After going all in this time, Xuan Yu's Pay-to-Win System balance had once again been completely drained.
Of his four attributes, only his mental and speed attributes could relatively easily earn him another Growth Gift Pack. Getting one for his other two attributes would be rather difficult.
As for his current ninjutsu, no matter which technique he chose, getting a special effect would undoubtedly be difficult. It would cost at least fifty million ryo, and sometimes as much as sixty million or even more.
Besides, Xuan Yu had also discovered something.
The Pay-to-Win System seemed to be able to affect talents only indirectly. It couldn't brute-force points into them the way it could with his four attributes and abilities.
His Speed Force talent was influenced by his stamina and speed attributes, but he couldn't directly put points into the talent itself.
As for his Kekkei Genkai, he would have to wait for a Growth Gift Pack to yield a prize related to a higher-level Kekkei Genkai before he could improve it.
Or, like the other Uchiha, he could let his Sharingan continue evolving the normal way.
But rather than sacrifice someone dear to him, Xuan Yu would still rather draw a relevant prize from a Growth Gift Pack and further evolve his Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Ugh!" At the thought, Xuan Yu couldn't help letting out a quiet sigh. Scratch-off Cards were just too unpredictable!
For every hundred million ryo in commissions he spent improving any of his four attributes, he earned one Growth Gift Pack.
Sometimes the things inside were astonishingly good. Other times, they were so awful he couldn't bear to look.
Further improving his Mangekyō Sharingan was undoubtedly no easy feat. It would take a mountain of commissions.
That only made Xuan Yu's gaze toward Kakuzu more resolute.
He had to squeeze Kakuzi for every last bit he could, and farm commissions like crazy!
Otherwise, even with a powerful cheat like the Pay-to-Win System, he had no idea how long it would take him to become an undying legend who towered over the Ninja World.
Xuan Yu didn't waste any time. He grabbed Kakuzu, who was dozing against the carriage wall.
Kakuzu jolted awake and snapped, "Kid, what are you up to now?"
Xuan Yu said with heartfelt concern, "Kakuzi, how can you sleep at your age? You're in your eighties—that's the perfect age to get out there and make your mark! We're going to farm some missions!"
Kakuzu continued angrily, "Aren't you already doing an escort mission?"
"An escort mission at this level only needs a clone to stay here," Xuan Yu said, unconcerned. "We'll go farm other missions along the way."
"Like hell I will!" Kakuzu refused outright. He wasn't going to farm missions. He wanted to sleep.
"You think you can just say no? Get out there and farm missions!" As he spoke, Xuan Yu hoisted Kakuzu onto his shoulder, then activated the Speed Force and shot toward a nearby Black Market Bounty Exchange in a streak of golden light.
As the gap between their strength continued to widen, Kakuzu had almost no way to fight back against Xuan Yu anymore.
Now that Xuan Yu was carrying him straight to the Black Market, he had no choice but to give in.
Working with Xuan Yu to farm missions could earn them a mountain of commissions, but Kakuzu's body was reaching its limit.
On the way to the Bounty Exchange, Kakuzu couldn't help thinking, I can't keep this up! I need to find a way to get a new partner and let this kid torment someone else!
No matter what, after this mission I have to find a new partner. If I drop dead in the middle of a mission, it won't matter how many commissions I've earned.
Xuan Yu had no idea that Kakuzu was thinking of ditching him and farming missions on his own.
For the moment, Xuan Yu's attention was mainly on his Chakra Clone heading to the Land of Fire.
Once it reached the Land of Fire, he would have to find Fuyukaze Yukie—Princess Kazahana Koyuki—and discuss a partnership with her as soon as possible.
It was said that, in the early days, Kazahana Koyuki had still wanted to reclaim her country with the help of Sandayū Asama, a minister of the Land of Snow.
But later, with the odds of restoring the country looking hopeless, the princess had simply given up and decided to take it easy.
In the end, it had taken Naruto persuading her again and again to rekindle her fighting spirit. She had resolved to defeat Kazahana Dōtō, become Daimyo of the Land of Snow, and lead its people through the brutal Ninja World.
Xuan Yu hoped he wouldn't run into a Kazahana Koyuki who had already given up and checked out. If he did, this mission would be a lot more troublesome.
His Chakra Clone traveled with the merchant caravan he was escorting and arrived safely in the Land of Fire.
After entering the country, he headed straight to the Black Market Bounty Exchange to ask around for information about Fuyukaze Yukie.
Finding a princess who had gone into hiding under an assumed name would be no easy task. Finding a famous actress, on the other hand, was a piece of cake.
It barely took Xuan Yu any effort to learn that Fuyukaze Yukie and her film crew were currently shooting a movie in a small town in the Land of Fire.
Once he confirmed the information, he went straight there.
As one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, the Land of Fire was vast, rich in natural resources, and abundant in resources of all kinds.
There were countless hot spring baths within its borders. They might not quite measure up to the springs in the Land of Hot Water, but they weren't far behind.
Fuyukaze Yukie emerged from one of the hot spring baths looking quite relaxed.
Her features were refined, and her figure was tall and graceful. Her makeup and costume in the films had been more than enough to leave Naruto utterly lovestruck.
After leaving the baths, Fuyukaze Yukie headed to the private cottage she had at the Hot Spring Inn.
Her manager—who was actually Sandayū Asama, a minister of the Land of Snow—lived there too.
Once Fuyukaze Yukie and Sandayū Asama entered the cottage's living room, they both let their relaxed expressions fall.
Unlike the princess she would later become—the one who gave up and checked out—Kazahana Koyuki still very much wanted to avenge her father and reclaim her country.
She worked hard making movies partly because she loved acting, and partly to raise money to reclaim her country.
After Sandayū Asama shut the living room door, Kazahana Koyuki turned to him seriously and asked, "Have you learned anything more about that lead from before?"
The lead Kazahana Koyuki meant was the report that Kazahana Dōtō and his party had appeared in the Grass Country.
Even though she had hidden her identity and been on the run for years, Kazahana Dōtō still hadn't given up hunting her down.
That was only natural. The murder of her father was a blood debt, and she could never let Kazahana Dōtō go. If she got the chance, she would certainly seek revenge.
On top of that, she had the Hexagonal Crystal needed to open the Land of Snow's ancestral treasure vault. Kazahana Dōtō probably dreamed of getting his hands on it.
After Kazahana Koyuki asked, Sandayū Asama pushed up his glasses and said with great seriousness, "Princess, there's definitely been a follow-up to that report. The reason Kazahana Dōtō appeared in the Grass Country was that two exceptionally skilled mercenaries showed up in the Grass Country's Black Market!"
"Black Market mercenaries?" Kazahana Koyuki blinked her long lashes. She didn't understand what Kazahana Dōtō had to do with Black Market mercenaries.
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