💎 WEEKLY POWER GOALS 💎
🔥 30→2ch | 60→5ch | 100→8ch | 200→15ch | 400→25ch
⏰ Resets Monday!
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Thanks to the full 100 favorability, the teleportation skill leveled up instantly.
The absolute barrier and instant teleportation provided Tsuruki with an insane level of security.
With dreams of a better tomorrow, Tsuruki pulled the musty quilt over his head and drifted off to sleep.
Early the next morning, Tobi thoughtfully delivered breakfast.
Although Tobi's favorability hadn't reached 100, he'd already done so much for Tsuruki in the cave. Daily meal deliveries. Occasional trips to find fruit to improve his diet.
Sometimes, he even shouldered the heavy responsibility of stealing clothes for him—though every single item Tobi stole was women's clothing!
"Obito wants you."
Tobi poked his green head through the opening.
"Got it."
After eating, Tsuruki headed to the cave housing the Gedo Statue.
Obito sat beneath the massive statue, exuding the vibe of a monkey calling himself king now that the tiger was away.
"Our first goal is to gather the Tailed Beasts," Obito said. "The strongest among them is the Nine-Tails. Konoha has many powerful shinobi. We need an inside man."
His words hung in the air. Three gazes immediately locked onto Tsuruki.
One from Black Zetsu. One from Tobi. The last from Obito himself.
Tsuruki's current body was nine years old, but due to malnourishment in Sunagakure, he looked six or seven.
Plus, he was wearing a dress. A human female child.
He was practically the perfect candidate for infiltration.
Konoha, huh?
A faint glint flashed in Tsuruki's eyes.
What transmigrator didn't want to visit that place?
"For our goal, I'll do anything!"
Tsuruki looked at them, his expression firm.
[Ding! Target 'Black Zetsu' Favorability: 40!]
Even stingier than Madara Uchiha?
Tsuruki stole a glance at Black Zetsu.
"Good," Obito nodded. "Konoha is currently collecting war orphans from the battlefields. You will pose as one and infiltrate the village!"
Tsuruki nodded.
Ragged clothes. A filthy body. Empty eyes.
He'd be a freshly minted war orphan.
Both Obito and Black Zetsu placed great expectations on him.
Tobi teleported Tsuruki silently into the middle of a pile of corpses.
…
"Sir! There's a child here!"
A shinobi in a green flak jacket spotted Tsuruki and shouted.
Tsuruki sat dazedly amidst the bodies. His fair, delicate face was smeared with blood and grime, and his blue eyes were hollow.
The green-jacketed shinobi sighed softly.
In a place like this, even psychologically fragile adults couldn't handle it, let alone a young child.
"Take her with us!"
Tsuruki was picked up by the man and placed on a wooden cart.
He wasn't the only child. There were many others.
Sniffle… sob…
Faint whimpers sounded occasionally.
Tsuruki's gaze swept over the children, landing on a white-haired kid.
The boy was surprisingly sharp. He felt Tsuruki's stare and looked back.
The kid's eyes held nothing. Not a ripple of emotion.
It… didn't look like a child's gaze at all.
Tsuruki lowered his lashes, obediently curling into a ball.
Because of the cart full of children, the shinobi couldn't travel back to Konoha quickly.
The green-jacketed ninja seemed particularly fond of Tsuruki. He'd occasionally hand him a steamed bun.
"Thank you, Uncle."
Tsuruki whispered.
Takenouchi was just an ordinary Chunin. He patted Tsuruki's silver hair. "You're welcome."
His special affection for this child was probably because he was the one who found her, the one who pulled her from the corpses himself.
The wooden cart creaked and swayed. Three days later, they finally reached Konoha.
Tsuruki looked up at the towering wooden gates, a faint light shimmering in his eyes.
Finally!
The Protagonist Village!
The main stage of Naruto!
It was worth the days on that wooden cart. His butt was completely numb.
Arriving didn't mean easy entry.
Even as children, they had to be inspected.
