Kazuyama suppressed his dissatisfaction and continued listening to the Daimyō's speech.
"A declining clan like that is often the easiest to buy."
"And I've heard that while Kazuyama is powerful, he's also greedy and lustful—making him the perfect target!"
"My Daimyō's Manor lacks nothing, especially money! With the right price, I'm sure he'll come under my command!"
Kazuyama had to admit, at that moment, the Daimyō seemed somewhat handsome in his eyes.
After all, people who were willing to spend money were always good-looking.
Even though he already had 500 million ryō, who would complain about having more?
Sure, he was an intelligence officer, an ANBU of Konoha, and a team leader Jōnin. But no one had ever said someone in his position couldn't make a little extra money, right?
Besides, he was working for the Land of Fire anyway. Making some side income under the Daimyō's command didn't sound like a bad idea.
"That's true, but isn't he a bit young?"
"I still think we should find someone more stable. The team is still forming—they need a proper leader."
Before he could finish, the Daimyō waved his hand dismissively, his voice brimming with confidence.
"I know, don't worry—I have my own plan."
"Go make contact with him later. Especially you, Yanagimura."
"You're already in charge of the castle's security, so take some time to feel him out."
The old man in white, Yanagimura, nodded and accepted the task.
Seeing that the meeting was wrapping up, Kazuyama had no reason to stay. Without hesitation, he used the Flying Thunder God Technique to return to the courtyard the Daimyō had arranged for them.
"Kakashi, Obito, Rin, I'm back."
"Come, let's assign some tasks."
The moment they heard his voice, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin immediately took their positions.
"Kakashi, you and Rin go set up a perimeter outside the castle."
"Rin, you—"
[Ding! Detected that Kushina, due to the host's provocation, is preparing to welcome Minato back to the village with ropes, handcuffs, and various other indescribable items. Considering Minato's 'miserable' fate upon his return, the host has been rewarded with +4 Ninjutsu!]
Kazuyama suddenly felt a surge of energy rushing into his body, but that wasn't what shocked him the most. What truly stunned him was Kushina's… extreme enthusiasm for Minato.
My goodness, so many indescribable things? Isn't this a bit excessive?
Before he could process it, another prompt sounded.
[Ding! The host's ninjutsu attribute has reached the peak value of 100, activating ninjutsu power enhancement and nature transformation. The original ninjutsu value will now be converted into ninjutsu amplification.]
Oh my—finally, an attribute had maxed out! Ninjutsu Amplification and Nature Transformation? So there really was a limit to the base value, but no cap on further amplification.
Just as Kazuyama was about to open his panel to check, Rin's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Kazuyama-sensei?"
"Kazuyama-sensei, what's wrong with you? Just tell me what I'm supposed to do!"
He looked at Rin, who seemed anxious, and Kakashi and Obito, who both stared at him with curiosity.
Kazuyama coughed twice to ease the awkwardness.
"Rin, I suddenly remembered I have something to take care of. You go with Kakashi and Obito to secure the perimeter."
"Once you're done, all three of you head back to the residence and wait for me."
As soon as he finished speaking, he used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared in front of them.
His sudden departure left the three completely baffled.
"What's with Kazuyama-sensei? Is he under stress? Why is he acting so jumpy?" Obito muttered, adjusting his goggles in confusion.
Kakashi, unconsciously nodding, added something that was impossible to argue with.
"I've always felt like Kazuyama-sensei is a little crazy. Especially when he smiles—it makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up."
"And that One Thousand Years of Death technique… yeah, best to stay out of his way. Otherwise, you'll end up in trouble."
Rin pouted at their complaints.
"You two just badmouth Kazuyama-sensei behind his back—if he finds out, you'll regret it!"
"Alright, let's go set up the perimeter!"
Kakashi and Obito exchanged glances, immediately reading the same thought in each other's eyes:
Never mess with Kazuyama! No—never mess with someone who's mentally unstable!
Meanwhile, Kazuyama, completely unaware of how his students saw him, had found a tall building and was crouching on the rooftop, examining his panel.
The main panel remained unchanged, but the ninjutsu section had been updated.
Ninjutsu Amplification: 10
(After reaching 100 ninjutsu, amplification is now 10, increasing all ninjutsu power by 10% while also reducing the difficulty of nature transformation by 10%.)
The boost to ninjutsu amplification was easy enough to understand.
But the enhancement to nature transformation… that was a bit confusing.
Shape transformation and nature transformation were both ways to refine and strengthen jutsu.
Shape transformation altered the physical form of chakra to enhance a jutsu's effect—like how future Sasuke would modify Chidori into Chidori Current and Chidori Blade.
Nature transformation, however, was much more complex. In the original story, only Naruto successfully advanced Rasengan into Rasenshuriken, upgrading its rank from A to S—an immense leap in power. Throughout the entire series, Naruto was the only one to fully master it.
Improving nature transformation was like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate—it was an extraordinary feat.
"I have four elements, so theoretically, I can learn Rasengan too. And if that doesn't work, I can always create my own Rasenshuriken."
"It just needs Senjutsu to support it… and I have that as well!"
Thinking about the sheer destructive power of Rasenshuriken, Kazuyama's eyes gleamed.
He already had a plan in mind. He knew the core mechanics of Rasengan, so all he had to do was practice. By then, Minato would probably be jealous of him. Hmm… and that would make his attributes grow even faster.
However, aside from Wind Release, he had no real grasp of nature transformation for the other three elements.
Oh well, he'd take things as they came.
Casually activating Hive Mind, he searched for Kakashi's team.
Seeing the three properly setting up the perimeter around the castle, he nodded in satisfaction.
Despite his time away from the village, Pakura's training had clearly paid off—their progress was obvious.
Soon, night fell, and the team returned to their lodgings, ready to enjoy the food at the Daimyō's Manor.
"Tsk, tsk, no wonder this place is called the Daimyō's Manor," Kazuyama said, savoring a bite of tempura. "The food here is way too good."
The three young shinobi were just as captivated—so much so that they were practically about to eat their own tongues.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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