Naruto: The Ninja World's Life Buyer

Chapter 151 An Unfeasible Evolutionary Path, A War of Attrition

The underground laboratory of the Kikyo Pavilion.

A burnt smell was spreading, like the smell of burnt protein.

Chiba was holding a flamethrower and burning a lump of something in a petri dish at high temperature.

That lump of stuff—it's hard to describe.

It was originally a piece of cell tissue extracted from Sosuke's body. After being injected with diluted "Hashiro cell extract" and "Kaguya bone marrow factor", it came to life.

It did not turn into strong muscles, nor into hard bones.

It turned into a grayish-white lump covered in tiny splinters and bone fragments. It wriggled wildly in the petri dish, as if countless mouths were tearing at it.

"Sizzle sizzle—"

'

The flames engulfed the tumor. It emitted a sharp, hissing sound like a baby crying, and finally turned into a pool of black ash.

Chiba turned off the flamethrower.

"Mr. Sosuke."

Chiba turned around and looked at Sousuke.

"This is the result of the seventeenth simulated fusion."

The conclusion is: absolutely not feasible.

Sousuke stared at the pool of ashes. Silence.

During this time, while Misa Hayama was practicing Gentle Fist with Masaru Hyuga, he would also practice with her.

He has mastered the Soft Fist. It is indeed very useful.

He can now control his emotional fluctuations and perceive the boundaries between himself and the world. He is confident that he can suppress the will of the divine tree.

however.

Being able to suppress the will of the divine tree is one thing. The point is not that.

After Chiba's repeated experiments, the final conclusion was that Sousuke could not fuse with Hashirama's cells or the bone marrow factor from Shikotsumi.

Hyuga Katsu and Misa were able to do it because they were descendants of the Otsutsuki clan.

Deep within their genes lies an extremely ancient code. Although that code is usually dormant, it awakens when it encounters the same source of power—Kaguya's bone marrow and Hashirama's cells—and opens a door to accept that power.

But Sousuke is just a mortal. He doesn't have the blood of the Otsutsuki. Gentle Fist can only help him stabilize his mind and prevent him from collapsing.

But it doesn't change the war at the cellular level.

In other words, even if Sosuke could use Gentle Fist to ensure that his mental will was not eroded by the will of the Divine Tree after the successful fusion, it would be meaningless.

Because he couldn't even get to the first step of fusion.

If he forces himself to try, he won't become stronger; he'll only become that ever-growing, irrational tumor again.

Sosuke touched his chest. His heart was beating strongly.

This is the heart of a mortal.

"Is this the barrier of bloodline theory?"

Sousuke smiled to himself.

Even if he has unlimited money, even if he has advanced ideas, even if he has two successful experimental subjects.

He was still shut out by the genetic barrier.

"It seems we can only achieve this through other methods —"

Sosuke had to abandon his illusions and start thinking of other methods.

Does fusing with Hashirama cells require the bloodline of the Otsutsuki clan?

No, it is not.

Danzo Shimura, who did not possess the bloodline of the Otsutsuki, also succeeded!

How did he do it? He transplanted interstitial cells, but he didn't turn into a tree. Why?

Because he has Sharingan eyes covering an entire arm.

The Sharingan is also a dominant expression of the Otsutsuki bloodline. It can also accept Hashirama cells.

Danzo used the power of his Sharingan in that arm to forcibly suppress the activity of Hashirama's cells, achieving a terrifying dynamic balance.

So, if he wants to fuse with Hashirama's cells, he'd have to transplant the Sharingan?

But the risk of failure is high.

Danzo is the crazy gambler stuck in the middle, struggling on the edge of imbalance every day.

"It seems that it's not possible to achieve instant success through bloodline fusion for the time being."

Sosuke is a rational person.

He's unwilling to try if the risk is too high.

"Since there's no shortcut—"

Sosuke's eyes were resolute.

"Then let's take the long way."

"As long as my physical abilities continue to improve, as long as my chakra control reaches its peak, as long as I continuously analyze using the power of technology—"

"One day, I will find that breakthrough."

He picked up a bottle of "Nutritional Solution No. 3" and drank it down.

"Preserve the experimental data."

Sousuke ordered.

"Since we cannot achieve physical godhood for the time being, let's take another path."

Sosuke touched the eyepatch over his left eye.

Perhaps he should start researching and mastering methods for harnessing natural energy.

The Land of Fields, the Northern Front.

Konoha's defenses are crumbling.

It wasn't due to tactical errors, nor was it due to a numerical disadvantage.

It was all because of one person.

The Third Raikage

-

He was shirtless, his bronze skin wrapped in solidified lightning armor. He charged alone into Konoha's territory.

"Stop him! Earth Release Team!"

A Konoha Jonin roared in despair.

"Earth Release: Multiple Earth Flow Walls!"

