Konoha, reported by the Fourth Hokage at the start.

Chapter 196 The Perfect Transformation Isn't Perfect

It took him two years to finally replicate the Rinnegan's eye power chakra.

Combining his spiritual perception with the art of spiritualization, Li Yao finally sensed the unique spiritual energy fluctuations within each person.

He saw the specific attributes of the soul.

Li Yao just tried it out, and he was able to control his own mental energy fluctuations to match the frequency of others' mental energy fluctuations.

In this way, the final step of the perfect transformation was achieved.

"Go back and get the mission."

Li Yao immediately turned back. Whether the Perfect Transformation Technique could succeed or not, all that was needed now was a ninja to test it.

It's definitely not convenient here in Misty Rain City; I'll have to go outside and try to catch a wandering ninja.

So I need to find an excuse to go out and take on a task.

In the lobby at the top of the tower, Yahiko and Nagato stood in the second-floor corridor, holding onto the iron handrail. Below was a large hall where several fellow ninjas who had returned from a mission were relaxing by playing cards.

Li Yao walked up to Yahiko and Nagato and asked, "Yahiko, do you have a mission?"

"Yes." Yahiko turned around, nodded first, and then said, "Brother Li, you just got back from your mission a few days ago, don't you want to rest?"

"No need, just give me the task," Li Yao said with a shake of his head and a smile.

"Alright." Yahiko turned and went to the room where the missions were being collected. The ninjas stationed inside saw Yahiko and the others coming and stood up from their chairs, saying, "Big brother, you've arrived."

Yahiko nodded and said, "I'll entrust the task of protecting a village near the border of the Land of Earth to Brother Li."

"That mission... seems to be free. Does it require Brother Li's personal involvement?"

Li Yao is very strong. Although not many people have seen him fight, he always returns from missions unscathed. Everyone knows how powerful he is, and he is the one who takes on the most difficult and rewarding missions.

Some village protection missions are unpaid and are usually done by other companions who are relatively weaker.

Because Yahiko accepts all kinds of missions, especially those to protect villages, even without pay, many villages have started sending missions to the Akatsuki.

Many people in the organization are performing these kinds of tasks.

Now that Li Yao is going too, it's a bit of a waste of his talents.

"Missions are not about rewards. We are an organization that brings peace to the ninja world. If everything is about profit, what's the difference between us and the ninjas of the Five Great Nations?" His companion's distinction between missions with and without rewards made Yahiko frown, and he reiterated his peace philosophy.

"Yes, brother, I understand." The ninja in charge of the mission room quickly replied, then went to get the mission sheet for Li Yao.

"I'm gone."

Upon receiving the mission notice, Li Yao left Drizzle City without a moment's hesitation and headed to the border between the Land of Rain and the Land of Earth.

It took Li Yao a day to arrive at the village on the border where the mission was issued.

However, it was Li Yao's shadow clone that arrived in the village.

His true form was sitting on the back of a giant clay bird, hovering eight thousand meters in the air, accompanied by a motionless wandering ninja.

"At such a height... let's add another barrier!"

With a thought, Li Yao cast a perception shielding barrier technique he had learned from the Vortex inheritance.

In an instant, a transparent spherical barrier spread out, enveloping the clay bird and preventing anyone from sensing the commotion.

"That way, the White Zetsu shouldn't be able to sense what I'm about to do."

Li Yao looked down at the dark clouds below, which completely blocked his view. There was also a barrier that shielded his senses, which made him feel much more at ease.

Li Yao didn't want Bai Jue to know about the Perfect Transformation Technique, and he didn't even want to give him any clues or speculations.

This is a crucial attempt for him to break free from Ban's control; he cannot afford to fail, and it would be very dangerous if he were discovered.

"Let's begin."

Li Yao crouched down, reached out and covered the forehead of the captured ninja, focusing all his efforts on sensing its physical information and spiritual fluctuations.

