The next day, early in the morning.
In the restaurant, everyone's eyes unconsciously drifted toward Terumi Mei's empty seat.
They waited for quite a while, but the owner of the seat never appeared. A faint sense of puzzlement spread among them.
"It's strange… does she usually sleep this late too?"
Uzuki Yugao tilted her head slightly, frowning in surprise.
"Maybe she's not feeling well," Uzumaki Chihori suggested softly, her tone tinged with concern.
"Should I go check on her?"
Just then
Da-da-da…
The sound of footsteps echoed across the hall, and the figure of Terumi Mei finally appeared, walking in with a calm, unhurried grace.
"Sorry for being late," Mei said gently, pulling out a chair before settling into her seat.
Her smile was soft, carrying a mature allure that immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Huh?"
Yugao's brows furrowed. Something felt… off.
As Mei sat down, several pairs of eyes instinctively turned toward her.
"Wh-what is it? Why are you all staring at me?" Mei blinked, lowering her gaze to her clothes as if searching for something amiss.
"I don't know…" Yugao's sharp eyes scanned her up and down. "But you look… different today."
"Hehe… do I?" Mei gave an awkward little laugh, shifting slightly under the scrutiny.
"Is it just me…?" Yugao murmured, narrowing her eyes. "But I feel like you're glowing. Radiant. Almost too beautiful today."
Pakura, sitting across from Mei, quietly observed the subtle shift in her aura.
The woman she saw today radiated more than just beauty...there was a new softness, a quiet maturity, something unmistakable.
Her amber eyes flickered first toward Chihori, then back at Mei.
A knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
Meanwhile, Chihori herself had already noticed it the moment Mei walked in. Though she said nothing, her expression betrayed clear understanding, and she smiled faintly to herself.
When she caught Pakura's gaze, the two exchanged a silent look of recognition.
Then, almost at the same moment, both turned their eyes back to Yugao who still wore a puzzled frown, watching her with a mix of amusement and quiet pity.
"Huh?"
Feeling the stares from Pakura and Chihori, Yugao grew uneasy. A faint shiver ran through her, her expression shifting into mild confusion.
"What kind of looks are those? Do I… have something on my face?" she asked, tilting her head with a puzzled frown.
"No, nothing at all."
The two girls exchanged glances, trying their best not to laugh. To them, Yugao looked like a poor little kitten, completely clueless that something important had been "stolen" right from under her nose.
"Whatever," Yugao muttered under her breath, though the uneasy atmosphere gnawed at her.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something about the table today was off.
And so, breakfast ended in that strange and subtle tension.
Later that afternoon, at the training grounds
"Bang!"
Pakura crossed her arms in front of herself, but even so, Terumi Mei's whip kick blasted her off her feet.
She shot backwards through the air, skidding across the ground before finally digging in her heels to stop her momentum.
"…Something's wrong."
Pakura stared at Mei in surprise.
She could feel it clearly, Terumi's strength had skyrocketed. Her movements were better, her reactions faster, her chakra control more refined.
In just a single night, her entire presence had changed.
Pakura's amber eyes narrowed. "Wait a second… don't tell me you actually got stronger from… that kind of thing?"
Her voice wavered, her face twisting into an odd expression. How else could she explain this sudden leap in ability?
"Hm…"
Mei's cheeks flushed faintly. She brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and offered a small, confident smile.
"That's right, Pakura-san. Your guess is correct."
"…Huh?"
Pakura froze, her eyes going wide. She had expected denial, maybe even indignation but Mei admitted it openly, almost too casually.
"Really? That kind of thing… and it actually has this effect?" Pakura's tone was filled with disbelief.
"You're not joking with me, are you?"
Mei's lips curled into a gentle, knowing smile.
"Hehe… Pakura-san, have you ever seen any other training method as miraculous as the one he created?"
"That's not true… this kind of training method only exists because of him."
Pakura's voice trailed off. Suddenly, a realization struck her. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait… don't tell me… is this his original method?"
"That's right~."
Terumi Mei nodded with a playful smile.
"This… seriously?"
Pakura stared at Mei, suspicion written all over her face. Her worldview was trembling on its foundation.
"Seriously."
Mei nodded again, looking at Pakura's dumbfounded expression with obvious delight. A meaningful smile curled across her lips.
"This…"
Pakura's mind short-circuited. Her worldview had officially collapsed.
He actually created a way to train with that kind of thing?
Pakura's cheeks heated as she muttered internally. This Mr. Madara… he's way too improper!
Night fell.
Outside the room, Obito stood quietly on the balcony, his gaze fixed on the faint glow of a geothermal generator in the distance.
The technology was advancing fast, geothermal plants spread wider with each passing month.
Resources were becoming plentiful, and the expansion across the Land of Snow was accelerating.
