Late at night/
I was sitting on the floor of my room, and I couldn't sleep because I was in pain. Not because of the pain in my body, but because of money.
I was broke.
My parents are retired and they can't generate more money without taking missions again.
Their savings are running out, and the clan itself is dead. Only empty houses and vegetation with a training ground.
The clan depended on smithing and farming but now no more.
I have also noticed another problem... my clothes which are low quality. I always have to order batches of the same type of clothes from a tailor because they tear apart easily.
And that costs money.
Let's not forget that I went crazy for a second and gave nearly all my savings that stingy ass Gintoki gave me to Teuchi's dream.
What did I even think about when I did that?! When did I became this retarded? Is it because of Miller's experiences when he doom scrolled Reddit and TikTok which turned his mind into mush?
No, my mom is right, it's all because of that damned Gintoki!
Amyways, the food business with the Akimichi was solid, sure. But that was gonna take months, maybe years, before I saw real cash. My parents were already stretching their budget to cover my meals and I have to hunt in the nearby forest most of the time which is a bother.
I could see it in the way my mom started looking at prices at the market. The way my stingy dad sighed when he paid bills.
It ain't a good feeling when you see your parents become concerned as something trivial and fake as money.
Since he knew how to make money fast, using everything Miller knew and jewish tactics, then why hesitate?
No usury or coin clipping though.
It's a fucked up world, true, but why would you participate in the same fuckery others do?
Be better.
Okay so, I needed a faster way to get rich. Something that didn't require me to wait around like an idiot while mom bit her fingers contemplating if she should take up ninja missions again.
That's one of the problems, ninjas only know how to kill and do some basic chores like catching cats here and there. They don't know how to generate money in another way.
And apparently, even in this world, money reigns supreme and where lies real power. Even Kages are its victims.
I stared at a blank scroll in front of me, tapping my pen against my knee.
Then it hit me...
Books.
A war torn hellhole, ninjas, Samurais, and local armies like Ashigarus are always fighting. What's the best way to attract these braindead people?
Strategies.
Strategies that in long term will make the Samurais especially more powerful. And that's something I was actually approved of and willing to make it a reality.
If Samurais could have another layer of edge against ninjas then so be it.
Even normal civilians can benefit from it.
Mein Kamp– sorry I mean, the Art of War by Sun Tzu. All warfare is based on deception. The thirty six stratagems and whatnot. That stuff is pure gold for people of this era. And nobody in this world had ever heard of it. With a little bit of editing and adapting it to this world's system, then perfect.
I grinned to myself, time for some plagiarism.
So I unrolled the scroll and started writing.
I kept the language simple and direct. No fancy bullshit, just practical advice that anyone could use. I changed the examples, Instead of Chinese generals, I wrote about famous people of this world and also made up some others from the Warring States period. Instead of ancient Chinese battles, I used stuff that would make sense to someone in this world.
"If you know your enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles type shi." I muttered as I wrote down everything smoothly as my near photographic memory tried to recollect everything Miller read about the Art of War.
"The supreme art of war is to subdue your enemy without fighting. The best victory is winning without fighting. The second best is to win while making it look like an accident."
"When strong, appear weak. When weak, appear sick. When sick, appear fine until you get home."
"A good ninja is a dead ninj– nahh that's too extreme. I really want to write how to subdue ninjas in 1001 ways but then, I don't plan to make too many enemies... yet."
I wrote page after page.
By the time the sun started coming through my window, I had like thirty pages. It was kinda rough and unpolished since I adapted the stuff to make sense in this world, but a little improvement here and there then it will be perfect.
I put down the pen and rolled up the scroll and shoved it under my mattress. I'd finish it later.
Now, what else should I write now that I am at it?
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______________
"Soooooo, Zombie." Gintoki called and I looked at him lying on a futon in front of me, watching me eating rice.
"What's up?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Do you really need to ask that? What's up?" Gintoki said with a finger on his nose.
"'Gulp' Just get to the point." I said with annoyance as I gulped down some rice.
"I am on the point though." He said.
