"What I want to know is, does she have Ice Release because I gave her the ability, or did she already possess it? Can she awaken a second Kekkei Genkai?"
After analyzing the situation, the system responded:
"It's a bit of both. The ability was latent—your genetic modification acted as a catalyst. If you want to grant her another Kekkei Genkai, the safest route is integrating a non-Kekkei Genkai bloodline or a secret technique bloodline. Directly implanting a second Kekkei Genkai could destabilize her chakra network or cause cellular rejection."
Kimimaro exhaled slowly. This meant Fūka Koyuki had the potential to grow even stronger—possibly surpassing Haruna in the long run.
Currently, the most compatible options he considered were high-chakra vitality bloodlines like the Uzumaki or Senju, or the Sage Transformation Body from Jūgo's clan. He wasn't short on samples or resources. For now, he decided to let Koyuki undergo standard training and reassess her adaptability.
Upon learning that her body could tolerate more genetic integration, Fūka Koyuki threw herself into Kimimaro's arms, embracing him with renewed passion.
For the next few days, Kimimaro dedicated most of his time to Koyuki—apart from periods when he harvested natural energy.
Don't misunderstand—it wasn't all about intimacy, at least not during the day.
He had to teach her how to properly wield ninjutsu.
Despite her Ice Release awakening, Koyuki was a novice in technique. Even with a Kekkei Genkai, mastery required control, experience, and knowledge.
Fortunately, Ice Release aligned well with her personality—calm, focused, and intuitive. She progressed quickly, managing to learn all the techniques Haku once used in battle within a few days, though her raw strength still lagged behind.
Finally, it was time for Kimimaro to depart.
Had it not been for urgent developments in the Land of Vegetables, he might've gone to see Kurotsuchi in Iwagakure. But the Land of Vegetables' Chūnin Selection Exam was scheduled to begin in just under two weeks.
As he made his return journey, Kimimaro walked across the sea, forming ice beneath his feet with every step—a technique inspired by Aokiji from another world.
When he neared the Land of Vegetables, the crystal communicator in his hand flickered.
A few days prior, he had completed the Crystal Release Genetic Serum, granting himself the ability. While it added a versatile offensive element, it hadn't dramatically boosted his overall power.
He could feel his current ceiling—his body still constrained by the Kaguya clan's bloodline illness. But once the Byakugan serum was completed, he knew he'd break through those limits.
The Crystal Release also granted him another elemental affinity. Now, of the five basic nature types, only Lightning Release eluded him. As for Yin-Yang Release, his Shikotsumyaku likely fell under Yang, given its life-force-based nature.
Still, more affinities didn't automatically translate to greater strength. They enhanced versatility, not necessarily power. Steady training remained the core of advancement.
His base strength was now bordering Kage-level. If he activated the Cursed Seal, he could reach it—but the technique's link to Orochimaru made it a dangerous crutch. He preferred not to rely on it.
Though he didn't know how to remove the seal completely, he had a crude workaround: once Jūgo's serum was ready, he planned to use the Sage Body to overwrite the cursed chakra pattern.
As he moved and reflected, the crystal in his hand began to display a blurred image.
His prototype long-range communication technique had succeeded.
On the other end, he vaguely recognized Konan and Jūgo, though their gestures were indistinct. The distance was still too far, but it was a promising start. He'd even tried using Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals for the same purpose, but they lacked range and clarity.
Kimimaro understood well—if he wanted to reform this world, power alone wasn't enough. The key was the downward transfer of knowledge.
In the shinobi world, that meant ninjutsu. While not everyone could become a ninja, they could apply ninjutsu principles to daily life—bridging the gap between civilians and shinobi, while preserving the mystique of those who mastered the craft.
As he crossed into the Land of Vegetables, something immediately felt off.
"It's too quiet... Who's there!? Come out!"
He activated his bone armor instinctively, covering his body with Shikotsumyaku plates.
From the shadows, a voice chuckled.
"Heh heh… You're as sharp as ever, Kimimaro."
A hoarse voice echoed through the misty valley as a hunched figure emerged, cloaked in the segmented shell of a puppet.
"Sasori of the Red Sand... I should've known you wouldn't let me go."
"I happened to pass through a few days ago," the figure replied coldly. "I was planning to seek you out. But then I heard you crossed the sea. I assumed I'd missed my chance… yet here you are. My patience has been rewarded. You've made me wait too long—consider this your punishment."
Kimimaro narrowed his eyes. "Why are you after me? Because I used to serve Orochimaru? Because I recognized you under that shell?"
Sasori chuckled faintly, the voice echoing unnaturally from within Hiruko, his puppet disguise. "That's trivial. No, what interests me is your body… the Shikotsumyaku. A rare Kekkei Genkai. Exquisite. Perfect material for my art."
Kimimaro's heart chilled.
In his previous life, he'd held a certain admiration for Sasori—the tragic loss of his parents, the youthful face frozen in time, the mastery over puppets. But now, standing across from him, all Kimimaro could see was the cold-blooded criminal who assassinated the Third Kazekage and razed small nations without remorse. Sasori's Hundred Puppets Performance alone had annihilated entire armies. And if even half of those puppets were made from human bodies, the slaughter must have been unthinkable.
Still, Kimimaro was no innocent either. He had once reaped thousands of lives, offering his body in service to Orochimaru. Precisely because of that, he understood: once Sasori had marked someone for his collection, there was no talking it out.
"You want my body?" Kimimaro's eyes sharpened. "Then come and take it—if you think you're worthy."
Without hesitation, he retracted the bone armor protruding from his skin. Though incredibly durable, once contaminated by Sasori's poison, it would be a liability. He needed agility, not armor.
"It seems you know," Sasori said, voice laced with mockery, "that my poison is no joke. For someone like you—whose body is your only weapon—a single scratch is death."
Kimimaro smirked faintly. "Then I suppose I erred by holding back last time. Let me correct that."
He slammed a palm into the ground. "Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!"
Jagged spears of rock burst upward toward Hiruko—but Sasori had already leapt back with mechanical precision. From Hiruko's hump-like shell, a segmented tail snapped forward, and its mouth unleashed a torrent of poisoned senbon.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A stone barrier rose swiftly, blocking the barrage—but Sasori had already anticipated it.
"I knew you'd rely on that," he said. "Prosthetic Arm Senbon!"
Hiruko's left arm detached and fired an overhead volley of senbon, arcing like rain.
Kimimaro raised another wall, but it was too late—several needles found their mark, piercing his limbs and side.
"Tch…" he exhaled sharply.
"A taijutsu user dabbling in Earth Release?" Sasori scoffed. "Has no one taught you to master your strengths before imitating others?"
He advanced slowly, puppet limbs clacking on stone, preparing to claim his prize. But just as his scorpion tail lashed forward for the finishing strike—
Something was wrong.
A deep instinct screamed danger.
Too quiet.
Too still.
Sasori immediately tried to retreat, but the bones beneath the earth had already begun to shift.
Visit patreon.com/ShiroTL to gain access to 40+ chapters