It's normal to get a kaleidoscope as a first deposit of six yuan, right?

"Flying...Thunder...God...?"

Taking advantage of the attacks from the air ninjas, Zhi Xue used her defensive counterattacks to nimbly flash among them, accurately slashing them down onto the sea surface.

Zhixue: I didn't target anything in the air, you're right, but Flying...Thunder...God?...

In just a few dozen seconds, Zhi Xue had cut down most of the Sky Ninjas. The few remaining ones were only spared by chance because of the Sunset Red Spear Technique. However, after witnessing Zhi Xue's bizarre and unbeatable defensive and counter-attack abilities, they were so frightened that their mental defenses were broken, and they quickly fled the place.

"Damn it, we've encountered a ghost in broad daylight! Retreat! Retreat!"

Without the springboard, Zhixue also fell from the sky, but fortunately, the sea was below, and with the power of chakra, she landed steadily on the ground.

The air ninja, who had been cut down by Zhixue and lost his flying ninja tool, was like a tiger with its teeth pulled and was beaten up by the ninjas of Kumogakure. He was tied to the broken watchtower with thick hemp rope.

"Thank you so much, little girl! I never expected you to be such a powerful ninja!" As the attack ended, the merchant ship's captain enthusiastically stepped forward to give Zhixue a hug, but Zhixue almost managed to deflect it by slipping her hand.

The escort ninjas from Kumogakure felt ashamed as they watched Shiki being welcomed by the crowd.

These guys are Jonin from Kumogakure, yet they're not as useful as some young brat.

After accepting the captain's warm welcome, Zhi Xue refused the offer to work as a bodyguard for the caravan long-term, even if the money was high. Her older brother was still in Konoha, and it was too early for her to leave Konoha now.

"Do you think I'm giving you too little? Then I'll add another 100 million taels, what do you think?" the captain said seriously, holding up one finger.

"Is it an annual salary?" Zhixue asked with a hint of anticipation.

"No, it's a monthly salary settlement."

Stop Snow: ?!!

Ding! Please reconsider carefully. The system's main quest is still in Konoha. If you linger in other areas for too long, you may miss out on substantial rewards.

"Ahem, Captain, you may not know, but I am a ninja from another village. I will eventually return to my village after this trip, so I can't work for you. However, if you really need a bodyguard, I can recommend someone to you." Shiyuki politely declined the captain's offer of money and recommended Jugo to the captain.

Although Jugo is still a bit young, his fully transformed Sage Mode is quite effective in both aerial and melee combat, making him perfectly capable of dealing with these easy targets at sea. However, the captain doesn't seem to like Jugo much, and the intense gaze that is solely devoted to her makes Shiki feel numb all over. She has no choice but to leave under the pretext of interrogating the Sky Ninja.

Zhi Xue seemed to still have some recollection of those ninjas who used scientific ninja tools to fly high in the sky and drop bombs.

It was something like Sky Village, destroyed by Konoha during the Second Shinobi World War. Later, they launched an air raid and bombed Konoha again. I remember their technology was incredibly advanced, but unfortunately, their sophisticated mechanical operations and heavy industry ultimately lost to Shino's insects. (Insects: I'm going to eat, eat, eat...)

Chapter 50, Landing and Returning Home

After a week of sea voyage, Zhi Xue returned to the coast of the Land of Fire on a merchant ship. During the voyage, she encountered several pirate attacks, but they were all minor incidents that were easily dealt with.

After sneaking off the ship, Zhixue breathed in the fresh air of the Land of Fire and instantly felt much better.

I still prefer being on land, that feeling of being grounded.

Zhi Xue originally planned to visit the nearby Land of Waves, but gave up after considering that she might not be able to trigger the story mission.

There might be generous rewards in the main storyline, so let's wait until then. There are still three or two years until the night of the Uchiha massacre. With her current combat power increasing a bit more, she should be able to handle it. The only person she needs to be careful of is Obito.

……

Konoha Village...

Uchiha Sasuke was still diligently practicing his shuriken throwing and handling in the backyard. The large beads of sweat on his forehead and the scratches on his small hands made Mikoto feel a little sorry for him.

"Sasuke, take a rest for a while."

"No, Mom, I need to become stronger so I can protect my family." Despite the physical pain, Sasuke continued training tirelessly.

He originally only worked hard to cultivate because of his brother's dazzling brilliance, striving to gain the recognition of his father and clan. However, after his sister Zhixue died, Sasuke's views seemed to have changed slightly.

