ALL NOVEL Chapter 9: ch9
"Fifty thousand?" Ethan Johnson asked immediately after hearing this. "What did you do to need so much money? Is it gambling?"
"Is fifty thousand dollars a lot?" Ashley Thompson looked confused. "It's not even enough for my monthly pocket money. Ethan, you're also from a wealthy family, so that number isn't big for you."
"You think everyone's like you." Ethan rolled his eyes after hearing this. "My father is afraid that I'll make a fool of myself if I have too much money, so he keeps a close eye on me. My monthly pocket money is only $18,000, and it's barely enough to live on."
The words of the two left John Smith speechless. Their pocket money was more than a normal person's annual salary. This is really a realistic society.
"You don't know whether I gamble or not?" He spread his hands and explained what happened at home.
After hearing this, Ethan took out his phone, "I only have a little over three thousand left this month, and I can give you more next month. Anyway, college is only two months away. If I save some money, I can squeeze out $20,000."
"Ashley, the rest is up to you. It's rare for John to ask for help. Let's not let him down."
"Tch, poor guy." Ashley snorted and said boldly, "Do we really have to chip in for a mere $50,000? I'll cover it all!"
"And you don't have to pay it back. John, just use it. I have plenty of money."
"Awesome, awesome." Ethan gave a thumbs up and said enviously, "If only my father treated me like this, I wouldn't be broke all the time."
Ashley transferred the money directly to John, who took a deep breath while looking at the significant amount on his phone.
"I will pay you back within half a year at most."
"I said no..."
"No, it must be returned."
John is not someone who likes to ask for help. If Emily's future weren't involved, he would never have asked.
"Why are you being so formal? We're the only three good friends in school," Ashley said, dissatisfied.
Ethan's eyes lit up after hearing this, and he said with a cheeky smile, "Since we're all friends, why don't we go on a date tonight? Ashley, a pretty girl like you can't be taken advantage of by outsiders. We have to keep it in-house."
"Bah! Ethan, you're asking for trouble!"
"Heh-heh."
The two were bickering, and John shook his head as he watched this scene.
The three of them were familiar with each other, and he could tell that Ethan had no interest in Ashley, and was just deliberately provoking her with his teasing words.
The time soon came to nine o'clock. There were more than 1,800 high school seniors in the entire West Valley District waiting for awakening this year, divided into two waves.
As a key high school, West Valley High School was naturally in the second wave. John watched as the first wave of students walked under the sacred tree and were immediately entangled by thick vines and lifted into the air.
"They have entered the Sacred Tree Space," Ashley said eagerly. "I really want to awaken quickly and see what good identity I can draw."
"You don't have to think about it. You must be from the Hyuga clan of Konoha Village in the Land of Fire," Ethan said.
"The sacred tree will prioritize matching the suitable identity according to its own conditions. You've awakened your Byakugan, and you won't have a second choice."
"I know that too," Ashley murmured in a low voice. "Everyone in the clan belongs to the Hyuga clan. I've been tired of hearing about it since I was a child, so I wanted something different."
"Hey, it's not like me. I always feel like I'm following the same path as my predecessors," Ethan sighed. "We've been in Iwagakure for generations, and it's getting old."
"By the way, John, which major country do you want to join?"
"Me?" John didn't even think about it before replying, "It would be best if I could go to the Land of Rain."
"The Land of Rain? That small country that's constantly at war?" Ashley was surprised, and Ethan even touched his forehead.
"You don't have a fever, do you?"
"No one else wants to be in that country, so why do you want to go there?"
"I've heard from others that it's tough to survive there, especially for novice Genin. If you draw the Land of Rain, you'll lose your identity."
"That's what I said. It's unlikely the sacred tree will follow my wishes," John said helplessly.
Joining the Land of Rain is his support for Madara and Nagato's ideals from his previous life. It's not necessary to report there when he awakens. He can go there when he's strong enough.
From a strength perspective, he is more optimistic about Konoha. After all, the main plot begins there, and he understands it better.
The two of them persuaded John not to mess around but to choose a major country and a major family.
John waved his hand, "I know, I don't need you two rookies to teach me."
"Tch, aren't you a rookie? Your Chakra is far behind ours," Ashley wrinkled her nose and looked at the first batch of students who had completed their awakening.
"It's our turn, come on!" Ethan clenched his fists and shouted, "I hope I can awaken a third attribute besides Lava Style."
