Before we start the continuation of the story, I, as the Author, beg the readers to leave comments and reviews... honestly, only interacting with you guys, as fellow fanfiction fans, keeps me motivated to continue my story...
If you look at my profile, I've created several stories and they've run quite long... but, due to the lack of interaction, I'm losing my spirit to write...
As someone who has to work as an employee every day, only writing fanfic stories from my favorite anime can relieve my stress from the day's heavy workload...
Okay, maybe I've ranted too long and it's a bit annoying, so... let's continue to the story (^^)
... ... ... ... ... ...
"Orochimaru-sama! Please, listen to my explanation first!"
The sound of hurried footsteps broke the silence in the alley between the base tents. Shion jogged, reaching out his hand with a pleading face.
In front of him, Orochimaru, the Legendary Sannin feared by thousands of enemy ninjas, walked at an incredibly fast pace, almost as if he were in a speed-walking race.
Orochimaru: "..."
The commander did not look back at all. His reptilian golden eyes stared straight ahead with a rigid expression that was hard to decipher. The moment he spotted a gap between two logistics tents, his hands quickly formed a single seal. Shunshin no Jutsu! In a flash, the pale snake-like figure vanished in a swirl of leaves.
"W-wait! Don't go! It's not what you think!" Shion shouted into the empty air, clutching the hem of his mini skirt with mounting frustration.
This was not the first occurrence. Several days had passed since the "Black Baton and Snake Throat Incident" in the middle of the forest. Since then, the Konoha ninjas at the border camp had been treated to a daily spectacle that was highly unique and beyond reason.
At every opportunity, whether during guard shifts, in front of the meeting room, or near the supply area, Shion always tried to intercept and approach Orochimaru.
Shion's intentions were actually very simple and pure: he wanted to clear his good name and his remaining pride! He wanted to explain that his skirt had a hidden spatial dimension seal, and he was NOT some shapeshifting girl who could absorb iron poles through his crotch!
Unfortunately, Orochimaru always ignored him. The Sannin consistently and blatantly avoided Shion's figure like avoiding a contagious plague. For Orochimaru, the traumatic sight that day had scratched the absolute limit of his tolerance for human weirdness.
Naturally, the cat-and-mouse dynamic between the Supreme Commander and this beautiful 'White Skirt Fairy' did not escape the eyes of the hundreds of soldiers in the camp. Since no one knew the true events in the forest, wild speculations and gossip began to sprout like mushrooms in the rainy season.
From mundane speculations:
"I think Lady Shion is asking for a special mission from the Commander, but keeps getting rejected."
To outrageous romantic speculations:
"Hey, did you see how Lady Shion keeps chasing after Orochimaru-sama? Could it be... that the genius Kunoichi is trying hard to confess her true love to our cold Commander?"
The worst rumors actually thrived in the medical tent. The nurse Kunoichi, lacking entertainment in the middle of a hellish war, made the interactions between the two their favorite daily gossip material.
"You guys are wrong! Yesterday I saw them giving each other the silent treatment. It's clearly a lovers' quarrel! Orochimaru-sama must be sulking because Lady Shion is too busy on the front lines!"
Every time those rumors reached Shion's ears, Shion felt like digging a hole, crawling into it, and burying himself alive. His pride as a man was not only murdered, but mutilated by cheap gossip!
Until one day, the limit of Shion's mental patience finally exploded.
That afternoon, the central area of the camp was very busy.
Dozens of medical ninjas passed by carrying stretchers, the logistics team was moving dozens of crates of explosive kunai, and the Chunin were lining up to get rations. Amidst the crowd, Shion saw Orochimaru's back as he just exited the meeting tent, preparing to walk away and avoid him again upon seeing Shion's shadow.
The thread of Shion's sanity snapped with an invisible 'snap' sound. His brain, already exhausted from bearing the shame, lost its ability to filter words.
Unconsciously, Shion took a deep breath and screamed at the top of his lungs in the middle of the crowd.
"Orochimaru-sama! Don't keep ignoring me!!"
The high-pitched scream echoed, cutting through the hustle and bustle of the camp. Hundreds of pairs of eyes reflexively turned toward the source of the sound. However, the real disaster slipped from Shion's lips in the very next second.
With a frustrated face and tear-filled eyes holding back emotions, Shion pointed straight at Orochimaru and threw out his desperate defense.
"This isn't entirely my fault either! You also made the situation more awkward that time!!"
Inside Shion's head, that sentence was perfectly logical. What he meant was: 'It's not just me who's weird for shoving a bloody baton into my skirt! You also made it awkward by suddenly standing frozen while puking a long sword out of a snake's mouth from your throat!'
However, to the ears of the hundreds of people in the camp who had absolutely no context... that sentence sounded like the nuclear bomb of a heavy-weight romance scandal.
Instantly, time in the border camp seemed to stop ticking.
Orochimaru: "..." (His footsteps froze in place, his back stiffening rigidly).
Shion: "..." (Still in his pointing posture, panting heavily).