That means he can't protect his family without strength. He must train to become the strongest ninja in Konoha so that no one will dare to harm his family.

In the corridor of the mansion, Fugaku, who had just returned from handling the affairs of the security team, happened to see Sasuke training diligently, but he only glanced at him without changing his expression before leaving.

Little Sasuke:!?

Damn it, have I been underestimated? His training results will definitely impress his father!

Fugaku entered the living room with a stern face, where Uchiha Ichido-Seven was already waiting for him.

"The security forces have had several inexplicable clashes with civilians in recent days, and the shadowy forces are involved in many of these incidents. Are you aware of this?"

Fugaku looked at the face of the one-against-seven, but unfortunately, he still had a blank expression, and no emotion could be seen.

Ichida shook his head and did not answer Fugaku's question.

Fugaku stared intently into Itachi's dark eyes, as if he were about to be drawn into a whirlpool.

"Forget it, I probably won't get any useful information from you. Just make your own choice. Also... Sasuke is almost of school age, so get his enrollment paperwork done."

Fugaku said a few words in a sullen tone and left, while Itachi looked towards the figure diligently practicing in the backyard.

It's good to let Sasuke enroll in the school. The atmosphere in the clan is no longer suitable for him to stay here for a long time. I hope he can have a happy childhood without any repression or shadows.

……

Hokage Building...

Hiruzen Sarutobi had just returned from giving a speech on the Will of Fire at the Ninja Academy when he saw the barrier ninja team responsible for setting up the Konoha barrier standing there.

"Sandaime-sama."

"You guys don't come here often, has something major happened?" Hiruzen Sarutobi returned to his seat, took a puff of his old pipe, and said.

"Lord Hokage, the barrier around Konoha has been flickering frequently lately, as if something from outside has broken in and is coming and going very often." The barrier ninja in white robes spread a map on the table and explained to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Foreign things?"

"Yes." The white-robed ninja formed hand seals, and a red light flashed on the map. Instantly, several red dots were marked on it, covering various places of Konoha, large and small. The most frequently appearing places were the Uchiha clan's territory and the Konoha Martyrs' Cemetery.

"How could they be in these two places?" Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a smoke ring, his expression somewhat strange. The Uchiha clan was indeed a possibility, after all, their clan had gradually become estranged from Konoha, and it was not impossible for them to launch a coup. But why would there be a martyrs' cemetery?

That place was built and arranged by Konoha, so there shouldn't be any secrets there.

"I don't know. The enemy's methods seem to be very sophisticated. If it weren't for the regular scanning of the barrier, we might not have been able to detect this guy. At present, there are only two possibilities for the appearance of the enemy. One is that he can freely enter and exit the barrier of Konoha as easily as visiting his own house, but the probability of this is very small. The other possibility is that he has a rare type of space-time ninjutsu."

"Are you talking about the Flying Thunder God Technique?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, squinting at the fourth statue on the Hokage Rock in the distance.

"It's uncertain, but it might be a similar ability, so we need to be more vigilant, Third Hokage."

“Hmm, what you said makes sense.” Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded in deep agreement, then prepared to hand over the task to One Against Seven.

As the son of the clan chief, he has access to many places within the clan, making it the most convenient time for him to investigate this matter.

……

The base... even though it was daytime, the airtight place seemed to be shrouded in darkness, with only the sound of footsteps and training sounds of various killing techniques coming from the steel plates to accompany the group.

With his back to the sky burial, Danzo looked out the window at a corner of Konoha that was bustling with life and vitality.

"A, do you think Konoha is beautiful now?" Danzo's unexpected question startled Tenzang.

"Yes, it's very beautiful. After all, Konoha is the best-developed ninja village among the five great nations."

Danzo nodded in satisfaction upon hearing A's answer.

"That's right. Konoha is naturally the strongest and richest ninja village among the five great nations. But do you know why Konoha is so strong?" Danzo said in a low voice, while observing Tenzang's facial expressions.

"Of course, it's because our ninjas are strong enough and the predecessors of Konoha laid a good foundation for us," Tenzang answered subconsciously, but Danzo refuted him.

"No, while that is certainly one of the factors contributing to Konoha's strength, there is something else: darkness, the roots beneath towering trees that need no name or bottom line, which frantically absorb nutrients from the roots of other trees or fallen leaves on the ground! Only by reaching this unscrupulous level can the benefits of Konoha's growth be maximized."

