Chapter 413: The Updates Are Too Fast

Chapter 413: The Updates Are Too Fast

“I’m relieved to hear that.”

Tsunade seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, sitting back in her Hokage chair. Her fingers drummed lightly on the desk, her brows still furrowed as she thought about the current state of Konoha, feeling a wave of fatigue.

Two years ago, despite Shizune’s warnings, Tsunade had “invested” her travel funds in a gambling den and lost. While fleeing from debt collectors, she ran into Jiraiya, who was searching for someone and informed her of the recent events in Konoha.

A mysterious powerhouse had invaded, single-handedly defeating all of Konoha’s defenses without sustaining a single injury. In the end, this person transformed into a celestial beast similar to a tailed beast, standing in the sky and destroying the entire Forest of Death with one strike. The intruder then declared that Konoha would face its end in ten years.

Initially, Tsunade refused to believe it.

While Konoha had lost its position as the leading village among the Five Great Shinobi Villages due to the death of White Fang, the departure of Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru, and the casualties from the Nine-Tails' attack, it shouldn’t be so easily defeated by a single enemy.

No one in the current ninja world could achieve such a feat.

Tsunade estimated that only her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, or his old rival, Madara Uchiha, if they were to come back to life, would have the capability, and even then, they might not emerge unscathed.

However, Jiraiya, though unreliable-looking, wouldn’t lie about something so serious. Tsunade reluctantly followed him back to the village and was shocked to see the entire Forest of Death erased, leaving behind a deep, bottomless lake.

At that moment, she had no choice but to accept the truth of the situation.

Although Tsunade no longer craved the political intrigues and dark undercurrents of Konoha, the village was still the home she had grown up in, built by the Senju clan. It was impossible not to have feelings for it.

In the end, Tsunade reluctantly agreed to stay on a “rental” basis, becoming a combat asset for Konoha and the Fifth Hokage.

Her teacher, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, this time did not hesitate. He granted her full authority, not just over the Anbu but also over Root, which he reclaimed from Danzō Shimura, and allowed her to choose the members of the Elder Council.

This made Tsunade feel somewhat better, not because of the concentration of power, but because it spared her from the internal machinations she detested.

Heaven only knows how much she despised Danzō, that mangy old dog. Yes, his mouth was apparently blown apart during the invasion, leaving him in a half-dead state, and the loss of his power had made him even more sinister.

Tsunade rubbed her temples. “Kakashi, do you understand the current state of Konoha and the crisis we face?”

“I was there that night.”

Kakashi recalled the events, his face grave as he nodded.

“What do you think Konoha needs to do to overcome this crisis?”

Kakashi: “...”

Who would know the answer to that?

And he wasn’t the Hokage.

Tsunade stood up, her imposing figure and stern voice adding to the gravity of the moment.

“In recent years, I have made sweeping reforms to the outdated and corrupt systems, establishing good trade relations with the other four great shinobi villages and some smaller ones, and eliminating cumbersome and complex procedures...”

“But the more I reform, the more I realize that there are limits to what ninjas can achieve...”

Kakashi lowered his head. “Lady Tsunade, what are you trying to say?”

“I’m saying that relying solely on training powerful ninjas won’t work!”

Tsunade’s voice was filled with emotion as she slammed her hand on the desk, her monstrous strength causing the solid wood table to splinter and the building to tremble slightly.

“The new generation at the Ninja Academy is beginning to show promise, and the training and treatment of the Anbu, Root, and the Guard Corps have improved.”

“I have high hopes for you as well. I believe you are no less talented than the two prodigies of the Uchiha clan, and your strength will one day rival that of the Kage of the Five Great Shinobi Villages.”

“But do you think that will be enough to stop the mysterious intruder?”

If the intruder was on the level of her grandfather, Tsunade was certain that Konoha had no chance of winning.

Recalling the night when the intruder soared in the sky, radiating divinity, towering above the Nine-Tails like a god, Kakashi shook his head silently.

“No, just that won’t be enough. Konoha will certainly be destroyed under the second assault of the mysterious powerhouse.”

“Yes, that’s why we can’t put all our hopes on the path of ninjas alone.”

Tsunade patted Kakashi’s shoulder with a serious look.

