White Zetsu didn't notice his tone at all. "That kid doesn't even play during lunch break either. He just practices swordsmanship alone on the field, swing after swing, super seriously! I watched him swing for a long, long time, my eyes got sore from watching, and he was still swinging!"
"Finished?"
"There's still more! I also saw—"
"That's enough."
White Zetsu's voice stopped abruptly.
Madara Uchiha closed his eyes, a trace of fatigue in his voice. "Next time, go watch the Uchiha."
"Oh… okay, Madara-sama."
White Zetsu muttered as he slowly sank into the rock wall.
Some days later.
"Madara-sama! Madara-sama! I'm back again!"
"Speak."
"I went to look around the Uchiha again. There really aren't any particularly good seedlings. A few kids are alright, but that's about it. They're far inferior compared to you."
"Mm."
"But Madara-sama! That Shinichi Higashino did something interesting again!"
At this point, White Zetsu's voice grew excited again.
Madara Uchiha's eyelids twitched.
"He was—"
"Shut up."
White Zetsu instantly shut up.
"Next time, only look at the Uchiha."
"Yes, Madara-sama…"
Some more days passed.
"Madara-sama, there really isn't anything on the Uchiha side."
"Mm."
"But that Shinichi Higashino, he—"
"Get out."
White Zetsu disappeared awkwardly.
Who knows how many days later.
"Madara-sama, this time I really seriously observed the Uchiha! There's a kid named Shisui Uchiha who seems to have good talent, but he's still too young; he hasn't even entered the Ninja Academy yet."
"Mm."
"But Madara-sama, do you remember that Shinichi Higashino? He—"
"That's enough!"
Madara Uchiha opened his eyes and looked at the white figure. In those murky eyes, a rare trace of helplessness appeared, one could even call it exhaustion.
"I told you to watch the Uchiha."
"Yes, yes, I did."
"I didn't tell you to keep staring at that brat."
"Yes, yes, I know, I know."
"Then why do you bring him up every time you come back?"
White Zetsu scratched his head, his expression extremely innocent.
"Because he's really interesting, Madara-sama! I don't know why, but I just like watching him. It feels like… right, a sense of familiarity. In human terms, he seems to give me a sense of familiarity. I just can't help but watch him, and then as I watch, I can't help but want to tell you about it…"
Madara Uchiha fell silent.
White Zetsu, something that isn't even considered human or even an animal, feels something called familiarity toward a completely unrelated Konoha orphan?
He was too old. So old that he no longer had the energy to ponder such strange matters, nor the energy to argue with this thoughtless fellow.
But he had truly had enough!
"From today onward!"
Madara Uchiha took a deep breath and said word by word: "You go to Konoha and do only one thing! Watch the Uchiha. Observe whether there are suitable, talented, usable children. As for anything else, don't look! Don't listen! I don't care! I don't remember! And especially don't come back and report it to me!"
"But that Shinichi Higashino—"
"There is no Shinichi Higashino!"
White Zetsu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Madara Uchiha's aged yet unquestionable face, he ultimately shut it.
"Understood, Madara-sama."
White Zetsu slowly merged into the rock wall and disappeared.
Shinichi Higashino.
This name, four years ago during that scorching summer, entered his mind in an unexpected and extremely sudden way.
Although Madara Uchiha had never seen this brat, with White Zetsu's repeated descriptions, he had formed a certain impression in his mind.
A child who runs every morning carrying a rock, who swings a blade alone on the field at noon, as if he doesn't know what fatigue is.
Inside the cavern, water droplets continued to echo.
Drip, drip.
Madara Uchiha kept his eyes closed, unmoving, as his thoughts gradually pulled away from that summer four years ago and returned to the present.
"Speak."
Madara Uchiha said in a hoarse, low voice, "That brat from Konoha, what did he do this time?"
Just to pass the time. Listening wouldn't hurt…
Hearing this, White Zetsu immediately became excited. "Heh, Madara-sama, you have no idea! This time it was amazing…"
Madara Uchiha quietly listened as White Zetsu excitedly recounted what happened in the Konoha arena.
Swordsmanship versus swordsmanship, long weapon versus long weapon, Fire Style without hand seals, absolute defense, both displayed strength far beyond their respective ages, especially that brat named Shinichi Higashino.
But none of this stirred even the slightest ripple in Madara Uchiha's heart.
Only the final invitation, to the future strongest battle of the Shinobi World, sparked a bit of his interest.
"The strongest, huh?"
Madara Uchiha closed his eyes. When he is revived in the future, that brat named Shinichi Higashino should also have grown up by then. If he is still alive, then he wants to see if he's worthy of that title…
At that thought, the corner of Madara Uchiha's mouth moved slightly.
Then let's try it. Let him, Madara Uchiha, personally see just how much substance this brat named Shinichi Higashino truly has, and whether he is qualified to be called… the strongest!
In the Aji No Takumi Cuisine Restaurant, inside the private room, the atmosphere was lively, filled with the greasy aroma of food and bursts of laughter.
"Cheers!"
Team 10's gathering was underway.
After Tsunade learned that the A-rank special mission that caused a huge stir was ultimately credited to Shinichi, and that the reward was astonishingly generous, she immediately used the excuse of celebrating her student's fame to loudly insist that Shinichi treat everyone.
"Don't hold back! This brat just made a fortune today!"
Tsunade waved her hand boldly, downing a large cup of sake first. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she then shouted toward the door, "Boss! Bring me five more servings of grilled meat and three jugs of sake! Oh, and two more servings of mapo dofu! Shizune, Kurenai, order whatever you want, don't you dare save money for this brat!"
Shizune looked at the high prices on the menu and felt a bit embarrassed, while Kurenai Yuhi smiled and ordered a few dishes she liked.
Shinichi sat in the main seat, with the fish head deliberately facing him.
His face maintained its usual gentle smile, though upon closer inspection, it was just slightly stiffer than usual.
Eight hundred fifty thousand Ryo!
What reached his hands was only eight hundred fifty thousand Ryo.
According to Konoha's rules, after deducting necessary mission costs, taxes, and village development funds, the executing ninja receives 50% of the remaining amount as personal compensation. So in the end, only 850,000 Ryo ended up in his hands.
Is 850,000 Ryo a lot?
For most ninjas, especially Chunin, this was undoubtedly a huge sum that could make people envious; many might not even save this much after years of hard work.
In others' eyes, Shinichi Higashino had absolutely struck it rich today.
But only Shinichi himself knew that every single Ryo was cut from his flesh.
Dark! It's too dark!
Damn, exploitative class! Konoha's cut is way too ruthless!
This distribution system must be reformed!
When he becomes Hokage in the future, he'll definitely increase the proportion of mission rewards for ninjas, improve welfare guarantees, and make sure every ninja who bleeds for the village gets the return they deserve!
Wait!
Just as this thought arose, Shinichi suddenly froze.
If he has already become Hokage, what is he reforming for?
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