Extracting chakra took several hours.
At last, Honglian succeeded in drawing out her very first strand of chakra from her cells.
Using the power of the Operation Fruit, Kaito carefully observed the process unique to a bloodline user's first awakening.
Within the ordinary-colored cells, a faint soft pink energy emerged—distinct, gentle, yet unmistakably special.
"Master! Master! I think—I think I can see chakra!"
Honglian jumped up excitedly.
Instead of responding immediately, Kaito closed his eyes.
He focused, simulated, adjusted—
Then raised his right hand.
At his fingertips, colorless chakra flowed outward, mixed in precise proportions with Wind and Water chakra.
"…Crystal Release."
When he opened his eyes again, a tiny pink crystal shard hovered above his finger.
Honglian stared at it in amazement, eyes sparkling.
"Master! Is that… the same chakra as mine?"
"Close enough," Kaito replied calmly.
Then, after a brief pause, he smiled.
"There's something else I want to give you. It might hurt a little—so bear with it."
He stepped forward and gently placed his palm on Honglian's head.
The next instant—
Her body reacted violently.
Cells seemed to die, regenerate, and struggle all at once.
A terrifying heat surged through her body, turning her pale skin faintly red.
"Ahhh—!!"
Her scream echoed through the valley.
Kaito frowned slightly—but he did not stop.
This was necessary.
Time passed slowly.
Necrotic patches briefly appeared on her skin before being forcibly repaired.
Sweat poured down Kaito's forehead.
Finally—
The experiment stabilized.
Through repeated breakdown and reconstruction, Honglian's cells developed a minimal resistance, allowing them to safely merge with a single drop of his blood.
Her eyes were unfocused, stunned by the ordeal.
She didn't fully understand what had been done to her.
But one thing she knew without question—
Her master would never harm her.
"It's over," Kaito said softly.
Honglian relaxed—but warmth returned again, gentler this time, like soaking in a hot spring.
"Master… what was that…?"
Before she could finish, exhaustion overwhelmed her.
Kaito accelerated her recovery, released ROOM, and caught her as she lost consciousness.
"…Did I push it too fast?"
He sighed.
Truthfully, he wasn't just training her—he was cultivating future members for White Cross.
Finding the right candidate wasn't easy.
Young enough.
Talented.
Strong potential.
And willing to follow his guidance.
Such people were rare.
It had taken five attempts to safely integrate even a single drop of his blood into Honglian.
Any more, and she would have died—unless he removed it instantly using ROOM.
Which meant—
This technique could also kill silently, without leaving a trace.
But only someone like him—
with a special body and the Operation Fruit—could do it.
As for Crystal Release…
Kaito glanced at the crystal forming in his palm.
"…Decent. But nothing special."
He absorbed the crystal chakra, returning it to pure blue chakra.
Then added Water chakra—
the mass turned deep blue.
Then Wind chakra—
Compressed air formed within, tightly sealed by the outer water layer.
A moment later, he tossed it into the river below.
BOOM—!!
A massive pillar of water erupted skyward.
Fish were blasted into the air.
The shockwave echoed through the valley.
Hunters, travelers, and Frost Country shinobi all froze in shock.
"…That level of Water Release isn't something an ordinary ninja can pull off."
"Report it?"
"No," the leader shook his head.
"Someone like that… isn't worth provoking. Finish the mission."
They collected the fish and left.
Kaito, already gone, sighed.
"Another flashy move… and still no fame."
That night, back at the inn, Honglian slept soundly.
Kaito lay awake, staring at the ceiling.
Members.
He still needed reliable members.
Then—
Three familiar faces flashed through his mind.
"…Right. Those three."
Twelve years old by now.
Perfect timing.
Across the shinobi world, February painted different scenes.
Snow fell in Kumogakure.
Cold winds swept Iron Country.
In Kirigakure, Yagura's rise stirred unrest among the clans.
And in Konoha—
The end of an era arrived.
The Nine-Tails had been fully transferred from Uzumaki Mito to Uzumaki Kaori.
Mito's life force was immense.
With stored Yin Seal chakra and medical support, she survived a few days longer.
But she could no longer remain young.
Leaning against her bed, she removed the medical apparatus herself and held Kaori's hand.
"Kaori… Nawaki… Tsunade…"
"The village… is in your hands now."
The first Nine-Tails jinchūriki of Konoha—
Uzumaki Mito—
passed quietly.
"…It's a shame," she murmured softly.
"I didn't get to see you again."
—The Surgeon.
And Kaito.
"Grandmother!!"
"Great-Grandmother!!"
An era closed.
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