Konoha
After the crisis involving Satoru and the Grass Ninja squad was fully resolved, the atmosphere within Konoha gradually settled—though traces of chaos still lingered everywhere.
Inside the emergency medical zone, Qingshui stood at the center, leading a team of medical ninjas as they treated the wounded who had suffered injuries during the brief but violent incident.
The smell of antiseptic herbs filled the air.
Groans of pain echoed intermittently, mixed with hurried footsteps and low, anxious voices. Compared to the battlefield, this place was quieter, yet no less tense.
One by one, injured shinobi were carried in.
And one by one, they were healed by Qingshui's hands.
As news of his actions during the incident spread throughout the village, every ninja who received treatment from him instinctively showed deep respect—almost reverence.
Even seasoned jōnin were no exception.
They looked at the young man before them with complex expressions: gratitude, admiration, and a trace of disbelief.
This was no longer just an exceptionally talented medical ninja.
He had become a symbol.
"Lord Qingshui, thank you for your trouble."
A jōnin bowed deeply after being treated.
"You're welcome," Qingshui replied calmly, his tone gentle and steady. "It's my duty."
This exchange repeated itself countless times throughout the day.
Yet no matter how many times he said it, Qingshui never showed the slightest impatience. His movements remained precise, his chakra control flawless.
At that moment, a familiar system notification appeared before his eyes.
[Completed the treatment of Yamanaka Fuya. Reward: One Golden Orb.]
[Congratulations! You have obtained Ninja Art: Mind Communication Technique.]
Qingshui paused briefly, absorbing the information.
Yamanaka Fuya was a jōnin of the Yamanaka clan. During the battle with Satoru, he had attempted to use the Mind Transfer Jutsu but was counterattacked, leaving his spiritual energy damaged.
The Mind Communication Technique was a rare and valuable jutsu.
It allowed the user to transmit their voice directly into another person's mind, enabling instant and secure communication over long distances.
In the original storyline, during the Fourth Great Shinobi War, Yamanaka Inoichi had used this very technique to relay commands from the headquarters to the entire Allied Shinobi Forces.
Its strategic value was immeasurable.
Just as Qingshui finished registering the reward, Yamanaka Fuya smiled warmly at him.
"Lord Qingshui is truly young and promising," Fuya said sincerely. "If only my Inoichi could be as outstanding as you."
Qingshui blinked slightly.
Only then did he realize—
Yamanaka Fuya was Inoichi's father.
That explained the man's eagerness to speak with him.
Naturally, Fuya wanted to establish goodwill with this rapidly rising star of Konoha.
The three great clans of Ino–Shika–Chō had always been firm supporters of the Hokage faction.
And Qingshui's close relationship with Tsunade was no secret among the upper ranks of the village.
Even though Tsunade had not officially accepted him as a disciple, in the eyes of outsiders, their relationship was already that of master and student.
Qingshui smiled modestly.
"Senior Yamanaka, you flatter me. With your guidance, your son will surely become an outstanding jōnin in the future."
He wasn't just being polite.
Although Yamanaka Inoichi was still young—several years younger than Qingshui—
the man would one day become the head of the Yamanaka clan and the captain of Konoha's Analysis Division.
Alongside Nara Shikaku and Akimichi Chōza, he would form one of the most legendary trios in the shinobi world.
"I'll take your good wishes to heart," Fuya said with a satisfied smile.
Not wanting to delay Qingshui's work any further, he soon excused himself.
"Please take care, Senior Yamanaka," Qingshui said politely.
As Fuya left, Qingshui's gaze lingered for a moment.
He understood perfectly well that this interaction represented more than personal gratitude.
It was a signal.
A stance.
To a certain extent, the attitude of Yamanaka Fuya reflected the position of the Ino–Shika–Chō clans toward him.
As clans second only to the Uchiha and Hyūga in influence within Konoha, maintaining a positive relationship with them could only bring benefits.
After that, Qingshui returned to his duties.
Although Satoru's attack had been brief, the damage it caused was far from small.
Many were injured.
Some, unable to evade in time, had lost their lives instantly.
The medical tents remained busy until long after sunset.
Only when the sky had completely darkened did Qingshui finally get a moment to rest.
Exhausted yet satisfied, he returned briefly to his office and leaned back in his chair.
Despite his fatigue, a smile slowly spread across his face.
That was because—
His chakra had finally broken through the threshold.
