6-10

Chapter 6: One-Handed Defeat of Sasuke

The Hidden Leaf Village, one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages, is a vast place where finding someone can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. However, Uzumaki Naruto, true to his close bond with Uchiha Sasuke, didn't waste much time before spotting Sasuke at a desolate training ground.

Shiro glanced around; this training field was near the village's outer walls, and seeing the fan-shaped emblem on nearby buildings made everything clear. The Uchiha clan had been ostracized to the most remote corner of the village after the Nine-Tails incident, largely due to Danzo's manipulations.

If he could have, Danzo would have driven the Uchiha out of the village entirely, and the Third Hokage had tacitly allowed it, not doing much to stop it. This was one of the main reasons for the Uchiha's rebellion.

Seeing Sasuke's hatred-filled eyes, Shiro couldn't help but shake his head and mutter, "Foolish little brother."

Sakura Haruno, seeing Sasuke safe, immediately shrugged off Naruto and sprinted towards him.

"Sasuke, so you were here! I thought you'd disappeared!"

Sasuke paused his training and turned to look, only to spot Shiro standing at a distance. Without acknowledging Sakura, Sasuke walked straight to Shiro.

Shiro was secretly delighted—Sakura, the loyal "fangirl," was being completely ignored!

"So, you're Shiro, right? I want you to be my sparring partner. If I can’t even beat you, I’ll never stand a chance against him!"

Shiro's eyebrow twitched, irritation rising. "What do you mean, if you can't even beat me?" Although he wasn't a match for Itachi, being dismissed like this felt insulting. "Do you think you're all tough now that the weather's cleared up?"

Ding! A task choice has been triggered!

1. Reject Uchiha Sasuke. Reward: Random Summoning Animal.

2. Accept Uchiha Sasuke's challenge. Reward: Earth Chakra.

3. Mock Uchiha Sasuke and fight with one hand. Reward: One-Handed Jutsu Seals.

Signing a contract with a summoning animal means you can't sign with another later. The random summon could either be an incredibly powerful one or something utterly useless! Shiro really just wanted to teach Sasuke a lesson, so the first option was out.

As for the second option? Shiro currently had no elemental affinity, which made his ninjutsu less effective. And unfortunately, he didn’t know any Earth-style jutsu yet, so option two was also dismissed.

The choice was obvious! Option three it is!

With the decision made, Shiro took a few steps toward Sasuke, a provocative glint in his eyes. "You’ll never be able to defeat your brother! If you want to beat him, he’d have to hand you the victory on a silver platter!"

Sasuke's pupils shrank at those words. Without warning, he flung a kunai directly at Shiro, who casually tilted his head to dodge it with ease.

"With your current strength, you're not even worthy of being my opponent! But, out of respect for those Sharingan eyes, I'll fight you with just one hand!"

Sasuke trembled with anger, his Sharingan fully activated. "Shiro! I’ll make you regret those words!"

Without hesitation, Sasuke began forming hand seals, then took a deep breath before exhaling a massive fireball.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

The fire raged for about three seconds, but once the flames subsided, all that remained was a charred figure.

"That was weak. You said you’d defeat me one-handed?" Sasuke sneered, tossing a kunai at the burnt figure. But as soon as it struck, the figure vanished in a puff of smoke.

"A Shadow Clone?!"

Sasuke, startled, immediately leaped back, scanning his surroundings for Shiro.

"Looking for me? I'm right here!" Shiro called out, sitting lazily on a training dummy with a mischievous grin.

"You cheated! You said you'd fight with one hand!" Before Sasuke could say anything, Sakura was already accusing him.

Shiro smirked. "Typical—Sakura, Sasuke's most devoted fangirl. The prince hasn’t even spoken, but you're already rushing to his defense. Classic case of the servant being more anxious than the king."

"True, most shinobi need two hands for jutsu, but I’m not just any shinobi!" Shiro said, holding out his right hand and forming seals with just one.

