Inside a hidden exchange facility in the Land of Fire.
Sora, wearing his White Tiger mask, set down the mission scroll he had been holding.
He had just accepted several bounty missions, all targeting rogue ninja or wandering ninja of average strength, barely adequate as whetstones to grind against.
Through continuous activity during this period, the synchronization between his White Tiger clone and soul had quietly increased to eighty percent.
"Much faster than anticipated," Sora estimated inwardly.
Originally, he had thought it would take about two years to fully synchronize, but now it seemed that within at most another three months, the White Tiger clone would reach a level where it obeyed his will as easily as his own arm.
This was undoubtedly good news.
He didn't linger at the exchange facility. After accepting the missions, he turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the dense forest.
...
Three months later.
Ascension Island, underground laboratory.
Sora's soul separated from the White Tiger clone, and the body immediately became still. Hayagami, who had been waiting nearby, gently picked it up and placed it into a prepared life-support preservation device.
The hatch slowly closed, pale green nutrient fluid was injected, and the White Tiger clone floated silently within, entering deep hibernation.
"Master, the White Tiger clone has been safely stored," Hayagami reported with a bow.
Sora's soul form nodded and drifted toward the other side of the laboratory.
There, another cylindrical life-support device had already been activated. The Yin Release clone, "Yōyō," lay inside with eyes closed, his body emitting faint fluctuations of Yin Release chakra.
Sora's soul merged into it. A few seconds later, "Yōyō" opened his eyes.
"Ha..."
Sora sat up, feeling the state of this body.
The Yin Release clone's chakra reserves were still not large, but the quality was pure, and its compatibility with the Sharingan was excellent.
He stepped out of the device. Kabuto, who had been waiting nearby, handed him a specially made sealing scroll.
"Brother Sora, this is the shell of the Sea Dragon Jade containing Nine-Tails chakra. I've reinforced it with three layers of seals according to your instructions."
Sora took the scroll and unsealed it.
Huum—
An orange-red light surged from the scroll. A semi-transparent Sea Dragon Jade shell appeared in his hand, inside which was sealed a churning mass of Nine-Tails chakra. Faintly visible was the miniature phantom image of a Nine-Tails, curled up with eyes closed.
"Twenty percent of the full Nine-Tails' chakra..."
Sora could sense the immense energy contained within and the corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
He formed hand seals and pressed the Sea Dragon Jade shell against his abdomen.
"Seal: Release!"
The runes on the surface of the Sea Dragon Jade shell lit up. The Nine-Tails chakra inside surged out, flowing through the meridians and into the Yin Release clone's body.
ROAR—!!!
A roar filled with rage exploded in Sora's mind.
The originally curled-up miniature Nine-Tails phantom suddenly snapped its eyes open, its crimson beast pupils filled with ferocity:
"Ant! How dare you seal me in a place like this?! I'll tear you apart!!!"
Sora's expression didn't change; he only accelerated the absorption of the chakra.
"Bastard! Stop! My chakra... Aaaargh!!!"
The Nine-Tails' roar gradually turned into enraged shouts, but it was useless.
The Sea Dragon Jade shell was specifically made to contain tailed beast chakra. With the three layers of reinforced seals, this twenty percent of Nine-Tails chakra had no way to resist. It could only be sucked into Sora's body bit by bit, becoming the chakra source for this clone.
A few minutes later, Sora could feel that the Yin Release clone's chakra reserves had instantly skyrocketed. Although it hadn't yet reached the level of Naruto's "half-Nine-Tails" jinchūriki, it far surpassed the average Kage level, reaching a rather considerable level.
Moreover, because the Nine-Tails was inherently stronger than other tailed beasts, even just twenty percent had formed its own consciousness. Sora estimated it was probably already extremely close to the chakra amount of the One-Tails.
In his mind, the Nine-Tails' curses hadn't stopped:
"Damn human! Once I regain my freedom, you'll be the first one I kill!!!"
Sora ignored it.
