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Shin had decided to head for the current battlefield, not just to watch the fireworks but also for one other reason: to see Nagato Uzumaki.
If events were playing out like the original timeline, Yahiko should have already formed the Akatsuki by now.
Of course, Shin had no interest in Yahiko. The idealistic fool was bound to meet an untimely end.
You couldn't just "talk" your way to world peace without possessing certain main-character perks—like Naruto's unstoppable "Talk no Jutsu." If lofty speeches worked that well, the Shinobi world would've been peaceful ages ago.
With Yahiko out of mind, Shin had set his sights on Nagato, more specifically Nagato's Rinnegan—technically Madara Uchiha's Rinnegan.
Shin couldn't help but wonder if Madara might have a stroke if he learned that Shin was dropping by to visit Nagato. Even a hardened schemer like Madara might find it tough to keep his cool.
"I should head back first and let Tsunade and the others know," Shin thought aloud. "They'll only worry if I disappear without warning."
He hesitated a moment—then activated [Yomotsu Hirasaka] and portaled home. It wasn't like they could literally devour him, even if Kushina might try.
"Hah, and here I thought you weren't coming back," Kushina said crossly the instant Shin reappeared.
"Shin, you haven't eaten yet, right? I saved some food for you." Mikoto asked sweetly, stepping forward with a plate of warm leftovers.
"Mikoto, You're the best," Shin replied, grinning. Then he darted a glance at Tsunade and Kushina.
Kushina's brows arched.
"What's that look for? You want a beating, huh?" She raised her fists in mock threat.
"Hmm. Maybe just feeling itchy," Tsunade added casually, giving Shin a dangerous sideways glare.
"Ahem, I didn't mean anything." Shin coughed, quickly taking a seat to tuck into the food. Rule number one around here: don't poke the hornets' nest.
Although they couldn't really hurt him, he didn't like being hit. And he couldn't fight back against his own women.
When he finished, Mikoto tidied the plates away like a perfect hostess. Meanwhile, Tsunade and Kushina lounged over cups of tea. Konan, quietly perched nearby, folded her lovely paper creations—an entire menagerie she'd used to decorate the house.
"Ugh, this tea's so bitter," Kushina complained, setting down her cup. "Mikoto's tea is much better."
She used to hate tea altogether, but with Mikoto's skill, she'd gradually become a fan.
"Blame yourself," Tsunade remarked coolly. "You're the one who made it. Lucky me, I didn't volunteer, or you'd be blaming me for it."
She tried a sip and cringed, quickly pushing it away. Whatever Kushina had done, it tasted like black coffee times ten.
"Still, if you brewed it, you shouldn't be complaining," Shin teased. "Just tough it out."
"I tried. It's no use—this tastes awful." Kushina stuck out her tongue in disgust. If there was a single positive thing to say about it, she couldn't find it. Too bitter was too bitter.
"Want to try it?" She shoved the teacup in Shin's direction.
"I'll pass," he said lightly.
No sense punishing himself...
Just then, a chime sounded in Shin's mind—except this time, it sounded more like a gentle female voice than an electronic beep:
[Ding! System upgrade complete.]
Shin paused. He'd been about to announce his departure for The Land of Rain, but hearing that, he froze.
"I just remembered something. You guys chat. I'll be back later."
He hurried off to his bedroom, ignoring the suspicious look Kushina shot him.
Once inside, he locked the door behind him. If the System was truly done upgrading—after all these years—who knew what new goodies it might bestow? That system was, after all, his greatest advantage in this world. He certainly wouldn't have gotten so far without it.
"System, why did your voice change?" Shin asked it mentally. He vividly recalled the old mechanical monotone.
Now the voice sounded like a cheerful young woman, a far more pleasant tone. He had to admit he preferred it.
"What exactly changed with this upgrade? You took your sweet time…eight years or more, right?"
He tried not to let the impatience seep into his tone.
[Master, the system can now merge Replication cards. Five Common Replicate into one Advanced. Five Advanced become one Divine.]
Shin blinked. Well, that was…something. He recalled the simpler times when Common cards felt like a godsend. But now, they were practically useless. At least he could now fuse them into better versions.
[No, Master. That's it. If you're not happy, please look forward to the next upgrade.]
He twitched at that. Eight years for this? Sure, it was nice to have a female voice instead of a robot, but…eight years. Did he expect too much?
Still, merging cards could be helpful, especially with how his backlog had grown.
"So… that's it, huh," he murmured. "Anyway, you didn't lose my old cards, right?"
[You can verify your inventory, Master.]
He opened the System panel. Sure enough:
Common Replication Card x7
Advanced Replication Card x4
Divine Replication Card x1
Twelve cards in total. The four from before (1 Divine, 3 Advanced, 1 Common) plus eight more from these "missing" years. Not too shabby, though he'd hoped in vain for an extra Divine from the system's generosity.
He noticed that fusing 5 Common -> 1 Advanced, then 5 total Advanced -> 1 Divine meant he could gain a second Divine card anytime.
"System, if I do fuse them, is it instant?" he inquired.
[Yes, Master. Immediate.]
Shin nodded. Then there was no need to combine them now. He could do it when he needed to.
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