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"Are you leaving already?" Tsunade bit her finger, sounding a bit displeased. She seemed to have been won over by this perverted brat, feeling reluctant to see him go.
"I'll come back to see you once I return from Roran," Yoichi assured her. "When do you plan to bring Nawaki back?"
The Tsunade of the past would have delayed returning to Konoha, wanting to visit every casino in the ninja world. But things had changed. With Nawaki by her side, she knew it wouldn't be good for his development. However, she could still delay a bit.
"Give me a few more months," Tsunade said, clenching her fists. "I want to train Nawaki first. Only after he passes my tests can he return to become a ninja."
Ten years ago, Nawaki had just become a genin when he stepped into a trap out of excitement and died. This time, Tsunade was determined not to let him repeat the same mistake.
"Also, we need to keep Nawaki's resurrection a secret. If other villages find out about the ability to bring back the dead, they might unite against us."
As one of the Sannin, Tsunade understood the gravity of such a situation. Although Yoichi's ability to resurrect the dead was limited, being able to revive even a few powerful individuals could terrify other villages. They might see it as a greater threat than having several jinchuriki.
"It's good that you have a plan. If anything happens, use the scroll to contact me. You can also teach Nawaki the Six Styles gave you. They will significantly boost his strength. After mastering the Six Styles, he can advance to higher-level ninja body arts."
Yoichi held Tsunade's delicate hand. In the past, such an act would have earned him a punch that would send him flying. But now, Tsunade accepted his touch, even reciprocating his gifts. Though she still had a tough exterior, her actions showed she was almost like a girlfriend.
"Of course, I know that. Don't forget, I am one of the Sannin. Mmph—"
Before Tsunade could finish, her mouth was sealed by another kiss. This time, Yoichi embraced her entirely, and she didn't push him away.
Being teased like this for the first time, Tsunade's body soon softened.
"Mmm..."
Only when her breath became uneven did Yoichi slowly release her.
"You... you perverted brat!" Tsunade's face flushed with anger and embarrassment as she reached out to grab Yoichi's cheek. Finding it difficult to reach, she stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Afterward, with a red face, she turned away, saying, "Be careful on your journey!"
With that, she headed back to the town. Staying any longer felt dangerous to her—this perverted brat was too much.
"Tsunade-sama."
"Nee-san!"
Tsunade didn't walk far before she saw Shizune and Nawaki hiding in the nearby woods, with Nawaki sporting a mischievous grin.
Not long ago, he didn't acknowledge Yoichi as his brother-in-law, but seeing them embrace, Nawaki felt a bit helpless. His sister...
"You two, did you finish your training before wandering around?"
Tsunade shouted angrily, guessing they must have seen the earlier scene. She resolved to train them rigorously.
Shizune wouldn't escape either. Previously, Tsunade had been somewhat lenient in teaching medical ninjutsu. Now, her standards would be strict.
"Both of you, back to training. No rest until you meet my standards!"
"Huh? Nee-san, brother-in-law just left..."
"Nawaki! Double your training!"
Having successfully won Tsunade's favor, Yoichi noted that her affection level remained above ninety-five. At this point, any further actions could increase it, but it was unlikely to decrease significantly.
"Who should I target next? There aren't many mutual acquaintances with a good foundation of goodwill left..."
He thought of Kushina, who had a good relationship with him. But she was married, and her child was almost due.
"Can this system even target married women? Let's see what it decides."
Choosing Kushina as the next target, Yoichi saw her affection level at sixty-two, the same as before. However, without her nearby, there were no further instructions.
"Forget it. I'll focus on the Roran's Dragon Vein first. Such a vast energy source shouldn't be wasted."
He didn't understand why others, like Minato, hadn't utilized the Dragon Vein's energy. Properly harnessed, it could transform the ninja world.
Yoichi extended the duration of the [Research Assistant] ability by another half month, spending three lottery chances.
