"Uzumaki Shuji, have you really decided?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi asked seriously.
"Yeah. I've decided not to attend the ninja academy. Naruto needs soone to take care of him. If I go too, it'll be hard for him to study properly."
Uzumaki Shuji looked at Hiruzen and spoke calmly.
The ninja world.
Seven years after the Nine-Tails' rampage.
Uzumaki Shuji was the twin brother of Naruto Uzumaki.
At the sa ti, he was a reincarnator from Earth. Even he hadn't expected to get a second chance at life.
When he was born, he had no power to change what happened. He could only watch helplessly as Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki died right before his eyes.
Now, Naruto was his only remaining family.
The Nine-Tails was still sealed inside Naruto, while Uzumaki Shuji was not a jinchūriki.
"Only by becoming a ninja can you better protect Naruto and the village."
Hiruzen naturally hoped that the bloodline of Minato and Kushina would continue as ninjas. Their talent would surely not be lacking.
Naruto's situation was complicated, but Uzumaki Shuji could focus wholeheartedly on training and beco an excellent ninja.
"No need. I believe Naruto will protect , right, Naruto?"
Uzumaki Shuji refused, turning to the boy beside him who was nearly the sa height.
Even though big brother acts all high and mighty, I'll still protect him."
Naruto, on the other hand, was eager to go to the academy. He felt like he could make more friends there.
Although he wanted his brother to go with him, he was even more afraid of making Uzumaki Shuji angry, so he didn't object.
"Alright then. If you change your mind, co find anyti."
Hiruzen smiled kindly, patting the heads of the two blond kids before leaving their ho. He was busy—no ti to waste here. Spending a little ti to ensure these "seedlings" grew steadily was enough.
"Big brother, you're really not going to the ninja academy?"
"You can learn ninjutsu there and beco really strong."
Naruto asked, puzzled.
Even though his brother was the sa age, Naruto was actually a little afraid of him. Uzumaki Shuji felt more like an adult.
"No need. As long as you grow stronger, that's enough."
"Wash the vegetables. It's ti to make dinner."
Uzumaki Shuji smiled at Naruto without explaining further.
"This disgusting place… I don't want anything to do with it."
"The last ninja war sent even academy students who hadn't graduated to the battlefield as cannon fodder. If peace hadn't co afterward, I wouldn't even want Naruto to go."
"A brainwashing factory. What 'Will of Fire' nonsense."
Standing on a chair just to reach the counter, Uzumaki Shuji chopped vegetables while these thoughts ran through his mind.
He had zero faith in the so-called Will of Fire. Ninjas were nothing more than tools—numbers to be asured and used.
Things were fine during the First Hokage's era, but after the Second, everything began to rot.
By the ti the Third took power, Konoha had completely declined, sending children to the battlefield to die.
Human landmine detectors.
This seemingly peaceful village was, in reality, a bottomless pit that devoured people.
The so-called path Hiruzen offered civilians was simply to obediently sell their lives—worse than working endless overti.
The great clans monopolized nearly all resources. Civilians had no way to rise, forced to rely on missions and savings just to survive.
Since Konoha's founding, not a single civilian had built any significant power.
All existing clans had been established from the very beginning, and their numbers were shrinking, feeding the already bloated elite families—the fattest of which was Hiruzen Sarutobi's own clan.
The two greatest clans had already been destroyed.
The Senju clan had been exhausted on the battlefield under Hiruzen's leadership, even their children sent to die.
The Uchiha clan had been pushed to the brink, relocated to the outskirts of the village after the Nine-Tails' incident, tensions ready to explode.
The generation of the Second Hokage's disciples—the so-called F4—had turned Konoha into a machine driven by greed.
Minato, the only true top-tier leader, had already died.
And now his two children were treated like this. Why would Uzumaki Shuji ever devote his life to such a system?
If forcing Naruto not to attend would draw too much attention, he wouldn't even let Naruto go.
Too many eyes were watching them.
"System, open my panel."
Still… there was hope.
When Uzumaki Shuji reincarnated, he had brought a system with him.
He had drawn the template of the Hero King, Gilgash.
Template · Hero King Gilgash
Passive · Golden Rule: Gilgash possesses a destiny of boundless wealth throughout his life, never troubled by money, living as a great tycoon. Gambling always results in victory.
Passive · Divinity: Gilgash has the highest level of divine compatibility among Heroic Spirits. All attack effects are doubled.
Golden Beauty : A skill that embodies a charming, lovable beauty, capable of enchanting anyone regardless of gender.
Noble Phantasm · Gate of Babylon: All treasures owned provide attribute or mana bonuses.
Noble Phantasm · Enuma Elish: The key to opening the Gate of Babylon.
Attributes:
Strength: 15 [Average adult male: 10]
Stamina: 11
Spirit: 23
Health: 110 [10× stamina]
Mana: 230 [10× spirit]
Luck: Hidden
"As long as I have money, I can grow stronger… but Danzo…"
Looking at his powerful template, Uzumaki Shuji felt helpless.
That old man Hiruzen refused to hand over the inheritance left by Minato and Kushina to the two brothers. Otherwise, his stats wouldn't be this low.
anwhile, Danzo Shimura had long planned to take Naruto away and raise him into a jinchūriki loyal only to him.
Hiruzen didn't let that happen out of kindness—it was because giving Danzo too much power would threaten his own position. He was no benevolent old man.
Otherwise, how could it be that even at his death, Konoha had no suitable successor? Twelve years had passed since Minato's death—there should have been candidates prepared long ago.
"Dinner's ready, Naruto!"
Uzumaki Shuji finished cooking.
Most of the dishes were vegetables, grown by the two brothers themselves.
The money Hiruzen provided wasn't enough to live on. To ensure Naruto grew properly and didn't end up shorter than Sasuke, they had to spend what little they had on at. Vegetables had to be grown at ho.
"I'm coming!"
Naruto quickly washed his hands and sat down to eat.
It was a crucial ti for his growth.
In reality, thanks to the Golden Rule passive, Uzumaki Shuji had quite a bit of money—but he kept it hidden.
More importantly, Danzo had already spread rumors throughout the village that Naruto was the Nine-Tails demon. To keep Naruto from wandering outside and being bullied, Uzumaki Shuji chose to keep him busy growing vegetables.
This passive ability was part of his innate bloodline.
Because of Uzumaki Shuji's existence—born just two minutes earlier—Naruto no longer lived a completely miserable life.
At the very least, he had soone waiting for him at ho. The two depended on each other.
"This little money… it can't buy anything."
In the bathroom, Uzumaki Shuji counted his cash—only a few hundred thousand ryo.
He had many chances to get rich overnight, but he didn't dare expose himself. More importantly, he didn't have the strength to protect that wealth.
The simplest way? The casino. He could win endlessly for a day.
But he wouldn't make it out the door alive. At best, he'd be taken away by the ANBU.
He wasn't Naruto—if he disappeared, no one would care.
If he acted too abnormally, Danzo would grow suspicious.
The two brothers were under heavy surveillance.
"Sigh… my treasury can only hold junk like this."
Still, Uzumaki Shuji had picked up so things—kunai, shuriken—quite a pile of them.
He'd even found two explosive tags. Nothing better than that.
The stat boosts from these items were minimal.
Even counting money had to be done in the bathroom, since ANBU were definitely watching nearby.
Uzumaki Shuji felt like a spy deep behind enemy lines, forced to act carefully at every step.
"No matter what, I'll protect Naruto. I'll let him grow up properly, without bearing that kind of burden again."
Uzumaki Shuji clenched his fist.
And now… the ti for change had finally co.
"System, exchange for the Chains of Heaven!"
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