"Is…is that so?"
Tsuruki looked innocent. "Thank you, old man!"
"No need to thank me. I saved you, but it wasn't without a price."
Uchiha Madara continued, his eyes fixed on Tsuruki's eyes.
He narrowed his eyes, noticing the immense Chakra concentrated within the child's eyes.
Was it an unknown Dojutsu he wasn't aware of?
It seemed bringing him back with White Zetsu was the correct choice.
"Do you need me to do something?"
Uchiha Madara, that old schemer, only knows how to deceive naive youngsters all day!
Tsuruki grumbled internally, but smiled at Uchiha Madara.
"Your parents and relatives are all dead, aren't they?"
Uchiha Madara had lived for a long time, and he understood the current Ninja World War.
First, adults went to the battlefield, and when there was a severe shortage of troops, children were sent to the battlefield.
This child in front of him, his parents must have already died on the battlefield, which is why he followed them to war.
Looking at his age, he couldn't be ten yet!
The cruelty was no less than during the Sengoku period!
So!
People can never achieve peace in reality.
"Yes…"
Tsuruki seemed to have been hit where it hurt. His face instantly clouded over, and tears welled up in his eyes.
Watching his tears come so easily, the Charmer Strategy System confirmed it had made a correct choice.
Acting is always the primary productivity for a strategy system host!
"Have you seen the current world clearly?"
Uchiha Madara asked.
No!
Tsuruki paused. Why did it suddenly escalate to a philosophical question?
He grumbled internally, but a perfectly timed look of bewilderment appeared on his face. "See…reality clearly?"
Uchiha Madara saw his expression and knew he could proceed to the next step.
"Not everything in this world will go as you wish. The longer you live, the more you will realize that reality is only filled with helplessness, pain, and emptiness."
Uchiha Madara leaned on his cane, speaking a series of philosophical topics.
The more Tsuruki listened, the more familiar it sounded, the more familiar it sounded…
Finally!
Tsuruki remembered.
Damn it!
Wasn't this what Uchiha Madara said to trick Uchiha Obito in the anime?
Good heavens!
Uchiha Madara was treating him like that fool, Uchiha Obito!
"Listen closely, where there is light in the world, there must be shadow. As long as there is the concept of a victor, there must also be a loser. It is this selfish desire to maintain peace that incites war."
"It is precisely because one wants to protect love that hatred is born."
"They exist in a cause-and-effect relationship and cannot be separated."
Uchiha Madara kept lecturing him with his philosophy.
Although Tsuruki was angry, he still nodded from time to time.
Aside from the old man's sinister intentions, his words were somewhat reasonable, like a philosophical master.
"It is precisely because you were injured that you were saved."
This sentence was a bit like nonsense.
It lacked the profound meaning of the previous sentences.
Tsuruki commented internally.
Uchiha Madara's blood-red Sharingan stared intently at Tsuruki. "Reality is hell!"
"I want to sever the causality of this world!"
"A world with only victors, a world with only peace!"
"A world with only love!"
"I want to create such a world!"
His tone was no longer monotonous.
Tsuruki clearly saw Uchiha Madara's pupils widen slightly, and the hand gripping his cane tightened.
Uchiha Madara was very excited.
"Then what…can I do?"
Tsuruki looked up blankly, his eyes filled with confusion.
Uchiha Madara clearly didn't expect Tsuruki to be so compliant. He paused, then his dry, tree-bark-like hand pressed on Tsuruki's shoulder.
"You can do a lot."
So he still didn't say what he wanted him, this naive youngster, to do by kidnapping him here!
Tsuruki was speechless.
"I…I also want to create a world of peace, without war…without bloodshed…without separation…with a mom and dad…"
Tsuruki clenched his small fists, tears streaming down his small face.
His eyes were filled with determination and stubbornness.
Uchiha Madara watched, smiling with satisfaction.
"Yes, let's create such a world together!"
"Okay! What do you need me to do! I will definitely do it!"
Tsuruki slowly lowered his head, murmuring, "As long as…I can create a world full of love…I can give up everything!"
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host.]
[Favorability with target: Uchiha Madara has reached 60!]
Tsuruki was stunned. When did he choose to target Uchiha Madara?
"System automatic selection."
The voice in his mind sounded.
Tsuruki didn't expect such a good thing and almost couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Uchiha Madara looked at the child with satisfaction.
He originally thought the other party was just an ordinary child, but he didn't expect him to have such a high level of ideological awareness!
He was too satisfied.
From the other party's Chakra volume and eyes, he should possess extraordinary potential. He would become his successor left in the human world after his death.
To do things he couldn't do.
