Konoha: The thirty-year-old Uchiha is not motivated.

the country of wind,
Sand Village,
This once somewhat dilapidated village has now become the most dazzling pearl in the desert. With the support of substantial financial resources, high-rise buildings have sprung up, and several commercial streets crisscross the area, creating a scene of extravagance and decadence.

Inside the Kazekage Building in the center of the village, Chiyo sat on a throne made of gold, holding the intelligence her subordinate had just delivered. Her delicate brows were furrowed, and her youthful face, untouched by time, was filled with doubt.
"Iwagakure is still holding on. Is Onoki planning to fight us to the bitter end?"

According to intelligence reports, Iwagakure, despite being sealed off by various parties, not only did not collapse or fall into chaos, but also became more united than ever before due to the crisis. Even veterans who had been retired for many years stepped forward to dedicate their remaining energy to the village.

"Sister, the presence of Iwa ninja is frequently seen in the Land of Rain. Iwagakure probably doesn't just want to fight us head-on; they want to launch a counterattack."

Ebizo, who was in charge of organizing the intelligence, had a gloomy expression. Unlike his sister Chiyo, he didn't have the power of the dragon vein to protect him. In the end, he couldn't escape the erosion of time. The once fair-skinned young man had now become a slightly aged man with a receding hairline.
"Hmph! Faced with absolute financial power, all resistance is futile!"

Chiyo snorted coldly upon hearing this, crossed her long, slender legs, and leaned back on the golden throne, revealing her nouveau riche attitude.
"Pass down the order: increase the mission bonus by another 10%, and poach all the clients from the Land of Earth. I will ensure that Iwagakure never recovers."

The reason Iwagakure has been able to survive for so long, besides its small loan sharking business, is because it has a relatively stable customer base within the country. If it weren't for soaring prices, Iwagakure could at least make ends meet relying solely on these customers.
"Uh, sister, but it's Luo Sha..."

Upon hearing this, Ebizo looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but hesitated. Chiyo raised an eyebrow and asked,

"What's wrong with that kid now? Is he trying to slack off again?"

"No, that's not true. Luo Sha works very diligently, but his health has been compromised by the high-intensity work. I'm worried."

Furthermore, Rasa was also a disciple of the Second Kazekage, and Ebizo couldn't bear to see their junior brother, a boy of about ten years old, risking his life day and night for gold.

"Let him hold on a little longer. Once the Land of Rain submits and Iwagakure becomes a completely isolated island, he can go on vacation to Konoha with Karura without worry."

Chiyo isn't some kind of demon, after all; she still has to keep her promises.

"Then I'll go back and talk to him."

Since his sister had said so, Hai Laozang had no choice but to nod, but the worry on his old face remained undiminished.
He was in charge of supervising the gold panning work, and he knew Rasa's physical condition better than anyone else. The cost of prolonged alchemy wasn't just dark circles under his eyes; such a waste of chakra gained through life energy was something no one could withstand.

"Here's what we'll do: take this and let Rasa try it out, see if he can gain Shukaku's approval."

Noticing the unusual expression on her younger brother's face, Chiyo, who was well aware of Rasa's physical condition, shook her head, opened a drawer, and handed him the Ichibi Card that was placed next to the driver.

"Huh? How old is Luo Sha? Is it really okay?"

Looking at the adorable tanuki on the card with a face full of surprise, Ebizo finally reached out and took it.
There's no other way; the only thing that can lighten Rasa's burden right now is the miraculous Tailed Beast Cards. If he can truly gain Shukaku's approval, the inexhaustible Tailed Beast chakra will transform into grains of golden dust, which will then become kunai aimed at the enemy.
"Give it a try, maybe Shukaku will like his type."

Chiyo nodded, a smile playing on her lips, and said...

"Ok."

Now that things had come to this, they had no choice but to try anything, even if it seemed hopeless. Ebizo sighed softly, turned to leave, but was interrupted by Chiyo.

"Wait a minute, isn't Scorpion's first birthday coming up soon? As his grandfather, have you prepared a gift yet?"

"It has been prepared for a long time."

Ebizo turned around, revealing a kind smile.

“I specially ordered a batch of 1:1 scale posable Tailed Beast Rider figures from the Land of Waves.”

"Did you buy this for yourself?"

Chiyo couldn't help but mutter a complaint: Sasori is only one year old; Ebizo clearly has ulterior motives for buying such a large toy.

"Don't talk nonsense, Scorpion chose this himself!"

Recalling the time not long ago when he was taking care of his grandson, the adorable boy pointed at the Kamen Rider posters on the street and kept babbling, Ebizo knew that Sasori had been a Kamen Rider fan since he was little.
"Alright, alright, what about your son?"

"Why are you suddenly asking about him?"

When his eldest son was mentioned, Haibaozang frowned slightly, revealing that their relationship was not harmonious.

"It's nothing, it's just that the secret service has been reporting lately that your son is getting quite close to a butcher, and the two of them spend more time together than he does with his wife and kids."

Chiyo extended her slender, white fingers and rhythmically tapped the golden armrest. Although her tone was calm, it couldn't hide the intense gossip burning within her.

