The voice of Uzumaki Mito pulled Shouta Kazuki from his thoughts, bringing him back to reality. The system's voice still echoed in his mind, leaving him in a daze. He had just successfully summoned Uzumaki Mito, the legendary wife of the First Hokage, but that wasn't the only surprise. The system had extracted and granted him a new ability.
Initially, Shouta had hoped for a powerful sealing technique, given Mito's expertise as a fuinjutsu master. However, what he received was something entirely different.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully summoning the dead and obtaining the summoned beast: Uzumaki Mito!]
[Extracting a random ability from the summoned entity…]
[Congratulations! The host has acquired the Bloodline of the Uzumaki Clan!]
[The Uzumaki bloodline has been integrated into the host's body!]
Shouta's eyes widened in shock. He had expected a technique, maybe even some chakra chains, but an entirely new bloodline? That was on a different level altogether. It was another fundamental change to his body, just like when he had received Indra and Asura's chakra.
He absentmindedly touched his black hair, suddenly wondering—would it turn red? The Uzumaki clan was famous for their distinct crimson locks, and he wasn't sure if he was ready for such a drastic transformation.
Before he could dwell on it further, Mito spoke again, her voice carrying warmth and amusement.
"You must be Shouta Kazuki, right? My, what a handsome young man! At this rate, you'll have countless girls chasing after you when you grow up."
Shouta let out a sheepish chuckle. He had almost called her "grandmother" out of respect, but given how youthful she appeared in her current form, it felt… wrong. Instead, he had chosen to call her "sister," and judging by the delighted smile on her face, it was the right call.
"The little guy has a sweet tongue," Mito chuckled before her eyes narrowed slightly, as if sensing something.
Shouta saw the change in her expression and felt an inexplicable sense of connection to her. Then, Mito suddenly frowned.
"This presence… Shouta, do you, by any chance, have Uzumaki blood in you?"
Shouta hesitated for a moment before nodding. "I do now. The summoning ability I possess doesn't just revive someone—it also grants me something from the summoned individual. From you, I inherited the Uzumaki bloodline."
Mito's eyes widened slightly, but after a moment, a warm smile spread across her lips. "So that's why… I could feel it. Your blood is as pure as mine. This must be fate."
She placed a gentle hand on Shouta's shoulder. "You have given me an opportunity that I never thought possible—to live again, to be with Hashirama again. This kindness… I will never forget it."
Shouta felt a little embarrassed and quickly waved his hands. "Ah, you don't have to say that, Sister Mito! I also gained a lot from summoning you. This is a fair exchange."
The others had been listening quietly, but after hearing his words, their interest was piqued.
Uchiha Madara was the first to step forward. "Hmph. So you do receive something from each summon. What exactly did you gain from the rest of us?"
Shouta wasn't surprised by the question. He had already decided to share the truth, at least with those he had summoned. After all, they were all bound by the contract.
"Well," he began, "my ability doesn't just resurrect you—it strengthens me too. When I summoned Madara, I inherited the chakra of Indra. When I summoned Hashirama, I inherited Asura's chakra."
The revelation shocked everyone, especially Hashirama and Madara.
"So… you carry both Indra and Asura's chakra within you?" Hashirama asked in disbelief.
Shouta nodded. "Yes. And because of that, I believe that one day, I'll awaken the Rinnegan naturally."
The silence that followed was heavy. That was no small claim. The Rinnegan was the legendary dojutsu of the Sage of Six Paths. If Shouta was right, then his potential was beyond anything they had ever seen.
Namikaze Minato let out a breath, a complicated expression on his face. "That's… truly incredible."
Shouta continued, "Aside from that, I also have the Flying Thunder God technique, Senjutsu from Mount Myoboku, and the Mangekyou Sharingan. Though my Sharingan hasn't awakened any abilities yet, I know that will change once my pupil strength develops further."
Even Madara looked at Shouta in a new light. "Hmph. It seems you're not just some lucky brat playing with power. If you really can awaken the Rinnegan… then you may have the strength to reshape the world."
At those words, Shouta's gaze sharpened. This was the perfect time to bring up his vision.
"I do intend to reshape the world," he said firmly. "The ninja world as it is now… is fractured. Too many villages. Too many separate nations. Constant war. Even with all your efforts, peace never lasted."
Hashirama frowned slightly. "But peace is something that must be built through understanding, not force."
Tobirama, however, immediately disagreed. "Brother, we have already seen what happened after your death. Your idea of peace was naïve. The moment you were gone, the world fell into chaos. The First Great Ninja War broke out. And I… I lost my life in that war."
Hashirama's face darkened, and Madara crossed his arms. "Tobirama is right. Peace through idealism will never last. Only through strength can order be maintained."
Shouta took a deep breath and met Hashirama's eyes. "I understand what you wanted, First Hokage. A world without war, where children don't have to grow up as soldiers. That is my goal too. But I believe that the only way to achieve it is by uniting the entire ninja world under one rule."
Hashirama's eyes widened slightly, but Shouta continued.
"If there is only one power governing the entire world, then there will be no wars between villages. No shinobi killing each other over territory disputes. No Great Ninja Wars. Just one force protecting everyone."
At that moment, the world seemed to shift around them. A new path had been set in motion, one that could change the fate of the entire ninja world.