Champion!

Li Tong's twisted sense of humor!

He hadn't actually wanted to marry Mikoto Uchiha. He was too young for that, anyway. He was just turning the Uchiha Clan down in his own special way, so they wouldn't bother him again!

Mikoto Uchiha's expression froze.

This time, it really did freeze.

She could hardly believe her ears. This outsider had actually dared to make such an outrageous demand, right to her face. What nerve! What shamelessness!

Wave after wave of fragrance filled Li Tong's nostrils.

"Ah... achoo..." Li Tong couldn't hold it in any longer and let out a huge sneeze.

Mikoto Uchiha felt something damp spray across her face.

"Ah! Sorry, I apologize. I'm allergic to certain scents." Li Tong hurriedly explained, leaning back as he pulled out a clean handkerchief and wiped his nose.

Mikoto Uchiha's eyelashes fluttered. She looked like she was on the verge of exploding.

Several ninja stepped out from behind Mikoto Uchiha and gathered around the table. They were all Uchiha Clan ninja, including an elite Jonin with a reputation score of over thirteen thousand. They had come with Mikoto Uchiha and had been sitting at the next table.

Clearly, they had heard what Li Tong said. Otherwise, their faces wouldn't have been so dark.

Mikoto Uchiha sat in her chair like some legendary gang leader, surrounded by a group of hulking adult male ninja, all glaring at Li Tong.

Li Tong suddenly worried that Mikoto Uchiha might wave her hand and say, "Cut him down!" Then the ninja would all draw their blades and chop the foul-mouthed fellow into mincemeat.

Still, Li Tong stuck to the principle that you couldn't die if you didn't tempt fate, and added, "If you don't agree, then don't bother me again. Thanks!"

Mikoto Uchiha stared at Li Tong without once looking away. At the same time, she took a handkerchief from her clothes and slowly wiped her face.

She was furious!

She didn't show it, but the hand clenching the handkerchief gave her away. Her knuckles had gone white. She was gripping it so hard you'd think the handkerchief had personally offended her.

"The Hyuga Clan will kill you!" Mikoto Uchiha finally said through gritted teeth. "I'll be there to collect your body!"

"Does the Uchiha Clan have a tradition of collecting people's bodies?" Li Tong asked reflexively. He remembered Fugaku Uchiha acting the same way at noon.

"Let's go!" Mikoto Uchiha didn't waste any more words on Li Tong. She stood and led the others away.

"What a pain." Li Tong watched Mikoto Uchiha and the others leave, muttered under his breath, then looked down at his noodles. He couldn't eat another bite!

"Brother, you're a real warrior! Let's have a drink. We have to!"

A figure suddenly darted over and sat down across from Li Tong, gazing at him with deep admiration—no, with boundless reverence!

He was a young ninja around twenty years old named Umino Ri, a Chunin. Li Tong remembered seeing him eating noodles at the table on the right.

"Uh... what do you mean?" Li Tong asked, blinking.

"Hey, bring us a pot of wine!" Umino Ri snapped his fingers at the waiter, then looked back at Li Tong as if he were some rare treasure. "Brother! Seriously, you're the bravest person I've ever met! We have to have a drink. My treat!"

"Why?" Li Tong raised an eyebrow.

"Think about it. First, you offended the Hyuga Clan and killed Hyuga Anan." Umino Ri began counting on his fingers. He was a real extrovert. "The Hyuga Clan definitely won't let you off. No one can stop them."

"And that thing with you harassing Kushina Uzumaki has already spread. It probably won't be long before Lady Tsunade comes to have a little talk with you about life... And just now, what did you say to Mikoto Uchiha? You asked her to marry you? Hahaha! Brother, you've got some nerve! Do you know how many people have a crush on Mikoto? I'm impressed, I really am! Now you've offended the Uchiha Clan too. Konoha's two ancient clans, plus the one person you absolutely mustn't cross, Lady Tsunade—you've managed to offend them all! Seriously, brother! If you weren't about to die, I'd ask you to become sworn brothers with me!"

Li Tong's mouth twitched. This guy was seriously nuts!

A twenty-year-old ninja calling a twelve-year-old ninja "brother" every other word told Li Tong everything he needed to know about his personality.

The waiter brought over the wine, along with two cups.

Umino Ri immediately stood up, snatched the pot, quickly poured two cups, and raised one.