[Chakra: B-rank (100,240 / 1,000,000)]
He had surpassed one hundred thousand chakra.
B-rank.
Although it couldn't be described as a "chakra monster", very few ninjas across the entire shinobi world could rival him in terms of raw reserves.
Yet when Qingshui glanced at the requirement for A-rank chakra—
one million—
he couldn't help but smile bitterly.
If he relied solely on conventional training and system rewards, it would likely take at least ten years to reach that level.
And that was only A-rank.
As for S-rank…
Given a normal ninja's lifespan, it might be completely unattainable.
"Well," Qingshui exhaled softly, "that's a problem for the future."
Right now, there was something far more exciting waiting for him.
A treasure chest.
When his chakra had reached B-rank, the system had immediately rewarded him with his second treasure chest.
He simply hadn't had time to open it yet.
The Copy Scroll from the first treasure chest had allowed him to copy the Rinnegan.
That alone was enough to be described as heaven-defying.
Naturally, his expectations for the second treasure chest were extremely high.
Taking a deep breath, Qingshui focused his mind and opened it.
[Congratulations! You have obtained the Talent Scroll.]
Qingshui's eyes widened.
Like the Copy Scroll, the Talent Scroll was a one-time special item.
Once used, it would randomly elevate one of the user's talents to the highest possible level.
After fully understanding its function, Qingshui felt a surge of excitement.
As expected of a system reward.
It didn't disappoint.
He had already experienced firsthand just how terrifying top-level talent could be.
His initial top-level Medical Ninjutsu talent had allowed him to rapidly grow from a novice into a fully qualified medical ninja.
Without it, he would never have been able to unlock the system's true potential.
Later, his top-level Water Release talent made learning Water Release jutsu effortless and automatically elevated all Water Release techniques to mastery level.
The ability to perform one-handed seals alone was enough to overwhelm most opponents.
Without hesitation, Qingshui activated the Talent Scroll.
[Congratulations! You have obtained Top-Level Sealing Jutsu Talent.]
Sealing Jutsu.
Qingshui's pupils contracted slightly.
As the name implied, Sealing Jutsu was a highly specialized field capable of sealing chakra, souls, objects, and even entire beings.
The Uzumaki clan—Kushina's clan—had been especially famous for their mastery of sealing techniques.
In the shinobi world, Sealing Jutsu was considered one of the most versatile and terrifying arts.
There was almost nothing it couldn't seal.
Even Ōtsutsuki Kaguya—the so-called Ancestor of Chakra—had ultimately been sealed away through Sealing Jutsu.
Qingshui slowly clenched his fist.
This talent…
Its potential was immeasurable.
Just as he was processing this gain, the office door opened.
"Qingshui, you haven't had dinner yet, right?"
Mikoto stepped inside, carrying a lunch box in her hands.
She had noticed that he had been treating patients nonstop all day and hadn't even touched a meal. Concerned, she had gone home specifically to prepare dinner herself.
"I made all of this," Mikoto said softly, opening the lunch box. "I hope it suits your taste."
The moment the lid lifted, a rich fragrance filled the room.
Qingshui was genuinely surprised.
"It smells amazing," he said honestly. "I never realized your cooking was this good, Mikoto. You're the perfect wife I've always dreamed of."
Mikoto's cheeks flushed instantly.
But her eyes shone with happiness.
She picked up some food with her chopsticks and gently fed it to him.
Qingshui opened his mouth without hesitation.
Though it was simple home-cooked food, it tasted far better than anything he usually made himself.
Perhaps it was what one might call a "wife bonus."
Soon, Qingshui wrapped an arm around Mikoto's slender waist as she continued feeding him.
He filled up quickly.
"Mikoto," Qingshui suddenly said.
"Yes?" she asked, puzzled.
"This is all your fault."
Mikoto blinked in confusion.
"Because your cooking is too delicious," Qingshui continued seriously. "At this rate, I won't be able to eat my own cooking anymore. I'll starve to death."
"If you like it," Mikoto said with a gentle smile, "I'll cook for you from now on."
That smile made her even more beautiful.
Unable to resist, Qingshui leaned forward and kissed her soft lips.
Mikoto didn't refuse.
She responded naturally, warmly.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A sudden knock interrupted the moment.
"Qingshui," a familiar voice called from outside, "Grandma Mito asked me to find you. She wants to see you."
It was Kushina.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)