"Changed?"
Tsuru lowered his gaze, his expression inscrutable, yet a faint, oppressive gloom emanated from his entire being. "People always change. Especially after living through a war."
Obito said nothing, a moment of hesitation flickering in his heart.
Was sending Tsuru into Konoha really the right choice?
"But it's precisely because I've lived through war that my desire for peace grows stronger."
Tsuru's face was blank, his tone flat. "This change isn't necessarily a bad thing. It shattered the last of my illusions about this world. It strengthened my resolve."
Obito watched him silently, then looked away. He pulled the body from the ground into his Kamui dimension, then vanished completely.
"Tsk!"
A sound of annoyance echoed in the tent.
…
"Hahaha…"
Minato Namikaze scratched the back of his head, an awkward smile on his face.
"It really is a lack of manpower. I just… don't feel at ease sending anyone else. After thinking it over, leaving it to you, Tsuru, is the one thing that puts my mind at ease!"
This was why Minato had called Tsuru over first thing in the morning. "Kirigakure is definitely dangerous. But your speed is second to none, not even to mine."
That's right.
This bastard Namikaze wanted Tsuru to go to the Village Hidden in the Mist.
The goal? Scouting the enemy.
He mainly wanted to see Kirigakure's current state and their stance on the war.
"This is my Flying Thunder God kunai. It might be a big help in a critical moment!"
Minato placed his specially-marked kunai on the table. He looked at Tsuru with a smile that was both helpless and warm, as if it wouldn't matter even if Tsuru refused.
"Don't worry, Minato-senpai. I'll complete the mission."
Tsuru picked up the kunai from the table. "Ending this war quickly is my hope, too."
[Ding! Target Minato Namikaze's Affection has reached 90!]
"…"
Tsuru suspected a large portion of Minato's so-called 'affection' for him was actually just guilt from mercilessly exploiting him.
…
Deep in a silent forest, Tsuru's figure leaped from branch to branch.
But his direction of travel… was the opposite of Kirigakure.
…
The Land of Earth.
A slender figure swung its arms with great effort, wielding a shovel as it frantically dug.
"What are you doing?"
The System, having watched for a long time, finally couldn't hold back.
It couldn't accept its host, chosen for the Seduction System, acting so… crude.
"Can't you tell?"
Tsuru straightened his back, wiping sweat from his brow. He thought his actions were pretty obvious.
Under the yellow earth, a corner of a black coffin emerged.
The System was shocked. "You're grave-robbing!!!"
Tsuru nodded, rolled up his sleeves, and kept digging.
"That grave…"
The System paused.
"The Third Raikage's."
Seeing most of the coffin was now exposed, Tsuru tossed the shovel aside. Tendrils of mental energy probed the coffin's edges. The coffin vanished in an instant.
"Give me one reason why you're grave-robbing."
The System was silent for a long moment before speaking.
"If I don't rob this grave, you want to leave it for Kabuto?"
Tsuru refilled the hole, patting the dirt from his hands when he was done.
"Alright, off to Kirigakure!"
His figure flashed, vanishing from the spot.
And so, the System never found out why he was robbing the grave.
…
"This is delicious! I want more!"
Wearing a frilly pink princess dress, Tsuru looked up at the woman before him.
The beauty holding him smiled indulgently. "Okay, Mama will buy more for you."
Holding a Kirigakure seafood snack in his left hand and a specialty drink in his right, Tsuru was openly carried into the village by a native of the Mist.
Don't ask. Just know that [Kotodama Jutsu] was overpowered.
"Sweetheart, what are you looking at?"
The beautiful woman smiled warmly.
Tsuru withdrew his gaze from the patrolling Kirigakure shinobi, giving his new, brunette, fair-skinned 'mother' a sweet smile. He pointed a finger at the ninja. "What are those uncles doing?"
The woman sighed softly, hiding the truth of the war. Though she'd just returned to the village, she'd long heard about the tense situation.
"The uncles are protecting you, baby…" She looked at the sky. "It's getting late. Let's go home, okay? Your auntie is waiting for us!"
"Okay."
Tsuru nodded obediently, leaning his head against the woman's bare, fragrant shoulder in a show of dependence.
He wasn't copping a feel; this was simply a child's attachment.
"A twelve-year-old child."
The System muttered internally.
"What! Looking down on short people?"
Tsuru retorted in his mind.
Kirigakure lived up to its name. The white mist was so thick the faces of passersby were blurry.
The beauty carried Tsuru, stopping before a small villa.
My taste is pretty good. One look at this place and you can tell they're rich.
Tsuru eyed the villa, then looked at the beauty holding him.
A flash of nostalgia crossed the woman's eyes. She took a deep breath and knocked.
