Fortunately, Kimimaro was a shinobi now. If he were still the ordinary person from his previous life, he would've thrown up long ago.
When the Byakugan is truly activated, the visual perception isn't the stylized black-and-white filter seen in the anime. That color scheme was simply added to help distinguish perspectives for the viewers. In reality, while the vision granted by the Byakugan differs subtly from normal sight—due to enhanced perception of chakra flow, x-ray-like transparency, and long-range view—it remains grounded in clarity and detail.
Kimimaro now understood why the Hyuga clan didn't keep the Byakugan active all the time. Chakra consumption was one reason, but more importantly, constantly seeing through walls, people's clothes, and even down to their tenketsu points made social interaction awkward—if not impossible. As he looked around, he could see through Karin and also inadvertently noticed the undergarments of nearby maidservants. If he focused further, he could probably count individual hairs.
The Byakugan's insight was, frankly, terrifying.
And the Hyuga weren't known for massive chakra reserves like the Uzumaki or Senju clans. Even if they had the chakra, using the Byakugan openly in the middle of Konoha every day would probably get them beaten half to death for violating people's privacy.
Kimimaro couldn't help but think: this dojutsu would have suited the lecherous Third Hokage far too well.
Of course, Kimimaro wasn't that type of person. He had plenty of chakra thanks to his unique physique and Wood Release, but he would never use the Byakugan for something so mundane. That kind of voyeuristic curiosity would desensitize him over time and ruin his appreciation for real intimacy.
The true value of the Byakugan lay in its ability to observe the internal flow of chakra—ideal for identifying weak points or detecting genjutsu and hidden traps.
Deactivating the Byakugan, Kimimaro's eyes returned to normal.
"Kimimaro, your eyes can change on command? That's so cool—it's way more fun than Hanabi's always-pale ones," Karin said as she leaned in, having recovered her stamina.
"Did you 'eat' that older sister from the Land of Snow?"
"Saying 'eat' sounds so crude. Besides, weren't you all 'eating me' back then?"
"Pfft! I knew it. After your heroic rescue, she must've thrown herself at you."
Kimimaro hugged her. "Then you should throw yourself into my arms too."
"It's broad daylight! Everyone's waiting for you. I heard you fought someone—everyone's worried."
"Then go tell them I'm fine."
"You're not going?"
"I've got one more thing to take care of. I'll see them soon."
After sending Karin away, Kimimaro took out a trophy—the leg of the Third Kazekage Puppet.
Though it was a puppet, Sasori had preserved the Third Kazekage's bloodline abilities, which meant there had to be remnants of living tissue embedded in it. Unlike Sasori, who had transformed himself into a puppet with a core of flesh, the Kazekage puppet was externally controlled and likely powered by traces of biological tissue to support the use of Magnet Release.
After carefully dismantling it for a long time, Kimimaro finally located several small fragments of organic matter.
He handed them to the system.
"Detected: raw material for Magnet Release bloodline gene agent.
Material activity: low.
Activation cost: 30,000 life energy.
Production cycle: 250 days.
Optional: spend 300 life energy to reduce production time by one day."
"So costly?"
This consumption was nearly on par with producing a Sage Body agent.
Of course, it made sense—the Third Kazekage had been dead for years, and the remaining cells had severely degraded. This meant high energy cost and only enough viable material for a single dose.
Still, it would be wasteful not to use it now that he had it.
In a few days, a new test tube would be generated, and Kimimaro planned to begin the activation then.
Whether he'd keep the Magnet Release for himself or give it to Ranmaru wasn't a decision he needed to make immediately.
He leaned toward giving it to Ranmaru. If Kimimaro gained Magnet Release, the benefit would be moderate; but for Ranmaru, it would be a massive leap. With Magnet Release combined with his Red Eye and his Lightning Blade: Fang technique, Ranmaru could reach elite jonin level in a short time.
As Kimimaro's power base expanded, he knew he couldn't rely on himself alone. He needed powerful allies.
And if he ever wanted Magnet Release for himself again—well, he already had a grudge with Sasori. If he could retrieve the Kazekage puppet's remaining tissue, it might be possible to produce another batch, even if the activity was still low.
Besides, the Magnet Release wasn't exclusive to the Third Kazekage. Kimimaro knew he could also obtain it through Gaara and Shukaku. Their chakra and cells, still alive and potent, would have higher activity and lower energy requirements than what little was left of the Third Kazekage.
After analyzing the tissue from the Third Kazekage puppet, Kimimaro summoned Karin and handed her the salvaged part of the puppet's body.
"Be very careful. This contains traces of Sasori's poison. Study it and see if you can formulate an antidote," he instructed.
Karin nodded without hesitation. Having grown up in the Land of Grass and now residing in the Land of Vegetables—both regions with rich traditions in herbal medicine—Karin had steadily developed into a skilled medical ninja. Her abilities with sensory perception and healing were progressing rapidly.
With those tasks delegated, Kimimaro left to regroup with his team.
The major exam in the Land of Vegetables was still more than two weeks away, so Kimimaro didn't plan on taking any major missions before then.
When his companions learned that he had been ambushed by Sasori of the Red Sand, a former Akatsuki member notorious for assassinating the Third Kazekage and turning him into a puppet, they were visibly shaken.
"I have to get stronger… much stronger," Jūgo vowed silently.
Despite their progress—Jūgo, Guren, and Suigetsu were already at elite jōnin level—they were still a distance from truly reaching Kage-level. It would take consistent, long-term training to bridge that gap.
That evening, Kimimaro stood alone, silently meditating and evaluating his power.
Since integrating the Byakugan, the chronic illness that had once ravaged his body had been subdued, and his strength had surged dramatically. His body's capacity to absorb life energy had risen sharply—now able to handle up to 100,000 units at once—and the time required to convert that energy into usable form had decreased to just one day.
However, opportunities to absorb such large quantities of life energy were rare.
Still, the system's current evaluation had classified him as Kage-level. This was largely due to his ability to enhance and command soldiers, a privilege granted only to those meeting the minimum threshold of raw power, tactical command, and bloodline integration.
Though his current level was only the initial stage of Kage-tier strength, once he had fully synchronized with the Byakugan and other inherited abilities—including the Shikotsumyaku and the Wood Release—he was confident he would surpass even some of the weaker Kage.
『System, how are the enhancement potions for ordinary soldiers created?』
「By using blood samples containing Kekkei Genkai—ideally full blood extractions—and investing life energy, the system can produce high-concentration enhancement potions within 15 days. Once diluted with water, each dose becomes a one-time-use enhancement elixir for non-shinobi soldiers.」
「This process doesn't require high-grade laboratory equipment. Each dose consumes about 200 units of life energy and will elevate an ordinary soldier's capabilities to those comparable to a basic genin.」
「The host currently possesses two compatible bloodlines: the altered Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) from the Kaguya clan, and the Ice Release Kekkei Genkai. Both can be used to produce separate types of enhanced soldiers.」
「The former enhances physical resilience—fortified bones, tougher skin, and minor regenerative capability. The latter grants resistance to low temperatures and the ability to emit cold mist or freezing breath for short durations.」
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