"This feels amazing!"

  Kaya Shihōin couldn’t help but sigh in satisfaction.

  What was it like having a filthy-rich friend with top-tier backing? Well, you had to experience it yourself to truly get it—words just didn’t cut it.

  He hadn’t even asked for much—just borrowed a hundred thousand ryo from little Tsunade—but that was already enough to take care of all his early training expenses.

  Most importantly, the card he wanted the most—Rock Lee’s card—hadn’t disappointed him. It came with a passive that boosted taijutsu training speed by 20% at the genin level, plus an active skill called "Shadow Leaf Dance." As for its combat potential… that didn’t even need to be said. Yeah, the system might be a bit of a scam sometimes, but its product quality? Absolutely top-notch.

  And to think, the Rock Lee card was just a bonus from spending sixty thousand. He still had forty thousand left, which was more than enough to unlock several training fields and activate double training effects over a good stretch of time. Combine that with the boost from the Lee card, and a strength level that normally took a year to reach as a genin might now take just three or four months.

  "This is seriously awesome," Kaya sighed again, full of wonder.

  The rush of leveling up this fast… after suffering the slow, turtle-paced grind of his previous life, it was the sweetest thing he could imagine.

  Thinking of this, Kaya’s heart filled with gratitude toward Tsunade. Without that initial investment from her, it might’ve taken him years to scrape together that kind of money on his own.

  And honestly, the money wasn’t the only perk of being friends with Tsunade.

  “Kaya, let’s go get grilled silver cod ter.”

  “Grilled silver cod...? Isn’t that… kind of expensive?” Kaya said hesitantly.

  Deep-sea fish like that had to be transported all the way to Konoha, an innd ninja vilge—just thinking about the logistics made it obvious it wasn’t cheap.

  “It’s fine! There’s a pce in the vilge owned by one of my uncles. It’s free.”

  Tsunade thumped her chest proudly, radiating confidence.

  “Uh…” Kaya still looked unsure.

  “Come on! Don’t overthink it, let’s go!”

  Before Kaya could resist, Tsunade grabbed his hand and dragged him toward their destination.

  “I’m telling you, my uncle’s cooking is amazing. His grilled silver cod has this crispy outside, soft fky inside, and a unique delicate aroma—one bite and you’ll never forget it! And it’s not just that—his salmon, his sashimi...”

  Gulp!

  As Tsunade continued describing the mouthwatering dishes, Kaya swallowed hard and gave up struggling.

  This wasn’t even the first time. Over the past few days, Kaya had followed Tsunade on a full-blown culinary tour of Konoha, gorging on vish meals left and right. If there was such a thing as Gourmet Shinobi Adventures, he was living it. Apparently, in this world, the ninja weren’t the only ones with superhuman skills—the chefs were built different too.

  To be fair, Tsunade’s cn held her to a pretty strict standard. Whether in training or daily life, she wasn’t allowed much sck. But when it came to food—well, the Senju Princess didn’t mess around.

  “I’m digging in!” Tsunade chirped as she started eating.

  Watching the little girl chow down across from him, Kaya sighed and shook his head. A strange feeling tugged at him.

  Tsunade treated him so well, he couldn’t help but feel like he was taking advantage of her.

  There was no doubt about it—Tsunade didn’t treat everyone this nicely. Kaya was the first to receive this kind of VIP treatment.

  It was like how noob gamers liked hanging out with other noobs. People who struggled often bonded quickly. And given Kaya’s godawful luck, it wasn’t surprising that Tsunade saw him as one of her own.

  Add in Kaya’s adult mindset from two lifetimes, plus the occasional fun story or joke to make her ugh—winning over a kid like her was a piece of cake. In just a few days, she already considered him her best friend.

  "Whatever… no point dwelling on it. When I’m stronger, I’ll return the favor and take good care of her," Kaya thought to himself.

  Suddenly, as he was spacing out, Tsunade perked up like she just remembered something.

  “Oh right! Tomorrow I’ll take you to meet my grandpa. He’s really nice, you’ll like him!”

  She beamed, gushing about her grandfather with sparkling eyes. Kaya’s thoughts immediately drifted.

  Meeting the First Hokage…?

  Just imagining himself face-to-face with the legendary man who ended the Warring States period and reigned supreme in this era made Kaya’s heart race with anticipation.

  But as it turned out, he wouldn’t be meeting the First Hokage just yet.

  Because first—he ran into someone else just as legendary.

  “Hi, Grandpa Madara!”

  As they walked down the road, Tsunade suddenly waved and called out toward a figure in the distance.

  “Is that you, Tsunade?”

  The man, fnked by a group of followers, paused at her greeting.

  Uchiha Madara.

  Kaya froze.

  He stared at the tall figure and the face carved from pride and cold detachment, and instinctively stepped back.

  He had thought about this before—if he lived long enough, he’d probably have to face enemies like Madara one day. But he never imagined he'd run into the guy now. Sure, he’d seen Madara from a distance before, but standing in front of him like this?

  The pressure was insane.

  The Uchiha cn members behind Madara didn’t look like pushovers either—each one radiated dangerous intensity. Kaya was pretty sure this little entourage could wipe out any ninja vilge besides Konoha.

  What Kaya didn’t know was that, in that moment, Madara had also sensed something.

  He frowned slightly.

  Kaya hadn’t done anything noticeable—he himself hadn’t even realized it—but Madara picked up on the faintest trace of… hostility? Or perhaps, the instinctive wariness one felt toward a future enemy.

  The difference in power between them was astronomical, and Madara’s experience, which far outstripped Kaya’s two lives combined, made it nearly impossible to hide even a flicker of intent from him.

  Suddenly, Madara turned and looked straight at him.

  “Uh…”

  Kaya felt an overwhelming pressure crash down on him, so powerful that he couldn’t even move.

  And yet… Madara’s expression suddenly turned complicated.

  Kaya’s slight step back earlier—prompted by sheer instinct—Madara read as fear. And that flicker of tension? He associated it with the same kind of judgment he often felt within the vilge.

  “Heh.”

  Madara abruptly withdrew his aura and gave a small, bitter chuckle.

  He wasn’t about to take offense at a child.

  But it still triggered something deeper.

  “Even a child… fears and resents me? This vilge… ha…”

  Madara’s expression shifted. Something within him hardened, as though he’d come to a silent decision. He grew colder, more distant—his entire presence changing.

  Kaya, watching him walk away, suddenly felt a chill and a creeping sense of dread.

  “…I didn’t even do anything,” he muttered, face going pale. “Why does it feel like I just triggered… some kind of major event fg?”

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