"Hiss! That unfilial son has done such a disgraceful thing again!"

Such explosive news couldn't help but make Hai Lao Zang Hong Wen, whose eldest son had always been a source of worry for him since childhood.

Not only was he stubborn and incorrigible, but he also skipped classes and had early romantic relationships at the ninja academy. Less than two years after graduation, he brought home a daughter-in-law.

Fortunately, the woman he was marrying came from a prominent family in the village and was of good character, so Hai Laozang reluctantly agreed to their relationship.

As a result, just a few months after he agreed, a person died.

She thought that having a child would calm that rebellious son down and make him settle down, after all, his ninja talent was considerable; he was already a Jonin at a young age, and his puppetry skills were quite renowned.

If you follow the established path step by step, you can at least take over from him and become someone second only to the village head.

But as luck would have it, this guy just doesn't follow the usual path. His wife had just given birth, and the baby wasn't even weaned yet, and he was already looking for a new lover outside, and this time, his lover wasn't even a ninja.

Thinking of this, Elder Hai, his face ashen, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he asked,
"Which butcher's daughter is she? I'll go right now."

"She's not the butcher's daughter."

"Huh? He slept with someone else's wife, what a disobedient son!"

Is your son playing such fancy games now?

"No, it's the butcher himself."

"Me? Wouldn't that mean..."

"That's right, it's a man. I heard he's quite good-looking, with a full head of white hair and a dashing appearance. He's very popular with the neighborhood aunties, and every day there's a long line of women queuing up at his stall."

Chiyo, who has always loved gossip, had already followed the clues and thoroughly investigated the main figures in this incident.
"Hoo hoo. No wonder I haven't seen that rebellious son at Scorpion's place these past few days. So he's been doing such despicable things."

Ebizo was truly enraged this time; his chest heaving with fury, he wished he could go and wipe out that ill-fated couple right now.
"Don't worry, there might be some misunderstanding. I believe your son isn't the kind of person who doesn't follow the usual path."

Seeing her younger brother burning with anger, Chiyo, with a smile playing on her lips, couldn't resist fanning the flames.
"Boom!"

The exquisite tiles beneath Ebizo's feet shattered instantly, and flames erupted from his body. He didn't speak, but stiffly waved to Chiyo before turning and leaving, one step at a time.

"Oh!"

After leaving the Fengying Building, Ebizo, his face grim, rushed to his unfilial son's house. With a swift, angry slap, he slammed the entire front door shut, the loud noise startling his daughter-in-law who was taking care of the child.

Soon, a beautiful woman with long black hair appeared, carrying a one-year-old red-haired baby.
"Father-in-law? What brings you here?"

Looking at the furious Ebizo with a puzzled expression, the black-haired woman gently rocking the child in her arms cautiously asked,

"Where is that rebellious son?" "Ah...ah~"

Upon realizing he had disturbed his grandson's afternoon nap, Haibaozang's arrogance vanished instantly, and his face, which had just been behaving like a demon, was now full of kindness.
"Yo yo yo~ Little Scorpion, Grandpa's here~"

"Ugh!"

The baby, who had only been choking back tears, burst into loud sobs upon seeing Ebizo's old face, startling his grandfather who was at a loss for what to do.
"My lord, I apologize for the neglect."

After finally calming her son down, the black-haired woman had a moment to serve tea to Ebizo.

"You've worked hard. That unfilial son has let you down. As his father, I will punish him properly."

Looking at his virtuous and loving daughter-in-law, Hai Laozang was immediately furious. Why would she give up her wife, children, and warm bed to be a miserable couple who eat manure? He would rather not have that son!

"Huh? Your Excellency, what are you talking about?"

The black-haired woman, who had just put down her tea set, looked puzzled upon hearing this. What did she mean by "letting down"? Her relationship with her husband was incredibly close; if it weren't for Scorpion, this burden, they would practically be developing Scorpion Unit 2 already.

"Phew, it seems that kid is quite capable; he managed to keep you in the dark."

Ebizo took a deep breath, his face full of guilt, leaving the black-haired woman completely bewildered.
No, what are you talking about all this time?

"All you need to do now is tell me where that rebellious son went?"

He picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, but the lukewarm tea couldn't extinguish the fire of anger in his heart. Today, he had to settle things properly.

"Uh, at this time, he should be at Wenxi Butcher Shop in the west of the village, right?"

"what?"

Upon hearing this standard answer, Ebizo nearly spat out the tea he had just drunk, his wide eyes filled with horror.
What a ruthless scheme! Using the truth to cover up the filth behind it all—it's utterly despicable!
"Don't worry, I will give you an explanation."

Ebizo stood up angrily. His rebellious son's actions had crossed his bottom line, and his aged eyes were filled with a tangible sense of justice.
This time, he was willing to sacrifice his own family for the greater good!
"Huh? Wait, Father-in-law!?"

Watching Ebizo leave in a flurry, the black-haired woman, slowly recovering from her daze, blinked in confusion.
Is there some misunderstanding between my husband and his father?

