The rebel ninjas hesitated for just a heartbeat—then scattered in panic.
"Run!!! That kid's a monster!!"
But Shin's cold voice stopped them in their tracks.
"You think I'll let you go?"
With a single seal, he summoned Shadow Clones—one for each fleeing rebel ninja.
"Shadow Clones—open the Eight Gates!"
In an instant, every clone surged with explosive energy, their muscles bulging, their veins darkening. Gates burst open with thunderous cracks.
The rebel ninjas didn't stand a chance.
Screams filled the battlefield as the clones struck with devastating force—limbs were broken, skulls shattered, bodies flung like ragdolls. It was not a battle. It was an execution.
One last rebel, drenched in blood and trembling, fell to his knees.
"P-please… spare me! I-I don't want to die! I swear—I'll never kill again!"
Shin's expression was emotionless. His eyes were locked on the carnage, his voice sharp as a blade.
"Spare you? Did you spare those villagers? The women you tortured? The children you left orphaned?"
The man bowed low, face pressed to the blood-soaked earth, unable to answer.
"Then die."
Shin raised Kurosaki's half-broken blade—and with one swing, ended it.
Ding! Mission complete. Reward: Water Clone Technique. Battlefield Reputation +10.
Second clone acquired. Water Clone unlocked.
Talent: Thousand Shadow Link activated. Water Clone has evolved to match the host's level. All abilities transferred to the host.
With a deep breath, Shin exhaled—then summoned the Water Clone Panel:
[Water Clone]
Level: Jōnin
Talent: Water Release Mastery
Abilities: All Water Release techniques below A-rank
A surge of chakra coursed through Shin's body—his reserves swelled, and techniques he'd never studied before now came to him like instinct.
But his gaze narrowed on something else:
Battlefield Reputation: 10
"System, what's reputation used for?"
Reputation can be used to purchase items from the Reputation Store.
With a thought, the interface appeared.
[Artifacts]
Kusanagi Sword – 30,000 pts
Golden Cudgel – 25,000 pts
Uchiha War Fan – 50,000 pts
Itachi's Relic Set – 80,000 pts
Flying Thunder God Kunai – 100,000 pts
Each item was powerful—but outrageously priced.
[Materials] – Used to evolve or fuse clones.
[Keys] – Unlock trial grounds or legacy domains. Some even more expensive than artifacts.
"So I need to earn a lot more reputation… and fast."
Shin sorted his current loadout:
Shadow Clone Technique
Water Clone Technique
All C-rank and below Water Ninjutsu
Partial use of the Eight Gates
A powerful base—but far from invincible.
Just as he began forming a chakra recovery seal, sharp pain stabbed through his limbs. His muscles screamed, blood vessels strained. He dropped to a knee.
The recoil from the Eight Gates...
Even if only clones had used them, the system's link shared some of the backlash. He clenched his teeth and forced his breath steady.
"I can't use this recklessly—it's a trump card."
But suddenly—
Thundering hooves.
Dozens of them. Dust rose beyond the trees.
Shin's heart tensed. He couldn't move well. The enemy could be just as dangerous as the last.
He glanced behind him at the children—the only survivors of the village.
"Shin-jun, are you okay?"
The children rushed to help him up, their faces pale, eyes swollen from tears. He leaned on them, his expression unreadable.
He stared at the mingled corpses of villagers and rebels, fists clenched.
"This world... it's kill or be killed."
His eyes hardened with resolve.
"If I want to stop this cruelty... I must take control of this world."
To protect the innocent... to end the cycle of death...
He had to become something greater.
Despite the pain, he smiled gently at the children.
"Don't worry. Whoever comes next—I'll protect you."
Tears welled up in their eyes, but they nodded.
Shin returned to his breathing techniques, slowly stabilizing his chakra.
Minutes passed.
Then—the hooves stopped.
Thirty black stallions skidded to a halt. Dust clouded the area. The men atop them wore black combat uniforms and metal-plated forehead protectors.
In the center of each protector—a black square mark, like a burnt scar.
"Captain Yan! We've found survivors!"
The leader of the squad wore a thick leather cloak, a black mask covering the lower half of his face. A sharp glint of steel peeked from under his sleeves.
As he surveyed the blood-soaked ground littered with corpses, the man known as Yan clenched his fists, eyes flashing with anger and guilt.
"We were too late…"
But what truly caught his attention was the lone boy standing among the bodies of the fallen rebels — unharmed, surrounded by scattered blood and silence.
Yan urged his horse forward slowly.
"Hey. You on the horse—stop right there."
Shin didn't move, just raised his eyelids and locked eyes with the man.
Yan reined his horse. He raised a hand in a show of peace.
"We're not enemies. We came to help."
Shin's body had mostly recovered thanks to his chakra control, but the chakra signatures from these newcomers were no joke. Compared to the ragtag rebels earlier, these black-clothed ninja were clearly elite-level.
"Never seen a ninja riding a horse," Shin said quietly. "Only mercenaries and thieves ride into a battlefield like this."
One of the black-clad shinobi snapped.
"You brat—show some respect!"
The moment the words were out, it was already too late.
Shin raised two fingers, forming a single silent seal with astonishing speed.
A compressed spiral of water burst from his fingertips, slamming into the shinobi and knocking him off the horse like a ragdoll.
The tense atmosphere exploded.
"This little bastard dares attack us?!"
"You'll pay for that!"
But Shin wasn't finished.
A water clone emerged from a puddle behind the fallen shinobi like a phantom.
The clone formed a jutsu — Water Release: Water Prison Technique — and encased the fallen ninja in a massive sphere of water, suspending him helplessly.
The other black-clothed ninja prepared to charge, their chakra flaring.
"One more step," Shin said, cold as steel, "and he drowns."
A razor-thin water blade formed in the water clone's hand, hovering just beside the man's neck.
"I heard a human can hold their breath for 24 minutes," Shin said softly. "But I wonder—how long can your comrade last?"
"You little demon—!"
"Enough!" Yan barked, silencing his men.
Though furious, none dared to ignore their captain's command.
Yan exhaled, forcing calm into his voice.
"Apologies. That was our mistake. Will you at least let him breathe?"
Shin's eyes narrowed. After a pause, he nodded.
The water clone adjusted the prison slightly, allowing a gap at the top for air—but the water blade remained steady at the neck.
"Try anything funny, and he won't even get a last word."
Yan glanced again at the battlefield.
"You defeated all these rebels… alone?"
"Just self-defense."
Yan frowned.
"You used a high-pressure Water Release attack, created a clone, and then cast Water Prison — all within seconds… after a single hand sign. I've never seen anyone do that, not even among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."
He looked the boy over again.
"And you can't be more than ten."
Shin smirked.
A certain line floated into his head—classic, arrogant, and perfectly fitting.
"Captain Yan... In this world, there are many people younger than me—yet far stronger than you."
Yan was speechless.
"...Who are you?"
The boy raised his head, calm and proud.
"Shin Mato."