When the Seventh Squad returned to Konohagakure, Sasuke was surprised to find that quite a few changes seemed to have taken place in the village.
Many unfamiliar faces had appeared on the streets, each exuding a distinct aura.
"Most of them are from other ninja villages, here for the Chūnin Exams," Sakura explained.
Sasuke nodded, quietly pondering to himself.
Next, as fate would have it, the Seventh Squad still crossed paths with Lee, Gaara, and the others, leaving Sasuke and his teammates with plenty of opponents to face.
Meanwhile, at Ichiraku Ramen in Konohagakure, Roy sat in simple yet stylish casual wear at a somewhat cramped wooden table, fully focused on enjoying a steaming, aromatic bowl of Ichiraku Ramen.
The golden noodles, paired with vibrant green onions and a few slices of tender chashu pork, made for an irresistible sight.
Roy squinted in satisfaction, slurping up the rich broth, the flavor seemingly awakening every taste bud and drawing a contented sigh from him.
Then, he slowly turned his gaze toward the busy owner—Hands-On, a kind-faced old man whose craftsmanship was superb, and whose smile was always so warm.
"Legend has it that this owner might be a descendant of the Ōtsutsuki clan."
Roy mused over the rumors circulating in the ninja world, but as he quietly probed the owner with Observation Haki, he found the man to be nothing more than an ordinary Konoha villager, utterly devoid of any Ōtsutsuki bloodline fluctuations.
Roy chuckled at himself, shaking his head as he dismissed the fanciful thoughts.
Using money borrowed from Sasuke, Roy paid for his ramen.
"The Sharingan… what a covetable treasure," Roy thought to himself as he strolled through Konoha's orderly streets.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling his face.
The Sharingan, the Uchiha clan's exclusive kekkei genkai, was renowned for its awe-inspiring dōjutsu abilities, even capable of evolving into the legendary Rinnegan and mastering the mysteries of life and death.
Yet this power was not easily attained.
How to overcome the numerous obstacles, claim the Sharingan as his own, and perfectly integrate it into his body to unleash its maximum potential—these were the questions Roy faced.
But Roy was not one to give up easily.
He had already sketched out intricate plans and ideas in his mind, merely awaiting the right moment.
As for how to obtain the Sharingan, Roy had a few ideas.
Currently, there seemed to be two main paths: first, seizing it from still-living individuals like Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi Uchiha, Obito, or Kakashi—though this would be extremely difficult; second, seeking an opportunity through the Dark Lord of Konoha, known as Konoha's Chief Scapegoat, Danzo.
Weighing the two, the approach via Danzo seemed more viable.
After all, Danzo had many enemies and operated with extreme secrecy—if Roy planned carefully and acted cautiously, he could likely achieve his goal without anyone noticing.
As for how to wield this power, Roy had also worked out a plan.
He understood that directly transplanting a Sharingan into his own body was an extremely risky move, as these were two entirely different worlds with vastly different power systems and rules.
Even the slightest misstep could lead to unpredictable consequences, even endangering his life.
Thus, he intended to first find a way to obtain Hashirama's cells, whose powerful regenerative properties might help his body adapt to the Sharingan's power.
He also planned to take the Sharingan back to the world of One Piece and entrust it to Vegapunk, the world's greatest scientific genius and inventor, for research.
Vegapunk's mastery of science and technology was profound—perhaps he could even find a way to merge the Sharingan with the power system of the One Piece world.
"The Chūnin Exams are about to begin—this is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Roy pondered to himself.
The exams would not only gather young ninjas from Konoha and across the ninja world but also provide a stage where chaos and opportunity intertwined.
He could use this time to thoroughly prepare for the coming operation.
Before that, though, he saw no harm in enjoying this leisurely time in Konohagakure.
Watching the bustling crowds on the streets, the variety of shops, and the dazzling array of goods, Roy felt a sense of delight.
Though this world was completely different from the One Piece world he came from, it was still full of vitality, offering him an unprecedented sense of novelty.
Roy was now slowly strolling down the main street, savoring the leisurely afternoon, when suddenly three figures with distinctly different auras appeared ahead.
Their strides were bold, their expressions arrogant, especially one among them with striking red hair, deep dark circles under his eyes, and a demeanor that was both cold and aloof.
This was none other than the Sunagakure prodigy—Gaara.
"What a coincidence—running into the One-Tailed Jinchūriki here."
Roy mused to himself, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
He was intensely curious about the tailed beast inside Gaara, the One-Tailed Shukaku.
After all, the power of the tailed beasts was second to none in the ninja world; seeing their host in person was a rare opportunity.
Yet Roy knew this was not the time to pursue the matter.
He gave a slight shake of his head, deciding to keep a low profile to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Thus, he walked past Gaara and his companions.
But in that moment of passing, Gaara—who had been cold and even irritable—suddenly stopped, his expression shifting as he looked toward the direction Roy had gone.
A flicker of confusion and wariness crossed his eyes, as if he had sensed something unusual.
Yet when he tried to pinpoint that feeling, Roy's figure had already disappeared around the corner.
"What's wrong, Gaara?" Temari and Kankurō, noticing Gaara's strange behavior, both looked at him with concern.
"Nothing," Gaara replied coldly, his voice low, as if struggling to suppress an inner turmoil.
Yet, in that brief moment, he had truly felt something he had never experienced before.
It was a feeling of being watched by an overwhelming force, one that sent an involuntary chill through his heart.
What was more, the tailed beast inside him, the One-Tailed Shukaku, had grown eerily quiet in that moment, a trace of what almost seemed like fear stirring within it.
But Gaara quickly dismissed the thought.
He shook his head, trying to expel the strange sensation from his mind.
After all, that was a tailed beast—even his father, the Fourth Kazekage, had to expend immense effort and energy to suppress it.
How could simply passing someone on the street make a tailed beast feel afraid?
It was utterly absurd.
Gaara took a deep breath, recentering himself.
He told himself it was nothing but an illusion, not worth dwelling on.
So, he resumed walking, continuing with Temari and Kankurō as though nothing had happened.
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