So I Was a Demonic Prodigy?

Shisui Uchiha called out the slogan, and the shadow beneath his feet stirred, just as expected.

The shadow twisted, then changed shape, becoming a pitch-black crow.

[Crow] seemed to take a few seconds to connect to this place. He flew onto Shisui's shoulder and said, "Boy, have you made up your mind?"

Shisui Uchiha nodded.

"I'll join [Shadow], but I hope you can give me some help, senior."

[Crow] cackled, lowered his beak, and pulled a medical kit out of the shadow beneath him.

"Take this, but you'd still be better off finding a medical ninja to treat you."

"Thank you, senior."

Shisui Uchiha was shaken inwardly. Just what kind of technique was this?

Were the supplies stored in the shadows beforehand?

Or was it an ability to transport objects through shadows?

Either way, it fell within the domain of Space-Time Ninjutsu, and such techniques were exceedingly rare and powerful!

Shisui Uchiha collected himself and opened the medical kit. It contained a full range of emergency medical supplies, and even a prosthetic eye specifically meant to fill an empty socket!

It was as though everything had been tailored precisely to his needs.

Shisui said nothing, quietly tending to his injuries.

The [Shadow] organization's methods were bizarre and truly unfathomable.

That [Demon] had saved him earlier and had treated him with goodwill. He could not leave that kindness unpaid.

Fortunately, so far, they had only revealed hostility toward Danzo. Perhaps by joining them, he could find a way to protect both the village and his clan.

All I wanted was peace, yet it was always so difficult.

No, peace was precious precisely because it was so difficult to achieve!

I would lurk in the shadows and become a sharp blade, hunting down every enemy who sought to destroy peace!

The look in Shisui Uchiha's remaining eye gradually grew resolute.

Since he had already decided what to do, he only needed to carry his convictions through to the end.

Protecting both the village and my clan was difficult? Fine, I would show you!

At Tsunade's home.

Yecheng cleaned up the traces on his body and returned to his room.

[Recruited Shisui Uchiha as a subordinate. Favorability increased. Fate Points +15]

[Current Fate Points: 70]

[Current Lifespan: 17]

A smile curled Yecheng's lips as he saw the notifications appear on the panel.

Another batch of Fate Points had come in, bringing him one step closer to his next ten-pull.

The increase was small. It seemed Shisui Uchiha still had suspicions and reservations about his side, nowhere near Neji Hyuga's gratitude and loyalty.

But this was only the beginning of winning him over.

He could work on it slowly.

Once he resolved the Uchiha Clan's impending massacre, he would surely rake in another hefty haul of Fate Points!

"First, let's see what good stuff I can draw from Aburame Ryoma's Fate Cards."

Yecheng rubbed his hands together like a fly, ready to draw.

Aburame Ryoma had been powerful enough to contribute five whole Fate Cards. Even with terrible luck, he ought to get something good!

"My turn! I draw!"

"System, show me your limits!"

In a view visible only to Yecheng, five Random Fate Cards slowly unveiled themselves.

[Obtained Enhancement Card: Chakra] x2

All martial power in the Naruto world was built on the chakra system. Chakra Enhancement Cards increased his chakra reserves, so he could never go wrong with them.

Two blues right off the bat. There was definitely something good coming this time!

[Obtained Skill Card: Code Decryption]

Blue was fine.

And this skill was quite practical, too.

[Obtained Skill Card: Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld]

This ninjutsu was powerful and highly practical as well.

[Obtained Item Card: "Kikaichū Breeding Manual"]

Purple!

There it was!

Ah! Ooh!

I hit the jackpot!

Yecheng first used the two Chakra Enhancement Cards and felt his chakra reserves increase considerably once again.

If he kept drawing cards and strengthening himself like this, perhaps he could someday pass himself off as a member of the Uzumaki Clan.

Yecheng chuckled.

The [Code Decryption] Skill Card gave Yecheng an understanding of a wealth of knowledge about encrypting and decrypting intelligence, along with some general approaches and methods for decryption, enriching his repertoire.

The [Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld] Skill Card was itself a highly practical A-rank ninjutsu that could create a vast swamp to restrain and engulf opponents.

Jiraiya frequently used this move in the original story. Even after Tsunade drugged him to suppress his chakra, he could still trap Orochimaru's enormous summoned snake with a single use. It was quite powerful indeed.

More importantly, learning this ninjutsu also came with earth-nature Chakra Nature Transformation.

It was equivalent to revealing a progress bar. Yecheng only needed to grind away with his Six Eyes to increase the power of his Earth Release ninjutsu.

There was also the Fire Chakra Nature Transformation he had previously drawn, the water-nature Chakra Nature Transformation that came with [Max Elephant], and the lightning-nature Chakra Nature Transformation that came with [Nue].

