Kakashi had carefully researched and tested the pair of Sharingan he now possessed.
His conclusion was that they were unbelievably convenient!
Before, the Sharingan Obito had given him couldn't be deactivated, placing a huge burden on him. In battle, he had to finish things quickly or withdraw promptly; otherwise, if a fight dragged on, his chakra would run out. That was why he'd developed the "activate Chidori and finish it fast" style of combat—he simply couldn't afford a prolonged fight.
But now everything was different. His Sharingan brought only benefits, no drawbacks. Having both eyes perfectly adapted to him boosted his abilities exponentially.
He explained all these new experiences with his upgraded Sharingan to the Third Hokage, who merely nodded. Hiruzen Sarutobi had no idea why Senshi would provide Kakashi with a perfectly compatible pair of Sharingan, but it was, in the end, a good thing for Konoha. Even so, Hiruzen felt an even greater wariness toward "Uzumaki Senshi."
Acquiring even a single Sharingan was extremely difficult. Not only could Senshi get hold of them, but he could also provide a pair that perfectly meshed with Kakashi's body. What kind of terrifying power was that? Was Senshi indirectly flexing his muscle in front of Konoha, signaling them not to meddle in his affairs?
Seeing the Hokage frowning in silence, Kakashi spoke up:
"Hokage-sama, now that I've fully recovered, I'd like to begin investigating Uchiha Obito's whereabouts immediately. Please grant me permission!"
Kakashi had previously applied for this, and the Third Hokage had agreed. But today was different; though Kakashi had once been free to handle that matter, there were now more pressing issues for him. Hiruzen remained silent, simply handing Kakashi two applications from his desk—requests for early graduation.
Having been in the Anbu, Kakashi was fairly informed about all manner of intelligence. Seeing the names on these applications, he was rather startled:
"The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and the lone surviving member of the Uchiha clan want to graduate early?"
During wartime, it was normal for strong students to graduate early to defend the village. Sometimes you'd see children as young as three on the battlefield. But in peacetime, early graduation was rare—unless the student was remarkably gifted and had learned all they could from the Academy.
Hiruzen nodded slightly.
"Yes, it's these two kids requesting early graduation. I went to the Academy recently and observed them sparring. Their abilities far surpass the graduation standard; they really can graduate early if they want."
The Hokage's words surprised Kakashi. Based on what the Hokage implied, Naruto and Sasuke had to be special geniuses. But if that were the case, why hadn't anyone heard about it before?
Just then, Hiruzen pulled him back from his thoughts, continuing:
"Naruto is the village's Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, and Uchiha Sasuke is the last flame of the Uchiha clan. Their identities are extremely sensitive; both are crucial to Konoha, so nothing can be allowed to happen to them. Konoha is in a turbulent period, and I need you to handle these kids."
Kakashi frowned. He still wanted to investigate Obito first. Obito's sudden appearance both thrilled and bewildered him, giving him an uneasy feeling that this whole business was complicated and dangerous. But Hiruzen gave him no chance to refuse, adding:
"I want you to approach them and see if any hostile village has secretly contacted them, or if there's any unusual factor behind their sudden leaps in strength."
Since the Third Hokage had put it that way, Kakashi couldn't say no. Although he was anxious to track down Obito, Naruto was his teacher's (the Fourth Hokage's) child, and naturally Kakashi didn't wish for anything bad to happen to him. So he nodded.
"Understood, Hokage-sama."
…
Konoha, Ninja Academy.
Class ended for the day, and students left in small groups. Some parents greeted their kids at the gate and took them home. Naruto and Sasuke, though, weren't so lucky—there were no parents waiting. As always, the two left school together, planning to head for the Uchiha compound's training area.
But this time, a silver-haired figure called out to them at the gate:
"Wait a second—Naruto and Sasuke, right? I'm Hatake Kakashi, a Konoha jōnin. I've been assigned to oversee your request for early graduation."
