Pride

Qi forced down his excitement in front of his subordinates. He first told the two men that their salaries would be raised, then declared that from now on, they would be his Sword God and Sword Saint.

Seeing how pleased they were with his praise, he finally told them they'd be guarding the gate.

Watching the two of them look both amused and exasperated, Qi felt his mischievous streak satisfied.

In the end, thanks to their efforts, they didn't have to guard the gate—but they did become Qi's gatekeepers.

After the two men left, Qi stood before his own statue and laughed maniacally.

"Hahaha! I knew it. You're the only one I've ever admired, and I was right to do so. We can whip up a few fakes, and faith will empower them into sacred treasures. What do you think—if we organize this whole mythology and spread it far and wide, could we establish a Takamagahara?"

Uchiha Kei showed no reverence toward the gods. He lounged shamelessly in front of the statue, which had been modeled after his appearance in his previous life, gesturing wildly as he pointed at it.

"Don't worry. In every myth I make up, you'll definitely be the foremost of the Kotoamatsukami, Ame-no-Minakanushi. If we're going to be gods, we've got to be the greatest."

Lying on the ground, Qi gazed at the statue he had made with his own hands, his heart full of excitement.

A god, huh? Naturally, a god's grace should be as boundless as the sea, and a god's might as oppressive as a prison.

In other words, a god should be able to frighten people into obeying commands, honoring prohibitions, and accepting punishment for disobedience—even execution for the worst offenses. No mercy, no room for argument.

At the same time, a god should inspire people to see him as compassionate, bestowing blessings as vast and unceasing as the sea, boundless and endless. Those who received his grace would feel refreshed and uplifted, their desire to do good never exhausted.

Qi had put a lot of thought into portraying those two sides.

His appearance in his previous life had been ferocious, unlike Uchiha Kei's current handsome features, which were refined and carried a hint of wicked charm—the perfect face for a captivating villain.

So he didn't need to do anything special to make the statue's divine might feel oppressive. His former self already had the sort of face that could make a three-year-old cry.

That meant he could only portray divine grace through its expression.

And so, a god appeared: ferocious in appearance, yet wearing a kindly, benevolent expression. At that moment, he was looking down at Qi.

Qi gazed up at the god. Suddenly, a strong sense of mockery washed over him. The statue seemed to convey an attitude, more or less:

"Idiot. What are you getting so worked up about?"

Qi, narrow-minded as he was, flew into a rage. He jumped to his feet and shook his fist at his own statue, cursing it.

"You bastard! Aren't we supposed to be of one mind? And now you're mocking me? Can't I be proud for once? Can't I feel like a big shot? I've spent all these years being so careful, even when I put on airs, I've been terrified the whole time, afraid I'd overdo it and get chopped down on the spot."

"Now every one of my subordinates is a big shot. What's wrong with me acting a little cocky?"

The statue was still the same statue, but it was no longer the same statue.

After years of walking a tightrope, who wouldn't end up a little unhinged?

Seeking clarity within himself, every conversation with the statue had really been a conversation Qi was having with his own heart.

As he spoke, Qi suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

"My subordinates keep getting stronger. Damn, they're getting stronger and stronger, while I'm the only one standing still. So I'm the weak link in the whole team."

Qi rose to his feet, then sat cross-legged.

"Things were like this before, too. In terms of strength, I might've been about as strong as my Genin subordinates, but when it came to a real fight, those Genin with years of combat experience would've been far better than me in a fight to the death."

"Now I'm still the one holding everyone back, but I can't exactly strip down to my underwear in public!"

"My lineup is impressive now. Not many clans could put together such a powerful team. We could pick a fight with anyone and curse out whoever we wanted. But when it comes to individual strength, even a dog from the Hatake Clan could beat me senseless."

"If anything happens, I could get my head cut off in an instant!"

"No. I need to get stronger!"

But with his talent, reaching the level of an ordinary Chunin was already the peak. If he wanted to improve further, he couldn't rely on himself. He'd have to depend on outside help.

What should he get?

As the saying went, the poor relied on mutations, while the rich relied on technology.

He, Uchiha Kei, was so rich. Was there really no way for him to spend money and get stronger? This world had plenty of black technology.

After a conversation with his inner self, Qi shed the wild excitement he'd felt at his subordinates' rapid growth. He calmed himself and sat cross-legged before the statue, entering a meditative state.

Sweep the mind again and again, clear away the dust of worldly cares. When the mind's altar is empty, it is pure; when a thought is extinguished, stillness is born. Rein in the unruly monkey and horse, guard the spirit with care. When all worldly ties fall away, clarity will come of its own accord.

Countless thoughts rose and faded in Uchiha Kei's mind, until at last they formed a perfect plan.

The law of diminishing returns meant that accomplishing something perfectly was difficult. But finding a way to do it well enough was easy.

Mastering a single technique until it was unrivaled was difficult. But learning a little of a whole range of techniques could make someone a versatile talent.

In the world of Naruto, powerful techniques gave shinobi a tremendous advantage, but ultimately, a shinobi's strength still depended on the basics.

That meant destructive power, speed, and chakra reserves.

And in the world of Naruto, there were actually quite a few ways to boost those attributes.

Just as Qi began to consider where to start, Fire Fly returned.

Fire Fly, Oboro, and Shujen, all lacking a sense of security, came together to request an audience. With so many people around, Mr. Orochimaru probably wouldn't do anything reckless or make unreasonable demands of Lord Qi.

"My lord, Mr. Orochimaru is here!" That was Fire Fly's message.

"My lord, Uchiha Fugaku is here too." Oboro had news as well.

"My lord, an Uchiha elder named Yawei is here." That was Shujen, of course.

At the news that Orochimaru had arrived, Qi's eyes lit up.

Orochimaru! Right! Who knew human experimentation better than Orochimaru? He'd come right to me—I could fleece him for all he was worth!

"Fire Fly, Oboro, come with me to see Mr. Orochimaru. Shujen, tell Tenshen to entertain Fugaku. Leave that Yawei waiting!"

Other than Orochimaru, Qi didn't care about the other two in the slightest. He could tell what they were here for without even thinking.

Well, that wasn't quite true. He didn't understand why Yawei, one of Fugaku's most loyal supporters, wanted to meet him in private.

It made no sense. Yawei could've come with Fugaku.

But it didn't matter. He could do whatever he wanted. Did Qi need to pay him any mind?

He was the tyrant of Konoha, the kind of man even the Third Hokage had to offer a cigarette. Yawei could do whatever he liked. Did Qi really need to take him seriously? It was just Uchiha Clan business, after all.

He hated this kind of political infighting. It was all over petty gains!