"Come on, brother, have a drink. This one's on me!" Umino Ri said with complete sincerity. "A warrior like you comes along once in a hundred years, if that! For the next few days, eat well and drink your fill. You might not get another chance. Enough talk—I'll drink first!"

Umino Ri drained his cup, then turned it upside down and waved it at Li Tong.

Li Tong stared at Umino Ri with dead-fish eyes, motionless.

"Brother, drink up!"

"Brother, do me a favor."

"Brother, eat and drink well... I'll leave you to it!"

Umino Ri began to feel uneasy under Li Tong's stare. He put down his cup, scurried back to his seat, and didn't look at Li Tong again, as if nothing had happened.

"Fuck you!" Li Tong finally managed to spit out through clenched teeth. He sprang to his feet, slapped a banknote down on the table, and strode outside.

He felt he had to do something, or he'd go completely crazy!

Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

At dawn, the morning clouds hung over the horizon like a curtain of blood.

By the lake, in front of the wooden cabin.

Li Tong sat cross-legged on the grass, facing the lake, as still as a statue.

It had been eighteen days since Li Tong arrived in the world of Naruto. After the turmoil of the first few days, his life had settled back into a quiet routine. No one came to bother him anymore. The Hyuga Clan made no move, the Uchiha Clan sent no one after him, and Tsunade, who wanted Li Tong to teach her the Gambling Technique, never showed up either.

It was as if everyone had forgotten he existed!

And yet, the calm was deeply unsettling.

It was like the stillness before a storm!

Talk about Li Tong in Konoha had never died down. If anything, it had grown more intense. Even the gambling houses were taking bets on how Li Tong would be killed!

In the woods behind the cabin, Chen He watched Li Tong.

Whoosh!

A whirlwind stirred up white smoke, and a figure appeared out of nowhere on a branch beside Chen He. The ninja respectfully reported, "Lord Chen He, yesterday's autopsy reports are ready. The Intelligence Division has identified each of them."

"How did it go?" Chen He asked without turning around.

"Of the five people killed by Li Tong yesterday, only one could be confirmed as coming from Amegakure. Two more were confirmed to be from Kirigakure. There wasn't enough evidence to identify the remaining two, but we can confirm that they were foreign infiltrators."

"Good. At least he didn't kill the wrong people. Go." Chen He waved a hand behind him.

The ninja formed Hand Seals and vanished.

Chen He gazed at Li Tong, seated on the grass by the lake, and narrowed his eyes.

He was finding Li Tong harder and harder to figure out.

In half a month, Li Tong had killed a total of sixty-seven foreign ninja, including three elite Chunin and nine Chunin. The rest had all been Genin! He hadn't killed a single one by mistake! It was astonishing.

Konohagakure had nearly two hundred thousand people if you counted its ninja, permanent residents, and transient visitors!

In just half a month, Li Tong had found sixty-seven infiltrators among two hundred thousand people!

In terms of efficiency alone, one Li Tong already rivaled the entire Konoha Anbu!

And that wasn't all!

Li Tong's growth was just as alarming to Chen He. A little over half a month ago, Li Tong had been an amnesiac Genin. Now, Chen He thought he was at least a Chunin, and he had mastered an assassination technique capable of killing elite Chunin. Chen He had even wondered at one point whether Li Tong had regained his memories. But Li Tong was now a Konoha Ninja, so there was no way to verify it. They couldn't simply search through his memories.

Only the Konoha Anbu knew the extent of Li Tong's abilities. His ninja rank hadn't been changed, so as far as the public knew, he was still a Genin!

Chen He strongly suspected that Li Tong was still hiding part of his strength, because he had never seen Li Tong go all out when killing anyone! He had killed sixty-seven infiltrators in total, and every time, Li Tong had dispatched his target quickly and without a single mistake!

Whoosh!

Another figure suddenly appeared out of nowhere beside Chen He, carrying a distinctive aura.

"Captain." Chen He immediately greeted him respectfully.

It was White Fang!

White Fang glanced toward Li Tong. Seeing him training, he said, "The Hyuga ninja who went to the Black Market have returned. Go warn Li Tong to be careful."

"Yes!" Chen He replied respectfully.

White Fang vanished in a flash.

By the lake.

Li Tong opened his eyes and sprang up. As he rose into the air, he swiftly formed Hand Seals. His body disappeared, then reappeared at the center of the lake, his feet steady on the water. He held his breath, brought his hands together, and formed another seal!

"Water Style: Violent Torrent Technique!"