"Hikari? Are you talking about Uchiha Hikari, Sensei?"
"Yes."
"Of course I rember. How could I ever forget Hikari!"
In Boruto’s mind, the beautiful, stubborn, and lonely profile of Uchiha Hikari flashed, along with the bitterness and reluctance of their final parting.
His heart couldn’t help but stir again.
"Wait, Sensei, how do you know her na is Hikari? And didn’t we witness Hikari’s sacrifice together?"
"How many tis have you been caught in my genjutsu? Don’t you rember?"
"Huh? Sensei, that’s cheating! How could you peek into those mories?!" Boruto was mortified, wishing he could sink into the ground.
In simple terms, Uchiha Hikari was a powerful humanoid weapon sealed by the Uchiha and Senju Clans during the Sengoku era. Her seal was later broken by rz, a rogue ninja from Agakure, who used her power to try to destroy the world. She was ultimately stopped and defeated by Boruto and the others, but Hikari died from severe injuries.
To save Hikari, Boruto used Toneri’s power to travel back in ti, rescuing the imprisoned Hikari from the Uchiha Clan, giving her a free and bright future before returning to the present.
But due to ti distortions in the past, he forgot all his original mories with Hikari...
"I didn’t peek; there’s another reason. You shouldn’t be able to recall this part of your mories."
"Right! Why do I rember now? Damn it, I said I’d never forget my bond with Hikari..."
"I suspect it’s likely an effect of Omnipotence, which forcibly distorted the mories of the entire world, disrupting ti and reality, allowing you to recover so of those mories."
"I see, but Sensei, what does this have to do with now? Hikari was a ninja from the Sengoku era..."
"Do you rember Hikari’s ability, feared by the strongest ninja clans, Uchiha and Senju?"
"Yachihoko?!"
Hikari’s unique Mangekyo Sharingan dōjutsu, Yachihoko: As long as a mark is engraved on a target’s body, she could control their mind and chakra regardless of distance.
At first glance, this dōjutsu’s power didn’t seem astonishing, but it was actually extraordinary.
It was equivalent to making anyone marked a complete puppet, allowing you to do whatever you wanted, even controlling their thoughts!
Even more remarkable, this dōjutsu had no range or quantity limits. With the aid of Engraved Tsukuyomi, it could use moonlight to mark everyone in the world, thus controlling the minds and chakra of everyone globally!
This near-limitless absolute domination ability understandably terrified the Uchiha and Senju Clans at the ti.
"Exactly, Yachihoko!"
"It might be the only ability with a chance to directly counter Omnipotence."
Sasuke had been pondering ways to counter Omnipotence’s global-scale manipulation.
Aside from directly attacking Eida, all other thods were unlikely to succeed.
Infinite Tsukuyomi was unreliable; it couldn’t alter the mories of Edo Tensei ninjas, so it certainly couldn’t defeat Omnipotence, which could manipulate Edo Tensei mories.
Even Kotoamatsukami was only a patch, affecting just a few people, nowhere near comparable to the hundreds of millions worldwide.
After careful thought, the only thing that could truly counter Omnipotence was Yachihoko!
By using Engraved Tsukuyomi to mark everyone in the world, Yachihoko could control their minds and chakra. It might not fully negate Omnipotence, but it could at least restrict their actions and even gather vast amounts of chakra.
This would allow Sasuke to gain terrifying combat power, capable of continuously firing Indra’s Arrow!
With his remaining Six Paths power dwindling, he had to start considering the next battles. If he exhausted the Six Paths chakra granted by the Sage of the Ten Tails, he wouldn’t be a match for Isshiki...
"Huh? Hikari’s power can really counter Omnipotence?"
"There’s a possibility, but it’s not certain yet."
"But Sensei, she’s from the past. Even if Yachihoko could counter Omnipotence, it’s aningless!"
"Last ti, it was Toneri who took you back to the past, right?"
"Yes, Uncle Toneri said he used the Dragon Veins’ power, allowing to briefly return to the past..."
"If you could go back, it ans there’s a way to reverse space and ti. Don’t forget, last ti we went back, we also t young Naruto."
"Karasuki’s power? But didn’t it leave Earth?"
"At least the Dragon Veins and Toneri are still here, so there’s still a chance. Has Toneri contacted you recently?"
"No..."
"He’s on the moon, so he should be safe, but it’s unclear if he’s been affected by Omnipotence."
"Is Uncle Toneri in danger?"
"Now’s not the ti to worry about that. To borrow Uchiha Hikari’s power, we might still need Toneri’s help. But this is only a last-resort backup plan. For now, the main target is Iwagakure. After Iwagakure is destroyed and Naruto is saved, we can make ti to go to the moon and check on Toneri."
