Chapter 145: 3.0
[Host, congratulations, you have successfully altered the destinies of most people and completely shifted the course of the Ninja World, but the true battle has yet to begin.]
[The Third Great Ninja War concluded with the defeat of the Third Tsuchikage. The Five Great Nations all need time to recuperate, but peace is only temporary.]
[Branch Mission 1]
[Release the Third Tsuchikage and threaten him. Amegakure Village will gain the friendship of Iwagakure Village within six years, but after six years, Iwagakure Village will gather all its forces to wage war against Amegakure Village.]
[Branch Mission 2]
[Immediately kill the Third Tsuchikage. Amegakure Village will immediately go to war with Iwagakure Village, simultaneously facing potential intervention from Kumogakure Village, and the Third Great Ninja War will restart.]
[Please choose.]
This was the first time Kakashi had seen this taciturn system present a prologue and a branch system. The decision had already been made beforehand; he selected Branch Mission 1.
[You have chosen to release the Third Tsuchikage. Amegakure Village will gain six years of peace. During this period, Amegakure Village will contend to become the sixth great nation, officially achieving a status equal to the other Five Great Nations. However, after six years, not only Iwagakure but also the other great nations will wage war against Amegakure, as they do not desire the emergence of a sixth great nation.]
[Mission 1: Defeat all Allied Shinobi Forces, completely establish Amegakure Village's status, and become a nation transcending the Five Great Nations.]
[Mission Success: Chakra Cap +200 large units]
[Mission Failure: None]
[Mission 2: Defeat Uchiha Madara.]
[Mission Success: Chakra Cap +200 large units]
[System officially upgraded to 3.0. Please check the section updates.]
How to put it? The system felt a bit more human-like. Kakashi silently clicked 'close'.
He now had six years to grow stronger, but he couldn't do it alone.
The silver-haired young man walked out of the hospital. Outside, a light drizzle still fell. Without a hat, Kakashi let the fine raindrops fall on his head, enjoying this rare tranquility.
Perhaps he should go find Mei Terumi... He hadn't told her he was back yet.
Kakashi changed direction, heading towards his home, but his path was blocked by a small figure.
It was Uchiha Itachi.
He was currently carrying Shisui's tantō on his back, hands in his pockets, wearing a black hat, a single tomoe slowly rotating in his eye.
"You've awakened your Sharingan?"
Truly a genius, Kakashi recalled that in the original work, Itachi awakened his Sharingan later than now. What could have stimulated him?
"Did something happen?"
"Izumi slipped and fell off a cliff. I jumped down to save her, and then my Sharingan awakened."
"I see."
Kakashi had met this young girl, Izumi. He didn't expect that by an unexpected turn of events, her relationship with Itachi had become so strong.
"Is there something you need me for? If it's for training, let's do it in a couple of days. I just returned from the Land of Earth and want to rest."
Uchiha Itachi followed Kakashi's steps, drawing his tantō.
"My father went to see Mister Shisui. He seemed very pleased with Mister Shisui this time. But weren't Mister Shisui and Master going to Iwagakure to wage war? War involves bloodshed and death, so why would my father be happy? You're not happy either, are you, Master?"
"That's not something you should be worrying about."
Kakashi carefully chose his words, not wanting to mislead the child's thinking.
"You only need to know that Uchiha Shisui has returned, and that he returned alive. That's enough. Your father is happy because of that."
"Then why did father send him out?"
"Because he's strong enough."
"I understand. Strong people bear more responsibility?"
"Precisely."
Uchiha Itachi stepped into a puddle without splashing water, as he had enveloped the soles of his feet with chakra in time.
"Master, did you capture the Third Tsuchikage because he's strong enough to bear greater responsibility and threaten more Iwagakure ninja?"
"You could interpret it that way."
"Then why capture him? Won't that cause a war with the Land of Earth?"
"It's not that there won't be war just because you don't want it. War has always existed; only its form might change."
"Will the Land of Earth definitely attack us?"
Kakashi stopped, his expression serious.
"Yes, it's inevitable. I can tell you that you have six years. After six years, we will face not only the Land of Earth, but also other great nations. The Third Great Ninja War is about to end, but this is far from the conclusion."
"I need to get stronger… I understand."
"Yes, you must become strong enough to protect your Uchiha Izumi… and your unborn brother."
Uchiha Itachi bid farewell at Kakashi's doorstep, walking away step by step. Kakashi opened the door; no one was inside. It seemed Mei Terumi was still on a mission and hadn't returned.
Kakashi wandered around the empty house, opened the refrigerator, and found plenty of vegetables and meat inside.
He cooked a table full of Chinese food.
Eating hometown-flavored food alone in a foreign land, he felt a long-lost pang of homesickness.
This feeling didn't last five minutes before it was interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Sara had already told Mei Terumi about Kakashi's return, but she was still very happy to see Kakashi.
"Did you make this food?"
"Yes, I haven't cooked in a long time, so I don't know if it tastes good."
Kakashi only acknowledged that his cooking skills were average, and the food was just okay. Perhaps the eaters liked it, as both of them showed happy and warm expressions while eating.
When he spoke of the battle between the Third Raikage and the Third Tsuchikage, both of them appropriately showed expressions of surprise and awe.
But Kakashi knew that neither of them was truly paying attention to what he was saying; they only cared if he was injured.
"No injuries, or if there were any, they've all healed."
"I've already had the Tsuchikage swallow that pill."
"Mm."
"Kakashi, I've learned several new Water Release techniques. Do you want to see them?"
"I've also learned two new Medical Ninjutsu techniques."
Sara's remark made Mei Terumi's expression freeze for a moment. Long-term cohabitation had almost made her forget that this person was a potential love rival.
"Let's go, it's not too late. I'll take a look."
Pain is so persistent, moving as patiently as a snail; happiness is so fleeting, like a rabbit's tail darting across an autumn meadow.
Life is never easy, but people gradually grow stronger. One can always only choose one path and then yearn for another.
All in all, the current peace was the outcome Kakashi wanted to see.
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