Marvel: Trading with Worlds

"Don't look at me like that, Tsunade," Orochimaru continued calmly. "Even if you're angry, it won't change my mind.

"Preparing for the future means dealing with crises before they grow dangerous. If there were only one village and one country left standing, Konoha would have no need for war. Of course, that's not a goal I can achieve overnight. But if I had ten years to lay the foundation, Konoha would prosper when Nawaki takes over."

Tsunade's face flushed with anger as she snapped, "Orochimaru! What kind of ideas have you been feeding Nawaki?"

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow.

"Tsunade, Nawaki is no longer a child. He agrees with the Second Hokage's ideology more than the First's."

Tsunade froze at his words, realizing the truth. Nawaki wasn't the boy she used to look after. He had grown up. 

After proving his strength on the battlefield in the Land of Hot Water, he had surpassed even her. He was no longer the child who needed her protection.

"This is war! Orochimaru, Konoha has worked hard for generations to maintain peace. You shouldn't—"

"Jiraiya, have you been brainwashed?" Orochimaru interrupted impatiently.

He recalled a word Kain had once mentioned—"brainwashing"—and found it fitting for Jiraiya's current mindset.

"Why is everything you say considered right, and everything I do considered wrong? If that's how it is, then there's no point in continuing this conversation. Let's rely on our own abilities from here on."

With that, Orochimaru stood up and left. Jiraiya didn't try to stop him. In his eyes, Orochimaru not only lacked the spirit of a Hokage but would also plunge Konoha and the entire ninja world into chaos.

Jiraiya had been deeply influenced by the Third Hokage after graduation and had spent several years training at Mount Myōboku. 

Both Sarutobi Hiruzen and the teachings of Mount Myōboku instilled in Jiraiya the belief that strength should be used to protect peace. 

From being the weakest in his team, Jiraiya had worked hard to catch up to Tsunade and Orochimaru, for which he credited both his mentors and his teammates.

As a result, Jiraiya placed unwavering faith in Sarutobi Hiruzen's teachings and the prophecies of Mount Myōboku.

However, when it became clear that Orochimaru couldn't be convinced, Jiraiya turned to Tsunade and asked directly: "Tsunade, do you also want to see Konoha fall into war?"

Tsunade responded angrily, "Jiraiya, do you think I can convince Orochimaru?"

Still unwilling to give up, Jiraiya pleaded, "Then help me... no, help Minato. He has the character and ability of the best ninja. I believe he is the most suitable candidate for Hokage."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Are you seriously drunk? Nawaki wants to be Hokage too, and you expect me to abandon my little brother to support Namikaze Minato? Orochimaru's nonsense is one thing, but you're the real idiot here!"

Frustrated with Jiraiya's impractical ideas, Tsunade called over the store waiter, packed a bunch of appetizers, grabbed a few bottles of good shochu, and decided to drink at home instead.

Seeing this, Jiraiya slumped in his seat, utterly defeated. Not only had he failed to achieve his goal, but he'd also spent a fortune. 

On top of that, he hadn't even managed to get any useful information out of Orochimaru. And to make matters worse, Tsunade had taken off with a stash of the expensive shochu he'd paid for.

Meanwhile, Kushina stood at a distance, watching Kain as he fiddled with their new residence. After observing for a while, she finally spoke up.

"I don't feel anything."

Kain frowned. "You don't feel it? Strange. Regardless of a ninja's strength, this should affect them. Take off your magic jewelry and try again."

Before finishing his explanation, Kain noticed the magical jewelry Kushina was wearing and gestured for her to remove it. 

Once she did, she attempted to sense the new home again, which had been enchanted with an enhanced Muggle-Repelling Charm.

This time, Kushina frowned slightly. She could barely sense the house even after using sensory ninjutsu. 

She then skipped over to Kain excitedly and exclaimed, "That's amazing! You've made such a large yard almost undetectable!"

Kain smiled. "This is just the beginning. Once I finish layering all the magic in this area, even the best sensory ninja will have a hard time pinpointing its exact location."

Using alchemy to solidify the enhanced Muggle-Repelling Charm onto magical items and burying them deep in the ground near the new home allows them to interact with one another, ensuring that even a ninja's sensory techniques are affected.

After hearing this, Kushina smiled and said, "Then I'll set up an enchantment so that even the Byakugan can't see through it." 

However, as soon as she spoke, she blushed. She recalled something Kain had said to her a few days ago and felt embarrassed, thinking she was being too eager to impress.

"By the way, can I bring others here in the future?" Kushina asked hesitantly.

She knew Kain would be away for a while but didn't know what he was planning to do. She simply wanted to invite friends, like Mikoto, over to the house when he was gone.

"Of course," Kain replied with a smile. "You're the hostess, so you can decide on such trivial matters. I'll leave you a few magic ornaments that bypass the Muggle-Repelling Charm, so you can use them as needed."

Hearing the word hostess immediately lifted Kushina's spirits. She liked the way it sounded. 

With more than half of the new home completed—a mansion spanning over 700 square meters—it was undoubtedly the grandest residence in Konoha.

The surrounding environment had also been carefully remodeled, and Kushina was already envisioning training their future children nearby.

She hugged Kain's arm, letting her curves press against him, and suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Mikoto has been worried about her husband lately. Is it dangerous on the Water Country battlefield?"

"It should be fine. Don't worry—Uchiha Fugaku is an outstanding ninja," Kain reassured her.

At the mention of Uchiha Fugaku, Kain's thoughts shifted to Kakashi's Sharingan, which had the potential to evolve into the Kamui Mangekyō. Among all Mangekyō abilities, Kain valued Kamui the most.

"If the opportunity arises," he thought, "I'll make sure to obtain those eyes."

…

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