The chocolate melted the instant it touched his tongue, its smooth sweetness blending with a rich milky aroma that spread pleasantly through his mouth.
Uchiha Ran hadn't expected chocolate of this quality to exist in Konoha at this time.
Seeing him eat so contentedly, a gentle smile bloomed on Hyuga Hinata's face. She felt inexplicably happy, as if she had already forgotten the brief embarrassment from earlier when Ran had accidentally fallen onto her.
Hyuga Hiashi stood to the side, quietly observing his daughter the entire time. He noticed that Hinata's attention was completely focused on Uchiha Ran now.
He truly couldn't understand it.
What was so good about this Uchiha Ran? Was it just that he was a little handsome? A little rich? A little stronger? A little more powerful?
Putting all that aside—what else did he have?!
At that moment, an old father's heart felt as if it were being twisted apart. It was as though the Chinese cabbage he had painstakingly raised for years was being dug up by a pig.
That "pig," Uchiha Ran, was completely unaware of this inner turmoil. In his eyes, Hinata was simply a well-behaved younger sister.
Feeling that his condition had recovered significantly, he opened his eyes, looked at Hinata, and said sincerely,
"Thank you, Hinata. You really helped me a lot."
Hinata's cowlick swayed gently, making her look especially cute. Seeing this, Ran couldn't help but reach out and pat her head.
At the same time, he started complaining furiously to the system in his mind.
"System, are you insane? You shoved the entire Chimera Technique into my head—experimental data, procedures, adjustments, everything!"
"Do you think I have the strongest brain in existence, or are you planning to change hosts?"
"I'm probably the first transmigrator to almost die from information overload!"
The system's cold mechanical voice responded.
"Oh."
…
…
Uchiha Ran's anger flared.
"If you can't stand me and want to replace me, just say it outright."
"I know you're anxious, but don't rush like this. The Chimera Technique can strip a Bloodline Limit and turn it into your own. Don't you think Rasa is useful?"
"That's why I gave you this technique. Once the contract ends, you can use it. By then, won't Konoha have an endless source of gold?"
The system coaxed him step by step.
Ran snorted.
"It is useful—but did you really need to dump everything on me at once?"
"You're unhappy even after receiving such a powerful ninjutsu."
Ran ignored it completely and returned his attention to reality.
"Sorry for the trouble, Hiashi."
"Hokage-sama, it is the Hyuga Clan's honor to serve you," Hiashi replied flatly.
Ran glanced at him and smiled faintly. Did Hiashi really think he hadn't noticed those eyes that were practically shooting fire earlier? These great clans really cared far too much about face.
"Take three hundred thousand ryō from my residence and deliver it to Hinata's home. Consider it my thanks."
An Uchiha ANBU immediately knelt.
"Yes!"
Hinata was startled. The chocolate's actual cost was indeed only one thousand ryō, though buying it required luck. Even accounting for rarity, it was nowhere near three hundred thousand.
"No—Brother Ran, that's too much!"
"Take it," Ran said gently but firmly, holding her hand. "I've already decided."
Meeting his unwavering gaze, Hinata understood his personality. Once he made a decision, there was no room for refusal.
She nodded, but secretly resolved not to touch the money. Someday, when Ran needed it, she would save up five hundred thousand ryō and return it to him.
Hyuga Hiashi silently wailed inwardly.
I should've given her more allowance back then…
After bidding farewell to everyone, Uchiha Ran suddenly felt an intense gaze lock onto him.
This was the intuition of a strong person.
His thoughts raced. In Konoha, there was only one existence that could observe him so blatantly—
Black Zetsu.
Ran narrowed his eyes and immediately headed toward the village outskirts.
The guards at the gate, including Kotetsu Hagane, quickly saluted. Ran nodded in response and passed straight through.
Kotetsu hesitated for a moment but said nothing. If the Hokage was personally leaving the village, it clearly wasn't something an ordinary ninja should interfere with.
Ran stopped after traveling nearly five kilometers.
"Come out."
A pitch-black figure slowly emerged. Its form was indistinct and amorphous, with only two eyes shining brightly in the darkness.
"Oh, my great master! As expected of you—to discover me so easily!" Black Zetsu said in a fawning tone.
Ran had expected this. He deliberately put on a shocked, confused expression.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Who's your master?"
Black Zetsu cleared its throat.
"Dear master, I am the embodiment of your will. I am you—the truest desire buried deep within your heart."
"You're telling me that something that looks like a puddle of mud is the embodiment of my will?" Ran sneered. "Don't make me laugh."
Being called a puddle of mud felt like ten thousand arrows piercing Black Zetsu's heart.
Even Madara had disliked its appearance—but never with this level of blunt rejection.
Still, for Mother's sake, it endured.
In its view, Uchiha Ran was the person most similar to Uchiha Madara.
He controlled the strongest force in the ninja world—Konoha.
If it could persuade Ran, then war could begin immediately, and the Tailed Beasts could be collected at the fastest possible speed.
After waiting for more than a thousand years, Black Zetsu was growing impatient.
If it could see Mother even one day earlier, who would willingly delay?
After steadying itself, Black Zetsu spoke again without shame.
"Respected Uchiha Ran, no matter how you see me, I am the embodiment of your will."
"I know your goal is to return the Uchiha to the pinnacle—and your ambition is to unify the entire ninja world. Isn't that right?"
Black Zetsu had come well prepared.
It had infiltrated Konoha's archives, possessed multiple Uchiha clansmen, read their memories, and pieced together Ran's intentions step by step.
It took time—but in the end, it fully understood his ultimate goal.
Even it had to admit Ran's vision was bold and extraordinary.
Unfortunately, he was human.
Wars, slaughter, the deaths of countless ninja—none of that affected Black Zetsu's survival.
It was still the same devoted "child," desperately yearning to revive its mother.
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