Uchiha Madara's hand gently pressed on his head. "For now, you don't need to do anything! Just take care of your body and improve your strength. I still have many things to entrust to you later!"
Tsuruki forcibly suppressed the urge to curl his lips, looking at Uchiha Madara with determination. "Don't worry! I will definitely cultivate well!"
Uchiha Madara nodded, turned and left, slowly disappearing into the darkness.
[System automatically assigned skill has arrived. Host, would you like to check it?]
[Yes] [No]
Tsuruki decisively pressed Yes.
[Ice-Ice Fruit]
[Skill Introduction: A Devil Fruit from the Japanese manga One Piece and its derivative works. It is a Logia-type Devil Fruit, and its user is Kuzan.]
[Consumption Effect: The user's body can turn into ice and generate freezing air, making physical attacks, most energy attacks, and non-Haki attacks ineffective against them. Can generate ice through the body and also turn objects touched into ice.]
[Fruit Techniques: Freeze (Unlocked), Ice Blade (Unlocked), Time Freezing Capsule (Locked), Ice Path (Locked), Ice Ball (Locked), Ice Time (Locked), Two-Spiked Spear (Locked), Ice Block Pheasant Beak (Locked), Ice Age (Locked)]
Seeing the Ice-Ice Fruit, Tsuruki almost jumped up.
Although it wasn't the strongest, one must learn to be content!
"Do I need to train the locked techniques myself?"
Tsuruki looked at the three words "Locked" and felt a pang in his heart.
It was like having a mountain of gold, silver, and jewels right in front of him, but he just couldn't move it!
It was too frustrating!
"Yes, this is a skill limitation for 60 favorability."
The system explained.
A fruit that looked like a pineapple and was covered in patterns suddenly dropped at Tsuruki's feet.
Tsuruki: "…"
Can you aim better next time?
Picking up the Ice-Ice Fruit, Tsuruki examined it for a long time, then asked the crucial question: "How do I eat this?"
"Host, please explore on your own."
Explore my ass!
How was he supposed to explore this?
After three seconds of hesitation, Tsuruki directly bit into it.
"Ugh…"
Tsuruki took a bite and gagged.
He took another bite.
"Ugh…"
He took yet another bite.
"Ugh…"
Like this, Tsuruki gnawed and gagged, finally finishing the Ice-Ice Fruit.
"It was so hard to eat!"
Tsuruki was expressionless, as if his soul had been severely traumatized.
After calming down the illusion that he had eaten shit, Tsuruki decided to try the skill he had acquired.
He raised his hand, and his body automatically began to circulate a warm, comfortable energy.
A strange barrier appeared in his hand.
He tried to poke his finger, which was in a Limitless Void state, towards the bed. Although the distance got closer and closer, he could never truly touch the bed.
The inexperienced Tsuruki was full of surprise, and only after trying all ten fingers did he retract his hand, amazed.
"What are you doing?"
White Zetsu suddenly popped its head out of the ground.
Tsuruki was startled, and when he reacted, his face couldn't help but darken.
Why was White Zetsu's appearance so creepy?
"Who are you?"
Tsuruki maintained his persona of a confused child.
White Zetsu scratched the clump of grass on its head. "Me? I'm…"
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, Host.]
[Favorability with target: Tobi has reached 60!]
In an instant.
Tsuruki dropped his dark expression, and the way he looked at White Zetsu changed.
This was a living Bodhisattva!
The initial favorability was 60!
"…You can call me Tobi."
White Zetsu didn't notice Tsuruki's absentmindedness and continued to speak to itself.
"Okay! Tobi!"
Tsuruki's eyes glowed green. "Let's create a beautiful new world together!"
Tobi was stunned, thinking of Uchiha Madara.
He nodded foolishly. "Okay…okay!"
[Tobi favorability 70.]
Just like that, White Zetsu Tobi gained ten points of favorability so easily.
What kind of silly child was this?
Tsuruki's gaze towards White Tobi grew softer. He patted Tobi's shoulder, saying earnestly, "Good brother! I must let you experience what it feels like to have an urge to defecate!"
Tobi's beady green eyes instantly lit up. "Really? Can I really know what it feels like to want to poop?"
"Of course!"
If Tsuruki didn't have a shred of shame left, he would have pooped for Tobi to see.
[Ding!]
[Tobi favorability 90.]
Hmm?
Tsuruki narrowed his eyes.
This still couldn't get Tobi's favorability to 100?
This was its most desired feeling of defecation!
Did he really have to let Tobi see him poop live?
Tsuruki hesitated.
"Grrr…"
Tsuruki was a bit embarrassed. He felt he might not be able to poop.