The enhancement of the Lightning Chakra Mode was nearly complete, and the Six Styles research slot was replaced with Armament Haki and Observation Haki, requiring seventeen more days.
Once the Lightning Chakra Mode enhancement was done, Yoichi could improve another short-duration technique.
The Six Styles were effective but no longer useful against mid- to high-level jonin. His body, honed by the Lightning Chakra Mode for nearly ten years, was now as tough as steel.
After a few days, Yoichi's rented boat reached the southeastern coast of the Land of Wind. After paying, he disembarked and headed toward Roran.
Having a map of Roran and knowledge of Minato's mission there, Yoichi navigated the desert. Lightning arcs flickered around him as he traversed the barren landscape without rest, relying on his abundant chakra.
In less than a day, he reached Roran.
"The desertification is severe... not matching the mission reports. Such drastic change in a few years..."
Yoichi considered the Dragon Vein. If it continuously absorbed the land's energy, it could explain the desertification. But why hadn't the Queen of Roran addressed it?
Infiltrating was easy. Roran had no ninjas, posing no threat to Yoichi. Using his Sharingan to hypnotize a few guards, he learned the location of the Dragon Vein's seal.
Upon reaching it, he used his Sharingan to control nearby guards and deployed several wood clones to ensure safety.
With one wood clone for security and another for monitoring, Yoichi felt confident in his plan.
"Dragon Vein Seal, Release!"
Using a release technique, Yoichi felt a massive surge of energy below the seal. This energy was so vast, even his Sage Mode couldn't fully sense it.
Fortunately, he had set up a barrier to conceal the activity. He had learned the necessary barrier and sealing techniques while spending time with Tsunade.
Given the Dragon Vein's immense energy, Yoichi didn't dare fully unseal it. He left a small crack to allow a steady flow of energy.
"Twenty wood clones aren't enough. I'll create more."
Deciding to increase his numbers, Yoichi produced fifty more wood clones. They positioned themselves and began absorbing the Dragon Vein's energy in phases, ensuring a steady transfer of gene energy.
Before starting, Yoichi's body was already strong. The gene energy made every cell in his body feel nourished.
Tasting the power from the Dragon Vein, Yoichi felt a desire for more, akin to satisfying a deep hunger.
As time passed, each wood clone eventually reached its limit, transferring chakra and gene energy back to Yoichi. The cycle continued for a month, even extending the [Research Assistant] ability.
"Reached a bottleneck. My training pace has slowed."
Yoichi felt his strength as he punched, creating ripples in the barrier without using his full power. His speed without chakra now rivaled the Body Flicker Technique, and his body had become incredibly durable.
"It's time to return. Training has slowed, and the Spirit Transformation Clone is ready. I need to create the clone entity."
Reluctant to leave the Dragon Vein, Yoichi knew its energy was too rich to leave untapped.
"Once I become Hokage, I'll plan to conquer the Land of Wind. Connecting Fire, River, and Wind Countries will turn the Dragon Vein into a training sanctuary for the Uchiha Clan."
Leaving Roran, he re-sealed the Dragon Vein, erasing all traces before heading back.
Having marked the coastline with the Flying Thunder God Technique, Yoichi teleported back, conserving chakra.
Upon reaching the shore, he spotted a group of ninjas in the distance.
"A considerable amount of chakra... from both Mist and Sand ninjas. The strongest is a woman—could it be Pakura?"
Using his Sharingan, Yoichi observed the group and identified the strongest ninja as Pakura, with a significant chakra reserve.
Deciding to follow them, Yoichi recalled Pakura's betrayal by the Sand Village, leading to her death at the hands of the Mist. A tragic fate similar to that of Hizashi.
"Why are we taking this route?" Pakura asked, puzzled as she followed the Mist ninjas into a canyon. It seemed unnecessary to her.
"It's a shortcut. For ninjas, these paths aren't difficult," replied the leading Mist ninja, his voice flat but with a hidden smirk.
'Fool. Betrayed by her own village. After killing so many of our ninjas, she'll die here.'
