Chapter 73: Version 2.0
Time flew by like a fleeting horse, and in the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.
That day, near noon, after completing his routine physical training, Baishi returned to the house near the hot springs. Opening his status panel, he took a glance and sighed. "Sigh! It's getting harder and harder."
He was referring to the increasing difficulty in improving the four basic attributes: strength, intelligence, stamina, and agility.
While the growth of his Chakra provided more energy for the "system," the higher his attributes rose, the more challenging it became to improve them further.
If not for the "acceleration buff" brought by Lightning Release stimulation, maintaining his previous growth speed would've been almost impossible.
"But the effects of the Lightning Release stimulation won't last forever. What will I do then?"
He pondered for a long while, only to be interrupted by familiar footsteps on the mountain path outside. Shaking his head, he decided to stop worrying about it.
After all, there's always a way forward. As long as the Lightning Release stimulation remained effective, he could take his time finding alternative methods.
A moment later, a knock echoed at the door.
"Come in!"
The door creaked open, and Kamimura Takashi entered, carrying lunch.
"My lord!"
Kamimura Takashi greeted Baishi, set the food box on the table, and was about to leave when Baishi suddenly spoke. "This afternoon, gather everyone. I have something to discuss."
"Yes, my lord!"
Kamimura Takashi didn't ask any questions. He simply acknowledged the command and quickly exited.
Watching him leave, Baishi murmured, "It's been half a month now. There shouldn't be any issues. It's time to move on to the next step."
With that, Baishi opened the food box and quickly finished his meal.
Afterward, he entered his training room to recover his Chakra.
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Afternoon.
In a forest clearing, dozens of pirates had gathered. Unlike their usual rowdy behavior, they all remained unusually quiet.
Their expressions betrayed a mix of fear and anticipation, though some tried to mask it.
"Hey, Jibei, do you think the lord up on the mountain is really going to give us one of those?" a pirate whispered, glancing at another pirate's chest, where a faint green glow emanated.
The man, called Yamano Jibei, happened to be one of the five original test subjects. Upon hearing this, he nervously gestured for silence. "Kame! Are you trying to get me killed? Keep your voice down! I already told you—that's just my guess. If you want to know for sure, go ask Kamimura Takashi yourself. I heard it from him!"
Though their voices were low, the clearing was so quiet that their conversation was audible to everyone present.
In an instant, dozens of eyes turned toward Kamimura Takashi.
Under the weight of so many gazes, Kamimura Takashi shivered, cursing himself internally. Why did I let this slip out a few days ago?
"And Yamano Jibei! We agreed not to spread this. Now everyone knows!"
At that moment, Kamimura Takashi wished he could slap himself.
As he racked his brain for a way to placate the crowd, Baishi's voice rang out behind him.
"You're right. As you suspected, I'm going to grant all of you a 'Seed of Life.'"
Hearing this, Kamimura Takashi quickly turned and bowed. "My lord!"
Baishi nodded slightly and continued, "Not only that, but this version of the Seed of Life will also grant you strength, in addition to sustaining you without food or water."
At these words, the pirates' eyes burned with fervor.
These men were outlaws by nature, forced into submission by Baishi's overwhelming power. Half a month ago, they had witnessed the terrifying battles between shinobi, igniting their desire for strength.
Baishi intentionally highlighted the enhancements of the Seed of Life 2.0, knowing it would encourage their cooperation and provide more accurate experimental data.
"All right, let's begin!"
Baishi took out a tree seed, holding it up for all to see. "Who's first?"
Unlike the hesitant silence from before, several pirates immediately raised their hands.
Baishi pointed at one randomly, and the chosen pirate stepped forward eagerly.
Baishi began by infusing Chakra into the seed, activating its vitality. Before long, the seed glowed faintly, signaling its transformation into a Seed of Life.
He then started forming hand seals to seal the seed into the pirate's body.
As Baishi had mentioned earlier, the 2.0 version of the Seed of Life not only sustained the host's life but also enhanced their physical capabilities.
While much of this process occurred automatically within the seed, some guidance was required—facilitated by a more complex sealing technique.
Oddly, this time Baishi completed the sealing process with only forty-two hand seals, fewer than the fifty-one required for the first version.
The reason was simple: after unraveling the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal on himself, Baishi experienced a breakthrough in his understanding of sealing and curse techniques.
Thanks to this, he had improved upon the original seal, adding new functionalities while simplifying its design.
Even so, Baishi wasn't satisfied. Forty-two seals were still too many for his liking. As he further developed the Seed of Life, he intended to streamline the sealing process even more.
But for now, he focused on observing the first recipient of the 2.0 Seed of Life.
The pirate, Oda Motoi, touched the green glow on his chest and moved his limbs experimentally, throwing a few punches.
"This doesn't feel much different from before," he said, looking puzzled.
Baishi replied calmly, "Take a moment to sense it. Especially around your heart—feel any changes?"
Though skeptical, Oda Motoi closed his eyes and concentrated.
A few moments later, his eyes flew open, and he exclaimed excitedly, "I can feel it! There's a warm current flowing out from my chest!"
"Good," Baishi nodded. "Keep training, and you'll notice your strength and speed improving over time."
Satisfied, Baishi gestured for the next pirate to step forward.
One by one, the pirates received their Seeds of Life. Each process took less than a minute, and within half an hour, Baishi had implanted the upgraded seeds into all of them.
He didn't forget the original five test subjects, upgrading their seeds as well.
Once finished, Baishi immediately returned to his training room, resuming his own rigorous regimen.
Developing and testing the Seed of Life was, at its core, a way for Baishi to explore and apply his knowledge and abilities.
Whether the experiment succeeded or failed, it wouldn't consume too much of his time. Anything more would be a distraction from his true goals.
(End of Chapter)
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