Chapter 6
Ryo moved slowly through the dense jungle, his steps light yet firm, as if even the ground didn't dare to make noise under him. The system panel floated faintly before his eyes, waiting.
After thinking for a while, Ryo finally spoke.
"System… I have a very important question."
The system immediately replied, trying to sound professional.
System: "Go ahead, host. I will answer your questions with my utmost sincerity."
Ryo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"In time travel between worlds… what is the time ratio? Is it 1:1… or different?"
The system seemed pleased this time, as if finally asked something it could properly explain that the host doesn't know.
System: "Of course it's different, host. The time ratio depends on the star level of the world."
It continued clearly,
System: "For a 1-Star world, the ratio is 1:1 with your original world.
For a 2-Star world, it is 2:1.
For a 3-Star world, 3:1.
For a 4-Star world, 4:1… and so on."
Ryo immediately caught the meaning.
"So the higher the world… the less time passes in the ninja world."
System: "Yes, host. In simple terms—[n-Star world equals n:1 time ratio.]"
Ryo nodded slowly, processing it. Then another question came.
"Then how can I choose the world I want to go to?"
The system paused for a second before answering.
System: "Host… the worlds are selected randomly from thousands of worlds."
But then the system with slight hesitation—
System: "And currently, the system is at Level 1… so you can only access 1-Star worlds."
Ryo stopped walking.
"…You are Level 1?"
System: "Yes, host."
Ryo looked ahead and said flatly,
"Pathetic."
The system froze.
For a moment, no text appeared.
Then—
System: "...[°_°] Host?"
Ryo ignored that completely.
"Then tell me—how do I upgrade you?"
The system quickly regained composure and replied,
System: "Host, there is no need to worry. Upgrading is easy."
It explained properly this time.
System: "To upgrade from Level 1 to Level 2, you need to complete missions in two 1-Star worlds.
From Level 2 to Level 3, you must complete three missions in 2-Star worlds… and so on."
Then it added,
System: "In short, the formula is: [n × x]
Where n is the next level, and x is the current highest accessible world tier."
Ryo gave a small hum.
"Hm… so I climb step by step."
System: "Yes, host."
A small pause, then it added,
System: "Also… after 9-Star worlds, there are no higher 'worlds.' Those are classified as galaxies."
Ryo's interest grew slightly, but he didn't dig deeper.
Instead, he asked,
"What do you think is the best option for world travel?"
The system corrected him immediately.
System: "Host, it is not 'world travel.' It is time travel."
Ryo didn't react.
So the system continued carefully,
System: "I recommend soul travel for you. However, you can try both methods and choose what suits you best. Since you will only enter 1-Star worlds for now… I doubt anything there can harm you."
Ryo nodded.
"Good."
"Then I'll start with soul travel."
He glanced around the jungle.
"First… I need a safe place to leave my body."
As Ryo began searching for a suitable hidden location, the system suddenly spoke again.
System: "Host… I have a question. Will you answer?"
Ryo replied calmly,
"Go on. I'm not a heartless man."
After a short pause, he added,
"Besides… you answered mine. It's only fair."
The system didn't waste time.
System: "Host… how did you awaken the Rinnegan without my assistance?"
A brief pause.
System: "You do not possess enough Ōtsutsuki chakra or bloodline purity. By calculation… it should be nearly impossible."
Ryo stopped walking. Thinking something. For a moment, he didn't speak. Then he answered.
"It all started with my Mangekyō Sharingan."
His voice was calm, but heavier now.
"I awakened both my memories and Mangekyō at the age of five. After some shock."
"But I was weak… too weak."
"I barely formed the pattern in my eyes… and fainted from exhaustion & chakra diplision."
"After that for a long time, I couldn't awaken its ocular techniques."
He continued walking again.
"But i had watched 'Naruto' and know there are so many different types of jutsus, kekkei genkai, knowledge etc. I wanted those for myself."
"That greed of my was always there. It just found a place where i can, maybe get what i greeded for."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"I wanted power."
"Other people's power."
"Kekkei Genkai… abilities… knowledge… everything."
"That desire for power of others and greed shaped my right eye."
Ryo spoke clearly:
"Plunder."
"It allows me to mark someone as target … and when I kill them…I can take what they have."
"Kekkei Genkai, Kekkei Tōta, ninjutsu, knowledge… even physical traits like a Sage body."
A short pause.
"I awakened this technique at 6 and I used it on a dying Senju Jonin to get his sage body trait."
"I succeeded... and failed."
Ryo's tone turned slightly awkward.
"I forget in the joy that every power had a price."
"The backlash… was adaptation. Biological adaptation and pain was the main side-effect of this ocluer technique."
He slowed down slightly.
"My body had to adjust to what I stole."
"And that process…"
He paused briefly.
"…was unbearable. The pain was one thing but biological adaptations take long time. The time can take weeks to months to even years."
"I couldn't scream."
"Couldn't move."
"Couldn't even think properly from the pain"
His voice lowered.
"There was only one thought in my mind…"
"Survive"
His eyes sharpened.
"To survive i have to adapt"
"And that single thought became my second ability."
"Adaptation."
"With it,I adapted, I survived."
"Like 'plunder','adaptation' had restriction. Each adaptation will take 30 seconds. But it was way better to suffer 1 minute then suffer weeks."
He continued calmly,
"From age seven to fifteen, I hunted, killed and completed all types of bounty hunting."
"Anyone with valuable abilities, knowlage, experience and specially kekkei genkai holders … I killed them."
No hesitation.
"And through adaptation… I prevented my Mangekyō from going blind as well as evolving."
"Through adaptation, my Mangekyō was at a point where it will not go blind if used too much. It's not true Eternal Mangekyō."
"No extra abilities."
"But I won't go blind."
The system processed everything silently.
Ryo continued.
"As for the Rinnegan…"
"At twelve, I was on a mission with Madara."
"We were ambushed."
"We lost one Uchiha. Another was heavily injured."
"Madara fought seriously giving his all and won."
"Then he fainted because of injuries & chakra diplision."
Ryo's lips curved slightly.
"I took about 100 ml of his blood…And injected it into myself."
"And Hashirama?"
Ryo exhaled lightly.
"At seventeen, I was sent to sabotage his wedding."
"I failed."
"But…"
"In exchange for releasing Mito's younger brother. I got a piece of his flesh."
"With both Indra and Asura chakra inside me and using adaptation…I awakened the Rinnegan at nineteen."
A pause.
Then he added casually,
"My brother awakened Mangekyō at fourteen."
"I swapped eyes with him at eighteen."
"We both gained Eternal Mangekyō."
"And after that…The Rinnegan awakening began. With just Mangekyō, i didn't even started the awakening process. But after gaining Enternal Mangekyō, it took less then a year."
Silence filled the jungle.
After a long moment—
the system finally responded.
System: "…Host… your life evaluation… has been updated."
System: "Mid 4-Star out of 5 star. Full of twist and trun."
Ryo gave a small nod.
"Sounds about right."
Chapter End