Without hesitation, Shūyū Hikaru activated the tool.
WHOOSH—
The moment he used [Kagura's Mind's Eye (Purple)], the technique instantly imprinted into his mind. No hand seals, no training montage—just instant mastery.
God, it felt good to cheat.
This… this was how power should feel.
…
With a deep breath, he closed his eyes.
His surroundings melted away—replaced by a vast, spherical sensory field. Every rustle of grass, every flutter of leaves, every living presence surged into his awareness.
SHUUU...
Nothing. No watchers. No spies.
That, more than anything, brought a wave of relief.
In this village, only two people truly worried him.
First: Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The Third Hokage. A man once noble… now slowly decaying beneath the weight of power. While the first and second Shinobi Wars hadn't twisted him fully yet, Hikaru wouldn't be lulled into a false sense of safety.
Power corrupts. Secrets attract predators.
And Hikaru? Was walking around with a golden egg strapped to his chest.
Then came the second—Shimura Danzō.
The root of all evil. The scourge of shadows. The cancer gnawing at Konoha's spine.
If he caught wind of what Hikaru could do?
It wouldn't matter if he was five years old. Danzō would disappear him that night.
Fortunately, for now… there was nothing.
Hikaru made a silent vow:
"From now on, before I fuse any Chakra Fruit—I check the perimeter first."
Until he was strong enough to stand above them, caution was king.
…
Focus returned to his materials list.
His gaze swept the inventory.
Then, decisively, he opened the Fusion Interface again.
Nine [Clone Technique (White)] materials were loaded into the matrix.
And then, he did something bolder—he unequipped his current jutsu, [Body Flicker (White)].
The instant he pulled it out, its knowledge vanished from his mind like a popped soap bubble.
He couldn't even recall how the hand seals went.
Not that it mattered.
So long as he had it in his inventory, he could always re-equip it—or, as he planned now, use it in a synthesis.
One by one, he loaded the nine Clone materials and the one [Body Flicker] into the fusion grid.
Ten total.
100% fusion rate.
No gamble. No risk.
He wouldn't dare wager his mobility jutsu without certainty.
Imagine trying to explain that to the orphanage's director—
"Uh… sorry, Director Yakushi. I forgot how to teleport."
He'd die of shame before anyone stabbed him.
…
With a mental tap, the fusion process began.
The grid shimmered.
DING! Congratulations, Host. Fusion successful. Obtained: Afterimage Body Flicker (White).
Hikaru exhaled… but frowned slightly.
"Still white-tier, huh?"
He'd been hoping the jutsu would jump a rarity tier—like his [Kagura's Mind's Eye] had. One lucky proc would've landed him a B-rank move, green tier at least.
No such luck this time.
Still… results mattered more than color.
He tapped the new entry and read the description:
—Afterimage Body Flicker (White): Move at high speed, leaving behind an illusionary afterimage. Lasts for 3 seconds. Effective for disorienting enemies and creating openings.—
Hikaru's eyes lit up.
This was good. Really good.
Not only did it grant him the standard burst movement—now, enemies might waste their attacks striking an empty image. In a real fight, three seconds of confusion could mean everything.
"This… is going to be fun in the next mock battle."
He chuckled darkly, already imagining Minato's confused face when he dashed behind him.
That blonde genius still had materials he needed.
Especially those Flying Thunder God Kunai fragments.
Until Hikaru gathered them all?
Minato would remain his personal loot pinata.
After a short pause, he activated the technique.
SHING—
Knowledge surged through his body.
Mastery in one second.
No hand seals. No trial and error. Just smooth, instant integration.
He stretched a little, a grin tugging at his lips.
"System, you beautiful broken monster… I trust you completely."
—Author's Note:Fusion tip of the day: 10 materials = 100% rate. Don't gamble your core jutsu, people!