"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

With a puff of smoke, a clone identical to Shiro appeared beside him. "You can have some fun with my clone," Shiro said.

The clone sprinted toward Sasuke, closing the distance with a few quick flickers of movement.

"Don’t underestimate me!" Sasuke yelled.

Even though it was just a clone, Shiro's strength was near that of a Jonin, which overwhelmed Sasuke, leaving him gasping for air.

"You forced my hand!" Sasuke shouted, leaping back to gain distance. He formed more hand seals, his fingers crackling with blue lightning as he executed a signature move.

The air was filled with the chirping sound of a thousand birds.

Ding! Identifying Lightning Style: Chidori!

Shiro was ecstatic. He had learned a few low-level jutsu, but none with the lethal punch he needed. His goal in seeking out Sasuke was to copy this very A-rank technique: Chidori!

"Chidori? Let me show you what a real Chidori looks like!"

Shiro formed a single-handed seal, and the air around him crackled with even more intense blue lightning than Sasuke’s.

"No way! He copied my jutsu?" Sasuke was in disbelief, doubting his own eyes. Chidori had taken him a month of intense training to master, yet Shiro had mimicked it after seeing it just once, and his version looked even stronger!

"This can’t be real! It must be an illusion!" Sasuke’s mind reeled, but he steeled himself and charged forward, lightning crackling behind him.

With a deafening clash, the two Chidori attacks collided, creating a massive explosion. The force sent Sasuke flying, his arms trembling uncontrollably.

Shiro stood calmly, showing no sign of strain, looking down at Sasuke in disdain. Sakura rushed over to help Sasuke to his feet.

Had Shiro not held back, Sasuke’s entire arm might have been destroyed.

"Now do you see the gap between us? With your current abilities, beating him is nothing but a pipe dream!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 7: Spoilers*

Uchiha Sasuke lowered his head, his face full of disappointment.

"Do I really not have a single chance to defeat him?"

Ding! Choice mission triggered!

1. Don't respond! Reward: Water-style Chakra!

2. Lie to Sasuke and offer encouragement! Reward: Fire-style Chakra!

3. Taunt Sasuke! Reward: Lightning-style Chakra!

Shiro’s lips curled into a slight smile. Originally, after Sasuke offered his Chidori, Shiro had planned to comfort him.

But the system clearly wasn’t giving Shiro that option!

*Choose 3!*

Shiro walked up to Sasuke, a smug grin on his face.

"You want to beat him? You, a weakling? I gave you the answer right from the start—unless he lets you, you don't stand a chance! And soon, you'll truly see the gap in power between you and him!"

Haruno Sakura furrowed her brows and angrily approached Shiro.

"You already beat Sasuke; there’s no need to keep mocking him! People like you are the worst!"

Shiro's mouth twitched. Being called the worst by "Sakura the drama queen" made him inexplicably annoyed.

Uchiha Sasuke completely ignored Haruno Sakura. He walked over to Shiro, trembling, and grabbed his shoulders.

"Tell me! Is that guy coming to Konoha? Do you know something?"

Shiro froze for a moment. Oops, he had let a spoiler slip.

Uchiha Itachi was indeed coming soon, but only because the Third Hokage had died, and Itachi was worried about Sasuke.

Shiro admired Uchiha Itachi for the lengths he went to in order to protect Sasuke!

"Sasuke, I’ll only say this once: always trust your family!"

"Trust my family? That guy killed his own parents! How can you ask me to trust him?!"

At the mention of Uchiha Itachi, Sasuke immediately lost his cool.

Shiro sighed bitterly. Since Itachi had orchestrated such an elaborate plan, Shiro didn’t want to reveal everything.

Just as he was about to leave, a sudden wave of killing intent washed over him.

Shiro instinctively jumped away, and several kunai buried themselves in the spot where he had just stood.

Cold sweat broke out on Shiro’s forehead. If not for his enhanced perception from his new Sage Body, he wouldn’t have detected that ambush.

