29. Price of the Evolution.

Hiroshi lay on the cold, metallic floor. His body was trembling, utterly spent, and every inch of him screamed in pain.

The air reeked of iron and rot, a pungent cocktail of blood, sweat, and other fluids splattered across the floor—even walls.

Pools of crimson spread out beneath him,

'What the hell did I just do?'

"Vitals are stable. Chakra levels are critically depleted but replenishing slowly. No permanent damage to vital. At least you're alive." Nova said.

"Gee, thanks for the comforting words, Nova," Hiroshi muttered weakly, his voice barely audible over the sound of his lab's faint hum.

"Perhaps I should remind you," Nova continued, ignoring his sarcasm, "that you voluntarily initiated this process without fully calculating the physical toll it would take."

Hiroshi let out a strained laugh, coughing slightly as the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his body. "Yeah, well... hindsight's twenty-twenty, isn't it?"

His mind drifted back to the moment he'd activated the Kekkei Genkai he had just unlocked.

He'd known it would be intense, but nothing could have prepared him for the sheer magnitude of what had happened.

The moment the activation process began, it felt like his entire body had caught fire. Chakra had surged through him, wild and uncontrollable, pushing his physical limits to their breaking point.

His skin had rippled unnaturally, his muscles tearing apart, and his bones... well, that part was the most terrifying.

He glanced at his hands, which were trembling and slick with blood—not from external wounds, but from something deeper. Something internal.

"Nova," he croaked, his voice cracking.

"What... happened back there?"

There was a brief pause before Nova responded. "Preliminary analysis suggests that the newly activated Kekkei Genkai triggered an unprecedented level of cellular activity within your body."

"In bone cells?" Hiroshi asked.

"No, every cell." Nova's voice remained neutral.

"Every cell?" Hiroshi let out another strained laugh, though it quickly dissolved into a groan of pain. His mind replayed the events of the last few hours—the way his body had twisted and shifted, almost as if it were no longer entirely his own.

It wasn't just his bones that had changed. It was everything.

For a moment, he'd felt as if he could manipulate every cell in his body, reshape himself at will.

His muscles had shifted, strengthened, and adapted to the strain as if they were responding to his very thoughts. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at once.

But then came the price. The overwhelming chakra drain. The excruciating pain. The sheer physical toll that left him in his current state—collapsed on the floor, unable to move, surrounded by the aftermath of his experiment.

"You need rest," Nova said, breaking through his thoughts. "Your body has undergone significant stress. Pushing yourself further in this state would be ill-advised."

He turned his head slightly, his gaze falling on the reflective surface of a nearby monitor. For a brief moment, he caught his reflection—or rather, something that barely looked like him. His usually sharp features were drawn and pale, his eyes sunken, and there was an eerie glint in his pupils that hadn't been there before.

"You're evolving," Nova said as if reading his thoughts.

"Yeah? Doesn't feel like it," Hiroshi replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Evolution is rarely comfortable," Nova retorted. "But the potential of this Kekkei Genkai is extraordinary. If you can harness it fully,."

"Nova," he said, his voice steadier now. "Run a full diagnostic on the Kekkei Genkai. I want to know exactly what it can do."

"Understood," Nova replied. "Also, You'll find this interesting; Minato mentioned you in his private discussion with Tsunade and Jiraiya.

Let me replay the recording for you."

...

"We need to talk about Hiroshi," Minato said in a serious tone.

Jiraiya raised an eyebrow, "The Hyuga kid? What about him?"

Tsunade snorted.

Minato's lips twitched into a faint smile before he grew serious again. " Hiroshi is… unique. He's highly skilled, far beyond his years, and has resources and intelligence that are unaccounted for."

Tsunade leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees. "You think he's a threat?"

Minato shook his head. "Not necessarily. But we can't ignore his potential. If he ever decided to turn against the village—"

"He'd be a nightmare," Jiraiya finished, his tone uncharacteristically somber. "The kid's got the makings of someone who could rival the best of us if given time."

Tsunade frowned, tapping her fingers on the table. "So, what's your plan? Keep an eye on him? Send ANBU to watch his every move?"

Minato shook his head again. "No. That would only push him away. We need to guide him, make sure his loyalty stays with Konoha."

"And how do you plan to do that?" Tsunade asked, arching an eyebrow.

Jiraiya grinned. "Easy. We assign him a mentor—someone he can look up to, someone he respects."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about suggesting me, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya's grin widened. "But you're perfect for the job, Princess! You're tough, you don't take any nonsense, and you can handle someone with an ego like his."

Minato nodded, his expression earnest. "Tsunade, you're the best choice. Your experience, your strength, and your no-nonsense attitude are exactly what Hiroshi needs."

Tsunade groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're seriously dumping this on me? I have a life, you know. I don't have time to babysit some prodigy with a superiority complex."

Jiraiya leaned back, smirking. "Come on, Tsunade. You've been complaining about being bored lately. Think of this as a challenge."

Tsunade glared at him before letting out a resigned sigh. "Fine. But if he gives me any trouble, I'm dragging both of you into it."

Minato smiled warmly. "Thank you, Tsunade. You will be a great teacher!"

...

"So, now I'm going to be babysat by the Tsunade?"

"Seems that way," Nova replied, her tone amused. "They think assigning her to you will keep you on Konoha's side."

Hiroshi chuckled, spinning the kunai in his hand. "Oh, this is going to be fun. Let's see who ends up mentoring who."

"Just try not to traumatize her too much."

"No promises," before Nova could respond, there was a sharp knock at the door. Hiroshi looked up, tilting his head. "That's not Kisame. He'd just kick the door down."

The door opened, revealing Konan standing in her usual composed manner, though her expression carried a slight edge of urgency.

"Pain has summoned you," she said holding her nose.

"Don't forget to clean the room." She said looking at white body fluids on wall—price of the "Evolution".