Chapter 30
The next morning, Uchiha Ryo finally decided to enter another world.
After spending the previous two days doing absolutely nothing productive except eating fish, meditating, and insulting the system, Ryo stood inside Dream Pond Cave and prepared himself for his second world travel.
This time, however, he chose body travel.
Ryo looked toward the system panel and narrowed his eyes.
"System, activate body travel."
The system immediately responded.
"[Body Travel activated. Target world selected. One-star world confirmed. Beginning dimensional transfer.]"
Ryo barely had enough time to complain about the system's unusually serious voice before a black portal appeared directly in front of him.
He stepped inside.
The moment his body crossed the black portal, Ryo's expression changed.
"Wait."
His body suddenly stretched.
Not metaphorically.
His entire body genuinely felt as though someone had grabbed him from both ends and pulled him apart like a piece of rubber.
"WHAT THE FUCK?!"
His spine stretched.
His arms stretched.
His legs stretched.
Even his fingers felt as though they had been pulled several meters away from his palms.
Then, without warning, his entire body contracted.
CRACK!
Every bone in his body seemed to collapse inward simultaneously.
Ryo's eyes widened.
"AHHH—!"
Before he could finish screaming, the sensation changed again.
His muscles twisted.
His bones cracked.
His tendons stretched.
His organs seemed to shift from their original positions.
For one horrifying moment, Ryo genuinely felt as though his entire body was being dismantled piece by piece.
Then everything healed.
Instantly.
The broken bones returned to their proper positions.
The torn muscles repaired themselves.
The stretched tendons returned to normal.
The pain disappeared.
Only for the entire process to begin again.
"YOU FUCKING SYSTEM!"
Ryo's scream echoed through the strange dimensional space.
The system remained silent.
Ryo's body stretched again.
"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS WOULD HAPPEN?!"
His body contracted.
CRACK!
"HOST, I—"
"SHUT UP!"
The system immediately shut up.
Ryo's body stretched again.
"YOU SAID BODY TRAVEL!"
His ribs felt like they were being pulled apart.
"YOU DIDN'T SAY BODY TRAVEL MEANS TURNING ME INTO FUCKING RUBBER!"
The system remained silent.
Ryo's skull felt like it was being squeezed from both sides.
"I SWEAR, IF I SURVIVE THIS—"
His entire body suddenly snapped back into place.
Then the black portal opened.
Ryo fell out.
THUD!
He landed on the ground on one knee, his hands pressing against the earth while his entire body trembled.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
His breathing was heavy.
His face was pale.
Sweat covered his forehead.
His fingers dug into the ground.
The pain had been so intense that even Ryo's monstrous mental endurance had nearly been overwhelmed.
Yet he had remained conscious through the entire process.
After several seconds, Ryo slowly lifted his head.
His eyes were bloodshot.
His expression was murderous.
"System."
The system hesitated.
"Y-yes, host?"
Ryo's voice became frighteningly calm.
"Explain."
The system remained silent for two seconds.
Then it finally answered.
"Well..."
Ryo's eyebrow twitched.
"Well?"
"Technically, body travel is perfectly safe."
Ryo stared at the floating panel.
"Safe?"
"Yes."
"You just stretched every bone in my body, crushed my muscles, rearranged my organs, and made me experience enough pain to reconsider every decision I've made in life."
"Yes."
"And you're calling that safe?"
"Yes."
Ryo's eye twitched.
The system quickly added, "Because everything is restored immediately."
Ryo slowly stood up.
"I hate you."
The system became defensive.
"Host, how was I supposed to know you would react like this?"
"YOU ARE THE SYSTEM!"
"That doesn't mean I have personal experience with body travel!"
Ryo froze.
The system immediately realized it had made a mistake.
Ryo slowly turned his head.
"...You didn't know?"
The system's voice became quieter.
"Not exactly."
Ryo's fist tightened.
"So you sent me into another dimension without knowing what would happen?"
"Technically, I knew it wouldn't kill you."
"That's not what I asked!"
The system finally became smug.
"But host, you survived."
Ryo's face became completely blank.
The system continued.
"And there was an unexpected benefit."
"What benefit?"
"All the old injuries in your body have been repaired."
Ryo paused.
The system's voice became increasingly cheerful.
"Your bones are stronger, your muscles have improved, your internal injuries have completely disappeared, and your overall physical strength has increased by approximately 0.001%."
Ryo's expression changed.
"...0.001%?"
"Yes."
Ryo stared at his hands.
He could indeed feel that something was different.
The improvement was incredibly small, but his body felt cleaner than before.
His old injuries, accumulated from years of fighting, missions, experiments, and general Uchiha nonsense, had disappeared.
Ryo slowly flexed his fingers.
"That still doesn't justify what happened."
The system became smug.
"Host, you should be thanking me."
"Thanking you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because I just gave you free medical treatment."
Ryo's eye twitched.
"Your medical treatment nearly made me experience death."
"But you didn't die."
"That's your defense?"
"An excellent defense."
Ryo stared at the system for several seconds.
Then he sighed.
"Whatever. Give me the information about this world."
The system immediately became serious again.
"Understood, host."
A large blue screen appeared.
"Host, this is another one-star world. According to the initial information available to me, this world is technologically similar to your original world in several areas, although its civilization developed somewhat differently."
Ryo looked around.
"Where are we?"
"Currently, you are in a wilderness area approximately twenty kilometers from the nearest human settlement."
Ryo nodded.
"Any supernatural energy?"
"Yes and no."
Ryo frowned.
"Explain."
"The world possesses some unusual phenomena, but the average human does not possess chakra, cursed energy, spiritual pressure, or anything comparable to the supernatural abilities you normally encounter."