Speaking, Kakashi showed them their application forms, complete with the Third Hokage's signed approval. Sasuke recognized them at a glance—these were indeed the forms he and Naruto had submitted, with the Hokage's signature. Before Sasuke could voice any doubts, Kakashi said:
"I heard from the Academy teachers that your skills already match the standard for graduation. Whether you can truly graduate early, though, depends on my observation and tests. For now, you don't need to attend classes; I'll give you temporary guidance."
Sasuke had no objections; this was simply the village's arrangement. Naruto, however, grimaced:
"A 'guidance teacher'? We already have a teacher—"
Before he could finish, Sasuke clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Don't let your mouth run, dobe (dead-last). This is a special instructor sent by the village, not the same as the Academy teachers."
Compared to the impulsive, clueless Naruto, Sasuke acted more mature and composed. He knew that whenever a Konoha ninja got too close to investigate them, Senshi-sensei's wood clone hid in secret. Clearly, Senshi didn't want the village to know he was personally training the two. Naruto, with his personality, wouldn't have realized these complications.
Kakashi kept up a faint smile, but he was secretly paying attention. As a former Anbu elite, he didn't let slip a single detail. Just now, Naruto apparently said they already had some other teacher. Did that mean a foreign ninja was secretly involved with them? He'd been told by the Hokage that such a possibility existed. That was precisely why he'd been sent—to see if foreign influences explained their rapid leaps in power.
Naruto, having almost blurted out their direct connection to Senshi, realized his mistake the moment Sasuke shot him that meaningful look. He scratched his head sheepishly.
"Er, so the guidance you'll give us is different from Iruka-sensei's guidance?"
Kakashi nodded, "Exactly. I'll evaluate your abilities and give you targeted training. If you truly meet the standard to graduate early, we'll finalize your application. Otherwise, you'll stay in the Academy for more practice."
While chatting with them, Kakashi studied the boys carefully. Normally it was tough for any ninja from outside the village to stay here incognito and contact Naruto or Sasuke so often without being found. Apart from Naruto's earlier slip, Kakashi saw nothing else suspicious. He would keep observing.
As Kakashi watched them, Naruto and Sasuke sized him up as well. Naruto couldn't help complaining inwardly: Why does early graduation have so many hoops to jump through? When can we finally do missions?
He was itching to complete a bunch of tasks, earn money, and get more moves like his "Aura Sphere." He wasn't sure why, but these orb-based techniques really suited him.
Sasuke's thoughts were more complex. Kakashi's laid-back smile might appear harmless, but from the moment he arrived, he'd been quietly assessing them. "Has the village noticed some of our behavior?" Sasuke wondered. "Did the higher-ups send this ninja because of Senshi-sensei?"
He wasn't worried for Senshi's safety, just whether it might cause unnecessary trouble for him. After all, if the village openly clashed with Senshi-sensei, it could end very badly for them—worst case, they might have to rebuild the village from scratch.
Finally, after putting away the application forms, Kakashi asked again:
"I've got a rough idea of your time in the Academy. But if you're graduating early, do you have any plans? Something you want to achieve?"
Kakashi posed the question in a casual tone, but it was definitely a probe. He guessed Sasuke might not say much, but Naruto might blurt out crucial info. Yet this time, he miscalculated. Both boys exchanged determined looks and replied in unison:
"We want to do missions—lots of them!"
Naruto added, excited, "No matter the task, I'll go all out! Dattebayo! Sasuke, I'll surpass your mission count, you hear?"
Sasuke sneered, "You, the dead-last, think you can beat me?"
Naruto: "Hey, I'll definitely beat you this time!"
Sasuke: "That'll never happen, dobe."
Naruto: "Don't call me dobe, Teme!"
Sasuke: "Hn!"
Kakashi: (◎_◎)?
He was stunned. Who taught them to say such stuff? Missions? Lots of missions? Going all out on every single one?