Now, of the five basic nature transformations, wind was the only one Yecheng still lacked.

"I suppose that makes me a little Ninja Professor."

Yecheng recalled one of the Third Hokage's many nicknames and chuckled.

The final main attraction was naturally the "Kikaichū Breeding Manual."

This purple Item Card was a thick book detailing how to modify the body into a hive suitable for Kikaichū, as well as all sorts of methods and details for breeding them.

It also recorded numerous "insect secret techniques," including the Aburame Clan's commonly used "Insect Sphere" and the "Secret Technique: Insect Evil People Tool Technique" that Aburame Ryoma had used earlier.

One could say that releasing this book to the world could practically create another "Aburame Clan"!

Its value was obvious!

"I'd have to turn my own body into an insect hive..."

Yecheng hesitated.

He had to admit that the Aburame Clan's secret techniques were powerful and offered a wide variety of responses. Any enemy dragged into a prolonged battle would suffer once the Aburame Clan began analyzing their characteristics and selectively breeding Kikaichū to counter them.

Shino Aburame's almost undefeated record in the original story was the best proof!

But the price truly gave him pause.

Yecheng did need power, but he had plenty of options.

The benefits of the Six Eyes alone were scarcely inferior to any cheat, and he was currently learning the "Yin Seal." Once he built a good relationship with the Katsuyu Sage in the future, even Senjutsu would be within easy reach!

There was really no need to turn his body into an insect hive for power.

But he could not bear to leave a purple card sitting around gathering dust, either.

What should I do?

A sudden flash of inspiration struck Yecheng, and he remembered a Skill Card from his previous ten-pull.

[Juzo Kumiya's Craftsmanship]

After using it earlier, Yecheng's mind had been filled with all sorts of knowledge and experience in making Cursed Tools from human bodies and resentment...

Then, instead of modifying himself, what if he used the materials at hand to make a Kikaichū hive?

The corpse of an Aburame Clan expert was lying in his Shadow Space.

Wasn't that an already fully modified insect hive?

A short while later.

Yecheng fell into thought as he gazed at the pitch-black little pagoda in his hand.

The pagoda's main material came from Aburame Ryoma's corpse. Yecheng had extracted the hive portions from his body to form the parts of the pagoda used for breeding Kikaichū.

The space inside the pagoda looked small, but there was more to it than met the eye.

Yecheng controlled its interior with the Ten Shadows Technique, connecting it to Shadow Space, and all the Kikaichū were housed within those shadow spaces.

In other words, it could hold as many as he wanted.

The little pagoda had ten levels in total, each intended to house Kikaichū with different characteristics to handle different combat situations.

The bottom level housed the basic variety of Kikaichū.

The second level held the explosive insect eggs Yecheng had pilfered from the laboratory earlier. He planned to use these eggs to breed explosive Kikaichū, which he imagined would be extremely effective.

As for the pagoda's other levels, he had no material samples to put inside them yet.

Yecheng: (一`´一;)

The pagoda perfectly replicated the Aburame Clan's abilities, but it gave Yecheng a strange sense of familiarity.

If this thing appeared in some cultivation or fantasy novel, it would absolutely be a demonic artifact!

These Kikaichū could consume chakra. Didn't that make them Spirit-Devouring Insects?

S-so I was a demonic prodigy?!

Yecheng was amazed at his own ingenuity in creating something like this from a sudden inspiration.

How terrifying my talent was!

Still, he should not casually bring it out unless necessary.

Perhaps he could give it to his [Crow] incarnation to expand his arsenal.

His main body certainly would not use it, anyway!

Right!

While Yecheng was thinking, a noise suddenly came from the entryway.

Tsunade was back.

A thought struck Yecheng, and he opened the door to greet her.

It would be good to raise her favorability a little, too.

He saw Tsunade come through the door and plop down on the sofa.

Her expression was sour, and she radiated an unapproachable air.

Anyone who saw her would know she was angry and that it would be best not to disturb her.

But Yecheng was not going to leave just like that.

"Welcome back, Teacher."

Yecheng approached her. "Did something happen? You look so unhappy."

"...It's nothing."

Tsunade opened her mouth, wanting to vent her frustrations to someone, but then she saw that the person before her was only a six-year-old brat...

Forget it.

"I once heard that the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, was pained by his younger brother's death in war. He vowed to end the Warring States Period and successfully established the hidden village system, ending that era and protecting children from dying in war."

Yecheng smiled. "When you notice injustice and chaos in the world, you take the initiative to correct it. That really is the way of things."

Hearing his words, Tsunade froze.

Hashirama Senju was her grandfather, but her memories of him only went back to when she was very young.

