"Yoru, you're back!"
As soon as Gojo Yoru came out of the Hokage Building, he saw a beautiful figure pouncing towards him.
Looking at Uzumaki Kushina, who jumped on him and hugged him, ignoring the gazes of people around, Gojo Yoru looked a bit surprised: "Kushina, how did you know I was back?"
"Hehe... guess."
With her arms around Gojo Yoru's neck and her legs clamped around his waist, Uzumaki Kushina revealed a mysterious smile, her expression full of smugness.
Gojo Yoru knew very well that Uzumaki Kushina wasn't someone who could keep a secret.
And he went directly to Sarutobi Hiruzen to exchange for the Spirit Transformation Technique as soon as he returned, not seeing Uzumaki Kushina along the way.
However, it couldn't be ruled out that he was accidentally seen by Uzumaki Kushina while walking on the street.
But this situation wouldn't make the girl show a smug expression.
Ruling out this possibility, the only way Uzumaki Kushina could discover his return immediately was by sensing his Chakra.
Sensing...
Gojo Yoru's eyes lit up immediately. With his arms around Uzumaki Kushina's slender waist, he asked, "Did you awaken the Mind's Eye of the Kagura?"
"You guessed right. Isn't it amazing?"
Uzumaki Kushina held her head high, showing off: "Our Uzumaki Clan has a total of three unique abilities. Awakening any one of them makes you a genius, and I... hehe!"
At this moment, Uzumaki Kushina looked exactly like a child who got good grades and suddenly became incredibly proud.
She indeed had the capital to be proud.
Gojo Yoru praised generously: "Impressive, as expected of you."
"Hehe..."
Finally getting the reward she wanted, Uzumaki Kushina revealed a happy smile.
It was a pity her round face had shed its childishness and gradually turned into an exquisite oval face; otherwise, this slightly silly smile would definitely be very cute.
Looking at the two who were on extremely good terms, the people around showed smiles full of goodwill.
Gojo Yoru didn't like being stared at, so he hugged Uzumaki Kushina and teleported back home.
"Yoru, you ungrateful guy..."
As soon as they got home, Uzumaki Kushina changed her attitude.
Getting off Gojo Yoru, she reached out to pinch his waist.
Relying on his powerful neural reaction speed, Gojo Yoru easily restrained Uzumaki Kushina's action like picking up a fly with chopsticks, slapped the back of her head, and said grumpily: "Where did you get this bad habit? Trying to murder me?"
Uzumaki Kushina covered her head with both hands, puffing her cheeks: "You bit me so many times a while ago, and I didn't complain about the pain. Now I can't even pinch you once without getting hit?"
"Biting back is fine, pinching is not."
Gojo Yoru pinched Uzumaki Kushina's small face with both hands, pulling gently, and smiled: "Only I can pinch you; you can't pinch me."
This direct hit instantly made the girl's cheeks flush red.
To cover up the shyness in her heart, Uzumaki Kushina smiled mischievously: "Fine, then let me bite back."
"No problem."
Gojo Yoru immediately made a gesture to undo his belt.
Uzumaki Kushina stammered instantly: "Wh... what are you doing?"
"Letting you bite my butt," Gojo Yoru said matter-of-factly. "You bare your teeth all day; no place is more suitable for you to bite."
"...Go to hell."
Uzumaki Kushina was so angry her hair rose against gravity, and she punched at Gojo Yoru.
Prepared, Gojo Yoru easily dodged Uzumaki Kushina's fist, and the two started roughhousing at home as usual.
From their conversation, it wasn't hard to see that Gojo Yoru often came back to bite Uzumaki Kushina to recover Chakra some time ago.
Training hard for over a month to develop the A-rank Chidori series, with rapid progress in shape transformation and developing derivative techniques for the "Space-Time Bomb," besides the talent improvement from the second evolution, Uzumaki Kushina deserved the most credit.
Every time his ordinary Chakra ran out, Gojo Yoru would use the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to Konoha, use Uzumaki Kushina's Heal Bite to recover Chakra, and then continue training.
