Butterfly’s Wings

Kakashi, his silver hair and mask unmistakable, kept rinsing his hands beneath the faucet, washing them over and over.

He stared at his right hand for a while, then suddenly covered his mouth as nausea rose within him.

Those memories that had never faded kept replaying in his mind.

Rin’s gaze before her death, Obito’s final request—he looked like he was about to break apart, an oppressive aura of gloom continually radiating from him.

"Kakashi."

A familiar voice came from behind him. Kakashi hurriedly lowered the hand covering his mouth, then turned his head stiffly.

Looking into Kakashi’s lifeless eyes, Xu Yue understood the torment he had endured these past days. But rent still had to be collected, didn’t it?

"Kakashi, how is the research on the Chidori Sharp Spear and Chidori Stream I proposed back then coming along?"

Xu Yue spoke with a faintly worried, concerned tone.

He seemed like a friend trying to change the subject and divert the other’s attention, so Kakashi would not keep sinking into that endless cycle.

"I’ve finished developing them. I’ll show you now."

Kakashi wore a numb expression, as though nothing mattered anymore. Even if he had to go provide reinforcements… ahem, it would be no problem…

"Tch, where did my Plot Points go? How did I spend them so quickly?"

Xu Yue had frantically farmed missions in two Reincarnation Spaces, sold a great many items, and painstakingly amassed a fortune for this trip’s expenditures. Now, he immediately felt the hostility of that money-grubbing Space.

When his pockets were full, he could have anything he wanted. He could learn anything at a glance, and even Minato had admitted that his talent surpassed his own.

But once his pockets began to empty, Xu Yue truly understood what it meant to have no money to play with. The whole world was filled with malice.

Even extending his stay had begun deducting the Reincarnation Points from this mission.

Still, he had completed numerous missions of all sizes during this trip. Once settlement was complete, he would receive a considerable reward. But under normal circumstances, that could not solve his immediate problem…

Fortunately, Chidori Sharp Spear and Chidori Stream were both derivative ninjutsu of the Chidori series. More importantly, Xu Yue himself had proposed the theories and could be considered a participant in their development, so they only cost him two C-rank missions as a token fee.

He still had several C-rank missions left from selling Root positions…

Chidori Sharp Spear and Chidori Stream acquired!

"Kakashi, I heard Sister-in-law Kushina is pregnant."

After obtaining the ninjutsu, Xu Yue seemed to think of another way to divert Kakashi’s attention and said this to him.

Sure enough, the lifelessness in Kakashi’s eyes shifted ever so slightly. Then he replied coldly,

"Lady Kushina is an important figure in the village. The fact that her pregnancy, a confidential matter, was leaked—I will report you for this."

His tone was mechanical and indifferent, his expression utterly impartial.

"I already sought Senior Brother Minato’s opinion on that. He also intends to arrange for you to join the Anbu and protect Kushina nearby."

Xu Yue paid Kakashi’s threat no mind. He smiled freely, then patted Kakashi on the shoulder.

"Go try this new mission. The past is the past, and a new future will always be waiting. When one generation of leaves falls, it becomes nourishment for new buds. That is our Will of Fire, isn’t it…"

Watching Xu Yue’s departing figure, the lifelessness in Kakashi’s eyes finally loosened somewhat.

Back then, shortly before his father’s suicide, Xu Yue had said words to him that had nearly made him feel guilty for the rest of his life. This time, he would trust him once…

The Third Ninja War had ended, and Konoha had entered a period of fervent prosperity. Thanks to his achievements on the battlefield, Xu Yue became a Jonin without any surprise.

Ordinary Jonin and elite Jonin shared the same title. So long as one had not acquired an identity such as Anbu or advisor, they could all be collectively called Jonin.

Once one became a Jonin, they gained the right to participate in the Jonin Council and thus enter Konoha’s upper management.

Even Minato Namikaze had borne that title before becoming Hokage!

The selection of the Fourth Hokage proceeded swiftly after the war. Whether in terms of personality, accomplishments, or ability, Minato Namikaze was the unquestionable choice for Fourth Hokage.

Orochimaru, whose ambitions lay elsewhere, did not voice any objections either.

However, Xu Yue was no longer a tiny butterfly. The chain reaction he had caused now began to erupt.

Before the Fourth Hokage was selected, Xu Yue had returned to the village and found Danzo absent from Root. Having a rough idea of what Danzo was doing, Xu Yue chose to send him news of the Fourth Hokage election first, hoping to delay him for a while…

Within a dark underground chamber, Orochimaru remained absorbed in his experiments.

With Xu Yue’s assistance, the progress of all his experiments had improved. In particular, the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique had already been completed.

Yet no matter what, the new experimental subjects he cultivated always fell somewhat short of Xu Yue’s perfect compatibility. Every attempt failed at the final stage.

The war had ended, and he had long since left the front lines. The enemy materials in his possession had already been used up, so he had begun extending his hand toward the village itself.

Xu Yue now stood silently behind Orochimaru.

"Teacher, Danzo can no longer resist making a move against you."

In response to Xu Yue’s warning, Orochimaru continued his dissection, searching for the reason this experimental subject had failed.

"As long as my experiment succeeds, there will be nothing left in Konoha worth missing. How has your junior sister been reacting lately?"

Orochimaru’s response was exceptionally cold.

The junior sister he spoke of was Anko Mitarashi, who still had not escaped Orochimaru’s clutches.

Orochimaru had implanted her with a curse mark that was already nearing perfection.

"The curse mark’s effects are quite good. Anko has already begun to master its power. In the curse mark state, she possesses combat strength at the Chunin level."

Anko was several years younger than Kakashi’s generation. Yet she could already unleash the strength of a Chunin at such a young age, a substantial improvement compared to the original story.

When Anko appeared in the original story, she had only managed to obtain the rank of Special Jonin.

"Since it is so effective, does Lord Yue truly not wish to consider it?"

Orochimaru’s voice remained as hoarse as ever, carrying a magnetic charm.

"Forget it, Teacher. I think the Sage Body has greater potential than the curse mark."

"I think so as well."

Orochimaru did not mind Xu Yue’s refusal in the slightest. Because his research had progressed faster than in the original story, Danzo made his move earlier as well after obtaining what he wanted!

On the surface, Danzo merely went to inform the Third Hokage and let him handle the matter. In secret, however, he was still preparing to help Orochimaru escape, intending for the fugitive Orochimaru to continue providing assistance for him.

But Xu Yue, who had also been idling away his days in Root, had clearly noticed Danzo’s intentions in advance!

Xu Yue had not actually learned of Danzo’s plans through investigation, but he knew how the story would unfold. With just a few subtle changes, and his awareness of the larger situation, deducing the outcome posed no difficulty for him.

"So, did you come this time to leave with me, or to capture me? With your Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence, you should want to try challenging your teacher…"

Orochimaru gradually stopped his dissection. Still facing away from Xu Yue, his voice carried a strange hint of laughter…

Second update. That’s all for today~

Note: You should have a fairly good understanding of the Space’s mission system by now. This mechanism will be used later to stir up something big~

The protagonist’s butterfly effect is beginning to reveal itself. Orochimaru’s defection has been brought forward, and another later event has also undergone a shift in timing. It will not be explained in detail when the time comes~