"As expected from a hero of Konoha—your sensory abilities are impressive! But no matter how strong you are, do you think you can escape an assassination by three Jonin today?"

A cold voice echoed, and three figures appeared in the distance.

The three ninjas wore strange masks that resembled those of the Anbu, making them look somewhat cute.

But each carried a short sword on their backs, and even from several meters away, Shiro could smell the faint scent of death.

Ding! Choice mission triggered!

1. Run away! Quick hand seals!

2. Fight alongside Team 7! Taijutsu: Eight Gates Formation!

3. Face the enemies alone! Ninjutsu Fusion +1!

Running away was not an option for Shiro. If he left, Team 7’s lives would be at risk, and it would even affect the future storyline!

As for the second option, while the Eight Gates Formation was powerful, it was a self-destructive technique. Without his Sage Body upgraded to a higher level, Shiro wouldn’t consider it.

That left the third option!

The system only granted three fusion attempts from the start, and Shiro hadn't gotten a chance to use any in previous missions.

Now that one had finally appeared, Shiro wouldn’t miss the chance!

*I choose 3!*

"You three, leave! I’ll handle this!" Shiro frowned as he looked at the three enemies in front of him.

While Shiro had killed many ninjas during the battle with the Sand Shinobi...

...those were mostly Genin and Chunin. Facing three Jonin at once, he suddenly felt immense pressure!

"No way! I’ll never abandon my comrades!" Uzumaki Naruto said resolutely, stepping forward and preparing to fight alongside Shiro.

Sasuke and Sakura quickly snapped out of their daze, taking up positions on either side of Shiro.

"Even though I don’t like you, I won’t leave my comrades behind!"

"You still haven’t answered my question about that person, so I’m not leaving you!"

Shiro felt a twinge of emotion.

There was a reason these three earned the respect of so many.

"Run! Escape in three different directions and get help from the village! Otherwise, we’ll all die!"

"But—"

"No buts! Move!"

After being scolded by Shiro, the three hesitated for a moment. Then Naruto looked at him with determined eyes and said:

"Alright! But you better wait for us to come back!"

The trio sped off, and the three masked ninjas didn’t make any move to stop them, remaining silent in place.

"I have to admit, Uchiha Shiro, you’re very smart. You realized those three wouldn’t be much help, so you sent them off. But today, you must die here!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Shiro suddenly noticed that one of the three had disappeared without him realizing it.

Shiro's pupils shrank.

*"Gotcha!"*

A blade slashed down, blood spraying! But the next moment, a cloud of white smoke appeared, and Shiro turned into a broken log that fell to the ground.

"Substitution Jutsu! That kid’s fast! Stay sharp, he’s no ordinary ninja!"

"Fire Style! Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

With a roar, numerous fire phoenixes shot out, igniting everything they touched!

"Watch out!"

The three ninjas quickly dodged, but even with their quick reactions, one of them still got hit.

"Ah! This kid’s not easy!"

Though Shiro’s attack had landed, the Jonin managed to avoid any critical injuries, sustaining only minor wounds.

"Earth Style! Earth Dragon Bullet!"

"Water Style! Water Dragon Bullet!"

Two of the ninjas formed hand seals rapidly, and an earth dragon and a water dragon shot toward Shiro!

Ding! Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet identified!

Ding! Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet identified!

Ding! Ninjutsu Fusion possible (Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet + Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet)! Proceed with fusion? (Success rate 60%, failure rate 40%)

*Fusion! Fusion!*

Without much time to think, Shiro immediately chose to fuse the techniques!

Ding! Fusion successful!

Ding! New Ninjutsu obtained: Earth Style: Mud Flow Wall!

Shiro felt a surge of excitement as he rapidly formed hand seals and shouted:

"Earth Style! Mud Flow Wall!"

In an instant, the ground beneath the three ninjas turned to mud, flowing like a landslide.

