In Konoha's Year 40, the Second Shinobi World War had just ended.
In the Uchiha Clan, inside an elegant little courtyard.
As the sun rose, Uchiha Byakuya emerged dressed in combat clothes bearing the Uchiha Clan Crest, with a Konoha Forehead Protector on his head.
At the same time, Byakuya focused his thoughts, and a virtual panel visible only to him appeared before his eyes.
[Negative Energy System] [Host: Uchiha Byakuya] [Taijutsu: A] [Ninjutsu: S] [Genjutsu: A] [Chakra: S] [Ninjutsu Owned: Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes Technique, Illusion: Unknown Fire, Phoenix Sage Fire Technique, Great Fireball Technique, Great Dragon Fire Technique, Water Dragon Bullet Technique...] [Bloodline: Three Tomoe Sharingan...] [Negative Energy: 99,000]
That was right. Uchiha Byakuya was a transmigrator.
For some reason, he had ended up in the world of Naruto, becoming an orphan of the Uchiha Clan.
He had also gained a cheat called the Negative Energy System.
As long as he made people feel negative emotions such as anger, embarrassment, anxiety, fear, sadness, or jealousy, he could earn a certain amount of Negative Energy and receive ninjutsu or attribute points as rewards.
The greater the target's emotional fluctuation, the more Negative Energy and rewards he gained.
So, in the days that followed, Byakuya began collecting Negative Energy.
Moreover, Byakuya had discovered that, as a member of the Uchiha Clan, collecting Negative Energy was incredibly easy.
Although the Uchiha Clan was one of Konoha's prestigious clans and seemed to enjoy a high status,
the Hokage and Konoha High Command had always suppressed the Uchiha Clan, constantly looking for trouble with them.
It could be said that everyone in Konoha harbored ill will toward the Uchiha Clan.
At the Ninja Academy, Byakuya's good looks and strength made others jealous, bringing him a large amount of Negative Energy.
After becoming a ninja and awakening his Sharingan, Byakuya drew the envy of countless people, earning himself a large amount of Negative Energy.
When he joined the Uchiha Clan Security Force, maintaining order in Konoha and offending other ninja clans brought him countless people's hatred—and even more Negative Energy.
It could be said that Byakuya didn't need to collect it deliberately at all.
Whenever Byakuya appeared, he could feel the Negative Energy in abundance just by standing in the street.
With all that Negative Energy, Byakuya's strength increased rapidly, and he soon reached near-Kage Level.
Although, with near-Kage Level strength, he was already among Konoha's top fighters,
the number of people in all of Konoha stronger than Byakuya could be counted on one hand.
But Byakuya knew very well that the Third Shinobi World War was about to begin.
His current strength was nowhere near enough.
After that would come the Nine-Tails' rampage, the clan massacre, and the Fourth Shinobi World War, where elite jōnin were a dime a dozen and Kage Level fighters were everywhere.
Without overwhelming strength, he wouldn't even know how he'd died.
So Byakuya had only one goal now: awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
With the power granted by the Mangekyō Sharingan, Byakuya could easily reach Kage Level.
Of course, the Mangekyō Sharingan was incredibly powerful, but awakening it was also extremely difficult.
For other members of the Uchiha Clan, awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan was very hard.
It required not only talent, but also an enormous emotional shock.
But Byakuya was different, thanks to his cheat.
As long as he had enough Negative Energy, he could awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Upgrading his Three Tomoe Sharingan to the Mangekyō required 100,000 Negative Energy.
Byakuya currently had 99,000 Negative Energy and was on the verge of reaching the required amount.
Just thinking about how he'd soon awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan and be able to summon a giant Susanoo made Byakuya a little excited.
I hope I run into someone today who'll help me build up some more Negative Energy...
Byakuya thought as he left his courtyard and headed to the Security Force headquarters.
Along the way, every Uchiha ninja who saw Byakuya greeted him with admiration in their eyes.
The ninja world was one that revered the strong.
This was especially true of the Uchiha Clan.
Byakuya might not have been very old, but he had awakened the Three Tomoe Sharingan early, and his strength was among the best in the entire Uchiha Clan.
"Lord Byakuya, here's this month's protection money..."
Just then, an Uchiha ninja approached Byakuya and held out a stack of bills.
Uchiha En was one of Byakuya's followers and an Uchiha Clan jōnin.
"Mm... Very good..."
"Distribute it according to the usual arrangement..."
Byakuya said.
"Yes... Thank you, Lord Byakuya..."
At his words, Uchiha En quickly divided the money into several portions and handed them out.
Every Uchiha ninja who received money had an excited look on his face.
That's right. The powerful Uchiha Clan's ninjas were all poor.
As for the reason?
It was simple enough.
Did people really think the conflict between Konoha High Command and the Uchiha Clan was all just talk?
Apparently not.
As Konoha's Security Force, the Uchiha Clan didn't receive a single bit of funding.
The Uchiha Clan had to cover every expense incurred by the Security Force themselves.
When Byakuya went to the Hokage's office to ask for money, Konoha's higher-ups had even told him that since the Security Force was managed entirely by the Uchiha Clan, all its expenses should be covered by them. It was all for the Will of Fire.
Listen to that. Was that any way to talk?
Byakuya had laughed right then and there.
The Will of Fire? Could you eat it?
A Security Force responsible for protecting the village wasn't even paid a salary.
Although the Uchiha Clan was a prestigious clan with ties to the Ninja Cat Clan and could make money by selling weapons,
that money was clearly a drop in the bucket.
More importantly, the only way for a ninja to earn money was by taking missions.
Because of the relationship between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan, all the easy missions with generous rewards had long since been reserved for Konoha High Command's own people.
The Uchiha Clan was left with dangerous missions that paid poorly.
Faced with Konoha High Command like that, Byakuya had decisively started charging protection money.
The results had been excellent.
The lives of every member of Byakuya's squad had improved tremendously.
Of course, if you took protection money, you had to protect those merchants.
Anyone who dared cause trouble would be dealt with by Byakuya.
"Lord Byakuya, I heard something..."
"The clan head may be stepping down soon..."
"..."
After handing out the money, Uchiha En came back to Byakuya and spoke in a low voice.
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