Naruto: I Can Upgrade My Techniques Infinitely
Chapter 147: Jealous Eyes, Black Hearts

Chapter 147: Jealous Eyes, Black Hearts

"Oh? Isn’t this Nara Kazuki? Haven’t seen you in a few days and now you’re representing the village on a diplomatic mission to another shinobi village, huh?" The moment Kazuki finished packing up in his room and stepped outside, he heard a voice dripping with sarcasm.

He scratched his head, recognizing the guy squatting nearby. Same clan, familiar face—though Kazuki couldn’t recall much about him beyond that. Another member of the Nara clan, sure, but his strength? Unknown.

Still, the sneer in the guy’s tone was impossible to miss.

And honestly, Kazuki understood the jealousy.

His growth lately had been insane. When he’d first arrived in this world, he’d been a complete novice—barely qualified as a Genin, his strength laughably low. At best, he might’ve made Chūnin someday.

But through relentless training, Kazuki now possessed the strength of a Jōnin.

People were strange like that.

Eyes were black and white. Hearts were red. But once the eyes turned red... the heart turned black.

Kazuki had hoped he wouldn’t run into this kind of person inside his own clan. The Nara were known for their intelligence, after all.

But then again, maybe this guy was one of the exceptions. The statistical outlier. The one that slipped through.

"What? You looking to become my student? Sorry, I don’t take dogs as apprentices," Kazuki replied with a sunny smile and a friendly tone.

The guy froze for a second, then turned beet red. The kind of red that meant steam-room levels of embarrassment.

"You little bastard! What did you just say to me?! I’m your cousin!" the man barked, voice rising in indignation.

Kazuki folded his arms. He wanted to snark back—Oh no, he’s mad! He’s MAD!—but decided against it. No need to escalate. The guy was already losing it.

Sure enough, the idiot clenched his fists and lunged forward like he meant to beat Kazuki into the dirt.

Kazuki sighed.

Within the clan, private combat using ninjutsu was strictly prohibited. It caused too many problems. Even training spars usually stuck to Shadow Imitation Technique—whoever captured the other first, won. A quirky but accepted tradition among the Nara.

Fistfights were allowed, though, as long as they didn’t involve jutsu.

So Kazuki figured this guy had lost his mind. Maybe he was blinded by rage. But he clearly forgot that Kazuki had been training his body nonstop. Sure, he didn’t have anything like the Eight Gates, but that didn’t mean he was weak at close-quarters combat.

Kazuki casually drew his sword, calmly watching his would-be attacker.

Then he noticed something.

The figure charging him was a clone.

Behind him, a shadow crept silently along the ground, aiming for his feet—classic Shadow Imitation.

Kazuki smirked. Alright, maybe the idiot wasn’t totally brainless. Still had enough clan blood in him to try a trick play.

But Kazuki didn’t even need to use jutsu. He didn’t want to escalate this into something formal. If a dog bites you, you don’t bring out a flamethrower—you just kick it away.

So he shifted his foot slightly, avoided the shadow, spun around, and pressed the tip of his blade to the guy’s throat.

Instant silence.

The smug look vanished from the idiot’s face, replaced by cold sweat.

Kazuki calmly turned him over to other clan members to be punished.

He didn’t dwell on it. This kind of thing wasn’t even worth remembering. Getting into a serious fight with a clown like that would only waste time—and gain him nothing.

After grabbing some food, Kazuki joined Uncle Suzaku and left the clan grounds, heading for Konoha’s main gate. Waiting there was another ANBU team, as well as Kazuki’s own.

He eyed the masked shinobi. Couldn’t see their faces, of course. He gave them a polite nod. That was enough.

Kazuki didn’t have many friends in ANBU anyway.

Because Itachi was still too young to handle this kind of mission, it was just Kazuki and Uchiha Shisui representing their side.

Leading the diplomatic delegation were Suzaku and two older shinobi Kazuki didn’t recognize. Didn’t matter. All he had to do was follow along and do his part.

The only disappointing thing was that this mission wasn’t likely to get bloody.

They were going to Kumogakure to do business. Namikaze Minato had surely given advance notice. Unless the Raikage wanted to start a war, they’d be safe on Lightning Country soil.

Kazuki was a bit frustrated by that.

After all, his blade needed blood. He needed kills to fuel it. No fights meant no progress.

Once the squad was assembled, they left Konoha, heading toward Kumogakure.

And not long after their departure, Yamanaka Mai also left Konoha—rushing toward a nearby town.

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