After dinner, Mito Uzumaki led Julian White into the tea room.
The room was small, yet exquisitely arranged. Wooden lattice shelves lined the walls, forming the quiet soul of the space and bearing silent witness to Mito's refined taste.
She had poured great care into the layout of every compartment.
Each small section felt like a world of its own, yet together they formed a connected and harmonious whole.
Without question, the Yixing clay teapots were the stars of the room. They came in many shapes and sizes. Some were plain and unadorned, their deep purple hue alone conveying a sense of gravity and dignity, much like the prominent clans of the village. Others bore simple carved patterns, modest yet elegant, radiating a quiet charm, much like villagers of humble origin who nevertheless strove to become shinobi.
None of the teapots were new. Their warm sheen was the mark of countless years of use, silently telling stories of peaceful hours spent in the company of their mistress.
In those quiet moments, Mito must have been contemplating Konoha's future, whether entertaining guests or drinking alone.
Soft light spilled from carefully placed lamps, gliding across the bookshelves and casting gentle, flowing shadows.
Mito lifted her teacup, blew lightly across the surface, and took a small sip.
"How are your preparations for tomorrow's exam?"
"Not a problem at all," Julian replied with confidence. "Based on the information I gathered, it's just physical tests, shuriken throwing, and an evaluation of the Will of Fire. Nawaki and I have trained specifically for these."
Mito took another sip and smiled faintly. "That was true in previous years. It won't be this year."
"Do you remember how many years it has been since the First Shinobi War?"
Julian blinked, then answered seriously. "This is the twenty eighth year since Konoha's founding. Eleven years have passed."
"And that means?"
Mito nodded slightly. "Eleven years is long enough for children who once needed protection to grow up. A shinobi's growth cycle is short. Children of seven or eight are already sent on missions."
"The survivors teach the next generation with even greater intensity, passing on not only experience, but also resentment."
"We defeated our enemies decisively last time. They will not have forgotten. In recent years, they have recovered their strength."
Julian drew a slow breath, feigning ignorance. "So you believe they may start another war?"
"War will come," Mito said calmly. "And soon. We must be prepared."
Julian looked at her, his curiosity fully stirred.
Mito inhaled softly. "This year, in addition to the regular exams, the senior students will face a large scale assessment to select outstanding candidates. This is your chance to stand out."
"The pool will be widened. Anyone in the village who believes they are capable may enter."
"Whether our predictions are accurate or not, preparation for war is unavoidable."
Her tone was grave and unyielding.
"In short, you are far sharper than that boy Nawaki. I'll give you this much. Prepare well."
Julian met her gaze, opened his mouth as if to speak, then bowed deeply and withdrew, returning home.
Left alone, Mito poured herself another cup of tea and drank in silence.
In her heart, the future of the younger generation should always belong to them alone. Yet under the shadow of war, who could help worrying about those who would come after?
Hashirama had once hoped to dissolve the Senju clan entirely, to merge them with Konoha's ordinary villagers and forge an unbreakable whole.
What Mito was doing now ran counter to her husband's wishes.
Yet when war arrived, could ordinary villagers truly defend Konoha?
To Mito, the answer was uncertain. Her actions were born not only from concern for her descendants, but also from concern for the village itself.
She took a sip of scalding tea, but the heat did nothing to calm the unease in her heart.
She could only worry.
Meanwhile, Julian finally had the time to examine the system he had ignored until now.
His system was unique. It was called the Obsessive Identity System, a tool that allowed the exchange of identities and even the deception of the laws of fate.
It allowed him to assume the roles of countless fictional characters or carefully crafted persona constructs.
The higher the recognition a persona received, the more valuable shop points he earned.
The greater the influence and depth of impression, the higher the score. Weaker influence or a smaller audience yielded fewer points.
With these points, he could exchange extraordinary items and rewrite destiny like a magician.
Julian browsed the shop. At present, his balance was pitifully low. Only the initial one thousand points remained, leaving few affordable options.
Many items were also clearly useless. A night of dreamless sleep. A lavish feast that would still leave one hungry a month later.
Every point had to be spent at the right moment. He needed to raise his influence within the shinobi world as quickly as possible.
After careful consideration, he selected three items that could help him stand out in the upcoming exam.
First, Fire Manipulation Arts. Common, but perfectly suited to the level of the test.
The drawback was obvious. Reputation growth would be limited. Powerful shinobi would ignore him, and the lives of ordinary villagers would remain unchanged. The shop returns would be low.
Second, Sealing Techniques. As a descendant of the Uzumaki line, mastering them would secure him a place within the sealing corps. However, the fame gained would still be modest.
Third, Immortality Denied, an ability originating from a literary world, a power born for war and once used to forge an undying army.
It was Akiko Yosano's fearsome gift. When brought to the brink of death, the body would revive perfectly, like a phoenix reborn.
Its impact during wartime would be overwhelming. Its value was beyond measure.
If revealed during the Second Shinobi War, it could alter the course of the entire conflict and earn vast recognition and acclaim.
The upper echelons would take notice. After the war, his name would be known throughout the land.
It could also repair irreversible training injuries, making it ideal for rapid growth despite a weak body.
Such a versatile ability was almost flawless. Grinning, Julian purchased it without hesitation.
Yet despite its many advantages, it carried a fatal flaw.
Using it meant enduring unimaginable pain while hovering at death's edge.
Under ordinary circumstances, it was extremely difficult to trigger self recovery during combat.
Worse still, it required him to inflict nearly fatal injuries upon himself. If an enemy struck too hard and killed him outright, there would be no second chance.
Its greatest weakness lay here. His understanding of human anatomy was insufficient. He lacked the precision required to induce a controlled, painless near death state.