He looked at Kabuto: "Did you bring Uchiha Yami's Mangekyō?"
"Yes, I brought it."
Kabuto took out a special container, inside which was a pale purple nutrient fluid. A pair of Mangekyō Sharingan, their patterns resembling blooming clover with tiny prisms at the center, floated silently within.
Uchiha Yami's eyes. Her abilities were "Divine Healing: Traceback" and some unknown defensive or auxiliary dōjutsu.
Sora took the container, feeling the Yin Release dōjutsu contained within.
"These aren't the native eyes of this clone. Fusing them will take longer..." he speculated inwardly.
According to the original setting, fusing the Eternal Mangekyō requires transplanting the Mangekyō of a close relative, a process accompanied by immense pain and risk.
He was currently using the Yin Release clone, whose eyes were Uchiha Kenta's. To fuse Uchiha Yami's Mangekyō...
Although not a close relative, they were at least of the same bloodline. Plus, this clone was specially made to contain Yin Release power, so the success rate should be decent.
But the time... it probably wouldn't be short.
"At least six months," Sora said to Kabuto. "For these six months, I'll leave the laboratory to you and Hayagami. Don't disturb me unless it's necessary."
"Understood."
"Yes, Master."
Kabuto and Hayagami, who was nearby, nodded.
Sora thought for a moment and formed a single-handed seal.
Puff!
After a plume of white smoke, the White Snake Sage's figure appeared in the laboratory.
She still looked like an old woman, holding a smoking pipe, but her gaze towards Sora held obvious respect:
"Master, what are your orders?"
Sora placed the container aside and spoke: "I have three tasks for you."
"First, monitor Pakura of Sunagakure. She's a Scorch Release kekkei genkai user. Pay attention to her movements. If she heads to Kirigakure, notify me immediately."
Pakura...
In the original story, she was betrayed by Suna's upper echelons and died at Kiri's hands, but the timeline hadn't reached that point yet.
Her Scorch Release ability was good, precisely the bloodline source Sora had prepared for his own Fire Release clone.
Moreover, Pakura wasn't weak; she could be recruited into Ryūgakure.
"Second, find Karin and her mother. They're survivors of the Uzumaki clan, possessing powerful sensory and recovery abilities. They're most likely active around Kusagakure."
"Third, find Jūgo. He should still be wandering in some deep mountains or ruins. He has a special constitution that absorbs natural energy and induces senjutsu transformation."
Karin was someone Sora had decided on long ago. Although with his current strength he no longer needed her thirty-kilometer sensory ability, Sora had a good impression of Karin. Conveniently, Ryūchi Cave had many snakes; finding her wouldn't take long.
Jūgo was the source of the cursed seal, naturally able to absorb natural energy. Although unstable, his research value was extremely high.
The White Snake Sage noted down the three tasks and bowed: "I understand. I'll make arrangements immediately."
Having arranged these matters, Sora picked up the container holding Uchiha Yami's Mangekyō again and walked toward another, larger life-support device.
The device was already activated, filled inside with a pale golden nutrient fluid. Its surface was densely covered with jutsu arrays for maintaining life and stabilizing the soul.
This was specially prepared for the long-term fusion process.
"Well then... let's begin."
Sora placed the container into a slot beside the device, then lay down inside it.
The hatch slowly closed, and the pale golden nutrient fluid submerged his entire body.
He closed his eyes, sinking his consciousness deep within, and began to guide the dōjutsu from Uchiha Yami's Mangekyō, slowly directing it towards his own eyes.
A slight stinging pain came from his eye sockets.
Indeed, since they weren't the native eyes, the fusion wasn't easy.
But Sora had been mentally prepared for this. He focused his consciousness completely and began the long fusion process.
In his mind, the Nine-Tails' curses still echoed faintly, but they were gradually fading.
The laboratory fell silent once more.
Six months...
Enough time for many things to change.
And when he opened his eyes again, what he would possess would be a pair of Eternal Mangekyō.