October 10th, 11:55 PM.
Under the night sky, Yun unsealed a scroll and extracted the medium for Sasuke's transaction, blood.
With the new academy term starting in September, the two protagonists from the original timeline were now six years old. Yun had prepared for this moment long ago.
[Intelligence Exchange successfully activated]
[Rule Replication function successfully activated]
[Medium triggered]
[Target Lock Available: Uchiha Sasuke]
"Target Uchiha Sasuke"
[Target Locked: C-Rank Ninja – Uchiha Sasuke]
[Adjusted time-space flow of Exchange]
[Enable Shadow Mode?]
"No."
In an instant, time in the real world seemed to freeze. The surroundings shifted rapidly.
Moments later, the scene transformed into the living room of Sasuke's home. Yun sat calmly in a chair.
He glanced around. Having visited Itachi's house a few times, the setting felt convincingly real.
'Still, Sasuke was only rated C-rank? So the system judged based on current combat ability?'
Just as Yun thought that, a figure slowly materialized in the opposite chair. Yun now appeared in the form of Uzumaki Ku.
"…Why am I sleeping in the living room?"
Sasuke, half-asleep at midnight, blinked in confusion. Upon seeing Yun, he immediately stood up.
"Who are you? Why are you in our house?!"
Yun smiled and tapped his temple. "This isn't your house. Think carefully, this space has already imprinted everything into your mind."
"???"
Sasuke hesitated, then ignored the hint and threw a punch.
"You thief! Sneaking into our house at night?!"
Ugh.
In a flash, Sasuke was frozen mid-motion, unable to move.
Yun scratched his head, exasperated. "Just like your brother, Itachi. First instinct is to attack me."
He tapped his temple again. "Think carefully. The rules of this space are already in your mind. No one can harm me here, not in any meaningful way."
Hearing Itachi's name, Sasuke's hostility faded. He dropped into the chair.
Moments later, the information in his mind stunned him.
'An intelligence exchange hub?'
'This kind of place actually existed?'
But what intel did he need? If only he could gain power instantly, what use was information?
Yun, like coaxing a child, said, "Maybe you don't have much you want to know. Your world is still just this house."
"And since you're not yet a ninja, your bargaining chips aren't worth much. Honestly, I don't even know why you're the target this time."
The veiled insult made Sasuke bristle. But the pressure from earlier returned, forcing him to sit back down.
"What can you tell me?" Sasuke asked.
Yun smiled. "That depends on your chips. I know all the secrets of this world, but only if you can pay."
"Let's see… since this space is built around your home, what you care about most must be here."
He paused, then looked at Sasuke. "Your brother… Uchiha Itachi's past. His story with that woman, Shinko. I bet you're curious."
As he spoke, the scene shifted.
Around the dinner table sat Mikoto, Itachi, Sasuke, and Shinko, sharing a meal.
The simulated Sasuke looked visibly annoyed, clearly displeased with the woman trying to win him over.
Midway through dinner, he stormed off, throwing a tantrum and spouting insults.
"Well? This space knows what you most want to know. Is your brother falling for that woman?"
Yun's words hit a nerve. Sasuke clenched his fists and shouted, "My brother would never like her!"
Yun scratched his head. So Itachi hadn't managed to change his brother's mind over the past two months.
Fine. Yun was good at manipulating kids anyway.
"Everyone has their own path. Marriage and children are part of life. Your brother has someone he likes. It's normal to marry and start a family."
"If you want to stop it, you need to understand their past. And Itachi probably won't tell you."
Sasuke pondered.
'That woman is my brother's teammate. Was it one of those 'feelings developed over time' things?'
'This guy is right, know your enemy to defeat them.'
'But… was this really the place to ask?'
Even though the info in his mind explained the concept of bargaining chips, he didn't even know Fireball Jutsu yet. What could he offer?
Wait!
There was something, something his brother cared deeply about. His mother, too. And Sasuke himself had always wanted to know.
He looked up. "Who killed my dad? I want to know everything about him."
"???"
Yun blinked. 'The same question as Itachi?'
Technically, Fugaku died when Sasuke was too young to remember. His attachment shouldn't be that strong.
"That question… you don't have enough chips."
Yun pointed at him. "That person's identity is tied to too many things. You can't afford it. But…"
"For three chips, I can tell you his name and identity. That's already a loss for me, your value without the Sharingan isn't high."
Sasuke pouted, clearly annoyed.
