"Without the cover of the Dragon Vein's power, I've found your core!"
"Wood Style: Wood Human Technique!"
Boom!!!
The underground factory's ceiling suddenly exploded!
A massive wooden construct smashed through the ground with a thunderous impact, forcing its way into the subterranean lair.
Uchiha Shin's Mangekyō Sharingan scanned the area, instantly locking onto the soul cores of the Third Kazekage and Elder Ebizo.
Under the influence of [Kagura's Mind Eye], their chakra signatures burned like torches in the darkness.
The violent tremors alerted the two immediately—their hidden cores had been exposed.
Wasting no time, they severed unnecessary thoughts and focused entirely on reconstructing their bodies.
The moment they regained their forms and opened their eyes, a colossal hand tore apart the factory's roof, exposing them to the open air.
"Haha! We meet again! Don't even think about escaping this time!"
Uchiha Shin ripped off his mask, his cold gaze locking onto the two below.
Upon seeing his face, the Third Kazekage and Ebizo immediately recognized him—
"Konoha's Thunder God… Uchiha Shin?!"
"How is this possible?! How do you possess so many Kekkei Genkai?"
Fear twisted their expressions. They knew Uchiha Shin would never let them leave alive.
Shin, uninterested in entertaining their shock, simply commanded his Wood Human to strike, as if swatting down a pair of insects.
"Red Secret Technique: Performance of Ten Puppets!"
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Spiral Shuriken!"
Faced with imminent death, both unleashed their strongest jutsu in a desperate bid for survival.
But against the descending palm of the giant wooden construct, their attacks only managed to splinter its surface, scattering fragments of wood into the air.
Boom!!!
The enormous hand crashed down, crushing them beneath its might.
"Demonic Soul Devour!"
From Shin's right eye, black flames erupted beneath the wooden construct's palm, consuming everything they touched.
Though the Third Kazekage and Ebizo no longer had physical bodies to drain vitality from, the vast chakra stored within their soul cores was still vulnerable.
"AAAAAHHHH!!!"
Their agonized screams echoed through the underground factory as the black flames devoured their very essence.
Ten seconds later, the cries ceased.
Their soul cores had been burned to nothing but ashes.
Uchiha Shin closed his eyes for a moment, carefully absorbing the chakra residue and the knowledge imprinted within.
The Third Kazekage's mastery over Magnet Release had been fully assimilated into his own arsenal.
Ebizo's extensive expertise in chakra threads and puppetry techniques had also been extracted and stored in his mind.
The chakra of two Kage-level shinobi filled him with deep satisfaction.
His cells buzzed with renewed vitality.
His previously exhausted ocular powers had been fully restored, and his chakra recovery rate had accelerated significantly.
"My chakra control has become even more precise… I can even manipulate cells now."
Shin raised his fingers, releasing nearly invisible chakra threads that slithered through the ruins.
The shattered debris of the destroyed underground factory started shifting, reversing as if time itself had been rewound.
The explanation was simple: he had used his newly refined chakra threads to reassemble the broken fragments.
At a microscopic level, objects were never truly separate. They only appeared fragmented because external forces had disrupted the bonds holding them together.
Of course, Shin couldn't yet manipulate matter at a molecular or atomic level.
But after devouring the Third Kazekage's Magnet Release, his power had evolved.
He had advanced from merely controlling magnetism… to commanding electromagnetic forces!
Magnetism is merely an extension of electromagnetism—one of the four fundamental forces of the universe.
By crudely applying electromagnetic manipulation, he was able to 'glue' materials back together.
However, the precision required for such microscopic manipulation was immense.
Even for Shin, it wasn't possible to sustain molecular or atomic-level interference for long.
But at the cellular level? That, he could already achieve.
This wasn't DNA manipulation—that was still too complex for him.
But simple cellular reconstruction? Healing wounds by forcing cells to reconnect?
That was well within his grasp.
"If I go deeper into this field… Recellular Repulsion and Recellular Attraction could be fascinating research avenues.
…Too bad I'm not a scientist."
Shin touched his chin, lost in thought.
He had no interest in dedicating himself to research, nor did he have the patience for it.
But there were others who did.
Orochimaru.
The legendary scientist of the shinobi world.
While he didn't have that title yet, Shin knew he would in the future.
"That devious serpent isn't easy to control…"
A sinister glint flickered in Shin's eyes.
"If only I had a dojutsu or a technique like [Kotoamatsukami]… then I could control him without worry."
Countless plans surged through his mind, but he quickly pushed them aside.
It wasn't the right time.
For now, there were more immediate matters to attend to.
He turned towards the Dragon Vein's Tower, heading for the central platform.
There, Mikoto, Kanako, and Sasha stood among the lifeless husks of the clay puppets, their expressions still wary.
Clearly, the battle had left a lasting impact on them.
"Mikoto, Kanako… you did great."
Shin approached and immediately pulled both of them into a firm embrace.
A faint blush crept onto their faces as they smiled in satisfaction.
"This was a mission, Shin-kun… We only did what was expected of us," Mikoto murmured, her voice soft yet proud.
Noticing Sasha standing slightly apart, Shin turned and grinned before wrapping her in a warm hug as well.
"And you, Sasha… sealing the Dragon Vein was the key to all of this. You were amazing."
His gentle words sent warmth coursing through Sasha's chest.
Feeling the solid warmth of his embrace, her heartbeat quickened.
For a princess of the Roran royal family—one who had lived a sheltered life—this was the closest she had ever been to a man.
Her pale cheeks flushed a deep red, betraying her inexperience.
Shin, ever the mischief-maker, knew better than to tease her too much, especially with Mikoto and Kanako nearby.
As Sasha recovered from her moment of shyness, a sudden realization struck her.
She turned to Shin, concern evident in her gaze.
"What about the people of Roran?"
Shin exhaled slowly, his voice steady. "I did my best to shield them with Wood Release. As long as they stayed away from the main battlefield, casualties should be minimal."
Sasha nodded in relief, a weight lifting from her heart.
But the war was far from over.
And Uchiha Shin had only just begun.
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Bonus Chapter - 150 Power Stones