Chapter 106: Severed
The data that shocked Mizuki had unexpectedly come from something long since tossed aside and forgotten. Over two months ago, during the battle against Suigetsu Hozuki, Mizuki had used a sealing technique to capture a portion of Suigetsu's liquefied body, taken during his clan's secret Water Transformation jutsu.
Though Mizuki had kept the sealed sample, it had always shown no signs of activity. On Suigetsu's side, what impact losing a portion of his liquefied body had was unknown, but on Mizuki's end, it had remained just a puddle of inert water. Mizuki couldn't understand the phenomenon—whether it was a result of the secret technique itself or the sealing method. With no comparative data and no way to proceed, Mizuki had shelved the matter from his mind.
Now, however, based on Chie's experimental records, it seemed something extraordinary had occurred.
"Is there no reliable truth in this world? Can even a puddle of water grow something living?"
In this world that seemed to defy logic at every turn, Mizuki, a staunch believer in the maxim "knowledge is power," felt his worldview being thoroughly shaken.
Mizuki vividly remembered that even though a portion of Suigetsu's liquefied form had been sealed, he had returned to human shape without any visible loss. Although his condition had appeared poor, he showed no fatal injuries.
After returning to Konoha, Mizuki had initially been fascinated by the sample, curious to understand the mechanics of Suigetsu's Water Transformation technique. But after some analysis, he'd determined the sealed liquid was indistinguishable from ordinary water—identical in both physical and chemical properties.
In the end, he had only kept it out of habit, archiving it as a routine biological sample. Never had he imagined that, over a month later, this forgotten specimen would begin to mutate.
"Until I see it for myself, I can't draw any firm conclusions…"
According to Chie's records, the substance hadn't exactly morphed into a humanoid form. It hadn't even developed into an organic mass—it was just a cluster of what appeared to be "living" cells. But its true nature remained uncertain.
"What triggered the change?"
Mizuki scoured the recent procedural logs, trying to isolate anything that stood out.
"This must be it…"
The formerly inert puddle of water had only shown signs of activity after the introduction of Mizuki's long-unused Division Agent, a compound he had developed but never fully understood. Combined with water-natured chakra stimulation provided by Chie, the sample had become increasingly active, until its very form had begun to change.
"The dual catalyst of the drug and chakra stimulation…"
Mizuki recalled that during Suigetsu's earlier escape attempt, standard Fire Release had failed to harm him, but when Mizuki had poured the Division Agent on him, it had clearly had an effect. Unfortunately, Suigetsu had escaped before Mizuki could observe the results.
Now, Mizuki was deep in thought, contemplating the possible mechanisms at play.
Secret techniques, unlike Kekkei Genkai (bloodline limits), were often accessible with proper training and sufficient compatibility. It was conceivable that someone not from the Hozuki clan could learn the Water Transformation technique, though it would be incredibly difficult—similar to the Yamanaka clan's mind transfer techniques.
By contrast, Kekkei Genkai like the Sharingan could never be obtained without the corresponding bloodline. Even those born with advanced elemental affinities—such as Ice Release—passed the trait down genetically, embedding it in their lineage.
Mizuki, whose chakra skewed heavily toward Fire Release, had no plans to pursue Water Transformation. He wasn't interested in mastering the jutsu—he wanted to understand the deeper truth behind it.
To his knowledge, only one other technique paralleled this kind of physical transmutation: the Reanimation of Inorganic Matter (Fushi Tensei), which used natural energy to animate lifeless objects. When Kabuto used it in Sage Mode, it had been classified as a senjutsu. Mizuki found it hard to believe that the Hozuki clan's Water Transformation could be on par with senjutsu in power. Had it been, he wouldn't have walked away alive from their fight in the Land of Waves.
Even so, the true mechanism behind Water Transformation remained a mystery. Mizuki had considered this issue before but had never found an answer.
"But perhaps it's not so unique after all—Konoha has something similar…"
Mizuki thought of the Spirit Transformation Technique, a jutsu that allowed the user to separate their soul from their body. A soul-based technique that flew in the face of everything conventional physics taught.
To Mizuki, this wasn't just a nifty ability. He was appalled by what it implied. In theoretical terms, energy and mass were equivalent—if the soul were energy, converting it from mass should produce the equivalent of a nuclear detonation.
The fact that nothing of the sort occurred suggested two possibilities: either Einstein's relativity didn't apply in this world… or…
"The soul isn't energy at all, but a tangible form of matter I don't yet understand."
He shook off the spiral of metaphysical speculation and focused back on the sample.
"I was too distracted by the Chūnin Exams. I've been neglecting my resources."
Mizuki reflected with some guilt.
"Chie is dependable and capable, a perfect assistant—but she's still limited when it comes to theoretical breakthroughs. Her strengths lie in chakra control and practical jutsu."
The Division Agent had been one of Mizuki's early breakthroughs. It was great at accelerating cell division in simple organisms, or breaking down advanced ones. It bore some resemblance to his Omnipotence Serum, but where the latter healed, the Division Agent destroyed. He had dismissed it as a glorified poison—useful, but not earth-shattering.
Yet here it was, proving itself in an entirely unexpected way.
"It severed the connection with the original host…?"
Mizuki's eyes gleamed.
If that was true—if the sample had become wholly independent of Suigetsu—it might be possible to cultivate a complete, new body. A living being derived from the essence of a secret technique. Something entirely new.
He set the logbook down and stared at the ceiling.
"There's still so much I don't understand. But this… this might be the start of something big."
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