She had heard about all his deeds so often that her ears had practically grown calluses!

She had long known how great he was, yet she had never felt it so tangibly.

Putting convictions into action and transforming the world!

Only now, with Yecheng spelling it out, did she seem to awaken from a dream and recognize her grandfather's greatness.

It also made her realize he was not merely a gambling addict who took his granddaughter along to gamble.

Tsunade came back to herself. She was supposed to be the teacher, yet her student had ended up lecturing her, leaving her feeling rather embarrassed.

She immediately pulled Yecheng into her arms, tucked him under one arm, and vigorously tousled his white hair.

"You little brat, you're lecturing your teacher now? You brat, you brat, you brat..."

Yecheng only felt his face pressed against something incomparably soft yet full of springiness. Though clearly contradictory, it felt perfectly natural, its surface as smooth as freshly squeezed milk.

There were even wafts of fragrance.

Damn it, I clearly said no touching my head!

Yecheng struggled desperately, trying to escape her clutches, but how could his strength possibly match Tsunade's?

Only after fooling around for quite a while did Tsunade finally release him.

"Haha, you little brat. That's what you get for coming up with more bad ideas."

Seeing Yecheng's disheveled hair and gloomy expression, Tsunade's mood instantly lifted.

Happiness really did have to be built on someone else's suffering.

Yecheng felt helpless. How old was this woman? She still loved horsing around like a child.

But he liked it, too.

"Teacher, since you can't stand those people and those things, why don't you become Hokage?"

Yecheng straightened his hair as he spoke with feigned casualness.

"Just like the First Hokage ended the Warring States Period."

The Third Hokage had shown him kindness. In the words of a certain person who refused to buckle under pressure, he could more or less be considered a benefactor.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi kept this up, sooner or later people would condemn him mercilessly. Better for him to retire safely.

That would spare her from getting killed one day amid an army by Orochimaru bringing along two corpses. Now that would truly be tragic.

Being alive was better than being dead.

"You little brat, what do you know?"

The moment Tsunade heard that, her temper flared, and she grabbed Yecheng and ruffled him all over again.

"What's there to worry about?"

The more he struggled, the more excited she became, so Yecheng simply stopped moving and let her hold him under her arm.

"The First Hokage was your grandfather, Teacher, and you're the most respected and strongest medical ninja in the Shinobi World. If you became Hokage, a lot of problems could be solved."

Once Yecheng stopped resisting, Tsunade suddenly lost interest and let him go instead.

What a shame, Yecheng thought.

"I can't be Hokage. I..."

Tsunade remembered her hemophobia. "Anyway, I just can't be Hokage!"

For a medical ninja, having hemophobia was a very serious flaw, because it meant she could never perform another operation.

In the Shinobi World, deaths from illness were actually in the minority, and surgery was the most important form of medical treatment.

And if she became Hokage, she certainly could not have such a fatal weakness.

A village's Kage was not merely its political ruler. They also had to lead the way, becoming the most conspicuous banner on the battlefield to inspire morale!

Take the Raikage, for example. After he was infected with explosive bugs, Kumogakure actually had a way to remove them, provided he refrained from using chakra for a few months.

But he did not dare serve as Raikage with such a fatal weakness. The principle was the same.

In times of crisis, a village's Kage had to serve as its stabilizing pillar!

Uniting the people and boosting morale!

But someone with hemophobia could not go onto the battlefield.

Tsunade understood this deeply too, which was why she refused.

"Is it because of your hemophobia?"

Yecheng spoke calmly, directly exposing her most deeply hidden secret.

"What if I said I had a way to cure it?"

Tsunade abruptly froze in place.

[Diary of a Flop Writer]

How could this happen?!

I was supposed to be a webnovel superstar! I was supposed to be someone who could casually write novels at home and keep a balance of at least eight figures in his bank account!

In the morning, my personal editor maid would wake me at my bedside to eat the breakfast she had made herself.

When I went out, a cute, beautiful girl writer would be waiting to go to a café and write together.

My newly released book would get a major recommendation on the front page.

My bespectacled editor would slip me little notes every day.

The tsundere, busty marketing girl would blush as she changed my cover.

The beautiful director of the rights department would ask about my love life with a mischievous grin.

After I signed a contract, an adorable junior would wait for me at the studio, happily calling me a superstar.

The expressionless editor-in-chief, an older schoolmate, would approach me under the pretext of checking my manuscript, a smile at the corners of her mouth.

After my new book launch, a hot girl editor from the publishing house next door would eagerly wait at the entrance to invite me to karaoke, then vie for my affection with my childhood friend and fellow writer beside me.

Could all of this have just been my fantasy?!!?