Chapter 5: Main Plot, Enhancement Skills, Mental Skills

Nanshu's home is a two-story building located in the center of the clan grounds.

Past the entrance is a hallway; a few meters further on the right is the kitchen, while on the left is an empty living room with a vintage red sofa and a low table, upon which sit messy instant noodle cups, empty milk cartons, and some scattered fruit peels.

The screen door connecting to the backyard lawn is not shut tight, and the bright, clear moon shines from outside the window into the living room, where a family photo sits on a wardrobe.

Picking up the photo, he wipes the dust from the frame, revealing the smiles of the family of four inside.

In the photo, the young Nanshu and his younger sister are each holding one of their mother's hands and one of their father's; the family of four, though not exactly smiling broadly, are pressed close to one another, appearing very relaxed—a slightly serious yet warm family portrait that leaves a deep impression.

However, good fortune did not last, and now only Nanshu remains in this family portrait—no, it should be said that they are all people who have already passed away.

Nanshu's parents died on a mission, and his younger sister died in her hospital bed due to a rare blood disease.

And the original Uchiha Nanshu also died in the darkness before dawn, surrounded and killed by enemies the day before the war ended.

"..."

Gently placing the family portrait back on the wardrobe, Nanshu withdraws his gaze.

He is not Uchiha Nanshu.

He is a soul from the 21st century, and his original surname was Xia; due to certain reasons, he transmigrated into this world and occupied this body one week ago.

At first, he did not care about the fate of the Uchiha Clan; in fact, that night he died on the battlefield was the best opportunity for him to escape Konoha Village. …………

"Beep! Mission description: The Uchiha youth before his death saw the clan's doomsday in the near future through your soul; he is willing to use his own body and soul as the price to exchange for the only chance that might change the clan's fate."

"Mission requirements: Change the future of the Uchiha Clan before the night of the clan extermination arrives; means are not limited."

"Optional side quest: Kill Itachi Uchiha (A), kill the Third Hokage (S), kill Shimura Danzo (S), destroy the foundation of Konoha's existing system, and create a new system of rules (S+)."

"Optional side quest: In-depth Alliance (1/6) (A), unite six influential clans within the village to make them stand by or assist the Uchiha in counterattacking the oppression from Konoha's high-level officials before the night of the clan extermination."

"Optional side quest: Destroy the Foundation (0/2) (A), completely destroy Danzo's force, 'Root', and expose all the darkness and filth hidden beneath the earth!"

"Optional side quest: Desperate Destruction (0/1) (SS+), the night of the clan extermination is approaching yet you have no other options; at this time, you can only take a desperate risk: unite the entire clan to seize the Nine-Tails and burn the entire Konoha Village to the ground! Let the foolish people of Konoha know the glory and terror of the Uchiha; let the Nine-Tails and Susanoo completely destroy and ruin this rotten, degenerate village! Burn, explode, desperate destruction!!"

"Optional side quest: Unity and Friendship (0/1) (SS+), use your excellent mouth to persuade Konoha's high-level officials to resolve the crisis of the Uchiha extermination without conflict or bloodshed. Requirements: The high-level officials no longer monitor the Uchiha, acknowledge the Uchiha's historical status, conduct a serious and profound reflection and review of past erroneous paths, and Itachi Uchiha must not betray the Uchiha."

"Mission success: Extremely generous!"

"Mission failure: —."…

"Beep! Under your strategic planning, you successfully rewrote the fate of the Hyuga Clan, saved Hyuga Hizashi, and changed the future of Hyuga Neji."

"Beep! The Hyuga Clan's favorability toward you has increased from 'Hostile' to 'Good'; Hyuga Hiashi's favorability toward you has increased from 'Indifferent' to 'Friendly'."

"Beep! You changed the fate of Hizashi and Neji, gaining rewards: 5000 plot points, D-rank and E-rank plot side quests."

"Beep! You completed 1/6 In-depth Alliance, gaining rewards: 2500 plot points, C-rank plot side quest."

