XX-level Hokage

The Hyuga clan's underground training grounds had been transformed into a laboratory by Orochimaru and Hiashi.

"Another failure." Orochimaru said, looking at the exploding eyeball in his hand. This was the third time the experiment had failed.

“At this rate, even if we use the remaining Byakugan from the main clan, we might not succeed,” Hiashi said, frowning. Each Byakugan represented the life of a Hyuga clansman, which made him feel extremely reluctant.

"Something must be wrong," Mashiro muttered to herself.

She and Orochimaru are now using the method from their previous life to create the Mangekyou Sharingan. They first extract the special chakra from the ordinary Byakugan, then combine it, and finally inject it into a Hyuga clan member's body.

But they ran into trouble at the very first step; they couldn't extract it. Although the Byakugan contained energy different from ordinary chakra, it couldn't be extracted. "Stop the experiment for now. I need to study the Byakugan carefully," Mashiro said.

"Hiashi, how does your Hyuga clan awaken the Byakugan?" Orochimaru took off his gloves, threw them on the lab table, and turned to Hiashi to ask.

"Our Hyuga clan's Byakugan isn't something we're born with; it requires a lot of arduous training to awaken. However, there are exceptions; members of the clan with pure bloodlines may awaken their Byakugan on their own as they age and their bodies mature," Hiashi said.

“Then, could it be related to the bloodline of the Hyuga clan?” Orochimaru said to Mashiro.

Orochimaru's words gave Mashiro a reminder. Indeed, the awakening of the Byakugan does not require strong emotional fluctuations like the Uchiha clan. In other words, the awakening of the Byakugan is not due to so-called special chakra, and there may not even be any special chakra in the Byakugan.

"If that's the case, then it's the Hyuga clan's bloodline that affected the growth and development of the eyes, resulting in the Byakugan. However, this makes the idea of ​​creating an artificial Tenseigan a joke, as the bloodline cannot be refined. Even if it were refined, we couldn't possibly replace someone's entire bloodline," Mashiro said, frowning slightly.

"So, what if we're talking about aggregating eye power? The eye power generated by the Hyuga bloodline should be consistent. If we combine the eye power from other eyes into one pair, perhaps there will be new changes," Orochimaru said after pondering for a moment, stroking his chin.

It can only be said that Orochimaru truly is a born scientific research talent, instantly coming up with a new idea.

Indeed, bloodline cannot be refined, but the power of the eye generated by bloodline can. Since the Byakugan is generated from the Hyuga bloodline, naturally, the power of the Byakugan is the same. If the power of multiple Byakugan can be combined into one pair of Byakugan, then a new change will definitely occur.

“You’re right.” Mashiro looked at Orochimaru, her eyes filled with admiration. She had always admired intelligent people. Although Mashiro had already taken Kabuto under her wing, Kabuto still lacked Orochimaru’s creativity.

"Father, go and retrieve a pair of Byakugan from the main family. The purer the bloodline, the better. This time, we might succeed. If we succeed, the Hyuga clan can truly rise to prominence," Mashiro said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Hiashi hesitated for a moment, but out of trust in Mashiro, he nodded and left through the Shadow Legion, exiting the underground training room.

"How long are you going to keep deceiving him?" Orochimaru asked Mashiro curiously.

In his view, all these experiments were conducted in order to create the power of immortals and to achieve eternal life, and the so-called Tenseigan was just a deception of Hiashi.

“Once the power of the Sage (Tenseigan) is created, he will be of no use,” Mashiro said calmly. Of course, neither will you.

Aside from coming to the Hyuga clan's underground training room every night through the Shadow Legion to conduct artificial Tenseigan experiments, Mashiro spent her days quite leisurely. She would sleep in late in the mornings and occasionally go shopping with Kushina in the afternoons.

Because of what Orochimaru said to the Third Hokage, aside from the fact that there are still ANBU members secretly watching her, they haven't contacted Mashiro about anything else recently.

