Chapter 5

2. Shake his head and leave coldly without saying a word, playing the aloof heartthrob. Reward: a 50% increase in Mental Energy.

3. Say coldly, "An ant challenging a lion is only asking to die. You shouldn't have interfered this time!" Reward: Mental Energy doubled.

I choose three, Liuyun said to himself.

Liuyun's expression turned cold. An invisible pressure radiated from him as he spoke with icy detachment.

"An ant challenging a lion is only asking to die. You shouldn't have interfered this time!"

With that, he strode toward the Ninja Academy without looking back at Kushina or Mikoto.

"An ant? A lion? Him?"

Kushina pursed her lips, annoyed.

"When did he pick up that punchable attitude of the Uchiha Clan students in your class?"

"Come on! Liuyun was only joking!"

Uchiha Mikoto shook her head and comforted her friend.

But uncertainty flickered in her dark eyes, along with a hint of hope.

Could everything Liuyun did before have been an act?

By the time Liuyun reached the classroom, quite a few students had arrived ahead of him.

They were all children of eight to ten, and the room rang with their roughhousing.

No one paid much attention to Liuyun's arrival.

Though he was at the bottom of the class, the other students bore him no ill will.

If anything, some liked him. He lacked the lofty arrogance of the Uchiha Clan.

With his handsome little face, he was far more popular than Uchiha Yuantong beside him.

Liuyun felt his year had a stronger lineup than any before it.

Little Sunshine Minato Namikaze, the future heads of Ino-Shika-Cho, Hana Inuzuka, and the brothers Hiashi and Hizashi...

The only exceptions were that bastard Uchiha Fugaku and Senju Nawaki, who were a year above them and had just graduated from the Ninja Academy.

Almost all of Konoha's future big shots were here.

Of course, impressive as they were, all of them except Minato Namikaze had to call Kushina their boss.

Only now did Liuyun realize just how far the Red-Hot Habanero's reputation had spread.

Of course, part of it was that they didn't want to get on Kushina's bad side.

As Liuyun's thoughts wandered, two familiar but distinct scents drifted past his nose.

They belonged to Kushina Uzumaki and Uchiha Mikoto.

Kushina glared at him with puffed cheeks, her face all but announcing that she was angry.

If not for Uchiha Mikoto, Liuyun would probably have taken a savage beating from the Red-Hot Habanero.

"Ding! The host has angered his future wife, Kushina Uzumaki. Please choose!"

"1. Step forward, grin awkwardly, and apologize until Kushina forgives you. Reward: a 10% increase in Chakra!"

"2. Step forward and ask, 'Kushina, what's wrong? Who made you angry? Let me teach him a lesson!' Reward: a 30% increase in Chakra!"

3. Gently stroke Kushina's red hair and say warmly, "Kushina, your red hair is beautiful. I love it. Please don't be mad at me, okay?" Reward: proficiency-level mastery of Hand Seals!

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Good Grief! I Can Only Say Good Grief! ### Liuyun pursed his lips. I choose the third option. And system, Kushina Uzumaki isn't my wife yet. Stop making things up.

"Ding! This system does not make mistakes. The moment the host saw Kushina, the pervert in his soul went off the charts."

"If the host doesn't bring Kushina into his harem, this system will reveal itself and eat a great big mouthful of shit!"

The system's voice dripped with disdain.

It was a joke. Did you have to go that far? Liuyun laughed awkwardly.

Damn it, I only said one thing. Why take it so seriously?

As for Kushina, Liuyun really was attracted to the girl.

More precisely, he was attracted to the woman she would become. He was sure no one who crossed into this world would pass up Kushina.

Anyone who did must have practiced the Sunflower Manual, just like Yue Buqun.

"Mikoto, what's wrong with Kushina? Is she angry?" Liuyun asked, turning his head and pretending not to know.

Harmony was the most important thing in a harem.

If he wanted to comfort Kushina, he had to smooth things over with Mikoto too.

"Whose fault do you think it is?" Uchiha Mikoto rolled her eyes at him.

"Mine?" Liuyun acted as if he had no idea what she meant.

"That last thing you said really upset Kushina."

"Did it? I was only saying it offhand. I didn't know it would make her angry!"

Liuyun scratched his head awkwardly. "I'll go cheer her up!"

"Go on! After all these years, don't you know what Kushina's like? Hurry up and make it right!"

"Otherwise, she'll keep stewing over it!"

