"Kid, brace for a whole new life."
As Izayoi stepped out of the Hokage Tower, the scene before him jolted him.
A massive crowd swarmed outside.
The moment they spotted Izayoi, Sasuke, and Karin, a wave of excitement rippled through.
"Look, that black-haired hottie's Izayoi!"
"So tall! I heard he's in my kid's class—top of the Academy."
"His hair's like the First's. No wonder he's a Senju."
"I saw him fight in the Chunin Exams. He flies and has a super strong jutsu!"
"Awesome! Konoha's got Wood Release again—no one'll mess with us now."
"That… incident won't happen again!"
"…"
The buzz of voices hit Izayoi's ears, the villagers' gazes burning with fervor.
Some zealous ones looked ready to charge and surround him.
Izayoi swiftly grabbed Sasuke and Karin, one under each arm, and flew from Central Street.
Below, cheers grew louder as he soared away.
In that moment, Izayoi tasted Naruto's hero treatment from the original story, grasping Wood Release's weight in Konoha.
Both were legendary kekkei genkai, but as an Uchiha remnant, Sasuke at most drew ticket-buyers eager to glimpse Sharingan.
Wood Release shook the entire village.
Clans and ninja saw Izayoi as Konoha's future, morale not just rebounding but soaring past pre-Konoha Crush levels.
Villagers felt a deep sense of security.
No more fear of Nine-Tails chaos, enemy raids, or sudden wars.
The God of Shinobi's tale, like the Sage of the Six Paths' myth, was a household story.
Even civilians knew Wood Release tamed the Warring States, subdued tailed beasts, and matched entire nations.
Just a glance at the towering forest at the city's edge filled villagers and ninja with confidence and pride.
Wood Release was Konoha's pillar!
Even if the Sage's eyes existed, they couldn't outshine Wood Release here.
Because…
No one had seen the Sage's eyes' power, but Wood Release… was real.
"You're never gonna have peace now," Sasuke, tucked under Izayoi's arm, gloated. "Good luck dating Hinata with everyone staring like you're a monkey—ah!"
Before he finished, he yelped as Izayoi let go, dropping him.
The ground loomed large, Sasuke's face paling.
A wooden vine snaked around his waist, suspending him midair.
Glaring up at Izayoi, flying above while dangling him below, Sasuke snapped, roaring, "You jerk, I'll kill you!"
"Man, you just don't read the room."
As Izayoi spoke, Sasuke became a human yo-yo, tossed up and down, swung side to side, spun clockwise and counterclockwise.
When he finally hit the ground, his face was purple-green.
Nausea stopped him from retaliating, and he retched against a wall.
"I… I'm gonna slaughter you!"
Panting weakly after vomiting, Sasuke still vowed vengeance.
One line from Izayoi shut him up.
"Want that gift or not?"
"…Yes."
Sasuke went quiet, wearing a grudgingly obedient look.
Karin, stifling giggles, shoulders shaking, scurried off to cook.
Izayoi eased off teasing Sasuke, fetching a small red scroll.
Under Sasuke's eager stare, he unsealed it, revealing the contents.
Poof! Smoke cleared, unveiling a metal briefcase.
Izayoi entered the code, opening it to reveal two rows of test tubes filled with green liquid.
Eyeing what looked like medicine, Sasuke asked, "What's that?"
"Hashirama Cells."
Sasuke's face shifted. "The First Hokage's cells? Why do you have those?"
"Good question. Better ask why the village has them," Izayoi grinned.
Sasuke's expression flickered.
He wasn't dumb, piecing it together. "The village ran Wood Release experiments?"
"Bingo."
Izayoi nodded. "Found out when I was… borrowing stuff. Learned some juicy secrets tied to your clan's Sharingan."
"What secrets? Wait…" Sasuke asked reflexively, then his eyes widened. "This is that risky power-up you mentioned?"
"Not bad, quick on the uptake," Izayoi said, surprised, then laid it bare. "Your clan's Sharingan doesn't stop at One- to Three-Tomoe. It can evolve further…"
"Mangekyo Sharingan!"
Sasuke cut in, face darkening with killing intent. "Itachi's eyes—beyond Three-Tomoe."
"Let me finish," Izayoi rolled his eyes. "Yes, Three-Tomoe evolves to Mangekyo Sharingan. Those eyes have unique, insanely powerful pupil techniques. But using them drains pupil power. Overuse, and you go blind."
Sasuke's eyes lit up. "Blind? Really?"
"From what I dug up, yeah. But there're two fixes," Izayoi flashed a peace sign, smirking. "First: transplant a close kin's Mangekyo. You get eternal pupil power."
Sasuke's face froze.
Then, unprompted, he cycled through expressions: shock, realization, rage, hatred, twisted pain…
His eyes shifted to Three-Tomoe, spinning wildly.
