The sun rose slowly over the horizon, thinning the morning fog.
After being cleansed by last night's rain, the village streets looked particularly fresh and clean. Maruyama Shin stepped out of his house, stretched his limbs, and let out a breath. He felt completely refreshed.
To better watch over the morgue, he had chosen to live just next door, a decision that seemed strange and reclusive to others. He'd once thought so too, until the system appeared.
That place next door? That wasn't a morgue, it was a mountain of gold!
He walked with a spring in his step. A beautiful new day was about to begin with corpse looting.
From a distance, he saw two figures standing at the morgue entrance. Judging from their attire, they were ANBU.
Shin knew full well how powerful the ANBU were. This hidden unit operated in Konoha's shadows and answered directly to the Hokage. Their authority within the village was not insignificant.
The two men noticed him as well and silently observed as he approached.
"Sirs,"
Shin didn't dare be disrespectful. He jogged up with his usual good-natured smile and greeted them with a respectful bow.
The two ANBU didn't put on airs. One of them said coldly, as if following protocol, "This is an ANBU who died in service last night. You know what to do."
Shin nodded.
ANBU were unlike ordinary shinobi. Their identities were hidden in shadow, known only by their code names. For them, the mission was everything.
Normally, the ANBU would handle their own dead. In special cases, the body would be destroyed on the spot.
But if it was sent here, that meant everything related to the deceased's ANBU identity would be wiped clean. Their family would be informed of their death under the guise of a regular shinobi.
The two men said no more, dropped off a scroll, and vanished instantly.
Shin took the scroll, unlocked the heavy chain on the door, and stepped inside the morgue once more.
A chill washed over him, raising goosebumps on his arms. The room was fitted with special cooling equipment to prevent decomposition.
He found an empty slab, unrolled the scroll, and broke the seal.
A headless corpse materialized, an ANBU, slain in the line of duty.
"Decapitated in a single strike… the difference in strength must've been massive," Shin murmured after briefly inspecting the body.
Only when the gap between ninja was that wide did death come this swiftly.
He didn't rush to loot. Instead, he stood in silent respect for a moment, then gently closed the corpse's wide, terrified eyes.
Donning his gloves, he dressed the body in clean clothing, reattached the head, and carefully stitched it together.
The dead deserved dignity.
He might be looting corpses for personal gain, but he would never take without giving.
In his view, offering the dead some semblance of peace, restoring their appearance, preserving their honor was a service. The rewards he received from their bodies were simply the return.
That was the only way he could take these things with a clear conscience.
Even in the world of shinobi, he was a person first and a ninja second.
To be human was to act with humanity. Blind greed would only lead him down a path further from his own nature.
At the end of the day, it was about peace of mind.
It didn't take much time anyway, and besides—it was his job.
After completing the preparations, he gave the body a respectful bow and murmured in his heart, "Forgive me."
The body emitted a yellow glow. No doubt this one had been a Jōnin.
Though compared to Miura Ichigō, this one's light was clearly dimmer.
"Maybe a weaker Jōnin... or a Tokubetsu Jōnin," he muttered.
He pressed his hand to the glowing spot on the chest.
[Yellow Corpse. Success Rate: 30%. Proceed with looting? (Current: 3/3, Daily: 9/9)]
He chose Yes.
Maybe it was his reverence for the dead, or maybe just luck, but his respectful handling of the body was rewarded. He succeeded on the first try.
Whether or not that was the reason, he resolved to treat every corpse with that same attitude going forward.
[Success! Obtained: Fire Style – Majestic Flame Flower Ninjutsu Card!]
A ninjutsu?
He recognized the B-rank Fire Style: Majestic Flame Flower. It was practical and flashy. Most importantly... it looked cool.
[Yellow Corpse. Success Rate: 30%. Proceed with looting? (Current: 2/3, Daily: 8/9)]
No reason to hesitate. He went again.
