It was a hot June day, and the commercial street of Konoha was bustling with people. Not only were there local residents, but also travelers from all over the Land of Fire. Yet, in stark contrast to the lively center, a single storefront at the end of the street was eerily deserted.
This wasn't just because the shop was in a secluded corner; it was also because of its baffling name: "Ninja Mobile Gaming Center!" On either side of the entrance, two small phrases were written: "No brothers, no fun!" The storefront was simple, even crude, but inside was a completely different world.
Unlike the traditional Konoha style, the interior was modern. Five-person sofas were arranged in groups, and soft hanging lights created a peaceful, quiet atmosphere. The semi-circular counter was filled with all sorts of snacks that didn't exist in the ninja world. Behind the counter, a black-haired, black-eyed boy of about fifteen or sixteen was lethargically watching the empty doorway, yawning.
"Ugh... Not a single person in sight. Today's going to be a bust again! If this keeps up, I'm going to starve to death."
"This damned system!" Han Ye sighed, feeling utterly helpless.
It had been half a month since he'd transmigrated to this world. He was bound to a "Ninja Mobile Gaming" system, which had automatically set up this gaming center for him. According to the system's rules, he couldn't leave the shop until he completed the novice quest. He couldn't actively solicit customers or offer discounts; he had to wait for a customer to walk in on their own and make a purchase.
But this location... it was impossible. He couldn't even see a ghost most days. And the name! "Mobile Gaming Center!" What did these ninjas, who only knew how to fight and kill, know about mobile games?
What's more, the system's price was outrageously expensive: one tael of silver per hour. What did one tael of silver mean in this world? It was enough to cover a normal family's food, clothing, and housing for one or two months.
Therefore, located in a remote area and with such exorbitant prices, the shop had gone completely unnoticed for half a month. Even if someone did ask, they'd leave after hearing the price, usually muttering something about him being crazy.
[Ding! If the host fails to complete the novice quest within ten days, this system will depart on its own.]
The cold, robotic voice made Han Ye slump in defeat. What could he do in this situation? He could only wait.
"Huh? Ninja Mobile Gaming Center? I don't remember seeing this shop last time I was here. I've never heard of such a strange name."
Suddenly, a slightly naive voice rang out at the entrance. Han Ye froze, then his spirits lifted as he looked up. A boy of about twelve or thirteen slowly walked in. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, and a Konoha ninja headband on his forehead. From his clothes and age, he looked to be a genin. What stood out most were the three whisker marks on each of his cheeks.
"Naruto Uzumaki?!" The person who had appeared at his door was none other than the son of the Fourth Hokage, the main character of the ninja world—Naruto Uzumaki!
"Huh, Boss, you know me?" Naruto seemed surprised. He walked in, his eyes falling on Han Ye, who was slumped behind the counter. After a month of doing D-rank missions, his frog wallet was nice and plump. He'd wanted to buy some ninja tools, like shuriken and kunai. He'd wandered around, stopping at various shops, until he reached the end of the street and found this strange place. He was curious, so he came to check it out.
"Of course. I don't think there's anyone in Konoha who doesn't know you," Han Ye said with a grin. Naruto's name was famous throughout Konoha, not only because he was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, but also because of the chaos he caused before becoming a ninja to get people's attention.
"Haha..." Naruto scratched the back of his head, laughing awkwardly. He was actually happy that Han Ye wasn't showing the same look of disgust that other villagers did when they saw him.
"By the way, Boss, what kind of store is this? It has a weird name."
"This is a mobile gaming center."
"A mobile gaming center? What do you do here?"
"A mobile gaming center is for playing games, of course," Han Ye explained patiently. He slowly pulled out a special phone from a drawer—a gift from the system—and handed it to Naruto.
Naruto took the phone, looking it over curiously. He thought the device was beautifully made, but couldn't see anything special about it.
"What's so great about it... it's nothing special."
Han Ye facepalmed. As he suspected, ninjas were no different from ancient people. He had to give him instructions.
"First, turn it on. That button on the right side of the phone, press it with your thumb."
"Then, you can enter the game, but to play, you have to pay first. The current price is one tael of silver per hour. An all-nighter is only four taels."
"The price is a bit steep, but what I have here is something that definitely doesn't exist anywhere else in Konoha..."
"Nani?!"
"One tael of silver per hour? Boss, you're not joking, are you?" Naruto was shocked. After a month of hard work on D-rank missions, he'd only earned ten taels of silver. Here, one hour cost an entire tael! This was worse than robbery!
But looking at Han Ye's expression, he wasn't joking at all. Naruto gritted his teeth. Just because Han Ye knew he was Naruto Uzumaki and hadn't shown any hatred, he decided to give it a try.
"Here you go, Boss, one tael of silver." With a pained expression, he pulled the plump frog wallet from his pocket and took out a tael of silver, placing it on the counter.
A faint light fell on the silver, and it vanished, automatically converted into playtime by the system.
[Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha Village has started his session. The Ninja Mobile Gaming Center wishes you a pleasant time!]
A pleasant female voice rang out in the shop. Instantly, a phone appeared out of thin air in Naruto's hand.
"Remember the steps I just taught you to turn it on. You have one hour of playtime. For now, the only game you can play is Ninja
Shippuden." Han Ye led Naruto to the sofa area, sat down with him, and showed him how to enter the game.