Following the elimination of Stick, Hayate Shiranui had returned to the agency accompanied by Shizune, Sasuke Uchiha, and Rock Lee. Hotaru was left behind to handle the aftermath—a task involving the disposal of over a hundred bodies and the neutralization of the toxic gas lingering in the tunnels.
Iruka Umino, who had been holding down the fort, hurried to greet them as they entered. His face lit up when he saw the woman walking beside Hayate.
"Lord Hayate! Lady Shizune!"
Shizune studied the young man in the Chūnin flak jacket for a moment before her eyes widened in recognition. "Are you... Iruka Umino?"
"Yes, Lady Shizune! It's me. We haven't seen each other since you and Lady Tsunade left the village. I never imagined we would reunite in a world like this."
At the mention of "Lady Tsunade," the two Genin behind Hayate exchanged curious glances.
Seeing Iruka's excitement, Hayate gave his instructions. "Iruka, Shizune just arrived and is still unfamiliar with many things here. Give her a thorough briefing. And you two brats—if you're so interested, go ahead and join the conversation."
Leaving the four of them to catch up, Hayate headed upstairs to his private quarters.
Once in his room, he bathed and changed into fresh clothes. With the Dragon Bone matter settled, it was time for the most crucial part of his plan: Ninja Recruitment.
Just as he was about to enter the system, his phone rang. It was Wilson Fisk. Hayate picked up.
"Hey, Hayate."
"I heard there was quite a commotion on that land you bought today. Do you need any assistance?"
Hayate smirked. "Fisk, your ears are as sharp as ever."
"It's not that I'm prying into your secrets, Hayate," Fisk explained smoothly over the line. "But gunfire and explosions of that magnitude in Hell's Kitchen don't go unnoticed. It's hard to ignore."
Hayate dismissed the concern with a wave of his hand. "I don't need help with the cleanup, but I do have an offer for you. Are you interested in expanding your territory?"
Fisk's interest was piqued instantly. "Go on."
"The leader of the Chaste and most of his elite forces died today. Their territory is up for grabs. If you have any interest in the Japanese market, you might want to move in on their headquarters there as well. Also, a little fun fact: the leader of the Chaste was Daredevil's mentor."
There was a stunned silence on Fisk's end. It wasn't the death of Stick or the offer of land that shocked him—it was the connection. He had always viewed the costumed lawyer as a lone vigilante; he hadn't realized Matt Murdock had such a significant backing.
Hayate had essentially removed a major thorn in his side. "Thank you, Hayate," Fisk said, his voice brimming with genuine gratitude. "I'll take over their U.S. operations. As for Japan, I'll have to consider the logistics. Since you've given me such a generous gift, I won't let you go unrewarded. Wait for my news."
"I'll look forward to it," Hayate replied before hanging up.
He tossed the phone onto the bed and lay back, his consciousness sinking into the system interface to review his stats.
User Profile: Hayate Shiranui
- Age: 21
- Profession: Ninja
- VIP Level: 3
- Affinities: Fire, Lightning
- Secret Scrolls:
- Ninjutsu-Taijutsu: Guard LV2 (90% damage reduction for 4s. Note: Cannot negate lethal damage.)
- Ninjutsu-Taijutsu: Rage LV1 (6% attack increase for 10s.)
- Recruited Ninjas: Sasuke Uchiha (2-Tomoe), Iruka Umino, Rock Lee, Shizune.
- Prestige: 13,650
- Copper: 1.806M
- Gold Coins: 5,472
- Recruitment Vouchers: 3
- Secret Scroll Vouchers: 7
- Summons: Ninken Army (Max), Aoda (LV20)
Hayate noted that his copper reserves were becoming dangerously low for high-level equipment and summon upgrades. He clicked over to the Ninja Recruitment tab. A small line of text caught his eye: Recruitment pool will update after 60 total pulls. Current progress: 50/60.
He was one ten-pull away from a pool refresh. He didn't hesitate. He spent 1,176 Gold Coins to buy 7 more vouchers, bringing his total to 10. His gold dropped to 4,296.
He exited the system briefly. Remembering that his previous "ritual" for the Lord of the Washroom worked well, he decided to try something even more prestigious this time. He stood in the center of the room, cleared his mind, and began walking in a square, counter-clockwise.
Step one: "The Immortal of the Mysterious Yellow of Fortune."
Step two: "The Heavenly Lord of the Mysterious Yellow of Fortune."
Step three: "The Exalted Sovereign of the Mysterious Yellow of Fortune."
Step four: "The Celestial Worthy of the Mysterious Yellow of Fortune."
He closed his eyes, finishing the ritual with a silent prayer for a powerful combatant. He dove back into the system.
"Ninja Recruitment: 10-Pull. GO!"
The Uzumaki swirl symbol flared with a brilliant, multicolored light. As the radiance faded, the results appeared:
1. B-Rank: Young Kakashi Shards x4
2. A-Rank: Hidan Shards x4
3. C-Rank: Naruto Uzumaki Shards x1
4. C-Rank: Naruto Uzumaki Shards x1
5. B-Rank: Rock Lee [The Gate of View] (FULL NINJA)
6. B-Rank: Tenten [Shippuden] Shards x4
7. A-Rank: Kurotsuchi [Boruto] Shards x4
8. C-Rank: Jirobo Shards x5
9. C-Rank: Sakon & Ukon Shards x2
10. C-Rank: Hinata Hyuga Shards x2
A standalone animation burst onto the screen.
Congratulations! You have recruited B-Rank Ninja: Rock Lee [The Gate of View]!
The image showed a transformed Lee, his skin flushed red, veins bulging, and holding a pair of nunchucks in a fierce combat stance.