Otherwise, with Gojo Yoru's Chakra amount, even with amazing talent, he couldn't have improved Lightning Release nature transformation and shape transformation to this level in just over a month, and successfully developed new space-time moves.
From the bedroom to the living room, and from the living room to the kitchen, Gojo Yoru wore a punchable smile, using his neural reaction speed to tease Uzumaki Kushina like walking a dog, but his heart trembled slightly.
With every missed punch accumulating rage, Uzumaki Kushina's hair rose like a Super Saiyan, and her dark blue eyes had turned into red vertical pupils at some point.
These eyes, combined with the baring teeth expression and long red hair, made her look exactly like a fox in human form.
Although seeing such eyes for the first time, Gojo Yoru was no stranger to them.
This was the precursor to Nine-Tails Chakra starting to leak.
In the original work, Uzumaki Naruto, possessing a powerful seal, went through several stages of Tailed Beast transformation: first, eyes turning into red vertical pupils with uncontrollable Nine-Tails Chakra leakage, then borrowing Nine-Tails Chakra, then entering semi-Tailed Beast transformation due to emotions, finally suppressing the Nine-Tails to snatch Chakra for Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, and Kurama Mode after gaining the Nine-Tails' approval.
Uzumaki Kushina didn't have the Eight Trigrams Seal composed of two Four Symbols Seals in her body, and the Nine-Tails was complete.
She certainly wouldn't go through stages one by one like Uzumaki Naruto.
Previously protected by Uzumaki Mito's Chakra, Uzumaki Kushina was a talented Uzumaki clan member, just possessing the recovery power of a Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and having an astonishing amount of Chakra due to the Nine-Tails' influence.
But now, Uzumaki Kushina's eyes turning into the Nine-Tails' eyes meant the seal left by Uzumaki Mito's Chakra had begun to weaken.
Once the Nine-Tails broke through this layer of seal, if Uzumaki Kushina didn't have the means to suppress it, she would enter semi-Tailed Beast transformation at any time, directly into a state with several tails capable of using the Tailed Beast Bomb.
Without the suppression of the Sharingan and Sealing Jutsu, Uzumaki Kushina alone could destroy Konoha.
It seems during this 'vacation', besides researching the Spirit Transformation Technique, I also need to make time to cultivate Sealing Jutsu.
Gojo Yoru thought to himself.
...
Time flowed like sand in an hourglass; each grain of sand was a picture of the past, be it the lives of commoners, the extravagance of nobles, the fighting of ninjas, a major event, or someone's experience...
Unknowingly, Konoha Year 36 also came to an end, about to turn to a new chapter.
During this period, the Sand battle line between the Land of Rain and the Land of Rivers, and the Stone battle line between the Land of Rain and the Land of Grass, still hadn't withdrawn, still fighting fiercely with Konoha's White Fang battle line and Pot King battle line.
However, the situation now was much better than before.
Amegakure's withdrawal and the protection of the Demigod of the Ninja World allowed residents who fled the Land of Rain to return to this country.
Surrounding small countries also dared to enter the Land of Rain for trade or pass through the Land of Rain to do business in the Land of Fire and other countries.
This was the importance of the Land of Rain.
As the junction of three major powers, once war broke out, this place would definitely become the main battlefield. Then surrounding small countries could only trade within certain areas; otherwise, they had to pass through the Land of Wind and Land of Rivers, or pass through the Land of Grass/Land of Waterfalls and Land of Earth, or take the sea route around half the Ninja Continent to reach another area with great effort.
The time and money required for this journey were astronomical, with risks of encountering bandits and rogue ninjas. They might need to hire ninjas for the round trip, and ninja villages would raise prices based on distance and time.
The two years of four-nation melee not only affected their economy but also the economy of the entire Ninja Continent.
Only now did the situation begin to improve.
...
Southern area of the Land of Rain.
A small river flowed gently.
At this moment, a small figure stood on the river surface, hands dancing, forming different seals.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
With a shout, countless tons of water formed a huge water dragon soaring from the river surface, flying an unknown distance before falling back into the river, splashing a huge water column.
