One careless sentence plants a seed that could one day reshape the fate of an entire clan.
"Please, have a seat."
Ayato gestured toward the chair beside him, his expression calm, unreadable beneath half-lidded eyes.
"Thank you."
Itachi pulled the chair closer and sat, his posture straight, his gaze quietly sweeping the room.
The shop was… ordinary.
Almost painfully so.
Plain wooden shelves. A simple tea table. A birdcage hanging from a beam. No flashy decorations, no hidden mechanisms, nothing that screamed mystery shop or secret mastermind. If anything, it felt like a retired old man's quiet living space rather than a place that claimed to solve any problem.
Itachi vaguely remembered this storefront. It used to be a cluttered general shop next to the dango stall. He had never gone inside, but he had seen the owner before — a quiet young man who rarely spoke to anyone.
"So," Ayato said lazily, reclining into his chair while studying the boy with sharp, measured interest, "did you come to the Odd Jobs Shop to consult about something, Itachi?"
The name landed cleanly.
The famous prodigy of the Uchiha clan.
A child who would one day slaughter his entire bloodline for the sake of a foolish little brother.
In Ayato's eyes, that future was nothing short of tragedy wrapped in misguided idealism. There had always been better choices — stronger paths, cleaner solutions.
But that future had not yet arrived.
"I…"
Itachi opened his mouth — then hesitated.
Before the words could leave his lips, the familiar system chime echoed in Ayato's consciousness.
[Ding.]
[Mission Triggered: Uchiha Itachi's Inner Knot]
[Task 1: Resolve Uchiha Itachi's inner conflict]
[Reward: Temporary Draw Chance +1]
[Task 2 (Main): A Different Ending]
[Reward: Zhongli Role Progress +0.1%]
[Task 3: Complete 5 total transactions]
[Reward: Bind the Odd Jobs Shop as a Spawn Point (additional functions unlock upon completion)]
[Current Progress: 1 / 5]
[Temporary Draw Cards do not occupy character slots. Each use generates three selectable characters. Duration: 30 minutes. Upon expiration, the card disappears automatically. Each activation grants 60% of the selected character's peak strength.]
Ayato's eyes narrowed slightly.
Temporary draw cards…
So essentially, a limited-time transformation.
Sixty percent of a character's peak power was no joke. Even a mid-tier powerhouse could become a walking catastrophe in this world — and if the system ever spat out something truly absurd…
If he pulled someone like Ultra Instinct Goku…
Even sixty percent of that would probably erase the entire ninja world before breakfast.
As for Task Three, it seemed the system had already counted Kakashi's visit as the first completed transaction.
Interesting.
"In this shop," Ayato said gently, folding his hands, "you may speak freely. I answer questions — and I never disclose a client's information."
Silence lingered.
Itachi's dark eyes studied him carefully, skepticism tightening his expression.
A stranger claiming confidentiality, omniscience, and absolute discretion?
It sounded more like a poorly disguised trap than reassurance.
Ayato chuckled softly. "It seems you still don't trust me."
A faint trace of self-mockery flickered through Itachi's eyes.
What was he even doing here?
He had walked in almost unconsciously — curiosity pulling his feet forward before logic could intervene. Now that he was actually sitting here, the absurdity of it all became painfully obvious.
"I apologize for disturbing you," Itachi said politely as he rose and bowed. "I don't have anything I need to consult about."
He turned toward the door.
Ayato watched the boy's retreating back with a faint, unreadable smile.
Just as Itachi reached the threshold, Ayato spoke again — casually, almost lazily.
"Clan or village… that's a very good question. Take care, Itachi."
Somewhere between motions, Ayato had produced an eye mask and casually pulled it over his eyes, as though the conversation had already ended.
Itachi paused.
Only for a heartbeat.
Then he continued walking, slipping back into the street.
"…As expected of the so-called God of Itachi," Ayato murmured quietly after the door closed.
There was no disappointment in his tone.
If a few sentences were enough to untangle the knot that would torment Itachi for a lifetime, the world would be far simpler than it was.
This was a long game.
But the bait had already been cast.
How far behind could the fish truly be?
…
Outside the shop, Itachi had only taken a few steps when a dark figure suddenly materialized beside him.
"Itachi."
"Shisui," Itachi replied calmly, unsurprised.
Shisui Uchiha glanced toward the shop sign. "That place just now…?"
"Interesting," Itachi said simply. "Let's go. Training ground."
"Huh? Even you say that?" Shisui raised an eyebrow, casting one more glance at the signboard before vanishing in a blur.
Though Itachi moved first, Shisui overtook him effortlessly.
After all — Shisui of the Body Flicker was famous for a reason.
Three years older than Itachi, Shisui was more than a friend. He was an older brother, a mentor, and the invisible compass shaping many of Itachi's values.
As they neared the training grounds, Itachi slowed.
His brows knit faintly.
"What's wrong?" Shisui slowed with him.
"Clan… or village," Itachi asked quietly. "What do you think, Shisui?"
In the original timeline, Itachi wouldn't have begun questioning such matters until entering the Academy.
Now, a single sentence had planted the seed far earlier.
Shisui halted completely.
Conflict flickered through his eyes before being carefully buried.
The situation was already delicate — the tension between Konoha and the Uchiha clan teetering on the edge of rupture. Last night's Nine-Tails incident had only poured oil onto the fire. Many had clearly seen the Sharingan within the beast's eyes.
Suspicion was spreading.
Rapidly.
He studied Itachi in silence.
Was this child truly ready to face such questions?
"…Since you asked," Shisui finally said, voice low, "then I…"
The words stalled in his throat.
Some answers could reshape a soul forever.
…
Meanwhile — back at the Odd Jobs Shop.
"Not a good day for business," Ayato murmured. "Better go enjoy a performance."
After finishing a simple meal, he lifted the birdcage and headed out toward Konoha's most famous theater.
By the time he arrived, the seating hall was already filling. Tonight's performer was one of the theater's most celebrated voices — exactly the kind Zhongli would never miss.
Listening to opera meant choosing the best singer.
Walking birds meant keeping the finest songbird.
Such was Zhongli's philosophy of living.
"Sir, are you dining alone?" a waiter asked politely.
Ayato glanced around once.
"Second-floor hall," he replied calmly. "Best seat available."
The night was only beginning.
And somewhere beneath Konoha's peaceful lights, unseen currents were already shifting.
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