West of the village,

This area is the most diverse and bustling part of Sunagakure, where merchants from all over the world gather to sell their local specialties. Over the years, it has grown into a sizable market, becoming an essential destination for Sunagakure residents to purchase daily necessities and fresh produce.
In the very center of the bustling market, a very conspicuous long queue stretched out. 99.99% of those waiting were plump middle-aged women from the neighborhood, each carrying a shopping basket, eagerly awaiting their turn.

The queue started at an ordinary pork stall, with several whole, cleaned pigs hanging to the side.
On the counter in the center of the stall, a gleaming short knife was stuck in the ground, and its owner was currently dealing with a middle-aged woman whose weight was comparable to that of Bo Gang.

"Here is your five-pound pork rib. Please keep it safe."

The speaker was a young man, his tone neither humble nor arrogant. Although he wore a rubber apron, it couldn't hide his strong physique. His striking silver-gray hair fluttered in the wind, and he exuded a melancholic handsomeness that seemed out of place in his surroundings.
"Hehehe, I'd like to buy another three pounds of fat!"

Aunt Bo Gang smiled and took the pork ribs from the stall owner, subtly rubbing them with a bit of grease. Even so, she wasn't satisfied and planned to stay and try to get more for free.

"You damn old hag, hurry up! I've been waiting in line all day!"

The line waiting behind Aunt Bo Gang was unhappy. Why was she taking up space all by herself? They also wanted to get close to the handsome butcher.

"Please keep your fat safe. If you don't need anything else, please don't delay other guests."

Just as Aunt Bo Gang was about to launch into a tirade, a pair of long, calloused hands reached out, carrying the very fat she had just casually mentioned.

"Thank you! I'll come again tomorrow!"

Under the stall owner's cold and melancholy gaze, Aunt Bo Gang, her cheeks flushed, fled shyly like a young girl in love, the whole market trembling slightly as she ran.

"call"

After seeing off the difficult older woman, the stall owner secretly breathed a sigh of relief, expressionlessly wiping the lard off his hands. His sharp eyes then shifted to the next shy female customer.
"Which part would you like to have cut?"

"They want minced meat, half a pound of fat with no lean meat and half a pound of lean meat with no fat. If that can't be done, they want a kiss as compensation!"

"Hold on."

Looking at the delusional Bo Gang No. 2 in front of him, the stall owner nodded slightly. With a flash of his knife, a dazzling light appeared, and the two lumps of meat on the cutting board instantly turned into two mounds of meat minced in different colors.
"What superb swordsmanship!"

A red-haired man in the middle of the queue noticed this and his eyes lit up. Although it wasn't the first time he had witnessed the stall owner's skillful knife work, he still couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
"Okay, your minced meat is ready."

After packing the perfectly compliant minced meat into a bag and handing it to the dejected Bo Gang No. 2, the stall owner shoved his short knife onto the cutting board, looked at the richly dressed, plump lady in front of him, and said...
"Madam, what part of your body would you like?"

The wealthy woman, clearly with ulterior motives, covered her mouth, gave the stall owner a flirtatious, greasy wink, and spoke with a heavy hand, her tone full of suggestive undertones.
"My son has recently become obsessed with boxing, saying that it's really fun to hit the new punching bag at the dojo. I'm worried he'll overwork himself, so I'm thinking of buying him some pig's penis to help him recover."

After a long wait, it was finally the red-haired man's turn. The stall owner, long since numb to chopping meat, slowly raised his head. Just as he was about to greet him, he realized that the person in front of him was not Bo Gang, but a guy who had been bothering him lately.
"Why is it you again?"

"What? I'm a customer. Does your Wenxi Butcher Shop have a rule of picking and choosing customers?"

The red-haired man replied with a smile, his piercing gaze making the stall owner feel extremely uncomfortable.
"Okay, okay, what are you going to cut this time?"

The stall owner nodded helplessly. He actually recognized the red-haired man in front of him; after all, he had done his homework before coming here, and he knew the names of almost every ninja in the entire Sand Village.
"I want a big bone."

"what?"

"The condition is that it includes the periosteum but not the flesh."

"Aren't you being a little difficult?"

Seeing the mocking red-haired man, the stall owner's delicate yet spirited eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Can you just say it's okay?"

"The customer is like a sage of six paths."

The stall owner smirked, reached down from the pig's leg hanging in front of him, pulled out the short blade from the cutting board used for slicing meat without getting blood on his hands, and his cold gaze suddenly sharpened.
"Swish~ swish~ swish!"

Accompanied by a teeth-grinding slicing sound, sharp blades flashed, and a few seconds later, a large, translucent white bone appeared on the cutting board, next to which lay thin, cicada-wing-like slices of meat.

"Your big bone."

"Excellent! Excellent swordsmanship! Such exquisite swordsmanship! You are the one I have been looking for!"

The red-haired youth stood frozen in place for a long time, his shocked gaze slowly shifting from the large bone to the white-haired man behind the cutting board.
"Guest, what do you mean by that?"

The expressionless stall owner subtly took a step back, his hand gripping the short blade, poised to strike.

"Boss, no, master, may I ask your honorable name?"

"I dare not speak of a master; I, Ling Lingqi, am merely a butcher." (End of Chapter)