The next day, early in the morning.
In the restaurant, everyone's eyes unconsciously drifted toward Terumi i's empty seat.
They waited for quite a while, but the owner of the seat never appeared. A faint sense of puzzlent spread among them.
"It's strange… does she usually sleep this late too?"
Uzuki Yugao tilted her head slightly, frowning in surprise.
"Maybe she's not feeling well," Uzumaki Chihori suggested softly, her tone tinged with concern.
"Should I go check on her?"
Just then
Da-da-da…
The sound of footsteps echoed across the hall, and the figure of Terumi i finally appeared, walking in with a calm, unhurried grace.
"Sorry for being late," i said gently, pulling out a chair before settling into her seat.
Her smile was soft, carrying a mature allure that imdiately drew everyone's attention.
"Huh?"
Yugao's brows furrowed. Sothing felt… off.
As i sat down, several pairs of eyes instinctively turned toward her.
"Wh-what is it? Why are you all staring at ?" i blinked, lowering her gaze to her clothes as if searching for sothing amiss.
"I don't know…" Yugao's sharp eyes scanned her up and down. "But you look… different today."
"Hehe… do I?" i gave an awkward little laugh, shifting slightly under the scrutiny.
"Is it just …?" Yugao murmured, narrowing her eyes. "But I feel like you're glowing. Radiant. Almost too beautiful today."
Pakura, sitting across from i, quietly observed the subtle shift in her aura.
The woman she saw today radiated more than just beauty...there was a new softness, a quiet maturity, sothing unmistakable.
Her amber eyes flickered first toward Chihori, then back at i.
A knowing smile tugged at the corners of her lips.
anwhile, Chihori herself had already noticed it the mont i walked in. Though she said nothing, her expression betrayed clear understanding, and she smiled faintly to herself.
When she caught Pakura's gaze, the two exchanged a silent look of recognition.
Then, almost at the sa mont, both turned their eyes back to Yugao who still wore a puzzled frown, watching her with a mix of amusent and quiet pity.
"Huh?"
Feeling the stares from Pakura and Chihori, Yugao grew uneasy. A faint shiver ran through her, her expression shifting into mild confusion.
"What kind of looks are those? Do I… have sothing on my face?" she asked, tilting her head with a puzzled frown.
"No, nothing at all."
The two girls exchanged glances, trying their best not to laugh. To them, Yugao looked like a poor little kitten, completely clueless that sothing important had been "stolen" right from under her nose.
"Whatever," Yugao muttered under her breath, though the uneasy atmosphere gnawed at her.
She couldn't shake the feeling that sothing about the table today was off.
And so, breakfast ended in that strange and subtle tension.
Later that afternoon, at the training grounds
"Bang!"
Pakura crossed her arms in front of herself, but even so, Terumi i's whip kick blasted her off her feet.
She shot backwards through the air, skidding across the ground before finally digging in her heels to stop her montum.
"…Sothing's wrong."
Pakura stared at i in surprise.
She could feel it clearly, Terumi's strength had skyrocketed. Her movents were better, her reactions faster, her chakra control more refined.
In just a single night, her entire presence had changed.
Pakura's amber eyes narrowed. "Wait a second… don't tell you actually got stronger from… that kind of thing?"
Her voice wavered, her face twisting into an odd expression. How else could she explain this sudden leap in ability?
"Hm…"
i's cheeks flushed faintly. She brushed a few strands of hair behind her ear and offered a small, confident smile.
"That's right, Pakura-san. Your guess is correct."
"…Huh?"
Pakura froze, her eyes going wide. She had expected denial, maybe even indignation but i admitted it openly, almost too casually.
"Really? That kind of thing… and it actually has this effect?" Pakura's tone was filled with disbelief.
"You're not joking with , are you?"
i's lips curled into a gentle, knowing smile.
"Hehe… Pakura-san, have you ever seen any other training thod as miraculous as the one he created?"
"That's not true… this kind of training thod only exists because of him."
Pakura's voice trailed off. Suddenly, a realization struck her. Her eyes widened in disbelief.
"Wait… don't tell … is this his original thod?"
"That's right~."
Terumi i nodded with a playful smile.
"This… seriously?"
Pakura stared at i, suspicion written all over her face. Her worldview was trembling on its foundation.
"Seriously."
i nodded again, looking at Pakura's dumbfounded expression with obvious delight. A aningful smile curled across her lips.
"This…"
Pakura's mind short-circuited. Her worldview had officially collapsed.
He actually created a way to train with that kind of thing?
Pakura's cheeks heated as she muttered internally. This Mr. Madara… he's way too improper!
Night fell.
Outside the room, Obito stood quietly on the balcony, his gaze fixed on the faint glow of a geothermal generator in the distance.
The technology was advancing fast, geothermal plants spread wider with each passing month.
Resources were becoming plentiful, and the expansion across the Land of Snow was accelerating.
Once they're fully laid across the country… that will be the turning point.
When that day ca, the Land of Snow would no longer live up to its na. It would transform into the Land of Spring.