“Your friend is doing quite well. The Land of Iron has profited greatly from him over the past two years. The head of the samurai, Mifune, even considers him the ‘future of the samurai’ and wants to bring him to the Land of Iron, especially recently...”

She paused, a peculiar expression flashing in her eyes. "He proposed a theory to combine science and ninja tool forging, creating what is known as tech-ninja tools. These tools are not only powerful but also have great potential. He is a genuine talent..."

"I imagine many organizations will be inviting him to join them in the coming days. The other four hidden villages might already be on their way..."

Tsunade waved her hand, took out a mission scroll, and handed it over while issuing an order.

"Kakashi, this is an S-rank mission exclusive to you."

"Go to the Land of Iron and bring back Qianchuan Lukke. Make him the head of the Ninja Tool Department!"

"Yes."

Kakashi took the mission scroll, glanced at the image with a gentle smile, and tucked it into his vest. Without further delay, he quickly left the Hokage Tower.

...

Village Hidden in Sound.

An independent territory outside the five major ninja villages, it has rapidly developed in recent years and is now recognized as a small ninja village on the map.

In the dark, damp secret base underground, children with blank expressions wielded their weapons at their peers or practiced hand signs and jutsu on their own. Various sophisticated instruments and surveillance devices were neatly arranged.

In the deepest room underground, a figure sat quietly in the center.

He had long hair, a decent appearance but a cold and sinister aura, giving off a damp and sticky feeling.

Orochimaru, the rogue ninja from Konoha and one of the Legendary Sannin.

In front of him, five shadowy figures stood in their respective positions.

The leader, a young man with short, orange hair, had no emotional expression. His pupils were ring-shaped, clearly one of the three great dōjutsu of the ninja world: the Rinnegan.

Beside him stood a woman with long blue hair, her face delicate but weary, her gaze calm and indifferent, devoid of joy or sorrow. Next to her was a bizarre figure encased in a pitcher plant-like structure that had split open, a young man with a spiral mask, and an ugly, hunched old man.

Each of them wore a black cloak embroidered with red clouds, a straw hat with a bell, and a ring on a specific finger with painted nails. Their forehead protectors all bore a scratch, symbolizing their status as rogue ninjas.

"Our target is this person."

The young man's voice was emotionless, allowing no other sounds to interrupt.

Another figure appeared in the air, a man in his twenties with a handsome appearance and a perfect physique. He wore a gentle smile, almost the epitome of a gentleman at first glance.

The blue-haired woman spoke indifferently, reciting the target's information:

"Qianchuan Lukke, twenty-one years old, a resident of Konoha in the Land of Fire. He has been studying forging techniques in the Land of Iron for the past two years. Recently, he developed tech-ninja tools, which are rumored to be both powerful and scalable. Most importantly, they can be mass-produced."

"Konoha, tech-ninja tools?"

A flicker of interest crossed Orochimaru's eyes.

"Should we recruit him or kill him?"

The ugly, hunched old man spoke in a raspy voice, his tone chilling.

"Prioritize recruitment. If that fails, then kill him."

The young leader responded coldly, glancing at Orochimaru and the old man, who seemed somewhat interested. He issued his command from a position of authority.

"Orochimaru and Sasori will handle this. Remember to prioritize recruitment. His skills are valuable to the organization. Do not disappoint me."

Orochimaru's tongue flicked out, licking the lower half of his face, and he gave a silent, sinister smile.

"Understood."

"Clear."

With their responses, the other shadowy figures dimmed and vanished into the air, leaving only Sasori's shadow.

"We will meet in the Land of Iron. You will handle the recruitment. If it fails, I will kill him. Any objections?"

Orochimaru's snake-like eyes shimmered with interest. "Are you targeting him? As someone who also delves into the arts, I thought you would be interested in exchanging and exploring with him."

Sasori, a puppet master, was more skilled in creating puppet dolls and not particularly adept at weapon-making. A talented smith could benefit the organization and, at the very least, upgrade the weapons of his puppets.

"Don't misunderstand. All of Konoha must die, including you..."

Sasori coldly replied and severed the connection in the next second.

Orochimaru licked his lips, shaking his head with a sinister smile.

As one of the Legendary Sannin who had earned great fame during the ninja wars, he knew that Sasori's parents were killed by "White Fang of Konoha", Sakumo Hatake.

