Yoichi focused on the Silver Tickets first. He wanted to clear the minor rewards before moving to the main event. The blue interface flickered with a cold, steady light.
[Congratulations! You've obtained...]
[Congratulations! You've obtained...]
[Congratulations! You've obtained...]
The prompts flashed multiple times.
These resources were perfect for his loved ones as well as the leverage he has over the beneficial items Yoichi sells throughout Konoha, a control over strategic resources.
The items materialized instantly, cluttering the floor around the bed. Yoichi stood up carefully, avoiding the sleeping Tsunade.
Her breathing remained steady and relaxed.
He then shoved and gathered the resources into his Space Pouch.
The room was clear once more and the small rewards were handled smoothly.
Now, the spotlight shifted. The Gold and Prismatic Tickets remained. These held the power he truly needed to fix the hidden issues at home.
Come on... Give me something special!
Yoichi initiated the Gold Tickets. The bluish interface glowed with a golden shade as the roulette spun. Six notifications stacked themselves in his vision.
[Congratulations! You've obtained: Secret Technique: Blood Burst]
[Congratulations! You've obtained Passive: Night Guardian]
[Congratulations! You've obtained: Space Ring (100 cubic meters)]
[Congratulations! You've obtained: Intermediate Alchemy Book]
[Congratulations! You've obtained Passive: Nature Affinity]
[Congratulations! You've obtained Passive: Immovable Object]
What he gained was 3 items and 3 passive.
The Space Ring was as simple as it gets.
However, the secret technique and the alchemy book were a fine addition to his growth. Blood Burst is a life-saving technique for emergencies.
It sacrifices Qi and remaining physical potential within an individual to attain a huge burst of power at the cost of being severely weakened as an aftereffect.
Alchemy Book, on the other hand, gave him recipes for True Qi Pills and many other remarkable medicines for their benefits.
The herbs within the Grotto Heavens could now be utilized.
As for passives, Night Guardian provides concealment at night, Immovable Mountain grants a 25% damage reduction when his feet are on the ground, and Nature Affinity offers a close bond with nature.
All of them sounded great but his wish to free his mother from her misfortune still doesn't have any answers or solutions.
Am I really that unlucky now?
Clutching the 2 Prismatic Tickets, Yoichi has no choice but to risk them all.
When he ripped it apart, Yoichi descended once more to his consciousness and chose the Prismatic Resources rather than the latter. He had a reasonable strength right now and could fight endless opponents.
He's basically a killing machine, unless Madara along with the Gedo Statue pulls up on him.
[Drawing...]
[Congratulations! You've obtained: Intrinsic Soul Artifact!]
[Congratulations! You've obtained: Daily Supply of Heavenly Herbs!]
A mystical orb descended from the void and hovered over his calloused hands.
Then, it sank through his flesh. The artifact fused with his soul. He felt a surge of ancient power lock into his core.
"A soul artifact?" Yoichi mused.
He tightened his grip on the air. "Is it a weapon or something more? Does it have a will of its own?"
He checked the details. The system text was sharp.
[Intrinsic Soul Artifact]
—An innate embryo forged by heaven and earth. It can only be transfigured once.
"So it's a blank slate," Yoichi muttered, cupping his chin.
"A weapon that evolves. Perfect."
He liked the idea of a tool that adapted to his Martial Arts.
"But... I cannot afford to be impulsive. It must be a shape that complements the Martial Arts I have perfected."
[Daily Supply of Heavenly Herbs]
—Herbs evolved from the concentrated Spiritual Qi.
This might be a solution to his mother's unlucky circumstances.
Then, a final note appeared.
[Note: Please free up some space in your storage device to transport it.]
Yoichi didn't waste time and opened his Space Ring after he dripped his blood on it.
After shifting the silver-tier pills and ointments into it, all of the materials in his Space Pouch were hauled into the new 100-cubic-meter pocket space.
Despite the lingering shadows of his mother's illness, Yoichi felt a deep sense of accomplishment.
His patience had paid off.
The harvest from the system was more bountiful than he ever imagined.
The bed rustled beside him. Tsunade rubbed her eyes and sat up, her hair slightly messy from sleep.
