The Converging Worldlines

A week later, at Hyuga Genya's home.

Guy leaped down from the courtyard wall and walked into Xuanye's room with practiced ease.

Seeing Xuanye lounging on his bed reading a book, Guy said softly, "Thank you, Xuanye."

Xuanye glanced sideways at Guy, looking puzzled as he asked, "Why the sudden thanks? How bizarre!"

With that, he went back to his book, ignoring Guy, while feeling utterly depressed inside.

So annoying!

When that brat Obito put on a mask, the whole world couldn't recognize him, so why was it that when he wore a mask, it was as if he weren't wearing one at all?

What kind of logic is this?!

...Could this kind of logic be applied to the cause of benefiting mankind?

"Xuanye, that punch you used back then was so cool. Could you teach it to me?"

Seeing that Xuanye was ignoring him, Guy plopped down beside him, staring at him with burning eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Xuanye said, eyes fixed on his book without looking away.

"It's that move, Tender Feelings Like Water Long Flowing Heartless Fist!"

Guy waved his fists, looking excited. "Just hearing the name makes it feel so youthful!"

Xuanye: "..."

I'm tired. Just destroy everything.

After being pestered by Guy for several months, Xuanye finally taught him the double-force technique, though he flatly denied his identity as a Kamen Rider.

To be honest, Xuanye hadn't expected that the force-generating method of the Gentle Fist could actually be applied by Guy to his own taijutsu.

One could only say that this guy Guy was born for taijutsu.

"Ah, finally I can enjoy a peaceful life again." Xuanye lay on his bed, happily reading Jiraiya's new book.

Just as Xuanye reached the exciting part and couldn't help but reach for some tissues, his shabby little door was knocked on with a thud.

"Xuanye, Xuanye, open up! I have good news to tell you!"

Xuanye: (艹皿艹 )

He opened the door to find Obito wiggling his hands and hips, swaying with every step, and hopping inside with a cheeky grin.

Slap!

Xuanye smacked Obito on the butt and said irritably, "Stop acting like a clown. Speak, what's the good news?"

"Hiss—"

Obito gasped, rubbing his rear and complaining, "Xuanye, your hand is too heavy! Even Kakashi doesn't hit that hard!"

Xuanye squinted at Obito. "So, Kakashi hits your butt often?"

"Ahem, let's not get off track." Obito coughed twice and changed the subject. "I came to tell you some good news."

"Teacher Minato is going to become the Fourth Hokage!"

Upon hearing this, Xuanye glanced at the calendar.

Early in the 48th year of Konoha. Hmm, it seemed to be around the same time as the original plot, but the problem was...

"What does Namikaze Minato becoming Hokage have to do with me, Hyuga Genya?!" Xuanye retorted irritably.

"Think about it, Xuanye," Obito hurriedly explained. "Once Teacher Minato becomes Hokage, we'll go find him to back you up. The Hyuga Main Family naturally won't dare to do anything to you!"

"I'll pass on your thanks, just drop it!" Xuanye rolled his eyes.

Not to mention why Namikaze Minato would help him.

This blondie was just a puppet propped up by Sarutobi Hiruzen; he had absolutely no power in his hands right now. What use would it be to go to him!

"Ah, I thought I could help you," Obito said, looking a bit dejected when he saw Xuanye wasn't interested.

"Let's not talk about that for now, Obito." Xuanye patted Obito on the shoulder and said with a serious expression, "Since you're here, I have an important question to ask you."

"Huh?" Obito was taken aback. Seeing Xuanye so serious, he couldn't help but nod solemnly. "Alright, ask away."

"Here goes." Xuanye stepped forward, looked straight into Obito's eyes, and asked with a straight face, "Do you... have a crush on me?"

"Eh?" Looking at Xuanye, who was so close, Obito panicked, his heart racing like a deer.

Why did Xuanye suddenly ask me this? Could it be that he...?!

Obito: o(///▽///)q

Xuanye: (⊙_⊙;)

"What the hell, why are you blushing like a teapot?" Xuanye hurriedly scrambled away from Obito.