…
Amegakure, Ninja Academy – Principal's Office…
Returning from Konoha with Karin, Senshi arrived here. No matter how strong he was, there was a limit to what one ninja could do alone. But now, he wasn't working alone. Even though the current system for mission acceptance still wasn't fully set, many of his "mercenary corps" members were raring to go. Someone like Kakuzu, "the ninja world's ultimate laborer," was out there somewhere mowing down tasks, earning him plenty of employment points.
After exploring the mercenary corps system for a while, Senshi had it figured out. He didn't have the time or energy to train a huge number of recruits. Only those who formed strong bonds and got personal guidance from him would join. They had to be the elite among elites. People like Naruto or Sasuke might eventually surpass all known measure in mission capabilities.
While it was hard to find many "legendary Pokémon" like them, he could still nurture some "Charmanders" or "Squirtles." Meanwhile, the Rain Country's mass acceptance of refugees would continuously expand its population, letting Senshi carefully choose the best of the best—the "Senshi pick" meant guaranteed excellence.
Aside from relying on quantity leading to quality, he had also created "the strongest Ninja Academy in the ninja world. Period." Kakuzu, for instance, had been strong but had major weaknesses. Once an enemy discovered his hearts' secret, they could kill him easily. But now, each of Kakuzu's five hearts was heavily protected, boosting his power another level.
Smack!
"Wood Release—Wood Clone!"
Inside the principal's office, Senshi clapped his hands; multiple Wood Clones emerged around him. He planned to assign them as teachers at the Academy, helping instruct all the children. Even the Hyūga clan's heiress in Konoha wouldn't receive such super-ninja tutoring. Attending Amegakure's Academy was effectively "winning from the starting line."
After sending the clones to their posts, Senshi opened his Mercenary Corps interface. Indeed, there were a few more new faces—tiny children who'd already embraced the "Will of Rain," each with bright futures. Among them were also some Uzumaki clan members, though not many. The Uzumakis had massive chakra and potential, plus talents in sealing jutsu, possibly awakening Mind's Eye of the Kagura, healing bites, or Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Thinking about that, Senshi decided to check on these newly sprouted "seedlings" in his farmland.
"Whoosh—"
Using Kāma's ability, he teleported to the refugee shelter. An instant later, he found himself surrounded by countless refugees, most in poor health. Without him persuading Nagato to accept them, many would likely have starved to death by now.
Once they saw Senshi, the refugees—men, women, children—brightened. Their eyes shone with gratitude:
"It's Lord Senshi!"
"Lord Senshi has come!"
"Thank you for sheltering us, Lord Senshi!"
A wave of excitement spread. Everyone expressed their gratitude in their own way. Senshi, seeing their fervor, waved and encouraged them:
"Everyone, try to put your past hardships behind you and focus on regaining your strength. From the moment you arrived in Amegakure, you began a new life. Everything starts over now. Whatever difficulties come your way, do not be afraid—carry through with the Will of Rain, and any challenge crumbles like paper!"
They didn't fully grasp his meaning, but responded energetically, raising their fists and shouting:
"Where missions flow, the grind never stops!"
Seeing them accept the Will of Rain so readily filled Senshi with satisfaction.
But he was here mostly to see his fellow Uzumaki clansmen. Their special settlement was still under construction. Not long ago, it was near-impossible to even find two Uzumaki survivors together in one place. Now, the Amegakure's refugee shelter hosted over ten from the Uzumaki clan.
Among them, the oldest was Uzumaki Takumori; those even older hadn't survived the extended hardships. There were hardly any middle-aged folks. Instead, many were children, because parents, out of love, gave survival priority to their kids.
After he arrived, the Uzumaki survivors gathered around, saying:
"Lord Senshi, thank you for taking us in!"
"Lord Senshi, we've fully recovered and want to join in building the village!"
"Yes, we can do so many tasks for you!"
