Elian stared at the last words still floating in his mind.
[Beginner's Reward Available.]
His heart beat a little faster. After everything he had just discovered—the chakra, the Shop with its insane prices, the summons and their absurd probabilities—he no longer really knew what to expect.
He took a deep breath.
"…Claim."
[Beginner's Reward — distribution in progress]
[Basic chakra granted — initial reserve activated]
Nothing spectacular. Just a subtle sensation, like a small ember lighting up somewhere between his lungs and his stomach. Elian instinctively brought a hand to his chest.
"…That's it?"
[Ninja tools received: x5 kunai — x5 shuriken — x2 explosive scrolls]
This time, something concrete appeared: a dark leather pouch materialized in his hands, heavy and real, accompanied by the characteristic clink of metal. He opened it immediately, eyes widening at the perfectly balanced kunai and the shuriken that gleamed faintly.
"Oh."
A wide smile spread across his face as he twirled a kunai between his fingers.
"Now we're talking."
[Standard summoning — drawing in progress…]
His smile vanished instantly. He froze, focused.
[Result: Chunin] [Identity: Nara Shikamaru — Period: Chunin Exams] [Summoning available — activate?]
Elian read the name twice. It meant nothing to him, but "Chunin"… after everything the system had explained, he knew it was already a serious level. Someone competent.
He swallowed.
"…Activate."
The air distorted slightly, like an invisible wave of heat. A silhouette materialized in front of him, solid and real.
Elian stepped back half a pace without realizing it.
"Whoa."
The boy who had just appeared had his hair tied in two buns, hands in his pockets, and a Konoha metal headband across his forehead. His expression hovered between deep boredom and discreet vigilance.
Shikamaru quickly scanned the cave with his eyes, then settled his gaze on Elian.
A silence fell.
"…What a drag."
Elian blinked.
"That's all you have to say? You literally appear out of nowhere and that's it?"
Shikamaru looked at him with the quiet patience of someone who had already decided that getting annoyed would serve no purpose.
"You're the one who summoned me?"
"Yeah!"
Shikamaru remained silent for a moment. In front of his eyes alone, blue lines appeared, clear and cold:
[Standard summoning — completed]
[Partial link contract established with the Claimer: Elian]
[System information transferred:
— You have been summoned through the Claimer's system.
— The Claimer is an individual who has activated a "Claim" and receives rewards, tools, and abilities through this system.
— As a summoned individual, you are bound by a partial contract: you cannot refuse a direct order from the Claimer when that order directly concerns his immediate survival or situations that put his life in danger.
— You retain full free will for everything else, including training, advice, and strategic decisions.]
[Basic information about the current world transferred:
— You are in the East Blue, the calmest of the four seas.
— The Claimer lives on a small fishing island called Crystal Island, far from the major maritime routes and major powers.]
Shikamaru read the new lines in silence, then let out a long sigh.
"…I see. East Blue, a fishing island… Nothing too dangerous for now. Lucky me."
Elian, who had seen none of the panels, tilted his head slightly.
"Did the system talk to you?"
"Yeah." Shikamaru put his hands back in his pockets and took a step toward the cave exit. His voice remained calm, almost drawling, but tinged with contained irritation. "It explained the essentials about your 'Claim,' the fact that I'm linked to you, and about this world. East Blue, apparently a calm sea, and a small fishing island far from everything. That explains why there are no walls or shinobi here."
He gave Elian a sideways glance, eyes half-closed.
"So no, I'm not obligated to train you. Or give you lessons. Or even stay if I decide it's too annoying. But if you die because you don't know how to use your weapons or your chakra, I don't know what happens to me afterward. That's too troublesome a variable."
He let out another, longer sigh.
"So even if I'm not forced… I'm still going to teach you. By my own choice. Because it's the least troublesome solution in the long run. Consider it well-calculated laziness."
A faint smirk briefly appeared on his lips.
"The less I want to have to save you in an emergency later, the better it is to make you at least somewhat useful now."
Elian couldn't help but smile, both relieved and amused.
"So… you're still going to help me?"
"Yeah. But don't expect me to be motivated or patient." Shikamaru raised a hand and counted on his fingers. "We'll start with the basics: sensing your chakra, controlling how much you spend. Then the actual use of your weapons. Throwing a kunai or shuriken without hurting yourself, aiming properly, knowing when to use them. As for the rest… we'll see later, once you've unlocked other things in your Shop."
They finally left the cave. The late afternoon sun flooded the island, making the sea sparkle. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes against the light, observed the fishermen's huts in the distance, the drying nets, and murmured:
"…A fishing village in the East Blue. Really troublesome."
He resumed walking at a leisurely pace.
"Find us a quiet place, away from prying eyes. We'll start right away. The sooner you learn to use these tools properly, the less I'll worry that a simple gust of wind will knock you over."