The three ninjas quickly tried to evade.

But two of them couldn’t escape in time and were swallowed by the mudflow, disappearing without a sound.

The Earth Dragon Bullet and Water Dragon Bullet, now without their users, lost their aim and flew past Shiro.

However, the attacks drenched the ground.

"Water Style! Water Prison Jutsu!"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Shiro, and a column of water enveloped him like a bubble.

"This is bad! There’s a fourth ninja!"

*Chapter 8: Sasuke's Request for Training*

"What about the Hero of Konoha? I still managed to capture him!" The ninja laughed arrogantly.

However, during the Water Prison Jutsu, the user's body can't move.

This particular ninja was so focused on making sure the jutsu worked that he used both hands on Shiro.

Now, to maintain the Water Prison, both of his hands were tied up!

"Hurry! Come and kill this kid! If the other Jonin show up, it’ll be hard to explain this to Lord Shimura!"

Hearing his partner's call, another ninja staggered forward, moving like a zombie.

Though only a few meters away, it took him nearly half a minute to cover the distance.

"Hurry up and finish him off! Stop wasting time!"

The ninja pulled out a kunai and walked up to Shiro.

At this moment, a single slash would be enough to kill Shiro, the Hero of Konoha, for good!

"So it was Danzo Shimura who sent you, wasn't it? Why? Why are you so determined to kill me?"

"It doesn’t matter since you're as good as dead now! I’ll tell you. You’ve done nothing wrong; in fact, I respect you for becoming the Hero of Konoha! But the problem is your eyes! The Uchiha clan deserves to die!" The ninja laughed even more triumphantly after speaking.

"In that case, you're the one who's going to die!" Shiro sneered.

The ninja looked at him in confusion, but before he could understand what was happening, he suddenly felt a cold sensation in his chest.

He looked up in disbelief—his own partner had stabbed him with a kunai!

"Why…" the ninja stumbled, falling to the ground, staring at his companion in shock.

Without chakra to sustain the Water Prison, it turned into ordinary water and splashed everywhere.

Shiro coldly walked over to the ninja's companion and removed his mask.

On the weathered face beneath the mask was a foolish, empty smile.

His eyes were dazed, staring blankly at Shiro.

Shiro shuddered. Even though he knew this was the effect of the Fire-Style Genjutsu, being stared at like that by a man still gave him the chills.

"Genjutsu… When did you cast it?" the wounded ninja asked bitterly, clutching his wound.

"That’s none of your business," Shiro said, drawing a kunai and killing both ninjas.

Good thing I just learned how to make one-handed seals! Otherwise, I’d have been done for here!

Though the Water Prison Jutsu prevents large movements, Shiro could still manage hand seals with his fingers.

Using that moment of relaxation, he had cast the Fire-Style Genjutsu, successfully controlling the enemy!

After a moment of reflection, Shiro turned toward a nearby bush and called out, "Come out. Stop hiding!"

As soon as he spoke, a boy in a black bodysuit stepped out.

The boy’s face was stern, and he held back the rage burning in his chest.

"Why does the Uchiha clan deserve to die? Am I going to be their next target?"

"Don’t think too much about it. You just need to keep getting stronger! Otherwise, the deaths of your Uchiha clan will have been for nothing!"

"Get stronger! Shiro Uchiha, can you help me get stronger?" Sasuke asked, his eyes filled with determination as he looked at Shiro.

"Don’t you have Kakashi to teach you? He’s an elite Jonin, much stronger than I am!"

Sasuke shook his head, still staring firmly at Shiro.

"Right now, I don’t trust anyone but you…"

Suddenly, a choice appeared!

1. Agree to train Sasuke! Reward: Intermediate Genjutsu Mastery!

2. Refuse to train Sasuke! Reward: Intermediate Taijutsu Mastery!

Shiro smiled wryly at the choices. His Taijutsu was a weak spot; in close combat, he’d often be at a disadvantage.

