I Just Wanted to Slack Off, But I Was Forced to Become Hokage

Chapter 62: The Black Hand from the King of Scapegoats!

"It's a success, but not completely."

Nara Keisuke looked at the [Shadow Rasengan], infused with Yin Release chakra, in his hand. The surface of the lacquer-black energy sphere was perfectly smooth, showing not the slightest hint of rotation, as quiet as an ordinary iron ball ninja tool. Just from its appearance, no one could tell that beneath this tranquil black shell lay a furiously spiraling flow of chakra.

"Infusing Wind-nature chakra turns the [Rasengan] into the Wind Release: Rasengan, and its subsequent version, the Wind Release: Rasenshuriken," Keisuke thought, and with a move of his will, the [Shadow Rasengan] in his hand continuously shrank until it vanished into nothingness.

"But the nature of Yin Release chakra and Wind Release chakra are completely different. Wind-nature chakra focuses on a cutting effect, while the core of Yin Release lies in creating form from nothingness. Adding Yin Release chakra is like adding an invisible shell to the outside of the [Rasengan], allowing its effect to be maintained for a longer time, just like... some kind of energy weapon!"

Nara Keisuke fixed his gaze on the panel, checking the technique effects of the [Shadow Rasengan]. Its stable state, and its ability to severely disrupt the chakra within a target's body—these two effects, when paired together, immediately made Keisuke think of a certain special ninja tool that existed in the ninja world—Black Receivers!

"The 'Black Receivers' that were stuck in Nagato and the Six Paths of Pain in the future had very powerful physical properties and chakra-disrupting effects, as well as the function of chakra communication and conduction." Keisuke recalled the intelligence regarding Nagato, the Rinnegan, the Six Paths, and so on. "And during the final Fourth Great War, those 'god-like' figures also used their Truth-Seeking Orbs to create black-rod-like weapons to attack their enemies... Perhaps the Truth-Seeking Orbs are the final form of the Six Paths of Pain's Black Receivers!"

Keisuke pondered for a moment, then pushed aside his wild thoughts. For his current self, even the [Tailed Beast Ball] was a super ninjutsu that was far out of reach, let alone the [Truth-Seeking Orbs], which encompassed all of creation and transcended both Kekkei Genkai and Kekkei Tōta!

Furthermore, the [Rasengan] itself could be considered a product of nearly ultimate chakra shape transformation. For Keisuke to want to change the external state of the [Shadow Rasengan], turning it from a black ball into a black rod, and then to create even more refined chakra energy weapons...

"I should think about how to get my research back on track!"

Keisuke patted his head and separated out a few more [Shadow Doppelgangers], having them join the research together. "[Shadow Rasengan]'s effect is great, but it's not what I want. The research sequence was a bit wrong just now. What I should be doing is integrating the properties of the [Rasengan] into the [Spiraling Shadow Piercing Bullet], not integrating Yin-nature chakra into the [Rasengan]..."

Having re-corrected his research direction, Nara Keisuke became engrossed in ninjutsu, unable to extricate himself. An unknown amount of time passed.

"Heeonk!"

A familiar deer's call brought Keisuke's attention back from his new ninjutsu. He looked up out the window and was somewhat surprised to see a pair of very familiar, magnificent antlers.

"Ōkaku?"

Keisuke tossed the research task to his [Shadow Doppelgangers] and [Shadow Clones], while he himself walked out of the training room and came before his "guest."

"Why are you here today? Did Keiko-san send you?"

Ōkaku's moist black eyes stared at Keisuke for a while, seeming a little curious about his little master's growth rate. It then tilted its head, lowering it to reveal a small letter hidden between its magnificent antlers. The Nara clan's special delivery method—the deer postman.

Keisuke removed the letter and glanced over it. "The Clan Head—no, the new Clan Head needs to see me?"

After tidying up a bit, not long after, Nara Keisuke rode Ōkaku and slowly made his way out of the village. Back in Kikyo Castle, as he passed by the Kikyo Orphanage, Keisuke was surprised to see a large group of burly ninja gathered outside the gate, forming a long, almost impenetrable human queue. From the ninjas' physiques and their clan symbols, it wasn't hard to tell that this group was entirely composed of Akimichi clan ninja.

"Why are the Akimichi clan ninja queuing up here?" Keisuke was slightly taken aback. He sniffed the air lightly; a rich aroma of fried chicken filled it. "But this business looks really good. It seems we've found the right path! When there are fewer people, I'll go and communicate with Sister Nono'o about the current situation."

After glancing at the situation at the orphanage from afar, Keisuke patted Ōkaku's forehead, and the deer continued to move forward.

