"Thud!"
The heavy stone lock hit the ground. Qingshui wiped the sweat from his brow with a towel hanging on a bamboo pole nearby.
"Second Brother, I know you want to go to police academy, but can you please be a little quieter? I'm trying to study for my literature exam!"
A small boy with glasses leaned out of the second-story window, which had just been opened, and shouted at Qingshui.
This was the younger brother of his current body, Uesugi Itta.
"Alright, alright, I get it!"
Qingshui, shirtless, waved his hand at Uesugi Itta.
Actually, with the Uesugi family's connections, all it would take was a letter from his eldest uncle, and his name would be on next year's police academy admissions list. During the Meiji Restoration, Japan had already established a higher education system while thoroughly adopting Western systems.
Qingshui's current goal was to strengthen this body to extract more Chakra. By combining ninja methods with the Uesugi family's connections, he aimed to rise high within the police system, then break through it to control the country.
At that point, the amount of fortune he could acquire would be immeasurable.
However, a political path was not easy, even with family help.
The incarnation in the Gotham World only needed to lead gangs in fights to expand territory. The new Qingshui had much more to consider.
"Phew…"
Qingshui walked into the living room, picked up the teapot from the table, and gulped down its contents.
This body had a good foundation. Although it couldn't compare to humans in the Ninja World, who had 130 trillion cells, it was still strong and healthy.
After accumulating Chakra for a while, he now had a sufficient amount to use some basic Chakra techniques.
"Second Brother, shouldn't you be cooking?"
Uesugi Itta came down the stairs and asked Qingshui.
"Where's the cook?"
Qingshui wiped his mouth.
The Uesugi family certainly had the financial means to employ a cook.
"She asked Father for leave this morning. She said someone in her family died yesterday and she had to go home for the funeral. Eldest Brother has been out on business for several days and hasn't come back, and Father won't be back until very late from work. I don't know how to cook, so…"
Uesugi Itta shrugged.
"Then why would you think I, who messes around all day, would know how to cook?"
Qingshui sighed.
There was nothing for it; he'd have to do it himself.
The Qingshuis in the other two worlds could cook, but only to a passable, not-terrible standard.
There was no refrigerator, but the kitchen still had some ingredients, enough for dinner tonight.
By the time the meal was ready, dusk had begun to fall.
"This tastes awful…"
Accustomed to the delicious food prepared by the cook, Uesugi Itta clearly wasn't used to Qingshui's "pig slop."
A rustling sound came from outside the door. Uesugi Shin, looking tired, entered the room. Without a word, he plopped down onto the tatami mat and picked up a chopstick full of food.
After just one bite, Uesugi Shin put his chopsticks down.
Qingshui: …
Was it really that bad?
"Sigh…"
Uesugi Shin sighed, pressing his palms to his knees, tilting his head, and looking utterly dejected.
"Father, what is it…?"
Uesugi Itta asked cautiously.
"Your older brother… he's missing. In Fukui Village."
"Isn't that Aunt Keiko's home? Aunt Keiko said she was going home for a funeral this morning…"
"That's what worries me most!"
Uesugi Shin sighed again.
"Keiko's entire family died two days ago. They weren't discovered until yesterday evening. Only Keiko, because she works as our cook, escaped. When they were found, it was because the blood from their house was flowing out the front door."
"It's a murder case?"
Qingshui asked.
If such a murder case occurred under his jurisdiction and wasn't handled promptly, it would undoubtedly have some impact on Uesugi Shin's career.
"No, I'm worried it's something more troublesome. I've already had the police station request more professional personnel from the Shiga police headquarters to handle it."
"Then Big Brother…?"
"Last night, he was in Fukui Village, buying mountain goods from a local hunter. Keiko was also called back by a letter he had someone deliver overnight. And now… this morning, he and that hunter, they're missing!"
Uesugi Shin struggled to maintain a calm expression in front of his two sons, but his trembling voice and shaking hands betrayed his inner turmoil.
Qingshui placed a hand on the middle-aged man's shoulder, wanting to say something, but found himself speechless.
His current body was primarily controlled by his original consciousness; while the original body's emotional memories certainly had some influence, it wasn't a profound one.
Uesugi Shin took a deep breath, wiped his reddened eyes, and was about to speak when an urgent knocking sound came from outside the room.
The knocking was very insistent.
"Maybe it's big brother back!"
Uesugi Itta, having finished his meal, smiled and comforted his father before going to open the door.
"Ah—!!!"
A scream erupted instantly.
Uesugi Itta was pinned down by a grotesque figure with a single horn on its head, its fanged mouth biting directly into Uesugi Itta's shoulder.
Qingshui's expression flickered into a daze.
Because the monster's face was none other than his and Itta's older brother, Uesugi Shirakawa!
Uesugi Shin stood frozen in place, watching the scene in disbelief.
But Qingshui had already reacted, channeling Chakra into his legs and kicking out towards Uesugi Shirakawa.
"Urgh! Blood! Meat! I want more! My good brother, you're so strong, your meat must be chewy! And Itta, a child like you, your meat is so tender!"
After being kicked away, Uesugi Shirakawa lunged menacingly towards Qingshui, roaring in a hoarse voice.
With his face covered in blood, he looked like a demon.
Or rather, he was already a demon.
Qingshui dodged left and right, evading the incoming claws. He tried to grab Uesugi Shirakawa's arm with his right hand, but the latter reacted quickly, sweeping his elbow to push Qingshui away, then lunging forward again.
This strength, this speed, was no longer something a normal human could possess.
Qingshui maintained his composure and responded calmly.
This body was young and strong, full of vitality, but having only recently begun cultivating Chakra, it likely couldn't sustain a long battle.
Fortunately, the opponent's current mental state was clearly abnormally frenzied. After a few probing moves, he could adapt to the situation and formulate a suitable battle plan.
Uesugi Shin stared dumbfounded at his eldest son fighting his second son, until he was roused by his youngest son's cries.
"Itta! Go hide upstairs!"
After sending Itta upstairs, Uesugi Shin glanced around, then picked up a bowl from the table and threw it.
The sound of shattering porcelain rang out, accompanied by Qingshui's startled shout:
"Holy crap, Dad, can you aim better? You almost hit my head!"
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