the Yin Seal stored chakra, then Kāma stored genetic data.
Both relied on the same principle: storage and release.
Though their purposes were vastly different, their underlying logic was the same, and Kāma could also absorb ninjutsu and release chakra.
Even Orochimaru's curse mark had similar effects… though he likely hadn't developed it yet.
"If I could truly master Kāma… even a downgraded version…"
Even Arata's expression grew serious at the thought.
If that were possible, the things he could achieve would multiply greatly.
After a moment of thought, he raised his head and said inwardly:
'Manifest, the method to train a complete Kāma.'
[Insufficient points]
"As expected."
His eyes shifted slightly, unsurprised.
After all, Kāma was an ability that allowed the Ōtsutsuki to transcend death. It likely required extremely high bloodline purity.
At the very least, even Kinshiki Otsutsuki and Urashiki Otsutsuki had never displayed it.
Only beings like Momoshiki Otsutsuki, respected even by Urashiki, and Isshiki Otsutsuki possessed Kāma.
Lowering his expectations, Arata thought again:
'Manifest, a method suitable for me to cultivate Kāma, based on the Yin Seal and curse marks.'
[Cost: 8000 Reality Points. Proceed?]
A smile appeared on his face.
'Proceed.'