Seeing this scene, the small figure didn't smile with satisfaction immediately but turned to look at the shore.
Seeing the person on the shore applauding him, a happy smile appeared on his face. He ran back and asked, "Konan-sama, how was my performance just now?"
"Very impressive, extremely impressive."
Konan gave Nagato a thumbs-up and praised sincerely: "Becoming a ninja for less than three months, your Chakra amount far surpasses mine. Cultivating Water Release nature transformation from scratch, learning the B-rank Water Dragon Bullet in less than a week, and simplifying forty-four hand seals to seven."
"Nagato, you are absolutely a super genius."
Receiving Konan's praise, Nagato smiled somewhat shyly: "Konan-sama, you flatter me. My little Ninjutsu talent is nothing compared to you, who are already developing Hiden techniques."
The smile on Konan's face froze slightly, then relying on her absolute height advantage, she gently punched Nagato's head.
Looking at Nagato covering his head with a confused face, Konan lectured: "That's not how you praise people. You don't know how long I spent developing Hiden techniques and how long I haven't made progress. Saying this easily offends people, understand?"
"So... sorry." Nagato apologized hurriedly.
"Hehe... forgiven."
Looking at Nagato, who was as weak as a girl, Konan finally experienced the feeling of being a big sister.
So raising a younger brother was just like raising a pet; so fun.
But this younger brother seemed ridiculously strong.
Although Gojo Yoru had warned Konan, witnessing Nagato surpass her nearly two years of effort in less than three months still made Konan feel dazed and pressured.
She must develop Paper Release as soon as possible, then obtain Amegakure's Explosive Tag Barrier, using Paper Release and Explosive Tag Barrier to cover the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags Technique, paired with the Sealing Jutsu Yoru-sama taught.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have the dignity of "Konan-sama" and a big sister in front of Nagato.
"Let's go, continue looting corpses to find ways to become stronger."
Slapping Nagato's head again, Konan imitated Gojo Yoru, leaving with her hands in her pockets.
Nagato hurriedly followed, looking at Konan's back with eyes full of admiration.
Nagato, who hadn't turned dark yet, was a male version of Konan.
Accurately speaking, he, Konan, Haku, and Kaguya Kimimaro were all the same kind of people.
Clearly, their parents died at the hands of Konoha ninjas, yet they didn't hate Konoha or have thoughts of revenge; instead, they fell into confusion.
After being saved by Konan and becoming a ninja, he completely became Konan's appendage. His motivation to become stronger was to repay Konan and help her achieve that "important thing."
Konan, Haku, Kaguya Kimimaro, and even Uzumaki Kushina were all like this.
This seemed to be a common problem among war orphans.
In contrast, Yahiko, also a war orphan, didn't initially aim to achieve peace in the Ninja World through non-violent means but to become the god of this world.
His death also led to Nagato, who was attached to him, turning dark, then turning his corpse into the Deva Path of Pain to realize the initial concept.
Speaking of Yahiko, the scene switched to the tower in Amegakure.
With the secret help of the White Zetsu clone, Hanzo the Salamander, whose injuries had healed, looked at the orange-haired boy kneeling on one knee below, shirtless, with eyes full of appreciation: "Living towards death. I didn't expect you, not even a ninja, to possess such strong will, surviving that crisis where unknown numbers of people died. Perhaps... this is heaven's will."
After speaking, Hanzo the Salamander suddenly looked serious: "Yahiko, are you willing to become this old man's disciple?"
"I am willing!"
Yahiko looked up with joy in his eyes, responding loudly.
Looking closely, one would find a stitched scar on Yahiko's lower left back, as if he had undergone some surgery.
And indeed, it was so.
Hanzo the Salamander didn't know someone was helping him in secret.
He thought his survival was due to Yahiko's timely report, allowing Sakawa to find him and bring him back to Amegakure for treatment.
There were so many caves in the rocky mountain area, yet he coincidentally chose the place where Yahiko lived. The other party was also a war orphan of Amegakure and his "savior."