Dozens of Konoha ninja simultaneously formed hand seals. Five stone walls, several meters thick, rose from the ground, blocking the way for the Raikage.

The Third Raikage did not slow down.

He raised his right hand and extended one finger.

"Hellfire Thrust - One-Shot Punch!"

Boom! The first wall shattered.

Boom! The second one.

Boom! The third one—

That finger pierced through five earthen walls in an instant, tearing them to shreds along with a dozen or so Konoha ninja hiding behind them.

Blood stained the battlefield.

Nothing can stop him.

The ninjutsu struck him, but was deflected by his lightning armor.

The explosive tags detonated around him, but they didn't even blacken his skin.

This is the combination of the "strongest shield" and the "strongest spear".

He is invincible.

"Retreat—retreat now—"

The commander of Konoha, a seasoned Jonin, was trembling with fear.

No one can break through this monster's defenses.

This is a massacre.

Konoha, Hokage Building.

Emergency meeting room. The atmosphere was extremely tense.

"It can't be stopped."

Nara Shikaku put down the battle report, his face pale.

"The Third Raikage was too strong. He killed every Konoha ninja he saw."

"Regular troops are like paper in front of him."

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in the head seat, the embers in his pipe flickering.

"Where's Jiraiya?"

"Lord Jiraiya is holding back the Eight-Tails. He's injured, and things aren't looking good."

Where is Orochimaru?

-

"Lord Orochimaru—he said he is researching a new technique to counter Lightning Release and cannot participate in the battle for the time being."

An excuse. Everyone knew it was an excuse. Orochimaru didn't want to fight that madman.

"Where's Sakumo?"

"Sakumo is in the land of rivers, but he is being held back by the Third Kazekage and cannot get away at all."

"In Konoha now, who can stop him?"

Xiaochun's voice was shrill as she turned to her new room.

"Do you expect me to personally lead the charge, Hiruzen?!"

Hiruzen remained silent.

He was getting old. Although he still held the title of "Professor of Ninjutsu," he knew that he probably wouldn't last long against the Third Raikage, who was at his peak and possessed an extremely strong physique.

"It seems—we have no choice but to use that card."

Mitokado Yan pushed up his glasses, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Uchiha".

Bellflower Pavilion.

Sousuke is practicing Water Release ninjutsu.

"Jōnin Takaya, Clan Chief Fugaku has arrived."

Longma came in to report.

"Please let him in."

Fugaku walked in. His expression was serious, and his eyes were resolute.

"Sousuke-kun."

Fugaku gets straight to the point.

"The Hokage Building has just issued an order requiring the entire Uchiha clan to be mobilized and sent to the northern front to intercept the Third Raikage."

"And they specifically named me, wanting me to lead the team personally."

"They're trying to drive us to our deaths."

Sosuke poured Fugaku a cup of tea.

"Lord Fugaku, this is not coercion."

"The village is deserted now. They have no choice but to turn to the Uchiha for help."

"This is what I was talking about before—the moment of salvation."

"As long as you can stop the Raikage, the Uchiha's position in Konoha will be unshakeable."

"But the Raikage is too strong."

Fugaku sighed. He knew how terrifying that monster was.

The strongest spear and the strongest shield.

"I'm not confident I can beat him."

"Winning is not necessary."

Sosuke looked at Fugaku.

"All we need to do is wear him down."

"Outlast them?"

"right.

∴

Sosuke took out a document.

This is the tactical plan he has developed based on intelligence analysis over the past few days.

"The Third Raikage was strong, but he was still human. His chakra wasn't limitless."

"We won't confront him head-on. Instead, we'll use sheer numbers, traps, poison, every means at our disposal—"

"Deplete him."

"I have mobilized all of Takaya Trading Company's inventory."

"Ten thousand explosive tags."

"Five hundred Wind Demon Shuriken."

"And also—a specially made poison gas for the Raikage, which we obtained from Lord Orochimaru."

Sousuke's eyes turned cold.

"We must launch a saturation bombardment against him."

"The Uchiha's mission isn't to go and die. It's to use the Sharingan's dynamic vision, combined with my supplies, to trap him and kill him."

"We must make him die from exhaustion."

This was the prototype of the famous "Battle of Ten Thousand Men".

In the original story, the Third Raikage was besieged by 10,000 Iwa ninja for three days and three nights before finally dying from exhaustion.

Now, Sosuke is going to replicate this tactic.

However, this time the protagonists have changed from the Iwa ninja to the Uchiha and Konoha's ninja tool army.

Fugaku looked at the proposal.

His hands were trembling slightly.

It's a big gamble.

If successful, the Uchiha clan will rise to the pinnacle of the ninja world by stepping over the Raikage's corpse.

If it fails—

"it is good."

Fugaku suddenly stood up, his eyes swirling with the three tomoe.

"The Uchiha clan will take this battle!"

"For the family!"

"For the future!"

>