The war wasn't over. Children could be used as tools.
To prevent other villages from exploiting any weakness, inspections of outsiders were extra thorough.
"Over here!"
The guard at the gate had a scarred head. Anyone familiar with Naruto would recognize him.
Ibiki Morino.
He looked much younger than in the anime.
His ability seemed to involve probing minds.
Tsuruki frowned.
This isn't good.
The others were real kids. He wasn't.
His soul was from Earth!
He might even dig up memories of browsing… questionable websites!
"System! Save me!" Tsuruki cried out in his mind, his tone pitiful and pleading.
"Relax."
The System replied with a single word.
Instantly, Tsuruki felt a weight lift.
This refreshing, secure feeling… only the System could give it to him!
Sniffle…
Wait!
As a manly man, how could he cry?
"Men don't shed tears lightly!" Tsuruki vowed. "System, don't worry! I'll earn that favorability seriously!"
Among his current targets, Black Zetsu had the lowest favorability.
Only 40!
After that masterful performance, the guy only gave him 40?
Truly the founder of the backstab!
The Millennial Survival King!
Ibiki Morino was young, but his gaze was already sharp.
He stared at Tsuruki.
Tsuruki pretended to shy away in fear.
"Don't be afraid."
Takenouchi's hand patted Tsuruki's head, his voice gentle.
Ibiki placed a hand on Tsuruki's head and closed his eyes.
Even with the System's guarantee, Tsuruki couldn't help but hold his breath.
No one suspected his nervous demeanor.
Fear and worry were normal for a child.
"Alright."
Ibiki jerked his chin. "Next."
Tsuruki successfully passed through Konoha's gates.
"That really wasn't easy."
A wide street unfolded before him.
Even at war, people still had to live.
Vendors lined the streets. Civilians moved about. Occasionally, shinobi flashed across rooftops.
Tsuruki and the other children were destined for the orphanage. Takenouchi led the way.
Along the journey, Takenouchi's mind was racing.
He had no wife, no children. He'd genuinely taken a liking to this little girl.
That empty house might feel better with a child in it.
They reached the orphanage.
The children were led inside one by one by a gentle female director. All except Tsuruki.
Takenouchi patted Tsuruki's head. "Little one, would you like to live with me?"
Tsuruki's blue pupils widened in shock.
No way. No way!
A pillow delivered just as you're getting sleepy!
As everyone knew, places that took in war orphans were under Konoha surveillance.
"C-Can I?" Tsuruki asked timidly.
His unwashed face bore bloodstains, making his eyes seem especially striking.
Takenouchi's gaze softened. "Of course. Would you like to?"
"I… I would!" the little girl before him exclaimed, her voice filled with eagerness.
A smile flickered in Takenouchi's eyes. "Good!"
Adopting a war orphan wasn't simple.
The paperwork was extensive.
For the first month, he'd be under surveillance by the Anbu.
But if it meant gaining a daughter, Takenouchi could handle it.
While they handled the paperwork, Takenouchi held Tsuruki's hand the entire time.
Tsuruki used the chance to observe Konoha. They even passed the famous landmark—Ichiraku Ramen.
"That's Ichiraku Ramen. When we have time, Uncle will take you there!"
"Okay."
It took the better part of the day to complete all the paperwork.
Takenouchi brought Tsuruki home.
A small two-story building.
The first floor was rented to a bookstore. The second floor was their living space.
Two bedrooms, one living room, one kitchen, two bathrooms.
Tsuruki sank into the small bathtub and let out a satisfied sigh.
His gaze fell on the purple dress Takenouchi had prepared. His face twisted.
It seemed he was doomed to wear dresses.
In the adoption paperwork, he was registered as Takenouchi's daughter.
A daughter!
Ugh!
Tsuruki's will to live completely drained away.
Knock knock knock!
Takenouchi tapped on the bathroom door. "Tsuruki, don't soak too long! It's not good for you!"
His rough voice held concern.
