Chapter 244: Perfect Transformation, Finally Perfected
"The Third Kazekage is dead. If I return alive as his guard, it won't look good."
As the Third Kazekage's personal guard, Sasori knew that if he went back alive after the Kazekage's death, his memories would be probed, and everything that had happened here would be exposed.
Li Yao's Wind Release clone smiled.
"Relax. I have my ways to make his death appear reasonable. It won't implicate you. I'll be taking the position of Kazekage very soon—once that happens, you can return with no trouble."
Hearing that much, Sasori couldn't argue. He nodded.
"Fine. If you really become the Fourth Kazekage, I'll return to the village."
Truth be told, Sasori didn't want to abandon the village. It had the facilities and resources he needed to continue researching his Eternal Puppetry technique.
Of course, the main reason he didn't refuse was that he didn't dare refuse Li Yao's clone.
Still… he warned,
"Don't underestimate those old geezers. They won't just hand the title of Kazekage to a civilian-born shinobi."
Sasori knew his own people. The elder clans wouldn't accept someone like Kazekaze easily.
"Don't worry. I have my ways," Li Yao replied with a confident smile.
If push came to shove, he'd use Genjutsu to win unanimous approval for the Kazekage seat.
He wasn't fond of abusing Genjutsu—except when it came to the Third Hokage. For him, Li Yao would gladly go all out.
Throughout the entire shinobi world, the Third Hokage was the only one Li Yao was particularly "fond" of.
"Then I'll wait for your good news," Sasori said with a small smile.
"Deal."
Li Yao walked up and patted Sasori's exposed shoulder, placing a Flying Thunder God mark—or rather, forcibly creating a contract with him.
The Flying Thunder God mark was essentially a binding pact.
Like the blood contracts used in Summoning Jutsu—once signed, your name was bound to the summoning scroll until your death.
Similarly, the moment someone was marked with the Flying Thunder God seal, a contract was formed. Unless they died, the seal couldn't be removed.
Even if Sasori removed the arm with the seal, Li Yao could still teleport to him.
Even if Sasori later turned himself into a human puppet with only a heart remaining, the seal would still be there—Li Yao could always find him.
Of course, the mark was only a precaution in case Sasori disappeared. Under normal circumstances, Li Yao had no need to use it.
"Alright, wait for my good news."
With a smile, Li Yao's Wind Clone turned and quickly vanished into the distance.
As soon as he left, Sasori stripped off his clothes and carefully inspected his body. He could feel something was left on his shoulder—but no matter how hard he searched, he found nothing.
Frustrated and uneasy, Sasori left with a scowl. No one liked the idea of someone else leaving marks inside their body.
From afar, Li Yao sensed Sasori's actions and smiled faintly.
The Flying Thunder God seal was a contract mark—once signed, it disappeared on its own. That's why it was nearly impossible to detect.
That was also why, in the original series, Obito—despite wielding Truth-Seeking Orbs that could erase anything—still couldn't remove the Flying Thunder God seal Minato had left on him.
Once the contract was formed, the mark disappeared from sight, making it impossible to eliminate.
Even Li Yao himself couldn't cancel a Flying Thunder God mark if it had been placed on him by Minato.
So when facing Minato in the future, Li Yao reminded himself: never give him the chance to mark you.
…
Over the sea
Splash!
A body fell from the sky and exploded in the waves below, coloring the sea red.
Five kilometers above, on a clay bird, a seagull glared at Li Yao with sharp, hateful eyes—if it could, it would kill him on the spot.
Koyoko watched curiously.
Ever since they left the Land of Waves, Li Yao had captured many ninja. Using a technique she didn't understand, he forced their souls into birds—this seagull being the latest victim.
"How does Uncle do that?"
"What kind of jutsu is that?"
She was very curious, but since Li Yao didn't explain, she didn't ask—just kept observing.
Li Yao reached out and tapped the seagull's head. A sealing formula appeared, instantly calming the enraged bird.
"Go find someone named Shinnō."
He whispered. The seagull nodded human-like, flapped its wings, and flew off.
Truth be told, Li Yao's Spirit Assimilation Technique bore similarities to the Puppet Talisman.
The souls he had forced into birds were not unlike chakra transference via puppet seals.
But his technique was even more domineering—transferring not only chakra but also soul and will, creating a far more tormenting experience.
These ninja, now trapped in animal bodies, hated him with a passion. They'd kill him if they could.
Fortunately, he used Genjutsu-based sealing formulas to keep them obedient.
Otherwise, finding Shinnō would be far more difficult.
"Let's go to Sunagakure."
Li Yao redirected the clay bird, flying toward his Wind Clone's location.
Through chakra sensing, he could always track the position of his five clones. He could even teleport to them directly if they set Flying Thunder God marks.
But this time, there was no need for shortcuts. He was heading to help his Wind Clone stage a performance to take the Kazekage seat.
No rush.
Along the way, he could continue researching the Puppet Talisman and finally complete his Perfect Transformation Technique.
He and Koyoko rode the clay bird across the skies.
"This is the Puppet Talisman, huh?"
A day later, the clone had successfully inscribed a Puppet Talisman on himself.
With his expertise in sealing techniques and the memory of the Third Kazekage's puppet research, it hadn't taken long.
With the seal in place, he could now deconstruct his chakra into spiritual and physical energy.
"Perfect Transformation!"
With a thought, the clone transformed into a seagull.
The Puppet Talisman remained intact.
Like the Flying Thunder God mark, the seal didn't disappear when transformed. It remained active in his new form.
Immediately, he activated the talisman, breaking down all his chakra within the seagull body into its base energies. Then he dispersed the talisman.
"Eh…?"
Koyoko stared in wonder. She couldn't sense any chakra from the seagull—it felt like an actual bird.
But something still seemed off.
Unlike other seagulls, this one felt… overwhelmingly healthy. Like an animal overflowing with life.
Even though it was clearly a bird, it felt like she was standing in front of an elephant.
Li Yao frowned slightly.
Perfect Transformation was now complete—he could finally hide his chakra.
But the technique still had flaws.
After breaking chakra down into base energies, the amount remained too vast to go unnoticed by top-tier ninja.
And if danger arose while transformed, he would have to reassemble that energy into chakra before using any jutsu.
Even with quick reflexes, that moment of delay could cost him his life against elite opponents.
"Sigh..."
Li Yao sighed. The technique was perfected, yes—but ultimately, it was underwhelming.
Oh well.
He'd leave it as it was. Maybe one day he'd find a better way to hide chakra—without relying on decomposition.
The Puppet Talisman had taught him something: sometimes a change in thinking was all it took.
He'd been focused entirely on breaking down chakra through control. But perhaps sealing formulas could offer better answers.
Hiding chakra didn't necessarily mean breaking it down.
If no one could detect it, the method didn't matter—only the result did.
In any case, this marked the end of the Perfect Transformation arc.
Next, it was time to further develop basic chakra natures and take down the remaining Kage.
Of the Five who had once ambushed him, both Mizukage and Kazekage were now dead—by his hand.
The Third Hokage would be saved for last.
Now, only the Tsuchikage and Raikage remained.
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Kira1997