Fusion

Meanwhile, on the other side.

After leaving the cave, Chen Xiaoxi, led by Zetsu, chose a suitable residence for himself directly within Amegakure.

As the main headquarters of the Akatsuki, Amegakure was naturally a place they frequented often.

Therefore, it was only logical for them to allocate housing to their members.

For Chen Xiaoxi, who had lived in the System Secret Realm for ten years, moving into a decent place was just the right way to enjoy himself for a change.

Shortly after, he found an excuse to send Zetsu, who had been showing him the way, on his path.

"Whew..."

Chen Xiaoxi lay back on the soft quilts of the tatami mat, feeling for the first time as if he had truly come back to life.

As expected, this kind of comfort is impossible to experience inside the System Secret Realm!

Chen Xiaoxi sighed with a smile on his face.

Suddenly, the system's virtual panel popped up, and immediately after, a series of notification sounds rang out rapidly in his mind.

"Ding! Congratulations to the host, the sign-in mission has been completed! Reward: one lucky draw."

"Initiate draw!"

"Reward: Flash Step proficiency +1; Kido proficiency +1; Reiatsu +1."

Hearing these prompts, a smile of expectation appeared on Chen Xiaoxi's face.

"Defeat the immortal ninja, Kakuzu (1/1), reward: one lucky draw!"

"Initiate draw!"

"Reward: Flash Step proficiency +1; Kido proficiency +1; Reiatsu +1."

Hearing these prompts, a smile of expectation appeared on Chen Xiaoxi's face.

The reason he had chosen to accept the challenge when facing Kakuzu's provocation in the cave earlier was certainly not because he had nothing better to do.

It was entirely to complete the reward triggered by defeating a Kage-level powerhouse.

Sure enough, just as he had expected, the system rewarded him with Flash Step and Kido experience, as well as the customary Reiatsu bonus, just as it had when he defeated Sasori of the Red Sand.

However, it seemed that because he had used two Kido spells during this battle, the Kido experience reward was greater than the last time.

In other words... as long as I use a certain skill in battle, I can receive the corresponding experience reward?

Chen Xiaoxi quickly grasped the pattern.

It seemed that in the future, he could completely grind for experience and improve his strength by reasonably utilizing the four arts—Zanjutsu, Hakuda, Hoho, and Kido—during combat.

Just as Chen Xiaoxi was deep in thought, the system panel popped up again, followed by another series of notifications.

"New side mission triggered—"

"Destroy Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear mask: Fire Style (1/1), completed, reward: one lucky draw!"

"Destroy Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear mask: Wind Style (1/1), completed, reward: one lucky draw!"

"Destroy Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear mask: Water Style (0/1), incomplete, reward: one lucky draw!"

"Destroy Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear mask: Earth Style (0/1), incomplete, reward: one lucky draw!"

"Destroy Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear mask: Lightning Style (0/1), incomplete, reward: one lucky draw!"

"Accumulatively destroy Kakuzu's five-attribute Earth Grudge Fear masks (2/5), incomplete, reward: one lucky draw!"

As the series of notifications faded, Chen Xiaoxi was momentarily stunned.

Good grief!

Destroying Kakuzu's Earth Grudge Fear masks could actually count as side missions?

And there was an even more unscrupulous one: cumulatively destroying all five?

Kakuzu only had five hearts in total, right?

Does the system want me to just kill him outright?

Wouldn't that make me a traitor to the organization?

Looking at the rows of missions on the system panel, Chen Xiaoxi couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

He never imagined that Kakuzu would transform into an experience-farming tool for the system's side missions.

He was already the Akatsuki's "utility man," arguably the only worker in the entire organization who was seriously trying to make money.

Now, he had simply become an experience dungeon.

By evening, Chen Xiaoxi's new house in Amegakure welcomed its first guest.

Konan.

She was carrying a bag in her hand.

The moment she entered the room, she didn't say a word and handed the bag directly to him.

Chen Xiaoxi was completely baffled. As he took the bag, he asked in surprise:

"What's this?"

Konan looked at him calmly and said indifferently:

"The Akatsuki Uniform."

"Once you put it on, you will officially become a member of the organization."

"From now on, you must wear this uniform during any mission to demonstrate the power of our Akatsuki to the Ninja World."

Konan's tone was very calm.

Clearly, this seemed to be an ironclad rule established long ago.

However, Upon hearing this, Chen Xiaoxi's eyebrows twitched.

The Red Cloud Black Robe of the Akatsuki had arrived!

The uniform legendary for containing the curse of "death upon undressing"?

Chen Xiaoxi looked at the dead-serious Konan with a strange expression and forced a smile: "Uh, can I choose not to wear it?"

"No."

Konan's tone was indifferent, and she refused him flatly.

Afterward, she simply turned around and walked toward the door, saying faintly as she left:

"You might be sent on a mission in the next two days, so be prepared."

Once she finished speaking, She transformed into a flurry of paper and vanished.

Chen Xiaoxi shook his head with a bitter smile and opened the bag in his hand. Inside, a Red Cloud Black Robe was neatly folded.

However, to his surprise, there was also a bottle of nail polish.

"Eh?

Nail polish?"

Chen Xiaoxi took it out of the bag, and under the light, it revealed a faint cyan color.

Chen Xiaoxi, who had been somewhat surprised, Suddenly paused in his thoughts.

He finally remembered that in the original work, it seemed that every member of the Akatsuki did indeed wear nail polish of various colors...

What was this?

Collective performance art?

Chen Xiaoxi shook his head helplessly and tossed it aside.

He then picked up the clothes. However, the moment he lifted the Red Cloud Black Robe, a system notification suddenly sounded.

"Ding, detected that the host has obtained [Akatsuki Uniform] x1. Do you wish to fuse it with the host's [Shihakusho]?"

"The fused Akatsuki Uniform will inherit all the abilities of the Shihakusho."

"?"

There was such a good thing?

Upon hearing this prompt, Chen Xiaoxi's eyes lit up instantly!

He had been worried that he would lose the abilities of his Shihakusho after putting on the Akatsuki uniform, but he hadn't expected the two could be fused!

One had to know, the Shihakusho was not just a simple set of clothes.

Ten years ago, when Chen Xiaoxi obtained his basic Reiatsu and Zanpakuto, the black Shihakusho had appeared and covered his entire body.

According to the system's description, the essence of the Shihakusho was actually the same as the Zanpakuto; it was a special manifestation of a Shinigami's Reiatsu!

In short—

The higher a person's Reiatsu, the higher the defensive power the Shihakusho would provide!

This feature alone made it far superior to the ordinary Red Cloud Black Robe of the Akatsuki!

Therefore, Chen Xiaoxi didn't hesitate at all.

"System, fuse!"

"Ding!"

As the words fell, the Red Cloud Black Robe in Chen Xiaoxi's hands vanished instantly, and the next moment, a white light began to emerge around his body.

"Ding, congratulations to the host--"

"You have obtained a brand new item: Shihakusho [Akatsuki ver.]!"

"This item will perfectly inherit the appearance of the Akatsuki uniform, as well as all the ability characteristics of the Shihakusho!"

As the notification sound faded, the light dispersed.

Chen Xiaoxi's attire had already changed from a black garment into a set of Akatsuki's Red Cloud Black Robe uniform.

Just as the system had stated, its appearance was almost indistinguishable from the Red Cloud Black Robes worn by others.

However, only Chen Xiaoxi knew that its properties were far beyond what any ordinary clothing could compare to.