"Those who reject knowledge reject the path forward. Blinded by hatred, you will never reach your true goal, let alone avenge yourself."

The great scientist, philosopher, psychologist, and child abductor sighed and looked toward the Land of Iron.

As a tech specialist, his focus has always been on physiology, genetic modification, and cloning. The idea of purely martial technology sounds intriguing.

"Tech-Ninja Tools? That sounds fascinating. I hope he agrees; I’d love to see what technology can do in weapons..."

...

Land of Iron, the Daimyo’s Residence.

Lukke slowly opened his eyes and looked around the lavish, opulent room, sighing silently.

Old age brings its own set of worries.

Though Lukke considers himself still young, he feels his heart is weighed down by these worries.

Why? Probably because the early missions didn’t boost his power much, yet the diligent versions of himself have already maxed out his account.

"We" are just too diligent!

Who remembers that before his golden finger activated, he only wished to visit the commercial street and try his luck at the Ichiraku Ramen Shop, hoping to survive the many disasters of Konoha with his family.

With the golden finger, he originally planned to lay low, leave Konoha, and develop elsewhere, either by mass-producing units or by becoming a powerful individual on his own.

Now?

Forget Orochimaru’s "Leaf Destruction Plan" or "Pain’s Invasion"; even the "Infinite Tsukuyomi" is just a minor annoyance to him.

The Otsutsuki Clan, the most powerful in the Naruto world, are woefully underwhelming. Their battles, no matter how intense, barely affect a wide area, and the claim that they could destroy Earth’s ecosystem in a short time is an exaggeration.

For the current Lukke, even if the abilities from various worlds aren’t fully compatible, his base stats alone can easily scatter the ashes of the entire Otsutsuki Clan.

If he wanted to, he could unlock the seal on the moon, pose Kaguya Otsutsuki in a thousand ways, and make the Sage of Six Paths and his brother acknowledge him as their father.

Two words: Invincible!

"Ah, this must be the worry of power inflation", Lukke sighed, stretching his hands and muttering.

"Feeling like the whole world can be molded and crushed at will, doing whatever I want..."

A soft panting sound came from beside him, and the woman’s cheeks were flushed, her lips trembling.

Huh?

When did someone end up in his arms?

Lukke’s brow furrowed, and he grew serious. How could someone sneak into his arms without him noticing?

He instinctively pushed forward, feeling a new world open up, and only then noticed the additional touch of vibrant red-brown in his arms.

The woman had emerald eyes, sharp and lively, and pink lips that added a touch of allure. However, her mature face now showed signs of discomfort.

Oh no, I let my heart’s monkey into the Water Curtain Cave.

"Lord Mei, how... how did you end up in my room?"

Lukke feigned shock, panicking and struggling violently.

"Shut up!"

Mei Terumi gasped, quickly flipping over and pinning the man down like a leopard, her expression fluctuating with a hint of regret.

During the Third Shinobi World War, the Fourth Mizukage of the Village Hidden in Mist, Yagura, was controlled by a genjutsu, isolating the village from the outside world and creating a terrifying environment known as the "Blood Mist Village." It has yet to fully recover.

As the future Fifth Mizukage, she originally intended to come to the Land of Iron to recruit this man who invented Tech-Ninja Tools, as a merit for becoming Mizukage.

Then, seeing how good-looking, well-built, and gentle he was, and how he seemed hesitant when she invited him, she decided to tease him a bit.

Teasing led to a bit of drinking, and drinking led to more daring behavior, and before she knew it, they were in bed together.

She never thought her usual banter would actually lead to this. The partner of a future Mizukage can’t be chosen so lightly...

She felt a twinge of regret, staring at Lukke for a few seconds, focusing on his face and his well-defined chest, her attitude softening.

Actually, maybe it’s not so bad.

"Lukke, come back to the Village Hidden in Mist with me, okay?"

Lukke exhaled softly, looking troubled.

"Lord Mei, my parents are still in Konoha."

"Then bring them over; I can discuss it with Lady Tsunade."

"My brother is in Konoha too."

"He can come as well."

"My friends, girlfriend, and father-in-law are all in Konoha..."

"They can come too..."

Mei’s eyes narrowed halfway through his response.

Girlfriend?

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end