"I don't get your point then." I said and he nodded with understanding.
"Sighhh, as expected of my Zombie." He said with a sigh.
"Are you calling me dumb? Just because I don't wanna fight with you doesn't mean I am afraid." I narrowed my eyes.
"I don't know, are you? And you should actually be afraid. I am quite scary y'know?" Gintoki said with a deadpan.
"Saying that you are scary makes you look cute actually." I said with a smirk.
He was 100% jealous.
"Shut your trap! Now get back to the main topic... what the fuck is wrong with your hair? Is this your emo phase at it again? I thought you passed that phase some months ago. What is it? Feeling generous then going for a round two and blessing us with your edgy shit again?" Gintoki said with gritted teeth.
"Ohh this?" I pointed at my hair. My lustrous shiny and spiky snow-white hair from a few months back, now it's full of orange-red follicles mixed in with the whites. Anyone with eyes could see the difference from some time ago.
"Nothing much, just my body getting better." I replied with a shrug.
"Tell me honestly, is that brat Tsunade some kinky girl that loves redheads and forcing you to change your colours like you are some tiny little bitc–"
"Hop hop! Shut the hell up! Watch your mouth! Do you think I am a simp?!" I angrily stopped him.
"Yes."
*Bam!*
I hit the floor while gritting my teeth with veins bulging on my forehead, barely restraining myself to not Water Stream his ass!
"Actually, even worse, a horny creep! Like who even proposes to girls when they are barely 4 years old?" Gintoki said, bringing up this embarrassment again that I didn't personally take part in, but I controlled myself to not burst out.
This piece of shit is one thing after Saitama I can't adapt to. No matter how many times I try to act nonchalant but he still gets under my skin.
"Anyways though, I don't care, but people be going around saying gingers don't have souls, and you know me well enough that if they start to jump you, I will join the crowd." Gintoki said with a bored smile.
"Ohhh yeah? wait till I deliver what you said to Mito and see if her tentacles can jump your ass or not!" I smirked savagely as I looked at Gintoki who became pale immediately.
"You won't dare!" He cried and suddenly fearful.
"Heh." I smirked then I stood up.
"Where you going?!" He cried as he pointed at me nervously.
"Visiting a legendary ginger." I said ominously then I ran and disappeared.
"Come BACK here you brainless Zombie!! It was a joke!!"
Gintoki immediately gave chase to me but I didn't stop.
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In the Senju compound/
Somewhere hidden from the Leaf Village eyes "You smell so damn good." I told Tsunade, who was buried in my embrace, her face pressed against my chest.
"Hehe." She just giggled in response as I smelled the hell out of her with my enhanced nose, taking in her scent like a vacuum cleaner.
If only Gintoki could see this scene. It seems he was correct in his judgment of Garou.
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-----------------
Some time Later/
*PAW PAW!*
In the Hatake training ground, two individuals were fighting each other fiercely, exchanging blow after blow on each other's bodies. The sound of fists meeting flesh echoed through the clearing.
*Swoosh!* ×2
"Hupp!" I delivered a normal powered-up jab at Dai, who easily dodged it and punched my face, drawing blood from my nose.
With a blindfold over my eyes, I backflipped away from Dai and then stopped to concentrate on my surroundings, trying to use my monster senses to 'see'.
*Sniff sniff.*
I smelled the air to locate Dai, who was–
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!" He shouted directly in front of me.
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Tekkai
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With my muscles all contracted around the area the kick was coming from, I waited for impact. But instead of hitting my face, which I thought it would, the kick landed directly on my vulnerable chest. I managed to cover it with Tekkai at the last second though... but barely.
*BAM!*
With the sound of the hit, I was sent flying toward a tree and hit its trunk so hard that cracks spread all around it from the force.
*SWOOSH.*
Dai vanished and didn't give me time to recover. My enhanced monster senses barely caught the afterimage before my body was already moving.
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Tekkai
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I crossed my forearms in front of my face just as Dai's fist connected.
*PAW.*
The impact sent shockwaves through my arms. My feet dug trenches in the dirt as I was pushed back three meters. My forearms throbbed.