They insisted they were ready to work, though in truth, all of them were malnourished, looking ready to topple from a mere breeze. Senshi waved them off gently, then pulled out a large cache of supplies from his system space, dropping it before them:
"Hand these out first, then focus on healing your bodies and regaining your strength. Once you're well, I'll lead you in building a new homeland for the Uzumaki."
He wasn't in a rush to have them do labor. Putting these red-haired, half-starved folks to heavy tasks would be overkill. More importantly, if they visibly thrived here, more Uzumaki from across the ninja world would come seeking refuge.
All the clan members visibly relaxed and felt joy. Though they hadn't been here long, it was already worlds better than their previous lives. They could sense Senshi truly regarded them as kin, supplying safe accommodations, hot food, warm clothing, and concern for everyone's health. They believed that if Senshi became the Uzumaki clan's leader, he could definitely restore them to greatness.
It was then that a five-year-old boy named Uzumaki Yūtai timidly asked:
"Lord Senshi, can we go study at the Ninja Academy, too?"
His aunt, Keiko, promptly scolded him:
"Yūtai, don't bother Lord Senshi—he's got a ton to handle and has already helped us enough."
In her eyes, going to the Ninja Academy sounded complicated. You'd need school supplies, possibly ninja tools. Senshi was already feeding them and giving them hot meals. They should be content and do some labor in return once they recovered, right?
So some older kids who also longed to attend the Academy fell silent, and the few older survivors all nodded. They felt the Uzumaki children shouldn't become a burden, especially since the Academy was presumably for the Amegakure's own young.
Nobody expected what happened next: Senshi patted Yūtai's head with a slight smile.
"Yūtai, if you want to attend the Ninja Academy, there's no problem. I'm the principal there. Any child who comes to Amegakure is welcome to enroll."
Yūtai gaped in shock and delight. They could study at the Academy, after all? The other kids were likewise astonished. A few sensitive little girls were so moved that tears came to their eyes. Going to school had been an impossible dream. Yet in the Amegakure, with Senshi's permission, all children could attend.
Cheering erupted among the younger Uzumaki. While these "tender shoots" began absorbing the Will of Rain, Senshi glanced at his Mercenary Corps interface. As expected, two new kids' avatars popped up—one was that little girl who'd been crying tears of joy, the other a small boy. Both had decent potential, making Senshi quietly elated. Letting them freeze or starve out there would waste their talents. By gathering them here, letting them recover, and developing their Uzumaki gifts, they'd have far better lives—and provide more employment points for him.
Not only did that little girl cry tears of joy, but Yūtai's aunt also shed tears, overwhelmed by how great this all felt. Before, her biggest fears were starving to death or a harsh winter. Now, all that had changed. She and a few older survivors stared at Senshi with gratitude. He was indeed their salvation.
Meanwhile, Uncle Takumori and his nephew Mutsumi stood to one side. Takumori was a seasoned genin, Mutsumi a boy learning ninjutsu from him. They'd fended off dangers on the journey, enabling the more fragile clan members to reach the Amegakure. Listening to Senshi's words, Mutsumi muttered:
"Is this a genjutsu? That's impossible—since when? Release genjutsu!"
Takumori found his chūnibyō nephew tiresome and bopped him on the head. But the older man's gaze turned complicated. Uzushiogakure, once known for powerful sealing techniques, had been destroyed by various covetous forces. Many died in war, some were captured for experiments, and the rest teetered on death's edge. Takumori had been observing Senshi with Mind's Eye of the Kagura since the beginning, mistrusting the idea that someone would help them "for free." If they hadn't had no options left and heard rumors that the Amegakure's new figurehead was also an Uzumaki, he wouldn't have taken the risk of bringing so many survivors here. Indeed, they'd lost two more on the way, but it now seemed worth it.
Still, Takumori remained on guard. Senshi looked harmless at the moment, but that didn't mean he had zero ulterior motives. As an elder, he had to maintain a sense of crisis.