The medical ninja bandaging a patient's wound: "..." (The bandage slipped and fell to the ground).
The logistics team carrying crates: "..." (The wooden crates slipped from their shoulders with a soft thud).
The patient groaning in pain: "..."
Silence. Dead quiet. The only sound was the Konoha flag fluttering in the afternoon breeze.
The other ninjas around the area suddenly pretended to refocus on wiping their weapons or sorting documents, but their eyes were wide open and their ears were strained in an S-rank combat alert state to eavesdrop on the conversation.
Three seconds passed in that deadly silence.
Finally, realization hit Shion like a giant sledgehammer.
His brain slowly replayed every syllable he had just yelled in front of hundreds of people. 'Don't ignore me... Not entirely my fault... You made the situation awkward...'
To a layman's ears, that sentence sounded 100% like the scream of a girl who had just been dumped after an "unforgettable night," or worse, a demand for responsibility over something very... intimate.
Shion's face, from the base of his neck to the roots of his hair, instantly exploded into a beet-red blush. His eyes widened in horror seeing the shocked and amazed stares of the ninjas around him.
'N-NO! THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!!' Shion screamed internally, thrashing inside a cage of despair. 'You all misunderstood! This is purely an issue about a sword and a skirt's crotch! Ah, wait, that sounds even more wrong!!'
Shion's vision began to blur, and he felt that perhaps fainting right now was the best possible escape from the social death he had just brought upon himself.
....
"Orochimaru-sama! Please accept me as your disciple!"
The loud exclamation echoed in the quiet alley between the base tents. Shion bowed perfectly at ninety degrees, both hands clenched tightly beside his thighs, displaying a highly formal and resolute posture of supplication.
Orochimaru: "..."
In front of him, Orochimaru, who had just formed half a hand seal to use the Shunshin no Jutsu, purely intending to 'escape' from this problematic Kunoichi, froze in place.
The Sannin stared at the brown-haired girl bowing before him with an undecipherable gaze. There was surprise, confusion, and a hint of incredibly profound exhaustion in his golden eyes.
How did the story get this far? Let's turn back the clock a bit...
A few days ago…
After the incredibly sensational and humiliating incident in the middle of the crowded camp, where Shion accidentally yelled an ambiguous sentence that sparked a heavy-weight romance scandal rumor, Shion collapsed immediately.
He applied for sick leave. And unfortunately, it wasn't just an excuse; he actually fell ill. Extreme psychological pressure triggered a headache, severe dizziness, and a mild fever.
However, instead of finding peace, Shion was moved to a new kind of 'hell': The Border Medical Tent.
During his treatment, the tent was filled with nurse Kunoichi whose primary hobby was gossiping. Every time they changed bandages or administered medicine, Shion could hear their whispers and giggles discussing the "domestic dispute" between him and the Supreme Commander.
But that cheap gossip wasn't the main reason why Shion called that place hell. The biggest reason was: Underwear.
As a patient forced to lie on a medical bed, he obviously couldn't keep wearing his magical sailor outfit. He had to wear a standard patient gown. This meant that, for the first time since he got the System, his underwear layer was in danger of being exposed during medical examinations.
In order to keep his true male gender from being discovered by the sharp-eyed medical ninjas, Shion was forced to swallow the remaining dust of his pulverized pride. He had to wear women's underwear!
Every time a nurse came to examine him, Shion's heart beat like crazy, scared half to death. 'If a lie this massive is exposed...' Shion thought, his body shivering in horror imagining the consequences.
Lying to the Third Hokage, deceiving the Head of the Hyuga Clan, and fooling the entire border camp. If he was found out as a full-blooded male, he wouldn't just be executed on charges of espionage or harassment, but he would also die socially forever!
Just imagining it made his headache flare up again.
After several days of enduring mental torture in the medical tent, Shion was finally declared cured. He immediately returned to duty. After finishing his first routine patrol that day, Shion sat leaning against a tree, intending to rest his legs.
However, just as he could start breathing a sigh of relief, the horrific mechanical voice that he hadn't heard for days echoed in his skull again.
[Ding!]
The hairs on Shion's neck stood up all at once. Cold sweat immediately drenched his back. A very thick premonition of dread filled his head. The transparent blue holographic screen appeared mercilessly in front of his face.
[The System detects the Host has recovered! Time to evolve! Emergency Multiple Choice Mission Triggered!]
Shion gulped, his eyes reading the lines of text that appeared as his hands trembled.
[Choice A: Dangerous Love!]
[Description: Ask Orochimaru out on a date and make him blush!]
[Reward: Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai (Macabre Bone Pulse/Bone Manipulation)!]**
[Choice B: The Truth is Everything!]
[Description: Stand in the middle of the camp, confess to everyone that you are a genuine MALE. Proudly announce that wearing women's clothing and acting cute is your deepest hobby! (And also, publicly admit that your preference in a partner is a handsome older man!).]
[Reward: One Rinnegan Eye!]**
[Choice C: The Path of a Disciple!]
