"Shatter!"
You have bound 'Kamui' and 'Amaterasu' as Dual Mangekyō Sharingan abilities. Other abilities cannot be used.
On the small boat, just as Mingyou gathered the Chakra within him into his eyes, intending to test Fugaku's Mangekyō ability, he suddenly received a system notification.
"Only Kamui and Amaterasu can be used? Then what the hell was the point of giving me copies of other abilities?"
Mingyou grumbled inwardly, but received no response.
It seemed this was also part of some arrangement by the system.
After fleeing for an entire night, the darkness gradually faded.
The morning sun slowly rose beyond the distant shore, ushering in the start of a new day.
The small boat traveled across the mist-covered water for a long time. Finally, they could see an island blanketed in lush green vegetation in the distance.
Clang~~
Clang~~
The clanging of metal rang out from afar.
Looking over, Mingyou saw many workers sweating as they stood atop bamboo scaffolding. The inner framework of a large bridge had already been completed.
"Mr. Tazuna!! There aren't enough materials here. We need more as soon as possible."
"I know, I know!! Let me think of something."
Tazuna?
Why did that name sound so familiar?
Mingyou pondered for a long while before finally recalling the old man Naruto, the protagonist of the original story, had encountered during his first mission outside the village.
Wasn't that old drunkard named Tazuna?
Mingyou narrowed his eyes and swept his gaze over the area. An old man wearing a conical hat came into view.
The old man wore black-rimmed glasses and held a bottle of baijiu in his hand. He staggered along the framework without any fear of falling.
Though he looked much younger than he had in the original story, Mingyou recognized him at once. This old man was indeed Tazuna.
"Smash it! Smash all of it!!"
Before long, a group of thuggish-looking men approached from afar.
They gripped heavy hammers and recklessly destroyed the newly completed bridge framework, utterly disregarding the furious glares of the workers around them.
"What are you doing? Who sent you?"
Tazuna staggered back to the shore, glaring at the newcomers with anger.
"Who sent us? Is that something you're qualified to ask?"
"By Mr. Gato's orders, the Land of Waves is not allowed to have a bridge."
"Old man, if you dare start construction again, don't blame us for taking your whole family's lives."
The thugs openly threatened Tazuna, making no effort to conceal their banditry.
"Gato? So it was that bastard."
"Go back and tell Gato that we will not submit."
"Even if it costs my whole family our lives, I will finish this bridge."
Fueled by alcohol, Tazuna showed no trace of fear.
"Heh! You old bastard, do you really think I don't dare lay a hand on you?"
The bald man at the front glared furiously and swung the steel pipe in his hand toward Tazuna's head.
"Boatman, this is the remaining half of the fare."
Mingyou placed a bag of silver coins inside the cabin. Then the space before him twisted and warped, and he vanished from where he stood.
The next second, Mingyou abruptly appeared beside Tazuna and caught the steel pipe with his bare hand.
No matter how hard the bald man tugged, the steel pipe would not budge in the slightest.
"Who are you? Trying to meddle in our business—"
Bang!!
Before the bald man could finish speaking, Mingyou kicked him in the stomach. His entire body flew more than ten meters away like a kite with its string cut, and he landed on the ground groaning, his body twisting continuously in agony.
"If you dare cause trouble again, you'll all die."
Mingyou coldly swept his gaze over the group of thugs. The chill in his voice sent shivers through their hearts.
"Brothers, don't be afraid! Let's rush him together and kill him!"
Someone shouted first, and then the forty or fifty thug-looking men surged forward, charging at Mingyou.
"Courting death!!"
Mingyou rapidly formed several hand seals.
As he completed the final seal, his cheeks bulged as he spat out clusters of dazzling fireballs.
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Though these thugs were strong and sturdy, they were still merely ordinary people.
Quite a few were struck by the fireballs, and their bodies were swiftly set ablaze.
"Ah~~"
Miserable screams rose one after another as men engulfed in flames rolled and thrashed across the ground.
Instinctively hoping to extinguish the flames this way.
But unfortunately, flames imbued with Chakra burned at far higher temperatures than ordinary fire.
Soon, the screams abruptly ceased. Charred black corpses lay stiffly on the ground, no longer showing any sign of life.
"He's a ninja! He's a ninja! Run for it!!"
The surviving thugs all lost their will to fight. Terrified out of their wits, they turned and fled into the distance, only hating that their parents had not given them two more legs to run faster.
"A bunch of scum."
Mingyou watched them flee with indifference and did not choose to pursue them.
They were merely ordinary people and posed no threat to Mingyou whatsoever.
Besides, Mingyou had already made a decision in secret.
Since he planned to choose the Land of Waves as a temporary place to settle, the first person he had to deal with was the tyrant, Gato.
Letting those thugs return to spread the news would save him quite a bit of trouble.
"Sir... Ninja-sama, thank you for helping us."
Tazuna trembled as he stepped forward. By now, his drunkenness had been completely scared away.
Seeing how Mingyou killed without batting an eye, he even felt somewhat afraid.
"You're Tazuna, right?"
Mingyou turned back and asked.
"Yes, I am Tazuna." Tazuna nodded repeatedly.
"I know you have considerable prestige among the villagers of the Land of Waves. How about we make a deal?"
A faint smile appeared on Mingyou's lips.
"Ah? A deal? What kind of deal do you want?"
Tazuna was puzzled. He did not understand what someone like him, a simple country man, could possibly have that this ninja valued.
"I know you have put a great deal of effort into building this bridge."
"And because you are building this bridge, it will affect Gato's interests."
"So he will not allow you to complete it. Gato may even spare no expense to kill you, the person in charge."
Mingyou succinctly explained the stakes involved.
"Sigh, Ninja-sama, I know everything you said. But if the Land of Waves is not to remain backward forever, I can only choose to fight Gato."
Tazuna sighed deeply, then froze slightly. "Ninja-sama, how... how do you know about our country? I don't think I've ever seen you before."
Mingyou shook his head and said solemnly, "You don't need to worry about how I know."
"You only need to know that I can help you kill Gato and resolve this problem for the Land of Waves."
"But my clansmen and I will be living in the Land of Waves for a long time."
Before you continue