The origins of Uzumaki Tomoe were clear. Although the trace of Shiraishi's chakra within her had initially sparked Maki's suspicion, the explanation eventually satisfied her.
"The Uzumaki physique is unique, possessing immense vitality. The child she carries seems to be manifesting a highly specialized bloodline, which is why I brought them back to the Sand," Shiraishi explained.
Inside the Kazekage's residence, an orange cat lay lazily on the floor, basking in the sunlight. Upon seeing its master return, it maintained an air of complete indifference.
"Heh, you've gotten quite bold lately."
Seeing his pet's attitude, Shiraishi flashed a smile that sent a shiver down the feline's spine. The orange cat scrambled to its feet with great effort, wearing a fawning expression and wagging its tail rhythmically—a desperate "welcome home" gesture.
"The child inside her... it seems to be constantly absorbing the mother's nutrients," Maki noted. As a high-ranking Jonin, her sensory abilities were sharp; she had naturally detected the abnormality within Tomoe.
The burden on Tomoe was indeed immense. Without the legendary resilience of the Uzumaki clan, an ordinary woman would have likely perished.
A combination of Hyuga, Kaguya, and Uzumaki traits, fused with a portion of Shiraishi's own chakra—this existence was destined to shake the shinobi world.
Through his "Regeneration Core" scan, Shiraishi noted that the child's silhouette was already formed. Though still in deep slumber, a faint vertical fissure had appeared on its forehead—a third eye coupled with an unknown, potent ocular power was steadily taking shape.
His hypothesis was correct: there was a profound ancestral link between the Kaguya and Hyuga lineages.
The massive amount of chakra concentrated at that forehead eye had solidified just yesterday.
To avoid unwanted attention, Shiraishi had applied a specialized Five Elements Seal during a check-up to temporarily suppress the eye's presence.
This child was to be the Sand's future trump card. Along with the uncle, Uzumaki Tomoki, they would form the foundation of an entirely new Bloodline Clan within the village.
Aside from the Uzumakis, Shiraishi had utilized his connections with Hozuki Haigetsu to recruit members of the Ice Style clans from the Hidden Mist.
Amidst the bloody chaos in the Land of Water, bloodline users were being purged, and the Ice Style users were the first to suffer. Several branches with little loyalty to the Mist had already crossed into the Land of Rivers, establishing a new foothold under the Sand's protection.
In Shiraishi's vision, within ten years, the Hidden Mist would dwindle into a second-rate village.
Regarding the child in Maki's womb, Shiraishi's expectations were simple: boy or girl, he only hoped they would grow up in peace.
However, the maritime strategy remained a concern. The situation in the Land of Vegetables was spiraling out of control. With Arakawa Arashi heading there to join Morimoto Ryoji and the Seven Heavens Breathing master, Dojari Souji, he hoped the front could be stabilized.
The New System Interface
While waiting for Maki to prepare dinner, Shiraishi focused his mind on his Lens System. After two years of dormancy, a new interface had finally unlocked: the Ninjutsu Scroll Interface.
Chakra natures—Fire, Water, Lightning, Wind, Earth, Yin, and Yang—were categorized neatly. A vast list of Ninjutsu and Hidden Arts appeared in the form of scrolls. However, when Shiraishi opened a basic "Sand Manipulation" scroll, he found it was entirely blank.
Blank? Ah, I see...
Picking up a mental "pen," Shiraishi quickly recorded everything he knew about basic Sand Manipulation. Instantly, the data in the system organized itself, and a complete virtual scroll appeared.
The system was demanding a record of this world's arts. It had provided skills from another world for years; now, it sought to archive the local knowledge.
As he completed the Sand Manipulation scroll, a progress bar appeared. It was divided into five stages; every 20% completion would grant a special reward.
Shiraishi quickly transcribed the various techniques of the Hidden Sand and other jutsu he had encountered. Despite his efforts, the completion rate sat at a mere 8%.
It seemed the Sand's collective knowledge only accounted for a fraction of the world's total. He estimated that the Hidden Leaf, with its vast heritage, might hold 30-40%.
The Lens System was becoming increasingly intriguing. Beyond the local scrolls and the external skill cards, there seemed to be other locked layers yet to be revealed.
I need to accelerate my Supercomputing System...
Scanning the scroll titles, Shiraishi noticed that while most known jutsus were listed, his original creations—like the Heavenly Curse of the Five Phantoms, his unique sword styles, and custom Taijutsu—were absent. The designer of this system was not omniscient; it didn't account for anomalies or future deviations like himself.
His confusion deepened when he recalled that in the "original" history he had glimpsed, there was no record of the Hidden Sand having a "Shiraishi." Even when Maki graduated, no civilian by that name existed in her class.
Through his "Thought Network," Shiraishi maintained a shared visual link with Haigetsu and Uchiha Kaede.
His victory at the Five Kage Summit was largely due to this massive parallel processing power. Now, through Kaede's eyes, he watched the Uchiha assessment unfold with crystal clarity.
"Next group: Uchiha Itachi!"
Through the spy's gaze, Shiraishi finally looked upon the boy who would become a legend in the history that was supposed to be.
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