Chapter 30: Rewards
The earth had already fallen asleep.
Aside from the gentle breeze, the desolate streets were filled only with the clamor of drunkards, the sounds of stray dogs fighting, and the mating calls of unknown stray cats.
Whoosh!
Bathed in the moonlight, Asuka moved swiftly across the rooftops.
After glancing back at the Nara Clan compound behind him, he scratched his nose, jumped down from the roof, and leisurely strolled along the street.
Allies.
In the shinobi world, there were two greatest uncertainties.
The first was just how insane Black Zetsu would become in his quest to save his mother.
The second was when an ally would betray you.
Sunagakure had been Konoha's ally from the very first day the ninja villages were established.
Then, during the First Shinobi World War, it stabbed Konoha in the back.
During the Second Shinobi World War, it kicked Konoha twice.
During the Third Shinobi World War, it even fought all the way to Kikyo Mountain, which was no different from smashing someone's windows right on their doorstep.
Now, it was said that Sunagakure was coming again to sign a treaty of friendship and alliance.
Thinking about how, a few years later, Sunagakure would join forces with Orochimaru to overthrow the Third Hokage, Asuka couldn't help feeling a little melancholy.
Sunagakure was truly a ruthless ally.
It would betray you without hesitation.
As he looked over the drunkards wandering the streets, he recalled the three words Nara Yoshino had written on the table with tea during their conversation, and his expression became a little awkward.
"Wait a while?"
If the Fourth Hokage weren't destined to die, he would have been willing to wait.
Unfortunately...
The Fourth Hokage's life was simply too short.
She told me to "wait a while"...
But I'm planning to "change Shikamaru's wife."
If Lady Yoshino knew I planned to pair her son with an Uchiha...
I wonder if she'd be overjoyed.
Returning home, Asuka immediately opened the system.
Looking at the large Completed displayed before him, he pondered for a moment before silently saying,
"System."
"Sometimes, whether two people become friends doesn't actually require the other person's consent."
"When children are young, their mother is usually the highest authority in the family."
"Who a child becomes friends with is often decided by the mother."
"If she thinks the other child is good, she'll let you play together."
"If she doesn't, then you won't become friends."
(PS: This is based on my personal experience. When I was little, my mom specifically told me not to play with XX, and XX's mom also wouldn't let her son play with me. We didn't even speak to each other until high school.)
Congratulations to the host for using wisdom and effort to befriend Nara Shikamaru while he was still ignorant and innocent. Your path of cultivation in the shinobi world has broadened significantly.
In the future, Nara Shikamaru will formulate your overall strategies. You only need a basic level of knowledge and literacy, and to learn how to become a leader.
Mission rewards: One increase in Sharingan awakening progress, one Mysterious Exchange Coupon, and one Letter from a Stranger.
Because the host obtained the other party's friendship through a special method, a hidden side quest has been unlocked.
Would you like to claim your rewards?
Looking at the words displayed by the system, Asuka stood there silently for a long time.
He estimated that Shikamaru would probably be born around September.
By October, the kid should be able to recognize faces.
By November, he should begin recognizing words.
By December...
He should be able to recognize lollipops.
Then he could start tricking children.
A person still inside his mother's womb...
Had somehow gained Friend +1.
Thinking of this, Asuka closed his eyes.
"Claim."
A warm current once again flowed into his eyes.
As the Sharingan activated automatically, the warm current circulated through both eyes repeatedly before gradually disappearing.
This increase in awakening progress was astonishing.
It was nearly twenty times greater than the previous reward.
If the Sharingan's awakening progress were quantified:
Before obtaining the system, his Mangekyō Sharingan awakening progress was [3000/10000].
After completing the first mission, it became [3000.5/10000].
After completing the second mission, it became [3120.5/10000].
Of those points, 100 came from his own daily training over the past two months.
Whoosh...
After letting out a long breath, Asuka's gaze shifted toward the table.
He picked up the coupon-like object, examined it for a while, and muttered,
"A Mysterious Exchange Coupon."
"It can be exchanged for any style of weapon with immense power."
A weapon with immense power?
