A Sage's Pursuit of Power

Two days later, Kakashi found Aoba and handed him a scroll. However, Kakashi did not respond to Aoba's previous question and silently turned and left.

It seemed he understood the deeper meaning of his question, making it even harder to answer.

Aoba wasn't in a hurry. He needed help in Konoha, and Kakashi, while not the most reliable, was a solid choice overall.

In this world, there are many ways to become stronger. At least during this period, influence is also a part of strength.

Take the legendary Konoha White Fang, for example. His strength was formidable, but mere rumors were enough to drive him to his death.

Apart from his psychological weakness, a key factor was his lack of influence.

The two useless advisors of Konoha's F4 were once significant figures in their early years. Now, they're just overweight old men. Kakashi could probably beat them both.

Yet, they remain very powerful within Konoha. Their words alone can direct Kakashi to risk his life. That's the power of influence.

Before the era of high individual strength, influence was also a part of strength. While Aoba worked on enhancing his own strength, he also tried to build his own influence.

He wasn't interested in the Hokage position itself. But there's a saying: "I don't need it, but you can't refuse to give it."

He would never allow himself to end up like the White Fang. The Hokage position wasn't necessary, but having the strength and influence to assume it at any time was crucial.

Not having a sword in hand and having one you don't use are two different things.

Kakashi was troubled by Aoba's question and went home to ponder. Meanwhile, Aoba began studying the shackles Kakashi had given him.

The sealing techniques on the shackles were much simpler than expected. The key issue was the material. These shackles contained expensive chakra-conducting metal, which maximized the effectiveness of the technique.

However, he had no chakra metal— not even a gram. So he needed to make adjustments.

Aoba didn't need such an expensive tool. His plan was to create a one-time use device.

After all, if the opportunity came, it would be a one-time shot. If he missed, there wouldn't be a chance for a follow-up.

If successful, the effect only needed to last for a short period, and he would be able to kill the White Zetsu directly. After that, the tool wouldn't be needed.

With lowered expectations, the problem became simpler.

Aoba took some regular kunai and shuriken and engraved the sealing technique on them. Then he infused chakra and threw them.

He anticipated that once the target was hit, the technique would take effect, and it would be sufficient if it lasted around thirty seconds.

However, the actual problem was that the shuriken shattered in mid-flight...

He realized why chakra metal was so expensive. The chakra conduction process caused significant wear on the metal.

With no other options, he went to the ninja tools store in Konoha.

The store was run by a young girl with a bun on her head. Aoba recognized her as Ten Ten. It seemed her family was a well-known ninja tools merchant in Konoha.

"Hello, what can I help you with?"

Seeing the forehead protector on Aoba's head, Ten Ten greeted him warmly. After all, her pocket money depended on the day's sales. Naturally, she had to treat customers well.

"Well, I need some ninja tools. Do you have kunai and shuriken mixed with chakra metal?"

"..." Ten Ten was taken aback by his question. It was a question that any ninja should know the answer to— no.

In reality, apart from the Fourth Hokage's special Flying Thunder God kunai, no one uses kunai and shuriken with added chakra metal.

These two types of tools are for throwing. While kunai can be used in close combat, it's primarily thrown. Even though they can be recovered, there are very few chances to retrieve them in combat.

Moreover, ninja tools with added chakra metal are extremely expensive. Even the wealthiest would be unable to afford such consumption.

"Sorry, we don't have those tools."

"..." Aoba fell silent for a moment. Although he had anticipated this, hearing the answer was still a bit disappointing. But it wasn't entirely bad news.

If they did have them, his wallet would suffer a significant loss. So, in a way, it was good news.

He thought for a moment and asked:

"Then what are the strongest kunai and shuriken you have here? I need tools that can withstand chakra conduction. They just need to last about a minute without breaking."

"Ah..." Ten Ten was stunned by the peculiar request. After thinking for a moment, she seemed to recall something.

"Please wait a moment."

She then ran to the storage room and came back carrying a box.

"Sir, take a look at this."

Ten Ten opened the box to reveal a row of kunai and shuriken.

Aoba picked one up and immediately felt the difference. These are the most commonly used ninja tools, learned from the ninja academy.

He didn't know how many he had used, but this kunai felt unique.

It was exceptionally comfortable to handle.

The design of the kunai was similar to other kunai, but the details were different.

It was hard to describe, but the grip, weight, balance, and every minor detail were perfected. As a seasoned user, he could immediately feel the difference.

"What is this..."

"This is a luxury version of ninja tools we released years ago. The entire set, including materials and craftsmanship, is of master-level handwork, with every detail refined to perfection."

"...Would anyone actually buy such tools?"

Although this tool didn't include chakra metal, spending so much effort on a consumable item meant the cost was extremely high. The selling price was likely very shocking.

"Unfortunately, this product failed back then. So there was no follow-up. This is the last box. The materials used are the best available, excluding chakra metal, and can endure chakra conduction for a while. But I'm not sure for how long."

Aoba examined the kunai in his hand, infused chakra into it, and it lasted about a minute and a half before it shattered.

It was much better than he had expected. Aoba showed a hint of joy. But then he realized something troubling.

As expected, Ten Ten saw the expression on his face and immediately understood that a big sale was coming.