Chapter 20: Qingshui: The Child Won't Starve [Seeking Follow-up Reads]
"I need to get a pair of sunglasses later."
Under normal circumstances, it wasn't an issue, but if Qingshui used the Rinnegan at a crucial moment, he would easily be exposed.
After all, the Rinnegan is vastly different from normal eyes.
If certain people knew he possessed the Rinnegan, it would cause significant trouble.
Such as Danzo Shimura, the leader of the Root organization, or the Hokage's advisors.
Since he wasn't yet invincible in the ninja world, he had to hide what needed hiding as much as possible.
Fortunately, although the ninja world appeared to be a feudal society, it actually had decent technological development.
Since they had appliances like refrigerators and hair dryers, small items like sunglasses were definitely available.
After checking thoroughly to ensure nothing was exposed, Qingshui finally walked out of his room.
Coincidentally, Mikoto, who lived across the hall from him, also opened her door and stepped out at the same time.
She must have just showered, as Qingshui could smell the faint fragrance of body wash and shampoo.
Moreover, Mikoto wasn't wearing her mission attire; she had changed into snug, casual home clothes, and her wet, smooth long hair cascaded down her back.
Looking at her slender yet well-endowed figure, Qingshui sighed again, confirming the phrase: rich but not generous.
Fortunately, the child wouldn't starve.
"What are you looking at?"
Mikoto, feeling Qingshui's gaze, couldn't help but lightly slap his arm.
"I'm looking at who this is—so stunningly beautiful, capable of eclipsing the moon and shaming the flowers. I can't take my eyes off you."
"Such a glib tongue."
As she spoke, Mikoto rolled her eyes at Qingshui.
"Even rolling your eyes looks beautiful. Truly naturally stunning."
With a soft huff, Mikoto turned and headed toward the living room, and Qingshui quickly followed her.
"Having wet hair must be uncomfortable. Let me dry your hair for you later."
He wasn't sure if Jiraiya had a hair dryer, but Qingshui guessed Konan probably did.
After all, Konan's hair was also very long, and without a hair dryer, it would take a long time to dry after washing.
Facts proved Qingshui was right.
After borrowing the hair dryer from Konan, Qingshui proactively began drying Mikoto's hair.
"Mikoto-neechan, are you Qingshui-niichan's girlfriend?"
Konan, watching the scene from the side, couldn't help but ask.
Blushing, Mikoto shyly shook her head.
However, Konan's words made her pause to think. Becoming Qingshui's girlfriend might actually be quite nice.
"Rest a little longer, dinner will be ready soon."
At that moment, Jiraiya, who had just caught several large fish, walked in, and after speaking, headed into the kitchen.
To take good care of the three kids, he had developed decent cooking skills over the past year or so.
Yahiko volunteered to help, and Nagato, who didn't want to stay with the Leaf ninjas, followed him in as well.
Jiraiya, who took in Nagato's reaction, secretly sighed.
The reason he was willing to take the three children as apprentices and teach them ninjutsu was solely because of Nagato.
In his youth, Jiraiya accidentally entered Mount Myōboku, met the Great Toad Sage, and received a prophecy that one of his students would bring about a great change in the ninja world.
Since Nagato possessed the legendary Rinnegan of the Sage of Six Paths, Jiraiya felt he highly matched the identity of the Child of Prophecy.
Of course, he wasn't certain that Nagato was definitely the one.
Therefore, in the future, he would continue traveling the ninja world until he found the true Child of Prophecy and guided him to bring genuine peace to the world.
Meanwhile, in a place Jiraiya didn't know about, someone was secretly monitoring Nagato.
It was a White Zetsu sent by Madara Uchiha.
Since the Rinnegan was key to his future resurrection, Madara Uchiha naturally had to monitor Nagato secretly and guide him according to the plan once he grew up.
And White Zetsu was the best candidate for the job.
It not only possessed the Mayfly Technique, which allowed it to merge its body with the earth and vegetation, but also the Impersonation Technique, which allowed it to transform and mimic chakra signatures.
Unless someone had the ability to sense malice, they would never detect the presence of White Zetsu.
Seeing an Uchiha clansman make contact with Nagato, White Zetsu immediately transmitted this information to Madara Uchiha.
Deep underground in an unknown location, there was a massive creature.
It was the Gedo Statue, the shell of the Ten-Tails.
Tube-like structures extended from the Gedo Statue and connected to an old man who was resting with his eyes closed.
This was Madara Uchiha.
Due to extreme aging, Madara could only rely on the Gedo Statue to sustain his life.
If he lost the Gedo Statue, he would instantly die.
"Lord Madara, this is bad!"
In this space where no outsiders existed, White Zetsu's voice suddenly rang out, waking the resting Madara.
"Lord Madara, an Uchiha clansman has made contact with Nagato."
Hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Madara's eyes, and he asked, "Who?"
"Mikoto Uchiha."
Thanks to White Zetsu's exceptional intelligence capabilities, Madara was aware of all information regarding the entire Uchiha clan.
Mikoto Uchiha, who had awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, was naturally no exception.
"Lord Madara, do we need to do anything?"
After recalling the information about Mikoto, Madara slowly replied, "It doesn't matter. This person is insufficient; she won't affect my plan."
Although Mikoto had decent talent and had already awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
In Madara's view, she was still not qualified to be the executor of his plan after his death.
He understood the Uchiha clan well, and he understood the Sharingan even better.
To select a qualified executor, his main criterion was whether the person possessed intense love, rather than simply raw talent.
After all, his own talent in childhood wasn't considered astounding, yet that didn't stop him from becoming the Shinobi World's Asura, whom everyone feared.
He was known as a "Legendary Ninja," alongside Hashirama Senju, the "God of Shinobi."
"Huh, so we don't do anything?"
White Zetsu was slightly disappointed, but Madara then changed his mind.
"We can conduct a test on her. As long as the results aren't too bad, she can serve as an alternate candidate."
Madara had already found a more suitable target, but that person was still too young, so having an alternate candidate was a safeguard.
Next, Madara told White Zetsu how to carry out the test.
"Then, Lord Madara, after the mission is complete, can you tell me what the sensation of needing to defecate feels like?"
White Zetsu was not a normal human and did not experience the need to defecate, which is why it loved asking people this question.
Madara's face darkened, and he simply closed his eyes, refusing to speak further.
Out of sight, out of mind.
White Zetsu was already accustomed to his reaction. It merely muttered to itself, "What exactly does the urge to defecate feel like?" before merging into the earth and disappearing.
After leaving Madara, White Zetsu found Black Zetsu and recounted Madara's test plan in detail.
Madara believed himself to be the mastermind hidden behind the scenes, unaware that he was merely a pawn in Black Zetsu's hands.
Compared to Black Zetsu, who had lived for thousands of years, Madara was still too naive and simple.
"Proceed as Madara instructed."
For Black Zetsu, as long as the Rinnegan remained secure, everything else was minor