[World 1's unification progress: 30% → 32%] [World 2's unification progress: 18% → 25%] [World 4's unification progress: 22% → 33%]
They had increased by 2%, 7%, and 11%, respectively.
Natsu Yuu hadn't expected World 4's unification progress to rise the most. But after thinking it over, he understood why.
As for World 1:
Although he'd taken Hashirama on two trips to the future, giving him a huge shock, and had also reached a [village-destruction deal] with Madara, the strength of Konoha's forces in this world hadn't actually changed. Hashirama and Madara still overwhelmingly outclassed everyone else. That was why World 1's unification progress had started so high, and why it hadn't risen much this time. It would probably increase significantly only after Madara actually destroyed [Iwagakure].
As for World 2:
By saving Tobirama Senju and changing the dire situation in which Konoha had lost its Second Hokage, he'd naturally raised Konoha's overall strength by a considerable amount. All in all, as long as Tobirama Senju was alive, Konoha gained a 7% advantage toward unification.
And finally, World 4:
Although he'd only changed the outcome of the [Night of the Nine-Tails], simply saving [Minato Namikaze] and [Kushina Uzumaki] had effectively given Konoha two more super-powered fighters. Minato in particular was a formidable man who had ended the Third Shinobi World War single-handedly. As long as he survived, he'd be virtually invincible in that era. It was no wonder World 4's unification progress had increased so much.
Besides that,
the system also offered some decent incentives.
After reaching the initial unification progress, every increase past a 10% milestone earned him a chance to draw a prize.
Thanks to the unification progress of World 2 and World 4, one had passed 20%, and the other had passed 30%.
Natsu Yuu had earned two chances to draw.
So he used them without hesitation.
Soon, the two prize chests in the system opened one after the other.
[Congratulations! You obtained the Chakra Refining Method!]
[Congratulations! You obtained one ninja tool: the Thousand Mile Crystal Ball!]
The prizes from these small draws were nowhere near as generous as those in the [Beginner's Gift Pack].
Still, they weren't bad.
He'd leave aside the latter item's usefulness as a 'Peeping Crystal Ball' for now.
The former, alone, was exactly what he needed.
Without the Chakra Refining Method passed down by the Ninja Sect, he couldn't refine his own Chakra or easily gather Dojutsu power. As a result, Natsu Yuu had possessed a pair of exalted [Rinnegan] but couldn't unleash their power.
Now, that weakness had been remedied.
Natsu Yuu had been yearning for Chakra, and all his drowsiness vanished. He immediately sat cross-legged and began refining it.
The system had come through.
It had directly granted Natsu Yuu mastery of the complete Chakra Refining Method, so he didn't need to practice it over and over.
That saved him the months of study and practice that an ordinary child training to become a ninja would need.
Before long,
Natsu Yuu had refined and combined a small amount of his physical and spiritual energy, gaining a little Chakra.
At the same time, he combined the special eyes with his own spiritual energy and gained a measure of Dojutsu power.
Though he still couldn't use ninjutsu with only a little Chakra and Dojutsu power, Natsu Yuu had finally gained full control of his own [Rinnegan].
This was one of the most powerful Dojutsu in the Naruto world.
The [Rinnegan]'s basic abilities alone—including [Shinra Tensei], [Banshō Ten'in], [Chibaku Tensei], and all sorts of related Genjutsu Ninjutsu—were enough to let an ordinary ninja reach the peak of Kage Level.
With a little more Chakra, he could become powerful enough to rank among the Super Kage, just like Nagato—even with the serious drawbacks of poor compatibility and debilitating weakness.
And Natsu Yuu had no compatibility issues at all.
It was no exaggeration to say that, with enough Chakra, he'd already reached the Super Kage level of combat strength simply by relying on these [Rinnegan].
Of course, battle experience was another matter. He definitely couldn't match the warlords of the Ninja World in that regard.
Besides,
because the system had granted him the [Rinnegan] outright, he hadn't acquired the Mangekyō Sharingan's unique Dojutsu.
But the [Rinnegan]'s two innate Dojutsu were both there.
Left eye: [Kagutsuchi]
Right eye: [Liu Li Jing Tian]
After getting a slight grasp of these two unique Dojutsu, Natsu Yuu was pleasantly surprised.
These two innate Dojutsu were powerful!
Powerful enough to make up for the small disadvantage of not having the Mangekyō Sharingan's special abilities.
What's more, in Natsu Yuu's eyes,
all his current abilities were just temporary. It was better to have them, but it didn't matter if he didn't. After all, a single [World Teleportation] was enough to keep him safe.
Once he'd completed the unification missions in every world and ascended to immortality, he'd have nothing to fear.
Still,
it would be better if he could build up a large amount of Chakra in advance and fully unleash the power of the [Rinnegan].
That would also help with his future Unification Plan.
Excited, Natsu Yuu began a whole night of arduous training, frantically refining Chakra without feeling the slightest bit sleepy.
