"Jie?!"
Seeing Jie Uchiha reappear completely unharmed, Izumi Uchiha murmured his name.
"Brother?" A wave of ecstasy washed over Itachi Uchiha at the sight of Jie, instantly throwing the grim tally of grievances he had just listed right out the window.
"Jie, you terrified me!" Finally grasping the reality of the situation, Izumi burst into tears. She threw herself at Jie, sobbing against his chest. "I thought you died!"
'You didn't just think it. I really did die,' Jie thought.
"It was so scary! You scared me to death!" she sobbed.
"Don't cry. Aren't I perfectly fine now?" Jie softly consoled her.
He knew it was just an elaborate act, but Izumi and the others obviously didn't. Even though Izumi, Itachi, and Sasuke ultimately benefited from the ordeal, Jie still felt a twinge of guilt.
Realizing this left him momentarily speechless. What had he gone through all this trouble for, only to end up looking like the bad guy? For a brief second, he regretted his sudden whim.
[Ding!]
[Host has helped Itachi Uchiha awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. Distributing settlement rewards...]
[Reward: Sharingan Ocular Power increased by 100%.]
[Host has helped Sasuke Uchiha awaken the Sharingan. Distributing settlement rewards...]
[Reward: Sharingan Ocular Power increased by 50%, Indra's Incarnate Chakra +5%.]
[Host has helped Izumi Uchiha awaken the Sharingan. Distributing settlement rewards...]
[Reward: Sharingan Ocular Power increased by 50%, Physical Development accelerated by one year.]
[Note: Accelerated physical development only reduces the time required to grow; it does not reduce total lifespan.]
[Host has helped Naruto Uzumaki stimulate Nine-Tails Chakra. Distributing settlement rewards...]
[Reward: One cluster of Nine-Tails Chakra, Asura's Incarnate Chakra +5%.]
[Detected that Host possesses a Sage Body. Asura's Incarnate Chakra has been converted into Sage Body progression.]
A rapid series of notification chimes echoed within Jie's mind. Hearing the rewards clearly, any lingering regret vanished instantly. With such a massive haul, it would be worth dying a second time.
'Accept rewards,' he commanded.
Instantly, a cool stream—several times more potent than his usual system rewards—flowed directly into his eyes, forcing him to squeeze them shut. Simultaneously, a comforting warmth surged through his limbs and bones, sweeping away the fatigue left over from the recent spar.
When he slowly opened his eyes, the crimson glow of the Sharingan flashed. The world before him seemed remarkably sharper and more defined.
'Just how many times does the Mangekyo Sharingan's ocular power need to be enhanced to evolve into the Eternal Mangekyo?' Jie wondered. 'My ocular power has increased by more than three times since I first awakened it, yet I still haven't felt the slightest hint of a bottleneck.'
A sudden wave of gloom hit him. 'Don't tell me I really have to gouge out Itachi's eyes and implant them into myself?'
'Forget it, I'll take it slow,' Jie consoled himself. 'Even without the Eternal Mangekyo, my current strength is more than enough to dominate the entire ninja world.'
"Jie, you aren't allowed to scare me like that ever again," Izumi said. Having cried for a while and vented the worst of her emotions, she looked up, her face stained with tears.
Looking at her swollen eyes, Jie felt a slight warmth in his chest and quickly replied, "I won't. I'll never do it again." He comforted her a bit longer, promising to spend the next three days by her side. That finally allowed Izumi to calm down.
"Brother Jie!"
With a shrill scream, Sasuke suddenly shot up from the ground like a startled carp, his eyes darting toward Jie's location.
"Brother... Jie?" Seeing the lively and completely intact Jie, Sasuke instantly fell into a state of utter bewilderment.
'Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? Didn't Brother Jie just die? His charred corpse was lying right in front of me just a moment ago! Was I dreaming? But why would I dream of Brother Jie dying?'
Watching Sasuke severely doubt his own reality, Izumi finally broke into a smile through her tears, completely oblivious to the fact that she had reacted the exact same way just moments prior.
As for Naruto Uzumaki, Jie noted that they weren't very familiar with each other anyway, so the blond boy could drop dead wherever he pleased for all he cared.
Soon, the sun began to set. Jie led the group slowly back to the village. After dropping Izumi off at her house, Jie, Itachi, and Sasuke walked at a leisurely pace toward the Uchiha compound.
Noticing Itachi's sluggish pace, Jie slowed his own steps, gradually putting a bit of distance between the two of them and Sasuke, who was walking ahead.
"Brother, that wasn't a genjutsu earlier, was it?" Itachi asked, keeping his voice low once he was sure Sasuke couldn't hear them. "That was truly your corpse lying there, right? I really did kill you earlier... right?"
Seeing Itachi's determined expression, Jie smiled. 'So I didn't manage to fool him. It seems my Uchiha acting methods still need some polishing.'
"Does it even matter if it was real or not?" Jie asked with a soft chuckle. "What matters is that I am standing in front of you right now, alive and well."
"Brother, you guys are too slow! Hurry up!" Sasuke shouted from ahead, noticing the two of them lagging far behind.
"Coming," Jie replied casually. He glanced at Itachi, who stood with his head bowed in deep thought, patted his shoulder, and then continued forward to catch up with Sasuke.
"It really doesn't matter anymore," Itachi murmured. After pondering the cryptic answer for a long moment, a relieved smile finally graced his face. He gazed at Jie's retreating back and quietly followed.
By the time Jie and the others arrived home, they found Fugaku Uchiha already waiting for them.
"Have the reparations with Kumogakure been settled?" Jie asked, stepping into the room.
"Not yet," Fugaku said, shaking his head. "Kumogakure still hasn't chosen a Fifth Raikage, and Hiruzen Sarutobi is getting senile. I expect this matter won't be resolved anytime soon."
Jie nodded nonchalantly. "Then we'll wait until our plan is complete, and the Uchiha clan will go there personally."
Fugaku nodded in agreement before suddenly looking up. "Jie, the village will be holding the Chunin Exams soon. Itachi has already decided to participate."
"If Itachi wants to participate, then let him. What does that have to do with me?" Jie rolled his eyes. 'What business is the Chunin Exams of mine?'
"But Jie," Fugaku said casually, a faint smile playing on his lips, "you are also currently a Genin."
Hearing Fugaku's words, Jie's expression instantly froze.
'I'm still a Genin? I literally slaughtered the Fourth Raikage, and you're telling me I'm still just a Genin?'
Jie desperately wanted to retort, but a sudden, tragic realization hit him: technically, he actually was still a Genin.
Upto 40 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/Vristikk