Uchiha Yu looked at the sprawling panel before him and sucked in a sharp breath.
What was this? Had he awakened another new feature?
He looked over the panel, his heart pounding.
"One Pay-to-Win Point can be used for one enhancement. The first enhancement has a 100% success rate! After that, the success rate decreases by 5% each time! The minimum success rate is 5%!"
"Each enhancement increases a ninja tool's power by 10%! If an enhancement fails, the tool will be destroyed!"
"An Enhancement Protection Coupon can be purchased for ten Pay-to-Win Points! If an enhancement fails while using a coupon, the tool will not be destroyed."
"Five Pay-to-Win Points can be used for one enchantment! Enchantments grant ninja tools different special abilities!"
"There are five levels of special abilities! The higher the level, the better the effect! A ninja tool can have no more than two different enchantments!"
"If you're unsatisfied with an enchantment, it costs ten Pay-to-Win Points to remove it! Twenty Pay-to-Win Points can unlock a new enchantment slot!"
And so on...
Uchiha Yu stared at the various ridiculous effects, his eyes wide with shock.
Was this damn thing trying to rob him?
Everything cost money!
He'd thought the lottery system was already bad enough.
But this thing...
It even had a gem-inlay feature. Drilling holes in the Kusanagi Sword cost money, and buying gems cost money too!
Combining low-level gems into higher-level ones cost even more money!
Uchiha Yu scrutinized the system panel, wondering if he could somehow dig out a One-Hit-Kill, 999-Damage feature!
"I thought I was already pretty strong, but I never expected that I'd be the clown all along!"
Uchiha Yu did a rough calculation. If he wanted to fully upgrade the Kusanagi Sword in his hand and max out every feature...
The amount of money it would take was astronomical...
I underestimated you, system!
Still, Uchiha Yu spent twenty thousand ryo to exchange for twenty Pay-to-Win Points and enhanced the Kusanagi Sword twice.
Then he gave the Kusanagi Sword two enchantments.
They were Flying Sword LV2 and Durability LV1.
They made the Kusanagi Sword harder and more durable, and let him control it freely in flight without using chakra or ocular power.
But as Uchiha Yu watched the sword float through the air at a snail's pace, his heart sank.
This was worse than Great Luo Heaven!
Still, at least it didn't consume chakra or ocular power.
The initial enhancements didn't cost much, but as the success rate fell later on, the expense would add up.
This was a bottomless pit.
Uchiha Yu looked at the Kusanagi Sword in his hand and nearly burst into tears.
Was the system digging a hole for him because he'd had too much money lately?
He had a mission in two days. He hoped nothing went too wrong.
Otherwise, he'd be screwed.
"Oh, right. I should go find Uzumaki Naruto." Uchiha Yu pushed open the door and headed for Naruto's home.
After the battle, Uchiha Yu had obtained the Scroll of Sealing and copied down the contents about the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.
It was very important to teach Uzumaki Naruto the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.
But Naruto was only seven right now...
Most of the chakra in his body was being used to suppress the Tailed Beast. And with a Tailed Beast inside him, Uzumaki Naruto's chakra control wasn't very good.
Uzumaki Naruto had learned the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique five years later, but there was no guarantee that the seven-year-old Naruto could learn it now!
At Uzumaki Naruto's home.
When Naruto saw Uchiha Yu at the door, his eyes lit up.
He'd already heard that Uchiha Fugaku was going to become the Fifth Hokage.
Most civilians and the ninja trainees who hadn't fought that night knew nothing about the battle's details.
What's more, they'd been ordered to keep those details confidential.
So a ninja trainee like Uzumaki Naruto had no idea about Uchiha Yu's amazing feat that night.
Still, he was thrilled.
"Big Bro, what brings you here to hang out with me?" Uzumaki Naruto rubbed his hands together, his face full of excitement.
Uchiha Yu glanced at the Toad Wallet hanging at Naruto's waist and smiled.
