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"Are you leaving already?" Tsunade bit her finger, sounding a bit displeased. She seemed to have been won over by this perverted brat, feeling reluctant to see him go.
"I'll come back to see you once I return from Roran," Yoichi assured her. "When do you plan to bring Nawaki back?"
The Tsunade of the past would have delayed returning to Konoha, wanting to visit every casino in the ninja world. But things had changed. With Nawaki by her side, she knew it wouldn't be good for his development. However, she could still delay a bit.
"Give me a few more months," Tsunade said, clenching her fists. "I want to train Nawaki first. Only after he passes my tests can he return to become a ninja."
Ten years ago, Nawaki had just become a genin when he stepped into a trap out of excitement and died. This time, Tsunade was determined not to let him repeat the same mistake.
"Also, we need to keep Nawaki's resurrection a secret. If other villages find out about the ability to bring back the dead, they might unite against us."
As one of the Sannin, Tsunade understood the gravity of such a situation. Although Yoichi's ability to resurrect the dead was limited, being able to revive even a few powerful individuals could terrify other villages. They might see it as a greater threat than having several jinchuriki.
"It's good that you have a plan. If anything happens, use the scroll to contact me. You can also teach Nawaki the Six Styles gave you. They will significantly boost his strength. After mastering the Six Styles, he can advance to higher-level ninja body arts."
Yoichi held Tsunade's delicate hand. In the past, such an act would have earned him a punch that would send him flying. But now, Tsunade accepted his touch, even reciprocating his gifts. Though she still had a tough exterior, her actions showed she was almost like a girlfriend.
"Of course, I know that. Don't forget, I am one of the Sannin. Mmph—"
Before Tsunade could finish, her mouth was sealed by another kiss. This time, Yoichi embraced her entirely, and she didn't push him away.
Being teased like this for the first time, Tsunade's body soon softened.
"Mmm..."
Only when her breath became uneven did Yoichi slowly release her.
"You... you perverted brat!" Tsunade's face flushed with anger and embarrassment as she reached out to grab Yoichi's cheek. Finding it difficult to reach, she stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his forehead.
Afterward, with a red face, she turned away, saying, "Be careful on your journey!"
With that, she headed back to the town. Staying any longer felt dangerous to her—this perverted brat was too much.
"Tsunade-sama."
"Nee-san!"
Tsunade didn't walk far before she saw Shizune and Nawaki hiding in the nearby woods, with Nawaki sporting a mischievous grin.
Not long ago, he didn't acknowledge Yoichi as his brother-in-law, but seeing them embrace, Nawaki felt a bit helpless. His sister...
"You two, did you finish your training before wandering around?"
Tsunade shouted angrily, guessing they must have seen the earlier scene. She resolved to train them rigorously.
Shizune wouldn't escape either. Previously, Tsunade had been somewhat lenient in teaching medical ninjutsu. Now, her standards would be strict.
"Both of you, back to training. No rest until you meet my standards!"
"Huh? Nee-san, brother-in-law just left..."
"Nawaki! Double your training!"
Having successfully won Tsunade's favor, Yoichi noted that her affection level remained above ninety-five. At this point, any further actions could increase it, but it was unlikely to decrease significantly.
"Who should I target next? There aren't many mutual acquaintances with a good foundation of goodwill left..."
He thought of Kushina, who had a good relationship with him. But she was married, and her child was almost due.
"Can this system even target married women? Let's see what it decides."
Choosing Kushina as the next target, Yoichi saw her affection level at sixty-two, the same as before. However, without her nearby, there were no further instructions.
"Forget it. I'll focus on the Roran's Dragon Vein first. Such a vast energy source shouldn't be wasted."
He didn't understand why others, like Minato, hadn't utilized the Dragon Vein's energy. Properly harnessed, it could transform the ninja world.
Yoichi extended the duration of the [Research Assistant] ability by another half month, spending three lottery chances.
The enhancement of the Lightning Chakra Mode was nearly complete, and the Six Styles research slot was replaced with Armament Haki and Observation Haki, requiring seventeen more days.
Once the Lightning Chakra Mode enhancement was done, Yoichi could improve another short-duration technique.
The Six Styles were effective but no longer useful against mid- to high-level jonin. His body, honed by the Lightning Chakra Mode for nearly ten years, was now as tough as steel.
After a few days, Yoichi's rented boat reached the southeastern coast of the Land of Wind. After paying, he disembarked and headed toward Roran.