Such fate and kindness made Hanzo the Salamander decide to repay this junior.
When he asked what Yahiko wanted, the latter's answer was the same as asking Jiraiya to take him as a disciple in the original work: he hoped Hanzo the Salamander would take him as a disciple.
Hanzo the Salamander hesitated.
Not because he was unwilling to take disciples; on the contrary, Hanzo the Salamander always longed to find someone who could inherit his mantle.
But to become his disciple, one must pass a test.
That was... implanting a poison sac into one's body and surviving.
Over the years, many Rain ninjas with outstanding assassination talent favored by Hanzo the Salamander fell at this hurdle.
Over time, Hanzo the Salamander felt he was a special case and no longer had the idea of taking disciples.
But now, a child who wasn't even a ninja actually passed the test that stumped a large number of geniuses.
Plus fate and the grace of saving his life, as well as Amegakure's withdrawal, suddenly finding an heir when giving up unrealistic dreams, made Hanzo the Salamander feel this was heaven's will.
It was heaven not wanting to see the Land of Rain, the junction of three countries, divided by the three major powers after his death, the name disappearing from the map of the Ninja World, so it specially sent an heir to his side.
Thus, the "Deva Path of Pain," who also ruled Amegakure in the original work, embarked on a different path of rule.
...
"Rasengan!"
Konoha, a training ground in the forest.
With a shout, a golden-haired boy, holding a blue-white energy sphere in his hand, pressed it against a large tree.
With a loud boom, the tough trunk was instantly blasted with a gap covered in spiral patterns, then emitted the sound of breaking unable to support itself, crashing to the ground and kicking up a large cloud of dust.
Leaping back in advance to escape the dust cloud, Namikaze Minato smiled and murmured, "Finally mastered it."
Clap clap clap...
Applause rang out.
Jiraiya walked over, giving Namikaze Minato a thumbs-up: "Learning the Rasengan in less than five days, this great one guessed right. You are not a Body Flicker and Sealing Jutsu genius, but possess Chakra control talent on the same level as your neural reaction speed."
"I now believe more and more that you, Minato, will definitely become the third Flying Thunder God user in Konoha."
At this point, Jiraiya looked excited: "When you learn the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato, this great one must show off in front of Orochimaru. My judgment was indeed correct."
Seeing Jiraiya already treating him as a Flying Thunder God user, Namikaze Minato smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Jiraiya-sensei, I'm still far from mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique."
Although he said this, the blue eyes of Namikaze Minato burned with the flame of fighting spirit.
Even if still lagging behind, just like in the Ninja Academy, he... seemed to still have the qualification to catch up.
Speaking of who suffered the greatest psychological impact from Gojo Yoru turning from an unknown Genin into a big shot known to everyone in the Ninja World in these two years?
It wasn't Kitsuchi, who was a few years older than Gojo Yoru and had been paying attention to him for two years, witnessing his rise with his own eyes.
But those classmates who were in the same class and grade as Gojo Yoru, who after graduation didn't need to go to the front line, just joined the support unit, mostly staying in the village, occasionally rotating to escort supplies to the three major defense lines.
While everyone was still joining the support unit due to insufficient strength, occasionally going to the battle line...
One of them actually went to the front line and, in less than two years, turned from a Genin into an ace combatant, becoming one of the commanders of the border battle line, creating incredible records one after another, defeating even the Demigod of the Ninja World.
Every time they went to the three major defense lines and heard about Gojo Yoru, those classmates would feel dazed.
Classmates, juniors, and seniors who were once bullied by Gojo Yoru even developed a sense of honor from admiring the strong.
Even Namikaze Minato, whose strength didn't match his ninja rank at all, with extremely fast Body Flicker speed capable of easily defeating and killing high-level ninjas by assassination, couldn't see hope of catching up.
His talent and growth speed were recognized and marveled at by Jiraiya-sensei many times.
But compared to Gojo Yoru, it seemed they were not in the same dimension.
