Chapter 12 — Hanako's Tears and Return
Renjiro knew that Ameyashiki Toshi didn't have long to live.
But still—he had to make sure.
In the shinobi world, there were far too many strange and miraculous techniques that could pull a dying man back from the brink.
And from his past training, he knew one thing clearly: never assume a target is dead until you've confirmed it yourself.
No hesitation. No mercy.
The downpour drummed against his face, each droplet sharp and cold. Yet his expression—those lifeless, emotionless eyes—remained eerily calm.
"Kh… cough… Y-you… it's you…"
Through blurred vision, Toshi finally recognized the figure standing before him. His throat filled with blood that spilled over his lips as he struggled to breathe.
"You're… that kid…" he rasped, disbelief and pain twisting his voice.
Renjiro's answer was quiet but absolute.
"I'm here to finish you."
The words hit harder than any blade.
Toshi's eyes widened in realization, and a bitter laugh escaped him.
"So… it was you. I see now… I walked right into your trap…"
Renjiro didn't reply.
Toshi understood everything on his own—those two Rain-nin talking about Tsunade earlier… that had been him.
The entire setup, the bait, the timing—every step had been orchestrated by this silent youth.
He'd lured Toshi into attacking Tsunade, only to let the Sannin destroy him.
"You… why? I've never done anything to you! Why kill me!?"
He tried to shout, but his voice broke as blood gushed from his mouth. His already pale face turned ghastly white.
Renjiro didn't bother answering.
He reached into his cloak, pulled out a kunai, and raised it toward Toshi's throat.
"Please—wait!" Toshi's voice cracked. "I have a wife… a child waiting for me at home… please… I beg you, don't kill me!"
The boy's hand didn't stop. His expression didn't even flicker.
Toshi's terror turned to madness. His eyes bulged, veins pulsing.
"If I die—then you're dying with me!" he screamed. "Never underestimate your enemy!"
At some point, he'd managed to grab a kunai. His hand shook as he flung it with a final, desperate laugh.
The blade cut clean through the rain, straight toward Renjiro's head.
For a moment, it seemed he had struck true—until the sound came:
Pop!
Not the sound of steel meeting flesh.
Toshi's eyes went wide as he watched Renjiro's body dissolve into a splash of water.
From behind him came a cold, emotionless voice.
"I don't underestimate anyone."
Before he could react, pain split across his throat.
Blood sprayed into the rain as Toshi's final breath rattled in his chest.
He tried to speak, but no words came out.
His body slumped to the ground—eyes frozen wide, disbelief carved into his face.
The rain washed over the corpse, pooling around it in quiet ripples.
Renjiro stood silently, blood dripping from his kunai. He didn't look down.
Because in his mind, a mechanical chime had already begun to echo.
[Congratulations, Contract Holder #19999999: Narusei Renjiro]
Mission Complete — Newcomer Task #1
Authority Level Increased!
Current System Rank: D
Reward Granted: Newcomer Exclusive Pack (Delivered to Inventory)
Return in: 10 seconds
At the bottom of his vision, two icons that had been gray before now glowed faint blue.
So the system really upgraded, he thought, focusing on the first icon—a backpack symbol.
The interface flickered open into a grid of slots. The first one read:
[Newcomer Exclusive Reward]
He selected it. Text filled his vision.
[Newcomer Reward Details]
• Contract Points: +500
• Healing Potion ×3 — Restores 10% HP over 15 seconds
• Chakra Potion ×3 — Restores 10% Chakra over 15 seconds
• Bloodline Unlocked: Two-Tomoe Sharingan (Usable or Tradable)
Note: The Sharingan grants heightened perception and the ability to copy certain taijutsu and ninjutsu. As a bloodline, it remains active without consuming energy.
Warning: Once applied, bloodlines cannot be removed. Using a conflicting bloodline in the future may result in fatal rejection.
Without hesitation, Renjiro selected Use.
The future was uncertain—survival came first.
Pain lanced through his eyes. His vision blurred red as two tomoe spiraled into existence, revolving slowly.
He blinked, opening the second icon. This one revealed a list of items and skills, each accompanied by an image and price tag.
[Bloodline] — Bomb Bomb Fruit (One Piece): Grants explosive abilities but weakens the user in seawater. Price: 20,000 points.
[Skill] — Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Jutsu (Naruto): Summons a dragon made of water that devours enemies. Price: 600 points.