At that moment, Karin and Haruko came over carrying new supplies. Karin apparently had found a little "tag-along"—Haruko's bright eyes gleamed with admiration for "Sister Karin." Passing Takumori, Karin cheerfully called, "Uncle Takumori, why are you spacing out? Hurry and get your share!"
Seeing her bright, genuine smile, Takumori felt his eyes moisten. Like them, Karin possessed that characteristic Uzumaki red hair. Yet the Uzumakis he knew always wore pained or fearful expressions, seldom smiling so freely. He'd already learned that Karin had been with Senshi the longest, so she knew him best. Maybe talking to her would help him figure out whether Senshi had some hidden agenda.
Thus he spoke, "Karin-chan, could you tell us a bit about Lord Senshi's stories?"
Karin perked up instantly, as though her drowsiness vanished. She loved talking about Senshi's legends. She took Haruko aside, seating them with Takumori, Mutsumi, and the others.
"Takumori-ojisan, Mutsumi, Haruko-chan, you're all curious about Senshi's exploits?" she asked. Takumori nodded firmly. Mutsumi, about thirteen or fourteen, wore a resolute look—he wanted to become as impressive as Senshi. Haruko, five or so, nodded fervently.
Seeing their eagerness, Karin assumed the posture of a "professional assistant" and began:
"Before I met Senshi, rumor says he was a normal Uzumaki ninja too, living in a shabby shack in Amegakure. But Senshi refused to bow to fate. He took up a sword and stepped into the black market in the Amegakure—and so began a legendary black-market tale…"
Takumori, Mutsumi, and Haruko listened with rapt attention. Mutsumi's eyes went round, and Haruko, in her soft, childish voice, exclaimed:
"So Senshi-sama was originally just an ordinary Uzumaki, too?"
Karin nodded and went on:
"Once Senshi first ventured into the Ame's black market, he never looked back. He finished one mission after another, undergoing ordeal after ordeal, honing himself. In almost no time, his name in the black market rivaled even Mr. Kakuzu. Later, he left Kakuzu far behind!"
Of course, these folks had no idea who Kakuzu was, so Karin explained that Kakuzu had once battled the "God of Shinobi," Hashirama Senju. (It was a bit of a tall tale. They didn't know Kakuzu's exact record, but no matter.)
The three men all gasped in unison.
"Hiss—!" Takumori drew a sharp breath. "By the time Senshi-sama was just eighteen, he was stronger than Kakuzu, who'd once fought the God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju?"
That gave Takumori an essential clue: unceasing, insane mission completion seemed the only way to skyrocket one's strength. That was apparently how Senshi rose. Hearing him press for details, Karin nodded. Soon after, he asked, "And then what happened?"
Karin boasted: "Later, on his next mission, he encountered me—kidnapped by some evil traffickers. He rescued me, and from then on, I was his most loyal and dependable assistant! He already had an inconceivably strong mission execution ability, but after he got me, it rose even higher!"
Truthfully, if not for her, Senshi would've had to count money alone.
She then told them how, upon entering the Ame's black market, Senshi realized other ninjas were too overworked, so he volunteered to take all the tasks, making them weep with gratitude. (It was basically just Karin's imaginative fluff, but so be it.)
She also recounted how Senshi allegedly supported "Mui" to overthrow the oppressive rule in Kusagakure. In short, as the "Number One Senshi Fan," she conflated various rumors and legends. Regardless, her stories firmly cemented Senshi in Takumori and Mutsumi's minds as a heroic, almost godlike figure.