But Shiro had experienced the benefits of Genjutsu several times already. If he could master it, his abilities would only grow stronger!

After struggling for a while, Shiro shook his head helplessly.

"I choose 1!"

"Sasuke, you may not be a genius in terms of talent, but your achievements so far show that you're a genius through hard work! I can teach you, but you must promise not to pass this on to anyone else!"

"Really?" Sasuke’s face lit up with excitement, but just as he was about to say more, Shiro motioned for silence.

"Someone’s coming. Don’t say anything else!"

No sooner had Shiro spoken than five figures leaped out.

Among them was Raitou Bingzu, who let out a sigh of relief when he saw Shiro unharmed.

Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi, and Raitou Bingzu had all arrived!

Shiro’s heart skipped a beat. This was an elite group! Only Naruto Uzumaki could gather so many powerful figures!

Raitou Bingzu and the others bombarded Shiro with questions about the situation, while Kakashi stood silently, staring at the bodies and the battle marks on the ground. His mind was in shock!

This kid… He may only be a Genin, but he has the strength of a Jonin!

"Alright, that’s enough! Stop asking so many questions!" Shiro interrupted.

"Why not? The incident with Sand and Sound just ended, and now our Konoha Hero was nearly assassinated! If we don’t retaliate, they’ll think Konoha is weak!" Raitou Bingzu complained.

"Exactly! The Uchiha clan’s bloodline is already rare, especially those who’ve awakened the Sharingan! Only the Cloud Village could do something like this!" Asuma Sarutobi added, taking a puff of his cigarette.

Everyone frowned at his words.

It was the Cloud Village that had kidnapped Hinata Hyuga earlier. Although she was rescued, it had forced Neji’s father to sacrifice himself.

So whenever the Cloud Village was mentioned, everyone frowned.

"You really think it was the Cloud Village? They’re focused on Taijutsu and Lightning Style, and their shinobi are usually muscular. Look at these bodies!" Shiro pointed out.

"Yeah, these bodies are way slimmer!"

"Could it be from the Mist Village?" Guy’s usually sunny face grew dark.

The Mist Village and Konoha had deep enmity, with countless deaths on both sides during wars.

Especially for Guy, whose father had been killed by the Mist’s Seven Ninja Swordsmen!

"We’ll need to investigate this further! Leave it to the Anbu; they’re the experts!" Kakashi said dismissively, pulling a whistle from his pocket and blowing it toward the sky.

Shiro couldn’t help but admire Kakashi. No wonder he could hold his own against anyone. In addition to his elite Jonin skills, he had a sharp mind.

Kakashi’s behavior made it clear that he knew where these ninjas came from but just didn’t want to say it!

Luckily, Shiro didn’t have any sinister intentions right now; otherwise, no matter how stealthy he was, it would be hard to escape!

"Alright, Shiro, after what just happened, you shouldn’t be wandering around alone. Come home with me!" Raitou Bingzu patted Shiro’s shoulder.

Shiro nodded slightly, though there was still one more ninja he wanted to meet. He’d have to wait for another chance.

*(End of Chapter)*

---

*Chapter 9: Chōji’s Last Piece of Meat*

Following Tōzoku Raidō back home, Shiro’s temporary rental was right next to Raidō’s house.

Raidō, despite his cold exterior, had a warm heart. He had already prepared all the necessities for the room. Otherwise, with Shiro’s penniless situation, he might have starved even with a place to stay.

“Shiro, get ready. I’ve invited Genma and Washi for dinner. Don’t be late!”

Shiro’s eyes lit up!

Tōzoku Raidō, Shiranui Genma, and Washi Dai were the strongest delivery ninjas in the Naruto universe.

These three could perform the Flying Thunder Formation technique! During the Fourth Great Ninja War, it was with their help that the Fifth Mizukage was transported to the battlefield!

“Great! I’ll be there right away!”