That afternoon, Mashiro was strolling around the streets with Kushina. After the Third Hokage revoked the danger level assessment of Mashiro, Minato and Kushina were relieved. In the past few days, Kushina had taken Mashiro to explore most of Konoha.

"This is it. I've always loved this shop, but it's too far from where we live, and I sometimes have missions, so I don't come here very often," Kushina said to Mashiro, pointing to a fashion store not far away.

Mashiro looked at the shop Kushina pointed to, but didn't recognize it. It seemed that it must have closed down in her time.

“Let’s go look at some clothes. Izumi-chan, you always wear this black robe. It’s time for a change. I think you look better in a dress,” Kushina said with a smile.

"Never mind, I still prefer black," Mashiro waved her hand in refusal.

She had always preferred black, and this preference only intensified after acquiring the Shadow Legion. As for skirts, she hadn't tried one yet. However, Kushina ignored Mashiro's refusal and pulled her towards the clothing store.

Just then, a very magnetic voice called out to Kushina. "Ah, Kushina, it's been a long time."

Mashiro and Kushina turned around together and saw a woman with long black hair, a beautiful face, and a slightly protruding belly standing not far away. "Mikoto-neechan! Yes, it's been a long time." Kushina smiled and pulled Mashiro over.

Mikoto Uchiha, wife of Fugaku Uchiha, the current head of the Uchiha clan, and the biological mother of Itachi and Sasuke.

Since Minato was practically destined to become Hokage, this shrewd clan head's wife had already cultivated a relationship with the future Hokage's wife long ago. "And this is?" Mikoto asked Mashiro with a smile.

Because of her Byakugan, she recognized Mashiro as a member of the Hyuga clan at a glance. However, Mikoto had met all the slightly famous members of the Hyuga clan, but Mashiro was a complete stranger to her.

“Oh, she’s a very important guest of the Hokage, and she’s currently staying at my house,” Kushina said with a smile. “Hello, my name is Hyuga Izumi,” Mashiro said with a smile, extending her hand.

"Hello, I'm Uchiha Mikoto." Mikoto smiled warmly and shook Mashiro's hand. It was very soft, that was Mashiro's first impression. She gently squeezed it for a moment, then withdrew her hand.

Mikoto didn't notice Mashiro's subtle movements; her mind was filled with Kushina's words—"The Hokage's honored guest?!" "What's wrong?" Mashiro asked softly.

"It's nothing, just a little surprised. I didn't expect you to be the Hokage's honored guest," Mikoto said gently. "I didn't expect it either. Perhaps the Hokage is being too kind," Qibai said softly.

"Alright, you two, stop being so formal. Is Mikoto also here to buy clothes?" Kushina asked. "Yes, I need to get some bigger clothes," Mikoto said gently, clutching her stomach.

"Mikoto-neechan, how many months along are you?" Kushina asked curiously. She had noticed before but hadn't dared to ask. "Four months along, but I don't know if it's a boy or a girl," Mikoto said with a smile.

Chapter 120: Gentle Breeze

“A boy,” Mashiro suddenly said.

Kushina and Mikoto both looked at Mashiro curiously. "How did you know?" Kushina asked curiously. "Nothing, just a premonition," Mashiro said with a smile.

Mikoto didn't mind, gently stroking her lower abdomen, and said, "It doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, I just hope he can live happily in the future and become a strong ninja."

"She's certainly powerful, but whether she's happy or not is another matter," Mashiro thought to herself, looking at Mikoto's lower abdomen. "What name is Mikoto-neechan planning to give the baby?" Kushina asked.

"I'm not sure either. I've thought of several names, but I haven't decided on the final one yet. Kushina, do you have any good suggestions?" Mikoto said gently.

"I...I don't know either," Kushina said, somewhat at a loss.

"So, Izumi-chan, do you have any good suggestions?" Mikoto asked, looking at Mashiro.