Just as Karin prepared to continue, Senshi arrived quietly and grabbed her by the back of the collar, hauling her away from the platform of destiny. He'd been listening in for a while. At first, her tall tales only made him twitch at the corners of his mouth, but the more she said, the more exaggerated it got—even he couldn't stomach it. Face-saving was one thing, but this was overboard…
…
Hauling Karin back "home," Senshi had a thought: since this girl praised him so sweetly, might as well arrange that "silver disc" she wanted. Not necessarily a move-learning disc, but something that'd suit her. The mercenary system's "blind boxes" came from countless worlds—no need to restrict it to Pokémon references. She was in a great mood. Meeting so many fellow Uzumaki—Takumori-ojisan, Haruko, Aunt Keiko—gave her a new sense of kinship. Before long, they'd all be part of one big clan, a warm family.
Senshi then brought her to a small woodland area near the refugee shelter. He still had about 300,000 or so employment points left. Time to go all-in on a few hundred-draw attempts, hopefully finding something suitable for Karin and also a solution for Nagato. Nagato might not be a living skeleton yet, but at his rate of using the Rinnegan, that day wasn't far off. If these three "hundred-pulls" failed to produce anything for Nagato, that'd be unfortunate.
He perched calmly atop a large stone, mentally commanding:
"System, draw heavily for me! Start with one hundred-pull as a warm-up!"
In the past, he'd do single draws or maybe a ten-pull as a warm-up. Now, he was lavishly using a hundred-pull.
[100,000 points deducted—remaining points: 240,350.]
[Drawing…]
[Congratulations, you have acquired…]
Senzu Bean x3
Sanshoku Dango x10
Chakra Amount x3 card
Kekkei Genkai: Explosion Release x1
…
"Senzu Beans? Are these the ones I think they are?" Senshi's gaze turned to his system space. Indeed, he found them:
[Senzu Bean]
[SS-rank reward, from the Dragon Ball world—grown by the cat sage on Karin Tower.]
Abilities: "Eating just one keeps you from hunger for ten days, with an extremely powerful restorative effect. As long as the user isn't completely dead, they can instantly recover stamina and energy, restoring their body to peak condition."
Wow. So the system could even pull items from Dragon Ball? Next might come Saiyan blood or something. Senshi chuckled. But this was not a permanent fix for Nagato—it only treated symptoms, not the cause. It wouldn't fix the Rinnegan's continuous draining. Plus, three beans from a hundred-pull was pretty stingy; they were obviously rare items.
He shrugged. Apart from senzu beans and an Explosion Release limit, nothing else was that eye-catching in this first hundred-draw. Time for more. He adjusted his posture and mumbled a short "draw-luck incantation."
"Dark clouds in the northwest—may the black rooster drop among phoenixes! All in, all in! Let's do two more hundred-pulls!"
[200,000 points deducted—remaining points: 40,350.]
[Drawing…]
[Congratulations, you have acquired…]
Toad Oil x3 bottles
Sanshoku Dango x10
Chakra Amount x3 card
Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan x2
Expired Milk x1
Arrow: Killer Queen Limited Edition x1
…
"Killer Queen?!" Senshi's eyes locked on the new item:
[Arrow: Killer Queen Limited Edition]
[S-rank reward, from the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure world. Anyone pierced by this arrow becomes a Stand User, gaining the 'Killer Queen' Stand!]
[Development Level: D]
[Currently unlocked ability: First Bomb – Anything Killer Queen touches becomes a bomb. Only one active bomb at a time.]
Reading this, Senshi's thoughts began racing. If you became a "passing Stand user," that would be insane! You could have "ora-ora" in one hand and "muda-muda" in the other. Even someone used to big scenes like him couldn't help but grin. The mental image was too vivid.
That said, he wasn't planning to use "Killer Queen" himself. The stand had a cute pink-cat face design, which he found less to his taste. It might suit Karin better, letting her become a Stand User from this day forward.
Senshi quickly walked over to Karin.
"Karin, come over here, let me stab you."
Karin: ⊙_⊙ ???
That question left her confused. Why does Senshi want "to stab me"? I'm not sick, and I haven't done anything wrong… Did I mess up somehow?
But she didn't refuse. She obediently walked over, preparing to pull down her pants…
~~~
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