Shimura Danzō's single eye contracted sharply.
"He indirectly saved the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's life, and he deserves some of the credit for driving back the Third Raikage."
Hatake Sakumo walked over to Liuyu and stood shoulder to shoulder with the boy.
"If we hand over a ninja like him just because we're afraid of war, who will dare risk their life for the village in the future?"
He looked at Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Hiruzen, you're the Hokage. You decide."
Sarutobi Hiruzen silently smoked his pipe.
After a long while, he slowly exhaled a plume of smoke. His voice was old, but firm.
"Send the order."
"Konohagakure is moving to Level One Alert."
"All registered shinobi are to cancel their leave. The Logistics Department will have full authority over supplies, and patrols along the border are to be tripled."
"At the same time, send Kumogakure this reply—"
The Third Hokage raised his head, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
"Konoha accepts your challenge."
That night, at Uchiha Liuyu's residence.
After seeing off Uchiha Fugaku, who had come to express his support—and subtly remind him that "the battlefield is dangerous, so don't overdo it"—Uchiha Liuyu closed the door, shutting out the noise.
He sat cross-legged on a cushion in the training room and focused his thoughts on the system interface.
[Major worldline change: The Third Shinobi World War has begun ahead of schedule.]
[Detected that the host played a decisive role at the key event "Kumogakure Attack."
Changed Uzumaki Kushina's fate, indirectly affecting the future paths of key figures such as Namikaze Minato and Kakashi Hatake.]
[Calculating causal disturbance...]
[Rewards settled: Karma Points +30,000]
[Current Karma Points: 31,000]
Thirty thousand points.
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Liuyu's eyes.
The rewards from changing the fates of important figures and triggering the war ahead of schedule far surpassed those from daily missions.
"System, perform one 'Elite Ten-Pull.'"
[10,000 Karma Points consumed. Performing an Elite Ten-Pull.]
[Drawing...]
Brilliant streams of light unfolded in his mind as cards flipped over one after another.
[R-Rank Item: Small Spiritual Power Recovery Potion x3]
[R-Rank Skill: Hadō #12: Fushibi]
[R-Rank Skill: Bakudō #9: Geki]
[R-Rank Skill: Hadō #20: Teritenkyu]
[R-Rank Skill: Bakudō #21: Sekienton]
[SR-Rank Skill: Hadō #32: Ōkasen]
[SR-Rank Skill: Bakudō #39: Enkōsen]
[SR: Reiatsu limit increased by 60%.]
[Current Reiatsu increase: Fifth Class Reiatsu—Weak Third Class Reiatsu (Captain-level)]
[Equivalent to Naruto-world Chakra: low Kage Level]
In an instant, Uchiha Liuyu sensed his Reiatsu undergo a tremendous leap.
If his Reiatsu had once been a stream, it was now a mighty river.
[SR-Rank Skill: Reiatsu Sensing Enhancement (Intermediate)]
[SSR+-Rank Item: Character Summoning Card—Ulquiorra Cifer (limited-time summon, duration: 5 minutes, possesses Resurrección: Segunda Etapa ability, power rating: Super Kage Level)]
[Cooldown: Three months.]
As the fourth Espada of Las Noches, he was the only one capable of Resurrección: Segunda Etapa.
It was no wonder he was so powerful.
But even so, he wasn't UR?
Remembering Zaraki Kenpachi's terrifying Bankai, Uchiha Liuyu felt a little less surprised.
Aside from the final SSR+ summoning card, the first eight rewards were all low- to mid-level Kido below number sixty, along with a Reiatsu sensing enhancement.
The increase to his Reiatsu limit was quite useful, though.
"My luck's a little bad," he murmured.
Still, Ulquiorra's summoning card... Super Kage Level, Resurrección: Segunda Etapa.
In terms of sheer destructive power, he might not measure up to Zaraki Kenpachi.
But Ulquiorra excelled in composure and precision, and possessed "Lanza del Relámpago," an attack that was practically rule-breaking.
In certain situations, he might be more useful than Zaraki Kenpachi.
He had twenty-one thousand points left.
Uchiha Liuyu pondered for a moment and decided not to draw again.
The war had begun. He needed to save his Karma Points for whatever surprises lay ahead.
These newly acquired, lower-numbered Kido might not be very powerful.
But they cost little and activated quickly, making them suitable for ordinary combat and tactical teamwork.
The increase to his Reiatsu limit was a godsend, too. On a chaotic battlefield, ample spiritual reserves and stronger skills were essential.
Aizen had swept through the Soul Society with his suffocating Reiatsu.
"System, learn all new skills and use Reiatsu Sensing Enhancement."
[Command confirmed.]
[Skills being implanted...]
[Reiatsu enhancement in progress...]
A cool current flowed into his mind, then spread throughout his body.
Uchiha Liuyu felt his "senses" ripple outward like waves across water.
Chakra signatures that had once been indistinct became clear. He could even faintly detect the fatigue of a shinobi returning home late on a neighboring street.
Every living presence within a thousand meters was under his control.
"Not enough yet." Liuyu opened his eyes. "But it'll do for now."
He looked at the summoning card in his hand, depicting Murciélago.
The card was cool to the touch, and lightning seemed to shimmer across it.
"One more trump card."
The next morning, at the Konoha Gate
The morning mist had yet to clear, and the air was thick with killing intent.
Over a hundred shinobi stood in formation. At the front was an elite Jonin squad led by Namikaze Minato.
Behind them were mixed Chunin units made up of shinobi from various clans, followed by special operations squads like Liuyu's.
Sarutobi Hiruzen stood on a raised platform, giving a pre-battle speech.
The Hokage's voice rang across the entire area through the Amplification Jutsu, impassioned and rousing.
But Liuyu could sense the fear beneath the tense muscles of many young shinobi in the crowd.
The war had finally come.
"...For Konoha, for our families, for everything we hold dear!"
"Victory!"
"Victory!!!" Their roars scattered the morning mist.
The troops began filing out of the village.
Liuyu's squad was assigned to the middle of the formation.
He led Matsumoto Ryūichi, Haruno Kazuya, and Fujiwara Itsuki through the enormous gates of Konoha, following the stream of shinobi.
The instant he stepped beyond the village gates—
Liuyu's Reiatsu sensing caught several gazes.
From the forest ahead came a burning, savage killing intent, brimming with aggression.
Like thunderclouds gathering overhead—the scouts of Kumogakure, or... something even more troublesome.
From behind, hidden in the shadows along the edge of the departing ranks, came a cold, clammy malice like that of a venomous snake.
There were at least three of them. Their presence was so well concealed that, without his recently enhanced senses, he might not have detected them at all.
Root.
Shimura Danzō had indeed made his move.
He wasn't just using the enemy to do his dirty work; he was attacking from both sides. A powerful enemy from Kumogakure waited at the front, while "allies" aimed their arrows at his back.
Liuyu didn't break stride or even look back.
He merely tilted his head and gave a soft chuckle, his voice low enough for only himself to hear.
"Just as well."
"The battlefield is the easiest place for a pawn to disappear."
He touched Senbonzakura at his waist and led the way down the path to death and glory.
The morning light pierced the mist, stretching the shadow of his dark green vest far behind him.
The war had begun.
Before you continue