According to the info in his head, his chips weren't worth much. But Yun was obviously underestimating him.
"Hmph!"
He crossed his arms and asked another question. "Then… who else knows the identity of my dad's killer?"
'Ugh.'
'No double-dipping? No chance to sell the same intel twice?'
Sasuke smirked. "My brother's been here, hasn't he? I heard him mention the intelligence exchange once with the clan leader."
"He stopped talking because I was there. But he must've come here and asked the same question."
"Only someone who's been here would know about this place."
"Even if the clan leader told him, I think my chips should let me ask a different question."
He sat smugly across from Yun, clearly enjoying himself.
Yun sighed. Maybe Naruto would be easier to deal with.
Sasuke wasn't dumb, just a cocky little punk who kept getting humbled.
"One identity. Three chips."
Yun had barely finished speaking when Sasuke slammed his foot on the table and pointed.
"Haha! I knew it!"
"My brother definitely came here and asked the same question!"
"He's always cared about who killed our dad. If he came here, he wouldn't ignore it!"
"You sneaky merchant!"
Yun rubbed his forehead.
'Smart, yes. But still the same show-off from the original timeline.'
'Sneaky?'
He'd been in business for seven years and never heard that before. He was fair and honest!
'Just a bratty little edgelord.'
"Now… do you want to trade?"
Sasuke didn't answer. He wandered into the bedrooms, opening each door. The simulated figures were gone, and no one was there.
After confirming the rooms were empty, he returned.
"I had to make sure this wasn't one of my brother's genjutsu. If I wake up and he says it was a surprise, I'll be embarrassed."
He looked at Yun again. "If I wanted to know how to become the strongest ninja in the world… how many chips would that cost?"
Yun's forehead creased. 'Why were kids so difficult now?'
"You can't afford it."
Simple answer. But Sasuke wasn't done.
"I know I can't afford it. But I want to know the price. You're a merchant, you should list your prices."
Yun stared at him, eyes deepening.
After a pause, he said, "Everyone's chip value is different. You haven't awakened the Sharingan, don't know secret techniques, and barely know any jutsu. Your value is low."
"Your brother, Uchiha Itachi, came here with the Mangekyō Sharingan. His power made his chips far more valuable."
"And for questions you can't afford, I have the right to refuse."
Sasuke glanced at the glowing word "True" on the table and scoffed.
Outwardly dismissive, but inwardly calculating.
Becoming the strongest ninja… the method existed. He just couldn't afford it.
Then…
"What's the best training method for me to become stronger?"
Another power-related question. But Yun didn't want to answer.
With Indra's chakra inside Sasuke, there were two paths:
Evolve Itachi's eyes into Eternal Mangekyō. Get a power boost from the Sage of Six Paths.
Combined, they'd grant godlike abilities.
But Yun didn't want either outcome.
"You… can't afford it."
Sasuke glared. "That too? Then tell me, how many chips do I have?"
Yun replied calmly. "Three."
???
Sasuke froze. 'I'm that poor?'
'How were chips calculated?'
So he could only ask one identity question, and then he'd be broke?
"Scammer!"
He snapped, then added, "The thing says you can't hit clients. Just like I can't hit you."
Yun's eye twitched.
'Why did this brat have such chaotic energy?'
He really wanted to punch him.
But he had a reputation to uphold. If he broke the rules, it would undermine the system.
He unclenched his fist and smiled kindly.
Brat… just wait until tomorrow.
"Now, are you trading or not?"
Sasuke said, "It says there's a time limit, but it's not this short. You can't break your own rules and kick me out."
He opened the door again, saw the illusory, empty Konoha outside, and then came back in.
Yun rubbed his forehead. Maybe next time he'd rewrite the embedded instructions; these kids were too sharp.
"Fine," Sasuke said at last. "Give me the identity of someone in Konoha who knows about the killer."
That made Yun pause.
This wasn't just about revenge anymore; the kid wanted more than that.
But Yun was too tired to argue. "There's no one currently in Konoha who knows… but there is one person, someone both your brother and the clan head were acquainted with."
Sasuke watched him carefully, sensing his impatience.
He knew pushing too far might get him kicked out, and without the Sharingan, he wasn't worth much here.
After a moment's thought, he nodded.
Yun extended his hand.
A glowing contract materialized between them.
"Sign this, and I'll tell you what you want to know."
Sasuke signed it.
The transaction was complete.
Across the table, Yun smiled.
…