"It doesn't matter to me. Anyway, our Byakugan majors in Taijutsu." The two of them walked towards the square one after the other.
John followed them, and the three of them chose a place to stand together.
As he was about to be enveloped by the sacred tree, Ashley warned him again.
"John, you must remember to choose a major country and a wealthy family."
John nodded to show his understanding, and then his whole body was tightly wrapped in the vines of the sacred tree, and he lost consciousness.
When John woke up again, he didn't know how much time had passed. He looked at the chaos around him, with only ten square meters of void space, and he felt very excited.
"Finally here!"
[Hello John Smith, welcome to the Sacred Tree Space.]
At this time, a neutral voice without emotion sounded, and a light curtain immediately appeared in front of John's eyes, completely blank.
"Are you the spirit of the sacred tree?" John did not ask about the awakening process first but asked a question that had troubled him for eighteen years: where did the sacred tree come from?
[Yes.]
"How were you formed? Does the world of sacred trees really exist?"
[You currently do not have permission to know.]
"You mean I can earn permission?"
[Yes.]
"What do I need to do?"
[You can know everything by becoming the Bloodline Snare.]
"Bloodline Snare?" John was startled after hearing this. As a senior Hokage fan, he knew what this meant.
That is an invincible existence, the pinnacle level of a ninja.
"It's too far away. Sacred tree, please help me awaken."
[Okay, start checking the body.]
[Awakened John Smith, Physical 3, Ninjutsu 6, Genjutsu 7, Spirit 10+]
[The awakened person's spiritual power exceeds the standard. It is recommended to choose from the following three identities.]
[Kurama Clan, Konoha Village of the Land of Fire]
[Tayuya Clan, Otogakure]
[Uchiha Clan, Konoha Village of the Land of Fire]
"I choose Uchiha." John spoke directly without hesitation. When he saw this option, he suddenly became excited.
The Uchiha clan are descendants of Indra Otsutsuki and have the Sharingan, which can evolve into the Rinnegan. They remained formidable even in the late stages of the Fourth Shinobi World War.
No, it should be said that the Uchiha family is the ultimate trump card.
"Strong spiritual power should be the reason why I traveled through time." John immediately thought of the reason. He had the spiritual power of an adult when he was a child in this world.
As he grew older over the years, his mental strength naturally increased, which was several times higher than that of ordinary people.
"10+...I don't know what value this plus sign represents," John thought.
[Selection completed, selection result: Uchiha clan]
[It is found that the Uchiha in the Leaf Village of the Land of Fire have been exterminated. Your identity in the world of the sacred tree is as an orphan of the Uchiha living outside.]
As the sacred tree spoke, John felt a pain in his arm, and a wood grain bracelet suddenly formed.
[Awakened John Smith, this is your personal information bracelet in the future. It will not be lost or overlapped. Even if your arm is gone, the bracelet will still be in your spiritual sea.]
[The awakening ceremony is completed, and you will exit the Sacred Tree Space in one minute.]
After the sacred tree said this, there was no sound in the entire chaotic space. John looked at the light curtain in front of him, which had his information on it.
[Name: John Smith (Uchiha John)]
[Faction: Land of Fire, Konoha Village, Uchiha Clan]
[Ninjutsu: 6]
[Physical: 3]
[Genjutsu: 7]
[Spirit: 10+]
[Chakra: 0.08 cards]
[Level: Ninja Apprentice]
[Chakra Nature Changes: Fire, Lightning, Yin, Yang]
[Bloodline Limit: None]
[Mastered Ninjutsu: Three Basic Techniques]
[Current Task: None]
"Awakening means dual attributes." John looked at his chakra nature change panel and was very satisfied. Everyone has the yin and yang attributes, just more or less, and lightning is considered a top attribute in Hokage.
Although the fire attribute is a bit weak, it doesn't make sense for someone from the Uchiha clan who doesn't know Fire Style.
"From now on, let's prioritize unlocking the Sharingan and cultivating lightning attributes." He thought, the sacred tree didn't allow him to unlock the Sharingan as soon as he joined Uchiha, which required practice and emotional fluctuations.
"My physical fitness is a bit weak. It must be related to my malnutrition since childhood."
"My Ninjutsu skills are not very high, but they are barely above average. The teacher said that the values will change as your strength increases. I must improve my Ninjutsu talent if I have the opportunity in the future."
"Genjutsu is so high that it's a perfect match for the Sharingan. This forces me to follow the path of a Genjutsu specialist."