“Uchiha Itachi, what do you think of this name?” Mashiro said softly. “Itachi? That’s a nice name,” Mikoto said with a smile.

But she felt a little strange. Among the several names Fugaku had suggested, there was the name "Itachi." Was it a coincidence?

"Mikoto-nee, you don't need to listen to her. It's best to decide the child's name yourself," Kushina said, pinching Shiro's cheek. "No, Itachi is indeed a very nice name. We can discuss it with Fugaku when we get back," Mikoto said with a smile.

Kushina couldn't say anything more about this, so she changed the subject, saying, "That's fine, let's go look at some clothes." Mikoto nodded gently and followed Kushina and Mashiro into the clothing store.

"Izumi, wouldn't you like to try other colors, Shiro?" Kushina asked Shiro, looking at a pale yellow dress.

Kushina and Mikoto had already chosen their outfits, and now they were helping Mashiro pick one out. "No need, I can only accept black," Mashiro said, waving her hand.

"That's a real shame. Izumi would look absolutely gorgeous in that dress," Kushina said regretfully. Mashiro remained noncommittal.

"Izumi-chan's hair is so beautiful. Do you take care of it regularly?" Mikoto asked as she combed Mashiro's hair, feeling its smoothness.

"No, I don't know much about these things," Qi Bai shook his head and said. "I'm really envious," Mikoto said with a sigh.

She was indeed very beautiful. Her hair was white and smooth. The hair of the Uchiha clan was thick and straight. Although it looked beautiful, it was very troublesome to manage and it was easy to get frizzy.

"Speaking of which, Izumi's skin is not only fair and tender, but also very smooth. It feels really comfortable to touch," Kushina said, rubbing her face against Mashiro's.

Upon hearing this, Mikoto reached out and touched Mashiro's face. Her first impression was how soft, bouncy, and smooth it was—it was simply irresistible. Her beauty, her hair, her skin, and her tall figure filled Mikoto with a profound sense of defeat.

"If I were a guy, I would definitely pursue Izumi-chan very much," Kushina said with a smile. "That's a pity. Actually, I don't like guys," Mashiro said calmly.

These words stunned Kushina and Mikoto, both stopping what they were doing. "You don't like men? You mean, you, you like…" Kushina hesitated, unsure how to respond. Mikoto, too, wore a strange expression, lost in thought.

Mashiro didn't speak, but chuckled softly, tacitly agreeing with Kushina's guess.

"It's nothing, everyone has their own choices," Mikoto said with a smile, continuing to comb Mashiro's hair. The ninja world, due to its high mortality rate, has a very open-minded atmosphere.

After hearing Koto's words, Kushina came to her senses and said, "That's true, as long as Izumi-chan likes it." In the end, after Kushina's persistent pleading, Mashiro changed into a black dress.

"I knew it! A dress suits you better." Kushina said with a smile as she looked at Mashiro emerging from the dressing room. "It really does suit you." Mikoto nodded gently as well.

Mashiro looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't feel anything about the change in her appearance, but she felt a little strange wearing a dress. Well, it was better than she had imagined.

After leaving the clothing store, Mikoto said goodbye to the two men and then walked in another direction.

This clothing store was located on the edge of the village, far from the residential building where Minato lived, but very close to the Uchiha clan's territory. Therefore, at this time, the Uchiha clan had been pushed to the edge of the village.

On the way back, I watched the sunset; the orange light shining on the clouds was beautiful.

"By the way, Izumi, I'm a little curious, why do you like girls?" Kushina asked after hesitating for a long time, she was very curious. "Who knows? If I had to say, it's probably innate," Mashiro replied softly.

“Then, what kind of girl does Izumi like? I can keep an eye out for her in Konoha for you,” Kushina said with a smile. “No need, I already have a girlfriend,” Mashiro shook her head and refused.

"Was it from your era?" Kushina was somewhat incredulous that her ancestors were so open-minded. She remained silent.