"Sister!"
A young woman's excited cry.
A beautiful girl rushed from behind the door, embracing the beauty.
Caught between the two, Tsuru's world plunged into unexpected darkness.
He was about to suffocate.
This kind of blessing… not everyone could enjoy it.
Sure enough, the beauty's sister was also extraordinary.
"Ehhh~?"
"Who is she?"
Even before Tsuru could open his eyes, a startled shriek erupted.
"Sister… you had a child?"
The voice held not just surprise, but pure, unadulterated rage. "What dog of a man tricked you? I'll kill him!"
Uh.
A bit fierce, this one.
Tsuru looked up, utterly bewildered.
Before him stood a young woman with long brown hair that reached her calves. Her bangs covered one eye. Pale green pupils glared at Tsuru with fury. Her delicate, lovely face radiated a chilling coldness. A long, deep blue dress with a high slit revealed slender legs and large expanses of fair, tender skin.
Oh, this…
Tsuru gulped.
Wasn't this… Mei Terumi?
"Remove the 'isn't this' and the question mark."
The System coolly supplied.
"Mei."
Mei's older sister, Mei Kyo, called out helplessly.
"Hmph!"
Mei Terumi's resentment towards Tsuru was deeper than a ghost's. She grumbled, "I shouldn't have let you go traveling. And you bring back this little thing? Hmph!"
Mei Kyo set Tsuru down, patting his head soothingly. "Alright now, are you not welcoming me home?"
"Of course I am!"
Mei Terumi hurriedly said. She just wasn't welcoming the extra brat. She'd specifically taken time off to spend with her sister.
"Come on, let's eat!"
Mei Terumi and Mei Kyo's parents had died in the war. Compared to her untalented older sister, Mei Terumi was a first-class genius ninja. Young as she was, she already held a position in Kirigakure.
The table was laden with seafood. Tsuru's mouth watered.
"Look at her. She's never seen anything like this before!"
Mei Terumi's irritation flared just looking at Tsuru. Anyone whose dear sister suddenly brought home a fatherless brat would struggle to suppress their anger.
Who are you saying has never seen anything like this before?!
Tsuru was furious.
Too insulting.
"Sweetie, why aren't you eating?"
Mei Kyo gave her sister a helpless look, then worriedly eyed Tsuru, who hadn't touched his chopsticks.
"I'm not eating."
Tsuru pouted, as if sulking because of Mei Terumi's words.
Hilarious. As if he didn't have a temper of his own.
"Mei, you should apologize. You're her auntie now!"
Mei Kyo immediately understood and tried to reason with Mei Terumi.
[Ding! Target Mei Terumi's Affection has reached 10!]
Tsuru looked at Mei Terumi without reservation.
Mei Terumi stared back, her expression one of gnashed teeth.
That's it?
Affection is still positive ten?
"System, you got a bug?"
"Bullshit."
"!"
"What did you say?"
Tsuru was shocked. The probability of the System swearing was smaller than Nagato attacking Konoha right now.
"What happened, System? Don't keep it bottled up. Tell me. We're best friends!"
"…"
The System paused. "Nothing. Just, when I applied to retain permissions a few days ago… I laid my cards on the table with the higher-ups."
"!"
Wasn't that basically having a falling out with the bosses in the workplace? Tsuru was faintly worried. Would this affect his skills?
"Don't worry. Starting today, we skip the bureaucratic process. Draw skills directly from the small worlds. No more looking at the higher-ups' faces."
The System's flat tone was filled with earth-shaking, kingly dominance.
"You little brat, why are you staring at me like that?!"
The brat was staring unblinkingly at her, his eyes filled with something like admiration. Mei Terumi actually felt a bit embarrassed. She coughed lightly. "Don't think staring at me like that will make me like you!"
[Ding! Target Mei Terumi's Affection has reached 40!]
Huh?
What just happened?
Coming back to reality from the System's gossip, Tsuru inexplicably heard the affection increase prompt.
"Alright, you two, eat!"
Mei Kyo couldn't take it anymore, dotingly peeling shrimp for them both.
After the meal, Mei Terumi reluctantly bid Mei Kyo farewell. "Sis, I have to go."
Kirigakure hadn't withdrawn from the war yet, and she was extremely busy.
"Mhm. Be careful."
Mei Kyo watched her leave.
"And you, brat! Stay put at home!"
Mei Terumi doubled back from the doorway, pinched Tsuru's cheek, then leaped onto the roof beams and was gone.
[Ding! Target Mei Terumi's Affection has reached 50!]
Uh.
Tsuru could only attribute the affection increase to… the capricious nature of women.
"I want to go out and look around! I've never been here before!"