Ryo became interested.
"Then why did you say yes?"
"Because this world possesses a small number of extraordinary individuals. Their physical abilities and martial arts are significantly beyond ordinary humans, although they are still far below your normal standards."
Ryo crossed his arms.
"So martial arts?"
"Correct."
Ryo's eyes brightened slightly.
"Interesting."
The system immediately displayed another panel.
Then came the familiar sound.
Ding!
Ryo's expression changed.
"Finally."
The system announced the mission.
Main Mission
Win the World Martial Arts Championship.
Main Mission Reward:Bow of Cupid
Side Mission One
Win the World Martial Arts Championship without using supernatural powers.
Reward:Chrono Crystal Fragment ×1
Side Mission Two
Win the World Martial Arts Championship without using supernatural physical strength.
Reward:Chrono Crystal Fragment ×1
Side Mission Three
Learn at least 10% of the martial arts used by the championship participants.
Reward:Chrono Crystal Fragment ×1
Ryo stared at the mission panel.
"...That's it?"
The system nodded.
"That's it."
Ryo scratched his chin.
"Win a martial arts tournament?"
"Yes."
"How many participants?"
"Several hundred will participate through the qualifying stages, although the actual championship tournament will have considerably fewer competitors."
Ryo looked disappointed.
"I thought the second world would be more interesting."
The system immediately became offended.
"Host, you're already complaining?"
"Yes."
"You haven't even started!"
"I'm allowed to complain before starting."
The system remained silent.
Ryo then pointed toward the reward.
"What's the Bow of Cupid?"
The system explained immediately.
"An extraordinary weapon associated with Cupid. It possesses two types of arrows."
Ryo's expression became slightly more interested.
"What types?"
"That information will become available after receiving the reward."
Ryo stared at the system.
"You don't know?"
"Correct."
"Then why did you explain it like you knew?"
"Because it sounds more mysterious that way."
Ryo's mouth twitched.
"You're becoming more shameless."
"I learned from my host."
Ryo ignored the insult.
"What about the Chrono Crystal?"
The system immediately became more enthusiastic.
"That is much more valuable."
A small image of a crystalline fragment appeared on the screen.
"Chrono Crystal originates from a six-star magical world. Even a tiny fragment contains extremely powerful elemental compatibility."
Ryo looked at the image carefully.
"What does it do?"
"It can upgrade weapons with elemental attributes."
Ryo's eyes narrowed.
"Any weapon?"
"Any suitable weapon."
"Any elemental attribute?"
"Almost any."
Ryo's interest increased considerably.
"Then those three side missions are more important than the main mission."
The system paused.
"Host, the main mission gives you a divine bow."
"And the side missions give me three fragments capable of upgrading weapons with elemental attributes."
"Yes."
"Then obviously the fragments are more useful."
The system fell silent.
Ryo smiled.
"Don't worry. I'll complete all four missions."
The system sounded relieved.
"Excellent."
Ryo suddenly added, "Though I won't promise to use normal strength during the main mission."
The system froze.
"Host."
"Hm?"
"Did you not read the second side mission?"
"I did."
"It specifically says you must win without supernatural physical strength."
"I know."
"Then why are you saying that?"
Ryo's smile became slightly sinister.
"Because I said I'll complete it."
The system became suspicious.
"How?"
Ryo turned toward the distant mountains.
"By learning."
The system paused.
Ryo's expression gradually became more serious.
"That's why the third side mission is actually interesting."
He had spent years learning countless techniques.
Ninjutsu.
Taijutsu.
Medical ninjutsu.
Scientific knowledge.
Ocular techniques.
Weapon handling.
And various abilities stolen through Plunder.
Yet this would be different.
He wouldn't be able to rely on chakra.
He wouldn't be able to rely on supernatural physical strength.
He would have to fight using the martial arts of this world.
More importantly, he would have to understand them.
Ryo smiled.
"Ten percent of the participants' martial arts..."
He slowly clenched his fist.
"That might actually be fun."
The system suddenly asked, "Host, should I remind you that your first experience in this world nearly killed you?"
Ryo's expression instantly darkened.
"Do you want me to throw you into the river?"
The system immediately became quiet.
Ryo took a deep breath before looking toward the distant settlement.
"First, we'll find the championship."
"Then we'll gather information about every participant."
"After that, I'll learn their martial arts."
The system hesitated.
"Host..."
"What?"
"Are you planning to learn their martial arts properly?"
Ryo smiled.
"Of course."
The system relaxed.
"Good."
Ryo continued.
"Then I'll beat them with their own techniques."
The system's expression immediately collapsed.
"...I should have expected that."
Ryo laughed.
"Let's go."
He started walking toward the distant settlement.
Behind him, the system silently followed.
After only a few steps, Ryo suddenly stopped.
"System."
"Yes?"
"One more thing."
"What?"
Ryo turned his head with a completely serious expression.
"Next time body travel is going to feel like being stretched, crushed, disassembled, reassembled, or otherwise tortured..."
The system swallowed nervously.
"...Yes?"
"Tell me beforehand."
The system immediately nodded.
"Absolutely."
Ryo turned around and continued walking.
After several seconds, the system quietly muttered to itself.
"Although, technically, I didn't know."
Ryo suddenly stopped walking.
The system froze.
Ryo slowly turned around.
"Did you say something?"
The system instantly smiled.
"No, host."
Ryo narrowed his eyes.
"Good."
He turned around again.
The system waited until Ryo was facing away before silently wiping imaginary sweat from its forehead.
This world is going to be troublesome.
Not because of the martial artists.
Because my host has discovered another tournament.
Chapter End