Konoha, Year 60.
At this moment, Hatake Kakashi's Team 7 had just been formed, and they had yet to embark on that famous Land of Waves mission.
"Sasuke, you're not seriously thinking about that so-called treasure of Uchiha Madara, are you? Who even knows if that rumor is real? I think… it's probably fake!"
Uzumaki Naruto rested both hands behind his head, speaking loudly, while narrowing his eyes slightly to glance at the expressionless Sasuke.
Meanwhile, he was trying hard to resist the urge to complain in his heart:
"Even if everyone calls me an idiot, I'm not dumb enough to believe a sudden rumor like that. This whole 'Uchiha Madara's treasure' thing just doesn't sound reliable at all!~"
Thinking this, Naruto still couldn't figure out why the genius ninja Uchiha Sasuke would be naïve enough to believe such a laughable tale.
A faint smirk of mockery appeared on his face.
"…"
Sasuke gave Naruto a cold glance but said nothing, continuing forward in silence.
"Don't be like that, Naruto!"
At this time, before the Chūnin Exams and still with her long hair flowing, Haruno Sakura smiled and said:
"Even if it's fake, we can treat it like a treasure hunt game! Ahem… Sasuke, I mean, it could also be real! Sasuke…"
Sasuke remained indifferent, his expression unmoved, seemingly unaffected by anyone's words.
"…"
Hatake Kakashi watched this scene, unsure what to say. After all, this newly-formed Team 7 was already giving him a headache he'd never experienced before.
The issues between his team members weren't something he could fix—so long as they didn't affect the bigger picture, Kakashi could only turn a blind eye.
"But why would this so-called 'Uchiha Madara's treasure' suddenly surface in Konoha? And how did so many ninjas and civilians learn of it in such a short time?"
From Kakashi's perspective as an experienced ninja, for such news to spread so quickly, someone must be deliberately pushing it along.
But Uchiha Madara's treasure?
Such an absurd claim was not something Kakashi would ever believe.
"I just wonder what that person's real purpose is in doing this…"
Thinking this, Kakashi's heart grew a little more alert.
---
Konoha – inside a very modest general store.
"The treasure news has already spread. I expect plenty of people will take notice, and once their hearts are moved, ninjas will naturally take action!~"
A tall, lean young man with short red hair sat with an ancient-looking treasure map in front of him, speaking with a faint chuckle.
This young man was the story's main character—and the very one who had leaked the news about Uchiha Madara's treasure. His name was Uzumaki Takayoshi.
As a transmigrator, Uzumaki Takayoshi had arrived in this ninja world eighteen years earlier. When he discovered that he was a member of the Uzumaki clan, he was overjoyed.
After all, in the world of Naruto, the potential shown by the Uzumaki clan was astonishing and enviable.
Innately massive chakra reserves, extraordinary regenerative ability, unique Uzumaki sealing techniques…
These were enough to make anyone yearn for such power!
But Takayoshi's body did not seem as gifted as he had hoped.
Even after training hard for eighteen years, he had only managed to reach the level of an elite jōnin.
He possessed none of the abilities that an Uzumaki should inherently have.
Compared to those other transmigrators who immediately gained world-shattering power, Takayoshi truly felt embarrassed.
Furthermore, when he arrived, the ninja world was far from peaceful.
He was born at the tail end of the Second Great Ninja War and later lived through the Third Great Ninja War.
As one of the few surviving members of the Uzumaki clan, he had considered seeking the protection of Uzumaki Kushina in Konoha.
He figured that as a clansman, the couple Minato Namikaze and Kushina would take good care of him.
But he also knew of the dark, unsettling side of Konoha.
With his low talent, he would surely be controlled by those in the shadows, perhaps even sacrificed for their purposes.
His Uzumaki bloodline alone would be valuable enough for research!~
So, using the chakra refinement method and a few ninjutsu and sealing techniques left by his parents, he managed to become an elite jōnin after eighteen years.
With the power of an elite jōnin, he could just barely protect himself in this world.
But seeing more of the world's wonders? That was nothing but a dream!
In the later stages of Naruto's story, where jōnin were as common as stray dogs and Kage-level fighters roamed freely, Takayoshi could only survive by keeping his head down.
Originally, he had planned to spend the rest of his life in peace.
After all, without strength, he couldn't afford to take risks!
However, the appearance of the Treasure Merchant System restored his confidence as a transmigrator.
"Cause trouble! I have to cause trouble!~"
As the name implied, the Treasure Merchant System allowed Takayoshi to become a treasure merchant—selling treasure maps provided by the system… in exchange for rewards!
The treasures hidden within those maps were all real.
The treasures themselves were random, but Takayoshi could rename and re-origin them however he wished.
For example, the first treasure map the system provided originally had no name—it certainly wasn't "Uchiha Madara's treasure."
He had attached Madara's name purely to draw attention.
With Madara's reputation, plenty of ninjas would be interested—Uchiha Sasuke among them.
After spending much effort and time, Takayoshi had finally managed to spread the news of "Madara's treasure" throughout Konoha.
All for this very day!
Takayoshi looked toward the doorway, recognizing the four figures standing there. His heart leapt with joy, though he kept his composure, smiling faintly as he said:
"Welcome. Is there anything I can help you with?"
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