The Unseen Future

After quickly stepping forward and picking up the cards, Chentian moved several steps away before examining them.

Though he did not mind killing, he did not like scenes like this either.

[Blue Card: Chakra +100. Fuse?]

[Blue Card: Constitution +10. Fuse?]

[Blue Card: Fire Release—Plain Burning Technique. Fuse?]

Eight blue cards in a row, all dropped by those Chunin.

After fusing those blue cards, the remaining four purple cards were the real prize.

[Purple Card: Chakra +1000. Fuse?]

[Purple Card: Constitution +100. Fuse?]

[Purple Card: Earth Release—Light-Weight Rock Technique. Fuse?]

[Purple Card: Secret Technique—Hive Nesting Technique. Fuse?]

He could tell at a glance that the first three were good things. So Chentian opened the detailed information on the Hive Nesting Technique.

[Hive Nesting Technique: Can transform one's body into a hive for bees to inhabit, thereby controlling the bees' movements!]

Seeing the description, Chentian immediately shuddered.

Was this not the secret technique of that bee-controlling clan hostile to the Aburame Clan?

Imagining his body being hollowed out and filled with bees crawling around inside, Chentian felt his stomach churn with nausea.

He then shook his head firmly and ordered, "Fuse everything except the Hive Nesting Technique. Remove this ninjutsu for me!"

As Chentian issued the command, the card representing the Hive Nesting Technique in his hand began turning transparent. In the end, it shattered into a pile of powder and completely lost its effect.

Only then did the remaining three purple cards fuse into him, further strengthening his power.

His strength had now nearly reached the threshold of quasi-Kage level. Although he did not have much chakra, it was roughly equivalent to that of two Kakashis.

Glancing at the system panel, Chentian happily continued toward the capital of the Land of Fire.

The people at these bounty exchange stations were such good people! Without them, he could not have improved his strength so quickly!

"Smack!" Chentian slapped his forehead and felt like an idiot.

That old man, the Third Tsuchikage Onoki, could fly using the Super Light-Weight Rock Technique. Though Chentian only possessed the Light-Weight Rock Technique, it should still allow him to fly.

He acted as soon as he thought of it. His ten fingers flew through hand seals, and Chentian's body wobbled as it floated into the air.

Just like tree climbing and water walking, he fell several times due to his lack of proficiency.

After about an hour, Chentian had completely mastered the art of flight and was soaring through the azure sky.

"I still need to find a way to obtain the Super Light-Weight Rock Technique!"

His current flying speed was only about as fast as a Jonin traveling on foot, and he could not fly higher than one hundred meters.

Most importantly, it consumed quite a lot of chakra. He could only fly for four hours before exhausting it all!

After enjoying the thrill of flight for a while, the capital of the Land of Fire appeared before Chentian.

After entering the city and casually eating something, he rented a room and began recovering his chakra.

He could visit bounty exchange stations anytime, but he absolutely could not go without chakra!

Unfortunately, Chentian did not know that while he had been flying around, a group from the bounty exchange stations had been waiting for him along his route—only for him to fly around them.

Who knew what expressions they would wear once they learned that the bounty exchange station here had been wiped out?

By the time Chentian appeared in the capital of the Land of Fire, the ninjas who had participated in the Chunin Exams had already returned to their respective villages.

Without even going home, all of them rushed tirelessly into their Kage's offices.

What they had seen and heard during that month in Konoha had completely overturned their understanding of the world.

"Tsuchikage-sama, during this trip to Konoha, I saw many things I had never seen or heard of before. We must establish trade with Konoha!"

The moment he pushed open the door to the Tsuchikage's office, Kurotsuchi's deep voice rang out.

Seeing his son's anxious appearance, Onoki's eye twitched as he rebuked, "What are you in such a hurry for? Speak slowly!"

After an entire day of discussion, Kurotsuchi relayed everything he had seen and heard without leaving out a single detail, leaving old Onoki unable to believe it for a time.

However, he knew his son's honest nature. These things had to be true.

Once he came to his senses, he immediately convened a council of elders and dispatched representatives to Konoha to discuss trade.

As for Sunagakure, there was even less need to mention it. The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, had watched the Chunin Exams in Konoha and simply refused to leave, insisting on establishing trade.

As time passed, the entire ninja world learned of Konoha's changes. Countless merchants and ninjas arrived every day.

It gave Minato such a headache that he worked overtime until nightfall without even having time to sleep.

Yet seeing money flutter into Konoha like snowflakes made him immensely happy.

It could be said that he suffered and enjoyed it at the same time.

Fortunately, seeing Konoha grow stronger by the day, Hiruzen Sarutobi abandoned his plans to seize power and took the initiative to share some of Minato's burden. Only then were they able to keep things going.

Kirishigakure alone showed no reaction after receiving the news. While Obito controlled Yagura and slaughtered bloodline clans, he also established contact with Danzo Shimura.

Though he had become a civilian, Danzo still knew quite a lot.

In order to kill Minato and Kushina, he told Obito about Kushina's pregnancy and delivery, telling him to prepare himself.

When he thought of Minato and Kushina, Obito still hesitated slightly. But the image and smile of Nohara Rin in his mind made him steel his resolve.

What he did not know was that Chentian, who had originally intended to set him back on the right path, had sentenced him to death after seeing him on the night of the Nine-Tails attack.

Those were matters for later, so they would not be mentioned for now.

At this moment, in Mount Myoboku, one of the Three Great Sage Regions, the Great Toad Sage awoke.

"A variable... I can no longer see what the future will be like!"

The Great Toad Sage's massive body trembled slightly, his aged face filled with shock and worry.

Fukasaku and Shima, waiting at his side, exchanged glances, disbelief filling their eyes.

Who was the Great Toad Sage? He was the supreme sage capable of seeing through the future!

And now, because of a variable, he could no longer see the future. How was that possible?

Yet after seeing the Great Toad Sage's expression, they all fell silent. Facts spoke louder than words!

What followed was concern for Mount Myoboku's future.

By relying on the Great Toad Sage's ability to see the future, they had become the summoned beasts of powerful figures in every great era, allowing them to endure until now.

Like the Sage of Six Paths a thousand years ago, Jiraiya in the present, and Uzumaki Naruto in the future—these had all been deliberately chosen by them, ensuring that every era had a powerful figure protecting Mount Myoboku.

But the future...

It was not only Mount Myoboku. The other two Great Sage Regions also showed varying signs of activity.

Not long afterward, a portrait of a figure standing amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood, sword in hand, leaked out from the Three Great Sage Regions.

In the painting, a blood moon hung in the sky. The man's black hair had been dyed red by blood as he stood proudly amid mountains of corpses and seas of blood.