[Success! Obtained: Konoha Tokubetsu Jōnin Nakano Sora's Personalized Forehead Protector!]
"A forehead protector?"
Although he was already satisfied with a 30% success rate yielding two wins, getting a forehead protector felt slightly underwhelming.
Third attempt:
[Failure.]
Overall, not bad.
Still, after pulling earrings and underwear yesterday, and now a forehead protector today... well, good thing he got that ninjutsu card first, or he'd be cursing by now.
But...
"These items… they seem to have meaning."
Yesterday he had been too excited to focus on the details. Now he focused his will and took out the somewhat worn forehead protector, placing it in his hand and examining it closely.
Soon, his vision blurred, then shifted, revealing short, flickering scenes like a slideshow. He saw through the eyes of the ANBU who had owned the forehead protector.
"Jōnin Ōishi, the Fire Country's border defenses are looser than we expected. Should we-"
"Wait. It's not time yet. As much as I hate to admit it, Konoha's strength still can't be taken lightly."
"Then what are we"
"Someone's here!"
A flash of silver light, and the vision shattered like glass, falling away into dust.
So it wasn't just flavor text. These items really held something deeper.
He opened his eyes again, face slightly shaken.
"Iwa-nin?"
He stored the forehead protector away.
Even though it was just a brief scene and some basic intel, anyone who knew the story would understand what it meant.
The Third Great Ninja War was coming.
In the previous war, the Land of Earth and Iwagakure had been defeated, but they hadn't suffered serious long-term damage.
Now, with the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Both Scales, eyeing the rich lands of the Fire Country, things were starting to move. Ruthless in strength and strategy, Onoki was a formidable leader.
The disappearance of the Third Kazekage may have been the spark, but the roots of the conflict lay in Iwa's long-standing ambition. Their actions emboldened Sunagakure to take the first shot.
Shin quietly exhaled. "The Third Great Ninja War... it's almost here."
For him, this wasn't entirely bad news.
It brought pressure, yes, but also urgency.
And when war broke out, so would opportunity—an endless supply of corpses. All he needed was the power to survive the battlefield.
War loomed like a dark cloud in his heart.
Hesitating, he pulled out the earrings. Hopefully, their memories would be lighter.
Another series of images appeared before him.
"Big sis, you have to go on another mission?"
A doll-like girl with bright eyes and a plain outfit asked the question. Despite her smile, sadness filled her expression.
A gentle hand rested on her head, softly ruffling her hair.
"Mmm. You be good and study hard, okay, Kanae?"
"But…" The little girl fiddled with her sleeve.
"I remember. Your birthday's in a few days, right? I'll be back in time, I promise."
"Okay!" The girl beamed, nodding eagerly. "But you have to bring a gift!"
"Of course," came the doting reply.
As the female ninja turned to leave, the girl's smile slowly faded into worry.
"You have to come back... Kanae will be good and wait for you."
Her tiny hands folded, as if praying—or comforting herself.
The vision faded.
Shin stared at the earring in his hand.
It held more than just a sibling's bond.
There was no battlefield, no war, but the weight was still heavy.
The earrings weren't just a birthday gift. They were a promise.
What the younger sister wanted wasn't a trinket, but for her big sister to come back safe and sound.
But now... that was impossible.
In the world of Naruto, siblings sent off siblings. Children buried parents. It was all too common.
The seemingly peaceful Konoha had been built from the blood, sacrifice, and silent struggle of countless ordinary shinobi.
A pile of bones, a trickle of tears.
Maruyama Shin felt a quiet sense of duty rising in his chest.
A responsibility to honor these dead, to fulfill the final wishes they never got to see through.
Just as he had said, for peace of mind.
Finally, he pulled out the last item from the same female ninja: the undergarment.
He turned it over in his hand, examined it for a long time from every angle.
Alright, fine, it really was just an ordinary piece of underwear.
As for why he stared at it so long...
Well, the size was impressive.
*********
Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!