Shiro was ecstatic, though not because he could secretly learn the Flying Thunder Formation—it was too cumbersome and mostly useful for delivering things anyway.

The real reason for his excitement was that he had been craving the delicacies of the Naruto world for a long time!

The most famous food in Konoha was Ichiraku Ramen!

It gained popularity thanks to Naruto Uzumaki, the main character, who loved eating it, leading to more screen time for the ramen shop.

Earlier, Shiro had passed by Ichiraku Ramen but, due to lack of money, could only watch Naruto eat it.

Now, however, they were headed for Konoha’s second most famous dish: barbecue!

For a meat lover, barbecue was like a second life!

Following Raidō into the barbecue restaurant, the aroma hit them even before they stepped inside.

As they entered, Shiranui Genma and Washi Dai were already there, and the meat had already been ordered.

Shiro also noticed Team 10 inside the restaurant!

Chōji Akimichi was happily devouring barbecue, while Shikamaru Nara, looking bored, occasionally put a piece of meat in his mouth. Ino Yamanaka was glaring at Chōji, clearly upset that her meat had been snatched.

Asuma Sarutobi, still grieving over the Third Hokage’s death, sat quietly, a far cry from his usual cheerful self.

Shiro’s arrival caught everyone’s attention, especially Ino Yamanaka, who quickly transformed from angry to a demure lady.

*Ding! Mission Triggered: Steal Chōji Akimichi’s Last Piece of Meat!*

1. Steal the meat and eat it immediately! Reward: Intermediate Speed Mastery!

2. Steal the meat and eat it after 15 seconds! Reward: Quick Hand Signs!

3. Steal the meat and throw it away! Reward: Intermediate Taijutsu Mastery!

Shiro's eye twitched. This was a suicide mission!

The last piece of meat was Chōji Akimichi’s ultimate limit! These options were testing the boundaries of Chōji's patience!

But seeing the reward, Shiro decided to go for Quick Hand Signs!

As a ninja specializing in Ninjutsu and Genjutsu, speed and precision were everything for overwhelming firepower!

With a large chakra reserve thanks to his initial Sage Body, the only thing he lacked was the speed of his hand signs. Quick Hand Signs would be the perfect addition to his arsenal!

"I choose 2!"

After choosing, Shiro took a deep breath and confidently walked toward Team 10.

On the grill was the last piece of meat, and Chōji’s eyes were fixed on it like a hawk.

As Shiro approached, Ino suddenly stood up, covering her mouth with her hands, catching Chōji's attention.

Seizing the moment, Shiro quickly grabbed the piece of meat with his chopsticks!

Chōji froze for a moment, then noticed that the familiar piece of meat was now missing from the grill. When he realized it was on Shiro’s chopsticks, he stood up angrily.

“The last piece of meat represents the pinnacle of flavor! It’s my very life! Give it back!”

Shiro swallowed nervously. Who knew the usually harmless Chōji could suddenly exude such a terrifying aura, like a demon from the underworld?

But there was no turning back now!

He wasn’t sure what the consequences of failing this mission would be, but he was certain they’d be unbearable.

“I stole this meat fair and square! Why should I give it back?” Shiro said, mentally counting down.

“Another troublesome guy…” Shikamaru sighed, rubbing his head in exasperation.

“Damn it! Give it back!” Chōji shouted, leaping from his seat and lunging at Shiro!

Shiro wasn’t the fastest ninja, but neither was Chōji. Thanks to the boost from his initial Sage Body, Shiro was much quicker than Chōji—unless he used that move.

But as Chōji charged like a raging bull, Shiro felt a shiver of fear run down his spine.

“Chōji! Just let him have the meat. It’s only one piece!” Ino scolded.

“No way! This last piece is my ninja way! I won’t give it up!”

The temptation of the meat made Chōji move even faster, almost doubling his speed and getting dangerously close to Shiro.

Shiro had never seen a chubby guy move so fast. He swore to himself that if he survived today, he would never mess with Chōji again.

