Sora returned home to find Uzumaki Kushina wasn't there. She must have gone on a mission.
Today, Danzo had proposed to Hiruzen Sarutobi a change in the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki candidate. Although Hiruzen hadn't explicitly agreed, the matter seemed almost settled.
Uzumaki Mito had barely a year left to live, and this war certainly wouldn't end within that timeframe.
As long as Sora remained an important figure in the plan to contain the Uchiha clan, Hiruzen would have to consider his preferences.
With Danzo advocating for him, this matter was nearly resolved.
After years of hard work, finally seeing success brought a satisfied smile to Sora's face.
Once the matter with Uzumaki Kushina was resolved, Sora would be free to choose his path. He could either continue developing in the shadows of Konoha or leave the village entirely.
In a much more relaxed mood, Sora activated his system.
As soon as it initialized, a prompt appeared.
[Witnessed important event: Yahiko's death. Reward: 20,000 witness points.]
Sora was surprised.
The reward matched what he'd received for changing Hatake Kakashi's life trajectory.
Still, Sora felt this reward was quite reasonable.
Yahiko's death itself wasn't particularly significant. What truly mattered was Nagato's transformation—from a kind-hearted idealist to an extremist.
Sora checked his character panel.
[Character: Sora]
[Bloodline: Uchiha clan, Senju clan]
[Kekkei Genkai: Mangekyō Sharingan]
[Chakra: Equivalent to three-Sharingan Kakashi]
[Ninjutsu: E-rank Clone Jutsu, C-rank Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu...]
[Genjutsu: Sharingan Genjutsu, Visual Prowess...]
[Taijutsu: Shuriken Throwing Grandmaster, C-rank Physical Techniques...]
[Abilities: Dōjutsu: Almighty Rejection, Dōjutsu: Unseen Moon, Thunder Breathing, Observation Haki]
[Remaining Witness Points: 42,000 points]
Looking at his panel, Sora couldn't help but marvel at how well-rounded his abilities had become. He had virtually no weaknesses.
After closing the system, Sora used Observation Haki to scan his surroundings.
Confirming that no one was watching, Sora formed hand signs.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A puff of smoke appeared, revealing a white snake with a visibly swollen belly.
When the white snake saw Sora, it greeted him enthusiastically: "Master Sora~"
Since becoming Sora's summon, the white snake had lived quite comfortably.
Whenever summoned, it was well-fed, and had grown noticeably fatter.
Now, if Sora told it to go east, it would never go west. If told to devour someone, it would do so without question. If told to die... well, that would be a different story. In the face of real danger, it would certainly be the first to flee.
"Release him," Sora commanded.
"Yes, right away."
The white snake opened its mouth wide. Its belly squirmed grotesquely before it regurgitated the slimy form of Yahiko.
The white snake addressed Sora: "As you instructed, Lord Sora, after taking him to Ryūchi Cave, I released him and applied the cave's unique medicinal herbs to his wound. His body still has some warmth, so he remains alive."
Sora stepped forward to examine Yahiko's condition.
He was indeed still alive, though very weak. A layer of herbal medicine covered his wound. While it no longer bled, pus had formed around the edges.
If left untreated, Yahiko's life would still be in danger.
Sora cleaned Yahiko's wound thoroughly before applying fresh bandages.
Afterward, Sora addressed the white snake: "I have an important task for you. If you fail, I will never summon you again, and will choose another snake instead."
The white snake immediately became anxious. "No, Lord Sora! No snake is more loyal to you than I am. Whatever task you assign, I promise to complete it!"
A slight smirk formed on Sora's lips. "It's not convenient for me to keep him in Konoha right now."
He continued, "Take this man back to Ryūchi Cave and ensure he doesn't die."
Sora reached into his pouch. "I'll give you some food provisions. If he wakes up, feed him, then find a snake whose venom causes paralysis to bite him and keep him unconscious. Do you understand?"
The white snake's face showed a surprisingly human-like expression of embarrassment. "This is rather difficult, Master Sora. The snakes at Ryūchi Cave have quite an appetite for humans, and the White Snake Sage doesn't allow humans without contracts to remain in the cave."
Sora spread his hands dismissively. "That's your problem to solve. If you succeed, I'll continue summoning you regularly. I'm headed to the Land of Waves soon. The conflict there is more chaotic, which means your meals will be more plentiful."
He shrugged. "If this task embarrasses you, I can find another snake who isn't so hesitant. I wouldn't want to trouble you."
The white snake quickly responded, "Wait, Master Sora! Let me think about it, let me think..."
Sora spoke indifferently. "Take your time, but consider carefully. There are very few summoners who have contracts with Ryūchi Cave. You'll struggle to find someone who feeds you as well as I do."
The white snake flicked its tongue nervously, its heart racing. "I'll do it! Lord Sora!"
"Excellent. Since you've made your promise, you must keep it. If your actions are discovered, you may return me to Ryūchi Cave. But don't worry, it won't be for long—just a few days. Once I reach the Land of Waves, I won't need to trouble you further."
"I understand. Please hurry, Master Sora. If the White Snake Sage discovers this, I'll be in trouble as well."
The white snake swallowed Yahiko into its belly once more.
"Master Sora, I'll be going now. Don't forget my food!"
With that, the white snake disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Having dealt with Yahiko, Sora was about to rest when a knock sounded at his door.
He was puzzled.
He had just returned from Amegakure, proceeding directly to the Hokage Building, then to the Root headquarters, before finally coming home.
Even Uzumaki Kushina didn't know he was back.
If Kushina had forgotten her key, she wouldn't knock—she'd simply break in through a window as she often did.
So whoever was knocking wasn't Kushina.
Who could it be?
Sora walked to the door and opened it, surprised to find Uzumaki Miyuki standing there.
"It's quite late. What do you want?" Sora asked.
Uzumaki Miyuki replied, "I'm not here for myself. Lady Mito is asking for you. Kushina is away on a mission, so I've been learning sealing techniques with Lady Mito. Just now, Lord Hokage visited Lady Mito. After their conversation, she sent me to find you."
Sora's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. It seemed Hiruzen had gone to Uzumaki Mito to discuss the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki situation.
And if Uzumaki Mito was summoning him, it was most likely to discuss the same matter.
Sora nodded. "I understand. I'll go right away."
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