Have You Ever Seen Konoha at 4:30 in the Morning?

"That youth already paid for your drinks..."

Hearing the izakaya owner's words, Tsunade's almond eyes suddenly narrowed.

Memories from not long ago churned endlessly in her mind. The youth's delicate face appeared before her eyes, and even his whisper-like voice seemed to echo by her ears.

"I have no one to share with..."

"If I had an older sister..."

After standing there in silence for who knew how long, Tsunade finally turned around and walked toward the door without a word.

As she stepped out of the izakaya, a cool breeze blew straight at her. She instinctively pulled her trench coat tighter around herself.

The drunken haze in her eyes was completely blown away. Feeling the warmth radiating from the coat, Tsunade lightly clenched the hand resting against her chest.

Over the years, she had owed many people money and quite a few favors, but she had never accepted anyone's kindness.

To her, that kindness was like another kind of curse. Once it began, it was hard to sort out.

Grandfather Hashirama, Nawaki, Dan...

Those who had shown her kindness would always quietly leave one day after becoming important to her, leaving her alone to bear an unbearably long pain.

She no longer wanted that, so she had sealed off her heart and begun wandering from place to place.

This won't do. This won't do.

Tsunade kept telling herself that she couldn't accept this kindness. She had to find a way to repay it.

It was truly laughable. She had clearly been the one making things difficult for him in the first place...

Looking at Hokage Rock in the distance, Tsunade had clearly made up her mind, yet her expression only grew more lost.

"How do I not even know his name..."

Uchiha Clan Compound.

The moment Uchiha Chi stepped into the clan compound, he heard a powerful musical ringtone.

[Detected an emotional response from Tsunade!]

[Received 20 points. Defense increased by 4%!]

[The target's emotional fluctuation exceeded the standard. The host has received an additional reward: Monster Strength (Tsunade Version)!]

[Concentrate Chakra and strength at a single point to achieve astonishing destructive power!]

[Note: This punch might kill you.]

At the same time, Uchiha Chi felt his strength surge sharply. Even the toughness of his body rose tremendously out of nowhere, leaving him feeling unbelievably good!

Uchiha Chi instinctively touched the top of his head. Finding that he had neither gone bald nor grown pointy, a satisfied look immediately appeared on his face.

Trading a trench coat for Tsunade's Monster Strength—could something this good happen a few more times?

He looked up at the pitch-black night sky, pondered for a moment, then asked the system in a light tone, "What time is it now?"

[04:30:21]

Uchiha Chi could not help shaking his head with a sigh. It was already 4:30 in the morning. Most people had long since fallen asleep, yet a Fine Youth like him was still diligently training to become stronger...

"Uchiha Chi!"

A voice suddenly interrupted Uchiha Chi's self-praise. He looked up in annoyance. Who was so rude?

Thud, thud, thud!

The black-haired youth wearing goggles strode up to him with fury written all over his face.

When he saw who it was, Uchiha Chi's expression immediately turned friendly. "Oh, it's Obito."

He did not actually dislike Uchiha Obito. On the contrary, to Uchiha Chi, whether it was Agan the White Zetsu or Uchiha Obito, each looked more pleasant than the last.

Especially someone like Obito, who had exploded with a pile of gold after just one encounter—how was that any different from an angel investor who handed him a huge sum of funding the first time they met?

At that thought, Uchiha Chi instinctively tightened his face.

He was afraid he would not be able to stop himself from laughing.

"Where did you go?" Uchiha Obito asked with his arms folded, looking thoroughly displeased.

Uchiha Chi tilted his head in confusion. "I went to Naka River to cultivate my state of mind. Do you know where people come from and where they're going? Do you know the meaning of striving? Have you ever seen Konoha at 4:30 in the morning..."

Where people came from and where they were going?

The meaning of striving?

Konoha at 4:30 in the morning?

What was all this nonsense?

Seeing Uchiha Chi's half-smiling expression and hearing that string of meaningless questions, Obito felt his anger burning through his stomach. His face instantly turned redder than pig's blood.

"What's that got to do with me?!" Uchiha Obito loudly interrupted. "You bastard, do you know I waited for you the entire night?!"

Uchiha Chi silently looked at the dark circles under Obito's eyes and found it even harder to hold back.

He really hadn't known.

If he'd known, he would have come back after dawn.

With great effort, Uchiha Chi forced the corners of his mouth back down. He honestly spread out his palm, pinched his throat, and mimicked Uchiha Obito's earlier tone. "What's that got to do with me~?"

[Detected anger from Uchiha Obito!]

[Received 15 points. Damage Increase increased by 3%!]

"You fucking bastard..."

Uchiha Obito's eyes were bloodshot as he stared fixedly at Uchiha Chi's face.

He had never seen anyone so deserving of a beating. He was a hundred times more deserving of a beating than Kakashi!

No, calm down. I have to calm down...

Uchiha Obito clenched his fists, but anger did not completely cloud his mind.

He gripped the note in his hand. It contained the meticulous plan he had written to ensure his goal would be achieved!

1. Demand to know why Uchiha Chi had not apologized!

2. Challenge Uchiha Chi to a duel!

3. Beat Uchiha Chi to the ground and make him apologize to Rin!

4. Warn Uchiha Chi to disappear from Rin's and his world!

Good. The plan was clear!

Obito took a deep breath and angrily shouted at Uchiha Chi, "Do you know Rin has been really upset lately? It's all because of your confession that she's so troubled!"

After saying that, Obito glared furiously at Uchiha Chi, feeling his blood boil all over.

In his carefully laid-out plan, as long as Uchiha Chi shook his head the next second, he could proceed to step two—

—challenge Uchiha Chi!

Then, once he completed steps three and four, he could live a happy life alone with Rin...

At that moment, Uchiha Chi spoke, interrupting Obito's fantasy.

"Obito," his tone was ice-cold, like a bucket of cold water dumped over Obito's head, "didn't you promise me that you would take good care of Rin?"

"Huh?"

Uchiha Obito looked at Uchiha Chi in bewilderment.

[Detected confusion from Uchiha Obito!]

[Received 10 points. Damage Increase increased by 2%!]

"What do you mean, 'huh'?"

Listening to the system's reward notification, Uchiha Chi kept a stern face and continued questioning him. "You agreed so readily back then. You said you would take good care of Rin for me, but now you've come here to complain to me?"

As he spoke, he took another step forward and stared into Uchiha Obito's eyes. His gaze was as sharp as a knife, as though it pierced straight into Obito's heart.

"Uchiha Obito, what exactly did you promise?!"