In no time, the analysis of both physical information and spiritual fluctuations was completed.

"Perfect Transformation!"

With a thought, Li Yao's body began to change. Under the extraordinary effect of chakra, the cells in his body transformed into the flesh cells of the captured ninja, as if he had cloned an identical body by reading the genes inside the captured ninja.

As his physical body transformed into the exact same form as the captured ninja, Li Yao's mental fluctuations changed, becoming identical to the mental energy fluctuations of the captured ninja.

From then on, Li Yao's mental fluctuations and physical information were exactly the same as those of the captured ninja.

He used the transformed spiritual energy fluctuations and physical energy as a benchmark, fusing them one-to-one into chakra.

"It's done!"

Li Yao's eyes lit up. The newly generated chakra within his body was exactly the same as the chakra fluctuations of the captured ninja in his own chakra perception.

Even if Minato were standing right in front of him, he wouldn't be able to tell which one was the real one—himself or the captured ninja.

Not only chakra, but also, according to soul perception, the soul fluctuations of Li Yao after transforming into the captured ninja were exactly the same as those of the captured ninja.

In this way, even those with the ability to perceive the soul cannot distinguish between the real and the fake.

"The perfect transformation is finally here... um!"

"Why is it still here?!"

The smile on Li Yao's face suddenly disappeared. After transforming, his soul fluctuations, chakra fluctuations, and physical body were exactly the same as the captured ninja.

However, Madara Uchiha's chakra fluctuations did not disappear from his chakra; he could still sense Madara Uchiha's chakra fluctuations hidden within his transformed chakra.

"Sigh... I failed again!"

"Looks like I won't be able to get rid of these spots for the time being!"

After a long silence, Li Yao shook his head and sighed.

He thought he could use the Perfect Transformation Technique to change the characteristics of his chakra, break free from Madara Uchiha's chakra fluctuations, and thus escape Madara's control.

Over the past two years, based on the original plot, Li Yao has roughly guessed that Madara's method of controlling him through the cursed seal on his heart is probably the same as Obito's.

By incorporating the chakra fluctuations within the two individuals.

Madara Uchiha could use the cursed seal to compete with Li Yao for control of the chakra within him, and thus control Li Yao's body.

Just like in the original manga, Madara controlled Obito's chakra through the cursed seal on Obito's heart, allowing Black Zetsu to control Obito's body and perform the Rinne Rebirth technique.

It's important to understand that performing ninjutsu isn't just about forming hand seals; the key is the mobilization and transformation of chakra within the body while forming the seals.

Madara could control Obito's hand seals to perform the Rinne Rebirth Technique, so he could definitely control the chakra within Obito's body.

Li Yao guessed that the chakra fluctuations of Uchiha Madara within his chakra were like Madara's will, and that at crucial moments, he could use the cursed seal to compete with him for control of the chakra.

If the chakra fluctuations of Uchiha Madara are not removed from the chakra, Li Yao will always be controlled by Uchiha Madara.

Originally... never mind.

So be it if we fail.

Li Yao composed himself; he still had the path of recruiting bloodline members.

The transformation wasn't perfect, which made him somewhat unhappy.

Because of this, his revenge plan can only continue after Madara dies, and even after Madara dies, he may not be able to leave and move freely, as Black Zetsu is still watching him.

Madara is now clearly implying that he wants Nagato to stay and not leave.

Li Yao had no way to leave until he was freed from Ban's control.

"No, we have to think of a way."

After thinking it over, Li Yao still didn't want to wait too long.

The development of the Bloodline Limit is unknown; in the past thousand years, only one Dust Release technique combining three attributes has been created in the ninja world. Even with Li Yao's confidence, he doesn't know exactly how long it will take to succeed.

If it really takes ten or twenty years, the third generation might be dead by then. Even if they don't die, what's the point of the third generation taking revenge when they've reached the end of their lives and seen through everything?

(End of this chapter)