3…

2…

1…

Time’s up!

At that moment, Shiro tossed the piece of meat into his mouth and chewed quickly, swallowing it in one gulp.

The rich aroma filled his nose, and the flavors of the grilled meat danced on his taste buds, sparking a strange sense of happiness.

Even though the Naruto world didn’t have many spices, the meat here was completely organic, untouched by pollution.

A simple preparation was enough to beat any famous barbecue restaurant!

“All right, I ate it. Next time, I’ll treat you to a barbecue. What are you going to—”

“You ate my last piece of meat?! Super Expansion Jutsu!”

Chōji roared, and his arms started growing rapidly until they were the size of a person.

*Ding! Recognizing Super Expansion Jutsu!*

Chōji began swinging his enlarged arms wildly, trying to grab Shiro.

Even though Chōji wasn’t faster than Shiro, the size of his hands made them move much more slowly, and he couldn’t even touch Shiro’s clothes.

However, the gusts from Chōji’s massive arms nearly knocked Shiro off his feet.

“Damn it! I’ve got no choice—Genjutsu! Sexy Jutsu!”

Shiro stopped in his tracks, his Sharingan spinning rapidly.

Chōji froze for a moment, but then his eyes flared up with anger again, and he lunged at Shiro.

Shiro was stunned.

His Genjutsu, which even worked on one of the Sannin, Orochimaru, had no effect on Chōji!

Great, now he was in real trouble. He had no idea how to get out of this mess…

*Chapter 10: The Akatsuki*

"Human Boulder!" Choji Akimichi shouted as he curled into a ball and began rolling at high speed.

Fortunately, they were already outside the barbecue restaurant, or else that move would have destroyed the entire place! Despite his large size, Choji's speed increased dramatically in his ball form, and even with the boost from Shiro’s Sage Body, it wasn’t enough to avoid him entirely.

“Damn it, I can’t keep dodging! Partial Expansion Jutsu!”

With a series of hand signs, Shiro’s hands grew larger, about the size of two full-grown people.

But despite the enlargement, his body didn’t strain from the increased size.

“Whoa! This jutsu is every guy’s dream... Wait, no, now’s not the time for that!”

Shiro swiftly raised his hands to block in front of his body.

Bam!

The impact forced Shiro back several steps. However, thanks to his enlarged hands and increased muscle mass, Choji, who was now the size of a bus, was stopped in his tracks!

“No way! The Expansion Jutsu is a secret technique of the Akimichi Clan, but this guy learned it just by watching? What kind of monster is he?” Asuma Sarutobi, who was initially going to intervene to stop the commotion, couldn’t help but mutter in shock when he saw Shiro’s jutsu.

Shiro wasn’t feeling great either. He wasn’t a Taijutsu-type ninja, and even though he had the Expansion Jutsu, his body couldn’t quite keep up.

If he wanted to simply defeat or kill Choji, it would’ve been easy for Shiro.

But doing it without hurting him? That was a challenge!

Choji looked at Shiro in disbelief. Just then, Ino Yamanaka ran over and punched Choji on the head.

“Idiot! Do you even know where we are? If you break something, how many plates of BBQ do you think we’ll have to miss out on?! And what if you hurt Shiro-kun?” Ino said, sneaking a shy glance at Shiro.

Choji rubbed the spot where he was hit, looking pitiful.

“But... that was the last piece of BBQ…”

“Alright! If you still want to eat, I’ll just order more,” Asuma said, stepping in to smooth things over.

“Really, Asuma-sensei?! Can I get two more orders?” Choji immediately perked up at the thought of more food.

“Shiro, don’t forget your promise to me. You owe me a BBQ meal!” Choji added.

Shiro forced a smile. Choji was such a foodie that he probably couldn’t remember anything else, but he’d never forget anything food-related! Given Choji’s appetite, Shiro would definitely go broke!

Shiro returned to his table, where Bingzu and the others had already ordered their BBQ.

