Chapter 84: Forging a Legend

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed.

During these days, Uchiha Li spent his time immersed in learning genetic technology and writing. However, his progress with genetics had been less than ideal; for now, it was all rote memorization with no real breakthroughs. Yet Li was in no rush. He understood well that true mastery would require a considerable investment of time.

Compared to his stalling studies, the writing of “The Legend of Terra” was going much more smoothly. Thanks to fragments of memories from his previous life, he didn’t need to wrack his brain; it was a simple matter of transposing and adapting what he already knew.

“It’s about ready. I’ll submit the first volume and test the waters, see how it’s received,” Li murmured, setting down his pen. He looked at the small stack of accumulated drafts on the table and allowed himself a satisfied smile.

The first volume of “The Legend of Terra” told the tale of Shisui’s succession to the tyrant “Explosive Dragon King” Barkal. The story centered around a dragon king burdened by endless pain and misunderstanding, who sought through brutal rule to sway fate and thwart someone’s conspiracy...

Li had polished and refined his narrative, making sure Barkal’s unique traits and formidable power were vividly depicted, while also taking care not to reveal the secrets of the other Apostles too soon. He intended to chronicle all the Apostles of Terra in due course, letting their legends be sung across the world.

Of course, to guarantee commercial success, the mere tales of the Apostles would not suffice. Drawing inspiration from the classics, Li added some extra spice—incorporating elements from such works as “Strange Tales of the Golden Pavilion,” “Borrowed Heart, Venomous Claws,” “Mistaken Love in the Rain,” “Jade Pillow of White”—and so on. By weaving these tales together and embellishing them throughout, he planned to captivate his readers' attention.

He was certain that as the mysteries of Terra gradually unraveled, the final legend—his and Terra’s—would at last take shape.

Refusing to dwell on it further, Li activated his Mangekyō, preparing to use his identity as the Leader and enlist Shisui’s help in publishing the book. Considering his remaining child power reserves, he decided not to summon Shisui directly to Terra as he had last time—after all, remotely transporting an Apostle successor consumed far more energy than simply bringing someone into the Terra space in person. But if he were to visit Shisui himself and deliver the mission face-to-face, it might erode the Leader’s mystique.

He needed a method that would maintain the Leader’s enigmatic aura while conserving his strength. After some thought, Li chose to send a remote message.

With a spark of his power, Li established a link to Barkal’s statue in Terra, chanting softly under his breath: “Barkal, go and assist Karoso. Complete this task…”

His voice was hoarse and brief.

…

In a small grove near Konoha, Shisui was currently in dragon form, going through his daily training. The trees and rocks around him were cleaved as easily as tofu beneath his claws, offering no resistance.

“My speed, strength, and stamina are still increasing,” Shisui mused, finishing another round of basic drills. As he delved deeper into the power of Barkal’s Apostle, his abilities had again advanced noticeably.

He paused for a moment, preparing to continue, when a faint, familiar voice began to echo in his mind.

“A message from the Leader—there’s a new mission,” he realized, quickly grasping the situation.

Releasing his dragon form, Shisui hurried off in the direction of Uchiha Li’s home. The more he developed his Apostle powers, the more he sensed Terra’s unfathomable strength and mystery. Naturally, the Leader who commanded it all seemed even more inscrutable.

Thus, when given a mission by the Leader, Shisui dared not delay in the slightest.

…

In the living room, Li soon welcomed Shisui inside. Seeing Shisui drenched in sweat, Li smiled warmly. “Have a seat and rest a while.”

“Li, what is the mission the Leader has assigned to us?” Shisui asked anxiously as soon as he sat down, unable to rest. In his mind, a joint mission with Li could only mean it would be no easy task—just like last time, when they had encountered members of the Akatsuki while searching for the Grail Vein. Had Kakuzu not underestimated them, that battle might not have ended so easily.

This time, the mission surely warranted careful planning to avoid unforeseen complications.

Li gestured at the drafts on the table and said calmly, “This time, the mission is simple. We just need to spread Terra’s name far and wide.”

Shisui was momentarily puzzled, but as his eyes skimmed the manuscript, he understood: “You mean, write a story with Barkal as the model, then use it to promote Terra?”

“Exactly.” Li nodded. “Some of our information has already leaked, so the Leader decided we might as well tell our own story—better that than let others distort or misunderstand us.”

“I see,” Shisui said, nodding in agreement, without the slightest suspicion. In his view, an ancient and powerful organization like Terra would naturally care deeply about its reputation. The current rumors about Terra were all being spread by the Akatsuki, and it was inevitable that some would be false or biased. It was only right to guide public opinion in the correct direction.

After a moment’s thought, Shisui hesitated. “But, just the two of us handling this—won’t that be unrealistic? Getting the message out requires funds, and we’ll need people to accept it.”

Li had anticipated this. “Don’t worry about the money. All we need to do is have someone publish the book and put it on sale.” He paused, then added meaningfully, “As for acceptance, once readers reach the end, they’ll understand.”

If Jiraiya’s “Make-Out Paradise” could be so successful, his own chronicle should be even more so—there was no reason it would fail. Li was confident that people had discerning eyes; the quality would speak for itself.

Perhaps the initial investment would be considerable, but once the reputation was established, royalties from book sales would become a steady stream of income. With that money, he’d never have to worry about funding his research again.

To be able to both promote Terra and make money—what could be better? Even the only possible concern—the matter of reputation—

Li glanced sidelong at the unsuspecting Shisui, offering a silent apology in his heart.

“Readers will understand by the final chapter?” Shisui, oblivious to Li’s thoughts, continued reading the manuscript. After a while, he unconsciously set the papers down, his face flushed.

“Li, what kind of things are these? How can you write that stuff in a book…”

Li tilted his head, countering, “As bonus content, does it attract attention?”

Shisui lowered his head, shaking it nervously. “H-how would I know?”

Li’s lips curled with a hint of a smile. “Really? You don’t know?”