The next day, just after lunch, Kawakaze and Tsunade arrived at the laboratory together.
"Are the results out yet?"
Before Kawakaze could even speak, Tsunade beat him to it, striding forward and grabbing her lab coat.
"Right on time," Orochimaru said as he glanced up at them.
"I got held up and haven't checked yet. Since you're here, let's take a look together."
"Hmm."
"Where is it? I'll grab it."
Since Orochimaru had conducted the Shikotsumyaku evolution experiment on his own, Tsunade had no idea where the samples were stored.
"Let's check it together," Kawakaze said eagerly, squeezing in next to Orochimaru, not caring whether he could actually understand any of it.
"Where else? The usual spot," Orochimaru replied, ignoring Kawakaze as he cleared some items off the table.
Tsunade, now knowing where to look, quickly returned with a petri dish.
It was about the size of a washbasin, and she carefully placed it on the table.
Through the transparent casing, Kawakaze could see a pale, fully intact hand floating inside.
"Did it work or not?"
Kawakaze, keeping up his habit of asking when unsure, received no response.
Awkwardly scratching his nose, he glanced around, only to catch Misaki stifling a laugh.
"The hand is intact and shows signs of activity," Tsunade observed, analyzing it with a professional eye.
"It looks promising."
Kawakaze couldn't help but admire her sharp insight.
"The early stages of the experiment went smoothly," Orochimaru added.
"Kawakaze's body has undergone even greater changes than before."
"The chances of success are quite high."
As he spoke, Orochimaru lifted the cover of the petri dish and reached directly for the severed hand.
"What are you doing?"
Before Orochimaru could proceed, Kawakaze couldn't help but blurt out another question.
"Shut up," Tsunade shot back without even looking at him.
Silenced, Kawakaze could only widen his eyes and watch as Orochimaru continued.
Placing the hand on the table, Orochimaru took out a sharp scalpel and precisely sliced open the fingers.
Five quick incisions—perfectly controlled—revealed the skeletal structure beneath.
"The bone is clear, and the density looks high," Tsunade noted.
"There's an unusual energy lingering around it."
"It feels completely different from the Shikotsumyaku I'm familiar with."
Her gaze swept across the exposed bones, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
If her guess was correct, the Shikotsumyaku had truly evolved.
This experiment—one that artificially advanced the evolution of a Kekkei Genkai—had opened an entirely new door for her.
"It feels dangerous," she muttered.
"Now I'm even more curious."
Orochimaru, whose instincts were rarely wrong, licked his lips in anticipation.
"Sensei, here."
Misaki handed him a pair of tweezers, which Orochimaru accepted.
To truly understand what had changed within the bones, he needed to examine them up close.
Carefully, he moved the tweezers toward a section of finger bone.
The moment the metal made contact, a terrifying scene unfolded.
The tweezers disintegrated from the tip, breaking apart at an alarming rate, spreading toward Orochimaru's fingers.
Within a single breath, the entire tool had turned to dust.
"Success!"
Instead of fear, Orochimaru's face lit up with pure exhilaration.
He rubbed the fine powder between his fingers, his excitement barely contained.
"Kekkei Mōra: All-Killing Ash Bones."
"It really worked."
Kawakaze couldn't help but exclaim at the sight. Sometimes, surprises just hit out of nowhere.
"Kekkei Mōra?"
Hearing an unfamiliar term, both Orochimaru and Tsunade turned their questioning gazes toward Kawakaze.
"Kekkei Mōra is a power that surpasses both Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta."
"It is formed by fusing the seven Nature Transformations: Fire, Wind, Earth, Water, Lightning, Yin, and Yang."
"It is a legendary ability said to be wielded only by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki."
"All-Killing Ash Bones is just one of its techniques."
"It is said to be an absolute killing move."
"Anyone who is pierced by it will be reduced to ashes along with their bones."
"You've all seen the effect for yourselves."
Kawakaze took the opportunity to flaunt his 'knowledge' a little, regaining a shred of his pride.
"How do you know all this?"
Orochimaru found it hard to believe that Kawakaze—who had never been particularly scholarly—was now explaining things to him.
Had all the books he'd read over the years gone to waste?
"How do I know so much?"
"If I told you, it'd blow your mind."
Kawakaze gave a mysterious grin, lowering his voice as he leaned in closer to Orochimaru.
Surprisingly, Orochimaru leaned in too, showing no sign of disgust for once.
"I'm from another world."
"All of this information has been in my head since I was a kid."
Kawakaze tapped his temple, speaking with complete sincerity.
"Idiot!"
"Get lost!"
Orochimaru shoved him away, while Tsunade looked equally exasperated.
They had expected some kind of deep secret, but Kawakaze was clearly just messing with them.
No way were they going to believe something so ridiculous.
"I'm telling the truth."
Kawakaze stumbled slightly but quickly regained his footing, stepping forward again.
"Alright, alright, we believe you."
"We totally believe you."
Both Orochimaru and Tsunade waved him off, wanting to end the conversation as soon as possible.
"Misaki, do you believe me?"
Kawakaze looked betrayed. Since when was telling the truth so hard to believe?
"Brother-in-law, I believe you."
Misaki's expression was solemn, as if she were taking an oath.
"Oh, please. You're just playing along with them."
Seeing her dramatic response, Kawakaze gave up entirely.
Fine. He'd just take this secret to the grave.
"The palm is stable and can coexist safely."
"There shouldn't be any problems."
"What part of his body are you planning to transplant the bone into?"
As soon as they returned to the main topic, both Tsunade and Orochimaru became serious, completely ignoring Kawakaze, who was sulking in the corner.
"It's too small to be effective."
"I had Rinnosuke provide a vertebra."
Orochimaru had prepared everything thoroughly, but just hearing the word "vertebra" sent a chill down Kawakaze's spine.
The mere thought of his own spinal bone being extracted made him shudder.
"Are you scared?"
Tsunade, sharp-eyed as ever, caught his reaction, a fleeting smirk flashing across her lips.
"What kind of joke is that?"
"Do I look scared to you?"
Kawakaze feigned confidence, puffing out his chest.
"That's more like it."
"I knew my husband wouldn't be afraid."
Tsunade barely held back a laugh, playing along as she praised him.
Kawakaze had just been about to negotiate with Orochimaru to see if they could use a different bone instead.
Now? That option was completely out the window.
"Alright, let's get the surgery started."
"Misaki, take this eyesore to the operating room."
Orochimaru casually tossed the severed palm back into the petri dish and gave his instructions.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sensei."
"This way, brother-in-law."
With Misaki leading the way, Kawakaze followed her toward the operating room, looking like a man walking to his own execution.