The Senju residence.
Just as Nawaki was about to return to his room to get some proper rest, he was instead brought into another room by Hyuga Arin.
"Big Bro, what is it?" Nawaki yawned. He was utterly exhausted—after being tormented by Hyuga Arin for a full three days, his eyelids were practically fighting to stay open.
Hyuga Arin simply raised his hand. In it was an item glimmering with a bronze sheen—a bracer that protected the palm and wrist.
"This is for you."
"Big Bro, I don't really like wearing bracers," Nawaki hesitated. Bracers tended to interfere with his use of monstrous strength.
"This one's different from ordinary bracers." Hyuga Arin tossed it to him. "It'll boost your strength quite a bit, and it won't affect your monstrous strength."
This was his spare [Bandit's Right Bracer].
Leaving it in his inventory took up space, but throwing it away felt like a waste.
Nawaki skeptically put the bracer on and clenched his fist, chakra beginning to gather around it.
To his surprise, chakra actually flowed out of the bracer, resonating with his own. The chakra concentrated in his hand surged by nearly fifty percent.
"This is a ninja tool?" Nawaki stared at the bracer in astonishment.
"That's right." Hyuga Arin nodded. "I made this ninja tool myself. No one else has one. I'm giving it to you."
Equipment that only dropped from farming bandits—no one else could ever get it anyway. Saying he made it himself wasn't much of a stretch.
Besides, the ninja world already had plenty of similar tools. A mere bracer wasn't anything special.
Some might even be surprised that a ninja tool with such a small effect existed.
"Thank you, Big Bro!!" Nawaki clenched his fist, eyes brimming with tears.
It felt as if something incredibly important had been entrusted to him.
"Remember—don't show this to anyone. I'll get you something better in the future," Hyuga Arin reminded him.
Gear like this would only become more common later. Things he couldn't use himself could be passed to his own people—or even sold.
"Don't worry. I won't say a word, not even to my sister," Nawaki said seriously, nodding hard.
A promise between men.
…Though there was really no need to be that serious.
Hyuga Arin waved his hand and shooed Nawaki out.
Only then did he properly rest inside the room. Over the past three days, he'd barely slept—constantly grinding wild beasts and searching for ninja beasts. He'd killed plenty of animals, yet never once found another ninja beast.
…
The next day.
"Wake up!!"
The door to the room was kicked open.
Tsunade strode in.
Hyuga Arin was already dressed and prepared, bowing respectfully. "Teacher Tsunade."
"Mm." Tsunade, wearing armor, crossed her arms and looked him over.
Hyuga Arin was dressed in the traditional attire of the Hyuga clan, a forehead protector covering the Caged Bird Seal on his brow.
Tsunade's positioning of Hyuga Arin was clear—he was her medical disciple. She wouldn't teach him any non-medical ninTechnique.
Hyuga Arin understood this well and had never asked her for anything else.
The main reason was simple: he didn't want to owe anyone favors. Otherwise, if they ever became enemies and he ended up farming them like mobs, that would be pretty awkward.
How much conscience could a player have when facing a monster with a health bar?
Even if there was only a game panel and no visible HP bar above someone's head, as long as they dropped loot, they were monsters to Hyuga Arin.
"Three high-tier skill drops and one dungeon scroll…" Hyuga Arin muttered internally.
Tsunade suddenly shot him a sharp look.
For a fleeting moment, she sensed something dangerous—yet there was no killing intent.
And the source of that danger was Hyuga Arin.
"Tsunade-sensei, let's go." Hyuga Arin smiled brightly, looking every bit like an innocent child.
Tsunade withdrew her gaze.
…Was it just her imagination?
The two went downstairs one after the other.
Kushina and Nawaki had already gone to school. Uzumaki Mito's health had declined recently, and she rarely left her room.
Tsunade grabbed two slices of bread from the table and tossed them to Hyuga Arin. "Eat something. We'll be on the road all day today."
"Thank you, Tsunade-sensei," Hyuga Arin said as he caught them.
Tsunade nodded and led him out of the Senju estate.
Their rendezvous point was a small plaza not far from Konoha's main gate.
Following behind Tsunade, Hyuga Arin immediately spotted Orochimaru waiting there.
Orochimaru stood in gray armor, three packs placed at his feet.
Seeing Tsunade arrive, he smiled.
"You're here."
The Orochimaru of the future radiated chill and malice. But right now, he was merely soft-spoken and androgynous—without that eerie coldness.
Hyuga Arin couldn't help but wonder: if Nawaki didn't die, would Orochimaru still become the person he was destined to be?
Perhaps he would walk a completely different path.
Soon after, Hyuga Hiashi and Hyuga Hizashi came running over from the distance.
"Jōnin Tsunade. Jōnin Orochimaru." The two bowed respectfully.
Though Tsunade and Orochimaru hadn't yet reached their peak, they were still among Konoha's top-tier shinobi—and disciples of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
That alone demanded respect.
The brothers cast complex glances at Hyuga Arin.
This guy was truly impervious—soft tactics, hard tactics, none of them worked.
Their father's punishment of Hyuga Arin hadn't been severe. The true purpose had been to let Hiashi completely subdue Hyuga Arin.
The kind of subjugation that came from genuine loyalty.
Even though Hyuga Arin's status was that of a deadman—a sacrificial protector—he still needed to be cultivated by Hiashi. Such guards were meant to die willingly, not be driven by threats.
Even branch family members had to be willing. A single trace of resentment could place Hiashi in mortal danger.
But looking at Hyuga Arin now, he was utterly unyielding.
He didn't even greet them anymore.
Truly courting death.
Hyuga Arin, for his part, completely ignored them.
Using carrot-and-stick tactics to raise a loyal death guard—on a player?
What a joke.
Although the three parties avoided each other, Tsunade and Orochimaru could still sense the tension in the air.
"Your mission," Orochimaru said, ignoring the hostility, "is to deliver these supplies to the Land of Rain and establish a defensive line there."
"The Land of Rain, huh…" Hyuga Arin narrowed his eyes.
"Oh? Ming-jun is interested in the Land of Rain?" Orochimaru asked with intrigue. Compared to Hiashi and Hizashi, this Hyuga Arin fascinated him far more.
After all, since Konoha's founding, the Hyuga clan had produced only one individual who openly resisted the main family.
"A little," Hyuga Arin replied with a smile.
Thankfully, this was the current Orochimaru. If it were the future version, Hyuga Arin would be a lot more cautious.
Not because he feared having his body stolen—
Branch family Hyuga bodies were worthless.
He was more worried about being used as experimental material.
Fortunately, the present-day Orochimaru wouldn't do that.
And as for the Land of Rain…
That was the place where the item needed to lift the Caged Bird Seal could be obtained—an item that only Rain Hidden Village(Amegakure), shinobi could drop.
But to use it, he'd first have to reach Level 18.
"I hope Ming-jun won't be disappointed by the Land of Rain," Orochimaru said with a faint smile.
Tsunade spoke in a low, firm voice. "Pack up. We move out!"
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 60 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/CanonBreaker