To Pakura, there were two people she hated most in this world.
One was Rasa — the Sunagakure comrade who secretly sold her out, sending her to Kirigakure to die.
The other was the man before her.
Once, on the battlefield, he had stood alone with a single sword…
And nearly wiped out every shinobi under her command.
Now he kept her here, locked away and under his control.
Day after day, he pushed her to her limits — physically, mentally, emotionally — and even now, he relentlessly invaded every part of her life.
Her voice trembled with resentment and cold sorrow:
"You really are a demon. How can Konoha tolerate someone like you?
Cruel, bloodthirsty, savage — you look down on everyone.
You even call your Third and Fourth Hokage 'Monkey' and 'That Blond Sibling,' with zero respect."
"You're nothing like a Konoha ninja."
Evan heard her words.
Not only did he show no displeasure — he looked delighted.
"You're absolutely right… keep going.
Don't stop."
[Ding! Pakura hatred value +1000]
[Loading Martial Arts Supernatural Ability System…]
[Sunflower Manual (Lv.0): Pending Activation]
[Evil-Repelling Sword Art (Lv.0): Pending Activation]
[Sword Draw Technique (Lv.8) – Next level requires 100,000 hatred points]
[Lingering Wave Footwork (Lv.5) – Next level requires 100,000 hatred points]
[Six Meridian Divine Sword (Lv.5) – Next level requires 100,000 hatred points]
[Nine Swords of Dugu (Lv.4) – Next level requires 10,000 hatred points]
[Spiritual Blade Arts (Lv.3) – Next level requires 10,000 hatred points]
[Eight-Nine Arcane Art (Lv.1) – Next level requires 1,000,000 hatred points]
[Heaven-and-Earth Manifestation (Lv.1) – Next level requires 1,000,000 hatred points]
[Hatred points can be consumed to raise martial arts skills]
[Every 1,000 hatred points can draw a new martial skill; 10,000 can draw a new supernatural ability]
[Killing also feeds experience depending on target strength (warning: increases killing intent; must be vented or will affect sanity)]
Receiving Pakura's 1000 hatred points, Evan felt a surge of satisfaction.
After draining "wool" from her for so long, he had accumulated tens of thousands — even hundreds of thousands — of hatred points.
Pakura really was incredible.
But now that his abilities were reaching higher tiers, each upgrade demanded far more hatred.
Killing was faster — much faster.
But with the war over, large-scale slaughter was no longer possible.
A pity… truly a pity.
"Pakura, you're wonderful. I'm really very fond of you."
Evan leaned slightly forward, stepping toward the bed.
"You… you… what are you planning?!"
Pakura's face paled. She scrambled back, pressing her bare shoulders against the cold wall.
Evan's expression curved with a knowing edge.
"Oh? You really don't know?
After all this time, you still haven't adapted?"
He paused deliberately.
"And wasn't it you who took the initiative earlier?"
Pakura instinctively bit her lip, her face flushing despite her anger and humiliation.
"Be good. I still have to go to the Hokage Tower to meet the Fourth's wife soon.
Don't make trouble."
Evan placed a hand lightly atop her head.
Pakura's voice quivered with helplessness.
"You promised… you promised to kill Rasa for me."
Evan gave a soft laugh.
"All right. I'll give you my word.
And in return… let's test something new this time."
Pakura closed her eyes, resigned sorrow filling them, and slowly lowered herself as the scene faded to black…
When that tense, twisted exchange ended, Evan left the shinobi prison and headed toward the Hokage Tower.
The tower stood in the very center of Konoha — the village's symbolic heart.
"Lord Evan…"
Along the way, every shinobi he passed bowed respectfully.
Even older veterans — men who had fought in previous wars — glanced at him with strange, conflicted eyes.
Within those gazes burned:
Awe.
Fear.
Admiration.
Resentment.
"The executioner is out of the prison again?"
"When Orochimaru defected, why didn't he run with his teacher?"
"He killed his own teammates on the battlefield. How does he still have the nerve to live?"
"Because he ended the Wind and Water fronts for Konoha, idiot."
"They say he killed… a lot of people."
"I think Lord Evan is amazing — he ended the war and he's handsome."
"Seriously, I remember Lord Evan teaching me swordsmanship during the war."
"You rookies don't understand how terrifying he really is."
Evan only smiled at the whispers.
He didn't mind.
He welcomed their hatred.
After all, hatred had value.
Soon he reached the top floor of the Hokage Tower.
He knocked.
Knock, knock, knock.
"Come in."
He pushed open the door.
The Hokage's office was simple.
A long conference table, a set of chairs.
Portraits of past Hokage on the wall.
A wide window facing the plaza.
At the center sat blond, gentle Namikaze Minato — looking almost puppy-like in his composed attentiveness.
He lifted his head and greeted Evan with warm eyes.
Three elders were present as well:
The retired-but-still-clinging-to-power Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi
Elder Homura Mitokado
Elder Koharu Utatane
And… one more person:
A small, heavily pregnant woman — white-skinned, stunningly beautiful, radiant like the moon itself.
Evan's eyes brightened, and he subconsciously licked his lips.
It was Uzumaki Kushina.
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