Izanagi

"Then why come to me? Just follow the usual arrangements."

Yuya frowned.

"We can just about scrape together enough candidates for the martial contest."

"But we truly lack someone who can secure victory in the literary contest."

"With Young Master Su Ye's talent, he would surely place in the top three if he entered."

The minister said.

"Heh. If you're looking for Su Ye, what does that have to do with me, Otsutsuki Yuya?"

Yuya sneered.

The minister: "..."

Come on, there's no point playing this game.

Who doesn't know that you, Otsutsuki Yuya, are Su Ye...?

The minister could not help grumbling inwardly.

But if Yuya refused to admit it, there was little he could do.

"The Land of Ancestors has come in last five times in a row."

"If we lose again, we'll inevitably have to cede land and pay reparations, weakening our nation."

It's just a little contest among the locals.

I'm busy triggering options to level up. How would I have time for this?

Yuya was just about to refuse.

[Option 1: Stand with your hands behind your back, righteous and resolute. As the Divine Child, I shall share in the Land of Ancestors' honor and disgrace. I will certainly participate. Reward: Comprehension +1]

[Option 2: Play dumb. Don't ask me. If you must ask, go find Su Ye. Reward: Artistic talent +1]

[Option 3: Lash out. I'm only three years old, and you want me to compete onstage? What are you up to? Reward: Strength +1]

"Furthermore, I hear that the prize for this competition is the legendary Deep Blue Crystal, an object greatly coveted by women."

"In my humble opinion, only the Divine Maiden is worthy of such a treasure."

The prime minister spoke again.

But inwardly, he had already given up most of his hope.

"Say no more, Prime Minister. I agree."

"Very well... if the Divine Child insists on refusing... then... wait, what?"

The prime minister only registered what he had heard halfway through his reply, thinking his ears had deceived him.

"When the nation is in peril, I, the Divine Child, must step forward, confront villains from every quarter, and slay foes from every direction."

Yuya stood with his hands behind his back as the maid vigorously waved her palm-leaf fan.

His robes fluttered.

His exquisitely handsome face radiated righteousness.

"The Divine Child is truly noble! I..."

For a moment, the prime minister felt his nose sting.

He could not help being deeply won over by Yuya's bearing.

Gazing at that young, handsome face and the extraordinary presence it displayed,

the old man burst into tears.

"On behalf of the people of the Land of Ancestors... this old minister... thanks you."

He actually dropped to his knees and bowed to Yuya on the spot.

"Young Master... you're wonderful..."

"Sniff... that's our young master for you."

The maids around them were also deeply moved by the scene.

Their eyes shone with adoration and brimmed with tears.

"No need for such ceremony. This is my duty."

Yuya casually helped the minister to his feet.

His attention, however, was elsewhere entirely.

[You selected Option 1: Stand with your hands behind your back, righteous and resolute. Mission complete. Reward: Comprehension +1]

As far as Yuya was concerned, he had received Option 2's artistic talent reward more times than he could count.

There was no need to raise it any further.

It would not help him in the slightest with the challenges he would face in the future.

He had also increased his strength through Option 3 quite a few times.

That was no use to Yuya either.

Only comprehension had appeared just twice in the past three years.

It was the most precious attribute point available right now. He would see whether it could bring Yuya more surprises.

As the reward was issued, a warm current instantly spread through Yuya's entire body.

Then it converged in his brain.

At that moment, the world seemed perfectly clear, and a host of insights flashed through his mind.

There were more techniques for using the Sharingan,

as well as a deeper understanding of the Gale Sword Technique.

[Due to your extraordinary comprehension, the cost of using Dōjutsu has decreased.]

[Due to your extraordinary comprehension, you have automatically learned the Sharingan Dōjutsu Izanagi.]

"I actually learned Izanagi?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Yuya's eyes.

Izanagi could be considered one of the ultimate Dōjutsu in Naruto.

At a critical moment, it could turn the tide of battle.

The instant it was activated, the Sharingan recorded the user's current state. Then, within the technique's effective duration-which varied from person to person-

any injury the user sustained, even death, could be physically undone by restoring them to the state recorded by the Sharingan. (Chakra already expended by the user would not be restored.)

It was effectively an extra life, capable of turning the tide at a critical moment.

Su Xuan had never expected to awaken Izanagi now.

It gave him another skill to keep himself alive.

"It's still a little disappointing that the Gale Sword Technique didn't level up."

"But I only just gained insight into that skill, so it's understandable. My foundation in swordsmanship is still lacking."

Yuya muttered to himself.

"I wonder when I'll be able to pilot a Susanoo Gundam?"

The thought had already crossed Yuya's mind.

He already had the Three-Tomoe now. Yuya felt that awakening Susanoo was hardly too much to ask.

After sending the prime minister away, Yuya began to consider this so-called Heavenly Sage Dynasty.

It was an awfully grandiose name. Anyone who didn't know better might think they had wandered into a fantasy world.

He had leafed through some history books in his spare time.

The Heavenly Sage Dynasty was nothing like a tiny nation such as the Land of Ancestors.

It was one of the six great nations on this continent.

Although the Land of Ancestors called itself a nation, it was actually only about the size of a city from his previous life.

Along with twelve small neighboring nations, including the Land of Hī, the Land of Water, and the Land of Streams,

it was a vassal of the Heavenly Sage Dynasty.

So, if he relied solely on developing the land, given the Land of Ancestors' national strength,

that earlier mission to unify the six nations would be far from easy.

He could forget about completing it without a decade or so of warfare.

Still, the Heavenly Sage Dynasty had presumably been destroyed by Ōtsutsuki Kaguya later on.

After all, Princess Kaguya was a goddess.

She had ended the wars of this entire world.

"Go fetch that boy who provoked us earlier."

Yuya said.

He remembered the red light in that youth's destiny, marking his aptitude for warfare and slaughter.

He could be useful in this contest.

The Heavenly Sage Dynasty, Heavenly Sage Palace.

Within the magnificent, gilded palace,

a slender, graceful figure sat upon an elevated seat.

She wore a white dress, her bearing ethereal as an immortal's.

She held a silvery-white scepter, and although a veil covered her face,

her exposed eyes and brows revealed peerless beauty.

"Your Highness, Saintess, why have you chosen the tiny Land of Ancestors as the venue for this vassal-state competition?"

A young man stepped forward below her and asked.

"It is the nation closest to the God Tree. The vassal-state competition is of little consequence."

"But that God Tree concerns the most fundamental secrets of this world..."

Her clear, ethereal voice resounded throughout the hall.

"Our ancestors passed down an account. A thousand years ago,

when that God Tree descended, countless Onmyōji, Great Swordsmen, and wielders of this world's supernatural powers waged war against the heavens.

Yet after a single night,

ninety-nine percent of their shikigami had been slaughtered.

The once-glorious and flourishing Onmyōji Houses withered like cherry blossoms.

Countless wielders of supernatural powers withdrew from the world as a result.

No one knows what happened that night.

Only that towering tree remained standing there.

Over the years, countless investigations have yielded no progress whatsoever.

Now, that tree is growing larger and larger.

I can neither eat nor sleep in peace..."