Dai was already moving again... left, then right, then above. His kicks came from impossible angles, each one carrying enough force to crack stone. I blocked some and barely dodged some others and if possible, redirected.
Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist
Dai's punch sailed past my ear. I grabbed his wrist then twisted it, and threw him into a tree.
*CRACK.*
The trunk splintered and Dai bounced off and landed in a crouch, already springing back with more speed, but still in his base form without using the Eight Inner Gates.
Dai's fists became blurs, each punch was like a hammer blow. With me blindfolded and only depending on my other senses, my blocks were barely keeping up. Each impact sent jolts of pain through my bones.
I sensed Dai get closer, then I dropped low then swept my leg. Dai jumped over it easily but I already predicted this, so I rocketed upward, my shoulder slamming into Dai's ribs.
*THUD.*
Dai gasped, air forced from his lungs as he was sent flying backwards slightly, but he twisted in midair and kicked me in the side.
*CRACK.*
Pain exploded in my ribs. I hit the ground and started to roll then stood up and spit some blood.
Dai appeared in front of me again, his fist already moving.
Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist
My hands flowed like water, catching Dai's punch and redirecting it into the ground. The earth exploded, dirt and rocks started showering us.
I tried to back away, but Dai was already there. A fist to my stomach doubled me over. Then a knee to the face snapped my head back. After that, a kick to the ribs sent me flying through a tree before I finally stopped, embedded in the tree.
Huff... huff...
"Are you alright, Master Garou?!" Dai shouted from afar, concern evident in his voice as he huffed tiredly.
"Aghh, my back! Yes, I'm alright." I wasn't but who cares, just a little pain. My blindfold was still on. I slowly got up and made my way closer to him.
"What are you trying to do, Master Garou? It's already been hours since we started this Youthful connection!" He said with an excited grin, watching me stumble toward him.
"I'm trying to create a new martial arts to minimize the damage my body takes as much as my body can possibly achieve." I replied, wiping blood from my lip.
"Waaa, Master Garou, that's so Youthful of you!" He said with literal stars in his eyes, his earlier concern replaced by admiration.
"Yeah." I replied with a smile.
I was trying to learn a martial art I had seen from a very clever but ruthless old man. One who had a vast variety of knowledge in martial arts that resulted from a century of perfecting his techniques and countering their weaknesses.
I had figured out that my Tekkai was slightly different from the One Piece version... or was it the same? I wasn't completely sure.
It gave me an iron-like body, sure, but I felt that it didn't feel as strong as it was shown in the One Piece show.
The problem was that although Tekkai hardened my body by leaps and bounds and absorbed a lot of force, it didn't nullify the waves of force that rattled every bone in my body and cracked them.
Dai here was a perfect example. He had just made many cracks in my bones even though I had used Tekkai.
'Or maybe I'm just too young and not yet in my prime physical fitness?' I thought seriously, rubbing my chin.
'Or is it true that this Marine Six Style is really just a glorified suicide move set?' I thought.
"Dai, I want you to do something." I said as I got into a horse stance in front of him.
"What do you want me to do, Master Garou?!" He asked in confusion, tilting his head.
"I want you to punch my face with all of your base power, and don't stop until I tell you." I said in a stern tone, and he nodded seriously, his expression shifting to one of focus.
He came closer and clenched his dominant fist so tightly that it started to shake from the power he was putting into it.
"Are you ready?" He asked, and I nodded with my teeth gritted, still holding my horse stance.
*Swoosh Bam!*
He hit my jaw hard, but I didn't care.
"Again!" I cried out.
*Paw.*
"Aghhh! AGAIN!" I cried again.
*Paw.*
"Again!"
*Paw.*
"Again."
2 Minutes Later/
With blood falling from my face and painting my white pants red, some teeth lying on the ground, and my whole face bruised so badly that it would be hard for someone to recognize me, I still stood.
"A...g..ain." I uttered with difficulty, barely able to hold my horse stance and on the verge of fainting right there.