Just what he heard included the Super S-rank Flying Thunder God Technique and S-rank Secret Technique Yin Seal, the hand-seal-less Ninjutsu Rasengan developed by Gojo Yoru before graduation which matched perfectly with the Flying Thunder God Technique, as well as the powerful Black Lightning secret technique and the suspected synthesized Kekkei Genkai Storm Release.
In everyone's eyes, Gojo Yoru was a super genius seen once in decades, highly likely to become the pinnacle of the Five Kage like the Second Hokage, Second Tsuchikage, Second Mizukage, Third Raikage, and Third Tsuchikage in the future.
Such terrifying records and talent made the name "Gojo Yoru" carry a powerful prestige. Just hearing it would cause feelings of powerlessness and fear, let alone catching up and comparing.
But the independent scroll Jiraiya gave him not long ago ignited Namikaze Minato's hope of catching up again.
The core of the Flying Thunder God Technique turned out to be extraordinary neural reaction speed, followed by Sealing Jutsu talent—accurately speaking, Chakra control talent, which also had to be extraordinary like neural reaction speed.
And Namikaze Minato had both these cores.
Besides Gojo Yoru who had already mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique, he was the person in Konoha with the most hope of learning this technique.
Once successfully mastered, he would be the third Flying Thunder God user in Konoha.
Although Gojo Yoru mastered many Ninjutsu, his two titles "Black Flash" and "Number One Speed in the Ninja World" were achieved by the Flying Thunder God Technique.
The Flying Thunder God Technique was his biggest reliance.
As long as Namikaze Minato mastered the Flying Thunder God Technique and enriched his Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, and Genjutsu arsenal, he might not be unable to catch up.
Thinking of this, Namikaze Minato was full of motivation to become stronger.
Two years passed, and Namikaze Minato had long let go of unrealistic fantasies.
The crush on that red-haired girl back then had also faded away.
He wanted to catch up with Gojo Yoru purely out of a genius's pride, wanting to defeat Gojo Yoru once, not wanting to be the eternal second place.
Jiraiya didn't know his disciple actually regarded that monster Gojo Yoru as a goal to catch up with.
Otherwise, he would definitely persuade Namikaze Minato to give up this hopeless goal.
Even Hanzo the Salamander, the Demigod of the Ninja World, only forced out Gojo Yoru's incredibly fast laser beam. Jiraiya still didn't know what the secret was that made Orochimaru certain he would become the new generation God of Shinobi, and made the Slug Sage call him a "New Miracle of the Ninja World."
To make his good friend so confident, and even the Slug Sage, one of the Three Great Sages, give such a high evaluation, Jiraiya absolutely didn't believe Gojo Yoru's hidden secret was just a Kekkei Genkai fusing Black Lightning and Storm Release, or a Kekkei Tota similar to Dust Release.
Even less likely was the earliest exposed Flying Thunder God Technique.
After all, the Second Hokage who invented the Flying Thunder God Technique wasn't even a Demigod of the Ninja World.
...
Gojo Yoru didn't know the butterfly effect he caused changed the fates of some important characters, leading them down paths different from the original work, possibly resulting in more trendsetters in the next era.
Even if he knew, Gojo Yoru wouldn't care.
This was inevitable.
From the moment he intercepted Uzumaki Kushina, he had already caused the biggest butterfly effect.
This butterfly effect made it highly likely that the protagonist of Naruto wouldn't appear, or even if he appeared, he wouldn't be the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, nor would he be surnamed Uzumaki anymore.
Gojo Yoru could even say a classic quote decades in advance: "I didn't kill Boruto, but Boruto died because of me."
Compared to this butterfly effect, the changes in Orochimaru and Konan's fates, Nagato no longer being Yahiko's appendage, Yahiko becoming Hanzo the Salamander's disciple, and Namikaze Minato mastering the Rasengan in advance were nothing.
As the "butterfly" flapping its wings, Gojo Yoru would cause more butterfly effects, gradually losing the advantage of knowing the plot.
Because... the plot would become unrecognizable.
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