I Defected

I Defected

Ding!

Boom! A wave of heat blew directly against Asuka's back. He stopped and turned to look in the direction he had come from.

The sky above Naka Shrine had been dyed deep red by flames, and fireballs exploded in midair from time to time like fiery fireworks. From afar, it looked quite spectacular.

It seemed those old men hadn't managed to convince one another with words.

"Um."

Just then, Asuka suddenly heard a child's voice from the nearby bushes. Looking over, he saw three children holding cameras, staring fearfully toward Naka Shrine as they asked in trembling voices.

"B-B-Big brother, did enemies attack?"

Asuka walked over to the three children, reached out to pat their heads, and smiled faintly as he shook his head.

"No. That's the Uchiha Clan's shrine. They're discussing something."

Really?

Watching the huge fireballs continuously explode in the sky, the three children looked at Asuka skeptically.

No matter how they looked at it, it didn't seem like a normal discussion. It was far too terrifying.

Still, such a handsome big brother probably wouldn't lie to them.

"Right!"

Asuka lowered his head to look at the three children and the cameras in their hands, then asked curiously.

"You aren't from the Uchiha Clan, are you? Why did you come here?"

"Um."

One of the children holding a camera waved it at Asuka. The fear on his face gradually gave way to excitement. "Hokage-sama's wedding is coming up soon. We wanted to find a place with amazing scenery today and film a short congratulatory video for Hokage-sama.

Big brother, do you want to say something too?"

Hmm? A congratulatory video? He had never even interacted with Minato Namikaze, so what was there to congratulate him on? Seeing the expectant looks in the children's eyes, Asuka smoothed his hair and spoke.

"Sure."

Once the camera was turned on, he made a V sign at the lens and delivered the congratulatory message he had prepared long ago.

"Fourth Hokage-sama, Lady Kushina, congratulations on your wedding."

"All right!"

After saying that, he waved to the three children and left without another word.

He needed to go back, pack his things, and prepare to run away during the Fourth Hokage's wedding. Security would be lax then, after all.

With its simple, honest people and beautiful scenery, Konoha was a village where technology and classical traditions blended together. Just a few glances were enough to make one reluctant to leave.

Naturally, Asuka did not want to leave either.

But not only did he lack a cheat, he was several levels behind those monsters who could tear apart Konoha at the age of eight. On top of that, he was bad with words. After eighteen years in this world, he had yet to accomplish anything with Talk no Jutsu.

Back when he was on the battlefield, he had even been stabbed with a kunai while trying to use Talk no Jutsu on someone.

Besides, even if he changed one Uchiha Itachi, who was to say a second Uchiha Itachi would not appear? There was no way to guard against something like that. The key lay with Konoha's Elders.

After eighteen years of grueling training, he still did not know whether he could defeat Danzo. As for Sarutobi Hiruzen, he definitely could not beat him right now.

"Lady Kushina."

Just as Asuka was lost in thought, he heard many villagers greeting someone respectfully ahead of him. Looking over, he saw Kushina, with her long red hair, standing in the middle of the street carrying a small basket and continuously greeting the villagers around her. The basket in her hand was filled with baby supplies.

Watching the maternal glow radiating from that Red Hot Habanero, Asuka's mouth twitched twice, and a trace of urgency rose in his heart.

"Is Naruto already being conceived?"

As he passed Kushina, he greeted her. Then, after casually buying some food, he headed straight home.

Kushina was already pregnant, which meant there were less than ten months left until the Nine-Tailed Night.

One month later, on the morning of the wedding.

Bang! Asuka heavily placed the bundle in his hand on the table. Looking around the empty room, he sighed softly.

Over the past month, he had sold everything he could sell and used all his money to buy weapons like kunai and Exploding Tags from Cat Granny.

Rogue ninjas had to pay several times more than official ninjas for everything, and those black-market merchants were ruthless by nature.

They were certain he would not dare make trouble. If he did, they would dare report him.

It was a pity he could not sell the house. Otherwise, he would have had some money left to buy more necessities.