[Description: Ask Orochimaru to take you as his disciple! Fight for it and don't give up until you are officially accepted!]
[Reward: Legendary Clothing Item 'Seductive Miko Outfit'.]**
[Reward Stats: This outfit possesses A-rank physical and magical protection! (For example: When wearing this outfit, even if the Host takes a Rasengan or Chidori-level attack directly, the Host will not die and will only feel damage equivalent to a full-force punch from a standard Chunin!)]**
Shion: "..."
INSANE! Shion's mind screamed hysterically. This System was truly trying to kill him!
What the hell were these mission choices?!
Choice A? Asking that eccentric pale snake on a date? Shion would rather be swallowed alive by Manda than have to do something that disgusting!
Choice B? Even if the reward was the legendary god eye Rinnegan, Shion would never do it! Even if the reward was Goddess Kaguya Otsutsuki's entire arsenal of jutsu, he'd rather be a trash ninja for life than commit that kind of social suicide!
Therefore, the most 'normal' choice that could still be tolerated by common sense and his remaining pride obviously fell on Choice C.
But... wait a minute. What the hell was that reward?!
Shion pressed the (Preview) icon on the holographic screen to see the appearance of the 'Seductive Miko Outfit'. As the 3D image of the clothes rotated slowly in front of his face, Shion's Byakugan eyes widened.
"..."
This outfit... this can't be, right?! Shion roared in his heart. The design was very familiar! A sleeveless top exposing the shoulders, loose detached sleeves, super short pants that exposed the thighs to the extreme, and a large ribbon accessory on the back.
It was a 100% replica of the outfit worn by Yae Miko, a character from the game Genshin Impact in his past life!
Granted, technically, the protection reward was insane. Reducing a Rasengan's destructive power to the limit of an ordinary Chunin's punch was an absolute defensive cheat (although a full-power Chunin punch could still crush ribs, at least it wouldn't blast a hole through his chest or obliterate him).
But once again... that outfit?! The chest area had a very specific cut-out design, not to mention exposing the back and thighs in a way that was completely unsafe for a battlefield!
Just when Shion was about to curse the heavens, the System chimed again.
[Ding! The Host does not need to worry! The System detects a 'flaw' in the Host's current physical anatomy.]
'A flaw?!'
[If the Host completes the Third Mission, the System will provide a Paired Bonus: A Pair of 'Magical Chest Pads'! These pads will adjust the proportions of the Host's upper body to look perfect and proportional when wearing the Miko Outfit!]
'NO! I WASN'T HESITATING BECAUSE OF SOMETHING RIDICULOUS LIKE THAT, YOU DAMN SYSTEM!!!' Shion screamed in his mind, nearly vomiting blood from frustration.
However, the System ignored his rage and calmly continued its explanation.
[Attention: These Chest Pads are not mere aesthetic accessories! They function as high-level Reserve Chakra Storage. The pads will automatically absorb and store a portion of the Host's chakra while sleeping, which can then be channeled back into the body when the Host runs out of chakra on the battlefield! Just consider this a more practical alternative version of Lady Tsunade's Yin Seal (Byakugou)!]
[Important Note: In accordance with the magical physics of space, the larger the amount of stored chakra, the chest pads will expand and inflate proportionally in size! And when the Host siphons that chakra for use in battle, the size will deflate back down! Highly interactive, isn't it?!]
Shion: "..."
The world felt like it was spinning. His vision darkened. An alternative to Tsunade's Yin Seal? The concept was brilliantly genius and overpowered. But why did its application have to be in the form of chest pads that inflate and deflate like a hot air balloon?!
Imagine if he was in a fierce battle, unleashing a massive jutsu, and then suddenly his chest deflated mid-fight! What would the enemy think?!
Shion slumped weakly under the tree, wiping his face with both hands. He could only sigh in resignation with indescribable bitterness.
Because of this damn System, he was already considered a weird girl by Orochimaru.
Imagine, out of all the billions of humans living in this world, of all people, 'Orochimaru' thought he was weird!
But, what could he do. Shion absolutely had no other choice. Rather than refusing and having this System somehow punish him and force him to do another Option, Shion had no choice but to steel his resolve, grit his teeth, and pick Option C.
Back to the present…
And here he was now. Intercepting Orochimaru in a quiet alley, bowing 90 degrees like a loyal subordinate, begging to be taken as a disciple.
"Please take me as your disciple, Orochimaru-sama!" Shion repeated, his voice trembling slightly to hold back the turmoil of emotions in his chest.
'Please... I've already dropped my pride into the Mariana Trench. Please don't make this hard for me, you pale snake,' he prayed in his heart.
In front of him, Orochimaru was still frozen. The wind blew, scattering a few leaves between them. The Sannin stared at the girl bowing before him, remembering the Kusanagi sword, the iron baton, and the shouted romantic quarrel from the other day. Orochimaru's genius brain spun, searching for the most rational excuse to get out of this absurd situation.