Uchiha Mikoto pressed her lips together and let out a laugh.

She seemed to be picturing Kushina flying into a rage.

"Got it! My wife has spoken, so I'll see the mission through!"

Liuyun thumped his chest in promise.

"Shut up! You're talking nonsense again. Who's your wife?"

Uchiha Mikoto's face turned bright red. Her heart fluttered as she muttered under her breath.

"Heh, heh!"

With a foolish grin, Liuyun decided he had won the girl over for now.

He turned to Kushina, who was still sulking by herself.

"Who made our Kushina so angry?"

"Hmph! Who do you think?" Kushina puffed out her cheeks and looked out the window, stubbornly holding her ground.

"All right, all right! If what I said made you angry, then I apologize! I'm sorry!"

Liuyun coaxed Kushina as though she were a child.

Inoichi Yamanaka, who was passing by, shuddered despite himself.

That's so damn sappy it gives me goosebumps. Still, he had to admire Liuyun's way with girls.

There was Uchiha Mikoto from Liuyun's own clan, and then there was big sister Kushina Uzumaki.

Liuyun wasn't much of a fighter, but he had a decent face. It looked like he was aiming to make it as a pretty boy.

"Hmph!"

Kushina tipped up her little head, pouted, and turned away, making it clear she wouldn't accept the apology.

Looks like it's time for the system's secret weapon, Liuyun thought.

His expression changed. His eyes filled with tenderness as he reached out and stroked Kushina's long red hair.

"Kushina, your red hair is beautiful. I love it. Please don't be mad at me anymore, okay?"

In an instant, Liuyun struck a nerve. Kushina's fair little face turned scarlet.

Her voice was barely audible, shy and nervous, while her hands fidgeted with the hem of her clothes.

"D-do you really mean that? Do you think my hair looks nice?"

"Of course! I fell in love with it the moment I first saw it!"

"Red is the color of Sunset, of love that never wavers. How could I not like it? I just never dared to say so before!"

"But seeing you upset today, I had no choice but to tell you what I've kept hidden in my heart all this time!"

Good grief! Good grief! I can only say good grief!

Inoichi Yamanaka was screaming inside.

Is this the same Red-Hot Habanero who always beats us up?

Is this the same Kushina who uses force to make us submit whenever she feels like it?

Kushina's reaction left his jaw on the floor.

I've never seen her look or act like this!

Uchiha Liuyun is seriously amazing. He's got the Red-Hot Habanero acting like this.

Forget Uchiha Liuyun. You might as well call yourself the Uchiha Love Saint!

At the same time, he envied Uchiha Liuyun beyond belief. If he had Liuyun's talent for charming girls,

he could get any wife he wanted.

Should I ask Liuyun to be my teacher? The thought popped into Inoichi Yamanaka's head.

"Since you know what's good for you, I'll be generous and forgive you!"

While Inoichi Yamanaka mulled it over, Kushina patted her flat chest, her face flushed with a touch of shyness.

"Then thank you, my dear Kushina!"

Liuyun smiled faintly. That did it!

"Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the third option. Reward: proficiency-level mastery of Hand Seals. Claim it now?"

"Claim it!"

A flood of memories surged into Liuyun's mind, and he absorbed them rapidly.

Every seal, its meaning, its speed...

At the same time, a warm current strengthened his hands. It felt as wonderful as sitting in a sauna.

If he hadn't been at school, Liuyun would have groaned with pleasure.

After a moment, the rush of memories and warmth faded.

In their place, the speed of forming Hand Seals was etched into Liuyun's mind.

He quietly tested it. His speed had at least tripled to four seals a second. It felt incredible.

Just then, Liuyun sensed someone watching him from behind.

After his Mental Energy had been refined, he still lacked a true sensing ability, but he could pick up vague impressions.

He turned toward the feeling.

A figure came into view.

Blond hair and a face bright with a sunny smile.

It was a smile no one could dislike. The boy was none other than the top student in their class, Minato Namikaze, the future Fourth Hokage.

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Lap Pillows Are Forever! ### When Liuyun looked his way, surprise flickered across Minato Namikaze's face. Then he flashed his trademark smile.

Liuyun nodded back.

He figured his exchange with Kushina had made Minato Namikaze jealous.

Kushina's kidnapping had not happened yet, and she still thought of Minato as a sissy.

Now that Liuyun had come between them, Minato Namikaze could get lost, just like that bastard Uchiha Fugaku.