#112 - Snake Ninja
The surgery proceeded methodically. Kiyoshi's eyes displayed the unique tomoe of the Sharingan, slowly rotating around his pupils.
Magically, as time passed, Kiyoshi grew stronger.
His Sharingan could see more clearly, and the increasing insight allowed Kiyoshi to see even Yamada Taiyu's blood vessels.
Kiyoshi's scalpel carefully avoided the thick meridian system entwined around the heart, proceeding with caution on the heart itself.
Every part of the human body has a 'meridian system.' Blood vessels transport blood, while the meridian system is responsible for transporting chakra.
These meridians vary in size, the smallest hidden within each cell, and the largest comparable to blood vessels.
The heart has the most meridian systems in the human body. Kakuzu's 'Earth Grudge Fear' took advantage of this by transplanting other people's hearts and their abundant meridian systems into himself, thereby obtaining more chakra natures.
This is a method to increase chakra natures after birth, without undergoing long periods of training.
Ordinary Jonin usually only have two chakra natures, while many Chunin and Genin only have one.
"How... how is it going?"
Uchiha Hazuki's voice was intermittent, as if she were chewing on takeout.
"Almost done."
Kiyoshi didn't even look at Uchiha Hazuki, continuing to focus on the surgery for Yamada Taiyu on the operating table.
............
Half an hour later, Yamada Taiyu was moved from the operating table to a hospital room.
"Then, I'll be leaving now."
Seeing Uchiha Hazuki with her head buried and not saying a word, Kiyoshi turned and walked away.
Only after Kiyoshi left did Uchiha Hazuki slowly raise her pretty face.
Her eyes were filled with tears, swirling in her eyes, as if about to fall at any moment.
Just then, Yamada Taiyu let out a soft groan.
He frowned and slowly opened his eyes.
It was the familiar white ceiling.
Kiyoshi's precise control of the anesthetic dosage ensured he woke up at the right time.
"Hazuki, I... what is this...?"
Yamada Taiyu pulled open his hospital gown and found a new layer of bandages wrapped around his body.
"The surgery was successful, Taiyu."
Uchiha Hazuki wiped away her tears and revealed a smile.
"I don't feel as much pain as before when I extract chakra."
Yamada Taiyu was pleasantly surprised to find that his chakra extraction had improved a lot.
Looking up at Uchiha Hazuki, who was worried about him and shedding tears, Yamada Taiyu felt a warm current in his heart.
Perhaps because she was too worried about him, Uchiha Hazuki's hair was messy, and a strand of fine hair fell on the corner of her mouth.
Yamada Taiyu said gratefully:
"Hazuki, thank you so much."
Yamada Taiyu's tone was sincere.
He had originally planned to gamble on the surgery, letting any available medical ninja perform it without being picky.
But Uchiha Hazuki had brought in a medical ninja from their Uchiha clan.
This unexpected surprise really surprised Yamada Taiyu.
"By the way, that ninja is... Kiyoshi, right?"
Yamada Taiyu recalled that he had also encountered Uchiha Kiyoshi when he was with the Nekomata clan.
"Yes, it's him."
Uchiha Hazuki nodded lightly.
"I must treat him to a meal when I have time."
Yamada Taiyu made this decision.
............
Kiyoshi's home.
After completing the surgery, Kiyoshi began to adapt to the increased power in his right eye, feeling this power gradually nourish his entire body.
He picked up his ninja sword and began practicing simple slashing movements.
The ten-kilogram ninja sword was usable for him, but prolonged swinging would make him tired.
A katana made of other ordinary metal wouldn't be this heavy.
Most ninjas use short swords, or short weapons like kunai.
Kiyoshi's ninja sword could definitely be called a long weapon, which is rare among ninjas.
However, Kiyoshi was very satisfied with this weapon. His height kept increasing, and in a few years, he would be able to perfectly wield this weapon.
The longer the length, the stronger the power. Kiyoshi could imbue it with more distance.
"So, next is... 'Orochi-ryu Substitution Technique'."
Kiyoshi murmured softly.
His skin suddenly split open from the middle, along with his clothes, slowly shedding like a layer of skin.
"You have acquired the trait: [Snake-Type Ninja (White)]."
[Trait: Snake-Type Ninja (White)]
[Achievement Requirement: Successfully use a variant technique independent of the Five Great Natures, Snake-Type Ninjutsu once.]
[Progress: (Completed).]
[Effect: You have a higher affinity for snakes, and using Snake-Type Ninjutsu will increase by 5% on the original basis.]
[Note: Subsequent advancements are possible.]
"Snake-type ninjutsu?"
Kiyoshi thought to himself.
The progress bar appeared not long after practicing 'Orochi-ryu Substitution Technique,' but it only reached the completed progress today.
"Looks like shedding a layer of skin."
Kiyoshi touched his chin, looking at the shed skin below, which also had the same clothes as him.
Slowly, the skin on the ground constantly withered over time, and it was estimated that it would disappear soon.
'Orochi-ryu Substitution Technique' actually also has the effect of a transformation technique. Imbue a layer of chakra on the surface of the human body, and after the enemy attacks, you can abandon that part of the chakra.
This process is the same as the 'Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak' formed by the jinchuriki leaking chakra, except that 'Orochi-ryu Substitution Technique' will disguise itself as the person.
"Don't eat it."
Kiyoshi suddenly squatted down and knocked the white snake on the head.
While Kiyoshi was thinking, the white snake had unknowingly come to the ground and directly opened its mouth to Kiyoshi's shed skin, wanting to eat it.
"Hiss..."
The white snake made a hoarse tone unique to snakes.
Then it reluctantly opened and put down Kiyoshi's shed skin, and the crossed red tongue retracted into its mouth.
"You won't be short of food."
Kiyoshi shook his head and threw the shed skin on the ground into the trash can.
Kiyoshi didn't know whether this thing was chakra or flesh.
It wouldn't be good if it caused some unknown side effects to the summon.
They were leaving to perform a mission tomorrow, and Kiyoshi didn't want any accidents to happen during the mission.
"Chakra consumption is a bit high."
His body was too 'rigid' and lacked a 'soft' aspect.
This technique required the body to be softer. Kiyoshi's previous lightning-style body tempering would only make his muscles stronger and stronger.
If there was a 'soft body modification,' the chakra consumption would be reduced a lot.
"I have to find a way to get 'soft body modification' from Orochimaru."
Kiyoshi thought to himself.
Orochimaru's place was a good place. Not only could he get all kinds of cutting-edge research data, but he could also learn a series of snake-type ninjutsu.
I just don't know if summoning a snake counts as snake-type ninjutsu.
Orochimaru's 'Hidden Shadow Snake Hands' and 'Ten Thousand Snake Summons' both summon snakes.
