"Are you sure..."
"This can destroy the world?"
Inside an inn in the Land of Fire, Uchiha Hikari sat on a grand master chair, her tone full of doubt.
Her eyes kept darting around nervously as she glanced at Kaito kneeling on one knee before her, a fine layer of sweat forming on her forehead.
Seated in the chair, she appeared extremely uneasy.
"Great-grandma, trust me."
"Shut up! If you call me that weird name again, I really will kill you!"
Three days had passed since she broke free from the seal, during which they'd traveled to the Land of Fire.
But this kid seemed to have gone crazy, desperately wanting to apprentice himself to her. That would've been fine, but he insisted on reciting some unbearably embarrassing lines.
If her previous mindset had been like stagnant water, now it was like boiling water—every moment she wanted to pour it over this extremely foolish guy's head.
This world... just hurry up and be destroyed already.
She'd even told him to call her "Nameless," but instead he kept alternating between "Uchiha Great-grandma" and "Uchiha Hikari."
"Stop arguing, it's time for the lines."
Kaito knelt on one knee, holding a cup of hot tea high above his head.
After clearing his throat with a cough, he shouted with full vigor, "We welcome the Sect's Ancestor's emergence from seclusion!!"
Runtu, standing nearby, quickly backed away in fright, afraid he might catch this strange habit from his master in the future.
After finishing, Kaito looked up, his small face utterly serious as he stared at Hikari. Her lips moved for a long time, but not a single word came out.
Not wanting to ruin the atmosphere he'd just created, Kaito kept giving her meaningful looks.
Forced into a corner, Uchiha Hikari gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and blurted out regardless, "So you're the Heaven's Chosen of the family?!"
"Your talent is indeed extraordinary!"
"Today, I... I shall take you as my closed-door disciple!!"Uchiha Hikari blurted out these embarrassing words almost within three seconds, speaking so fast that some parts became barely audible.
It seemed that spending even one more second would make her want to pull out a kunai and stab herself to death.
But...
As Uchiha Hikari's words fell, the familiar voice of the system predictably echoed in Kaito's mind.
[Ding—]
[Triggered Mission: Ancestor's Teachings.]
[As a Heaven's Chosen of the family, you have successfully caught the attention of the sect's secluded ancestor and convinced her to take you as her disciple.]
[Mission: Train under the ancestor for one week in sword techniques.]
[Reward: Sword Control Technique.]
The system's triggered mission confirmed Kaito's thoughts over the past few days.
Only magic can fight magic...
Since the system had cognitive barriers, as long as he stayed on the same wavelength and acted accordingly, he could trigger the missions he desired to some extent.
"Are you done yet?!!"
Uchiha Hikari, seated in the grand chair, was so impatient that her Mangekyō activated. If this brat dared to spout any more nonsense...
She swore she'd roast this foolish kid to a crisp with Amaterasu!
Feeling the fury about to erupt from her eyes, Kaito spoke cautiously.
"Um..."
"Do you know sword techniques?"
Bam—
Hearing this, Uchiha Hikari could no longer hold back. She grabbed the brat's arm with one hand, twisted around, and executed a perfect throw, hurling him out of the inn's window.
"Get out of my sight!"
"Idiot!"
Even after tossing Kaito out, Hikari still wasn't satisfied. Spotting Runtu gnawing on a kunai in the corner, she angrily kicked the dog bowl, sending it clattering noisily.
Finally, she shot a furious glance at Kaito outside the window, confirming he was unharmed, before flopping onto the bed and closing her eyes to rest.
Runtu, too afraid to protest, could only tremble in the corner, missing the master's younger brother at that moment.
At least that foolish child...
Wouldn't kick his dog bowl.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Kaito, thrown out by the sect's ancestor, merely rubbed his head and muttered under his breath.
"I was genuinely trying to learn sword techniques..."
"Why so harsh?"
Brushing off the dust, he glanced at the shattered window, shook his head, and decided to grab a bite to eat first.
Along the way, he'd continue gathering intel on the Land of Fire's border.
Ever since they left the Sealed Land, it seemed like everyone in the Shinobi World was desperately rushing there.
It felt like a scene where heavenly treasures had descended, and cultivators were scrambling to seize them.
Konoha, Kumogakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure...
In short.
Those who should come and those who shouldn't had all gathered in the Land of Fire.
He'd even detected traces of White Zetsu within the Land of Fire's borders, and Akasuna no Sasori, whom he'd previously impersonated, had also come to join the chaos.
Estimating these people would linger for a few more days, Kaito planned to find an opportunity to kill them all.
Either frame Konoha directly or pin it on the Akatsuki Organization...
The more chaotic the current situation, the safer his family—and the entire Uchiha clan—would be.
Just as Kaito passed by a ramen shop, a presence within his sensory range suddenly made him halt.
Crash—
At that moment, less than ten meters away from Kaito, several burly men burst through the window of a gambling den.
Then, the person who stepped out the door made Uchiha Kaito's entire face contort.
Because...
He saw Kakuzu.
"This lord is here to enforce justice and crack down on vice!"
"Such a den of sin has no place in this world!"At the entrance, Kakuzu put on a righteous and solemn expression. While speaking, he even pulled out a thick brush and began writing on the gambling den's front door...
"Anti-Pornography and Anti-Illegal Activities Enforcer: Akatsuki's Kakuzu."
After completing his righteous mission, Kakuzu strode away with a sack full of money, leaving Uchiha Kaito utterly bewildered in the wind.
Kaito strongly suspected that this old bastard was framing him—and the worst part was... he had no proof.
Fine, fine, fine...
Knowing full well someone was impersonating you to commit robberies, and now you're not even pretending anymore? Just going full villain mode, huh?
Kaito suddenly felt like an enormous black pot had been dropped on his head.
He stood frozen for a long time, unable to process Kakuzu's shameless stunt.
Until...
His sensory range picked up a certain perverted white-haired old man and a blonde alcoholic.
"Kakuzu, you're done for."
Following his senses, he could clearly perceive that Kakuzu still hadn't had his fill of mischief. A smirk curled on Kaito's lips as he strode toward a tavern around the corner.
"Ahhh... ha—"
"Never thought I'd run into you here."
At the bar counter, Jiraiya took a sip of sake, gazing at his long-unseen old friend with a flood of memories.
Years of recollections surged through his mind.
Tsunade ignored him, propping her chin on one hand as she downed her drink, occasionally shooting Jiraiya a disdainful look.
"Get to the point."
"Don't try cozying up to me."
Running into Jiraiya usually meant one of two things: either he was here investigating the recent "Sun" incidents, or...
Well, the Land of Fire currently had the highest concentration—and most refined—red-light districts in the entire Shinobi World.
After all, both the brothels and gambling dens were under the management of that guy called...
"Everyone run! The righteous Lord Kakuzu is cracking down on vice!!"
...