[Ding!] [Congratulations! You received a large amount of Chakra ×1.] [Congratulations! You received a large amount of Chakra ×1.] [Congratulations! You received a large amount of Chakra ×1.] [Congratulations! You received Eight Trigrams Sealing Style ×1.] [Congratulations! You received a large amount of Chakra ×1.] [Congratulations! You received Lightning Release Chakra Mode ×1.] [Congratulations! You received Dissolving Technique ×1.] [Congratulations! You received a large amount of Chakra ×1.] [Congratulations! You received a large amount of Chakra ×1.] [Congratulations! You received Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet ×1.]
The draw was over, and once again, he had reaped quite a haul.
The three Kakashi units' worth of chakra went without saying. This time, he had also drawn a sealing jutsu, Eight Trigrams Sealing Style. Damn, wasn't that one of the Uzumaki Clan's signature techniques?
Then there was Lightning Release Chakra Mode, a technique invented by the Second Raikage of the Cloud Village and further developed by the Raikage who came after him.
There wasn't much to say about Fire Dragon Flame Bullet. It was a technique the old Third Hokage had used, though the current Third was still in his prime. He seemed to know it already, too.
But this Dissolving Technique... was it the one he was thinking of?
"Hey, mutt, is this Dissolving Technique the legitimate one?"
As he remembered it, Konohamaru had used this technique in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations. Konohamaru had been under someone's control, then managed to undo his clothes and draw a formula on his body—the Dissolving Technique.
Konohamaru had used that formula to break free of the enemy's control.
[Tsk, listen to yourself. It's a technique formula. What's legitimate or illegitimate about it? It just removes negative effects from you and dispels buffs on other people.]
"Holy crap, it really is the Dissolving Technique from Naruto Mobile! You Damn System, and you still claim you didn't turn into this from that game."
[That concludes this service. It was a pleasure serving you. If you need anything else, we'll meet again next time. Bye-bye!]
The Husky gave a cheeky grin, then vanished right in front of Tetsuya.
Tetsuya stared at his current status panel, momentarily stunned.
\n[Name: Tetsuya Identity: Konoha civilian Constitution: Evil God Immortal Body Skills: Chakra Extraction Method, Chakra Seal, Clone Technique, Shadow Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, Transformation Technique, Summoning Technique Chakra: 6 Kakashi units Items held: Clone Technique Training Method, Substitution Technique Training Method, Transformation Technique Training Method, Shadow Clone Technique Training Method, Eight Trigrams Sealing Style Training Method, Lightning Release Chakra Mode Training Method, Dissolving Technique Training Method, Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Training Method.]
With six Kakashi units' worth of chakra, he felt he was at least on the level of an elite Jonin.
Still, he knew perfectly well that aside from having a bit more Chakra and being practically impossible to kill, there wasn't much else impressive about him.
"I need to put everything from this draw to use as soon as possible."
Of all the techniques, Lightning Release Chakra Mode interested him most. After all, when the Fourth Raikage was young, his Lightning Release Chakra Mode could go toe-to-toe with Minato's Flying Thunder God. Its power was beyond question.
As for sealing jutsu, that was good stuff. That sneaky bastard Black Zetsu couldn't normally be killed, but sealing jutsu was another matter.
If he ever ran into Black Zetsu, he would slap a seal on the bastard. Let him try pulling strings from the shadows then.
Still, barring any surprises, that sneaky bastard would never show himself so easily.
Over the next few days, the atmosphere in the village began to change, growing increasingly somber.
It felt like the calm before a storm.
Sure enough, before long, news spread through the village that the First Hokage had passed away.
Before anyone even had time to grieve, war broke out. To repel the other Shinobi Villages' attacks, the Second Hokage, Tobirama, led the ninja onto the battlefield.
Inside his shop, Tetsuya sighed as he looked at the handful of civilian customers remaining.
"So war has finally broken out. This time, I'm afraid the Second Hokage won't be coming back either."
If events followed their original course, the Second Hokage would lead Konoha in battles on every front, only to be ambushed by Kinkaku and Ginkaku while signing an alliance with the Cloud Village. In the end, he would die covering the escape of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others.
"Boss, one serving of your signature Tonkotsu Ramen."
"Coming right up, Jirai—Orochimaru?"
Hearing the order for his signature Tonkotsu Ramen, he had assumed Jiraiya had arrived. He hadn't expected to look up and find Orochimaru instead.
"Why are you alone today? Where are Jiraiya and Tsunade?"
Orochimaru answered honestly.
"Jiraiya went off to train, and Lady Mito took Tsunade away, so I'm the only one left today."
"Oh, I see."
Tetsuya acknowledged him. It looked like Jiraiya had probably gone to Mount Myōboku. As for Tsunade, Mito had likely called her back because she feared someone might take advantage of the Hokage's absence to enter Konoha and abduct his granddaughter.
"Just a moment. Your signature Tonkotsu Ramen will be ready soon."
Tetsuya smiled and headed into the kitchen.
Soon, he came back out carrying a bowl of ramen.
After he set it down, the two of them began chatting.
As they talked, Orochimaru suddenly put down his chopsticks and asked a question.
"Boss, what do you think of life?"
"Life?"
Tetsuya was a little surprised. Was Orochimaru already pondering such profound questions at this age?
Wasn't he supposed to become obsessed with immortality only after the Second Shinobi World War, because of the deaths of his parents and his student Nawaki?
"Yes, boss. Don't you think life is fragile? Take this war, for instance. It began because the First Hokage died. Even someone as powerful as the First Hokage could die.
"And once war breaks out, even more ninja will die.
"How terribly fragile life is."
Seeing Orochimaru like this, Tetsuya smiled.
"That's true. But it's precisely because life is fragile that it's beautiful.
"Think about it. Even the lives you see as so fragile have built such a flourishing civilization.
"Look at this village. Look at this country, or even the entire Shinobi World. All of it was created by the very lives you consider fragile."
Orochimaru looked thoughtful as he listened to Tetsuya.
"Thank you, boss."
Orochimaru paid and left without finishing his ramen. Perhaps he really didn't like the flavor, or perhaps something had occurred to him.
"Well, looks like I've lost another customer."
Tetsuya shook his head helplessly. Since the war had broken out, running his business had become harder and harder.
After all, the ninja had gone off to fight, and the villagers had no idea how the war would end. Naturally, they no longer dared to spend recklessly.
After waiting another two days, Tetsuya looked at the empty shop and shook his head. He decided to close the doors.
"I'll close up for now, go home, and focus on training. I can reopen once the war ends."
By the time he opened again, the Third Hokage would probably be in charge of Konoha.
Whatever else could be said about him, the Third had done a pretty good job at first. Later, though, the older he grew, the more inept he became, until power finally corrupted him.
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