Too hungry.
Tobi's gaze turned to him. "Are you hungry?"
"Not really."
As an adult in mind, Tsuruki still had a bit of pride.
But considering he was now in a child's body, he felt it wasn't a big deal.
Just a child!
"Yes, I'm hungry."
He stared at Tobi in front of him.
"I'll go find you something to eat!"
Tobi said this, and its head burrowed into the ground again.
As expected of 90 favorability!
[System automatically assigned skill has arrived. Host, would you like to check it?]
[Yes] [No]
Tsuruki then remembered that he hadn't claimed the reward for Tobi's 60 favorability. Seeing no one around, he pressed the Yes button.
[Hado #63: Raikoho]
[Skill Introduction: Hado #63: Raikoho is a high-level Kidō used by Shinigami in the Japanese anime Bleach.]
[Due to world differences, the chanting before use is canceled and replaced with hand seals. After mastering it, the hand seal step can be omitted.]
The 60 favorability obtained from White Zetsu only allowed Tsuruki to initially grasp Hado 63. To achieve great power without chanting, he would have to train.
Tsuruki was just a little curious. With the same favorability, why was the skill strength difference so great between what he got from Uchiha Madara and Tobi?
As if knowing Tsuruki's question, the system explained: "The more difficult the system judges the target, the stronger the randomly assigned skill."
Oh!
Tsuruki understood.
No wonder Uchiha Madara's 60 favorability could grant the Ice-Ice Fruit.
Tsuruki was now full of confidence in his future life.
With the system, there was hope!
Unable to contain his excitement, he tried out all the skills he had acquired one by one.
Although he was a bit clumsy when using them, the power definitely didn't disappoint him.
Tobi emerged from the ground, holding a box in its hand.
Tsuruki was training his Ice-Ice Fruit ability, and an Ice Blade flew without aim directly onto Tobi's hand.
Thud.
Tobi's right hand fell to the ground.
At the same time, the system's prompt sounded.
[Favorability with target Tobi has dropped to 70.]
This up and down, like riding a roller coaster!
Tsuruki: "…"
Would you believe me if I said I didn't do it on purpose?
Soon, Tobi's severed limb grew back rapidly.
It placed the box in front of Tsuruki, its smug expression unchanged despite Tsuruki accidentally injuring it.
It was as if it wasn't the one whose hand was severed.
If it weren't for the drop in favorability, Tsuruki wouldn't have been able to tell from its face that it was angry.
"This is your meal, and I even prepared a change of clothes for you!"
Tsuruki actually felt a little guilty. He didn't expect Tobi to be so thoughtful, preparing not only food but also a change of clothes for him.
Tsuruki's emotion and guilt vanished instantly when he saw the clothes Tobi had prepared.
"What is this?"
Tsuruki picked up the delicate sash with a lifeless expression and looked at Tobi.
Tobi smiled. "I took this from a rich person's house!"
"Took?"
Stole, right?
And it was women's clothing, damn it!
Tsuruki angrily squeezed the smooth, water-like satin in his hand.
Whoever wants to wear it can wear it!
He wouldn't wear it even if he died!
Tobi widened its beady green eyes, looking at Tsuruki curiously. "Isn't it pretty?"
"What do you think?"
Tsuruki was expressionless.
"I think it's pretty!"
Tobi exclaimed exaggeratedly.
"Then you wear it!"
Tsuruki handed the clothes to it.
Tobi disappeared.
Leaving only one sentence:
"These are children's clothes."
Tobi disappeared into the ground at an imperceptible speed.
Several black lines instantly appeared on Tsuruki's head.
"My suggestion is, you'd better wear it."
The system suddenly spoke.
"Reason."
Tsuruki smiled kindly.
"Because cross-dressing is more conducive to your strategy mission."
"People's tolerance for little girls is generally higher than for boys."
"Surveys show that in modern society, people's desire to have a daughter is greater than to have a son."
"Girls are more likely to evoke people's protective instincts and lower their guard."
Tsuruki sneered: "Nonsense…"
He didn't finish his sentence.
Perhaps…it seemed…possibly…it might be correct?
It seemed that people were indeed less guarded against girls?
Tsuruki's face twisted.
"I'm reminding you, you have no other choice, unless you shower without changing clothes."
"Then, after showering, you'll have to put on dirty clothes again, or will you choose to run naked?"
The system once again shattered Tsuruki's accumulated self-esteem.
"Fine!"
Tsuruki roared in humiliation, "Just this once!"
The system said nothing.
As the Charmer Strategy System, it knew better than anyone.
Cross-dressing, there's only no and countless times.
Apparently, Tsuruki didn't know that.