Feigning Byakuren, Task Reward Successfully Claimed

Konohagakure, inside Byakuren's room.

The moment he entered, Byakuren quickly shut the door. To prevent anyone from eavesdropping, he deliberately stimulated his eardrums with Chakra to sharpen his hearing.

Fortunately, he detected no one listening nearby. Only then did Byakuren look at Takenaka and ask, "Takenaka, did Tobirama Senju cause trouble for you?"

Takenaka Kaguya nodded, then shook his head. "Lord Byakuren, I wouldn't exactly call it causing trouble. Calling it a test would be more appropriate."

"A test?

That does make sense. Compared with Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, Tobirama Senju was more calculating and troublesome. He had fought you on the Land of Fire battlefield before and knew that your strength could not be underestimated.

Now that you have met again in Konohagakure, it is understandable that he wanted to test your strength again and determine whether you might become a great enemy of Konohagakure in the future.

Unfortunately, he was overthinking it. Although he is currently the Hokage Assistant, the next Hokage should, no matter what, be Madara Uchiha, the legendary powerhouse on par with Hashirama Senju!

After all, Konohagakure was a village jointly founded by the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan. Even without considering Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju themselves, the Uchiha Clan was somewhat stronger than the Senju Clan." Byakuren chuckled, a strange glint flashing through his eyes.

Although Byakuren's words made sense, Takenaka Kaguya knew that Madara Uchiha could never become Konoha's Hokage. In fact, no one from the Uchiha Clan could ever become Hokage.

Konoha's future situation—or rather, the situation of all Five Great Shinobi Villages—was the same. It was not enough to be powerful if one wanted a chance to become a Kage.

Take Takenaka Kaguya himself, for example. In terms of military achievements, Byakuren was roughly on par with him, perhaps even slightly inferior.

As for strength, there was even less need to mention it. Despite Byakuren bearing the title of Mizukage, Takenaka Kaguya would not need to use his full strength to kill him.

"Perhaps." Takenaka Kaguya neither confirmed nor denied it. Or rather, he did not care whether Madara Uchiha would become the Second Hokage.

Just as he had suppressed the killing intent in his heart rather than dealing with Tobirama Senju as he had dealt with Hozuki Gengetsu and Byakuren.

Ever since his brief clashes with Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha, and Tobirama Senju, what he wanted most was to rapidly increase his strength, then challenge Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

Therefore, whether Byakuren was the First Mizukage or Hozuki Gengetsu took the position of Second Mizukage, none of that was what he wanted most at present.

At that moment, Byakuren noticed that Takenaka Kaguya did not seem inclined to pursue the matter further, so he hypocritically asked, "Takenaka, if you're upset about this, this old man will go find Hashirama Senju right now and demand that he give you an explanation.

After all, he, Hashirama Senju, initiated this summit. You were attacked by his younger brother, Tobirama Senju, in Konoha. Clearly, Konoha was in the wrong."

Upon hearing this, Takenaka was initially stunned. He then carefully studied Byakuren's face. In the end, he noticed that Byakuren's gaze was somewhat evasive, and he did not dare meet his eyes.

That meant Byakuren was lying.

However, rather than continue bickering with Byakuren, he wanted to return to his room immediately and claim the reward given by the system.

"Heh, there's no need. Lord Byakuren, I appreciate the thought, but I wasn't injured. On the contrary, Tobirama Senju probably did not feel too good after that kick I landed on him.

So, Lord Byakuren, there is no need for you to specifically seek out Hashirama Senju over my affairs.

By the way, if you have nothing else to do, Lord Byakuren, I'll return and rest first. Later, I plan to take a look around Konoha's streets, so I won't keep you company." Takenaka Kaguya smiled as he declined.

Hearing this, Byakuren also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had said those words, but if he were truly asked to demand an explanation from Hashirama Senju, hehe, he did not have the courage.

"Alright, then rest well, Takenaka. I have Gengetsu and the others here." Byakuren nodded with a smile.

"Mm."

As he left Byakuren's room, he happened to see Hozuki Gengetsu standing guard outside. The two nodded to each other in greeting before Takenaka Kaguya turned and returned to his own room.

The moment he entered, he impatiently shut the doors and windows. Then he said in his heart, "System, claim the task reward."

"Ding. The task of observing the first Five Kage Summit has been completed. Task rewards: one Haki Upgrade Card and one Shusui, a 21 O Wazamono blade from the One Piece World. Distributing now."

As the system's emotionless voice sounded, a katana and a card appeared in Takenaka Kaguya's hands the very next second.

Clang!

Takenaka Kaguya put away the Haki Upgrade Card, then drew the famed blade Shusui.

"Damn, as expected of Shusui, one of the 21 O Wazamono Great Grade Swords. It really is excellent." Upon seeing Shusui in its entirety, Takenaka Kaguya could not help murmuring in praise.

The famed blade Shusui had a chaotic hamon in the shape of a large reverse T. Its blade was blackish purple with red serrated patterns. It measured 102 centimeters in total length, with a blade length of 71 centimeters, a width of 3.2 centimeters, and a spine thickness of 0.7 centimeters.

The blade was extremely tough. Even when Takenaka Kaguya used both hands to bend it with all his strength, it did not change in the slightest.

Furthermore, Shusui had a high density, making it heavier than swords of the same size.

"A fine sword. It is even sharper than the Bone Blade I have nurtured with Haki for years." Takenaka Kaguya evaluated it as he circulated Chakra, wanting to see whether it could conduct Chakra.

Unfortunately, his Armament Haki could cover the entire blade, but Chakra could not be conducted through it.

"It is still quite good. Once I become familiar with it and completely adapt to Shusui's weight, my blade techniques—swordsmanship—should improve somewhat," Takenaka Kaguya thought to himself.

He then stored Shusui in his Sealing Scroll and took out the Haki Upgrade Card again.

Looking at the thin sheet of paper in his hand, Takenaka Kaguya could not help sighing. "As expected of the system's cheat. I worked myself to death for years, yet I could only raise my Observation Haki to high level and my Armament Haki to beginner level. As for Conqueror's Haki, it is still only at the level the system initially gave me. Over all these years, I have only triggered it once and have not mastered it at all."

After sighing, he was briefly uncertain whether all three types of Haki could be raised by one level.

Thus, he asked, "System, can this Haki Upgrade Card directly upgrade any one of my three types of Haki?"

"Ding. Yes, the Upgrade Card can be used on all three types of Haki. Based on the host's current mastery of the three types of Haki, the system recommends using it to upgrade Observation Haki, raising it to top level," the system explained.

Hiss!

What would happen when Observation Haki was cultivated to the top level? Katakuri, the son of one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom, could foresee the future. That alone showed how formidable top-level Observation Haki truly was.

"My Observation Haki is currently high level, just one step away from top level. If I upgrade it, it will be a major boost to my combat power in the Naruto World.

Armament Haki has already reached intermediate level. Compared to the high offense and low defense of Ninja in the Naruto World, it is already quite good. Besides, as long as my body continues to develop, it will certainly reach high level in the future.

As for Conqueror's Haki, even if I use the Upgrade Card, it will only reach beginner level. I would be able to control it and use it to clear out some cannon fodder, nothing more.

But one or two large-scale Ninjutsu would be enough to clear out cannon fodder."

Thinking this, Takenaka Kaguya decided to follow the system's recommendation and immediately said, "System, use the Haki Upgrade Card to upgrade Observation Haki."