"Are you sure, Master Garou? I know your Youth is blazing like a sun, but you don't seem okay to me at all!" Dai said, his hands hovering uncertainly.
I just smiled with my swollen lips.
The key was to flow.
To flow all the force of the punch around my body, from the area that was hit, around my body, to nullify it completely. The flow of force's travel had to begin at the exact same moment his punch landed. So instead of contracting my muscles like I always did, this time it was relaxation.
I had just figured this out.
"A...g..ain. I...think I g.ot it this tim.e." I uttered again, but this time I was ready for the impact.
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Psycho Mode
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With my concentration now on full alert, I locked my eyes on Dai's bloodied fist as it traveled toward my face.
'Come on. Come onnnn!' I thought as I watched the fist approach.
'Annnd NOW!' I yelled in my mind as the fist made contact with my facial muscles.
*Paw.*
I relaxed the muscles at the point of impact, then guided the force around that area by creating a pathway for it to travel through my body. I did this by relaxing the muscles just around the hit area to absorb the force, creating a vacant area of relaxed muscle, then contracting the previous impact point.
I continued this process until all the force was equally spread throughout my body.
I let out a smirk because this time, I didn't even feel like I had been hit at all.
"It w..as a suc..cess!!" I shouted with my now incoherent speech because of all the punches I had received. I slumped backward onto the ground and looked up at the sky with a smile.
"So Youthful!!" Dai shouted with me and slumped beside me.
Ding...
[Assimilation 25% > 26%]
Ding...
[You learned —> Xiaoli Ancient Martial Arts]
'With this, I can elevate my mastery over the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist. Making my foundation stronger when I tried to recreate stronger martial arts. The better the Water Stream Rock Smashing Fist, the easier for me to create more martial arts.' I thought as Dai came over and lay beside me.
"Hey Dai." I called, forcing myself to speak clearly without my missing teeth getting in the way.
"Yes?"
"Sooo, have you thought about what I told you?" I asked and Dai went quiet for some time, not knowing what to say.
"I don't know Master Garou. I am really not good with... thinking. I just think what I do is the right thing. Protecting the village, to prove that I am useful. Is it really that wrong as you say?" Dai replied.
"Being useful? Then you have already got caught in the trap." I said with a mocking smile.
"What do you mean?"
"The best way to keep a prisoner from escaping is to make sure he never knows he's in a prison in the first place. You don't need bars or guards, just illusions. A guy who thinks he's free will never try to break out. And that's exactly where you stand." I said.
Dai replied with a frown, "I am not a prisoner. I am a shinobi of Konoha."
"Yes you are a shinobi but you are also programmed to think that you matter while you are not."
"..."
"Give a desperate dude comfort, a routine, and some bullshit sense of purpose and ideologies, then he won't ask questions. He won't look for the door because he doesn't even know he's locked inside. That's the gist of it. You enslave someone without them ever fighting back. You make them love being a slave without them knowing they are slaves."
"The village has enslaved me?" Dai turned and looked at me.
"I'm saying they tricked you into thinking dying for them is honorable. That killing whoever they point at is noble, and that being a weapon with no say in the matter is something to be proud of." I spit on the ground.
Dai kept quiet.
"That ain't honor, Dai, that's a leash, and they put it on you when you were too young to know any better. And above all else, it goes against what you are pursuing and live for. The pursuit of perfection is opposite to what you are doing right now."
"..."
"It's better to hurt from the truth than to live comfy in a lie. And let's be honest, everyone outside the Konoha territories agree that Ninjas are no good."
Dai was still silent.
"I know that your intentions are good, but sometimes, you have to be aware of your surroundings. Not everyone deserves your loyalty Dai, especially not the rulers of this tiny village that act as if the whole world is dying for their attention." I said.
"If you wanna be the sun, then give your light to the other side too." I finally said and Dai's eyes flickered for a moment as he heard that.
After that, there was a comfortable silence between us before Dai stood up with me and we bid farewells.
'I think this time something changed with him. Hopefully, with my help, I will make this man the best version of himself.' I thought.
The End.
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