The Mist ninja thought to himself, continuing to lead Pakura into the ambush.
Once inside the trap, the two leading Mist ninjas vanished with Body Flicker, leaving Pakura bewildered.
She was on a peace mission, and the two villages had already ceased hostilities. She never expected to be betrayed.
Seeing the Mist ninjas surround her, Pakura realized something was wrong. Drawing a kunai, she demanded, "What are you doing? I'm a Sand envoy."
"Fool. You're the token of good faith from the Sand. Without your death, there's no peace agreement."
"What are you saying!?" Pakura shouted in disbelief. "You're lying. The Sand would never..."
"Believe it or not, you're dead today. Your death secures peace between the Sand and Mist."
The Mist ninjas attacked with a rain of kunai and shuriken, knowing Pakura's capabilities.
A master of the Scorch Release, known as the Scorch Release Pakura, she had formidable speed and jutsu. But surrounded by projectiles, with no Earth Release, her chances were slim.
Boom!
To the Mist ninjas' surprise, stone walls rose around Pakura, forming a sealed cube that deflected the onslaught.
(End of Chapter)
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"What's happening?"
The Mist ninjas were stunned by the sudden appearance of the earth-style jutsu. According to their intel, Pakura was known for her wind and fire chakra natures, not earth.
But now wasn't the time to ponder that. The unexpected earth-style jutsu had already disrupted their plans. The leading jōnin quickly ordered, "Use explosive tags!"
Water-style techniques wouldn't be very effective against the earth-style defense. Explosive tags were the best option.
The dozen or so Mist ninjas followed the order, pulling out kunai with explosive tags attached and throwing them at the stone walls surrounding Pakura.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In an instant, over two hundred explosive tags detonated, causing the entire canyon to shake as if the earth itself were trembling.
To ensure Pakura's death, the Mist ninjas hadn't skimped on the explosive tags, each using about seventy to eighty percent of their supply.
As the smoke cleared, the Mist ninjas saw only a ravaged crater, with no sign of Pakura.
"Captain, is Pakura dead?" one ninja asked.
"Check it, Aomizu," the captain ordered.
A sensing-type ninja named Aomizu closed his eyes and focused for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Captain, I can't sense Pakura's chakra."
Another Mist ninja suggested, "She must be dead then, right? With so many explosive tags, a simple stone wall couldn't have held up."
The Mist captain hesitated but finally said, "Search the area just in case she used earth-style to escape. Better safe than sorry."
Even as he said it, the captain doubted Pakura could have survived the blast by escaping underground; the explosion's intensity would have crushed her.
After a thorough search yielded no trace of Pakura, the Mist ninjas concluded their mission was complete and headed back to their village.
Meanwhile, several kilometers away from the explosion site, Pakura was on high alert, staring at the man who had saved her. Despite his help, she was wary of his intentions. "Who are you?"
"We haven't met before, but you've surely heard my name," Yoichi said, ignoring the kunai in Pakura's hand. Up close, few ninjas posed a threat to him.
"I'm Uchiha Yoichi, the Hokage Assistant of Konoha."
"Uchiha Yoichi, the Thunder Fang of Konoha!?" Pakura's eyes widened in shock. She instinctively tensed and took a few steps back.
"What are you doing here?"
"Is that how you treat your savior? Especially after being betrayed by your village and ambushed by the Mist?" Yoichi countered, then added, "I was heading to the Land of Tea for some business and stumbled upon this little drama. I decided to intervene."
Pakura's anger flared as she remembered her betrayal. Her vigilance against Yoichi wavered, replaced by rage at her village.
She had sacrificed so much for Suna, repelling numerous Mist ninja attacks and earning the title of Suna Hero, only to be betrayed and sent to her death.
"What will you do now?" Yoichi asked. "Become a rogue ninja or return to the village to face certain death?"
Pakura hesitated, torn. She wanted to confront her village but feared it was a decision made by all the high-ranking officials. Returning might only bring a more brutal fate.
