Chapter 509: Squeezed into a Dried Corpse!

Here's the revised version with grammar and phrasing corrected for smooth readability and the requested replacements applied:

Mangetsu Hozuki still had a chance to bargain, but he didn't take it.

"Then, Lord Mizukage, what kind of experiment will Senior Ao and I conduct?"

In Mangetsu Hozuki's opinion, Yagura had selected them with such fanfare and specifically came to Konoha under the banner of conducting experiments. This so-called experiment had to be anything but simple—most likely involving human experimentation.

"It's not a human experiment, though it will have a certain impact on your body, and there's a chance you might die," Yagura said calmly, glancing at Mangetsu, whose face was filled with curiosity.

"The five great ninja villages joined forces to seize a pair of unique eyes from an ancient relic. Your task is to transplant these eyes."

"Byakugan?"

"Or Sharingan?"

Ao and Mangetsu immediately jumped to the same conclusion. Since it was an eye transplant and they were in Konoha, the likelihood of it being either the Byakugan or Sharingan was high.

"It's neither Byakugan nor Sharingan, but it does have a connection to the Sharingan." Yagura's tone was flat. He had no intention of hiding the details, as both Ao and Mangetsu would be involved, and it wasn't certain who would go first.

"It's the legendary Rinnegan."

"Rinnegan?"

Ao and Mangetsu echoed the word in unison, their voices tinged with disbelief.

Both were stunned. Did Mizukage Yagura misspeak, or did they mishear? The Rinnegan—the legendary eyes of the Sage?

How was this connected to the Sharingan?

Questions swirled in their minds, but Yagura offered no explanations. He simply left them to their thoughts. Unless one of them successfully transplanted the Rinnegan, the truth behind these eyes would remain a mystery.

For now, they were tools of the experiment.

The Mist Village acted quickly, and Konoha wasted no time. The operating room was prepared without delay, and the five Kage gathered to oversee the process.

"The Mizukage is truly bold," said Shinki with a faint smirk as he observed the two chosen for the experiment. "It's quite a move, Yagura, bringing the village's geniuses directly into this."

Mangetsu Hozuki's talent needed no introduction. He was a prodigy of the Hozuki clan, a shinobi capable of summoning all seven ninja swords simultaneously—a feat unmatched in skill and power. If not for his poor luck, his potential seemed limitless. His canon death was attributed to illness, but given the tense relations between the Hozuki clan and Yagura's administration, there were suspicions of foul play.

Ao, on the other hand, was renowned for his intelligence, often compared to Nara Shikaku for his sharp strategic mind. He had previously transplanted a Byakugan from a member of the Hyuga clan, earning Konoha's ire. Yet, at the time, Konoha's position was too weak to reclaim the stolen eye.

"They volunteered," Yagura remarked curtly, deflecting Shinki's veiled criticism.

"Alright, who goes first?" Shinki inquired, eager to proceed. Today's surgery was assigned to him, as Orochimaru was preoccupied with his experiments on White Zetsu, and Tsunade wasn't available.

"I'll go first," Mangetsu declared, stepping forward. Ao hesitated for a moment before lowering his foot in resignation.

"Please yourself," Shinki said indifferently. To him, the sequence hardly mattered.

Lying calmly on the operating table, Mangetsu glanced at Yagura and said, "Lord Mizukage, I hope you'll remember your promise."

Yagura nodded. It was clear the agreement involved some form of amnesty for the Hozuki clan. By participating in this experiment, Mangetsu sought to secure his clan's safety from Yagura's ire.

With a faint smile, Mangetsu said, "Let's begin."

Shinki administered the anesthetic. Once its effects took hold, the operation commenced. For a skilled medical ninja like Shinki, an eye transplant was a relatively straightforward procedure.

Within minutes, Mangetsu's original eyes were carefully placed on a tray, and the Rinnegan was prepared for transplantation. Unlike Uchiha Madara, who relied on Hashirama's cells to regenerate and integrate his eyes effortlessly, Mangetsu required precise medical intervention.

The surgery was completed without much difficulty. The first Rinnegan was successfully transplanted.

The five Kage watched curiously as Mangetsu lay motionless on the operating table. Shinki used medical ninjutsu to stabilize the eye and complete the procedure.

"It looks like something interesting is about to happen," Shinki muttered, noticing slight movement in the transplanted Rinnegan.

The Kage leaned closer, intrigued by what Shinki's comment implied.

Suddenly, Mangetsu's body twitched slightly. His eyes snapped open, and a low, guttural roar escaped his throat, as if the anesthetic had worn off.

Hadn't he been anesthetized?

The transplanted Rinnegan pulsed, glowing faintly, and Mangetsu's body began to convulse. His once-pale skin darkened, his muscular frame withered, and his energy seemed to drain rapidly.

Tsk.

Just like when Nagato first used the Rinnegan, Mangetsu's body was being consumed by its overwhelming power. Without the robust vitality of the Uzumaki clan, the strain of the Rinnegan was immense. This was precisely why Uchiha Madara had chosen Nagato as the Rinnegan's host.

The Kage watched intently, uncertain whether Mangetsu's body could endure the strain.