"Swish——"
Shimoku slid open the door and stepped out.
Nonou, who had been kneeling and waiting outside, immediately straightened her back.
"Master, what about her?..."
"She'll be part of the household staff from now on. Train her for these few days and show her what needs to be done."
"As you wish!"
Nonou nodded respectfully.
She stood up enthusiastically, pulled Konan out from the room, and led her away to bathe and change into fresh clothes.
Clearly enough,
Shimoku hadn't decided to kill Konan.
He had also agreed to assist with her revenge, as part of their deal.
After all, good-looking female ninjas with useful abilities were valuable assets deserving special treatment.
Besides, she had been quite willing herself.
Coming right in with such a generous gift...
That level of generosity was almost unsettling.
Anyway, that disloyal son Black Zetsu would eventually have to die sooner or later.
And it was only a matter of time before he inevitably clashed with Lord Madara after his resurrection.
So avenging Nagato was a small, convenient favor he could easily carry out alongside his other plans.
It wasn't much of a condition at all.
In return, however, he gained Konan, obtained another [Rinnegan], and might even absorb the entire [Rain Hidden Village].
Truly, this was a huge profit!
How he wished for more events like this to happen again soon!
...
After Konan left, Shimoku closed the door behind him.
He extinguished the original candle and switched on the electric light inside the room.
Completely dispelling the gloominess from earlier.
Everyone knew that dim lighting always gave people some weird stress.
Such conditions provided extra advantages when negotiating, interrogating... and so forth.
Of course, the lightbulb was newly installed, and the wiring had been completed a few days prior.
The reason Shimoku had used the candle earlier was simply because he forgot to turn on the lights.
Not in any way meant to intimidate Konan.
Soon,
Shimoku retrieved the [Rinnegan] Konan had brought.
He carefully examined it under the lamp's glow.
Shimoku, who naturally possessed both Yin and Yang chakra natures,
could clearly sense the presence of Yin and Yang chakra within this [Rinnegan].
"[Three Great Dojutsu] — The legendary [Rinnegan]!"
"Never thought Lord Madara's right eye would end up in my hands in such a manner..."
Shimoku murmured thoughtfully.
Honestly, was the [Rinnegan] precious?
Extremely precious indeed!
Was the [Rinnegan] powerful?
Certainly incredibly powerful!
Unfortunately, this wasn't a [Rinnegan] that originally belonged to Shimoku.
It was Lord Madara's [Rinnegan].
Therefore, just like Nagato before him,
even if Shimoku implanted this [Rinnegan], it would be difficult to unleash its full power.
Instead, it would cost a significant amount of chakra.
Granted, with Shimoku possessing the Perfect [Sage Body],
he certainly wasn't afraid of this minor chakra consumption.
And compared to Nagato, he'd definitely be able to get more out of it.
Still,
nothing beat using one's own eyes!
With that in mind, Shimoku opened his System interface for the first time in a while and started checking it out.
[Host: Shimoku
Attributes: Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Yin, Yang
Chakra: 1900 Cards
Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God Technique (S-Rank · Space-Time Ninjutsu), Eight Gates Release Formation (S-Rank · Taijutsu), Spirit Transformation Technique (S-Rank · Soul Ninjutsu)...
Kekkei Genkai: Sharingan (Eternal Mangekyō) → Rinnegan (37%)
Taijutsu: One Thousand Years of Death, A Thousand Flames Blades...
Special Skill: Chakra Extraction Method
Special Weapon: Dragon-Weaving Blade
Current Balance: 2180 coins]
Compared to before, Shimoku's total chakra had increased by 100 cards.
The progress bar for the [Rinnegan] had also risen from 18% to 37%.
Clearly, his recent training and battles had further unlocked the potential of his [Sage Body], gradually improving it.
At the same time, the yang energy of his [Sage Body] and the yin energy from the [Eternal Mangekyō] Sharingan were slowly fusing together, step by step advancing the birth of the [Rinnegan].
It wouldn't be long now before he obtained a true pair of [Rinnegan] uniquely his own.
By then, this current [Rinnegan] from Lord Madara would just be an extra bonus—something nice to have but ultimately unnecessary.
Of course, until that time came, this eye still had its uses.
Once implanted, even if he might not be able to use Lord Madara's exclusive ability [Limbo: Border Jail], he could still wield techniques like [Blocking Technique Absorption Seal] and [Heavenly Obstacle Quaking Star]—and wield them well.
Besides, with his [Immortal God Body], death was basically no concern.
If pushed too far?
I'll just storm your place and rain ten or twenty [Heavenly Obstacle Quaking Stars] down on you.
Let's see how you handle that!
Also, as long as this eye remained in his possession, Lord Madara wouldn't be able to gather a complete pair of [Rinnegan].
Without that, he couldn't access power beyond Kage-level strength.
There was a *huge* difference between a single [Rinnegan] and a full pair!
All things considered, this was definitely good news.
Shimoku quickly put away the precious [Rinnegan], sealing it within his left forearm.
It was well hidden, secure, and easily accessible whenever he needed it.
Afterward, Shimoku glanced at his system panel and his painfully low balance of 2000 coins.
Sure enough, after spending recklessly for so long, even two thousand coins barely left an impression anymore.
After hesitating for quite some time, he finally resisted the urge to perform another 'Ten-Turn Gacha'.
After all, even if he was going to play the desperate puppy, he'd do it like a dog with dignity—one patient enough to endure loneliness, and restrain desire!
Frequently pulling gacha would only leave him helplessly trapped by a certain 'Goddess of Luck'...
That's what real men did—play hard to get. That's how you earned the upper hand!
He could afford to indulge again once his little piggy bank filled up a bit more.
With that thought, Shimoku immediately exited the system interface and prepared for bed.
Coincidentally, Nonou had just brought him a warm glass of milk.
He drank it in one gulp, smacking his lips with satisfaction afterward.
This had become a habit he set for himself.
After all, he was only just ten years old—still over two months away from turning eleven.
Every part of his body still had plenty of growing to do.
He definitely couldn't afford to be malnourished.
That could seriously harm both his body and mind.
...
A night of pleasant dreams.
The next morning bright and early, Shimoku got up.
He took a quick shower, changed the bedding efficiently, tidied up the room,
and then headed downstairs for breakfast.
Let's be honest—since those three gorgeous maids joined the household, seeing their faces every morning was enough to brighten your whole day!
Enjoying beauty was always a simple pleasure.
Of course, Shimoku wasn't obsessed.
He finished breakfast quickly and prepared to handle important matters.
Constructing defenses, founding a Ninja Academy, and recruiting from the Rain Hidden Village—these were all top priorities now.
After all, Shimoku couldn't be sure.
Would Lord Madara, recently resurrected, rush over to 'acknowledge his outstanding heir' and have a little 'chat'?
Or worse—would he come straight here to destroy Homura Hidden Village?
In short, vigilance was crucial!
But the moment Shimoku stepped out the door,
Riyō came rushing over to report:
"Young Master, the envoy from Iwagakure has arrived."
"Who's leading the delegation?"
"It should be Deidara, disciple of the Third Tsuchikage, and his granddaughter Kurotsuchi."
"Oh?!!"
Shimoku's eyes lit up.
Had these two fat lambs really walked straight into his trap?
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