Becoming a rogue ninja? That had never crossed her mind.
"If you can't decide, I can offer you a choice," Yoichi said, seeing her struggle. "I can give you power and an alliance. With this power, you can return and confront those who betrayed you. Then, you can ally with Konoha for mutual growth. Compared to Rasa, I trust you more. A betrayed Suna ninja will need Konoha's help."
Pakura eyed Yoichi warily. "You want to control me to influence Suna? Is that your plan?"
Before she could finish, she realized she was already under a genjutsu, her body immobilized.
"This is a binding genjutsu. I don't have time to argue with you. You'll see that trusting me was the right choice once you return to Suna."
Yoichi's Sharingan spun as he spoke. He approached Pakura, placing his hand on her neck and infusing her with Sage Chakra.
Given Pakura's strength, he didn't need to be gentle. The Sage Chakra infusion was intense and brutal.
"Ahhh!" Pakura screamed in pain, her chakra going haywire.
Yoichi implanted the same Sage Mark he had given Rin, capable of subtly influencing the user's will with Sage Chakra.
Pakura, being a kage-level ninja, could likely use the Sage Mark for at least half an hour. Additionally, the mark would cause physical changes.
Yoichi wouldn't give Pakura the luxury of time to adapt to Sage Chakra gradually.
After administering a Snake Heart Pill, Yoichi waited for Pakura to adapt to the Sage Mark.
After a while, Pakura's aura grew stronger, and her body underwent transformations. Her skin turned pale, her hair grey, and she sprouted a pair of wings.
The evolution of the Sage Mark was random, beyond even Yoichi's control. Out of the sixty Uchiha who mastered the Sage Mark, only one had grown wings.
With flight capabilities and Sage Chakra-enhanced Scorch Release, Pakura's power would increase significantly.
Breathing heavily, Pakura slowly adapted to the Sage Mark, feeling her enhanced strength, chakra, and senses.
"You bastard, how dare you—"
"That power is a gift from me. How dare you think of retaliating against the one who saved your life?" Yoichi's voice dripped with authority.
He watched Pakura writhe in pain for a while before easing the influence of the Sage Mark. "At least respect your savior. I won't use the mark to control you frequently. With this mark, you can choose to return for revenge or become a rogue ninja. If you decide to defect, you can seek refuge in Konoha."
With that, Yoichi turned and left.
Once he was gone, Pakura slowly stood, clutching her neck, her face still showing traces of anger. "That bastard, putting a cursed mark on me. I won't be controlled by you!"
As a Suna hero, Pakura understood Yoichi's intentions but had been powerless to resist.
"The Thunder Fang of Konoha, just as powerful as the legends say. His strength is on par with the First Hokage. One glance from his Sharingan, and I was under a genjutsu."
Pakura felt her physical changes. Though she looked more intimidating, her strength had indeed increased. She could sense an external energy merging with her own chakra through the cursed mark, creating a unique chakra blend.
"The wings allow me to fly. With some control, they can retract."
After some trial and error, Pakura managed to control the Sage Mark's power. She was a top-tier ninja in Suna, and it didn't take long for her to adapt.
After deactivating the Sage Mark, Pakura felt exhausted. "It seems the mark drains physical stamina. Overuse could be fatal."
Despite her determination not to rely on Yoichi's cursed mark, the thought of Suna's betrayal fueled her anger. She yearned to confront and possibly kill those responsible.
"Rasa, this must be your doing!"
...
"I hope Pakura proves useful."
Leaving the Land of Water, Yoichi continued to the Land of Tea. Before returning to the village, he planned to see Tsunade again.
Pakura would undoubtedly seek vengeance upon returning to Suna. While she appeared gentle, her rage knew no bounds.
During the Fourth Great Ninja War, when Kabuto reanimated Pakura, she showed no mercy to her village's ninjas and became a headache for Kabuto.
