Ancestor

Naruto was starting to like this place.

Whether it was Sister Temari with the huge boobs and the Three-Star Fan on her back, or Uncle Kankuro, who was skilled at puppet techniques, both of them were warm and friendly.

Even the Sunagakure villagers he was meeting for the first time smiled at him with gentle goodwill.

They welcomed Naruto Uzumaki, not the son of Namikaze Minato who imitated the Fourth Hokage.

This place was so much better than Konoha!

Everyone here was talented and spoke so nicely. He absolutely loved it here!

Unlike the single-minded Naruto, the deep-thinking Sasuke remained silent, though his heart stirred with unease.

"From the looks of things, these Sunagakure residents seem to have mistaken all four of us for traveling merchants from afar."

"They believe we can bring supplies and development to this village, which is why this situation has arisen..."

"Did he cast Genjutsu on everyone in Sunagakure at once?"

Sasuke discreetly glanced at Wang Yan walking ahead of them. He felt that he had repeatedly overestimated the other man, yet still failed to guess his true capabilities.

"Maybe he only looks young. Perhaps he is actually some old monster who has lived for countless years. If he has more trump cards and greater abilities, that would be perfectly understandable."

Thinking of the options in the Main God Exchange List that could grant a person an extended lifespan, Sasuke could only comfort himself this way.

Otherwise, whenever he looked at Wang Yan's absurdly young face, he would probably lose his fighting spirit sooner or later.

Unlike his two companions, Sakura, a teenage young girl, looked around excitedly as she wandered through the streets, her eyes opened wide by all the new sights. If not for her empty pockets, she would probably have gone on a shopping spree.

Before long, Fourth Kazekage Rasa received them warmly.

Short brown hair, a black shinobi uniform, and a mesh undershirt that could not conceal his powerful chest muscles—this was Rasa in his prime.

This formidable shinobi, who fought using Magnet Release and Gold Dust, possessed strength sufficient to suppress One-Tails Shukaku!

In the future of the original destiny line, he would be strangled to death by Orochimaru and Kaguya Kimimaro working together.

But now, Orochimaru, hopelessly obsessed with science, had no interest in causing trouble.

How could destroying Konoha possibly be more fun than conducting research?

If not for the team mission, Orochimaru would not even have bothered going to Konoha, much less this godforsaken backwater known as Sunagakure.

Thus, the Fourth Kazekage was still alive and well.

Emmm...

Seeing the gloom and exhaustion hidden deep beneath the Kazekage's eyes, Wang Yan felt that the man's life did not seem quite so comfortable.

"Welcome to Sunagakure!"

Rasa did his best to appear cheerful and generous without losing his composure. "You have come from far away, so you must be tired. Rest well today, and we can discuss the details tomorrow!"

It was not a negotiable tone. From this alone, it was clear that Rasa's rule over Sunagakure might have had a somewhat dictatorial flavor.

"That works too." Wang Yan's tone carried a deeper meaning.

Unlike Konoha's Elder Council, Chiyo and Ebizo, Sunagakure's two Advisors, rarely involved themselves in worldly affairs. Unless an intense war broke out, there was a nine-in-ten chance that neither of them would interfere with decision-making matters.

Winning over Rasa was equivalent to winning over all of Sunagakure.

They would not even need to spend much thought or effort on the Land of Wind. Its people would turn the whole country upside down on their own.

That night, everyone fell into a deep sleep.

Bright moonlight streamed through the window and fell across Wang Yan's face like a thin, transparent silver veil.

His body gradually twisted and became transparent, transforming into fundamental microscopic particles invisible to the naked eye.

"I have clearly already touched that domain and can observe Quantum Foam. Why is my observation of future destiny still so unclear?"

Wang Yan, present everywhere in the room, pondered silently.

The Assistant Program's cold, emotionless voice sounded. "Your Excellency Host has reached the required standard in this field, but you still lack one thing."

"What?"

"Recognition from the World Will."

"Is there a solution?"

"Obtain the identity of a Timeline Observer."

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow and swiftly located the exchange option.

It required a full twenty thousand Resource Points, and it could not even truly be considered an ability—those lacking sufficient attainment in the field of quantum observation would gain no change at all even if they spent a vast number of points to exchange for that identity.

A Timeline Observer was both an identity and a qualification. Exchanging for it was equivalent to gaining the World Will's recognition in any plane, equivalent to opening the Prophet side profession.

"Then exchange for it."

Wang Yan was not someone who begrudged spending money. Penny-pinching was not the bearing of someone who did great things.

Twenty thousand points vanished instantly, leaving more than one hundred thousand Resource Points in the stockpile.

"One hundred thousand is the bottom line. No matter how I spend in the near future, I cannot let my points fall below that number."

That was what Wang Yan told himself.

Fortunately, he had already used those scattered Reward Points—gained from the behavioral influence during the Three Ninja mission's downtime—to exchange for seven Reincarnator Slots, raising the current Reincarnator upper limit to ten. For the time being, there was nowhere else he needed to spend Reward Points.

After obtaining the Timeline Observer side profession, Wang Yan felt that the chaotic mist which had been trying to obstruct his observation of the future had all dispersed.

He opened True Vision, and his gaze pierced through the walls before settling on the others.

"I see it... infinite futures!"

Hokage Naruto, scientist Naruto, corrupted Naruto, revolutionary leader Naruto, sniper Naruto...

Konoha's guardian Sasuke, exemplary test subject Sasuke, friend of darkness Sasuke, Sasuke the wing of a leader, observer Sasuke...

Everyone possessed countless futures. Some of those futures had high probabilities, while others had an extremely low chance of occurring.

"Interesting!"

Wang Yan felt completely unburdened and immensely pleased.

Through the influence of his own words and actions, he could raise the probability of a certain future occurring, or even create the possibility of an entirely new future!

"I just spent twenty thousand Resource Points. With only one hundred thousand left, it still feels a little too low."

"To make money, I need to find new sources..."

With a thought, Wang Yan, in his microscopic particle form, left Sunagakure.

Spatial displacement and exchange, moving like a streak of lightning.

Swish!

Blue-violet specks of particle light streaked across the sky!

One minute and thirteen seconds later, Wang Yan arrived at Konoha.

He went to the residence of Konoha's foremost noble family, the Hyuga Clan, and entered Hinata's room.

Her short lavender hair appeared almost transparent blue beneath the moonlight. Her chubby little face looked tender enough to break at a touch, making her exceptionally adorable.

Her future had nine thousand three hundred and seventy-four possible outcomes.

Wang Yan spent a full two minutes examining them one by one.

"I do not like any of these futures."

"You should be a cold plum blossom blooming proudly in the snow, not a dodder vine dependent on others."

With a thought, Wang Yan transformed into fundamental microscopic particles and entered Hinata's body.

More precisely, he entered deep in the mind.

"Th-this... where is this?"

Hinata stood amid darkness, her expression timid, though determination was hidden in her eyes.

"Child, you have finally come."

At that moment, Wang Yan seemed possessed by Gandalf, appearing kind yet imposing. "I am your Ancestor."

The next chapter will be updated before 1 p.m. tomorrow.