With the system notification sounds ringing continuously in his ears, Uchiha Nanshu lets out a long sigh of relief. The day and night of surveillance were not in vain; now, not only has he gained 7500 plot points and three plot side quests, but he has also unexpectedly gained the gratitude of the Hyuga Clan—well, this is also thanks to Hyuga Hiashi, a man who, despite his cold exterior, is actually very warm-hearted, and judging by his nervousness regarding Hinata and his later behavior of loving the house and its crow, he is also a man who values emotions.

The Hyuga Clan side has made a good start, but Hyuga Hiashi's favorability alone is not enough to support the Uchiha in the future; he must find an opportunity to meet with Hyuga Hiashi to talk properly and see if he can further secure the Hyuga Clan's support in other aspects.

After all, time waits for no one, and the mission requirement is before the night of the clan extermination—is this worrying that I won't make it in time?

Uchiha Nanshu stares at the other side quests of the mission for a few moments, especially the option to kill Itachi Uchiha, on which he ponders for a long time.

If Shisui Uchiha hadn't died early, Nanshu believes that Shisui Uchiha's name would definitely be on this list, and this idiot, after dying, actually had one of his Mangekyo stolen by Danzo. The remaining one was given to Itachi Uchiha, supposedly "just in case."

Heh, who knows if his "just in case" was to prevent an Uchiha rebellion or to prevent Danzo from wiping them out; from Nanshu's perspective, the former is perhaps more likely.

After all, Danzo wiping them out is just the life and death of one clan, but an Uchiha rebellion is a major issue that threatens the "safety" of the entire village.

Looking at the two young men, Shisui Uchiha and Itachi Uchiha, who supposedly inherited the "Will of Fire," perhaps preventing the clan was a more important issue to them than Danzo.

"Sooner or later, there will be a showdown; it just depends on who can outplay whom."

Uchiha Nanshu sweeps his gaze past Itachi's name; as for the Third and Danzo behind him, it is actually foreseeable that they will eventually draw blades against each other.

"System, show the exchange area."

The exchange area can now be divided into two major categories—"Enhancement Type" for the body and "Mental Type" for elements.

The speed Nanshu erupted with at the Hyuga home, as well as his black hair turning into burning Red Hair, was because he exchanged for the "Fierce Fire Burning Body" enhancement ability and the "Mirror Flower Water Moon" mental enhancement. At the same time, due to the Uchiha bloodline bonus, he significantly increased his control over Fire Release, reducing chakra consumption while expanding the power and range of his ninjutsu; furthermore, the mental enhancement could further optimize his Sharingan, helping him eliminate negative effects and further strengthen the Sharingan to reach the conditions for evolution.

【Enhancement Skill: Fierce Fire Burning Body (LV. 1): Gain explosive growth by burning blood and chakra. The current level can increase physical attributes by 3 times and provide slight elemental resistance within 10 minutes. Characteristic "Flame Armor": Forms a layer of Flame Armor on the body surface, effectively countering long-range attacks; weakness: water. Characteristic "Red Hair": The external manifestation form when burning; it might not have much use, but it will definitely make you the brightest star in the night sky! (Increases mental perception by 20%).】

【Mental Skill: Mirror Flower Water Moon (LV. 1): After holding your breath and remaining motionless for 5 seconds, you will automatically enter "Mirror Flower Water Moon" mode. Both mental detection and naked-eye capture will be unable to discover your existence, but once you move, you will be immediately exposed. Characteristic "Serenity": Ignore negative mental effects while in Mirror Flower Water Moon mode. Characteristic "Water Moon": While in Mirror Flower Water Moon mode, you have one chance to "nullify" when attacked, rendering the first wave of damage you receive completely ineffective.】

When Nanshu first transmigrated, he thought his system was based on the Naruto worldview, but after studying it, he found that the functions it provides seem to be universal to all worlds but lack the characteristics of a fixed world.

Of course, this also has to do with his permissions being too low, leading to being "region-locked"; after all, the exchange area shows his permission level as F-rank—the basic level for opening the system.