At that moment, a gentle breeze blew, stirring Mashiro's dress and hair. Mashiro covered her hair with one hand and her dress with the other, her eyes showing a hint of "coercion".

"So beautiful!" Kushina felt a strange flutter in her heart upon seeing this scene. "How strange, why am I suddenly feeling so happy?" [Kuna's Affection +5]

Mashiro silently observed Kushina's reaction. "B-Rank Ninjutsu: Gentle Wind"

This is the reward for having 50 points of affection with Shizune. It's a very strange ninjutsu. It's called Wind Release, but it's more like a mental illusion. When a breeze blows, it can create a ripple of love out of thin air in an instant, making people's hearts flutter.

It seems to be working quite well.

"It seems I'm still not suited to wearing skirts; I always feel a bit unsafe," Mashiro said softly as she released her grip on her skirt after a gentle breeze.

“You looked beautiful just now,” Kushina said, her face slightly flushed. What had just happened? It felt so strange. “Really? Thank you for the compliment,” Mashiro said with a smile.

Kushina quickly regained her composure, and the two continued chatting about the game.

"By the way, what kind of names does Kushina want to give her future children?" Mashiro suddenly asked. "That's too early, I'm not even married yet," Kushina sighed.

"That's why I said from now on, if we think things through in advance, we won't have to think about it on the spot," Mashiro said with a smile. "But isn't this a bit too early?" Kushina said.

Even so, Kushina still pondered, muttering to herself, "A name is really hard to come up with. Menma? It doesn't feel quite right. Boruto? That doesn't feel quite right either. Oh well, let Minato think of one."

Night, the Hyuga clan's underground training room. The experiments continue.

"How did it go?" Mashiro emerged from the shadows and asked. "Some progress, but it's strange," Orochimaru said. "What's wrong?" Mashiro asked.

Orochimaru raised a Byakugan, which was currently enveloped in a blue-white energy. "This Byakugan?" Mashiro observed carefully; she had never seen anything like it before. "The eye power gathered together, and then it became like this," Orochimaru explained.

Mashiro tried to inject her chakra into the eye, and in an instant, the eye began to emit a yellow light, and then began to grow larger and larger.

Mashiro immediately stopped injecting chakra.

"Have all the Byakugan's power been gathered?" Mashiro asked, handing the glasses to Orochimaru. "Four pairs of the main family's Byakugan remain. Happy," Orochimaru replied.

"That's good. Speed ​​things up." Mashiro said before disappearing into the shadows.

Chapter 121: The Eve

When Mashiro injected chakra into the hundred-eyed Tenseigan, she already knew that the experiment to create the artificial Tenseigan had failed.

The yellow, ever-growing shape of the Byakugan was something Mashiro remembered; it was a Tenseigan guarded by the descendants of Hagoromo on the moon.

The eye we've obtained through experimentation can only emit the Tenseigan's brilliance when combined with Mashiro's chakra. Mashiro's chakra is the power of the Otsutsuki clan, so the birth of the Tenseigan requires the power of the Otsutsuki. However, the power of the Otsutsuki cannot be replicated, so the experiment to create an artificial Tenseigan is bound to fail.

Therefore, Mashiro could only try her best to complete this unfinished product so that she could use it for other purposes.

"Man proposes, God disposes," Mashiro muttered to herself. She had originally thought that the Tenseigan was comparable to the Mangekyou Sharingan, but now it seemed that it was actually comparable to the Rinnegan.

"It seems I need to activate the Tenseigan as soon as I get back, and I should also go see Otsutsuki Toneri," Mashiro murmured, then lay down on the bed and closed her eyes.

Mashiro's Tenseigan has been activated; Mashiro is certain of this, but she doesn't know why she can't activate it on her own. Perhaps the only answer will be found on the moon.

The next few days remained very peaceful.

But Mashiro kept glancing into the distance, sensing that the time to return was drawing ever closer. "I hope I can get everything sorted out before I leave," Mashiro muttered to herself.