In Konoha: Three Choices at the Start

Liuyun snorted, quietly put on his shorts, and stepped into the bathtub.

I'm telling you, I chose the second option purely to complete the mission.

"Mikoto! Mikoto!" Liuyun called.

"What is it? I'm here, Liuyun!"

Through the curtain, Liuyun could clearly make out Uchiha Mikoto's figure.

"Um! I accidentally got my shorts wet. Sorry for the trouble, but could you bring me another pair?"

"Pfft! You're all grown up, Liuyun, and you're still so careless!"

With a bright laugh, Uchiha Mikoto trotted away.

A moment later, she appeared behind the curtain again.

"Here you go!"

A slender, milk-white hand reached in, holding a pair of shorts.

"Mikoto! Come in, would you? I can't reach them from here. Don't worry, I'm wearing clothes!"

Liuyun sat in the bathtub, his voice gentle, though his eyes shone with excitement.

"Okay!"

Her voice was soft and shy. Blushing, Uchiha Mikoto lifted the curtain, covered her eyes with one hand, and slowly walked in.

Liuyun nearly laughed at the sight of Uchiha Mikoto inching forward like a timid little bird.

She's so cute!!!

At last, Uchiha Mikoto's hand found the rim of the bathtub.

Putting on a calm face, she spoke like a caring older sister. "Here! Try not to be so careless next time!"

"Got it!" Liuyun stood to take them.

Hearing movement right in front of her, Uchiha Mikoto's face turned scarlet. "Li... Liuyun! Why... why did you stand up?"

"You were handing them to me! Of course I had to stand up. It's only polite!"

His eyes blazing with lust, Liuyun lied without batting an eye.

"Th-then I'll go out first!"

Uchiha Mikoto turned around, her chest rising and falling unevenly.

She lowered her hand and hurried away.

But after only a few steps, she slipped on water on the floor, and her slight body began to fall backward.

Oh no!

Uchiha Mikoto's expression changed. A fall like that would leave someone with her build aching for at least a day.

And there was a practical combat exercise at school tomorrow...

As her thoughts raced, a familiar scent reached her nose.

Then a strong hand wrapped around her and gently drew her into an embrace.

"Are you all right, Mikoto?" His soft voice could not hide his concern.

Looking at his familiar, handsome face, Uchiha Mikoto quickly lowered her head. Her voice was barely a whisper.

"I'm fine, Liuyun!"

Her heart pounded as she spoke.

"Good! And you called me careless. You're just as bad!"

Liuyun helped Uchiha Mikoto to her feet, keeping his expression steady as he felt her soft skin. He shook his head and teased her.

"Hmph! Hurry up and eat. Dinner's getting cold!"

Uchiha Mikoto slipped out of his arms and scurried away with her head down.

"That girl..." Liuyun shook his head.

He breathed in the lingering fragrance.

Looking at his palm, he murmured, "The scent's still on my hand."

"Mikoto, you're destined to be mine. Sasuke the show-off and Itachi the Clan Killer can forget about ever being born!"

(New book—flowers, ratings, and bookmarks are all appreciated!)

A Candy to Win Mikoto Over! (Part 3)

"Ding! Congratulations, host, on choosing the second option. You've received a Super Deluxe Gift Pack. Open it now?"

"No!" Liuyun shook his head. Right now, he wanted to spend time growing closer to his future wife.

The gift pack could wait until the dead of night.

"Ding! Gift pack automatically returned to the system inventory!"

At the dinner table, Uchiha Mikoto kept her head down and ate. The blush on her cheeks showed she still had not recovered from what had happened earlier.

Liuyun narrowed his eyes. This won't do. As her future husband, he had a duty to cheer her up.

Just as he was about to speak, the system's choices appeared in his mind again.

As a host born with a lustful soul, you should learn from Xiao Huo: start winning over your wife while she's still young.

1. Tell a few funny jokes to cheer up your future wife. Reward: Chakra increased by 10%.

2. Comfort your wife with a few words and let her embarrassment gradually fade. Reward: constitution improved by 10%.

3. Tell a suggestive joke that leaves your future wife puzzled, distracting and cheering her up. Reward: beginner Genjutsu insights.

When there are two short options and one long one, pick the long one. When there are two long options and one short one, pick the short one. That was the wisdom his predecessors from his previous world had arrived at through trial and error.

Naturally, Liuyun chose the third option.

Besides, it was what he had wanted to do anyway.

