The NPC Who Fixed the Word Entry, Revealing Nine-Tails

Kakashi never imagined that one day he would find himself with a junior's hand clamped around his throat.

Feeling the evil power so close before him, shock filled his pupils.

His right eye, which had been perfectly intact, widened several times in an instant.

Within his mind, an ominous thought rapidly surfaced.

He strained against the grip twice, trying to lessen the burning sensation of the crimson chakra, and asked:

"Jin! Where did you get this red chakra from?!"

But as he looked up, he met a pair of scarlet eyes.

In those blood-colored pupils, his own wretchedness was reflected.

Not the him of now, though—it was the him from childhood, when he lost his father and shed not a single tear in his loneliness.

It was the him who numbed himself with missions after losing Obito.

It was the him whose heart sank into shadow after killing Rin with his own hands.

And it was the him who gradually turned toward the light under the Fourth's care, only to lose that sunlight again.

"Maybe... I really am a terrible person."

Kakashi murmured, and his raised hands slowly dropped.

Inside his body, chaotic Lightning Release chakra ravaged every inch of his flesh.

A full three minutes passed, his entire frame torn apart by lightning, before he managed to lift his head again with difficulty.

Looking at the young boy across from him, his voice hoarse, he said: "Hell Viewing Technique? You're even this skilled at genjutsu, you bastard."

Though it sounded like a tease, his tone carried no lightness at all.

Instead, it was like a withered old log—harsh and grating.

The turmoil in his heart had already become a raging storm.

Shock!

Surprise!

Disbelief!

He hadn't expected that Jin was not only formidable in taijutsu but also this proficient in genjutsu.

With just a single glance, he had put a jonin instructor like himself on the back foot.

"Good... good thing... you're only good at taijutsu and genjutsu..."

"If you were also skilled in ninjutsu, that would be the real trouble."

He pulled at the corners of his mouth, forcing a difficult smile.

If the boy were also proficient in ninjutsu at this age, he didn't know how anyone would deal with this Uchiha child.

And he had no idea how the higher-ups, who were always scheming against the Uchiha clan, would ever get a good night's sleep.

Not proficient in ninjutsu?

Hearing this, Jin's expression didn't change, and he didn't refute it.

He only felt a quiet pity—the prodigy jonin who had risen to fame young seemed to have stagnated for years.

Or rather—stuck in his own ways?

If it weren't for the forced power-ups later on, Kakashi probably would have just been a support.

And that meant many of Kakashi's traits were still invisible to him now...

Shaking his head to toss aside those stray thoughts, Jin flipped Kakashi onto the ground.

A shuriken quietly materialized in his hand.

Under the moonlight, it gave off a faint, cold gleam.

It stung the scalp with its sharpness.

"No... please... don't hurt Kakashi-senpai."

At that moment, Yamato beside them woke up again.

Without any hesitation, he dropped to his knees and begged.

"Kinoe!"

Kakashi's eyes flickered, and something seemed to surge in his heart.

It quickly flooded his entire mind.

Then he turned sharply to look at Jin, forcing a bitter smile: "Jin, don't worry. I won't meddle in the village's affairs with the Uchiha anymore."

He knew Jin hadn't gone for the kill—otherwise, neither of them would have had a chance to beg for mercy.

At the same time, he vaguely guessed the reason behind Jin's actions.

The conflict between the Uchiha Clan and the village had grown increasingly severe. It was understandable that Jin would act this way.

Too bad he guessed wrong.

Jin shook his head. "No. Whether you get involved or not doesn't matter."

Among Konoha's combat forces, the only one truly worth fearing was Eight Gates Guy.

Guy now might not be as overwhelmingly flashy and godlike as when he kicked Madara, but he could still unleash Super Kage-level power.

Of course, that assumed he didn't have time to activate his Golden Body.

The rest of the Konoha F4 were already old.

Kakashi had been in decline for years, his strength barely increasing.

The Sannin were off roaming everywhere.

And those major clans?

As long as a scapegoat was found, the smaller and larger ninja clans of Konoha probably wouldn't make a move.

Of course, if they did, they'd be wiped out.

"Hah... without realizing it, Konoha seems to have lost its threat."

"But Wood Release and the Mangekyo..."

Jin shook his head slightly, looking down at the two men beneath him.

Moonlight spilled over his slightly disheveled Uchiha long hair, illuminating his still-youthful face.

He was still a boy under ten, and even with a blank, tight expression, he gave off a soft, huggable vibe.

Kakashi's eyes darkened as he asked quietly, "Then what are you going to do?"

A faint smile curled at the corner of Jin's mouth. "I need you two to promise me one thing."

"Huh? One thing? A chat?"

Kakashi's expression froze as he suddenly remembered this guy's hobby.

His lower body tightened.

After nearly three years of deliberate observation, he had finally confirmed one thing:

Jin truly lacked the Uchiha Clan's arrogance and stubbornness, but he had one quirk—chatting!

Every time he found someone to talk to, it never lasted more than fifteen minutes.

Sometimes he'd burst out laughing after the chat, other times his face would sour, and he'd even start a fight.

After the fight, his mood would clear up again.

Take Kinoe beside him, for example.

After their chat, Jin's face turned sour, and he immediately threw down.

Kakashi didn't understand it, but once he remembered Jin was an Uchiha, it somehow made sense.

So when Jin mentioned "one thing," he agreed without a second thought. "Fine. I'll bring Kinoe to visit the Uchiha every day from now on."

"No need. Once a week is enough." Jin shook his head.

Fixed NPCs +2.

Chat for ten minutes, then beat them up.

But...

Thinking about Yamato's full set of Wood Release techniques, along with some Water Release and Earth Release, Jin couldn't help rubbing his chin curiously.

"Kakashi, can you strip away all his jutsu except Wood Release?"

If he could strip away all of Yamato's other techniques and leave only Wood Release...

That would be the perfect NPC!

With one Wood Release trait per week, in just a few months, his Wood Release Cells could evolve, right?

"Huh?!"

Kakashi was stunned. He was about to shake his head, but remembered they were still under Jin's feet.

He could only furrow his brow and think hard.

Caw caw—

Crows flew past outside the dense forest.

They stirred up faint breezes, carrying a hint of chill.

The night had grown deep.

"Itachi's been meeting with the Third Hokage in secret more and more often..."

Jin looked up for a moment, then tied his long hair behind his head and clapped his small hands together.

"I hope you'll keep today's events to yourselves. I have no designs on the village."

"But—some old dogs who have designs on the Uchiha will die."

As he spoke, the crimson chakra in his hand no longer held back, slamming fully into the boulder behind him.

Boom!

Crack!

In an instant, the boulder shattered, crumbling into gravel!

This display of sheer force once again overturned Kakashi and the other's worldview.

"A casual strike, splitting rock and mountain!"

"Even the Third Hokage's summoned Enma would need his staff to do that, right?"

Kakashi swallowed hard, staring at Jin's small back, his expression growing even more serious.

"And that power he just used... it should be... the Nine-Tails' power, shouldn't it?"

"Nine-Tails? What Nine-Tails!"

Just then, at the edge of the giant crater, a figure wrapped entirely in bandages slowly peered down.