Tsunade's fury flared for only a moment before she composed herself again.
Her expression calmed quickly, but something in her demeanor had shifted. She wasn't done with this conversation—just redirecting it.
She changed the subject smoothly. "Can those two members of the Uzumaki Clan really not stay in Konoha?"
Jaxon gave her a crooked grin, eyes filled with irony. "Heh. Can you protect them?"
His words struck like a cold blade. But he wasn't finished.
"If you can't even protect your own clan's legacy, what's the point of pretending to care?"
"You—!"
Tsunade clenched her fists tightly, the urge to smash the table—or his face—burning inside her. Every word that came from Jaxon's mouth was infuriating, cutting deeper than any blade.
But he wasn't trying to provoke her without purpose. Jaxon was always precise with his words.
"Let's make a deal," he said suddenly, resting his chin on his palm. "Ten years... no, wait, maybe two. Yeah, give it two years. If by then you still believe Konoha is a place worth protecting, I'll hand those two Uzumaki over to your Village. Deal?"
Tsunade blinked. "What?"
He smirked. "You like gambling, right? Let's bet on Konoha's future."
Tsunade's mouth opened as if to agree—impulsively, instinctively—but she stopped.
This wasn't a drinking table. And the person in front of her wasn't some wandering merchant. Jaxon was the most infamous young noble in the Land of Fire, a mind as sharp as any shinobi's blade, a master manipulator—someone who never spoke without intent.
Whether or not the Uzumaki stayed in Konoha had little to do with him directly. And from the way those two clan survivors behaved, they clearly harbored no fondness for this Village either.
Tsunade let out a long sigh. Her shoulders fell slightly as she stood and turned.
In the blink of an eye, she was gone—vanishing silently through the window, as if she had never been there at all.
The window remained open, letting in a cool breeze that whispered through the quiet room.
Almost immediately after Tsunade's departure, Xuanwo Yunnai leapt in through the same window, her face filled with worry.
Given her sensory prowess, there was no way she wouldn't know the room had just been vacated.
"You can relax now, she's gone," Jaxon said with a sigh.
But Yunnai didn't relax.
Still dressed in her pink bunny-eared pajamas, she approached the bed, concern etched all over her face.
"Konoha is too dangerous. I've been meaning to ask—why did you come here? There are so many people here who clearly have bad intentions toward you. What if something—"
"Don't," Jaxon interrupted, lifting a hand.
He already knew what she was about to suggest.
She wanted to stay the night. Not just out of concern—but because of something deeper. Affection. Perhaps love.
And Jaxon? He felt both touched and exasperated.
She really had feelings for him, and her so-called "worry" was little more than a fragile excuse.
He shook his head and sighed.
"You worry too much," he said gently. "Even if Konoha resents me, no one would dare lay a hand on me within the Village itself. You should go get some sleep."
He laid down on the bed, one arm flung over his eyes in dramatic exhaustion. But through the tiny gap of one half-open eye, he peeked at her to see if she would leave.
She didn't.
In fact, Yunnai quietly walked to the edge of the bed, and before Jaxon could react, she flopped down beside him.
Then… she began inching closer.
Jaxon silently cursed himself.
---
Coming to Konoha might have been the best decision I've ever made, he thought with a chuckle.
Not only was his mission progressing smoothly, but his world replication percentage was now moving at an unprecedented pace.
At this rate, he could hit 100% replication far sooner than expected.
With this hope bubbling in his heart, Jaxon closed his eyes and slipped into his spiritual world.
It was a vast and mysterious realm. Fluorescent lights shimmered all around him, drifting through space like wisps of stardust. These lights—manifestations of replicated knowledge and chakra—flowed into him from all sides.
He stood calmly in the glowing void, his spiritual body absorbing the energy like a dry sponge meeting water.
Behind him, in the real world, Xuanwo Yunnai had already drifted off to sleep. Her breaths were gentle and rhythmic, the serene rhythm of someone at peace.
Jaxon didn't disturb her.
He simply sat there in his mind's space, peering deeply into his replication system, eyes gleaming with a soft violet light.
And then… he saw it.
Replication World Progress: 5.003%
His breath caught.
It was just a fraction, but it was a milestone.
He had finally broken through the 5% barrier.
Though it looked small on paper, for Jaxon, it was monumental.
His heart raced in excitement. He could feel every beat thudding through his ribs like war drums. His body, weary from the day's events, suddenly surged with vitality. Energy flooded his limbs, banishing all fatigue.
In one swift motion, Jaxon sprang up from bed—careful not to wake Yunnai—and padded silently to the sofa.
He sat down slowly, adjusted his position, and leaned back into the cushions, letting the moment wash over him.
This wasn't just another number.
This was the turning point.
For the first time since merging with the system, Jaxon had finally reached the threshold where he could begin to touch its inner workings—to control, not just follow.
He took a deep breath, swallowed hard, and whispered in his mind:
"System Wizard, activate instructions."
The words trembled with anticipation.
A moment passed. Silence.
Then a voice echoed in his consciousness, clear and melodious—like a bell ringing from far away.
> "Congratulations, Master. You have officially unlocked the preliminary Replication Authority. The path to revival has begun."
The voice was soothing, feminine, yet mechanical. A synthesized spirit given personality.
And then—pop!
A tiny, translucent creature appeared before him, no larger than his palm. It floated in midair like a wisp of light given form.
The System Wizard.
A helper spirit—not the system itself, but a guide, an interface, a mentor.
It smiled at him, shimmering faintly in shades of blue and purple.
> "I am your System Spirit. You may call me Ava. From this moment on, I will guide you through your functions—revival, replication, and realm traversal."
Jaxon stared at her, eyes wide, stunned not just by the sight but by the implications.
After so many years of being a passenger in the system, he could finally take the wheel.
> "Your current authority level permits basic modifications to the Replication World, access to the Revival Protocol preview, and limited communication across timeline divergences."
> "Further authority will unlock at 10%, 25%, and 50% replication milestones."
> "Warning: high-tier functions may trigger backlashes or interference from world consciousnesses. Proceed with caution."
Ava's voice faded, but Jaxon was already deep in thought.
Revival Protocol.
Timeline Divergence Communication.
Realm Modifications.
These were terms with real power behind them. Tools he could use to reshape the world.
He exhaled slowly.
No longer a mere system host.
He was becoming something greater.
A force.
A master of replication.
And this was only the beginning.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31).