The chameleon's claws never reached Ryuuto.
His body went limp mid-swing, and the life drained from his eyes. He collapsed like a rag doll—dead before he hit the ground.
Even in death, his wide eyes still shimmered with disbelief, like he couldn't accept that he'd been killed by Ryuuto of all people.
"Tch. A glorified lizard shouldn't look so surprised," Ryuuto muttered, shaking off the blood from his hand. "Crawlers like you die cheap."
He flicked his wrist, hurling the corpse aside. A small sphere of fire bloomed at his palm, blazing bright before he lazily tossed it over. The flames roared, devouring the chameleon's remains until nothing but ash and smoke lingered. Clean. Efficient. Done.
[Ding! Mission complete. Reward: Ten Life Potions. Additional reward unlocked — Lucky Wheel spin available!]
"Oh? A new gimmick? Don't tell me the system actually updated for once."
Ryuuto's brows lifted, curiosity flashing in his crimson eyes.
"Shion, what's this 'Lucky Wheel' thing? Sounds like a carnival prize scam."
[Hmph. It's a premium feature, Master. Since you completed your mission, you get one free spin. Rewards are random—anything from basic potions... to maybe a Hokage Character Data Pack!]
Ryuuto's grin turned feral. "Now that's what I'm talking about! Let's spin this damn thing!"
[Press the button, hotshot. Let's see how lucky you really are.]
A glowing wheel shimmered into view inside his mindscape, spinning with multicolored light. Each section promised something wild—chakra artifacts, power-up cards, mysterious scrolls. Ryuuto's pulse quickened.
"Alright, come on, baby. Hit me with something broken! Jackpot time!"
The wheel clicked to a stop.
[Ding! Congratulations, Master! You've unlocked a Mysterious Mission: Defeat Five Enemies Within One Day to Earn Rich Rewards!]
Ryuuto blinked. Then frowned.
"…That's it? You're kidding me, right?"
[Nope.]
"So after all that suspense, I get… a to-do list? Shion, are you trolling me?"
[Relax, drama king. This one's special. It's a no-penalty mission—you fail, nothing happens. But complete it, and the rewards are fat. Oh, and you're this close to a system upgrade.]
Ryuuto rubbed his chin, his irritation fading. "Upgrade, huh? How close are we talking?"
[You've got 248,000 XP. Hit 252,000, and boom—next system tier unlocked. The upgrade might even drop a Hokage data pack as a freebie.]
"...So, if I crush five more bad guys today, I not only get the bonus, but I might unlock a ninja powerhouse package too?"
[Exactly.]
Ryuuto's eyes gleamed. "Then I'm in."
He slapped his thigh with a grin. "Five villains in one day? Easy money."
[Confidence suits you, Master. Try not to die before the third one this time.]
"Cute. Real cute."
Just then, Gwen dropped beside him, brushing ash from her suit. "Ryuuto, should we go after Green Goblin? He's still out there."
Ryuuto crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "We will. But first, we clean house. Time to scrub New York of every scumbag still breathing."
Gwen smirked. "So… another monster hunt?"
"You got it. Three more enemies and my day's made. No need to drag Susan or Natasha into this."
Pulling out his phone, Ryuuto dialed a familiar number. "Yo, Professor Charles. Need a quick favor—get Bobby and Colossus to sweep New York. Track down any mutant troublemakers still lurking. I want their locations, now."
Charles's calm voice came through. "Understood, Ryuuto. Should I rally the full team?"
"Nah. Small-scale op. I've got it."
"Then good luck, my boy."
Ryuuto hung up and sent quick alerts to Tony and Wolverine, letting them know to watch for movement. This mission had a timer, and he wasn't about to waste a second.
Meanwhile, deep underground, Quicksilver was pacing like a man possessed. The walls of the old subway hideout echoed with the sound of his restless footsteps.
"Where the hell is Ultron? We've been sitting here forever!" he snapped, fists clenched tight.
Erica leaned against the wall, twin steel forks glinting in her hands. "Gambit's almost back on his feet. Should we move before we rot in here?"
Beside her, the battered Gambit exhaled slowly, eyes half-lidded. The shadows behind him stirred—and two more figures stepped out from the dark.
Something big was brewing.
And Ryuuto—no, Red Mirage—was already on the hunt.