Members of the Uchiha Clan had an almost pathological obsession with the Sharingan.
Awakening it was proof of talent.
The number of tomoe also directly affected a member's standing and influence within the clan.
If he showed up at the Konoha Military Police Force tomorrow with a pair of Three-Tomoe Sharingan...
Squad Captain Yashiro would probably give him three ninety-degree bows on the spot.
Once Clan Head Fugaku heard the news, he might even summon the clan elders for an overnight meeting.
After all, a clan member who only awakened his eyes at seventeen, but went straight to three tomoe, certainly qualified as a late bloomer.
But Chikage had no interest whatsoever in that sort of empty prestige.
He was a pragmatist.
His points had to be spent where they counted.
Only products that maximized his combat strength were worth buying.
What tangible changes could the Three-Tomoe Sharingan actually bring him?
Enhanced motion perception, allowing him to track an enemy's high-speed movements.
The ability to see through ordinary genjutsu, along with the Sharingan's unique hypnotic abilities.
It could also copy an opponent's hand seals and conventional ninjutsu.
It sounded well-rounded, and it was powerful in actual combat.
But after thinking it through, Chikage realized it wasn't a good fit for his current abilities.
The Sharingan excelled at observation, prediction, and precision combat.
It required its user to have extensive combat experience.
It also demanded sufficiently precise chakra control.
Kakashi Hatate was a classic example.
With the Three-Tomoe Sharingan Obito had left him, he had mastered a vast array of copied ninjutsu.
But Kakashi wasn't an Uchiha and couldn't freely deactivate his transplanted Sharingan.
The drain of keeping it constantly active had always been his weakness.
Chikage opened his character stats panel.
The total chakra field displayed a value far beyond that of an ordinary jonin.
9.8 Kakashis.
This was the result of checking in consistently for three years and completing multiple perfect-attendance achievements.
Nearly ten times as much chakra as Kakashi Hatake had at this stage.
What did that mean?
An ordinary jonin would have to watch their consumption and carefully ration their chakra after using just a few B-rank ninjutsu.
Chikage didn't need to concern himself with any of those tedious problems.
As long as his body could withstand it, he could even cast the Great Fireball Technique repeatedly and burn the Third Training Ground to scorched earth.
With such an enormous chakra reserve, spending eight thousand points to improve his precision combat...
Clearly wouldn't make the most of his greatest advantage.
Chikage shook his head and dismissed the idea of buying the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
"Three tomoe would only be a nice bonus to my current strength."
"If I had enough points, exchanging them for a pair of Mangekyo would be pretty good."
"The Susanoo that comes with a complete pair of Mangekyo is the real powerhouse, combining offense and defense."
"Unfortunately, I can't even afford a single Mangekyo right now."
He sighed and continued browsing the Shop's listings.
For tomorrow's border mission, Danzo would definitely have arranged elite assassins from Root.
Root ninja specialized in assassination, poison, and all kinds of traps.
Competing with them in technique and combat experience would simply mean pitting his weaknesses against their strengths.
Chikage began browsing the Shop's other options.
When he had unlocked advanced access a few days ago, he had only skimmed the products.
Now he needed to choose carefully based on this mission.
Ice Release and Lava Release, priced at five thousand points.
These two kekkei genkai had decent power, but lacked defensive measures that could directly withstand an encirclement.
Against the kind of all-out assault Root favored, enemies might still close in and tie him down.
Shikotsumyaku, priced at eight thousand points.
A kekkei genkai with extremely powerful close-combat capabilities.
Using bones as weapons, it excelled at both offense and defense.
But Chikage was an office worker.
Pulling out his own spine to fight someone was hardly an elegant sight.
It didn't suit his status as a deputy captain of the Konoha Military Police Force.
Wood Release, Yamato version, priced at ten thousand points.
Chikage looked at the option, then quickly moved on.
Yamato's Wood Release excelled at restraint, control, and altering terrain.
But it was still somewhat lacking in killing power when faced with an encirclement by Root elites.
Reproducing the First Hokage's overwhelming Wood Release would certainly cost more than ten thousand points.
He continued scrolling down.
Shikkotsu Forest Sage Body, priced at fifteen thousand points.
Now that was somewhat interesting.
A sage body could greatly enhance vitality and recovery, while further increasing his maximum chakra capacity.
If he redeemed this, the amount of chakra in his body might well double outright.
Combined with his existing reserves, that would truly make him a chakra monster.
But a powerful body and recovery abilities without a decisive means of attack still weren't a safe enough bet.
When he encountered an enemy, he couldn't just rely on having more chakra to wear them down.
Chikage continued searching through the product list.
Mount Myōboku Sage Mode, priced at twenty thousand points.
Not enough points. Skip.
Flying Thunder God Technique, priced at twelve thousand points.
The pinnacle of Space-Time Ninjutsu.
Whether attacking, retreating, or evading an ambush, its mobility was impeccable.
But what Chikage needed now wasn't merely a ninjutsu for escaping.
Danzo had already handed him two hundred thousand ryo in travel expenses.
If he didn't stir up some trouble at the border, how could he do justice to the Hokage Advisor's painstaking efforts?
Chikage's finger swiped rapidly across the virtual screen.
All kinds of kekkei genkai, secret techniques, and forbidden techniques flashed before his eyes.
Chikage casually opened the miscellaneous category.
It even offered bulk Explosive Tag packages.
One thousand points could be exchanged for a hundred specially made Explosive Tags.
If he spent all his points on those, he could create a massive explosion once he reached the border tomorrow.
Setting traps in advance with Explosive Tags could indeed catch Root off guard.
But they were disposable consumables, which didn't fit his principle of making every point count.
Once an Explosive Tag was used, it was gone, whereas an ability could be kept permanently.
Chikage decisively closed the miscellaneous category and returned to the page for Taijutsu and chakra-burst abilities.
He recalled the scene that afternoon, when he had handed over his work at the Konoha Military Police Force.
Uchiha Hikari had looked deeply worried, afraid he would leave and never return.
Squad Captain Yashiro had even proposed secretly mobilizing the Second Squad's elites to follow and protect him along the way.
Chikage had refused immediately.
What a joke.
Danzo had finally approved two hundred thousand ryo in travel expenses. This was his own paid business trip.
If he brought a whole crowd along, he would have to divide the money among them.
Besides, more people meant more prying eyes.
The strength he would display at the border tomorrow absolutely could not be seen by anyone from the village.
At least, it wasn't time to reveal his trump cards yet.
Only by maintaining the image of a genin who knew nothing beyond the Three Body Technique and Great Fireball could he keep the higher-ups from getting wary.
The more Danzo underestimated him, the easier his assassins would be to handle.
Once all the Root ninja assigned to the ambush were left at the border, Danzo would have no evidence to produce.
Chikage could still take his travel paperwork back to Konoha and have the finance office reconcile his expenses.
While he was at it, he could even demand compensation for emotional distress from the Hokage Building on the grounds that he had been attacked while carrying out official duties.
However he calculated it, he couldn't lose.
Chikage stretched, listening to the chirping insects outside his window.
Nights in the Uchiha Clan Compound were always especially quiet.
Since the relocation controversy had been temporarily suppressed, the clan members' emotions had settled considerably.
Clan Head Fugaku no longer spent every day looking miserable, either.
A life of starting and finishing work on time, without overtime, was exactly what Chikage wanted.
Anyone who dared disturb that peace would have to pay the price.
Before you continue