After school
As the final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day, Eichi gathered his things and made his way to the door. He needed to get back to his room and plan his next move. But as he stepped into the hallway, he found Kaina waiting for him.
"Hey, Eichi," she said, her tone softer than usual. "I just wanted to say... if you ever need anything, you can talk to me. I know it's not easy being the new guy, but you don't have to do it alone."
Eichi stared at her for a moment. He didn't have time for this. He didn't have time for friendships or small talk. But he also knew that refusing her outright might draw more attention to himself. Reluctantly, he nodded. "Fine. I'll join you."
Kaina's face lit up, her smile genuine this time. "Great! We're meeting up in the courtyard. Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone."
Eichi followed her, his mind already working on a plan. As they approached the restrooms, he stopped. "I need to use the toilet. I'll catch up."
Kaina nodded. "Alright, don't take too long!"
Once inside the restroom, Eichi quickly formed a series of hand seals. A moment later, a shadow clone appeared beside him, its expression as neutral as his own. "Stay with them. Listen. Report back later," Eichi ordered.
The clone nodded silently and left the restroom, heading toward the courtyard to join Kaina and her friends. Eichi, meanwhile, waited a few moments before slipping out the window.
Outside the Academy
Eichi moved through the shadows, his form blending into the surroundings as he activated theCamouflage Jutsu. The campus was quiet, most of the students either in the courtyard or heading home.
Once again, he used theHidden in the Dirt Jutsuto bypass the barrier, his body sinking into the ground deep enough and emerging on the other side.
Eichi's first stop was the black market. He had heard rumors of its existence during his brief time in the city, and he needed to see if it was real. If he could commission weapons or gather information, it would be worth the risk.
He moved through the streets, his form still camouflaged. The city was alive with activity, even as the sun began to set. People walked the sidewalks, cars sped by, and the occasional hero patrolled the area.
After some time, he found what he was looking for—a nondescript building in a quieter part of the city. The entrance was guarded by two burly men, their expressions stern.
Eichi observed them for a moment before slipping inside through a side entrance and changing his height using a genjutsu.
One thing he had noticed since arriving in this world was that everyone had chakra in their bodies. However, unlike in his old world, where chakra signatures were unique to each individual, people here seemed to share similar chakra patterns if they possessed the same type of power.
It was an odd quirk of this world, but it made genjutsu surprisingly effective. And sure enough, it worked.
The interior was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of smoke and sweat. The black market was a chaotic mix of stalls and shadowy figures, each one offering something illicit. Eichi moved through the crowd, his eyes scanning for anything useful.
One thing struck him as odd. For all the ethics and morals this society preached, their black market wasn't hard to find.
In his old world, black markets were hidden, accessible only to those with insider knowledge. Here, it seemed almost... casual. It was a strange contrast, one that made him question the true nature of this world's so-called heroes.
He found a stall selling weapons and approached the vendor, a grizzled man with a scar running down his cheek. "I need something custom," Eichi said, his voice low.
The man raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Custom, huh? What're you looking for?"
Eichi described what he needed—a set of kunai and shuriken, specially designed to be decently weighted for higher leverage when thrown and durable enough to withstand heavy use. The man nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I can do that. But it'll cost you."
Eichi handed over the cash he had pickpocketed over the two times he escaped the school, along with a few extra bills as a deposit. "I'll be back in a week."
The man nodded, pocketing the money. "You got it."
Eichi moved on, his next stop a stall selling information. He approached the vendor, a wiry man with a sly grin. "I need a list of known heroes. Their quirks, strengths, weaknesses. Everything."
The man's grin widened. "That's some sensitive info. It'll cost you."
Eichi frowned. He wasn't dumb enough to believe that the so-called "top heroes" were anything more than glorified police. In his world, shinobi kept their abilities hidden, their true strengths a mystery until the moment they were needed.
Here, it seemed heroes flaunted their powers, their quirks public knowledge. Any hidden cards they might have were likely irrelevant, given the lack of diversity in a single individual.
Still, he wasn't about to risk using his phone or any other digital device to gather information. The moment he had read about "cybersecurity" in one of the library books, he knew there was a chance he could be monitored. Traditional methods were safer, even if they came at a cost.
Thus, even if it was a scam, he wouldn't object, after all, most citizens are glued to their phone, and the money couldn't be traced to him.
Eichi handed over more cash, his expression unreadable. "Make it quick."
The man nodded, pulling out a small notebook and scribbling down the information. "Here you go. Everything you need to know about the top heroes in the city."
Back at the academy
The shadow clone sat quietly in the courtyard, surrounded by Kaina and her friends. The group was lively, their chatter filled with gossip and laughter. The clone didn't speak much, its presence almost blending into the background as it listened.
"So, what do you think of the new guy?" one of the girls murmured, glancing at the clone.