Shigure was stunned.
He hurried back to his room and eagerly examined the functions of his newly acquired World Points.
[Host: Senju Shigure] [Age: 49 (+)] [Strength: 50] [Constitution: 50] [Spirit: 50] [Earth Affinity: 50] [Wind Affinity: 50] [Fire Affinity: 50] [Mental Ability: Sensory Perception] [Power Rating: Elite Genin] [World Points: 10] That was it?
The only unusual feature was the tiny plus sign beside his age.
None of the other values showed any indication that they could be changed.
“Do World Points work like Free Attribute Points?
Can they only reduce my age?” Shigure scrutinised every Attribute until his eyes began to ache, but he could not find another plus sign anywhere.
This was awkward.
“Still, being able to use them like Free Attribute Points isn’t bad.
I’m far too old anyway.” After comforting himself with that thought, Shigure selected the plus sign beside his age.
His displayed age dropped to 48.
“It really works?
Then let’s keep going!” 47… 46… 45… Shigure spent all 10 World Points in one go, reducing his displayed age from 49 to 39.
He had become an entire decade younger.
Running a hand over his face, Shigure could feel that many of his wrinkles had faded.
Excitement swelled inside him.
Ten whole years!
Doesn’t that mean I can live ten years longer than my second brother?
Even if I’m weaker than him, I can simply wait until the old bastard dies first.
The thought of his second brother’s perpetually overbearing expression made Shigure chuckle to himself.
His smile soon disappeared as he considered what the existence of World Points truly meant.
“Wait a moment.
Doesn’t that mean I’ve missed out on these things for decades?
World Points!
I spent all those years hiding in logistics and wasted several decades of my life!” Shigure clutched his chest and mourned his losses.
After calming down, however, he remembered how weak he had been.
His strength had been unable to improve, so even if he had participated in some pivotal historical event, there was a good chance he would have died as nameless cannon fodder.
Just as he was about to close the Attribute panel, his eyes bulged once again.
His lips trembled uncontrollably.
“Why?
Why does this keep happening?
Is fate deliberately screwing with me?” In the bottom-right corner of the panel, he had finally noticed a line of text almost as tiny as the plus sign.
[World Points can raise Attribute Caps.] Raising an Attribute Cap meant increasing the maximum value that an Attribute could reach.
As Shigure understood it, World Points were effectively capable of improving his potential.
They could remove the restriction preventing him from becoming stronger.
Once he raised his caps, he would finally be able to resume training and gradually increase his strength.
World Points might not improve his Attributes directly, but merely removing those limits meant that hard work could make him stronger again.
They could also reduce his age.
This was practically a second chance at life.
But… Why did that line of text have to be hidden in the very bottom-right corner of the panel?
Apart from displaying his Attributes, the lower portion of the panel had always been empty.
After decades of seeing nothing there, Shigure had stopped examining it carefully.
And now… He wanted to slap himself across the face.
Senju Shigure was drowning in regret.
“What kind of bullshit system is this?
Every discovery is another damned trap!
Next time, I’m examining every inch of this thing!” After thoroughly cursing the system, Shigure collapsed onto his bed with tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.
Yes, he cried.
News of the marriage alliance between the Senju and Uzumaki clans quickly reached every major clan in the region, including the Uchiha Clan, whose strength rivalled that of the Senju.
The Uchiha even launched an ambush against the bridal procession along the way.
The Senju, however, had anticipated the danger.
They dispatched dozens of elite jonin to guard the procession, along with Tobirama Senju, whose strength was already approaching Kage-level.
Several powerful Uzumaki shinobi accompanied them as well.
Despite the ambush, the journey was completed without any serious danger.
Inside the Senju Clan’s meeting hall, negotiations between the two clans were still underway.
“This marriage will inevitably provoke the Kaguya and Hozuki clans to the north of our territory,” the elderly Uzumaki representative said calmly.
“Therefore, the Senju Clan must send at least 500 jonin to reinforce us.” He looked directly across the table at Butsuma Senju, the Senju Clan’s leader.
“Impossible!” Before Butsuma could respond, Shigure’s eldest brother immediately rejected the demand.
Most of the clan’s shinobi were currently stationed in the west, locked in a prolonged confrontation with the Uchiha Clan.
The remaining forces had been split between defending the east against the Two Scales Clan and protecting the south from raids by several medium-sized clans.
There was no conceivable way for the Senju to spare 500 jonin.
The Uzumaki elder frowned at the immediate refusal and turned his dissatisfied gaze toward Butsuma.
“To be perfectly honest, 60 percent of our forces are occupied with the Uchiha,” Butsuma explained while carefully observing the elder’s reaction.
“The Two Scales Clan is also a major clan, forcing us to deploy another 20 percent of our strength in the east.
“The clans to the south might be fighting among themselves, but they frequently raid our iron mines.
We have been forced to station another 10 percent of our forces there.
What remains is barely enough to defend the clan compound.” The Uzumaki elder gave a cold laugh and looked around the room.
“Do the Senju intend to gain an alliance without offering anything in return?
Are you expecting the Uzumaki Clan to defend your entire northern flank for you?” “How about this?” Butsuma tapped his fingers lightly against the table, his expression troubled.
“The Senju Clan can provide 50 jonin and 100 chunin.
That is the absolute most we can spare.” Fifty jonin and 100 chunin might sound like a formidable force.
During the peaceful years after Konoha’s eventual founding, such a force would certainly be significant.
This, however, was the Warring States era.
Conflict raged throughout the shinobi world.
Against one of the major clans, that number would accomplish very little.
Even a medium-sized clan could withstand such a force without suffering a devastating blow.
The Uzumaki elder’s expression became extremely ugly.
Uzumaki Nagakaze had come to the Senju compound specifically to secure military support for his clan.
The Uzumaki could no longer remain isolated from the conflicts around them.
The Kaguya and Hozuki clans to the north had repeatedly launched raids and probing attacks against their territory.
The Uzumaki had considered allying with the Uchiha, but the Uchiha territories lay far to the west.
If such a marriage alliance were formed, the closer Senju Clan would almost certainly invade Uzumaki territory at once and destroy the alliance before it could take root.
Cooperation with the Hozuki or Kaguya was equally impossible after their repeated attacks.
After considering every option, the Uzumaki had concluded that the powerful Senju Clan was their best possible ally.
“Can you provide any more than that?” the Uzumaki elder pressed.
Mokuma’s eyes narrowed as an idea came to him.
“In that case, Shigure will accompany the reinforcements as the Senju clan’s senior representative.” “Senju Shigure?” Nagakaze visibly relaxed.
Anyone chosen to represent the Senju on the front lines would surely be one of the clan’s strongest shinobi.
The Senju leaders seated around the room, however, reacted with exceedingly strange expressions.
Mokuma gave the others a warning look.
One by one, they fell silent.
As long as Uncle Shigure remains safely behind the lines, he should be…fine, shouldn’t he?
The corner of Butsuma’s mouth twitched, but he ultimately chose not to object.
At that moment, Shigure was sound asleep in his room, completely unaware that Mokuma had just volunteered him for a mission to the front lines.
Add to library.
Send some Power Stones.