Once they're fully laid across the country… that will be the turning point.
When that day came, the Land of Snow would no longer live up to its name. It would transform into the Land of Spring.
A rare flicker of anticipation warmed Obito's heart.
"Mmm…"
The soft fragrance of fresh soap drifted into the cold air. Warmth pressed against his back as a pair of slender arms wrapped gently around his waist.
"Today… I was almost discovered by Yugao," Terumi Mei whispered. Her damp hair clung to her skin, her voice still carrying the sweetness of a recent shower.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes narrowing in mischievous complaint.
"If she found out, so what? I never planned to hide it," Obito replied, his tone calm, almost amused.
"No… I want to hide it from her." Mei's cheeks flushed, but her lips curved with a guilty smile.
"I just enjoy watching her clueless little face… not knowing a thing."
The thought alone made her heart race. There was something wickedly thrilling about it... fooling her friend while indulging in the forbidden with her crush.
Terumi's lips curved into a wicked smile.
"Pakura-san and Chihori-san noticed it, you know," she murmured softly.
"And Pakura even guessed that my sudden strength was because of you… so I told her the secret method."
"Uh…"
Obito blinked, caught off guard. His face twisted into a strange expression.
"…Are you trying to drag her into the water too?" he asked dryly.
The idea of a woman helping her own man find another woman was absurd enough to make him laugh. Not that he minded, of course in fact, he found it almost amusing.
"What, can't I?" Mei's voice was teasing, but her eyes gleamed with a deeper light.
"Your plan needs helpers, doesn't it? The stronger Pakura-san becomes, the better. And besides… you'll grow stronger yourself, won't you?"
Her smile was generous on the surface, but her gaze held something sharper.
After learning that secret method last night, Mei had begun to piece things together.
When he had first taught them the so-called Sage Art training before, she had sensed it...his intentions weren't simple.
None of them Yugao, Pakura, or herself could truly escape. Sooner or later, they would all be devoured by him.
If that's the case… then it's better to accept it, and use it for my own sake not to mention she loved being with him too.
A glint flashed in her turquoise eyes.
"That's right."
Obito stared at her for a long moment, genuinely stunned. He hadn't expected her to be this forward, this pragmatic.
Is there really such a good woman in the world?
A slow grin spread across his face. He turned sharply, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her back inside without hesitation.
"Mei… I want you to help me with umm... training!"
"Huh? Wait—"
"Don't wait."
"Mmm… ahhh~"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
---
In this way, Obito spent a month without shame or hesitation.
—
On this day, within the Land of Water, near the Village Hidden in the Mist.
Obito, wearing his mask, stood silently atop a mountainside. Below him, the mists rolled and the clash of blades echoed. Mist-nin were slaughtering each other in a haze of blood and fog.
The corners of his mouth curved faintly.
The Kaguya clan… they've finally gone mad enough to turn the tide.
His gaze narrowed, locking onto a small figure cutting a path through the chaos. Despite his youth, the boy's ferocity was undeniable.
Kaguya Kimimaro.
Obito's Sharingan glimmered with appreciation.
In the original history, that boy had accomplished feats beyond his years: following Orochimaru to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage, dragging his dying body into battle with Gaara, nearly breaking both father and son in combat despite his illness.
And above all, he had been utterly loyal, serving Orochimaru to the very end without hesitation.
Such resolve. Such talent. I want him.
Obito's thoughts turned and he made a decision.
But first…
He tilted his head, his gaze drifting toward another presence in the distance.
Before I take him, I need to remove the snake. Can't let him steal my prize.
With that decision, space twisted around him, and his figure vanished from the cliffside.
—
Elsewhere, not far from Kirigakure, a cold figure stood watching the battlefield from the shadows.
"Originally, I only came to gather material from the Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku…" the figure hissed, his tongue flicking across his lips.
"But I didn't expect to stumble upon such a delightful surprise."
Golden eyes glinted with excitement as he stared at the boy tearing through his enemies.
Kaguya Kimimaro.
The long tongue slid out further, licking hungrily as Orochimaru smiled with dark anticipation.
"This boy… a gift beyond expectation."
But then...
"Oh? How can you be so sure it's a gain… and not a burden?"
The mocking voice slipped into his ear like a slap in the dark.
Orochimaru's smile froze. He spun around instantly, his body tense.
There, in the mist, a distorted figure solidified.
"…Oh. So it's you… Mr. Madara."
------
A/N: For the Locked Chapters, go full Ultra Plus!
300 Power Stones = 1 R-18 chapter.
This round: 900 Stones = 3 R-18 drops!
⚠️ 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙮: 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝘿𝙍𝙊𝙋 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙎 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀.
𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝘼𝙘𝙚'𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩—💥🍩
All Stones go to 👉 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙤: 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙡
Stack them up… and the pounding begins~