A rare flicker of anticipation ward Obito's heart.
"Mmm…"
The soft fragrance of fresh soap drifted into the cold air. Warmth pressed against his back as a pair of slender arms wrapped gently around his waist.
"Today… I was almost discovered by Yugao," Terumi i whispered. Her damp hair clung to her skin, her voice still carrying the sweetness of a recent shower.
She leaned her head against his shoulder, eyes narrowing in mischievous complaint.
"If she found out, so what? I never planned to hide it," Obito replied, his tone calm, almost amused.
"No… I want to hide it from her." i's cheeks flushed, but her lips curved with a guilty smile.
"I just enjoy watching her clueless little face… not knowing a thing."
The thought alone made her heart race. There was sothing wickedly thrilling about it... fooling her friend while indulging in the forbidden with her crush.
Terumi's lips curved into a wicked smile.
"Pakura-san and Chihori-san noticed it, you know," she murmured softly.
"And Pakura even guessed that my sudden strength was because of you… so I told her the secret thod."
"Uh…"
Obito blinked, caught off guard. His face twisted into a strange expression.
"…Are you trying to drag her into the water too?" he asked dryly.
The idea of a woman helping her own man find another woman was absurd enough to make him laugh. Not that he minded, of course in fact, he found it almost amusing.
"What, can't I?" i's voice was teasing, but her eyes glead with a deeper light.
"Your plan needs helpers, doesn't it? The stronger Pakura-san becos, the better. And besides… you'll grow stronger yourself, won't you?"
Her smile was generous on the surface, but her gaze held sothing sharper.
After learning that secret thod last night, i had begun to piece things together.
When he had first taught them the so-called Sage Art training before, she had sensed it...his intentions weren't simple.
None of them Yugao, Pakura, or herself could truly escape. Sooner or later, they would all be devoured by him.
If that's the case… then it's better to accept it, and use it for my own sake not to ntion she loved being with him too.
A glint flashed in her turquoise eyes.
"That's right."
Obito stared at her for a long mont, genuinely stunned. He hadn't expected her to be this forward, this pragmatic.
Is there really such a good woman in the world?
A slow grin spread across his face. He turned sharply, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her back inside without hesitation.
"i… I want you to help with umm... training!"
"Huh? Wait—"
"Don't wait."
"Mmm… ahhh~"
Clap. Clap. Clap.
---
In this way, Obito spent a month without sha or hesitation.
—
On this day, within the Land of Water, near the Village Hidden in the Mist.
Obito, wearing his mask, stood silently atop a mountainside. Below him, the mists rolled and the clash of blades echoed. Mist-nin were slaughtering each other in a haze of blood and fog.
The corners of his mouth curved faintly.
The Kaguya clan… they've finally gone mad enough to turn the tide.
His gaze narrowed, locking onto a small figure cutting a path through the chaos. Despite his youth, the boy's ferocity was undeniable.
Kaguya Kimimaro.
Obito's Sharingan glimred with appreciation.
In the original history, that boy had accomplished feats beyond his years: following Orochimaru to assassinate the Fourth Kazekage, dragging his dying body into battle with Gaara, nearly breaking both father and son in combat despite his illness.
And above all, he had been utterly loyal, serving Orochimaru to the very end without hesitation.
Such resolve. Such talent. I want him.
Obito's thoughts turned and he made a decision.
But first…
He tilted his head, his gaze drifting toward another presence in the distance.
Before I take him, I need to remove the snake. Can't let him steal my prize.
With that decision, space twisted around him, and his figure vanished from the cliffside.
—
Elsewhere, not far from Kirigakure, a cold figure stood watching the battlefield from the shadows.
"Originally, I only ca to gather material from the Kaguya clan's Shikotsumyaku…" the figure hissed, his tongue flicking across his lips.
"But I didn't expect to stumble upon such a delightful surprise."
Golden eyes glinted with excitent as he stared at the boy tearing through his enemies.
Kaguya Kimimaro.
The long tongue slid out further, licking hungrily as Orochimaru smiled with dark anticipation.
"This boy… a gift beyond expectation."
But then...
"Oh? How can you be so sure it's a gain… and not a burden?"
The mocking voice slipped into his ear like a slap in the dark.
Orochimaru's smile froze. He spun around instantly, his body tense.
There, in the mist, a distorted figure solidified.
"…Oh. So it's you… Mr. Madara."
------
A/N: For the Locked Chapters, go full Ultra Plus!
300 Power Stones = 1 R-18 chapter.
This round: 900 Stones = 3 R-18 drops!
⚠️ 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙮: 𝘿𝙊𝙉'𝙏 𝘿𝙍𝙊𝙋 𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙉𝙀𝙎 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀.
𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝘼𝙘𝙚'𝙨 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨𝙩—💥🍩
All Stones go to 👉 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙩𝙤: 𝙍𝙚𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙖𝙨 𝙃𝙞𝙙𝙖𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙄𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙡
Stack them up… and the pounding begins~
User Comments
0 comments from readers