Naruto: Blacksmith

Upon returning to the dojo at home, the sound of fireworks still echoed faintly in the distance.

Kuro took out Tenten's strand of hair and silently thought the word "Forge"

Suddenly, two objects appeared in his hands: a small doll, no larger than his palm, and a transparent orb with a dark hue, the size of a fingernail.

[Special Item: "Tucao Service" detected.

Effect: A doll with an automatic Tucao function that will voice criticisms or commentary when given the opportunity.]

[Special Item: "Soul of the Weapons" detected.

Effect: Contains the original owner's love and affinity for weapons. By absorbing this item, the user inherits this love and affinity, enabling mastery over any weapon at the level of a Grandmaster.]

Kuro examined the items.

"Well... this perfectly matches Tenten's style."

But then he frowned.

"Although it's labeled as 'Wealthy Woman's Hair,' why didn't it generate something related to wealth?"

He pondered this, feeling a twinge of regret. A resource for creating money wouldn't have been bad—something akin to a cornucopia or a treasure generator.

Kuro sighed but quickly dismissed those thoughts.

In this world, power defines everything.

While money would have been useful, he was satisfied with the benefits he had obtained. With the Soul of the Weapons, his future training would progress rapidly, allowing him to master the deepest skills of any weapon.

Without further hesitation, he stored the doll in the system's inventory and swallowed the orb.

The process was smooth and painless, but an odd sensation washed over him.

It felt as though his body and mind had been cleansed, leaving him with a mysterious, indescribable feeling.

He drew a longsword from his scroll and began swinging it.

The moment he grasped the hilt, he felt an instinctive connection, as if the sword had always been an extension of himself.

As he moved, his body flowed naturally, executing techniques that once required intense focus and effort. Now, he performed them with astonishing ease.

After completing a series of stances, he didn't feel exhausted; instead, he was energized.

"So this is it…"

He murmured while staring at his hands. Physically, they hadn't changed, but he could clearly sense the difference during practice.

This isn't just hard work, it's talent.

In this world, geniuses abounded. Even those without powerful bloodlines managed to excel in their fields.

Poor Tenten.

Although she possessed exceptional talent with weapons, her love for all of them ultimately limited her potential. If she had focused all her efforts on mastering a single weapon, she might have achieved greatness comparable to someone like Itachi.

Perhaps her talent stemmed from her love for all weapons. Who's to say if that was a blessing or a curse?

As Kuro reflected, the sound of fireworks slowly faded, marking the end of the night.

---

Konoha's Northwest Industrial Zone

In the darkness, ominous ripples spread like a tide, consuming everything in their path.

---

Hokage Mansion

Descending from the sky, Itachi appeared amidst a flurry of crows.

Inside, Hiruzen sat alone in his office, his expression weary.

It seemed that time was finally catching up with him.

---

Back at the dojo, silence enveloped the room.

Kuro was preparing to bathe and sleep when, suddenly, a rain of feathers fell from the sky. Among them appeared the figure of Itachi.

Kuro paused, studying him carefully. After a moment of hesitation, he asked, "Is it done?"

"It's done," Itachi replied with a slight nod.

"I see…" Kuro said with a faint smile. "Congratulations."

But Itachi didn't share his sentiment. Shaking his head, he added, "I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye?"

"I killed Danzo. From now on, I'm a rogue ninja of Konoha."

"..."

Kuro fell silent at those words.

He had helped Itachi because he wanted a mentor to guide his training and because he wished to change the Uchiha clan's tragic fate.

If I've come to this world and have the chance to alter events without risking my life, why not take it?

However, he never imagined that Itachi would actually kill Danzo.

Although Kuro also hated Danzo and wouldn't have hesitated to kill him if provoked, he understood that Danzo was a pivotal figure in Naruto's storyline.

Now that Danzo was dead, what impact would this have on the future?

Kuro couldn't predict it, but he knew certain things would change drastically.

Sai wouldn't exist. The Aburame members of Root would likely fade into obscurity. Countless other unknown events might never occur.

This change could be a blessing or unleash an uncontrollable future. For the first time, Kuro felt the weight of the butterfly effect.

For the first time, I'm terrified of these butterfly wings.

A single action could erase events that were once inevitable.

"I'm sorry."

Seeing Kuro's silence, Itachi took the initiative to speak. "I promised you my life and freedom in exchange for your help, but now I can't fulfill that promise."

Kuro shook his head.

"It doesn't matter."

The agreement between them had been purely verbal, and even if Itachi broke it, there was nothing Kuro could do. However, he knew Itachi wouldn't betray him.

Not because of trust, but because Itachi was someone with unwavering beliefs: to protect Konoha and maintain peace.

Kuro had shown Itachi that he possessed abilities beyond this world's logic powers that could destroy not just Konoha, but the entire world. Powers that Itachi couldn't control or eliminate.

Thus, Itachi had no choice but to watch over him, guide him, and ensure he stayed on the right path.

Danzo's death wasn't strictly necessary to resolve the conflict between the Uchiha and the village. But Kuro was still immature.

While he displayed intelligence far beyond his age, there were areas where he was painfully inexperienced.

If Danzo had lived, he would eventually have uncovered Kuro's abilities. Being who he was, Danzo would have tried to control, manipulate, or use him for his own ends.

But Itachi knew that was impossible.

Kuro not only possessed skills that defied this world's logic but also overwhelming potential. Any attempt to subjugate him would only push Kuro away from Konoha, perhaps down a dark path Itachi didn't want to imagine.

Thus, Danzo had to die, and with him, Root's dissolution was inevitable.

Itachi hadn't broken his promise. Extending his hand, a crow landed on his arm.

"I'm leaving you this crow."

"You can use it to contact me. Whatever it is, as long as it doesn't violate our original agreement, I'll fulfill your request."

________

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