Uchiha's personal opinion

"Just how mixed must the Senju clan's bloodline be...?"

After shaking his head inwardly, Ashura continued to wander aimlessly around Konoha.

However, Ashura did not notice anything special about the spheres hanging everywhere and emitting faint chakra fluctuations. He simply wandered around the perimeter of various Konoha institutions and observed the ninjas coming and going.

"Another group of migrant workers from the countryside..."

In the sealing squad's monitoring room, a Uzumaki ninja turned off the alerts for "suspicious individuals" filtered out by the sealing array on the display screen one by one.

"Ugh, this is so annoying! When will the Sky Eye system finally be updated...?"

Another sealing ninja casually complained.

"The sealing technique can only determine someone's identity based on the number of times they appear in sensitive institutions using facial recognition..."

The ninja shrugged, turning off the "suspicious person" alert, and said with a hint of helplessness, "But those people from the countryside just like to wander around. The more sensitive the organization, the more they want to sneak in so they can brag about it to others when they get back..."

"If you ask me, the police should take these idlers away."

The sealing ninja complained, "These people are so annoying, they've added so much extra work for no reason..."

"It's just turning off the notifications... Besides, if Lord Ashina hears this, he'll probably transfer you to the research department to work on algorithms!"

The ninja chuckled, "You're seriously underworked, yet you still have the energy to complain!"

"I was wrong!"

The sealing ninja immediately cowered upon hearing this.

……

Before he knew it, Ashura had wandered around until nightfall.

After weighing his wallet and checking the hotel prices in Ninja Village, he decided to rent a temporary bed in the new district for the night.

After all, small-time merchants from the countryside wouldn't have the money to live in Konoha, which fits their current character profile.

"It's not easy to live in Konoha..."

The merchant who left the village with them spoke Ashura's thoughts.

"We must vigorously develop infrastructure in the future so that everyone can have their own house!"

Ashura then found another goal to strive for.

"By the way, are the houses in the new district for sale?"

Ashura asked casually.

"For rent only, not for sale."

A helpful person nearby responded.

"What a pity..."

Ashura felt a little regretful.

He had originally planned to buy a house as a temporary base to continue his "Konoha Observation Project".

"You talk like you can afford it!"

The people around immediately burst into laughter.

"However, I heard that the ninja masters of Konoha can be bought out."

"I know that, but only Jonin-sama can draw lots, and they're all private courtyards, and the prices are ridiculously high!"

"That's not the case. Jonin all have dormitories. Look at those high-rise buildings over there..."

Following the direction pointed out by the busybody, Ashura looked up and saw a brightly lit "skyscraper" with more than ten floors.

"It's so great to have a house to live in without having to buy one!"

"I have a mansion in the countryside that's even bigger than the one in the new district!"

"It's sour," a businessman said sourly.

"You said it's the countryside!"

Then, amidst the teasing of the crowd, the businessman said things like "It's all houses," "Big is good," and "The new district is so expensive and there are barriers to entry," filling the air with a cheerful atmosphere.

"This is Konoha..."

Through the words of the crowd, Ashura pieced together a picture of Konoha as seen through the eyes of the "common people".

This further changed his impression of Konoha.

In fact, in the eyes of ordinary people, they don't care about so-called exploitation and bloodsucking; they only care about whether they can get the rewards they deserve through their own labor and make their lives and those of their families better and better.

As for their assessment of the situation in the ninja world, it seems that these small businessmen, who have some connections with the United Company, firmly believe that the Shogunate will achieve final victory and lead them, the "new recruits," to a better future.

"Centripetal force..."

Ashura came up with a word to describe it.

But then I thought about it again, and realized that this word seems to appear in the "Sayings of De Guang"...

"This is what it means to see the big picture from small details..."

Ashura shook his head, feeling that Uchiha Tokumitsu's influence was unparalleled.

