Seizing the moment while the gods of fortune still smiled upon him, Shiranui Hayate dared not delay. Fearing that this fleeting luck might vanish like mist in the morning sun, he immediately triggered the next recruitment.
"Ninja Recruitment... Ten-roll... OPEN!"
The familiar whirlpool of the Land of Whirlpools manifested once more. After a cascade of shimmering light, the results materialized before his eyes.
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Hyuga Hinata [Shippuden] (B-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 4 Fragments: Hidan (A-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Umino Iruka (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 4 Fragments: Kurotsuchi [Boruto] (A-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 5 Fragments: Tsunade [Sannin] (B-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 4 Fragments: Kid Kakashi (B-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Rock Lee (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 4 Fragments: Tsunade [Sannin] (B-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Umino Iruka (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 1 Fragment: Tenten [Shippuden] (B-Rank)!
The moment the screen stilled, Hayate's eyes swept across the rewards. He needed to know if his streak was holding. His gaze locked onto two icons of Tsunade—one displaying a '5' and the other a '4'.
His body, previously coiled in a meditative stance, shot upward. He stood tall, a triumphant fist pumped into the empty air.
Magnificent!
It was a total explosion of luck. Nine fragments of Tsunade in a single pull. In one fell swoop, he had amassed 19 fragments. The goal of 40 was no longer a distant dream; it was within his grasp.
His heart, already racing, skipped a beat at the thought of the Sannin. This version of Tsunade was still the spirited young woman of the legend, her heart yet unscarred by the tragedies that would later define her.
He then turned his attention to the rest of the haul. Hinata, Hidan, Kid Kakashi, and even the Tsuchikage Kurotsuchi had graced the list. This wasn't just a win for Tsunade; the entire pull was of exceptional quality.
His "Luck Energy" hadn't just remained steady—it had surged.
This ten-roll had yielded 29 fragments in total. Among them were 8 A-Rank fragments and 16 B-Rank fragments. C-Rank fragments appeared only three times. It was, without a doubt, the most efficient recruitment he had ever performed.
Hayate accepted all the fragments, the interface shimmering with their arrival.
The screen returned to the main recruitment window. There stood Tsunade in her battle attire, her blonde hair tied in twin tails, captured in a pose as if she were charging toward a battlefield.
Hayate glanced at his scroll count: 0.
Then at his gold balance: 1,734.
He grit his teeth, his expression hardening with a gambler's resolve.
Money is meant to be spent! Once it's gone, I'll just go earn more!
He clicked the purchase button once again. 1,680 gold vanished into the system's maw. Ten more Recruitment Scrolls appeared in his inventory, while his gold reserves plummeted to a mere 54.
He had officially returned to a double-digit balance.
But there was no room for regret. He had to burn through the last of his momentum.
"Ninja Recruitment... Ten-roll... OPEN!"
The whirlpool spun. Hayate didn't breathe. He watched the light, his mind chanting a single mantra: Explode. Explode. Explode!
The fourth ten-roll revealed itself:
- Ding! Obtained 4 Fragments: Kurotsuchi [Boruto] (A-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Temari [Kamidari] (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 1 Fragment: Hyuga Hanabi (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 1 Fragment: Shizune (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Hyuga Hinata [Shippuden] (B-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 4 Fragments: Tsunade [Sannin] (B-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Temari [Kamidari] (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 2 Fragments: Uzumaki Naruto [Academy] (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 1 Fragment: Haruno Sakura (C-Rank)!
- Ding! Obtained 5 Fragments: Tsunade [Sannin] (B-Rank)!
Hayate's eyes darted through the list. When he saw no Tsunade in the first row, his heart sank for a split second. But then his gaze dropped to the second row.
Two icons. Another '4'. Another '5'.
Another massive nine-fragment haul!
Hayate's excitement was palpable. He had struck gold. A quick tally of the results showed that his total fragments for Tsunade had reached 28.
He was more than halfway there. As a B-Rank ninja, Tsunade required only 40 fragments to be summoned.
And though the system classified this version of her as a B-Rank, her true power was that of an entry-level Kage. More importantly, this was Tsunade before the onset of her hemophobia. A version of her that could explode with her full, terrifying potential—a perfect addition to his forces.
With the Sannin's progress secured, he reviewed the other results. Kurotsuchi had dropped another 4 fragments, followed by a string of C-Rank pieces: Temari, Hanabi, and Shizune. Hinata appeared once more, followed by Naruto and Sakura.
Hayate's lips twitched slightly. He had no gold left to continue, but he could sense the shift. The sudden influx of C-Rank fragments at the end was a clear sign: his "Luck Energy" was finally spent.
The final surge of Tsunade fragments had likely been the last blessing the heavens intended to bestow upon him today. To continue now would be to invite disaster. Fortunately, the system had made that decision for him by emptying his pockets.
He took a moment to compile his primary progress:
- Tsunade [Sannin] (B-Rank): 28 Fragments.
- Kid Kakashi (B-Rank): 25 Fragments.
- Hidan (A-Rank): 17 Fragments.
- Kurotsuchi [Boruto] (A-Rank): 13 Fragments.
- Hyuga Hinata [Shippuden] (B-Rank): 11 Fragments.
- Temari [Kamidari] (C-Rank): 9 Fragments.
The others were too scattered to merit focus, but Temari caught his eye. She was only one fragment away from being summoned. Once she arrived, Hayate would finally gain access to Wind Style chakra—a prospect that left him genuinely eager.
Then there was the potential arrival of Hidan, the first member of the Akatsuki to join his ranks, alongside the youthful Kakashi and the legendary Tsunade. They were all converging on the threshold of this world.
Hayate collected every fragment, his eyes lingering one last time on the image of Tsunade on the recruitment screen.
Soon, he promised silently. Next time, I will bring you across.