Might Guy shuddered, then looked at Kakashi with deep shame.
"Kakashi, you're right. I almost lost my way."
"My youth shouldn't be wasted on such things."
"Thank you, Kakashi. You truly are my eternal rival—always reminding me at the right moment, keeping my motivation infinite."
"Today, I shall punish myself by running a lap around the entire Hidden Leaf!"
As he spoke, Guy trembled, trying to force his legs into a running motion.
"Hey, Guy, maybe you should just rest for a day first!"
"Don't overdo it."
Seeing Guy's wobbly, unsteady frame, Kakashi offered a well-meaning piece of advice.
"Kakashi... I can do it!"
Guy forced himself into a jog, then turned to give Kakashi a thumbs-up and a flash of his sparkling teeth before laboriously running off. Kakashi watched Guy's receding figure and shook his head with a faint sigh.
"A man of his word. It's precisely because of that persistence that you've become such a remarkable person, Guy."
Once Guy's back had disappeared from view, Kakashi pulled out his beloved novel and began reading leisurely as he walked. Ever since he got his hands on the book written by Uchiha Raizen, he found himself losing interest in Jiraiya's Icha Icha series.
Later that day, Raizen was walking along Konoha's commercial street when a woman suddenly blocked his path.
"You are Uchiha Raizen, I presume?"
"And you are...?"
Raizen stared at the newcomer with surprise. Having watched Naruto in his past life, he naturally recognized the woman standing before him instantly.
Guren!
A loyal subordinate of Orochimaru. In this timeline, Guren hadn't betrayed Orochimaru yet; she was still his devoted follower.
After Orochimaru sent Kabuto to capture him—only for Kabuto to be thoroughly played and vanish—the snake had now sent Guren?
Orochimaru really doesn't give up, does he? Raizen thought. He clearly didn't take my warning to heart.
But it made sense. Raizen hadn't displayed overwhelming power yet, and to the strong, the warnings of the "weak" are rarely worth noting.
"I am Guren. I've come because I saw your mission for 'Seeking Heirs with Heavy Rewards,'" Guren said, getting straight to the point.
Internally, Guren was resistant to this mission, but her loyalty to Orochimaru was absolute at this stage. She hadn't met Yukimaru yet, so she obeyed Orochimaru's orders without question.
Seeing that Raizen's actual appearance matched his photos—and was even more handsome in person—Guren's anxious heart settled slightly. If Raizen had been an ugly man, she wouldn't have been able to accept the task of bearing his child. Fortunately, his striking looks made the mission tolerable.
Raizen looked at Guren with a hidden smile. He couldn't help but marvel: Orochimaru is quite generous! Right now, Guren is supposed to be one of his potential vessels, and he just hands her over to me?
It was obvious Guren was a spy sent by Orochimaru. Her strength was considerable; she could easily catch a target off guard, knock them out, and spirit them away.
Raizen decided to play along with the scheme. As long as he remained vigilant, he wouldn't lose anything. On the contrary, he would gain a beautiful woman to help with the clan's revival. Guren was one of the great beauties of the shinobi world; having her was a milestone in any traveler's journey through the Naruto world.
"I welcome anyone who wishes to take the mission with open arms," Raizen said with a warm, beaming smile. "Guren, welcome to the Uchiha family."
"You trust me so easily? Aren't you afraid I'm a bad person?" Guren looked at him with interest. This guy hadn't even asked for her background before agreeing. Was he truly foolish, or did he know something? Or perhaps he was just a typical man who lost his reason at the sight of a pretty face?
"You have a kind face. I believe you couldn't possibly be a bad person," Raizen laughed.
"You can read faces?" Guren asked, amused.
"I know a bit; I'm usually eighty to ninety percent accurate," Raizen nodded confidently. He knew the plot and the history of almost every major character. Using that for "fortune telling" or "face reading" was child's play.
Guren certainly wasn't going to tell him she had killed many people. Following his lead, she smiled. "You're quite accurate. I am indeed a good person. It's just that I'm desperately short on money and want to earn a large sum quickly, which is why I was interested in your mission."
"As long as you can bear children, money is no object. If it's twins, the reward is doubled," Raizen joked.
In truth, Raizen was right—Guren was fundamentally a good person, though her kindness wouldn't be fully awakened until she met Yukimaru. Once she found him, she would even betray Orochimaru to protect the boy.
Guren pointed to the four women behind her. "They are also unfortunate women in need of money. Do you find them suitable?"
Behind Guren stood four other women, all quite beautiful. They were clearly hand-picked by Orochimaru's team.
Raizen circled them briefly, then nodded. "No problem. They're all fine. They can accept the mission as well."
Beauties delivered to his door? He wasn't about to say no. If they didn't conceive, it was a "free trial." If they did, he had plenty of money, and the System rewards would make it a massive net gain regardless. He couldn't lose.
"Come with me, then!"
Knowing these women were likely spies, Raizen wasn't foolish enough to take them straight to the Uchiha compound. He would arrange for them to stay elsewhere for the duration of the mission. Once the task was complete, the children would stay, and the women could leave or stay as they wished.
With his "Papaya Juice" artifact, even if the mothers left, the children wouldn't lack nourishment. The five maids at home and the wives could easily provide enough milk for any newcomers.
He led Guren and the four others to the women's hot spring inn.
"Raizen-sama! You're here!" Uzumaki Keiko greeted him warmly the moment he stepped inside.
"Mhm, I'm here. Keiko, you look especially beautiful today!" Raizen complimented her with a smile.
"Really, Raizen-sama?!" Keiko's face flushed with excitement.
"Of course it's true!" Raizen nodded firmly.
"Hmph, even if you praise me, I won't be happy," Keiko said with a playful pout, though she was clearly beaming with joy.
"Hahaha, Keiko, you really are adorable!" Raizen laughed at her tsundere display. "I didn't know you had such a cute side!"
"What's the use of being cute if Raizen-sama won't let me take the mission?!" After her moment of joy, Keiko's face turned resentful again.
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