Chapter 288: Yin and Yang
When he reappeared, he was already back in Konoha.
"Finally got my hands on it. Honestly, if Orochimaru had told me about my unique genetic traits earlier, I wouldn't have needed to make a trip to the Akatsuki. I could've gotten this done last time. At least everything went smoothly… managed to fool Nagato and the others. If he had really gone all out, I might not have stood a chance. One Chibaku Tensei and I'd be finished."
Muttering to himself, he opened his palm. A small orb of blood hovered before dripping into a reinforced glass vial.
"Tonari, you needed Uzumaki blood—why not use mine?"
Lingxiang, who had been assisting in the lab, spoke up as she saw him return.
Tonari glanced at her before patting her head gently. "Don't overthink it. Your blood is very different from Nagato's. Do you know why his Rinnegan was implanted into him at such a young age?"
"Why? Actually, I never really understood. If the Rinnegan is so powerful, why would someone give it away? Wouldn't it be stronger in the hands of its original owner?"
Since Tonari had explained the Rinnegan to her, Lingxiang had been full of questions.
There were two reasons he had told her. First, he trusted Lingxiang completely—he knew that even if sacrificing herself would grant him great benefits, she wouldn't hesitate. Second, she had been assisting him in his experiments. The more she understood, the better she could help.
"The Rinnegan's power is overwhelming. Without the right body and immense strength, even using it once could drain the user dry. Nagato received his Rinnegan early so that his Uzumaki body could slowly adapt. Over time, his body naturally adjusted to wield its full power."
Tonari paused briefly before continuing. "That's why, even though both of you are Uzumaki, his body has undergone decades of transformation due to the Rinnegan's influence. That difference is what I value the most."
Lingxiang nodded in realization.
Now it made sense why Tonari had gone to such lengths to obtain Nagato's blood. Only his genetic makeup could serve as a true reference.
After all, Tonari possessed a Rinnegan of his own, but he was unsure whether his body could handle it. Studying Nagato's adaptation process was crucial.
Moreover, the Uzumaki clan's genes contained remnants of the Senju bloodline. The prolonged exposure to the Rinnegan's power must have triggered certain latent traits, which would be invaluable to Tonari's research.
With his friends getting married one after another, and with Kushina now pregnant, Tonari felt an increasing sense of urgency.
To protect those he cared about, he needed to grow stronger.
One path was to awaken more of his Senju genetics, enhancing his Wood Release and ultimately reaching the threshold of Six Paths power.
Another was to fully integrate the Rinnegan.
Neither path was easy, so Tonari intended to pursue both simultaneously.
Placing the vial of Nagato's blood onto the lab table, he turned back to Lingxiang.
"As for why the original Rinnegan user implanted it into someone else—it was to ensure that, once fully integrated, Nagato could perform the Rinnegan's ultimate forbidden jutsu. The technique that justifies its name: Rinne Tensei."
Hearing the reverence in his voice, Lingxiang couldn't help but ask, "What kind of jutsu is that?"
Tonari's gaze deepened.
"Rinne Tensei no Jutsu."
"Rinne Tensei…?"
"A technique that can reverse death itself. I don't know all the details, but I know it exists."
Lingxiang nodded thoughtfully.
Tonari then changed the subject. "Since Kushina is pregnant, spend more time with her. Pregnant women can be moody, and she's bound to get irritable. We should help lighten Minato's burden."
He continued in a more serious tone.
"Also, tell Kushina not to wander around too much. Even if she does go out, she should hide her belly as much as possible. The fewer people know, the better."
Lingxiang's sharp intuition picked up on his concerns. "Did something happen?"
Tonari exhaled slowly.
"Kushina is the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails. During childbirth, the seal on her will weaken significantly. If someone learns of this, they might try to take advantage of the situation. It's best to keep it secret."
"I already warned Minato, and he understands the risks. But Kushina… she's carefree. She doesn't always think about these things. So during the day, you need to keep an eye on her. At night, Minato will handle it."
Lingxiang nodded firmly. "I understand. I'll watch over her."
Regardless of Tonari's request, or her own friendship with Kushina, she would ensure she was well taken care of.
Tonari sighed. "I hope I'm just overthinking things…"
This time, far fewer people knew the precise date of Kushina's delivery. And with both himself and Minato on guard, there was no way Obito could take them by surprise.
"Alright, let's get back to work. We need to fully understand how latent genes transition to active ones."
Lingxiang picked up a clipboard from the wall and began taking notes.
"Understood. First attempt at latent gene activation… Starting now."
—
Days turned into weeks as research continued.
"Nagato's Uzumaki genes didn't just passively adapt to the Rinnegan. His body actively evolved in response to its power. That's why he could wield its abilities without being drained."
Tonari rubbed his temples as he observed another batch of failed samples.
"Forcing latent genes to manifest has proven incredibly difficult. The genetic structure collapses the moment any modifications are made."
Lingxiang diligently recorded the results. "Should we attempt another method?"
"Yes. Research Attempt #96… Let's begin."
—
"Finally, a breakthrough."
Tonari stared at the new results, his eyes gleaming.
"We've managed to isolate the mechanism that allows latent genes to surface. Now we just need to test it on a living subject."
Lingxiang hesitated. "You don't mean…?"
"Not on myself. Not yet," Tonari assured her. "We'll start with small test subjects."
—
The experiments dragged on for months.
Unlike before, where he had simply implanted Hashirama's cells to enhance his Wood Release, this time he was stimulating his own dormant Senju genes.
The process was slow, but it was much safer.
If he relied too much on external cells, he would eventually lose control and be consumed by them.
But by awakening his own genetic potential, his power would be truly his own.
As time passed, Tonari noticed something remarkable—his chakra reserves were growing exponentially.
If most shinobi had chakra reserves equivalent to a lake or a river, then his had now reached the level of a vast ocean.
This was the same trait that made Hashirama and, later, Naruto so formidable.
Naruto, even with his Uzumaki lineage and Kurama's chakra, had barely matched Hashirama's natural reserves. That alone spoke volumes.
"Hashirama could create entire forests in an instant. One Mokuton: Jukai Kotan and he could wipe out entire battlefields. That sheer chakra volume… I need to reach that level."
His training continued, and soon, he found himself staring at two distinct orbs of chakra in his palm—one dark, one bright.
A realization dawned on him.
"So this is where Black Zetsu got it wrong… It wasn't about the chakra's origin, but its nature."
He clenched his fists, merging the energies.
"'Yin and Yang create all things…' The foundation of Six Paths power isn't in specific bloodlines—it's in balancing Yin and Yang chakra. That's what creates Rikudo: Senjutsu."
His gaze sharpened.
"It's the same principle as Daoist philosophy from my past life. The balance of Yin and Yang giving rise to all creation… It's all connected."
Tonari exhaled, absorbing the chakra back into his body.
"Still not perfect, but progress nonetheless."
Nine months had passed.
The time for Kushina's delivery was drawing near.
Appearing at Minato's home, Tonari was immediately met with an ear-splitting shout.
"YOU DAMN TELEPORTERS! STOP APPEARING OUT OF NOWHERE OR I'LL TIE YOU ALL UP!"
Golden chains rattled ominously behind Kushina.
Tonari instinctively shrank back, glancing at Minato—who was cowering in the corner like a scolded child.
Sighing, Tonari muttered, "Pregnant women…"
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