“Jia, you are my most valued subordinate. I will concentrate resources to train you into a sharp blade that can cut through iron like mud, but you must not forget your duty as a blade.”

Tenzang looked at Danzo with some confusion. He naturally knew the rules of Root, but...

"Do you feel regret or sorrow over the death of Uchiha Shisei?" Danzo asked in a more direct tone, tapping the floor as he looked at Tenzang who seemed not to understand.

"Stop the snow?" Danzo could clearly see Tenzang's pupils widen in shock.

It's important to understand that the root system doesn't allow emotions to exist, including love, friendship, sympathy, and other worthless feelings. A qualified root only needs to obey its commands. However, A is clearly heading down a path of no return. Disobedient subordinates need to be properly disciplined...

Chapter 51, Clothing for Strengthening Susanoo

Ding! New goods have arrived in the clothing store. Would you like to take a look?

Zhi Xue, who was lying in bed in a hotel and preparing to sleep, was slightly taken aback.

"Tongzi, you know I won't buy it if it's not on sale, so give up. You think I'll buy it at full price? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Zhixue retorted stubbornly.

Ding! Host, you only need to spend another 500 million taels of silver to unlock the Ninjutsu Derivative Mode. Are you sure you don't want to take a look?

What does "Ninjutsu derivative mode" mean?

Zhi Xue got out of bed and scratched her head slightly as she spoke.

"Ding" refers to the secondary development or special changes of various ninjutsu by adding attributes, such as Chidori and Chidori Sharp Spear, Rasengan and Giant Rasengan.

Upon hearing that different types of Rasengan could be derived, Zhixue instantly became interested. She possessed the skills, but lacked high-burst power. This was fine against Jonin and elite Jonin, but once they reached Kage level, her current strength would likely be insufficient. Developing a more powerful Rasengan could compensate for this weakness.

"Alright then, let me see what goods the system shop has stocked?"

Zhi Xue opened the system's corresponding store, and a wide variety of goods appeared on her retina. After finding a clothing store marked with a new product symbol, she clicked on it.

Succubus Attire (New): This is a magical garment imbued with enchantment. When you wear it, you will gain the passive skill "Charm," increasing your attractiveness to the same sex by 50% and your attractiveness to the opposite sex by 100%. You will also gain self-healing abilities, but you will develop demonic traits and experience a corresponding increase in certain desires. Price: 400 taels.

Catgirl Decoration (New): Two ordinary items with only cat ears and a cat tail. They look rather monotonous, but once you wear them, you will feel a 100% realistic sense of touch and movement. It is recommended to use them with other outfits. Price: 100 taels.

Upon seeing the introductions to these two new products, a strange look flashed across Zhi Xue's pretty face.

These two outfits seem to be of no use to her right now, since they don't add much to her strength. Cough cough, but after things settle down on the night of the massacre, when she has more money, she might be able to buy them for fun and have her shadow clone wear them that night (blushing).

Ding! If the host wants to increase their strength, they can purchase this outfit, which can enhance the power of Susanoo.

Knight Maid Outfit (New Arrival, Available for Exchange)

Description: A maid outfit trimmed with gold and roses, with added shoulder armor and leg guards for protection, maintaining elegance while retaining the demeanor of a knight.

Special Mechanism: Wearing the Knight Maid Outfit increases overall defense and grants the passive skill: Earth Attribute Chakra Affinity, and the awakened skill: Great Cleaning (Note: The awakened skill can also apply Earth Attribute Chakra to Susanoo, greatly increasing combat power, but Chakra consumption will also increase dramatically.)

Price: 1200 million taels (original price), 500 million taels (exchange purchase).

This outfit is significantly more expensive than the previous two, but the stats are still decent. Most importantly, the exchange will save her 700 million taels of silver. So if she buys it, wouldn't that mean she'll make a profit of 700 million taels? You know, she only spent 2 taels on the maid outfit before.

After much consideration, Zhi Xue decided to buy the maid outfit. The traditional maid outfit within the spatial scroll flashed a white light and disappeared. A brand-new, soft, gold-red maid outfit then appeared in Zhi Xue's hands. In addition, boots, gauntlets, and a rose headdress appeared on a nearby table. (For details, refer to Noelle's attire.)

Ding! Congratulations, host, you have successfully unlocked the Ninjutsu Derivative Mode. A simulation training ground is also included as a bonus.

"Master, what is a simulation training ground?"

After receiving the new clothes, Zhixue, filled with curiosity, changed into them.