The sizzling sound of meat on the grill filled the air, and the aroma wafted into Shiro’s nose. His taste buds, awakened by the smell of meat, urged him to grab his chopsticks.

One bite of BBQ, and a sense of satisfaction spread through his entire body.

Konoha! Coming here was definitely the right choice!

As the meal continued, Bingzu and the others started chatting.

Although Shiro was familiar with the world of Naruto, he couldn’t find a way to join in their conversation.

“With the events in the Land of Wind and the Third Hokage gone, I’m afraid the Hidden Mist and Hidden Cloud Villages won’t sit still for long!”

Shiro’s eyes lit up. The conversation had finally turned to something he could contribute to.

While he didn’t know much about ninja gossip, he definitely had insights about the larger political landscape!

“You don’t need to worry about that. The Hidden Mist is too preoccupied with their own issues to cause trouble for us. As for the Hidden Cloud, though they’re strong, there are two countries between us and them. A surprise attack would be difficult. In my opinion, the real threat right now is the Akatsuki!”

“The Akatsuki? What’s that?” Genma Shiranui perked up and asked quickly.

“The Akatsuki is an organization made up of nine rogue ninjas. Though there are only nine members, each one is on par with a village leader! Even Orochimaru was once a member.”

“What?! So does that mean the mastermind behind the attack on Konoha was the Akatsuki?”

“Not quite. Orochimaru left the Akatsuki a long time ago. This attack was likely his personal agenda. But the Akatsuki still needs to be taken seriously!”

“I have to report this to the higher-ups immediately!”

Bingzu and the others quickly left, leaving Shiro alone.

Shiro chuckled to himself. He’d finally joined the conversation, only to scare everyone away. Couldn’t he just enjoy a meal in peace?

Shaking his head, he grabbed another piece of BBQ.

“Wait! No one paid for the BBQ yet!”

Suddenly, Shiro was filled with dread.

He didn’t have any money on him. He’d come to mooch off Bingzu and the others.

Now that Bingzu, the rich guy, had left, who was going to pay?

Shiro wanted to smack himself. Why did he have to bring up the Akatsuki? Now he’d dug his own grave!

“Maybe I could offer to wash dishes to pay…”

Just as Shiro was trying to figure out an escape plan, he saw a girl with buns in her hair walk by outside.

Shiro’s eyes lit up, and he quickly ran out to block Tenten’s path.

Startled, Tenten instinctively reached for her weapon pouch.

But when she saw it was Shiro, her face flushed slightly.

“Oh, it’s Shiro-kun. What are you doing here?”

Shiro rubbed his hands together, feeling embarrassed.

“Well... could you lend me some money? I ran out…”

Tenten blinked in surprise, then quickly pulled out her pink wallet. Just as she was about to hand him some money, she paused and flashed a mischievous grin.

“I’ll lend you money, but you have to take a walk with me!”

Shiro nodded without hesitation. As long as he got the money, he didn’t mind walking with Tenten—or even taking another piece of meat from Choji!

“Deal, I’ll walk with you!”

After paying the bill, Shiro followed Tenten.

With Shiro by her side, Tenten’s face remained slightly flushed, and she occasionally stole glances at him.

Suddenly, she stopped in front of a flower shop.

Just as she was about to enter, she turned to Shiro and quickly explained:

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I’m buying flowers to visit a friend.”

Shiro immediately understood.

She must be talking about Rock Lee, her teammate, who had sustained severe injuries—crushing his bones and even damaging his chakra network—in his fight with Gaara.

If it hadn’t been for Tsunade’s intervention, Rock Lee would have been bound to crutches for life.

“Lee, huh?”

“You know Lee? It’s such a shame... he’ll never be a ninja again,” Tenten said, her face filled with sadness.

“No way! Lee’s determination is too strong. He’ll recover for sure! I bet you he’ll be back on his feet within a month!”

“Really? I believe you!”

(End of Chapter)