Faced with the slightly tense Orochimaru, Satori Hyūga shook his head and smiled. "The Rinnegan did come from him, but it was the result of a deal between us."
"Professor Orochimaru, don't go spreading word about the eyes. That could very likely bring us a terrifying enemy."
Hearing it was just an exchange, Orochimaru relaxed a little.
The reformed Orochimaru, now free of corruption, proved unexpectedly loyal and kind to his comrades.
In the original storyline, if he had learned about the Rinnegan, he would have wasted no time in trying to rip those eyes out.
No matter how deep the bond—be it as a close friend, trusted partner, or loyal comrade—it all had to be cut away.
But if one is going to sever ties, then surely those bonds must have existed first—and been far deeper than ordinary relationships.
After tossing the Rinnegan to Orochimaru for study, Satori once again thought of Shinno.
Back when they were in the Land of Demons, that sneaky attack by Shinno nearly got him killed.
Luckily for him, his luck held and his talent shone through—he pulled off an unexpected breakthrough right on the battlefield.
"Shinno… since you chose disloyalty over service, don't fault me for making you my slave."
Before attending the clan meeting, Satori changed direction and headed instead toward the laboratory area where Shinno was located.
Trapped by multiple Sealing Formulas directly inscribed by Satori, Shinno failed to escape in time.
Seeing Satori arrive, Shinno—who knew great misfortune had come—immediately abandoned his usual demeanor and prostrated himself before Satori.
"Congratulations, Lord Satori, on your return—and your immense increase in strength."
Approaching Satori, he could clearly sense the oppressive pressure radiating from within Satori's body.
This helped him understand why Satori had survived his previous assassination attempt.
He could naturally tell whether or not the Sealing Formula he had personally inscribed had been triggered.
He had been certain that once activated, such a hidden jutsu would surely kill Satori.
Yet much to his shock, after waiting half a month expecting news of Satori's death, he instead received word of Satori's triumphant return.
When the news reached him within The Laboratory, he was practically scared to death.
Fortunately, upon returning, Satori didn't immediately come seeking revenge—which gave Shinno hope there might still be room for negotiation.
As soon as Satori pushed open the door, Shinno hurried forward, bowing and flattering him desperately.
Looking at Shinno's sudden attitude shift, Satori's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Shinno, you really are crafty. You secretly planted a jutsu inside the test subject—you almost succeeded."
His half-smiling, half-serious gaze made Shinno's heart sink.
In a rush, Shinno tried to demonstrate his value. "I admit my mistake! Please give me another chance—I will definitely improve!"
"I've already achieved new progress in the Eight Gates technique. Now, besides Lightning Release, I've developed the Yin Release Eight Gates Formation using Dark Chakra."
"If you give me a bit more time, I can definitely create another version of the Eight Gates Formation incorporating nature transformation."
He fully understood his position—his expertise in the Eight Gates and Satori's need for someone who could evolve the technique across all seven chakra natures were his only lifelines.
Though he didn't fully grasp why, this remained Shinno's final chance at survival.
He believed that as long as he proved his worth, the other party wouldn't just kill him off easily.
Upon hearing Shinno's words, Hyūga Satori's eyes flickered with surprise.
"Not bad," he said with a pleased tone. "You've progressed faster than I anticipated."
Seeing the smile on Hyūga Satori's face, Shinno let out a quiet sigh of relief.
Guess my life is safe—for now at least.
Next time I attempt to ambush Satori Hyūga, I need to be even more careful.
I must continue hiding, searching for the right opportunity to kill Satori Hyūga and escape his control.
Shinno, who bears the world in his heart and has sworn to unify it all, will never be bound by a mere laboratory.
As Shinno drifted into his own fantasy, he failed to notice Satori Hyūga's Tenseigan—eyes as dark as a black hole—staring into his mind and sifting through his memories.
Before Satori Hyūga, he was laid bare, stripped of every secret.
Just as Shinno was about to say something else, he lifted his head—and locked eyes with Satori Hyūga's devilish gaze.
Those pitch-black pupils resembled a cosmic black hole, threatening to swallow his very soul.
"What… what is this?"
Earlier, under the pressure of imminent death, he had temporarily ignored the change in Satori Hyūga's eyes.
But now, facing the Tenseigan head-on, a chill ran down his spine—something was seriously wrong.
Yet he couldn't pinpoint exactly what felt wrong.
As he struggled with discomfort, Satori finally spoke.
"You have such talent—I'd naturally be a fool not to spare you."
"But if I simply left you unchecked, who knows how many troubles you'd bring me."
"I'll reshape you—from an ambitious world-conqueror into one devoted to helping me rule it."
With that, Satori acted immediately, giving Shinno no chance to react.
Even if he did have time to react, he still wouldn't stand a chance against Hyūga Satori.
After all, within Shinno's body lay countless sealing formulas and protective barriers carefully implanted by Satori Hyūga.
The invisible chains rendered him completely powerless.
In an instant, the Dojutsu of the Tenseigan activated, beginning its manipulation over Shinno's soul and memories.
Under the Tenseigan's power, Shinno was nothing but a toy—helplessly manipulated and molded at will.
Within moments,
the newly altered Shinno turned to Satori Hyūga, eyes brimming with reverence and loyalty.
At this moment, Shinno belonged entirely to Satori Hyūga—betrayal was no longer possible.
The modified Shinno gazed at Satori and said, "Master, my past self strayed down the wrong path—it truly deserved death. From now on, I shall serve you twice as diligently to atone for my past sins."
Gazing at the obedient Shinno before him, Satori gave a slight nod, once again feeling immense pride in his Tenseigan.
Magnificent. Absolutely magnificent.
Controlling others' souls and memories, turning enemies into allies—this was undoubtedly the ultimate, unbeatable ability.
Forget Kotoamatsukami altogether—compared to my Tenseigan, it's laughably weak.
Though, thinking about it,
the Sharingan activates when one experiences intense emotional stimulation, triggering mysterious hormones released in the brain.
Ultimately, it still relies heavily on personal innate abilities.
However, Satori Hyūga's Tenseigan was different.
The Byakugan had always been considered more stable than the Sharingan. When Satori evolved, he also absorbed Moryo—a monstrous entity on par with the Tailed Beasts.
This was no longer a simple combination—it was an explosive evolution.
Satori estimated that his Tenseigan might not surpass the colossal Tenseigan on the moon, but it was certainly on par with the Uchiha clan's Mangekyo Sharingan.
After defeating Shinno, Satori felt much lighter and started making his way back toward his clan.
With his strength vastly increased, so too had his confidence—granting him far bolder ambitions.
<><><><><><><><>
Thank you for reading! Your support will keep me updating!
~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** this weekend!
<><><><><><><><>
~ 100+ Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon!
~ More *Free* Chapters and Books Available on Patreon!
patreon.com/Tansnovel
<><><><><><><><>