Ancestor

Naruto was starting to like this place.

Whether it was the big-chested Temari with the Three-Star Fan on her back, or Kankuro, the guy who was good at puppet manipulation, they were all warm and friendly.

Even the villagers of Sunagakure, meeting him for the first time, offered gentle, kind smiles.

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

This place was way better than Konoha!

Everyone was talented, they talked nicely—he loved it here!

Unlike the single-minded Naruto, the more calculating Sasuke kept silent, a storm brewing in his heart.

"From the looks of it, these Suna residents all think the four of us are Traveling Merchants from far away."

"They believe we can bring supplies and development to this village, which is why things are like this..."

"Did he cast a Genjutsu on the entire village of Suna?"

Sasuke glanced discreetly at Wang Yan walking ahead, feeling that no matter how many times he raised his estimation of the man, he still couldn't grasp his true abilities.

"Maybe he just looks young, but he's actually an old monster who's lived for countless ages. Having more trump cards and stronger abilities is completely understandable."

Thinking of the options on the Main God's Exchange List that granted long life, Sasuke could only console himself like this.

Otherwise, looking at Wang Yan's absurdly youthful face, he'd probably lose all motivation sooner or later.

Compared to her two companions, the adolescent Young Girl Sakura was looking around, browsing everywhere, eyes wide open. If not for her empty pockets, she might have gone on a shopping spree.

Before long, the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, received them cordially.

Short brown hair, black ninja attire, a mesh undershirt unable to hide his powerful pectorals—this was Rasa in his prime.

This formidable ninja, who fought using "Magnet Release" and "Gold Dust," had the strength to suppress the One-Tails Shukaku!

In the future of the original fate line, he would be killed by Orochimaru and Kaguya Kimimaro working together.

But now, Orochimaru, addicted to science, had no interest in stirring up trouble.

What fun was destroying Konoha compared to doing research?

If not for the team mission, Orochimaru wouldn't even bother going to Konoha, let alone some godforsaken corner like Sunagakure.

So the Fourth Kazekage was still alive and well.

Emmm...

Looking at the hidden gloom and exhaustion beneath the Kazekage's eyes, Wang Yan felt the guy wasn't exactly living comfortably.

"Welcome to Sunagakure!"

Rasa tried his best to appear hearty and generous without losing his dignity. "You've all traveled far and must be tired. Rest well today; we'll discuss the specifics tomorrow!"

It wasn't exactly a tone of negotiation. From this, it was clear that during Rasa's rule over Sunagakure, there might have been a hint of autocracy.

"That works too." Wang Yan said meaningfully.

Unlike Konoha's Elder Council, the two Suna Advisors, Chiyo and Ebizo, barely involved themselves in worldly affairs. Unless a fierce war broke out, the two of them would most likely not meddle in decision-making.

Win over Rasa, and you win over all of Sunagakure.

They wouldn't even need to spend much thought or energy on the Land of Wind itself; the place would tear itself apart.

That night, everyone fell into deep sleep.

The bright moonlight streamed through the window, spilling onto Wang Yan's face like a thin, transparent silver veil.

His body gradually twisted, turned transparent, dissolving into basic microscopic particles invisible to the naked eye.

"I've already touched that domain, I can observe the Quantum Foam—so why is my vision of future fate still so blurry?"

Wang Yan, now omnipresent throughout the room, pondered silently.

The Assistant Program's cold, emotionless voice rang out: "Your Majesty the Host has reached the standard in this domain, but you still lack one thing."

"What?"

"The World Will's recognition."

"Is there a solution?"

"Obtain the identity of a Timeline Observer."

Wang Yan raised an eyebrow, quickly locking onto this exchange item.

It cost a full twenty thousand Resource Points, and it couldn't even be called an ability—for those lacking skill in the quantum observation domain, spending points to exchange for this identity would bring no change at all.

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

"Then exchange it."

Wang Yan wasn't the type to be stingy with money; pinching pennies wasn't the style for doing big things.

Twenty thousand points vanished in an instant. The Stockpiled balance now had over one hundred thousand Resource Points remaining.

"One hundred thousand is the baseline. No matter how I spend in the near future, I can't let the points drop below this number."

Wang Yan said this to himself.

Fortunately, he had already used the scattered Reward Points (from behavioral influences during the Three Ninja mission's idle period) to exchange for seven Reincarnator Slots, raising the current upper limit of Reincarnators to ten. For now, there was no need to spend Reward Points anywhere.

After obtaining the Timeline Observer subclass, Wang Yan felt that the chaotic mists that had previously tried to obstruct his vision of the future had all dissipated.

He activated True Vision, his gaze piercing through walls and landing on others.

"I see... infinite futures!"

Naruto the Hokage, Naruto the Scientist, Dark Naruto, Naruto the Revolutionary Leader, Naruto the Sniper...

Sasuke the Konoha Guardian, Sasuke the Excellent Experiment Subject, Sasuke the Friend of Darkness, Sasuke the Leader's Wing, Sasuke the Spotter...

Everyone had countless futures, but some of these futures had high probabilities, while others had extremely low chances of occurring.

"Interesting!"

Wang Yan's thoughts flowed freely, and he felt immensely satisfied.

He could influence his own words and actions to increase the probability of a certain future occurring, or even create the possibility of an entirely new future!

"Just spent twenty thousand Resource Points, leaving only a hundred thousand—it feels a bit too little."

"To earn more, I have to open up new sources..."

Wang Yan, now in a microscopic particle state, had a thought and left Sunagakure.

Displacement and substitution, moving like lightning.

Shua!

A blue-violet particle streak shot across the sky!

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

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

Her light purple short hair shimmered with an almost transparent blue under the moonlight, her chubby little cheeks so delicate they seemed ready to burst—adorably cute.

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

Wang Yan spent a full two minutes looking through each one.

"None of these futures appeal to me."

"You should be a cold plum blooming proudly in the snow, not a dodder flower clinging to others."

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

More precisely, he went deep into her mind.

"Where... is this?"

Hinata stood in a sea of darkness, her face timid, but a hidden determination gleamed in her eyes.

"Child, you have finally come."

In that instant, Wang Yan channeled Gandalf, appearing both kind and majestic: "I am your Ancestor."

Next chapter will be updated before 1 PM tomorrow.