"Tsk tsk tsk... What a failure."
"Sixty-nine against seven, a tenfold advantage, and yet not a single one was killed."
"So weak..."
In a hidden corner of the shinobi world,
the figure of Zetsu emerged from the ground, ending the Floating Technique as he returned to Obito's hideout.
"Indeed," Black Zetsu's sinister voice echoed.
"While the goal wasn't to kill them, this performance is downright embarrassing."
As he spoke, Zetsu turned his gaze toward Obito.
"Obito, it seems Kumogakure has truly withdrawn its forces."
"This generation's Raikage isn't as hot-tempered as he appears..."
The brutal battle that had unfolded in the forest
felt more like a scripted play in this dark hideout.
Both sides performed their roles, while the mastermind behind the scenes watched with amusement.
Yet, the script clearly hadn't followed the intended path...
Those who were supposed to die, lived.
The war that should have erupted, fizzled out.
Obito sat on the ground, his face hidden behind a mask, only his cold, crimson eye visible.
"Consider it a lesson for them," Obito said coldly.
"A single deceitful transaction may not mean much, but gradually exposing Konoha's hypocrisy and darkness..."
"It's enough."
It's enough.
No matter how many Kirigakure shinobi died, it wasn't worth mourning.
Pawns under the control of another pawn...
Kirigakure was little more than cannon fodder.
Black Zetsu stared at Obito, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
Enough?
How could it be...
If the goal was to unleash Konoha's darkness, then the Kirigakure forces sent to the battlefield couldn't have been limited to just a few jōnin.
Leaving aside the others,
the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki alone couldn't have been dealt with by such meager forces.
Their true objective was to push Kumogakure and Konoha into an all-out war!
The Eight-Tails Jinchūriki didn't need to die—even a minor injury would suffice.
But those two Kumogakure elites, along with everyone except Itachi Uchiha...
They were all supposed to die!
Without enough hatred, how could the two sides fight to the death?!
And the most laughable part?
The Kirigakure forces sent to the battlefield didn't even bother with basic disguises.
They marched in openly and fled in disgrace...
A meticulously planned ambush had been reduced to child's play.
A flash of malice flickered in Black Zetsu's eyes.
Obito knew what needed to be done...
But now,
as this pawn began to waver,
developing thoughts of his own...
This was a mistake.
It needed to be corrected.
"So, what do we do next?"
"Konoha has gained a windfall of funds for no reason. They'll probably remain stable for a while longer."
No questions, no accusations.
Black Zetsu continued to play his role—the pawn of a pawn.
"Stable?"
Obito let out a cold laugh, his eyes filled with mockery.
"It's far from over..."
Konoha
After handing over a massive stack of cash to the Third Hokage, Kakashi stayed behind to report, while Qingchuan rushed straight home.
The reason was simple.
The system's settlement had arrived...
The Fourth Raikage, who had inexplicably lost most of his village's savings, ordered a full retreat after his brother returned to the front lines.
At the same time, Qingchuan's advanced mission was declared complete.
[Host: Haruko Uchiha. Current World: Naruto World.]
[Current Mission: Survive the Uchiha Clan Massacre.]
[Side Mission: Master Bankai and awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan. Completion: 33.9%]
[Innate Buff: When wearing female attire, training efficiency +200%, and all male characteristics are concealed.]
[Innate Buff: When smiling, recovery speed +350%.]
[Innate Buff: Healing effects +250%.]
[Pending Reward: Shinigami Robe. Can be fused with any Innate Buff, granting additional rewards upon fusion.]
Sitting on his bed at home,
Qingchuan stared at the system interface, deep in thought.
This time, aside from buff enhancements, there were no direct proficiency gains.
Instead, he had acquired a true physical cheat—the Shinigami Robe.
It wasn't a huge win, but it wasn't a loss either...
The Shinigami Robe, the uniform of a Soul Reaper, varied slightly from person to person but generally lacked distinct differences.
The one in his hands... was no exception.
But its functions were clearly more versatile...
The ability to fuse buffs was particularly intriguing.
Qingchuan silently confirmed the system's reward and fused it with the most crucial buff for him at the moment—the female attire training boost.
In the next instant,
spiritual energy surged, and a loose, black samurai-style Shinigami Robe materialized on Qingchuan's body.
The system interface updated accordingly...
[Innate Buff: Shinigami Robe. Conceals all male characteristics. Training efficiency +200%.]
[Innate Buff: When wearing female attire, training efficiency +200%, and all male characteristics are concealed.]
...
Two nearly identical training buffs, and they could stack.
This made Qingchuan raise an eyebrow in surprise.
He glanced at the mirror.
Reflected in it was a delicate-looking girl... or rather, boy, now with a touch more vigor.
But those damned soft facial contours and the completely concealed Adam's apple...
Made it impossible to tell he was male!
Qingchuan wasn't sure whether to feel disappointed or pleased...
The Shinigami Robe, fused with the female attire training buff, retained its traditional, solemn appearance.
But the skirt that had been integrated still made its presence known...
That waist was ridiculously slender!
"Well, it's just a matter of a few years anyway."
After another glance at his reflection, Qingchuan sighed, his gaze gradually hardening.
Admittedly,
there were no direct proficiency gains this time.
But the quadrupled training multiplier was terrifying enough!
Calculating the timeline,
the countdown to the Uchiha Clan Massacre, under normal circumstances, was still four years away.
Although Itachi's growth had accelerated significantly, he still needed time to reach the level required for the massacre.
So, it all came down to a battle of effort...
With a flick of his hair,
Qingchuan strode into the courtyard, eagerly unsheathing Senbonzakura.
He began slashing at the air with relentless precision!
Every movement was meticulous, his focus unshakable.
Qingchuan pushed himself to the limit, training well into the night!
Anko didn't return home tonight.
And when Qingchuan had exhausted every ounce of his strength, collapsing onto the ground, panting heavily...
The unprecedented training gains nearly made him jump up for another round!
"A fourfold increase..."
This feels amazing!
Lying on the ground, Qingchuan stared at the proficiency gains that would normally take an entire day to achieve.
The word "satisfaction" didn't even begin to cover it!
At this rate,
even if, by the night of the massacre, Obito teamed up with Itachi...
He, Uchiha Qingchuan!
Would cut them down all the same!
To reach that goal, it seemed a long-term training plan was in order...
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