"The information conference for High-Class Recruitment A-rank ninja [Might Guy] ends here. See you next time."
The light curtain on the screen gradually dimmed. The figures of Kuroda, Guy, and Lee blurred, fading away together with the light projection.
Many people finally let out a long breath, stretching their necks, sore from staying still for so long.
Although the information conference hadn't lasted very long, the amount of information it brought was anything but small.
Whether it was the novel form of ninja introductions, or the bits and pieces revealed throughout, both were enough to leave people deep in thought.
Some, however, couldn't care less. Things were already chaotic enough—what difference would it make? They immediately dove back into the ranked matches without delay.
...
Meanwhile, in a certain town's tavern—
"Hahaha! The first S-rank ninja, huh? Maybe that's me!" Jiraiya laughed loudly, lifting his cup of sake.
"You? What value do you even have that's worth picking?" Tsunade said as she waved her hand for Shizune to pour her another drink.
"Tsunade-sama, you've already had quite a lot..." Shizune hesitated.
"Relax, relax. Tsunade's only been drinking nonstop because she's too excited to see me again," Jiraiya said, full of self-admiration.
Tsunade rolled her eyes but didn't bother to refute him.
Their meeting had been purely by chance—a twist of fate that led them to the same tavern, sitting at neighboring tables.
Since they had met, how could they not sit together for a drink? Naturally, they began drinking side by side.
Besides, really, what else would you do in a tavern besides drink?
"High-Class S... it'd have to be someone like Sarutobi-sensei, right?" Tsunade said casually.
"Well, it's clearly the highest classification. Maybe..." Jiraiya smiled, "those two from your family might have a shot too!"
"Dan? Nawaki? Impossible. They're the type who'd die casually in a war—they're nowhere near good enough!"
"Haha! I meant the previous Hokage! Including the Fourth!"
"Jiraiya, you bastard! You just had to bring up my grandpa and great-uncle so you could brag about having a Hokage student, didn't you?"
"Ah, sorry, sorry. I'll drink as punishment."
"Drink! Drink! Drink!!"
Standing beside them, Shizune watched Tsunade drag Jiraiya into forced rounds of sake and couldn't help showing a complicated expression.
In all her years following Tsunade, she had rarely seen her like this—so relaxed... almost like a child again.
While those two were drinking with such gusto, the remaining member of the Legendary Sannin was in his laboratory—climbing the ranks.
[Opponent has quit the game]
"Chūnin rank now," Orochimaru murmured, a thin smile curving across his face as he looked at the screen.
He didn't care much about the gaming experience itself—his goal was simple: earn as many rewards as possible in the shortest amount of time.
His account already had several thousand Gold Coins, though he had nowhere to spend them yet.
Perhaps... the store would open later?
The thought flashed across his eyes, quickly replaced by faint irritation. Just how long were they planning to delay this?
He—and most of the shinobi world, for that matter—was hooked on Ninja Mobile Game for a simple reason: the rewards.
Rewards that could revive the dead!
How many had died over the course of the three great ninja wars?
Of course, Orochimaru wasn't so naïve as to desire something like that. His goal was simple—immortality.
Even if it only extended his life by a single year, to him, that would be a power that surpassed the limits of humanity.
For that...
...
"Whatever it takes, I'll accept it! Make sure the orders go out!"
"Yes, Tsuchikage-sama!"
Inside the Tsuchikage's office in Iwagakure, Onoki was left alone after his subordinate departed.
The elderly man clasped his hands on the desk, his aged face full of grim concern.
How should he put it... the current situation wasn't looking too good. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone was leading them all by the nose...
With a loud bang, the door burst open, and a figure stormed in, heading straight for the desk.
"Knock before you enter!" Onoki roared.
"Grandpa!" Kurotsuchi slammed her phone down on the table. "Who is this person?! You'd better find him for me!"
"Huh? What kind of nonsense is this?"
"I'm telling you! That jerk humiliated me like crazy in the game! He tortured me! Used emotes to mock me—crying, laughing, spraying water—and his head-patting speed was faster than an Elite Jōnin forming hand seals! After beating me, he refused a rematch and even kept me hanging for sixty seconds! Aaaahhh I'm so mad I could die!!"
Onoki: ...
Kurotsuchi's fair face was flushed red, her hair and clothes a total mess—clearly from her own frustrated grabbing.
Seeing his granddaughter glaring at him with bloodshot eyes, Onoki felt a headache coming on.
Losing a match and wanting revenge in real life? Seriously? Was she that mad about it?
"Kurotsuchi! You're a shinobi! When you lose, you should be thinking about improving your skills, not seeking revenge! What if you do find the guy—are you going to kill one of our Iwagakure ninjas?!" Onoki barked.
"Grandpa..." Kurotsuchi shrank back a little.
"Go home! Have Akatsuchi keep an eye on you. You're not leaving the house until you can play a full match without losing your temper!"
"Okay..." Kurotsuchi drooped her head and left.
Watching her dejected figure disappear through the door, Onoki felt a pang of guilt... so he simply closed his eyes to avoid looking.
Still so young, he thought. It's just a game. No need to be so dramatic!
A few minutes later...
"You bastard! Is that how you're supposed to use the Reconciliation Seal?!"
Onoki slammed his fist down, shattering his desk.
He'd thought he had nothing better to do, so why not play a ranked match?
Well, now he truly understood what it meant to be infuriated.
During the match, his opponent had foolishly wasted their chakra beans using ultimates randomly, so Onoki had an easy win in sight.
But the opponent kept spamming the Reconciliation Seal and even used those pitiful emotes.
Thinking they were a fellow villager, Onoki decided to give them a chance...
And then promptly lost the match.
The moment the opponent regained their beans, they became an entirely different person—doing little dances and mocking gestures, just like a taunt from some other game.
Onoki's composure cracked. As the tide turned, his opponent once again sent the same emote.
It was the same as before, yet somehow, that little white dumpling face looked insufferably smug.
Mistakes piled up, his moves got sloppy, and he finally lost. The opponent then patted his head, gave a thumbs-up, refused a rematch, and logged off—three insults in a row.
"The nerve! This kind of person exists in Iwagakure? Who taught them? Ruining our reputation! No manners! No morals!"
Onoki fumed, but as he cooled down, a chill ran down his spine.
Wait... what had he just done?
For a brief moment, he'd actually wanted to find the player in real life. That kind of thought—something that could shake the very foundations of the village...
This surge of emotion, this clouding of reason... he hadn't felt it in years.
He glanced at the phone lying beside him, his expression shifting through confusion, anger, and disbelief, before finally letting out a long sigh.
"Sigh... How absurd!!"
...
Check out my new fanfic "Attack on Titan: The Titan of Fate"
A titan that exists outside the Nine Titans — the Titan of Fate.
This is the story of Yago in the world of titans.
(This book is dedicated to every reader who loves Attack on Titan, striving to make up for all the regrets of the original work.)
P.S. The protagonist is not an ordinary transmigrator; his identity is the greatest foreshadowing of this book.