Over the past month, he had watched Kushina's belly grow larger day by day, his heart filled with anxiety, unease, fear, sentimentality, and gloom. Though he had never even touched Kushina's hand, and the child in her belly was not his, he was an Uchiha. After the Nine-Tailed Night, the Uchiha Clan's situation would take a sharp turn for the worse. Without an omniscient perspective, there was simply no way to explain the Sharingan appearing in the Nine-Tails' eyes.

And throughout the Ninja World, even children knew the Sharingan belonged to the Uchiha Clan.

A few years later, that dutiful son Itachi would raise his butcher's blade as well. After gazing through the window at the clan grounds and deeply imprinting the scenery he had long grown tired of in his mind, he pulled out the Konoha Ninja's exclusive Forehead Protector from his clothes and muttered to himself.

"Don't worry. I'll burn paper offerings for you during every holiday."

After saying that, he began studying the Forehead Protector in his hand.

After all, this was his first time becoming a rogue ninja, so he had no experience. Should this thing be slashed horizontally or vertically?

Ding!

Host information detected. Counterattack System activated.

Name: Uchiha Asuka

Age: 18

Identity: Uchiha Clan ninja

Strength: Jonin

A distinctly mechanical voice rang out beside Asuka's ear.

He instinctively drew a kunai and looked around vigilantly. But after hearing the voice in his heart clearly, Asuka froze. What rose in his heart, he did not know whether it was excitement or helplessness. "Did this system only bind to me after I made up my mind to become a rogue ninja?"

No matter what the activation condition was, he still had to open the system.

This system is the Counterattack System. It will assist the host in surpassing Naruto and becoming the strongest in the Ninja World.

Accept the beginner's gift pack?

Looking at the system's brief introduction, a gleam flashed through Asuka's eyes. Just from that short description, he could tell this thing was extremely powerful.

It could actually make him the strongest in the Ninja World.

Filled with excitement, Asuka immediately opened the beginner's gift pack.

"Accept!"

The moment his words fell, several items suddenly appeared on the empty table.

After taking several deep breaths, he picked up the voucher-like item that had just appeared on the table. Looking at the large words on it, he read them aloud subconsciously.

"Honey Mustard Flavored Fried Chicken Family Bucket that all children love.

Quantity: Unlimited.

Usage: Crush it to summon it."

After reading it, Asuka froze where he stood for a long time without saying anything.

What necessary connection did this have with becoming stronger?

If he remembered correctly, eating too much fried chicken would make people fat, right?

He then picked up the other items. Looking at their descriptions, he continued reading.

"Ninja Academy Textbook Knowledge Acceleration Card, three days. One day can be used as one month, saving you more time for training."

"Ninja School Will of Fire Course Detailed Explanation. It contains annotations and insights from every Ninja Academy teacher. Memorize it, and you will completely escape Danzo's surveillance."

"Complete Guide to Every Ninja Academy Teacher's Habits and Hobbies. Memorize it and use it flexibly. Even if you skip class to train in the future, the teachers will turn a blind eye."

"A Miniature Camera with no battery or storage limits. You can use it to record every minute and second at the Ninja Academy."

???

Asuka stared at the items on the table with a face full of question marks and asked in confusion.

"System, I admit the beginner's gift pack you gave me is pretty good. But have you noticed that these things seem to be useful only for Ninja Academy students?"

"System, what is my current strength?"

The moment his words fell, that mechanical voice rang out again.

Jonin!

"Did you give me the wrong beginner's gift pack? I graduated from the Ninja Academy eight years ago. Why are you giving me this kind of gift pack?"

Verification complete. No error.

"My strength?"

Jonin!

"Who is this beginner's gift pack meant for?"

Ninja Academy students!

"Did you send the wrong one?"

No error!

"Heh... heh..."

Asuka looked speechlessly at the items on the table. He put down his bag, turned around, and headed toward the village park.

He could put off defecting for now. The Fourth Hokage's place was about to serve food, so he would go mooch a meal first.