In this strange and turbulent atmosphere, Hikaru Uchiha was soaking in a hot spring with several girls in the Land of Hot Water.
The country's name was no exaggeration—it was famed for its hot springs, making it a well-known leisure destination in the ninja world and drawing in countless visitors.
However, even in this land of peace and tourism, Hikaru and his group encountered something that clashed starkly with the soothing atmosphere—cultists.
These fanatics delighted in slaughter and had thoroughly disrupted the tranquility of the Land of Hot Water.
For Hikaru, it was just one more problem to solve along the way.
As usual, he remained on standby while the girls took care of the cultists.
But this time, something went wrong—Tsunade made a mistake.
Over the past three years, her strength had grown rapidly, perhaps making her a little overconfident.
In a moment of carelessness, a cultist managed to nick her with a small cut.
Seizing the chance, the cultist launched a devious attack using her blood, inflicting a surprising amount of damage.
Fortunately, Tsunade's recent progress was nothing short of astonishing. Even her regeneration now rivaled Hashirama's—getting stabbed in the heart was basically a minor injury at this point.
Soon after, the enraged Tsunade turned the attackers into fertilizer.
With the matter settled, Hikaru originally planned to head back to Konoha.
After all, he'd already traveled through most of the ninja world—there was no need to keep wandering.
Besides, Mito Uzumaki had already issued her final warning.
Even if he refused to return, she'd just use a Transformation Technique to install him as Hokage herself.
However, just as Hikaru was preparing to return, the girls made a request—to rest in the Land of Hot Water for a few days.
Their reason was simple: Tsunade had been injured and needed time to recover.
Although Hikaru didn't quite understand their insistence, he still respected their decision.
When the girls heard that he agreed to stay a few more days, they erupted in cheers, as if they'd received incredible news.
They gathered off to the side, whispering excitedly, their voices too low to be heard.
Hikaru scratched his head, a hint of confusion on his face.
He felt something was... off about the girls lately, though he couldn't put his finger on exactly what.
The feeling of being kept in the dark irked him, so he decided to go soak alone and enjoy some peace.
Meanwhile, after their whispered discussion, the girls all slipped away together.
They seemed to be plotting something—but failed to notice that the "Chiri" who left with them was merely a Shadow Clone.
Left alone, Hikaru made his way to the hot spring. Night had fallen, and a full moon hung high in the sky, casting silver light over the tranquil scene.
He disrobed and stepped into the water.
Warm currents wrapped around him, washing away the fatigue and tension of recent days.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, letting the spring's heat seep into him, loosening every taut muscle.
The surroundings were quiet, save for the distant chirping of insects and the soft rustle of leaves—a subtle harmony that enriched the peaceful night.
Hikaru let his thoughts drift with the ripples in the water.
Memories of recent events played across his mind—the battle with the cultists, Tsunade's injury, the girls' odd behavior. Everything flickered by like scenes in a film.
He tried to piece together their motivations, to understand why they were acting so strangely.
But his thoughts were like the ripples in the spring—spreading, then settling, leaving no clear answers.
He sighed softly and shook his head. 'Girls really are impossible to understand.'
Turning his attention inward, he opened up the Idle Training System. After three years, his abilities had evolved again.
[Host: Hikaru Uchiha]
Skills:
Six-Tomoe Rinne Sharingan (Gold) Lv. 8
Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Gold) Lv. 8
Spatial Control (Gold) Lv. 8
Nuclear Release (Gold) Lv. 8
Sealing Formation (Gold) Lv. 8
Alchemy (Gold) Lv. 8
Idle Slots:
Six-Tomoe Rinne Sharingan (Gold) Lv. 8
Ōtsutsuki Bloodline (Gold) Lv. 8
Spatial Control (Gold) Lv. 8
Nuclear Release (Gold) Lv. 8
Sealing Formation (Gold) Lv. 8
Alchemy (Gold) Lv. 8
Combat Power:
(The Throne of Heaven is no longer vacant. From this moment forth, I stand at the peak!)
[Below Kage: Expand All]
3,000+ = Super Kage-level
— = Six Paths-level
— = Ōtsutsuki Ten-Tails Jinchūriki
200,000–1,000,000 = Ōtsutsuki God
(Unlock more power tiers to learn additional classifications)
Current World: Naruto
Story Divergence: Completely Overhauled (+100% Idle Speed)
Current Mission:
Breakthrough to First Color-Rank Skill
Reward:
Gate to Another World Unlocked
System Tips:
Current Idle Slots: 6
Host's combat power threshold met—Mission Log unlocked
Unifying the current world accelerates idle speed
Turning the current world into a Sacred Timeline further boosts idle speed
Hikaru stared at the system messages, deep in thought.
He could still grasp Tip 3—it was basically a Qin Shi Huang-style conquest—but Tip 4 left him baffled.
Still, he didn't dwell on it too long.
After all, his life force had already reached a realm most could only dream of. Even if he wasn't truly immortal, he could live for tens of thousands of years.
Given enough time, he believed he would naturally comprehend the true meaning behind Tip 4.
With that thought, he let his mind go blank, soaking in the spring and embracing the silence.
He didn't know how long had passed, but eventually, Hikaru felt his entire body loosen. The spring's warmth had seeped deep into his skin, washing away all his worries.
He took a long breath and began to rise from the water—
Just then, the wooden door behind him slid open with a faint sound.
Hikaru instantly picked up on it, instinctively sinking back into the water.
A flicker of suspicion passed through his mind.
This was his private bath—no one should have entered.
"Hikaru-kun, are you in there?"
A familiar voice broke the silence—it was Chiri.
The sudden sound cleared his doubts.
Hikaru steadied himself and answered, "Yeah, I'm here, Chiri."
The door opened, and Chiri stepped in.
She wore a light kimono, her hair damp from a recent bath.
When she saw Hikaru, she smiled, then looked down shyly.
That sight made Hikaru's heart skip a beat… as if he finally understood something.