Within the [Kotodama Jutsu] reality Tsuru had crafted for Mei Kyo, he had traveled with her but never to Kirigakure.
Mei Kyo naturally agreed. Besides, she hadn't been back in years and wanted to see the village's changes too.
They walked from Kirigakure's most prosperous streets all the way to the village outskirts before Tsuru finally withdrew his gaze.
His eyes passed over the Mizukage's office building.
The current Mizukage was the Three-Tails Jinchūriki, Yagura, who had been in power for just over two years.
"Sweetie, do you want to play with them?"
Mei Kyo's gaze fell on a few little radish-heads playing in a park ahead.
He wasn't a real child. Of course he wouldn't go play with a bunch of radish-heads…
"Okay."
His gaze swept over the smallest figure among them. Tsuru nodded.
Mei Kyo set him down. Tsuru ran towards the group.
He stopped before them with an air of pure innocence. "What are you playing? Can I join?"
The radish-heads, who looked about five or six, sized him up, chattering incessantly.
"Boss, she's really pretty!"
"Just… a little tall!"
No shit!
He was twice their age. Of course he was taller!
"Ahem! Of course you can join!"
The boy who seemed to be the leader coughed, giving Tsuru a once-over, his ears turning red. He spoke with feigned dignity. "We're… uh… playing house right now. I'm the dad. So you can be the mom! I won't mind that you're a bit tall!"
"Playing house?"
"Boss, weren't we playing hide and seek?"
A boy beside the leader asked, confused.
"You idiot! Boss is trying to pick up a girl!"
Another boy explained with a sleazy grin.
"…"
Fist. Clenched.
Tsuru reminded himself repeatedly: They're just little brats.
"You! Haku of the Yuki clan! You! You'll be our son!"
The leader pointed at a quiet boy playing alone and commanded.
"…"
If not for Haku, who would play house with these brats?
"Me?"
Haku blinked. He looked exceptionally thin and small, maybe three years old. He walked over to the leader obediently and quietly.
Tsuru suppressed the excited glint in his eyes.
Such a cute little girl!
Wait—no!
Haku was a boy.
Tsuru shook his head, trying to dislodge the dirty thoughts.
Suddenly, his whole body stiffened.
A thought struck him like lightning, a moment of perfect clarity.
If this is how he felt looking at Haku… then…
Was this how others felt looking at him?
Damnit!
A sudden urge to destroy the world washed over Tsuru.
The System really wanted to refute that.
Haku was a real, adorable child. As for the host… he was a fake adorable child. Plus a perverted one.
"You… you don't want to?"
Seeing Tsuru hadn't answered, the leader couldn't contain his impatience.
Tsuru was silent for two seconds. He needed to look at Haku to calm his current rage.
"It must be you!"
But the leader had no patience. He immediately vented his anger on the innocent Haku. "It's definitely your fault!"
"No one should play with you! Get lost!"
The leader shoved Haku to the ground with brute strength.
Tsuru: "…"
Even shoved down, Haku showed no anger.
He pursed his lips, slowly getting up on his own.
Tsuru's fist was clenched tight. This is unbearable!
"Are you okay?"
He stepped forward, looking at Haku with concern.
His gaze swept over Haku, catching the scrape on his wrist.
"Why are you playing with him?!"
The leader was furious.
Damn it!
"I don't play with unreasonable bullies!"
Tsuru rolled his eyes at the other boy.
"You're calling me unreasonable?!"
The leader was seething.
"Well, aren't you?"
Tsuru shot back.
"Aghhh!"
"You're definitely with him!"
The leader shouted, pointing at Tsuru.
Tsuru saw him clench his fists and raised an eyebrow.
What?
Want a fight?
"Hmph! I'm going to make sure no one ever plays with you two again!"
The leader revealed a vicious grin, expecting Tsuru to come apologize.
"That's it?"
"!"
Eventually, things devolved into a brawl.
Tsuru versus a group of children.
He felt not a shred of guilt for bullying kids.
Little terrors like these needed a righteous enforcer like him to teach them a lesson!
"Don't be afraid! With me here, they won't dare bully you!"
Tsuru flashed a brilliant smile at Haku behind him.
[Ding! Target Haku of the Yuki clan's Affection has reached -10!]
Tsuru's smile froze.
"Mama says… fighting isn't what good children do."
Haku looked at Tsuru seriously.
"…"
"You were protecting me and yourself. But fighting is still bad. You shouldn't fight next time."
Haku spoke earnestly, matter-of-factly.
"…"
Tsuru swallowed with difficulty, tentatively replying, "Okay?"
[Ding! Target Haku of the Yuki clan's Affection has reached 60!]