Now that he was part of the Red Eye Disease Clan, why did he have to choose Fire Release? Genjutsu had worked well enough for a bastard like Itachi the Clan Killer.

While an enemy formed Hand Seals, he could open his eyes, fix them with a stare, toss a Kunai or Shuriken, and be done with it.

Clean, quick, and convenient. What could be easier?

Liuyun pushed those thoughts aside. First, he needed to cheer up the little girl in front of him.

He ran through the classic jokes from his previous world. Then his eyes lit up.

He took a White Rabbit Candy from his inventory and offered it to Uchiha Mikoto.

"Mikoto! I bought this specially from a traveling merchant. It's White Rabbit Candy. I tried one, and it was delicious. Have a taste!"

"Huh? You bought it for me, Liuyun?"

Uchiha Mikoto looked at the wrapper, delight shining in her beautiful eyes.

"Mm! I know you like sweets. This is really sweet, so I thought you'd like it!"

Liuyun nodded firmly and gave her a sunny smile.

"Mm!" Uchiha Mikoto took it and unwrapped it.

She took a small bite. Rich milkiness and sweetness burst across her tongue.

Her eyes curved into crescents, and a happy smile spread across her face.

"So sweet! It's delicious! Thank you, Liuyun!"

"Here! You have some too!"

Uchiha Mikoto held the candy she had bitten out toward Liuyun.

Surprise flashed in Liuyun's eyes. When did she get so bold?

"I don't usually like sweet things. I prefer savory food—especially the noodles you make."

"But I'll make an exception, because this candy has all of Mikoto's love in it!"

With that, Liuyun popped the candy into his mouth.

It tasted just as he remembered, though perhaps the added ingredient made it far better than it had been in his previous world.

"Ah!"

Uchiha Mikoto realized what she had done and gasped behind her hand.

I... I actually...

Her fair face turned as red as an apple, and she fled shyly into the next room.

On her way, she snatched up Liuyun's bag of candy.

Girls really do love sweets like this, whether in my old world or the Naruto World.

"Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the third option. Claim your reward: beginner Genjutsu experience and insights?"

"No! Put it in the inventory like before!"

"Ding! Stored in inventory!"

Liuyun quickly finished his meal, cleared the dishes, and headed toward the other side of the hall.

The house Liuyun and Uchiha Mikoto lived in originally had two rooms, one of them a large hall. Uchiha Mikoto lived in the side room, while the two of them had divided the hall into three spaces.

The bathing area was on the left, the dining area in the middle, and the kitchen beyond it. Liuyun's sleeping space was on the far right.

His room was right beside Mikoto's. As she put it, if Liuyun ever ran into danger, she could protect him.

Liuyun pulled back the curtain and lay down on his Tatami.

He closed his eyes and focused entirely on the system inventory that had just appeared.

His gaze lingered on a deluxe cover before settling on the third slot.

"Amitabha! Little Airi, Marina, my darling Asuna, my wife Rem—please help me get something good!"

"I'm not greedy. A Divine Light Stick, an old mentor, a Supreme Bone, or an invincible body would do."

"Or let the three beauties of Spirit Hall, Yun Zhi, or someone like them become my Guardian Spirits! Amitabha, please!" After his earnest prayer, Liuyun roared inwardly.

"System, open the beginner gift pack!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host! You've received Elite Genin-level Chakra!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host! You've received one random draw for a Logia Devil Fruit!"

"Ding! Congratulations, host! You've received a chance to awaken the One-Tomoe Sharingan. Success rate: 100%!"

"Holy shit!" Liuyun exclaimed inwardly, reaching for that treasured phrase from his previous world.

He could no longer stay calm. This rivaled how he had felt when he got the Secret Room Douluo Deluxe Edition.

The Super Deluxe Gift Pack really did live up to its name as the finest beginner gift pack.

Once he absorbed everything he had gained today, he would soar.

"System! Merge everything except the random Devil Fruit reward and the Secret Room Douluo Deluxe Edition!"

"Ding! Merging... Merge successful!"

(New book—flowers, ratings, and bookmarks are all appreciated!)

The Ice Devil Fruit! (Part 4)

As soon as the system finished speaking, Liuyun felt a warm current in his Dantian.

It quickly merged with the Chakra already there.

The Chakra in his Dantian grew abundant.

Warmth enveloped his eyes, bringing a slight pain with it. His mind felt much clearer, too.

A moment later, the warmth faded. Liuyun opened his eyes and found that he could see his surroundings more clearly and farther than before.