Chapter 61: The Perfect Second-in-Command, Don't Underestimate This Great Man

Chapter 61: The Perfect Second-in-Command, Don’t Underestimate This Great Man

“Izayoi, she’s so pitiful,” Hinata Hyuga murmured, watching Karin leave with the Shadow Clone.

She’d thought her own childhood self had been timid and insignificant in front of Izayoi. But compared to Karin, she realized she’d still had a little dignity left. The girl’s eyes had held a heart-wrenching mix of desperation and hope.

“There are pitiful people everywhere. Some have it worse than her,” Izayoi said, ruffling Hinata’s hair with a faint smile. “We can’t save everyone, but we can protect those who matter to us.”

Hinata nodded firmly. She wasn’t a saint—she’d just felt a pang of empathy because Karin was Izayoi’s clanswoman.

As Shino Aburame returned, Izayoi asked, “What scrolls did they have?”

“Heaven’s Scrolls.”

“Perfect. We’ve got Earth’s Scrolls.” Izayoi tossed their team’s scroll to Shino. “These are yours to keep, Shino.”

Shino paused, sensing something. “We’ve completed the set. Shouldn’t we head straight to the Central Tower?”

Izayoi turned toward the forest’s edge. “Not yet. There’s still one loose end to tie up.”

Hinata’s expression shifted. Recalling Izayoi’s words in the bathhouse and cross-referencing her Byakugan intel, she asked hesitantly, “Izayoi, are you going after that sand ninja with the gourd?”

“No. Someone stronger than him.”

Izayoi shook his head and instructed, “Wait for me outside the Central Tower. I’ll join you once I’ve dealt with this.”

Hinata, well aware of Izayoi’s power, bowed obediently. Shino, seeing her compliance, simply nodded.

After parting ways, Izayoi Body-Flickered toward Team 7’s location.

Yes—his second target for altering fate was none other than Sasuke Uchiha.

At his current strength, only defeating Shadow-Level adversaries would boost his trait drop rate. Zabuza, Raiga, Haku, and Ranmaru had all failed to yield any traits. His overwhelming power made their drops nearly negligible. Even creating low-chakra Shadow Clones to assist in kills hadn’t changed the odds.

Shadow-Level foes were rare, and their traits maxed at purple rarity—yielding mere thousands of Points when Dissolved. Beyond purple lay gold and Red Inherited Traits, potentially netting tens or hundreds of thousands of Points. If luck struck, a single Red Inherited Trait might even upgrade into an unknown tier at a 1:1 ratio.

Until the system’s hidden mechanics were uncovered, Sasuke, Hinata, and Naruto remained his prime targets. Among them, Sasuke stood out. His rapid growth and raw talent meant higher drop rates. Keeping him loyal to Konoha would allow Izayoi to farm traits indefinitely—Sasuke’s devotion rivaled Karin’s.

In the original timeline, after Naruto’s defeat, Sasuke had abandoned everything, wandering for years as Naruto’s shadow. A perfect second-in-command like Zoro from the One Piece world—unshakable and self-sacrificing. Izayoi had no intention of letting Orochimaru steal such a prize.

His eyes flashing white, Izayoi accelerated.

——

Meanwhile, Team 7 faced off against a Grass ninja.

“You’ve got Heaven’s Scrolls… you must want my Earth’s Scrolls,” the Grass ninja taunted, revealing the scroll in his hand. Before their widened eyes, he swallowed it whole.

“He… he ate it?!” Naruto gaped.

Sasuke analyzed coldly, “What’s his body made of? Secret Technique? Bloodline?”

Sakura cowered behind them, trembling.

“Let’s begin… the scroll battle.” Orochimaru’s disguised form grinned. “I’ll hold nothing back!”

A crushing wave of killing intent erupted.

Team 7 froze, collapsing to their knees, gasping. Sasuke vomited violently.

“Genjutsu? No… this is real killing intent!” Sasuke stared at Orochimaru, his eyes mirroring the terror he’d felt facing Itachi. “He made us see our deaths with just his presence! Who is this guy? Why is someone like this in the Chūnin Exams?!”

The sand ninja’s killing intent had been terrifying—but this was another dimension entirely.

“Tch! Don’t think you scare me!” Naruto growled, biting his lip. He stood, hands forming a seal.

Seeing Naruto’s defiance, Sasuke’s fear ebbed. If the “Dead-Last” could stand firm, why not him? His eyes hardened, Sharingan flaring to life—two tomoe swirling in crimson.

“Don’t underestimate me… I’m going to be Hokage!”

“Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!” Naruto roared.

Pop! Pop!

A storm of white smoke engulfed the forest. As the wind cleared it, three hundred Narutos stood in a battle-ready formation.

“Sasuke, Sakura—get behind us!” the clones barked, hoisting the pair to safety.

The original and clones struck identical seals, shouting in unison, “Let’s see how you handle this!”

Orochimaru’s smirk faltered. “Such chakra… could he be—”

“Wind Release!”

Three hundred voices thundered as one.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end