Looking down at Naruto, he asked, "Do you want to become Hokage?"
Uzumaki Naruto nodded at once.
Uchiha Yu took out a book. It contained the training method for the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique.
"Learn this jutsu in one day, then come find me at the new Uchiha compound. I'll take you to Sunagakure for a visit." Uchiha Yu smiled. "Of course, if you can't learn it, never mind."
Uzumaki Naruto was just a mascot right now. If he couldn't even learn the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique, then if something happened in Sunagakure, he'd just be walking to his death.
Sasuke could at least put up a fight. Naruto would be done for right away.
"Okay! I'll do what you say, Big Bro!" Uzumaki Naruto sat cross-legged and stared at the book in his hands, lost in thought.
"Practice for now. I'm heading back to the compound."
Uchiha Yu turned toward the door.
He'd only taken a couple of steps when Naruto followed and patted him on the shoulder.
Uchiha Yu frowned and turned around. "I told you to learn this jutsu first. Why are you—"
Uchiha Yu fell silent.
There were more than ten Narutos standing together inside the room.
What the hell?
He learned it that fast?
No wonder it was the Prince's signature jutsu!
Damn, he was a natural!
"Can you take me out tomorrow?" Uzumaki Naruto asked with a grin.
For some reason, the Multi-Shadow Clone Technique just felt familiar to him.
Well, no wonder it felt familiar... it was the jutsu that had given Kaguya such a headache...
It was practically tailor-made for Naruto!
"Of course." Uchiha Yu took out ten thousand ryo and pressed it into Naruto's hand. "Use this to buy some food, and get some extra ninja tools too. We'll need them on the road."
Uzumaki Naruto stared at the ten thousand ryo in his hand, utterly stunned.
He'd never seen so much money before!
Uzumaki Naruto got a little pocket money every month, but it was barely enough to keep him fed.
He had to save up for days just to afford a bowl of Ichiraku Ramen!
But ten thousand ryo was enough to let Uzumaki Naruto live at Ichiraku Ramen for months!
"Thank you, Big Bro!" Uzumaki Naruto's eyes filled with tears. Even Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Hokage, had never treated him this well.
Uchiha Yu smiled and patted Uzumaki Naruto on the head. "When we get back from Sunagakure, come live at my Uchiha compound. I'll train you and teach you how to become Hokage!"
Uzumaki Naruto didn't lack talent or combat smarts. With proper training, he'd absolutely amount to something.
"Okay, Big Bro!" Uzumaki Naruto had made up his mind. He was going to cling to this lifeline no matter what!
Sunagakure.
Sarutobi Asuma sat in a shabby room.
Ever since he'd arrived in Sunagakure and explained why he was there, Kazekage Rasa had made it clear that he was willing to work with Asuma.
But in practice, he'd put Sarutobi Asuma up in this run-down place.
He also kept a close watch on him, which was practically house arrest.
Every day, even Asuma's trusted subordinates had a hard time getting out.
Fortunately, Asuma still had informants in Konoha.
"What's the situation?" Asuma asked, arms crossed and looking troubled.
A tiger fallen to the plains was bullied by dogs!
But sooner or later, he'd reclaim the glory that belonged to the Sarutobi Clan!
One of his trusted Jonin sighed. "Not good. They seem to have noticed something. They've arranged for several ninja to come to Sunagakure with invitations to the inauguration ceremony, but they're probably after us. They'll likely set out in the next few days."
Asuma nodded, his face darkening.
"Tell Sunagakure! Those people definitely have ill intentions! Have them send someone to kill every one of those ninja on the way here! Remember, use elite forces!"
Asuma clenched his fists.
That idiot Rasa had better get this right.
Kazekage Building.
Rasa raised his eyelids as he read the letter his subordinate had brought him.
"Asuma..." Rasa's mouth curled into a grin. "Is he telling me what to do?"
"Lord Kazekage, what should we do?" his subordinate asked.
Rasa nodded. "Let them come in openly and without a fuss."
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