Yamashita Shige directly regarded Kairen as his ancestor, repeating endlessly about repaying his debt of gratitude, even threatening Kairen that if he didn't order him around in the future, he would immediately commit seppuku.
"No need! No need!"
"No, benefactor, if you don't treat me as your retainer from now on… I'll commit seppuku!"
Kairen had underestimated how important an arm was to a person. After all, it was like losing half a lifetime's spouse — anyone would feel unsettled by that.
Kairen had given Yamashita Shige new life, making him practically his second parent.
Those around them truly realized Kairen's sage-like nature. Several people fell to their knees, hugging Kairen's legs, tearfully begging:
"Sage, Sage, please save my father! He lost an arm and spends his days drowning in alcohol. If he keeps going like this, he'll throw his life away."
"Sage! Sage, save my daughter! She was born with a terminal illness—she's only four!"
...
A large crowd clamored noisily. Kairen raised a hand and spoke loudly:
"I don't have time right now. Go to the Senju household tonight—I'll treat all of you then."
The greater the power, the greater the responsibility. He even carried Spider-Man attributes! How could he watch people die?
"Alright! Alright!"
The group bowed low to the ground, hope igniting in their hearts.
Yamashita Shige pulled Kairen over and lifted one of the watermelons from his stall.
"Benefactor, all my watermelons are yours."
Kairen shook his head.
"Just pick out ten good ones for me."
"Alright! At once! Benefactor, wait here!"
Yamashita Shige slowly lifted the melons stacked on top, flipping up the ones at the bottom.
While doing so, he forced an awkward smile at Kairen.
"The good melons are at the bottom. The ones on top… I watered them with Water Release."
Kairen froze. As expected, melon sellers could never be trusted.
Yakushi Nono slowly approached Kairen and tugged lightly at his sleeve.
Kairen turned around, seeing the earnest expression on Yakushi Nono's face.
"What is it?"
Yakushi Nono's voice carried deep sincerity.
"Could you use your sage techniques to help the children at the orphanage?"
Kairen immediately understood. Most of the children there were war orphans, some abandoned because of severe illness or congenital issues. There must have been many with physiological problems.
Yakushi Nono must have worn herself out caring for them.
Kairen smiled.
"Of course."
A faint smile touched Yakushi Nono's lips, and for an instant, the golden-haired beauty looked like the gentle harvest of September, dazzling with quiet warmth.
Kairen extended a hand and raised an eyebrow at her.
Yakushi Nono sighed helplessly and placed her delicate hand into his.
This time, the coldness in her heart passed into Kairen's, and his warmth traveled into her hand. Their feelings intermingled.
It felt as if Yakushi Nono realized… that outside the orphanage, there was also light.
Kairen gently stroked her hand, clicking his tongue as he remarked:
"Soft and smooth—great. You definitely won't scrape your skin pulling radishes."
"…"
Yakushi Nono instantly retracted the soft thoughts she'd just had. She tried to pull her hand back, but Kairen's overwhelming strength didn't allow it.
"The melons are picked, benefactor! Let me carry them back for you!"
Yamashita Shige finished selecting ten good melons, his face full of pleading, eager to help Kairen.
Kairen shook his head. With a snap of his fingers, a white horse appeared out of thin air.
He placed the melons on the horse, then glanced at the gentle beauty beside him.
"Ah—!"
Yakushi Nono cried out as, under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Kairen wrapped an arm around her waist and leapt onto the horse.
"Put me down! Put me down right now!" Yakushi Nono struggled nonstop. Being held from behind like this, with Kairen controlling the reins, was far too embarrassing.
"Everyone—until we meet again!"
Kairen waved to the crowd and galloped away.
Yamashita Shige watched Kairen's departure with deep regret on his face, as though failing to help him truly filled him with shame.
If he couldn't help Kairen even once in the future, he really would feel ashamed.
...
Inside the Hokage Building, three Konoha elders gathered, joined by the Nara clan's strategist—Nara Shige.
The four stood over a newspaper on the table, bearing a panda logo. They stared at the defamatory illustrations, their brows furrowed into three identical 川 shapes.
Sarutobi Hiruzen took a heavy drag of smoke. He had been furious when he first saw it, but as a veteran shinobi, he composed himself after a moment.
Mitokado Homura and Koharu Utatane remained frowning. That Blunt Kairen's writing was sharp as blades—those mocking words alone were enough to infuriate anyone.
Mitokado Homura spoke coldly:
"Who is this Blunt Kairen? Send the ANBU to arrest him. I want to interrogate him thoroughly—how big must his guts be to slander us like this?"
Nara Shige shook his head.
"The ANBU already went. They captured someone named Soon Joe, but it turned out to be the wrong person, so they released him."
Koharu clenched her fists tightly.
"Then why not shut that newspaper down and recall all circulating issues?"
"Huu…"
Sarutobi Hiruzen exhaled another puff of smoke, still silent, as though his thoughts were unreachable.
Nara Shige then said:
"The one backing that newspaper… is Moku Kairen."
"…"
The air fell dead still. That name represented absolute power—the vast, empty Forest of Death was proof of that.
After a long moment, a frustrated voice broke the silence.
"Moku Kairen! That damned brat!" Koharu fumed.
"The village has already compromised so much with him. What more does he want? Does he intend to lead those peasants in rebellion?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen cast a complex glance at the seat beside him—once belonging to Danzō, now filled by Nara Shige.
Sarutobi spoke, his words carrying suppressed anger:
"He wants Tsunade to become Hokage's assistant. That kid has already begun reaching for political power."
Mitokado Homura frowned.
"And we're just going to let him make trouble like this?"
A cold intensity burst forth from Sarutobi Hiruzen's small frame—the resolve of a veteran shinobi.
"I can give them many things. But power? No. If I don't give it, they're not allowed to take it."
In the original timeline, many people had touched Sarutobi Hiruzen's cheese—White Fang, Orochimaru, Namikaze Minato, the Uchiha clan… Those who reached for his power either became puppets or… gravestones.
"Hiruzen, what do you plan to do?"
"Summon the clan heads and elders of all major shinobi clans. As long as they refuse to vote, no matter how much noise the villagers make, it won't matter."
From somewhere in the unseen distance, a report echoed:
"Reporting, Pangolin No. 2 has successfully completed the eavesdropping mission!"
Kairen hadn't created just one pangolin. He had No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5… all the attachments.
Every major clan had his spies. No household could escape a pangolin's infiltration.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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