Back at the clan grounds, he went to see the clan head. In the clan head's house, Keisuke saw a both unfamiliar and familiar bucket of Finger-Lickin' Chicken.

'Sister Nono'o has actually expanded her business into the Nara clan...' Keisuke's mouth twitched. He looked at Nara Shikano, who was holding the bucket of fried chicken. The latter had just finished sucking on a chicken leg and was holding the bone.

"Keisuke, want to try some? It tastes pretty good." Seeing Keisuke's expression, the old clan head proactively offered the bucket of chicken. "This food called 'fried chicken' has been very popular in Kikyo Castle for the past two days. Many children are about to cry because they can't buy it."

"No thank you, Clan Head. You can have it yourself." Keisuke shook his head and turned to look at Nara Shikaku, who was sipping tea on the other side. "Clan Head, you had Ōkaku send me a message to come back. Is there something you need?"

"There are indeed a few things." Nara Shikaku put down his teacup and looked at Keisuke with a complex gaze of curiosity, surprise, and admiration. "I have already read the [Lacquer Eye] technique scroll my father gave me and am currently in the process of learning it. I've lived for over twenty years, and I never thought that our Nara clan would one day become an eye-clan like the Uchiha or Hyuga... But I have to say, Keisuke, the secret technique you've developed is truly amazing!"

"It was mostly thanks to the predecessors' materials that the old Clan Head provided," Keisuke said humbly. "I just did some insignificant work."

"Shikaku," the retired Nara Shikano interjected from the side. "We are all ninja of the Nara clan. There's no need for such polite nonsense. It's tiring to listen to."

Nara Shikaku, who had been about to offer a few more polite words, awkwardly rubbed his stubble—he had started growing a beard. "Alright, my apologies."

The new clan head decided to skip the boring procedures and got straight to the point. "Keisuke, I called you back because there is something I need to confirm with you. In the last two days, a piece of news has been circulating in Konoha: a certain young ninja from the Nara clan has defeated the Uchiha clan's famous super genius, Uchiha Shisui. Do you know about this?"

Are you talking about me?

Keisuke raised an eyebrow in surprise. For the past two days, he had been cooped up at home, researching ninjutsu, and had rarely gone out. The ninja cat Denka had come by once, but it was to deliver the weapon design draft from the swordsmith in the Land of Iron. Keisuke had first confirmed the design for the kodachi and, by the way, also acquired a C-rank Water Release ninjutsu scroll, [Water Cutter], from Lady Cat through Denka. Other than that, Keisuke had paid almost no attention to outside news and naturally didn't know what the residents of Konoha had been hotly discussing over the past two days.

But speaking of which, this bit of gossip... where did it spread from?

"I did indeed fight with Uchiha Shisui, and I did defeat him." Facing the two clan heads, Keisuke chose not to engage in pointless concealment. "And not just Shisui, but Uchiha Inabi as well."

Hearing Keisuke's frank admission, both the new and old clan heads were somewhat shaken. Uchiha Shisui. The most famous super genius of the Uchiha clan in recent years. Many people believed that Shisui's talent was no less than that of Hatake Kakashi. And such a talented ninja, an Uchiha clan ninja at that... was actually defeated by one of our own Nara clan members? Defeated in a fair and square one-on-one duel?

The old clan head missed grabbing a chicken leg. The new clan head accelerated the frequency of his beard-stroking.

"Clan Head, I'd like to ask," Keisuke asked first, before either of them could speak, "where did this news spread from?" The duel between him and the two Uchiha had not been conducted with any fanfare. Logically, besides the three of them, no outsider should have known about it.

"I'm not too sure either," Nara Shikaku shook his head. "Around two days ago, this news suddenly started spreading. Now, the streets and alleys of Konoha are all saying that the Nara clan has also produced a genius ninja."

This pattern of rumor-spreading... Keisuke's eyelid twitched. He suddenly thought of Namikaze Minato's earlier warning and subconsciously thought of Konoha's number one king of scapegoats. 'Could it be that old root Danzō is secretly making trouble?'

Nara Shikaku pressed on, "Keisuke, are you worried that such rumors will have a negative impact on you?"

"Not at all. The discussions of outsiders are, in my view, nothing more than wild wind blowing through a forest. They have no practical effect." Keisuke came back to his senses and explained, "I'm just worried that someone is deliberately making trouble behind the scenes, intentionally provoking a dispute between us and the Uchiha clan."

"Your view is not without reason," Nara Shikaku said, his brow furrowing slightly. "However, although the Uchiha clan's ninja have aggressive personalities, they wouldn't stoop to bullying a junior... well, probably."

Perhaps feeling that his words lacked conviction, Shikaku quickly added, "Keisuke, no matter what, the family will always be your eternal, solid backing."

(End of Chapter)

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