"Got it, Uncle," Tsuruki called out.
Though Takenouchi had adopted him, he didn't force him to say 'Dad.'
Tsuruki was relieved. He really couldn't bring himself to say it.
Even though Takenouchi was a genuinely kind man.
[Host, would you like to add 'Takenouchi' as a target?]
The System prompted.
"Yes!"
How had Tsuruki forgotten this?
[Ding! Congratulations, Host!]
[Target 'Takenouchi' Favorability: 89!]
[Automatically assigned skill from favorability reward has arrived. Accept?]
[Yes] [No]
Tsuruki felt a spark of anticipation. What skill would Takenouchi's favorability give him?
[Yin-Yang Ring]
[Item Description: A System product. A master tool for concealing identity. Even the Byakugan cannot see through the user's true gender.]
"Oh, I'm just so grateful," Tsuruki's smile stiffened.
A System product?
He suspected the System had planned this from the start.
"Do you want it or not?"
The System offered no explanation, just asked.
Tsuruki wore an expression of utter humiliation.
"Yes."
He was already inside Konoha. Of course he had to take it.
Putting on the purple dress Takenouchi had prepared, Tsuruki slid the silver ring onto his finger.
Takenouchi had already cooked dinner.
To welcome Tsuruki, he'd made a feast.
A bachelor for over thirty years, he had plenty of money from missions and the rent from downstairs.
He seemed surprised by how cute Tsuruki looked after washing up; his favorability rose another five points.
"…"
Could this superficial world get any worse?
With Takenouchi's help, Tsuruki climbed onto a tall stool.
"Tsuruki, welcome to our family."
Takenouchi happily clasped his hands together.
"'Our'?"
Tsuruki was puzzled. Was there someone else?
Woof woof woof!
Meow meow meow!
Hiss hiss hiss!
Tsuruki looked at the white dog and orange cat at his feet, then at the emerald green snake slithering along a branch extending from the far wall. He genuinely wanted to faint.
Takenouchi hadn't mentioned his home was a zoo!
A dog and cat were one thing, but a snake? What the hell?
Sure, the snake was pretty, but it was still a snake!
"Tsuruki, Xiaoqing doesn't bite, don't worry."
Sensing the child's fear of snakes, Takenouchi felt guilty for his oversight and quickly explained.
Xiaoqing?
Is there another one named Bai Suzhen?
Takenouchi shattered Tsuruki's previous impression of him.
No wonder.
Takenouchi was decent-looking and financially stable. Why was he still single at his age?
Here was the reason!
What girl would marry a guy who kept snakes at home?!
The only consolation was Takenouchi's god-tier cooking skills.
Eating delicious grilled saury and drinking fresh juice, Tsuruki lamented again that the cave was no place for humans.
In the distance, on a tree branch.
A white-haired figure hid among the leaves. Beneath a tanuki mask, cold eyes fixed on Takenouchi's room.
Kakashi?
With the ultimate version of the Six Eyes, surveillance couldn't escape Tsuruki's notice.
He saw through the tanuki mask, catching the face beneath.
Beneath the mask was another mask.
A black face covering. A forehead protector hiding one eye. Rebellious white hair.
This was Naruto's number one enigmatic man—Kakashi Hatake!
So Kakashi was the Anbu assigned by Konoha for the one-month surveillance.
Tsuruki stuffed the delicious pumpkin pie Takenouchi had made into his mouth, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
His target was feasting, and all the Anbu could do was watch. What a miserable job.
After dinner, Tsuruki was surrounded by Xiao Huang and Xiao Bai.
Xiao Huang was the big orange cat, and Xiao Bai was the big mixed-breed dog.
These names, along with Xiaoqing—the decorative snake on the branch—all came from Takenouchi.
His naming sense was something else. Thank goodness Tsuruki insisted on keeping his own name during the adoption process.
Otherwise, Takenouchi would have named him Xiao Lan.
Takenouchi. Truly terrifying.
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