Shirō thought for a long while, convinced that this must be part of Madara's larger scheme. After all, according to the original timeline, Madara's manipulation of Kirigakure was not something that happened overnight.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the Hidden Mist to capture the Three-Tails and forcibly seal it inside Rin's body during the Third Shinobi World War. That level of infiltration required years of groundwork.
Moreover, Madara knew Konoha's sensory barrier better than most. With Zetsu at his side, any fluctuation in the barrier would have been reported to him immediately.
As for why the Mist-nin had targeted him, Shirō believed it was Kirigakure's own initiative. Madara shouldn't have noticed him yet.
Although he suspected Madara was pulling the strings, Shirō couldn't fathom what a legendary figure like that was truly after. As a novice shinobi, his insight was limited—he couldn't possibly grasp the depth of Madara's schemes.
For now, all he needed was to return home, resume the training he had delayed for far too long, and tomorrow claim his mission reward. He had already caused Sakumo too much trouble.
Thanks to him, Sakumo's pursuit of the Mist-nin had been much easier. Shirō had even managed to capture one alive, reducing the risk of leaked intel.
That capture had been more luck than design. The enemy had attempted a self-detonation jutsu, but Shirō's projected kunai were still lodged around him, and Shirō quickly saw through his intent.
Once Blue Snake's genjutsu restrained him, Shirō wasted no time. Using a sealing technique Kushina had taught him, he suppressed the enemy's chaotic chakra and prevented the explosion.
If the Mist-nin hadn't been so intent on dying, subduing him would have taken much more effort.
When he finally returned home, his parents were already asleep. Shirō quietly slipped back into his room and resumed his Reinforcement Magic training.
After two days of trial and error, he had finally reached some theoretical breakthroughs. Whether they were valid or not, however, only practice could prove.
As expected, his first attempts failed. Again and again, his chakra pathways destabilized midway. With repeated adjustments, he managed to stabilize the process—though only about seventy percent of what he envisioned. Still, while far from the ninety percent he had hoped for, it was steady progress.
---
The Next Morning — Hokage's Office
Shirō was summoned early, and he guessed this was about the mission reward.
Inside, only the Third Hokage awaited him. That alone meant the incident had already been investigated; otherwise, he wouldn't have been called in.
"Shirō, you worked hard last night," Hiruzen said, his expression calm but approving.
"It was my duty, Hokage-sama. But… how did they bypass the sensory barrier?"
"Nothing major," Hiruzen replied smoothly. "A minor issue—it has already been corrected. Rest assured, the village will not allow harm to come to its people."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
"Now then," the Hokage continued, "you rendered a great service yesterday. Tell me—what reward do you want?"
Shirō immediately recognized the test in those words. The Hokage wouldn't grant anything excessive, but he was curious to see how Shirō answered.
"This was my duty," Shirō replied humbly. "I dare not take credit."
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction. "I hear from Sakumo that your training requires considerable funds."
"Yes. To cultivate my clan's Secret Skill, I need Chakra metal."
"What a pity," Hiruzen said with a sigh. "At present, the village's supply is tied up. However, I'll grant you a bonus equivalent to its cost. Sakumo can help you acquire it. Is that acceptable?"
"Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen pulled out a prepared document, handing it to him. "Present this to the Finance Department. I'll also register last night's incident as a B-rank mission."
"Yes, Hokage-sama. I'll take my leave."
Outside the office, Shirō looked at the document with mixed feelings. The funds allotted were just enough to buy Chakra metal at its official rate—but everyone knew the real market price was much higher.
The B-rank evaluation was fair—the difficulty of last night truly matched a B-rank mission—but coming from the Hokage, it felt like he had been generously rewarded.
As Shirō left, he couldn't help but think: If one can't speak well, one can't be a good leader.
With that thought, he went to collect the funds before heading home, where his mother awaited.
---
Later that Day
"I'm home, Mom," Shirō called as he entered.
"Did Hokage-sama summon you for something important?" Keiko asked.
"Nothing special—just matters about the medicinal fields," he replied casually.
"That's good. Now get ready, take the gift, and let's go."
"Go? Where?"
"To see your Aunt Zhi Zi," Keiko said with a smile. "She was my childhood friend. We haven't spent much time together since, but I ran into her recently. Her child is also a ninja, so I thought you could meet and compare."
"…After all these years, you finally plan to win, huh?" Shirō teased.
"Hmph, don't joke! Just behave yourself. If you embarrass me, I won't let you off!"
"Yes, yes, I know." Straightening his posture, Shirō followed her.
Soon, they arrived before a grand mansion.
"Whoa… so rich. I get it now, Mom—you only reconnected once you knew she lived here." Shirō grinned.
Keiko chuckled softly. One thing she was proud of was how sensible her son always was.
"Excuse me," Keiko told the attendant, "please inform Mrs. Yuan Lai that her old friend Emiya Keiko is here. We have an appointment."
"Of course, Madam. Please wait a moment."
"…Yuan Lai? That can't be a coincidence," Shirō muttered.
"What is it?"
"Nothing," Shirō said quickly. Then, after a pause, "Mom, is Aunt Zhi Zi's child a boy or a girl? If it's a girl, it'd feel unfair to compare."
"You'll see soon enough."
That basically confirmed it. Unless Zhi Zi had sisters, the child had to be Koari. The Yuan Lai surname wasn't exactly common, and paired with Koari's talent, it was too obvious.
If it really was a boy, his mother wouldn't be so evasive.
In other words, this "childhood friends' reunion" smelled suspiciously like a setup. In his past life, Shirō had dodged blind dates because of his transmigration. Now it seemed fate had caught up to him—sooner than expected.
Since he was already here, it would be rude to leave. So, Shirō waited beside his mother at the entrance.
Before long, a graceful woman appeared—at her side was Koari.