When Shisui hurried over from the clan after hearing the news, the first thing he saw was Anko devouring food like a maniac at the barbecue restaurant.
A piece of meat was barely cooked when, in the next second, she pinched it with her fingers and shoved it into her mouth without a care for the heat.
As Shisui lifted the curtain to enter, he saw her cheeks puffed out like an overfilled balloon, stuffed to the brim. Beside her was a towering stack of emptied plates.
Across from her, Kagetsu rested his face on his hand, watching Anko eat for almost an hour without looking away. Silently, he calculated in his mind, realizing her consumption was close to that of someone from the Akimichi clan.
A bottomless pit!
"Did the experiment succeed?" Shisui asked, looking at Anko, who was so engrossed in eating that nothing seemed capable of breaking her focus. He instinctively turned to Kagetsu for confirmation.
"It was more or less a success," Kagetsu replied, shifting his position and resting his chin on his hands. "But we still need follow-up tests and a thorough check-up."
"And what's with her now?" Shisui gestured towards the ravenous Anko.
"Her body's sending a signal to keep eating. Although the nutrient solution kept her alive, it couldn't solve the hunger she's feeling now that she's awake," Kagetsu explained with a hint of frustration.
"You don't look too happy," Shisui noted, picking up on Kagetsu's mood.
"I'm just wondering if, after all this eating, I'll end up having to cover her meal costs," Kagetsu said, giving Shisui a helpless look. "All my funds have been drained by the experiment."
The look in Kagetsu's eyes sent a shiver down Shisui's spine, but he kindly pulled out his wallet, pushing over the money he'd saved from missions.
"Use mine! I didn't help much with the experiment, so let me cover the meal," Shisui offered with a smile.
"Mmmph mmmph!" Anko managed to make some muffled noises, giving Shisui a thumbs-up between mouthfuls.
"What's she saying?" Shisui asked, a bit lost.
"She's thanking you for your generosity," Kagetsu replied as he casually took Shisui's wallet, opening it in front of him.
An hour later…
After devouring her food like a tyrannosaurus, Anko finally began to slow down, her appetite now seemingly satisfied. She started to chew and savor her food, like a normal person again.
Shisui's expression was hard to keep calm after witnessing Anko's massive appetite.
"Is this… a side effect?" he whispered to Kagetsu. If Anko's appetite stayed like this, the earnings from their missions combined might not even cover her food expenses.
Of course, this was an exaggeration. As an elite Chunin, his mission pay was still quite substantial. Still, Anko's sudden and extreme hunger left Shisui shocked.
"Don't worry, it's likely only for a few days," Kagetsu said, noticing Shisui's concern. "Her body just needs a lot of extra energy right now. Meat is one of the safest and most effective ways to replenish it."
"Didn't you notice?" Kagetsu continued. "Despite eating so much, her stomach hasn't even bulged. Her digestive system is working overtime, restoring her depleted body."
"Burp! I'm about halfway full!" Anko said sheepishly, wiping her oily mouth and glancing at her two teammates. "Kagetsu said I shouldn't eat too much for my first meal. I have to let my body adjust gradually."
Shisui glanced at the table, which had been refilled with dishes multiple times, each one completely emptied. He nodded silently, and as they left, he noticed the impressed look the barbecue restaurant owner gave Anko.
"So, what's next?" Shisui asked, watching Anko munching on a skewer of dumplings with obvious delight.
"We're taking her for a checkup and some tests," Kagetsu replied. He was also curious to see just how much Anko's strength had increased after the experiment.
In the forest…
CRACK!
A large tree, as thick as a person's waist, snapped violently, scattering branches and leaves before crashing heavily to the ground.
In front of the fallen tree stood Anko, still in a punching stance.
Anko stared at the tree in disbelief, glancing down at her fist and then back at her two teammates, looking utterly bewildered.
She hadn't even noticed that her bruised and scraped knuckles were already healing, returning to their normal skin tone.
"Is this really me?" she murmured in disbelief. Anko had knocked down trees before, but only by giving it her all with her Blood Mode fully active.
But now, she hadn't activated her blood mode or used anywhere near her full strength—and yet, she'd achieved something that would normally require everything she had.
"Water Style: Water Wave!"
At Shisui's signal, Anko began testing her jutsu. After forming the hand seals, she took a deep breath, gathering her strength, and unleashed a powerful stream of water toward the ground.
Boom!
A torrent of water shot up from Anko, lifting her body high into the air before breaking into waves that crashed down from above.
A small lake's worth of water flooded through the forest, surging and churning between the trees. The front rows of trees were easily uprooted by the powerful waves, crashing into the ones behind.
"Her chakra has increased, and so has the scale and power of her jutsu," Shisui observed softly. Although chakra capacity alone doesn't determine a shinobi's strength, having more chakra can definitely give one an advantage in battles of equal skill.
At the very least, it allows for a longer fight.
Anko then tested several other jutsu she had mastered, each showing a noticeable boost in power. However, the most significant change was in her physical abilities. She felt stronger, her mind sharper, and her chakra reserves deeper than before.
The most remarkable transformation, however, was in her recovery ability—it now resembled that of a jinchuriki, allowing her to heal wounds quickly with chakra.
To test this, Shisui made a cut on Anko's arm with a kunai, leaving a deep gash. But before long, apart from some drying blood, the wound had completely healed.
Though a more detailed examination was still pending, Anko was pleased with the results of this experimental enhancement. Everything Shisui had promised her had come true.
Currently, Anko was still adjusting to her new strength and struggled with control, often causing unintended damage. But she was confident that, with a bit of practice, she would soon be able to fully master her newfound power.
****
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