Chapter 429: Aizen
Konoha Village, Mobile Unit Headquarters.
"Jiraiya, are you alright?"
Tsunade looked at Jiraiya, whose coarse white hair now looked noticeably older, and asked in concern.
Jiraiya shook his head and briefly explained everything—from his death, to completing the Yellow Springs quest, to saving the world with Eren, and finally integrating the Titan World into the game.
Asuma's eyes lit up. "So you're saying… dying in the new season isn't punishment anymore? It might even help us recruit new allies?"
Thanks to his effort in saving Eren,
the new [Titan Town] lord saw Jiraiya as a permanent ally. They even signed a contract, forming an unbreakable alliance between Titan Town and Konoha.
Ordinarily, forces would never agree to such a close, binding pact.
Such contracts meant they were truly committed to sharing contribution points, resources, and players—something only possible when a world teetered on the brink of destruction.
"You can't say that."
Jiraiya gave a bitter smile and shook his head.
"If I had a choice, I definitely wouldn't want to die again."
"The Yellow Springs quests are random. You're chosen to test out quests tied to various souls. I was just lucky this time that the quest world was a relatively low-tier one. Once I unlocked my strength, I could easily dominate it."
"But if it had been a high-tier world…"
Asuma fell silent.
He understood what Jiraiya meant.
Ever since Erza, Kikyo, and a certain pink-haired girl named Anya snatched the first kill on the Corpse Dragon, the new worlds were now fully exposed to major powers like Konoha and the Marines.
Tier 2 Worlds.
They still didn't know exactly how powerful Erza and Kikyo were in their own worlds.
But the fact that they could stand alongside top players without needing to convert their native powers meant their worlds were extremely deep.
If they were unlucky and ended up in a high-tier world after death,
even top players like them would be at serious risk.
Asuma sighed. "Whatever the case, Lord Jiraiya, you've created better conditions for Konoha. You're a hero."
Right now,
all the major factions in the Reincarnation Game were competing for people.
In the Demon Slayer and Claymore worlds, their respective organizations were being offered enticing deals.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki, head of the Demon Slayer Corps, was wise.
He entrusted all players from his world to Whitebeard, rejecting the Marine Alliance.
He didn't want his children to be forced into war. After careful thought, he preferred giving them the freedom to choose.
On the other hand, the Claymore Organization's leader was ambitious—
willing to serve as a foreign commander under the Marine Alliance.
Using his ability to mass-produce powerful silver-eyed warriors,
he was steadily negotiating more benefits and resources.
That faction was growing stronger by the day.
After all,
no ability bought through the Reincarnation Game was inheritable.
The Cloud Village had tested this with Uchiha bloodlines.
While a buyer could use Sharingan-like powers,
they couldn't pass them on.
That made lower-tier worlds capable of producing strong, reproducible warriors (like Claymores) hot commodities.
The major powers had now shifted from fighting over bosses to dual-front competition.
They were not only hunting monsters but also scrambling for new players, negotiating with the leaders of other worlds, and extending their influence.
"Let's hope for the best."
Jiraiya frowned.
His brow pulsed. His foresight ability was warning him—something bad was coming.
Just then,
a member of the Shadow Organization suddenly appeared, standing brazenly in the center of the Mobile Unit's base.
In a cold voice, he said,
"Jiraiya. The Hokage requests your presence."
…
Tower of Death, upper layers.
Various monsters roamed about. Roars echoed from time to time.
Monsters from the Arad Continent,
and leftover zombies from the Zombie World,
had all been transferred to the lower floors by a strange power.
It was like a dungeon—
players exiting town would be randomly placed into different layers of the Tower.
"I bet two glasses of spirit wine on that black-haired young man."
Moonlight Tavern bustled with noise.
Long red-brown hair coiled into an elegant bun,
her noble-like demeanor dignified and wise—Terumi Mei watched the big screen hanging in the tavern.
Her turquoise eyes twinkled with curiosity.
"Is that so? You've got good taste, Miss Terumi."
The one who spoke was the tavern's owner.
One arm crossed under her chest, the other holding a glass of blood-red wine.
She was the last elf of the Gran Forest.
After Arad Continent was struck by corruption and then saved by the Game Merchant,
she qualified to become a player.
But elves were peaceful by nature. She didn't like fighting.
So, following her old habits, she opened this Moonlight Tavern.
Thanks to the Game Merchant's rules,
no matter how powerful the customer, no one could cause trouble in a Safe Zone (i.e., a Game Town).
Unless the town's lord actively switched it to War Mode.
Fortunately,
Princess Herod of Huttonmar shared the same philosophy.
Though War Mode allowed for faster power growth, it removed safety protections.
Rather than risk it all, she preferred peaceful coexistence with the game.
Thus, Moonlight Tavern quickly became the most popular gathering spot on the first floor of the Tower of Death.
"Don't call me Miss if I'm not married."
Terumi Mei corrected playfully.
Sothia, the elf bartender, covered her mouth with a soft laugh.
"With your strength, Miss Terumi… I doubt any man could meet your standards.
Only someone like the Game Merchant—mysterious and powerful—might stand a chance."
As one of the earliest players,
Terumi Mei had kept pace with every game update.
Men who matched her strength existed,
but few were truly compatible with her.
"If the Game Merchant was willing, I wouldn't mind."
She chuckled.
Just teasing—she had no delusions of marrying a god.
Though according to Tsunade and Esdeath, both of whom had met the Merchant up close,
he never avoided contact with female players.
But…
the gap between them was too vast.
It was like a naive girl dreaming of marrying a deity—virtually impossible.
Still—
Terumi Mei glanced toward the VIP lounge, shaking her head.
Seated were players on par with her in strength:
Stern-faced Akainu, ready to start a fight at any moment.
Towering Whitebeard with his crescent mustache.
Messy-haired Aokiji, always looking half-asleep.
And rum-soaked Shanks, looking as disheveled as ever.
None of them stirred the slightest desire for marriage.
Suddenly,
the tavern's doors swung open.
Tsunade entered, her face grim, and silently took a seat.
Behind her came a handsome, soft-spoken man wearing a regretful expression.
"Apologies, Lady Tsunade."
Aizen smiled politely.
"I didn't expect the Hokage to do such a thing… to imprison the hero who saved the Titan World—Lord Jiraiya."