He muttered to himself, just loud enough for Elian to hear:
"…Really troublesome."
Yet he kept moving forward, hands in his pockets, already mentally calculating the most efficient (and least tiring) way to teach the basics to this boy who had only just discovered what chakra was.
***
They walked in silence for a few minutes along the narrow path that led down from the cliff toward the village. The sun was beginning to descend toward the horizon, tinting the sky with soft shades of orange and pink. Shikamaru kept his hands in his pockets, his steps lazy but steady, while Elian walked beside him, the leather pouch bumping lightly against his hip.
The thirteen-year-old boy was truly beautiful: silky purple hair that fell just to his eyebrows, framing a fine and expressive face, and eyes of the same intense violet that shone with an almost magnetic curiosity. On this small island where everyone knew each other, his unusual beauty had always drawn glances, even if Elian paid little attention to it.
As they reached the first wooden houses, a few villagers waved at Elian from a distance. Some cast curious glances at the boy with the two buns and the metal headband, but no one approached. Crystal Island was small and peaceful; strangers were rare, but not enough to cause panic.
Elian cleared his throat.
"So… Nara Shikamaru, right? Where exactly do you come from?"
Shikamaru gave a small nod without looking at him.
"Yeah. I come from Konoha, a hidden village in the Land of Fire. A ninja village."
Elian blinked, visibly surprised.
"A ninja village…? I had never heard of that."
Shikamaru let out a short breath that almost sounded like a laugh.
"Normal. Your world doesn't seem to have many shinobi. East Blue, apparently a calm sea, and a small fishing island far from everything. That explains why there are no walls or warriors here."
Elian scratched the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed.
"Yeah, it's pretty calm here. Most of the time we fish, repair nets, and trade whatever we catch. Nothing like the stories travelers tell about the Grand Line."
Shikamaru shrugged.
"It sounds like paradise for someone who hates working hard. Too bad I got dragged into this."
They stopped near Elian's small house, a simple wooden building with a thatched roof, located at the edge of the village. Elian pushed the door open and invited Shikamaru inside with a gesture.
"Come in. It's not much, but it's quiet."
Inside, the room was modest: a table, two chairs, a rudimentary kitchen area, and a bed in the corner. Elian closed the door behind them and finally let out a long sigh.
"Okay… before we start training, I need to check something."
He sat down at the table and closed his eyes for a moment, focusing on the system interface that only he could see. A new panel appeared in his mind.
[Current Balance: 0 Berry]
Elian frowned.
"Zero… Of course."
He opened his eyes again and looked at Shikamaru, who had leaned against the wall near the window, arms crossed.
"I have nothing at all right now. Not a single Berry. The Shop is completely empty for me. I guess I'll have to find a way to earn some money…"
Shikamaru shrugged, looking barely surprised.
"Logical. You're starting from zero. No chakra, no money, no experience. Classic for a beginner."
Elian leaned forward, elbows on the table, and observed Shikamaru with fresh curiosity. His violet eyes sparkled with interest.
"And you? What's your world like? Konoha… with ninjas, chakra techniques and all that… It must be completely different from here."
Shikamaru let his gaze drift toward the window, as if thinking about the question.
"Yeah. Konoha is one of the five great shinobi villages. We have clans with special abilities, jōnin, ANBU… and problems that pop up all the time. Wars, invasions, people with monstrous powers. Here in the East Blue, the biggest threat seems to be a fish that bites too hard."
He turned his head toward Elian, a faint smirk on his lips.
"And you? You've spent your life here fishing and dreaming of leaving? Because the way you looked at those kunai… it seemed like you'd been waiting for this for a long time."
Elian smiled slightly, a little surprised by Shikamaru's perceptiveness. With his purple hair falling over his eyebrows, his expression looked even more lively.
"Yeah… I've always stared at the horizon. The ships passing by, the sailors' stories… I wanted more than this. More than repairing nets my whole life. And now… all of this is happening. The system, the chakra, you… It's completely crazy, but I'm not going to complain."
Shikamaru let out a long sigh and pushed away from the wall.
"Good. Because complaining doesn't change anything. Alright, enough talking for now. We'll start slowly. First, learning to sense your chakra. Then we'll work on your throws with the kunai and shuriken. No way I'm letting you stab yourself in the foot on the first try."
Elian stood up, excitement returning to his violet eyes.
"Okay. Where do we do this?"
"Behind your house, in the small grove. It should be discreet enough. And bring your pouch. We'll see if you can hit a target without making a fool of yourself."
Shikamaru headed for the door, muttering to himself:
"…Really troublesome. Teaching a complete beginner how to throw kunai… What a chore."
Yet he stepped outside without waiting, and Elian followed him with a smile he wasn't even trying to hide anymore.
For the first time, he no longer felt alone facing the horizon.