Crimson blood slowly slid down Hyuga Aokawa's face, adding a touch of ruthlessness to his handsome features.
Even though she knew his gaze, which hadn't yet fully shed its killing intent, wasn't directed at her...
...the woman's heart still skipped a beat, and her neck instinctively shrank back.
She hadn't expected such a good-looking youth to have such a heavy murderous aura.
This was completely different from his temperament when she saved him that day.
It wasn't until the boy knelt down and reached out to untie the ropes binding her...
...that she finally relaxed.
Looking at the youth before her, her heart felt conflicted.
When she passed by him then, she simply thought it would be a pity for such a handsome young lad to die like that, but with a 'better to avoid trouble' mindset, she had walked away.
Later, for some reason, she had turned back as if possessed by a ghost and saved him.
She hadn't expected that because of this decision, she would almost bring disaster upon herself and her daughter...
Even more unexpected...
...was that it was the fruit of this very decision that pulled them back from the edge of the abyss.
This cycle of cause and effect made her feel as if she were in a dream.
Once the ropes were untied, she moved her stiff and aching wrists.
She immediately pulled her dazed and terrified daughter tightly into her arms.
Then, she led her daughter and prostrated herself before Hyuga Aokawa with great solemnity.
"Ninja Lord, thank you for saving us; Keiko will never forget your kindness!"
With her hands on the ground, she performed a formal bow, her forehead striking the floor with a heavy thud.
Her kimono, which had become like tattered camouflage, saw its cloth strips slowly slide down, no longer able to hide her curvaceous figure.
Large patches of snowy white skin were exposed wantonly, scattered with several blue and purple bruises.
Hyuga Aokawa was about to speak up and remind her.
Beside her, Eri followed her mother's example, reciting in a soft, milky voice.
"Ninja Lord, thank you for saving us; Eri will never forget your kindness!"
As she spoke, she gave Hyuga Aokawa an innocent smile, revealing her missing baby teeth.
That serious little look instantly dissipated the residual scent of blood in the room.
Hyuga Aokawa couldn't help but laugh, and the tension in his heart relaxed.
He quickly helped the two of them up: "It's the cycle of karma; good people should be rewarded. It's only right."
Then he gestured toward Keiko's body, where glimpses of her skin had been showing from time to time.
Keiko followed his gaze and looked down, only then realizing that because of the big man's peculiar fetishes, her kimono was almost reduced to rags.
"Sumimasen!"
She cried out, her cheeks instantly turning beet red.
Flustered, she covered her clothes and, like a startled rabbit, scurried off to the next room.
Seeing this, Hyuga Aokawa looked at the big man who had died with his eyes open.
He walked over to him and used the Pressure Point Technique to seal all the blood vessels that were still bleeding.
The sky had already darkened; he would definitely have to stay here for the night.
The house was located in the mountains and forests; if the smell of blood was too strong, it would attract wild beasts at night.
He dragged the big man, who was no longer bleeding, to the side.
He went to the yard to get a bucket of water, picked up a broom, and began to wash away the bloodstains on the floor.
After finishing the work, he carefully cleaned the bloodstains off himself.
Turning around, he found little Eri blinking her large, dark eyes, looking at him timidly.
"What's wrong, Eri-chan?"
He knelt down and smiled as he patted her head.
"Ninja Big Brother, you're so cool!"
Eri's eyes were sparkling as she spoke very seriously.
"Oh? In what way?" Hyuga Aokawa was amused by her.
"Just now, when you went'swish swish swish' and beat up that bad guy..." The little girl waved her small hands excitedly as she gestured.
Then she tilted her head, her big eyes fluttering as she scrutinized Hyuga Aokawa.
She added, "You're also handsome..."
"Your eyes are handsome!"
"Your nose is handsome!"
"Um... your mouth looks good too, everything looks good. Anyway, you're much better looking than Big Brother Tiemaru from next door back in our old Village!"
Hyuga Aokawa pinched her chubby cheeks and smiled, "Eri-chan is very cute too."
The little girl giggled from being pinched and reached out to pinch Hyuga Aokawa's cheek in return.
The two played for a while.
Keiko stepped out of the room looking refreshed.
Her hair was damp and emitting a light mist.
It was obvious she had just gone in for a quick wash.
The tattered clothes from before had been replaced with a brand-new red kimono.
The slightly open collar revealed a glimpse of her sexy collarbones.
As she swallowed, the fine texture of her fair, slender neck momentarily appeared before quickly fading away.
Her face no longer bore the tear stains or messy hair from before.
She looked radiant and very pretty.
Hyuga Aokawa was about to speak with a smile.
Unfamiliar text appeared before his eyes.
He quickly handed Eri over to Keiko and eagerly entered his sea of consciousness.