His brain churned Yin Release chakra, negative emotions spiking.
"Hah…"
Sasuke sneered, snarling, "No wonder he spared me, spouting nonsense about getting eyes like his to challenge him! He kept me as a spare set!"
In that moment, he unraveled his doubts, his hatred for Itachi sharpening, purer.
Izayoi didn't reveal the truth, instead pulling a test tube, lying, "Second fix: Hashirama Cells. Village research."
"Scientists found Hashirama Cells balance Sharingan power. For non-Uchiha with Sharingan, cells minimize side effects. For Mangekyo users, cells cut pupil technique costs and restore lost power."
He left one thing unsaid.
For Sasuke, Hashirama Cells would spike his pupil power.
They'd draw out his Indra chakra, rapidly unlocking his Sage Eye (Red) potential.
"But, like Konoha's Wood Release experiments with no second Wood Release ninja, failure means… death!"
At the final word, Izayoi eyed Sasuke, teasing, "So, wanna try?"
"Yes," Sasuke nodded without hesitation.
"You're not scared of dying?" Izayoi tilted his head, surprised.
"Not until I avenge myself on Itachi!"
Sasuke grinned confidently. "But I trust you won't let me die."
"I'll just collect your corpse," Izayoi huffed, stowing the tube and closing the case.
Sasuke frowned, confused. "You're not helping me implant?"
"I'm no doctor or scientist," Izayoi rolled his eyes, standing. "Dinner first. Tomorrow, we clear the compound and Naka River forest. In a few days, I'll take you for the shot."
"Oh."
Curious who they'd see, Sasuke nodded obediently.
---
Like the Uchiha massacre or Konoha Crush, a Wood Release ninja's emergence couldn't stay secret.
The news spread that same day.
By dawn, the Land of Fire knew.
Within two days, the shinobi world.
Izayoi's photo and intel hit every major power's desks.
The speed came partly from Konoha's own push.
Unproven geniuses needed shielding.
But a recent graduate mastering five chakra natures, crafting no-seal ultimates, a rare flying ninja with ace-level strength, and Wood Release? No need to hide.
Without Wood Release, he'd still threaten Kage.
His flight gave him an edge—only Onoki among the Five Kage could challenge him.
Now was the time to thrust Izayoi forward.
Konoha had just lost the Third Hokage, an elder, and Root—near equal to Anbu. Even with Tsunade as Fifth, the village's weakened state was undeniable.
A frail Konoha faced client doubts, covetous rival villages, even defiance from smaller ones.
Wood Release was a shot in the arm.
Learning Konoha birthed another Wood Release ninja after decades, nobles would prioritize Konoha for missions.
Villages with surviving old monsters would hesitate, wary of war.
That was Wood Release's strategic deterrence, far above tailed beasts.
After all, the First Hokage used Wood Release to capture beasts and divvy them up.
---
Land of Earth, Iwagakure.
"Konoha's fate just won't quit."
Staring at the teen's photo, Onoki's expression drifted, recalling decades ago, holding a blond youth's photo, envy in his voice. "Whenever they're cornered, some prodigy rises. Just because the Land of Fire's got the best resources?"
He muttered, worried.
"This kid's age—decades from Hashirama's peak. Now's the best time to deal with him."
"But… I can't bet! Iwagakure can't either!"
As Onoki sighed, a glint sparked in his eyes.
He might not dare, but others would.
Floating to a window, he gazed toward the Land of Rain, murmuring, "An Anbu squad vanished silently. Could… the Sage of the Six Paths' myth be real?"
"If it's the Sage's eyes, can they counter Wood Release?"
---
Land of Lightning, Kumogakure.
"Hmph, all bark."
Reading the report, the Fourth Raikage snorted. "Legendary Wood Release or not, what can a kid do with it?"
"Parading him now shows Konoha's talent's dried up."
"If not for Karai's mess owing Tsunade-hime a favor, I'd show Konoha what the strongest village looks like."
---
Land of Wind, Sunagakure.
"Brilliant move…"
Chiyo, interim Kazekage, sighed at the intel. "Having Senju shed their name, fully blending into Konoha, bridges clans and civilians while leaving a spark for Senju and Konoha."
"First Hokage, Second Hokage… you foresaw this."
She glanced at Gaara, redeemed last month, warming through family and studying hard, less cold. "Gaara, when you're Kazekage, never oppose Konoha. Leverage our alliance…"
She trailed off, sparing his feelings.
Wood Release was a tailed beast's bane!
Gaara blinked, confused, but nodded.
---
Every 200 power stones 1 bonus chapter will be uploaded faster.
And if you want to read 30 chapters early, you can visit: Patre on . com / KangTL (REMOVE SPACE)