"Then why did you ask me such a weird question!" Obito roared.

"Obviously to copy you. I haven't used my five chances for this year yet," Xuanye pouted.

Seeing Obito's reaction, Genye felt certain he would be able to replicate something good this time.

He calmed Obito down, opened the system interface, and silently commanded, "System, give me three replications!"

[Good luck is coming, wishing you good luck~~~]

Accompanied by the prize-draw music, the system interface began to scroll.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for replicating the skill "Uchiha Maniacal Laughter"!]

Genye: "???"

[Congratulations to the host for replicating the skill "Uchiha Body Slam"!]

Genye: "!!!"

[Congratulations to the host for replicating the skill "Uchiha Bragging"!]

Genye: "..."

What kind of nonsense was this? Genye was speechless. In all fairness, did he even need to replicate these skills?

He already knew how to do them himself!

"System, give me one more draw!" Genye's face darkened; he intended to give Obito one more chance.

If he still couldn't pull anything good, he would just dig a hole in the backyard later and bury Obito once and for all!

The system interface began to scroll again.

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for replicating the Kekkei Genkai "Sharingan"!]

[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Bloodline Puzzle fragment *1. Once the Bloodline Puzzle is completed, you can enter the next stage!]

Finally, a hit!

Genye wiped the non-existent cold sweat from his forehead and let out a secret sigh of relief.

"Alright, Obito, you can go now. Bye-bye!"

Genye pulled the door open, shoved Obito out, and slammed it shut—the entire sequence of actions performed in one fluid motion.

"Hey, Genye! Are you messing with me?!"

Obito stood outside the door, looking completely bewildered. "Didn't you tell me to stay at your place for a while? My seat hasn't even warmed up yet!"

Ignoring Obito, Genye walked straight back into the room, rubbing his chin as he began to analyze the situation.

It seems my previous guess was correct. This so-called atavism must be the process of one's own bloodline drawing closer to the Otsutsuki.

If that's the case, if I want to complete the Bloodline Puzzle, perhaps I need to replicate every single Kekkei Genkai related to the Otsutsuki clan?

...This is going to be difficult!

Genye rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. Outside the door, Obito was still shouting incessantly.

"Konoha Year 48..." Genye glanced at the calendar again, his mind drifting slightly.

In the original plot, Obito was rescued by Uchiha Madara after the battle at Kannabi Bridge, and later, influenced by him, returned to Konoha to incite the Nine-Tails Incident.

Now that he had changed the plot and saved Obito, the Nine-Tails Incident that was supposed to happen this year shouldn't occur anymore, right?

At the border between the Land of Fire and the Land of Grass.

Beneath a desolate, rarely visited wasteland lay a dim and magnificent underground palace.

There was no light here, no sound; everything was shrouded in deathly silence.

It was unknown how much time had passed until a pitch-black humanoid creature descended from the surface, breaking the silence that had persisted in the palace for years.

"Lord Madara, the Zetsus found one of your clansmen on the battlefield. They still have a breath left—a little one who has awakened the Three Tomoe."

"...Oh?"

A flash of crimson ignited in the darkness. High upon the dais, an old man with white hair, sitting on a throne, slowly opened his eyes.

Though he was a decrepit old man on the verge of death, his gaze was terrifyingly sharp, carrying an air of arrogance and indifference that looked down upon the world.

He was the Asura who had once dominated the ninja world and stirred up countless bloody storms!

The battlefield rose who was the only one capable of dancing with Senju Hashirama—Uchiha Madara!

"This child... does he have any family left?" Madara hadn't spoken in a long time, and his voice sounded somewhat rusty.

"Answering Lord Madara, this child's parents and mentors all died in this war."

Black Zetsu bowed his body and replied respectfully, "However, she seems to have a childhood sweetheart who is also fighting on the front lines at this moment."

"Oh?"

Madara raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly with a thoughtful expression.

"It seems that if I want this child to help me build the world of dreams, it will take some effort!"