If Nanshu wants more other abilities, he must increase his permissions, but he has not yet discovered the necessary conditions for increasing system permissions; perhaps this is tied to some kind of system achievement, similar to a platinum rating, and based on the current system arrangement, it should be that completing higher-level plot side quests will unlock them.

Nanshu thinks that if one uses the S-E rating of plot side quests, increasing permission once might require completing at least one A-rank plot side quest; this level is no different from directly participating in a ninja village defection or the Konoha Crush plan.

Currently, Nanshu has 7500 plot points and one C, D, and E side quest rating each.

He has two choices: one is to continue increasing the level of his current skills. Increasing Fierce Fire Burning Body to levels 3 and 6 can each grant an innate skill, level 9 grants a third innate skill, level 12 grants an R-skill (ultimate move), and level 15 grants a T-skill (divine skill). At the same time, the price for each upgrade is also different; currently, it costs 3000 energy points to upgrade Fierce Fire Burning Body to level 3, and upgrading the level does not require consuming plot side quests.

So Nanshu decides to first upgrade the enhancement skill Fierce Fire Burning Body to level 3.

【Beep! Fierce Fire Burning Body upgrading... Success rate 100%】

【Beep! Fierce Fire Burning Body upgrading...】

【Beep! Upgrade successful, gained innate skill "Flame Realm"】……

【Flame Realm (Innate Skill): While in the Fierce Fire Burning Body state, you are immune to most Fire Release damage and can control both your own and the enemy's Fire Release ninjutsu—the duration and power depend on your own level. If you do not activate Fierce Fire Burning Body, you can also use the skill on its own, but the skill effect will lose the ability to control flames, turning into summoning a circle of raging fire to form an isolation-barrier-style defense.】

【Additional note: After Flame Realm (non-flame mode) is activated, it will significantly increase the user's Fire Release power and grant immunity to damage caused when passing through the flame wall.】

The first skill explanation is that after activating "Fierce Fire Burning Body," he can be immune to Fire Release damage and can also control the flame forms of himself and even his enemies.

If Nanshu were in a battle with Itachi Uchiha and they both used Great Fireball to attack each other, Nanshu could not only be immune to the opponent's attack but also control his ninjutsu from a distance, bouncing the Great Fireball that was originally attacking him back along its original path, or directly smashing it toward the side of Itachi Uchiha's allies.

The benefit of this skill lies in its immunity to most fire-type damage and its ability to catch enemies off guard, but the regret is that it is limited to the fire type; for high-level ninjas, mastering two or even multiple nature transformations is a required course, and it is impossible for anyone to use only single-attribute ninjutsu.

To be honest, Nanshu is not very satisfied with this innate skill; it seems tasteless to eat but a pity to discard, and most importantly, it is too monotonous and unsuited for the high-intensity and extremely complex battles between ninjas.

By comparison, the Flame Realm activated without using Fierce Fire Burning Body has more practical significance. First, it possesses both "defense" and "domain" capabilities; once the Flame Realm is deployed, it can resist external attacks, forming an area of extreme high-temperature scorching, and because Nanshu is immune to this high-temperature damage, it is equivalent to gaining a BUFF bonus; if an enemy forcibly breaks in, they will inevitably suffer a backlash.

Secondly, the Flame Realm can isolate the enemy's vision and attacks, and Nanshu can take this opportunity to buy time to launch a defensive counterattack, and his ninjutsu power will also be strengthened under the blessing of the Flame Realm!

And at this moment, Nanshu suddenly thinks of a cheeky maneuver: if he opens the Flame Realm first and then activates Fierce Fire Burning Body, will his Fire Release be double-strengthened? It is clear that the skills the system gives him are not single-attribute bonuses; he needs to dig into and combine the innate skills he possesses, and flexibly and skillfully mastering them might even produce an effect where 1+1 is greater than 2.

However, it was already late and not a good time to go out, so he could only suppress his active thoughts for now and wait for a chance to go somewhere deserted to experiment.