Chapter 109: Uzumaki Bloodline

After hearing the rules, signing the death waiver, and taking the scroll from Anko Mitarashi, you casually chose an entrance and stepped inside with the other two without hesitation.

The moment you entered the Forest of Death, you sensed a faint feeling of being watched.

Combining your memories with the sensory capabilities granted by the Sage Techniques of the Ninja Cat Clan, you confirmed that the source of the observation was Hiruzen Sarutobi's crystal ball. However, it wasn't focused specifically on you—just a passing glance because you entered early.

You pulled out the scroll and confirmed it was the Scroll of Heaven. Then, as a formality, you asked the other two if they were okay with you holding on to it.

After getting their approval, you tucked the scroll into your ninja tool pouch. Then, you took out a cloth strip and blindfolded yourself once again.

You casually told the other two to keep heading in the direction of the central tower and that you'd follow behind. As long as they stuck together, there wouldn't be any problems…

After walking for a while, you were unsurprisingly ambushed.

The attackers wore forehead protectors from Amegakure.

The assault was led by a genjutsu user in the back—clearly a sensor-type—who cast an illusion on you, likely assuming you were the sensory type of your team. The others coordinated with their genjutsu specialist to take down the two Takigakure genin walking in front...

Not a bad strategy—unfortunately for them, they picked the wrong target.

Such a crude genjutsu was ineffective against you. Instead, before they even realized it, they were hit by your Soul Slash and had their souls torn to pieces on the spot. Their bodies remained eerily lifelike even in death.

As for the other two, you casually flicked two kunai and pinned their limbs down. The two Takigakure genin then quickly finished them off.

Unfortunately, all they had was another Scroll of Heaven.

After the fight, you clearly sensed that invisible feeling of being watched had intensified. It was obviously drawn by the battle.

A moment later, the sensation faded again, likely because a fight broke out elsewhere and diverted the surveillance's attention.

Still, how could they track you without sampling your chakra signature? You paid close attention to the scroll, which gave off an extremely faint chakra signal.

You continued forward, and before long, sensed a familiar presence.

The Uchiha chakra—there was no doubt, it had to be Sasuke! Alongside it was another chakra rich with life energy—that would be Naruto. You also noticed one more weak presence that you nearly dismissed as some stray mutt—clearly, the entire Team 7 was together.

A thought rose in your mind: eliminate both of them here and now.

But this wasn't the time or place. The crystal ball's surveillance was still active. Hiruzen Sarutobi, and even Jiraiya and Tsunade—who had returned to Konoha and were likely hiding somewhere—wouldn't just sit idly by.

The timing wasn't right either. If you tried to absorb Sasuke's Uchiha bloodline now, the Indra will inside him could lash back. Even if you gouged out his eye, you wouldn't obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan. And Naruto had already formed a connection with Kurama—if he went tailed-beast mode, you'd be forced to reveal your full strength just to contain him…

At that point, you'd be walking into a trap and likely end up surrounded by at least three Kage-level threats.

All in all, there was nothing to gain and everything to lose.

"Wait. Just wait a little longer…"

You decided to pause and let the team rest.

You cleared your mind and entered a deep meditative state, expanding your Sage sensory range to search for other targets.

"There… that's a team from Kusagakure. Such potent life force—this bloodline energy is purer than even Naruto's. That must be Karin!"

Karin's incredibly pure Uzumaki bloodline made her one of your top objectives for this mission. It seemed your butterfly effect hadn't disrupted Kusagakure's plans to send her to the Chūnin Exams!

Perhaps it was just that Karin's healing abilities were too valuable—and Kusagakure, being short-sighted, foolishly let such a powerful bloodline user leave the village.

All the better for you.

You redirected your path and headed toward the Kusagakure team.

Your ambush caught them off guard. After two of the Kusagakure genin were injured, they didn't even try to fight back or flee. Instead, they ran straight to Karin, trying to bite her for healing. It didn't take much effort for the two Takigakure genin under your command to finish them off.

From their bodies, you retrieved a Scroll of Earth.

At the same time, you—still watching the scrolls closely—noticed the feeling of being observed intensify once more. You handed the scroll to the two Takigakure genin and ordered them to run a hundred meters away and scout for you.

Sure enough, the farther they got from you, the more the sensation faded—until it disappeared entirely.

Just as you suspected: the Heaven and Earth scrolls were the anchor points being used to monitor you.

With that confirmed, you turned your attention to Karin.

You decided to draw a vial of her blood as a test. Karin didn't resist at all, letting you take it without struggle.

Her passive obedience irritated you. If she had shown even the slightest attempt to fight or escape, you could have killed her and taken her blood without hesitation. But this half-dead, hopeless demeanor actually made it harder to finish the job.

Grinding your teeth, you drank the full vial of blood you'd extracted.

A strange, scorching power instantly surged into your cold Uchiha bloodline. The fusion of the two erupted with such intensity, it almost rivaled the moment you absorbed Indra's bloodline.

Though it didn't last nearly as long.

The Uzumaki clan is a branch of the Senju bloodline. And Senju plus Uchiha… that fusion power of creation—maybe it wasn't just legend!

Tempted by that power, you no longer cared about Karin's reaction. You now saw her purely as a resource to increase your strength. With full force, you activated your ocular technique, drawing out the full extent of her bloodline through her blood.

Just then, at the brink of death—and even slipping into unconsciousness—Karin's Uzumaki chakra exploded on instinct.

Adamantine Sealing Chains!

A thick golden chain shot straight at your chest. You didn't have time to release your grip on her during the absorption—and the chain struck you squarely.

But a single Adamantine Chain wasn't enough to bind someone who now possessed both Uchiha and Uzumaki bloodlines!

You focused on this innate sealing power, briefly activating your Sharingan before shutting it again, recalling the Uzumaki sealing scrolls you'd studied. Then, you plunged your consciousness deep into your bloodline…

In response, a matching Adamantine Chain erupted from your chest, wrapping tightly around Karin's own and forcibly pushing it back.

At that moment, the bloodline absorption reached its end. Watching her collapse, barely alive, you chose not to drain her dry or execute her. Instead, you took a small piece of restorative ointment developed in Iwagakure using White Zetsu and placed it in her mouth.

After calling back the two Takigakure genin, you once again headed toward Team 7.

Right then, one of the Takigakure genin said,

"Captain, your nose is bleeding!"

"Bleeding?"

You raised a hand to your face—your entire palm came away soaked in blood.

What's going on?

Ever since obtaining this unnamed ocular technique, you hadn't bled in a single battle. Not even when you fought Uchiha Itachi, or when Sasori of the Red Sand caught you off guard with a poisoned spear. Your injuries always healed instantly—especially after absorbing Itachi's bloodline.

But now… you were getting a nosebleed you couldn't even control.

You were forced to stop and deal with it.

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