Sasuke explained slowly, as if delivering final instructions.
Boruto felt uneasy.
But Sasuke knew this was just a precaution. He wasn’t a god; every battle could lead to his death.
If sothing unexpected happened to him, Boruto and the others were his successors. Giving them so backup plans early wouldn’t hurt.
Sasuke hated how Itachi always revealed his heart at the brink of death—dangerous and annoying.
Boruto nodded: "I understand!"
Deep down, he truly hoped to see Hikari again, but with the blood feud he carried, he had no right or energy to think too much about it now.
"Alright, go rest. Tomorrow morning, we’ll set out to destroy Iwagakure."
"Okay!"
Ninjas weren’t immortal Edo Tensei; Boruto and the others needed a brief rest.
Though with Kara’s current luxurious lineup, destroying Iwagakure was easy, no one could guarantee Otsutsuki Isshiki wouldn’t interfere.
So, maintaining peak condition before the attack was still necessary.
Sasuke watched Boruto leave the office, then shook his head with a sigh.
(My daughter Uchiha Sarada, plus Uchiha Hikari...)
(This Boruto kid is truly full of sin!)
(Why does it feel like Sakura and Karin back then...)
Forget it. Sasuke had no interest in ddling in the younger generation’s affairs; let it flow. Besides, he wasn’t an expert in relationships.
Moreover, Sasuke had no mood to think about such things now.
His goal remained Naruto!
Boruto left the Raikage’s office, and his loyal friend Kawaki imdiately threw an arm around him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Kawaki, can you hold back a bit!"
"Quick, tell , what did Sasuke-san say to you? When are we attacking Iwagakure?"
In Kawaki’s mind, there was only Naruto and Boruto. Recently blessed with the Heaven’s Curse power, he was eager to storm Iwagakure.
"Nothing much. We’re leaving tomorrow morning. Go ho and sleep!"
"Tomorrow morning? Fine, just one more night. Co on, tonight I’m sleeping with you!"
"What are you doing sleeping with ?"
"To protect you, of course. Your chakra hasn’t recovered. If we’re attacked, you won’t hold up."
"With Sensei here, who’d dare attack?"
"You’re rejecting sleeping with that much?"
"..."
Boruto frowned, itching to slap Kawaki. Why hadn’t he ever noticed this guy was so annoying before?
And of course, he didn’t know that Kawaki’s feelings toward him were quite complex.
Deeply grateful and trusting of his only friend, who had saved him multiple tis before.
Yet, deep down, he worried Boruto might be controlled by Momoshiki within him, affecting the plan and preventing him from saving Naruto.
That’s why his feelings were tangled and complicated.
What else could he do? Kawaki’s strategy was to stick as close to Boruto as possible, so if Boruto showed signs of losing control, he could stop him imdiately.
Based on that, his request to sleep with Boruto was perfectly normal.
"Fine, do whatever you want."
Boruto reluctantly agreed. Sleeping anywhere was the sa; for him, it was just a ans to recover.
"Alright, I’ll make sure you sleep soundly till morning!"
"..."
The two walked out of the Raikage Building, arms around each other’s shoulders.
But as soon as they stepped out, they were stopped by another Edo Tensei figure in a red cloak.
"Uncle Itachi?"
"Uchiha Itachi?"
Itachi glanced at Kawaki, pleased that Boruto had a reliable comrade, but his target wasn’t Kawaki.
"Boruto, do you have a mont?"
"Sure..."
"You and Sarada have a good relationship, right?"
"Yeah, we’re teammates..."
"Good, then I’ll trouble you to talk to about my little niece!"
Itachi grabbed Boruto without further ado, dragging him off into the distance. No one craved information about his little niece more than this affection-starved, obsessive Uchiha uncle.
"Hey! Wait, Boruto is..."
Kawaki was shocked, rushing to chase after Boruto, but a second later, his eyes t Edo Itachi’s Mangekyo Sharingan.
Kawaki froze, as if Boruto was back by his side. He happily threw an arm around ’air Boruto,’ walking toward a nearby temporary lodging.
Trust , in the beautiful world of genjutsu, he’d have a joyful night!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Elsewhere.
In Kumogakure’s laboratory.
Poor Daimon, his body severely burned and nearly reduced to rotting flesh, was receiving treatnt here.
Surrounded by the two most abnormal and brilliant scientists in the world.
One was his creator, Amado, and the other, of course, Orochimaru.
With both of them there, Daimon’s injuries were nothing.
By tomorrow morning, Daimon, the strongest android, would likely be bouncing around lively.