In his memory, it seemed that no one could have such a profound impact on an era, whether it was on lifestyle or future vision. It seemed that Uchiha Tokumitsu did nothing, but he had already left a deep mark on this era in which the shogunate was dominant.

Even the Sage of Six Paths, who sealed away the Goddess of Rabbit and ushered in the ninja era, was no more than this.

"We could have been friends, but fate played a cruel trick on us..."

Ashura's inner resistance and hostility towards the Shogunate system and Uchiha Tokumitsu gradually dissipated.

"what!"

Suddenly, Ashura, who had been lost in thought, sensed an unusual fluctuation of chakra!

"Space-Time Ninjutsu!"

He quickly discerned the characteristics of this chakra fluctuation.

Then, looking up, they discovered that the aura was coming from a building with a cat-shaped door lintel, and judging from the degree to which it disappeared, it must have used a space-time ninjutsu to leave this place!

"Konoha New District Police Headquarters..."

Ashura glanced at the building from which the aura emanated, then strode towards a high-rise hotel next to the police station.

He decided to stay here for a few days to find out who in Konoha was capable of learning space-time ninjutsu!

Chapter 429 Like dew, like lightning, like a dream, like a bubble

"What is wrong with me!"

In the dead of night, Ashura, who was fast asleep in his hotel room, was suddenly awakened!

Only then did he realize that he had been soaked in sweat!

This is not normal!

"Who is it! Who on earth is it?!"

Ashura rolled around on the bed in agony, clutching his head, as the massive chakra within him began to surge erratically.

Even the aura-shielding seal he had set up on his body showed signs of loosening slightly.

He suddenly realized that his will had shifted once again!

Moreover, for Ashura, who entrusts all his consciousness to chakra, a deviation in will is absolutely devastating! This also means that if he doesn't suddenly discover this subtle deviation or influence, sooner or later he will become an "Outsider" who wears the skin of Ashura but has completely become someone else!

This is something he absolutely cannot tolerate!

"Am I still me...?"

A sense of fear surged within Ashura, instantly engulfing his rational defenses!

"Ahhhh!!!"

Just as the barrier protecting his aura was broken by the rampaging chakra, Ashura regained his senses and managed to forcibly suppress all his chakra before the chakra storm could form.

However, he did not use the Concealing Breath Sealing Technique of Mount Myōboku again.

"I……"

Once Ashura had fully regained his senses, he couldn't help but sigh deeply, his eyes gradually reddening as tears quietly welled up. At that moment, all his strength crumbled.

"It was you..."

Ashura discovered a special Sage Chakra from the Myoboku lineage within his own chakra!

Resilient and faint, yet seemingly indelible, it constantly emits a special "pheromone," actively and tirelessly "transforming" Asura in a subtle and gradual way!

At this moment, Ashura recalled all his actions.

A constant stream of conversational fragments, self-reflection, self-denial, self-suggestion, or self-aggrandizement scenes flashed through my mind like a slideshow.

And then there were those moments of wavering, only to inexplicably and repeatedly regain that unwavering belief!

All of this was inexplicable, yet it seemed so perfectly logical!

Ashura's sweat once again soaked his entire body.

"I can't believe I've done so many incongruous things!"

Ashura couldn't help but wail, "Why! Why!"

"Gamamaru! Why!!!"

If he hadn't been suddenly awakened, Asura would probably have remained completely unaware, perhaps even to the point where his will was being manipulated by others without him realizing it.

That seemingly faint trace of special Sage Chakra would have been impossible to detect without careful observation and examination, and also because Ashura's chakra contained his ego consciousness!

Even if he accidentally discovered it, Ashura would at most regard it as a remnant of his predecessor Jiraiya, just like the vulgar impulse to "intrude into the women's bathhouse" that he had occasionally had before.

"Knock knock!"

Suddenly, a knock on the door startled Asura, who was struggling in pain, awake once again.

This is Konoha!

Konoha is the enemy's stronghold!