If Pakura could become the Kazekage, annexing the Land of Wind would be much easier for Konoha.
Yoichi's ambitions extended far, but they weren't impossible. Among the Five Great Nations, the Lands of Wind and Water seemed the easiest to annex.
Iwa and Kumo had strong foundations, either as military or economic powerhouses.
But these plans would have to wait until Yoichi became Hokage. Sakumo's tenure as the Fourth Hokage was to lay the groundwork and accumulate power. When Yoichi took over, it would be time for expansion and war.
Returning to Tsunade's location, Yoichi found her training Nawaki. She wouldn't change locations frequently.
The Land of Tea saw few ninjas and was remote, making it an ideal training ground for Nawaki. Tsunade planned to stay for an extended period.
"Idiot Nawaki, during a fight, you need to observe your surroundings and prioritize targets!" Tsunade's voice echoed.
Boom!
Tsunade's foot crashed down, creating a massive crack in the ground, sending Nawaki flying and rolling before he collapsed in exhaustion.
"Sis, I can't move anymore," Nawaki groaned.
Seeing his sister's intense training, he felt that facing her was scarier than being in the Pure Land.
But he had no choice; his recklessness had cost him his life years ago.
"If you can't move, take a break," said Yoichi, appearing beside Tsunade with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Seeing Yoichi, Tsunade's face brightened before she turned away. "Done with your business?"
"More or less. The Dragon Vein's energy is limitless. I'll need to visit it periodically," Yoichi replied before asking, "How's Nawaki's training?"
Despite being born long before Yoichi, Nawaki was now just a thirteen-year-old genin. It felt natural for Yoichi to act as his senpai and brother-in-law.
"Too slow. In this time, he's only mastered three of the Six Styles," Tsunade said, clenching her fist.
Yoichi countered, "Tsunade, you're too impatient. This isn't wartime. Nawaki isn't in immediate danger."
Seeing Tsunade about to retort, Yoichi added, "There are other ways to strengthen him, like inheriting your grandfather's Wood Release. With enhanced chakra and recovery, his training endurance will improve. The sacrificial body of the Edo Tensei is too weak. Even revived, Nawaki lacks the Senju constitution."
"Indeed. His chakra depletes quickly, and he tires fast," Tsunade admitted. Despite her resistance, she couldn't deny Yoichi's logic.
"Shizune, help Nawaki recover. Training's over for today."
Nawaki flashed Yoichi a grateful thumbs-up as Shizune healed him. Yoichi reciprocated with a reassuring gesture.
Taking Tsunade aside, Yoichi asked, "What's your plan now?"
"The village doesn't need me for anything urgent, so I'll stay with you for a while before returning," Yoichi replied.
Before he could continue, Tsunade covered his mouth in embarrassment. "Don't say it so loudly."
Tsunade still remembered Nawaki's teasing looks. It had taken a month of rigorous training to reestablish her authority as his sister.
"I've developed a new ninjutsu that suits you," Yoichi said, showing her his hand. He activated the improved Armament Haki, turning his hand jet-black.
"It's an A-rank ninjutsu I created, Armament Haki. It hardens your skin, making it extremely tough. With enough proficiency, you could withstand A-rank or even S-rank Wind Release jutsu. But reaching that level requires deep mastery."
He demonstrated by stabbing a kunai into his hand. The blade snapped against his hardened skin.
"Such strong defense?"
Tsunade examined his hand, tapping it to hear a metallic clang.
"It's very suitable for my combat style," she acknowledged.
Though hesitant to accept Yoichi's gift, fearing he'd demand something in return, Tsunade couldn't deny its benefits.
Seeing his smile, Tsunade couldn't help but ruffle his hair in mock frustration.
Tsunade: "Little rascal, always trying to take advantage."
Yoichi: "But you like it."
Tsunade: "Hmph. Let's see what other tricks you have."
Yoichi grinned, confident in his strategy. He was already planning his next move in their intricate game.
(End of Chapter)
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