The deaths of a dozen Konoha Ninja seemed to matter little to the vast Hidden Village. Danzo and Hiruzen Sarutobi hardly cared about the loss of these informants. As long as it wasn't their own close subordinates or clan members dying mysteriously, everyone else was expendable. To them, the continued existence of Konoha justified the sacrifice of pawns.
Ninja, in the eyes of those in power, were nothing more than tools—consumables. As long as these expendables gave even a shred of value, it was sufficient. If there were no accidents, and if Riku were just an ordinary Hyuga Branch Family member, his fate would have been no better than those tools, perhaps worse. Unable to resist the Caged Bird Seal, he would one day die in service to the Main Family.
But now, an accident had occurred. Riku possessed a golden finger—a cheat ability that transcended the entire Ninja World. It had finally allowed him to pry open a crack in fate and breathe the rare air of true freedom.
Three days had passed since he fused with Hashirama's cells. During this time, Riku showed no abnormalities. On the surface, life continued normally: attending school, taking classes, returning home to practice Ninjutsu and Taijutsu. But beneath the surface, he knew that danger was constant. If the fusion with Hashirama cells were discovered, a dark hell awaited him.
At the very least, Danzo—the "Darkness of the Ninja World"—would attempt to subjugate him, turning him into a weapon. According to the records, Yamato had suffered a similar fate: discovered by Danzo, recruited into Root, stripped of self, and turned into a tool without emotion. Riku would never allow that. Having just tasted freedom, he would not willingly jump into another bottomless pit. If necessary, he would risk exposure to resist.
However, things had not yet reached that point. Orochimaru, meticulous and principled despite his reputation, had maintained their secret. Three days had passed without anyone troubling Riku, indicating that their arrangement remained intact. He had, at least temporarily, survived the most dangerous period.
Yes—only temporarily.
Everything leaves traces. Sooner or later, Riku's secret would be exposed. But that was a problem for the future. By then, his strength would have grown, granting him more choices.
Finally, with nightfall, Riku relaxed. Lying spread-eagled on the floor, he exhaled deeply and opened his skill panel:
Ninjutsu: Clone Technique (E): lv10 (MAX) (Breakthrough possible)
Ninjutsu: Transformation Technique (E): lv10 (MAX) (Breakthrough possible)
Ninjutsu: Substitution Technique (E): lv10 (MAX) (Breakthrough possible)
Spirit Devour (B): lv10 (MAX) (Breakthrough possible)
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique (C): lv1 (472/400)
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough (C): lv1 (376/400)
Taijutsu: Hyuga Gentle Fist (C): lv9 (1986/3600)
Sealing Jutsu: Sealing Pulse Seal – Evil Break (B): MAX (Breakthrough possible)
Ninjutsu: Body Flicker Technique (C): lv8 (2791/3200)
Dōjutsu: Byakugan (A): lv7 (12897/51200)
Byakugan: Intimidation (A): lv6 (1089/25600)
Free Experience Points: 2079
Evaluation: Jonin? No—your limits are unimaginable; your bloodline seems transformed!
At first glance, the panel had changed little compared to three days ago. But a closer look revealed astonishing progress. Even with half his attention devoted to other matters, his training efficiency had dropped, yet experience points for all skills had surged, some increasing by hundreds or thousands.
Fusing with Hashirama cells had accelerated his growth unimaginably. Previously, the experience points gained over three days would not have reached half of what they were now. Focused entirely on training, Riku's efficiency could soar even higher.
"This is the effect of Hashirama cells elevating my very essence of life… terrifying!" Riku muttered.
For ordinary Ninja, a training speed of 1 was typical. Before the fusion, Riku, aided by his panel, could reach 5—merely genius level. Now, even without panel assistance, his speed rivaled or surpassed that of an average genius. Combined with the panel's Heaven Rewards Diligence trait, his training speed could reach 10… or even 20.
The short-term difference was subtle, but long-term, the gap would be staggering. A single day of Riku's training could equate to ten or twenty days for others. After a year, the difference could span decades.
Even more crucial, his training ceiling had risen. With panel support, it could become virtually limitless. This disparity drove ordinary people to despair.
Originally, Riku had hesitated to spend all his free experience points to upgrade Byakugan post-fusion. But seeing the results, he realized the investment had been worthwhile. A hint of shameless satisfaction crept into his thoughts—something he would never admit aloud.
With his life essence enhanced and his talent elevated to true genius level, Riku now gained more experience points during Ninjutsu and Taijutsu practice. The accumulation of free experience points also accelerated.
Riku estimated that full dedication could net over a thousand skill experience points and several hundred free points daily. Within a hundred days or a few months, he could restore his free experience points to their previous peak of nearly one hundred thousand.
However, higher-level skills demanded exponentially more experience. To advance Byakugan from lv7 to lv8 required over fifty thousand points; the next level would need over a hundred thousand, then more than two hundred thousand. This applied to a single skill, and others were clamoring for attention. Even if upgrades didn't consume free points, breaking limits would require astronomical amounts.
Riku foresaw the future need to invest staggering points to break through ceilings. While time remained, he must gather free experience points aggressively. Mastering many high-level skills—innate abilities, Ninjutsu, Taijutsu—would let him convert free experience points into raw combat power. This had always been his goal.
"I've survived the dangerous period. Now comes the chance for rapid growth."
Orochimaru had agreed to continue the Hashirama cell experiment. If enough cells were cultivated, Riku might awaken the Senju Clan's Sage Body. As long as the skill could register on his panel, everything would proceed smoothly.
However, cell cultivation took time. During this, Riku needed to improve other abilities. If his Chakra skyrocketed without the means to exploit it, it would be wasted.
Already, the trend was evident. His Chakra had reached Jonin level in two days, yet his repertoire consisted only of some C-rank Wind and Fire Release Ninjutsu and basic Hyuga Gentle Fist. This limited his combat versatility. Even with A-rank skills like Byakugan: Intimidation, he could not relax. Ninja combat relied heavily on information; repeated use of Intimidation would allow enemies to devise counters.
The only solution was to diversify his skills, building a complete combat system. Even Kage-level Ninja and most Jonin were all-rounders. The Ninja World's combat evaluation system had merits—Riku would follow this path until he surpassed the world.
Yet, his current avenues for learning Taijutsu and Ninjutsu were scarce. The Academy taught only basics. Advanced techniques required finding a faction or powerful individual for exchange. His identity made this difficult, forcing him to consider approaching the generous Uchiha.
Suddenly, he remembered a certain green-haired individual. A small smile tugged at his lips. "Perhaps, I have other options."
Riku leaned back, closing his eyes, letting the night settle around him. Three days of tension had ended, and a new period of limitless growth awaited. His body pulsed with potential, each cell humming with life. Training, experimentation, and strategy would be his tools to navigate the coming storm.
With the panel glowing faintly before him, Riku made silent promises. Each skill mastered, each free experience point earned, was a step toward freedom—a freedom no one, not even Danzo or the Hidden Village, could take from him.
The night stretched on, quiet and deep, a rare peace in a life otherwise fraught with danger. Riku opened his mind to the possibilities, each thought a spark, each plan a step closer to surpassing the Ninja World itself.
And thus, the next phase began—not of survival, but of exponential growth, a journey from mere genius to legend.
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