Due to massive energy consumption, severe injuries, and Amado’s injected anesthesia, Daimon was now in a deep sleep, letting the two abnormal scientists do whatever they wanted to him.
"An android this powerful, and you didn’t install any restrictions in his body? That’s unreasonable."
While repairing Daimon’s body, Orochimaru proactively asked Amado.
He’d thoroughly examined Daimon’s body, so he understood it well.
Amado lit a cigarette and casually replied:
"It’s not that I didn’t want to install them; I couldn’t."
"Any restrictions or modifications harmful to Daimon would be completely nullified or reflected when he cos into contact with others, activating his [Killing Intent Reflection]."
"So installing restrictions on him is utterly aningless."
Orochimaru’s eyes glead, increasingly understanding the power of that so-called Divine Technique.
"There’s still a way, right? For example, replacing his critical chanical organs, like an artificial self-destructing heart. Once he activates reflection, removing the heart, he should die too, right?"
"Theoretically, yes, but if the installer gets hit by the reflection, they’d likely die too. I don’t want to commit suicide."
"Let do it! A little death like that is nothing to !"
Orochimaru volunteered, completely unbothered by death.
Amado didn’t stop him, only saying briefly:
"If you’re not afraid of death, go ahead."
"But after replacing the heart, Daimon’s power would weaken significantly, and he wouldn’t be able to activate his strongest ability."
"Are you sure Uchiha Sasuke would need a defective android as a fighter?"
Hearing that, Orochimaru paused, then chuckled.
"True, Sasuke-kun doesn’t need a defective android."
"Forget it then, too lazy to modify him."
"But, Amado-san, your understanding of the human body still isn’t deep enough!"
"Restrictions that harm him get reflected, but what about ones that benefit him?"
Amado, listening to Orochimaru’s explanation, felt a stir of doubt.
"What do you an?"
"This."
As he spoke, Orochimaru injected a tiny remote-controlled nano-drug tube into Daimon’s main artery.
"This?"
"Just a mix of stimulants and aphrodisiacs, harmless to the human body. Once released, it stimulates the central nervous system or alters physiological functions, temporarily boosting physical and ntal states, releasing large amounts of sex hormones, thus enhancing athletic performance and physical arousal. For experienced users, it can improve condition and ability. But for an android child with no exposure, such stimulation and enhancent are enough to disrupt his perception and judgnt, reducing his threat..."
Orochimaru explained in detail, as if reciting, hiding nothing.
"Sss... You—!"
Amado’s scalp tingled, and he took a sharp breath.
He hadn’t expected such a cunning trick—using positive enhancent drugs as a reverse restriction.
But make no mistake, theoretically, this could work!
After all, the drug wasn’t a negative restriction, and Orochimaru had no killing intent.
"What if it fails or gets reflected back at you?"
"Then it’s no issue. My body’s already accustod to these drugs, even resistant..."
"..."
Amado was speechless, only able to ntally give a thumbs-up to Konoha’s mad scientist.
He had to admit, in detailed human body research, he was far outclassed by this man!
Monts later, Orochimaru proactively asked again.
"By the way, creating an android this powerful is no small feat!"
Sighing, he looked at Amado with gleaming eyes.
Amado replied calmly:
"It’s not who’s strong; it’s that Otsutsuki God. All androids’ power cos from his genes. These androids rely replicate a fraction of his strength using those genes..."
"Remarkable! The genes of a true god, likely far surpassing Hashirama’s cells. Do you have more?"
"All of Shibai’s cells and genes are controlled by Isshiki. He closely monitors every experint. I don’t have any finished cells in my hands."
"Tch! That kind of lie might fool others. You and I are both biotech researchers. Stealing and hiding a small portion of test materials during experints is easy. Tell , right?"
Orochimaru glanced at Amado with a hint of cynicism, as if saying they were colleagues, so no need to bluff.
Back then, he’d secretly taken who-knows-how-many of Hashirama’s cells under Danzō’s nose. How could he not know the tricks?
At this, Amado fell silent again.
But often, silence is agreent.
"How about it, can you give so?"
Orochimaru suppressed his excitent, deeply intrigued by the legendary Otsutsuki God’s genes!
"For what?"
"So it’s a trade? That makes it easier."
Orochimaru squinted and smiled brighter:
"Amado-san, I heard your wish is to revive your daughter, who died of a terminal illness?"
"Yes!"
He’d shared all his information with Sasuke, so it wasn’t surprising Orochimaru knew.
"Then I can revive her now with Edo Tensei, letting you father and daughter reunite."
"Is that enough of a stake?"
"..."
Amado took a deep drag of his cigarette, staring deeply at Orochimaru before him, and didn’t answer for a long ti.
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