Chapter 5: Fermentation
Hokage Tower.
Smoke swirled in the air as Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the "Ninjutsu Professor" and revered as the strongest Hokage, sat with a solemn expression, puffing continuously on his pipe.
Asuma knelt on one knee, behind him stood two support chūnin, Kabuto Yakushi, Uzumaki Naruto, and Hyūga Neji.
After a long silence, Hiruzen's voice came from within the smoke. "This matter is far too fantastical. Do you have any proof?"
Even though he trusted Sarutobi Asuma—not just as his own son, but as a loyal elite jōnin of Konoha—without definitive evidence, he had to remain skeptical.
Such caution was a necessity for the leader of the strongest Hidden Village.
Still kneeling, Asuma reached out his hand. A faint white light glowed.
A beginner's short sword appeared out of thin air.
"No chakra fluctuations..."
Wrinkles creased the corners of Hiruzen's eyes. His eyelids lifted slightly, staring intently at the conjured blade.
Materializing objects from thin air wasn't unprecedented in the shinobi world.
Ninjutsu scrolls, expensive tool pouches—many could store and summon items with chakra.
As the Ninjutsu Professor, Hiruzen had knowledge of many secret techniques.
But all of them required chakra. Even senjutsu couldn't rid itself of the physical and spiritual essence known as chakra.
Chakra was the source of all supernatural power in the shinobi world.
"A mysterious game that can transport people to another world, with a shop that offers even bloodline limits, and power that increases just by leveling up…"
Hiruzen muttered as if deep in thought.
He had already dispatched shinobi to investigate the black tower that appeared out of nowhere.
Their findings: untouchable.
The tower was clearly visible, yet seemed separated by a rift in time and space. Nothing could reach it, no matter what method was used.
After a long pause, Hiruzen exhaled a puff of smoke, the smoke growing thinner, and said gravely, "If this is all true, do you understand the implications?"
War.
He didn't say the word, but his eyes said everything.
Maintaining even the current fleeting peace in the shinobi world was difficult.
Even now, rogue ninjas and defectors stirred up trouble here and there, though the conflicts were small and localized.
But with the appearance of the Reincarnation Game—
Items from the game that could be brought into reality… methods to grow stronger without talent or long years of training… and a shop that could exchange points for countless bloodline limits and mystical artifacts…
Even someone like Hiruzen, who had lived through countless battles, felt his heart race just imagining the possibilities.
He didn't believe the other Four Great Nations' Kage could resist such temptation.
Hiruzen took a deep breath and said with rare gravity, "Sarutobi Asuma, the S-rank mission you submitted is now officially approved. You will serve as the mission's commander."
"Make contact with all Fire Nation civilians, nobles, and guards who appeared in the Reincarnation Game. Win them over, if possible."
"Report any developments immediately!"
Normally, such a critical mission would be handled by a full elite squad composed entirely of jōnin.
But they hadn't found a method to become players yet, so for now, Asuma and the genin under him were the only ones able to investigate.
"Yes!"
Asuma lowered his head, face serious.
Kabuto kept his head bowed, the reflection on his glasses concealing his eyes. Being this close to someone as powerful as the Hokage made it hard to maintain his disguise.
Fortunately, Hiruzen's full attention was on the Reincarnation Game, which saved Kabuto from exposure.
Usually, missions were vetted by the logistics department before being distributed to shinobi.
Only a few commissions bore the Hokage's seal directly.
The S-rank Reincarnation Game mission, once stamped, was immediately delivered to the Hyūga clan—due to Neji's involvement—and to Kakashi Hatake, the jōnin leader of Uzumaki Naruto.
Mission duration: unknown.
During this time, all actions by the involved shinobi would be under the Hokage's direct command.
Elsewhere, in a training field—
Haruno Sakura looked at Naruto with curiosity. "You idiot, what kind of mission is it? You've been acting all mysterious."
Uchiha Sasuke continued throwing shuriken, one after another hitting the bullseye, feigning disinterest but clearly listening in.
Naruto scratched his head and was about to brag when—
Kakashi appeared behind him in an instant, clutching a copy of Icha Icha Paradise in one hand, placing the other gently on Naruto's shoulder.
"Whatever Lord Hokage's orders are, S-rank missions come with top-level secrecy. You absolutely must not speak about them," Kakashi said casually.
"I understand, Kakashi-sensei."
The words stuck in Naruto's throat. He had been ready to show off to Sakura and that smug Sasuke, but now he couldn't say a word.
He turned to Sasuke, stuck out his tongue and made a face. "Just wait, you smug jerk! I'll be stronger than you in no time!"
"Idiot."
Sasuke gave him a side glance, his expression full of disdain.
This loser, who barely passed the academy's graduation exam, actually had the nerve to boast?
Seeing Sasuke's mocking look, Naruto flared with frustration. He glanced at Sasuke's shuriken embedded perfectly in the target, took a deep breath, and pulled one from his own tool pouch.
Swish!
He threw the shuriken.
But it didn't hit the target—it whistled through the air and stuck deep into a thick tree trunk.
"Pfft!"
Sakura couldn't help laughing, then turned to Sasuke with eyes full of admiration. "Naruto, you big dummy. I remember your shuriken grades were always at the bottom. You think you can challenge Sasuke, our top student?"
Kakashi tucked his book into his pouch and looked at the embedded shuriken with his single exposed eye.
In a flash, he appeared at the tree, plucked the shuriken free, and handed it back to Naruto.
Naruto, humiliated by Sakura, was moved to near tears by Kakashi's gentle gesture. "Thank you, Kakashi-sensei…"
Kakashi waved it off with a smile. "It's nothing. S-rank missions are extremely dangerous. Even I might not survive. I just wanted to see you one more time… just in case."
Naruto's face turned ghostly pale with fear.
He was about to speak, but just then a messenger shinobi arrived to summon the team. Naruto forced a smile, mumbled a few tough-guy lines, and turned to leave.
Sasuke watched his back, then shifted his gaze to the tree trunk where Naruto's shuriken had landed.
After Kakashi pulled it out, it had left a deep gouge.
"Did the dead-last's strength… suddenly increase?"
They were teammates in Team 7, and Sasuke knew Naruto's level pretty well. Just yesterday, Naruto had picked a fight and been thoroughly beaten.
Swish!
Sasuke stood where Naruto had thrown his shuriken and flung his own.
It landed right beside Naruto's previous mark.
He walked over, pulled it out—and was stunned to see that his shuriken had made a slightly shallower dent than Naruto's.
Sasuke's brows knitted. "What the hell is going on?"
At the same time—
The other four Hidden Villages were roiling with secret movements. Some even activated full alert mode.
Civilians who had gained player status were quickly located and taken away by nobles or village authorities using various methods.
Some sharp-minded but uninformed shinobi grew increasingly anxious.
They couldn't shake the feeling…
That the next Shinobi World War was about to erupt.
The Reincarnation Game—though not yet made public—was already spreading at an alarming speed through every possible channel.
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