Chapter 10: Temporary House

However, in this vast world, one's appetite was even bigger. While the skies were vast, and the earth was heavy, nothing weighed heavier than one's pride.

In order to save face, Asahi had no choice but to let go of his shame and start bragging.

"Jōnin? That's nothing. To be precise, I should be even stronger than the Five Kage."

Well, when he used the Experience Card earlier, he really was the strongest in the Shinobi World, even stronger than the Sage of the Six Paths. So, it wasn't exactly bragging.

Yes, that's right, it wasn't bragging. How could it be considered bragging when it concerned his master? This was merely appropriate packaging.

Originally, Asahi had been planning to console himself a little, but the more he thought about it, the more he felt that what he said made sense.

By the end of it, Asahi's confidence unexpectedly surged, and he didn't feel an ounce of guilt.

"Wow!!! That's amazing!!!" The three youngsters looked at Asahi in awe. While they didn't know how strong the Five Kage were, anyone who could become the Kage of Konohagakure had to be extraordinarily powerful. And when Asahi claimed to be even stronger than them, how could they not admire him? They felt incredibly lucky to have him as their teacher.

Inside, Nagato, who had been on edge, relaxed. Asahi was so powerful, he probably wouldn't have any malicious intentions toward him.

Indeed, Nagato had been quite tense, fearing that Asahi might notice his unusual eyes and develop greedy thoughts. After all, he had effortlessly killed two ninja with his newfound abilities.

He was afraid of being found out by Asahi, who might then target him, and he was afraid of losing everything he had gained so suddenly.

If Asahi knew what Nagato was thinking, he would probably burst into laughter. Would he envy Nagato's Rinnegan? No way! With his mastery of Ninjutsu, there was no ninja technique he couldn't use, be it Wood Release, Sharingan, or Rinnegan, as long as it fell within the scope of jutsu. Plus, due to his techniques and physique, his chakra levels were unusually abundant.

As for Nagato's worries, they were merely unfounded fears of being scrutinized and living in constant nervousness.

In reality, a highly-talented disciple like Nagato who focused single-mindedly on cultivation was miles apart from a similarly talented disciple who was always on edge and couldn't focus on their training.

And considering the system's behavior, Asahi expected that when Nagato and the others became stronger to a certain degree, he would also receive rewards.

So, whether publicly or privately, Asahi would only help Nagato and not harm him.

"Cough, cough. Let's grill the fish quickly. Right now, you should focus on building your foundations and not think about all sorts of chaotic things."

Although Asahi had a strong mental fortitude, he still felt a bit awkward being constantly stared at with admiration by the three young disciples, who he had deceived.

"Alright."

Although they still wanted to learn more, the three youngsters obediently sat down by the fire. They were still a bit damp, and while it wasn't yet cold in the evening, warming up by the fire was a good idea.

At this moment, Asahi displayed his superb skills in various areas, which required no study or practice.

Asahi, who was proficient in multiple skills, easily grilled several enticing fish with perfectly seared skin, as well as an oil-dripping roasted rabbit.

The three young disciples, who hadn't eaten meat for a long time, enjoyed the meal immensely, especially since Asahi grilled everything to perfection.

However, Asahi's mood wasn't as delightful because there were no seasonings. As a modern gourmet, he couldn't quite enjoy barbecued food without any seasonings.

It would have been acceptable if there were no cumin or chili, but not even salt? Asahi found it difficult to swallow without any saltiness.

His loss of appetite puzzled the three young disciples, but Asahi didn't tell them the truth; he just said he wasn't very hungry.

To be honest, this had somewhat shaken the three young disciples' worldview. The precious food in their eyes was something Asahi couldn't even eat.

Asahi didn't want to shatter their innocence entirely, so he kept quiet. However, he silently resolved to go earn some money tomorrow to buy seasonings; otherwise, he couldn't continue living like this.

Asahi was silently making plans as he cleared the area with an Earth Release jutsu, revealing a smooth surface.

This made the three little ones cast sideways glances at each other, but they didn't make a fuss.

Asahi looked satisfied at the flat surface he had created with his ninjutsu.

"Alright, the environment here is pretty good, and it's secluded enough. We need to prepare some wood to build a house. From now on, we'll live here and I'll teach you ninjutsu."

"Great!"

Hearing that Asahi planned to build a house and teach them ninjutsu, the three youngsters couldn't help but cheer.

After the cheering, Konan and Nagato eagerly waited for Asahi's next instructions.

However, being naturally thick-skinned and fueled by excitement, Yahiko dashed into the woods. Only when he looked back did he realize he was alone. In a bit of a panic, he shouted to Asahi and the others, "Asahi-sensei, Nagato, Konan, hurry over here!"

Konan looked at Yahiko with a wry smile and shook her head. "Yahiko, we don't have any tools. What's the rush?"

Nagato didn't say anything, but he clearly shared the same sentiment.

Asahi looked at Yahiko with an amused expression. He felt that Yahiko's thick skin and impulsive nature were somewhat reminiscent of Naruto Uzumaki.

"Uh, yeah, you're right. Haha... Hahaha..."

Yahiko, now realizing his haste was in vain, awkwardly scratched his head and chuckled.

"Alright, you three can just watch."

Asahi smiled and shook his head, then walked up to Yahiko, activating his chakra and quickly forming hand seals.

"Wind Release, Wind Slice!"

With expert chakra control, Asahi executed the C-rank ninjutsu, Wind Slice, using it like a cutting blade. As the jutsu was employed, a multitude of trees instantly became bare.

Asahi repeated the process, and with another Wind Slice, trees in the distance tumbled down. In a matter of minutes, the ground was covered with construction materials.

Using these materials and combining them with Earth Release, Asahi slowly began constructing a wooden house. During this process, the three youngsters assisted as best they could. While they couldn't use ninjutsu, they worked hard to help Asahi arrange and secure the wood.

This made them feel involved and part of the process.

Of course, those who knew construction understood that building a house solely with wood and Earth Release was a difficult task. However, it was still feasibly to deceive Yahiko, Konan, Nagato, and others who were not knowledgeable in the field.

The successful construction of a rainproof house was thanks to Asahi secretly using Wood Release to bond the wood together. Otherwise, with Asahi and the three youngsters being novices, it would have been challenging to build a stable structure that wouldn't collapse.