At that moment, in Naruto World 2,
at the battlefield on the [Land of Lightning] border, where the Kinkaku Force had been wiped out,
another Cloud Ninja unit arrived late. It was the pursuit force led by A, the newly enthroned Third Raikage.
Several days earlier,
after the Second Raikage had been ambushed and killed by Kinkaku and Ginkaku during the Alliance Conference, Kumogakure had fallen into chaos.
Luckily, A, the future Third Raikage, had stepped forward and used his formidable strength to put down the rebellion, taking the position of Third Raikage. He had then immediately organized a pursuit force and set out after Kinkaku and Ginkaku.
Whether dealing with outsiders or those within the village,
the newly enthroned Raikage had to eliminate the traitorous pair of Kinkaku and Ginkaku to establish his authority.
Otherwise, how could [Kumogakure] hold its own in the Ninja World?
What's more, Kinkaku and Ginkaku were a major threat in their own right. They'd killed the Second Raikage through an ambush. Would they really show the Third Raikage any mercy?
Not only did the Third Raikage doubt it—he didn't even believe they'd spare themselves.
"Raikage-sama, we've found a battlefield ahead, along with a number of rebel corpses..."
"Survey the battlefield at once!"
The Third Raikage was already in a foul temper, and his anger made him even more irritable.
But when he actually arrived at the battlefield and saw all the corpses, even the Third Raikage couldn't help but click his tongue in surprise.
Kinkaku and Ginkaku, along with the eighteen elite Cloud Ninja who'd followed them, had all been killed here!
"How could this happen?"
"They're all dead?"
The Cloud Ninja with him were all stunned. They quickly finished surveying the battlefield.
"There are traces of a large amount of Water Style and Explosive Tags. Our preliminary conclusion is that the Kinkaku Force fought a fierce battle with Konoha's ninja. It was probably the Second Hokage's unit, which was in the middle of retreating."
"Check for any Konoha ninja corpses," the Third Raikage ordered.
"We've already searched. We haven't found any Konoha ninja corpses."
"Not a single one?"
"Not a single one!"
The Third Raikage fell silent.
The outcome seemed to have gone far beyond his expectations!
Everyone in Kumogakure knew how badly Second Hokage Tobirama Senju had been injured at the Alliance Conference.
Considering the Kinkaku Force's overall strength,
he'd already anticipated every possible outcome, including Konoha being wiped out, Konoha being routed, or even Konoha winning a costly victory...
The one thing he hadn't expected was that Tobirama Senju could wipe out the Kinkaku Force without losing a single man.
That was absurd!
So the rumors were true—Tobirama Senju really was the [First God of Speed in the Ninja World]? Even while seriously wounded, he'd still managed to wipe out the Kinkaku Force...
He really was something!
"Raikage-sama, could the surviving Konoha ninja have taken their fallen comrades' bodies with them?"
"Who has the strength to carry corpses while fleeing?"
"But..."
"Raikage-sama, look at this!" Another Cloud Ninja had spotted something and cried out.
The Third Raikage turned toward the sound, and his pupils contracted again.
Beside Kinkaku's corpse, he spotted the remains of a giant Wood Style hand...
Was that [Wood Style]?
Did Konoha have another ninja capable of using Wood Style?
Or had [God of Shinobi] Hashirama Senju survived?
No, no, impossible!
If Hashirama Senju were alive, what would be the point of fighting this Ninja World War?
Don't panic. Don't scare yourself.
It was probably just another ninja from Konoha's Senju Clan using Wood Style...
Phew...
Be brave, little bull. Don't be scared.
The Third Raikage took a deep breath and tried to reassure himself.
He wasn't even thirty yet and was nowhere near his peak. He was certainly not yet the powerful man who'd be able to wrestle the Eight-Tails single-handedly in the future.
The newly enthroned Third Raikage still feared Hashirama Senju, the peerless [God of Shinobi], a great deal.
"Did you find Kinkaku and Ginkaku's ninja tools?"
"No, my lord."
"Hmph! They were probably seized and taken away by Konoha..."
The Third Raikage frowned deeply. Losing the other [Six Paths Tools] was one thing, but the [Amber Purifying Pot] was gone too.
That was Kumogakure's ultimate weapon for suppressing the Eight-Tails. Losing it would have grave consequences.
"Raikage-sama, what should we do?"
"Send out a small force to continue the pursuit and see if they can recover the [Amber Purifying Pot]."
"The rest of you, return to the village with me."
"Second Hokage Tobirama Senju is no pushover."
"After suffering such a heavy loss, Konoha certainly won't let this go. We have to return immediately and prepare. It looks like this war won't end easily!"
Clearly, every village already knew all about Tobirama's temperament and ruthlessness.
If the Kinkaku Force had really killed Tobirama Senju, they could have used that to force Konoha to make peace.
Unfortunately, he'd made it back alive.
The Third Raikage was certain the other side would use this as an excuse to strike back hard against Kumogakure.
It looked as though this [First Shinobi World War] wouldn't end peacefully!
As a result, the entire development of Naruto World 2 had begun to gradually diverge.
Before you continue