Having a map of Roran and knowledge of Minato's mission there, Yoichi navigated the desert. Lightning arcs flickered around him as he traversed the barren landscape without rest, relying on his abundant chakra.
In less than a day, he reached Roran.
"The desertification is severe... not matching the mission reports. Such drastic change in a few years..."
Yoichi considered the Dragon Vein. If it continuously absorbed the land's energy, it could explain the desertification. But why hadn't the Queen of Roran addressed it?
Infiltrating was easy. Roran had no ninjas, posing no threat to Yoichi. Using his Sharingan to hypnotize a few guards, he learned the location of the Dragon Vein's seal.
Upon reaching it, he used his Sharingan to control nearby guards and deployed several wood clones to ensure safety.
With one wood clone for security and another for monitoring, Yoichi felt confident in his plan.
"Dragon Vein Seal, Release!"
Using a release technique, Yoichi felt a massive surge of energy below the seal. This energy was so vast, even his Sage Mode couldn't fully sense it.
Fortunately, he had set up a barrier to conceal the activity. He had learned the necessary barrier and sealing techniques while spending time with Tsunade.
Given the Dragon Vein's immense energy, Yoichi didn't dare fully unseal it. He left a small crack to allow a steady flow of energy.
"Twenty wood clones aren't enough. I'll create more."
Deciding to increase his numbers, Yoichi produced fifty more wood clones. They positioned themselves and began absorbing the Dragon Vein's energy in phases, ensuring a steady transfer of gene energy.
Before starting, Yoichi's body was already strong. The gene energy made every cell in his body feel nourished.
Tasting the power from the Dragon Vein, Yoichi felt a desire for more, akin to satisfying a deep hunger.
As time passed, each wood clone eventually reached its limit, transferring chakra and gene energy back to Yoichi. The cycle continued for a month, even extending the [Research Assistant] ability.
"Reached a bottleneck. My training pace has slowed."
Yoichi felt his strength as he punched, creating ripples in the barrier without using his full power. His speed without chakra now rivaled the Body Flicker Technique, and his body had become incredibly durable.
"It's time to return. Training has slowed, and the Spirit Transformation Clone is ready. I need to create the clone entity."
Reluctant to leave the Dragon Vein, Yoichi knew its energy was too rich to leave untapped.
"Once I become Hokage, I'll plan to conquer the Land of Wind. Connecting Fire, River, and Wind Countries will turn the Dragon Vein into a training sanctuary for the Uchiha Clan."
Leaving Roran, he re-sealed the Dragon Vein, erasing all traces before heading back.
Having marked the coastline with the Flying Thunder God Technique, Yoichi teleported back, conserving chakra.
Upon reaching the shore, he spotted a group of ninjas in the distance.
"A considerable amount of chakra... from both Mist and Sand ninjas. The strongest is a woman—could it be Pakura?"
Using his Sharingan, Yoichi observed the group and identified the strongest ninja as Pakura, with a significant chakra reserve.
Deciding to follow them, Yoichi recalled Pakura's betrayal by the Sand Village, leading to her death at the hands of the Mist. A tragic fate similar to that of Hizashi.
"Why are we taking this route?" Pakura asked, puzzled as she followed the Mist ninjas into a canyon. It seemed unnecessary to her.
"It's a shortcut. For ninjas, these paths aren't difficult," replied the leading Mist ninja, his voice flat but with a hidden smirk.
'Fool. Betrayed by her own village. After killing so many of our ninjas, she'll die here.'
The Mist ninja thought to himself, continuing to lead Pakura into the ambush.
Once inside the trap, the two leading Mist ninjas vanished with Body Flicker, leaving Pakura bewildered.
She was on a peace mission, and the two villages had already ceased hostilities. She never expected to be betrayed.
Seeing the Mist ninjas surround her, Pakura realized something was wrong. Drawing a kunai, she demanded, "What are you doing? I'm a Sand envoy."
"Fool. You're the token of good faith from the Sand. Without your death, there's no peace agreement."
"What are you saying!?" Pakura shouted in disbelief. "You're lying. The Sand would never..."
"Believe it or not, you're dead today. Your death secures peace between the Sand and Mist."
The Mist ninjas attacked with a rain of kunai and shuriken, knowing Pakura's capabilities.
A master of the Scorch Release, known as the Scorch Release Pakura, she had formidable speed and jutsu. But surrounded by projectiles, with no Earth Release, her chances were slim.
Boom!
To the Mist ninjas' surprise, stone walls rose around Pakura, forming a sealed cube that deflected the onslaught.
(End of Chapter)