…
A shop, he realized. So that's what this is.
He scrolled quickly, selected an item, and tapped Confirm.
It materialized in his hand at once.
"System," he said calmly, "I want to stay in this world for another hour."
[Command Accepted.]
–70 Points Deducted.
Remaining Points: 400.
Timer: 59:59… 59:58…
His crimson eyes opened, both tomoe spinning faintly.
The world grew sharper, clearer—every droplet, every movement distinct.
He searched Toshi's corpse and pocketed what little was useful, then turned away, splashing through the rain.
Behind him, the body lay motionless, rainwater washing away the blood until nothing remained but the dull gleam of the fallen kunai.
---
"Big brother… why hasn't he come home yet?"
Inside a small wooden house, Hanako paced back and forth anxiously.
On the table sat a half-eaten lunch, still faintly warm—waiting for someone who would never return.
Hanako frowned, pacing restlessly in the dimly lit room.
"Big brother's been gone so long… did something happen?" she whispered to herself, mind spinning with uneasy thoughts.
Then—
Click. Click.
A faint sound came from one of the inner rooms.
In the dead silence of the small house, it was as loud as a thunderclap.
Hanako jumped, clutching her hands to her chest. Her heart pounded violently.
Could it be… a thief?
She swallowed nervously.
"But we're so poor," she called out shakily. "There's nothing worth stealing here!"
Trying to calm her fear, she forced a laugh and raised her voice.
"Hey! Thief! Please, go rob someone else! There's a really rich family down the street—you'd be better off there! I won't tell anyone, I promise! …Hello? Anyone there?"
No answer. Only the sound of rain trickling outside the window.
Hanako took a deep breath, clenched her tiny fists, and stepped cautiously toward the room.
"Alright, you asked for it!" she shouted, her voice trembling. "I already called the guards! You better run while you can!"
But when she pushed the door open—
She froze.
There was no thief.
Only an open window, curtains fluttering gently in the wind.
On the bed lay a neatly folded set of damp shinobi clothes, a shimmering sapphire necklace, and a small book.
Hanako blinked, confusion and curiosity mingling in her wide eyes. She picked up the necklace first—it gleamed faintly, catching the light in hues of deep ocean blue.
"Wow… it's beautiful…" she breathed.
The craftsmanship was unlike anything she had ever seen—too precise, too modern, too perfect for their humble world.
Setting it down carefully, she picked up the small book. The title, scrawled across the cover, made her tilt her head.
"100,000 Ways to Get Strong — Quick Edition."
"What kind of weird name is that…" she murmured, flipping open the first page.
The handwriting inside wasn't printed—it was personal, familiar.
Her lips trembled as she read the note.
Hanako,
I have to leave now.
This necklace is my gift to you—please keep it safe.
And this book, I wrote it myself. Maybe it'll help you become stronger someday.
There's also some money inside; it's not much, but it should make life a little easier for now.
I hope next time I see you, you'll be even more beautiful.
— From your smiling big brother
The words blurred as tears welled in her eyes, spilling down and staining the paper.
She tried to wipe them away with trembling fingers, but the harder she rubbed, the more they came.
"You idiot big brother…" she choked, voice breaking. "Why couldn't you just say goodbye properly…"
Her sobs grew louder, echoing softly through the small wooden house.
"And this book's name is terrible! Waaaah!"
The wind blew through the open window, brushing past her hair.
A pretty, tearful girl sat on the floor, clutching the letter and necklace to her chest, crying like a child who'd lost the world.
Outside, not far from the house, Renjiro stood silently in the rain, watching.
There was no sadness in his eyes. No regret.
Only calm reflection in that still, almost inhuman gaze.
Hanako, he thought quietly, I never really saw you as a sister.
That necklace— he looked toward the glowing sapphire, —it isn't just a keepsake. In this era, such craftsmanship shouldn't exist. Whether you keep it or not, it will eventually pass from hand to hand, enduring through time.
And teaching you to grow stronger… that wasn't kindness. It was a test.
I want to see what becomes of you—and whether this world remains the same when I return.
To know if these mission worlds are real… or just illusions the system creates.
As those thoughts faded, his body began to glow faintly.
Particles of light drifted upward, scattering into the wind—until nothing remained.
The rain continued to fall softly outside the small home, mingling with Hanako's cries.