The moment he saw those words, one of humanity's 108 methods of destroying the world instantly came to mind.
Nuclear war.
Although it couldn't destroy the planet...
It could certainly destroy humanity.
On the day he died...
Everyone in the shinobi world would witness a mushroom cloud rising into the sky.
However...
In a world with chakra...
A mushroom cloud somehow felt a little underwhelming.
After all, a single Tailed Beast Ball from the Nine-Tails seemed to possess roughly the same destructive power.
Since something as unreasonable as the system existed...
Then even more unreasonable things should exist too, right?
After pondering for a long time, Asuka crushed the exchange coupon in his hand.
A blue screen immediately appeared before him.
Several large words were displayed on it.
Please select a weapon type.
"Six Roots of Purity Depleted Uranium Bomb!"
No matching weapon found. Please choose again.
"Six-Barrel Barrett Intercontinental Nuclear Explosion Rifle!"
No matching weapon found. Please choose again.
"Then give me a hydrogen bomb—the kind that can blow a crater into Konoha just by falling!"
No matching weapon found. Please choose again.
"No firearms?"
"Then give me Yoru—the Black Blade used by Hawkeye."
No matching weapon found. Please choose again.
"..."
Asuka instantly fell silent.
Looking at the blue screen before him, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Are my demands too high?
Or did I overestimate you?
Or...
Is there another reason?
For example...
The system always believed the current year was Konoha Year 57.
But in reality, it was only Year 51.
In the system's timeline, Sasuke should already be six years old.
Could it be...
That the "weapon with immense power" referred to something immensely powerful in the eyes of a six-year-old child?
Recalling the immensely powerful weapons he had imagined when he himself was six years old, Asuka hesitated before saying,
"How about a sword that won't chip even after cutting through bones?"
Matching weapon found: Kusanagi Sword.
The moment the words appeared, a gleaming longsword materialized on the table.
Looking down at the familiar-looking blade, Asuka frowned and muttered,
"Why does this look so much like Orochimaru's?"
---
At the same time...
Somewhere in the Land of Grass.
Anko Mitarashi subconsciously reached beside her with her right hand.
Finding nothing there, she instantly sprang out of bed.
Throwing aside her pillow and blanket, she stared blankly at the empty bed before frantically searching the room.
"Where's the sword?"
"I was sleeping with it just now!"
"How did it suddenly disappear?"
"It's over..."
"Lord Orochimaru's sword is gone because of me."
After searching every corner of the room without finding it, she threw open the door and sprinted toward Orochimaru's laboratory.
Bang!
Hearing the door slam open, Orochimaru put down the bottle in his hand and looked toward the entrance.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
Seeing Anko rush in looking flustered, Orochimaru's lips curled into a faint smile as he asked in his hoarse voice,
"Anko."
"What's wrong?"
"This is bad!"
Anko bent over with both hands on her knees, panting heavily.
"Lord Orochimaru..."
"I lost the Kusanagi Sword you lent me."
Seeing Orochimaru remain silent, she thought he didn't believe her.
She hurriedly gestured while explaining,
"I..."
"I was sleeping with it beside me..."
"And then..."
"It just disappeared!"
"Whoosh!"
"It really disappeared with a whoosh!"
"When I reached out, all I grabbed was empty air."
"No matter how hard I searched afterward..."
"I couldn't find it."
"Hmm."
After sorting through Anko's rambling explanation, Orochimaru gave a slight nod.
His face showed no trace of anger.
He casually ruffled Anko's hair and said indifferently,
"I have other weapons like that."
"Besides..."
"There were no chakra fluctuations here just now."
"Nor did anyone detect the presence of another ninja."
"So the other party was probably someone highly skilled in stealth."
"Don't waste your energy worrying about an object."
"When that sword appears again..."
"Simply retrieve it."
"And..."
"This place has probably been exposed."
"Go pack your things."
"Alright..."
Anko lowered her head and absentmindedly kicked a small stone, looking utterly dejected.
Damn it.
How could that sword simply disappear into thin air?
Did some mysterious ninja really sneak into Lord Orochimaru's base just to steal my sword?
Even if it is an excellent sword...