[Despite your frail body, you dared to draw your bow against violence and punish evil. You have obtained a Favor.]
[energy crystal * 200]
[Body Flicker Technique (Proficient) * 1]
[Ninja Tool Throwing Technique (Proficient) * 1]
[Trap Setting (Proficient) * 1]
[Water Release Chakra Nature Transformation (Proficient) * 1]
[Water Release Chakra Form Transformation (Proficient) * 1]
[Water Release: Hidden Mist Technique (Master) * 1]
[Water Release: Water Clone Technique (Proficient) * 1]
A pleasant surprise!
Hyuga Aokawa's face was filled with wild joy.
He hadn't expected an extra reward for this act of justice.
And energy crystals could even be obtained this way.
But these skills... Byugukan for long-range X-ray vision, Quincy for beyond-visual-range sniping, and now adding the Hidden Mist Technique to obscure the Battlefield?
The system is determined to push me down the path of a Battlefield schemer.
He suppressed the urge to test the skills.
He focused his attention on a flashing "Personal Information" icon in the corner of his vision.
Concentrating his consciousness, he tapped it open.
---
racial imprint: Quincy (Common, fusion rate: 10.02%+)
Innate Skill: Reishi Gathering
Race Skill: Holy Arrow
crest: Innate Full Spirit
Kekkei Genkai: Byakugan
Chakra Affinity: Water, Lightning
energy crystals: 200
---
Innate Full Spirit?
Hyuga Aokawa saw a small triangle next to this crest and curiously tapped it.
Explanatory text popped up.
[Innate Full Spirit: Living two lives, two souls merged into one. You are born with Spiritual Energy stronger than your peers.]
[Effect 1: Spiritual Energy increased by 100% on top of the original base.]
[Effect 2: Genjutsu Talent increased by 100% on top of the original base.]
[Effect 3: Genjutsu Resistance increased by 100% on top of the original base.]
It seemed that although his previous self's consciousness had dissipated, the Spiritual Energy had been inherited by him.
This could be considered an innate advantage of a transmigrator.
Then he saw a "+" symbol appear after the fusion rate, which showed up after obtaining the energy crystals.
Should he add it?
According to the system, energy crystals could improve the fusion rate or be accumulated to open the Stone Gate.
However, it didn't specify how many energy crystals were needed to open the Stone Gate next time.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to use the energy crystals to increase the fusion rate first.
Currently, he hadn't even fully fused with the power of an ordinary Quincy.
It was unrealistic to be overly ambitious and hope for the Stone Gate to project more power.
He tentatively clicked it once.
One energy crystal was consumed, with 199 remaining.
The fusion rate reached 10.07%. Does each crystal increase it by 0.05%?
That would mean the fusion rate increases by 1% for every 20 crystals.
He just didn't know if the ratio of the increase was fixed.
He invested 19 more, and the fusion rate reached 11.02%.
His body's control over Quincy skills seemed to have improved very slightly; if it weren't for his naturally strong Spiritual Energy, he wouldn't have even sensed it.
He simply invested all the remaining energy crystals, and the fusion rate rose to 20.02%.
This time, he could clearly feel that he condensed the Holy Arrow much faster than before.
Not only that, but a Quincy's own spiritual power isn't strong; they rely on high-precision control of reishi for combat.
Therefore, after the fusion increased, he found that his ability to control Chakra had also improved.
Originally, his predecessor lacked Chakra control, and on top of that, he spent his days chasing girls and playing around.
After years of study, he hadn't made much progress with the Gentle Fist.
But in an instant, he seemed to have gained a lot more understanding of the Gentle Fist.
Eager to try, he pressed two fingers together and very easily released Chakra from his fingertips.
[You have gained insight into the essence of the Gentle Fist.]
[Pressure Point Technique increased to Proficient level.]
[Basic Gentle Fist increased to Proficient level.]
As expected!
The Gentle Fist, which his predecessor could never master, was now easy for him.
It seemed that what the Quincy gave him was more than just the Holy Arrow on the surface; there were unexpected benefits in other aspects as well.
This greatly improved his survivability.
"Wait? A Ninja Academy Student?"
He suddenly realized this contradiction: "How can a Ninja Academy Student go on missions?"
Memories then surfaced.
The Hyuga Clan's Byakugan has a huge advantage in reconnaissance, making many low-level squads that lack sensory Ninja...
...prefer to hire a Ninja Academy Student like him who has awakened his eyes rather than find a civilian Chunin.
The school also turned a blind eye to this, since actual combat is also part of cultivation.
It seemed that the Ninja World also had its share of gray areas.
Suddenly.
He felt someone pulling at his clothes.
"Ninja Lord!"
"I'll help you take off your clothes..."