She looked at him with a groggy expression.
"Is something wrong?"
Yoichi looked at her gorgeous profile.
Stunned, he then leaned in and kissed those luscious red lips as he pulled her back to bed and gave her a small, reassuring smile.
"It's nothing... Let's go back to sleep."
Tsunade became a bit flustered by the sudden affection, a faint pink dusting her cheeks.
Still, she didn't pull away. Her eyes began to close once more as she felt his heartbeat.
The couple drifted into the dreamlands with smiles on their faces.
...
...
...
"So, you two finally settled on your disciples. I can see why," Yoichi remarked, walking up to the fence.
The morning sun hit the academy grounds as he joined his teammates. Jiraiya and Orochimaru were leaning against the railing, their attention fixed on Minato and Nawaki.
The two boys were locked in deep stances, their muscles trembling as they maintained the rigid posture methods Yoichi had perfected.
"Hmph. If not for his sister's constant pestering, I would have found a far more efficient use for my time," Orochimaru hissed softly.
His golden eyes never left Nawaki. He watched the boy's clumsy yet stubborn effort with a look of clinical observation, masking any actual interest.
"Don't mind him, he's just being moody!"
Jiraiya barked a laugh, slapping his hand against his thigh.
"But you were right about this one, Yoichi! The kid is a natural. He picks up the flow like he was born for it. He's got a bright head on his shoulders."
Yoichi watched the duo.
Minato's precision was the perfect foil to Nawaki's raw, Senju-driven grit.
This is great... Now, the next course of action should be to stop these senseless wars from happening.
Yoichi had experienced the full spectrum of a shinobi's life, from the adrenaline of victory to the hollow ache of loss. He did not want these children to become cannon fodder as he once was.
The cycle of sending half-grown boys to die in mud and shadow needed to end.
Minato was a rare light. At his young age, he would undoubtedly shine regardless of the circumstances. He was the kind of genius who survived the meat grinder of war.
But what about the ordinary ones? The ones who lacked the speed of Minato or the bloodline of Nawaki?
Yoichi didn't view himself as a martyr.
He had no desire to die for a cause.
But, Yoichi simply understood a cold truth: he had the capabilities to change things, and that made the responsibility his.
A catalyst was required to force the world to look in a new direction. He needed a way to halt the momentum of the Great Nations before they spiraled into another global conflict. His plan began to take shape—a world united through the joint progression of Martial Arts and Ninjutsu.
If he could make the strength of the many more valuable than the secrets of the few, he could shift the balance of power forever.
Minato and Nawaki noticed the training session was over and quickly made their way toward teachers. Minato moved with a composed, light step, stopping a respectful distance away.
"Good morning, Yoichi-san. It is an honor to see you again," Minato said, his voice clear and polite.
On the other hand, Nawaki didn't bother with such formalities. He broke into a happy jog, his face flushed from the exertion of his practice. He skidded to a stop right in front of Yoichi, grinning ear to ear.
"Brother! You finally came to watch us!" Nawaki shouted, wiping sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.
"You both look like you've been working hard." A smile on Yoichi's face appeared, ruffling Nawaki's hair.
"See? Even the brat knows who the real teacher is," Jiraiya joked, folding his arms over his chest. "But don't let the praise get to your head, Nawaki. Your posture still looks like someone who didn't drink their milk."
Orochimaru let out a dry, thin hiss of a laugh. "Precision is a requirement, not a suggestion. If you cannot master the center of gravity, you are merely dancing in the dirt."
The atmosphere remained jovial as the mentors offered their critiques, but the mood shifted when Nawaki's expression faltered. He hesitated, shifting his weight from side to side before looking up at Yoichi with a serious gaze.
"There's something that I want to show brother," Nawaki said quietly.
Yoichi, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru gathered around as Nawaki reached into his pouch.
He produced a small, weathered scroll and a slip of mysterious paper. The paper felt different from standard shinobi parchment; it hummed with a faint, natural resonance.
The three older shinobi leaned in to investigate. The paper was covered in intricate, crimson markings that seemed to beat if one stared at them too long.
"It's a talisman," Yoichi stated, his voice becoming serious. "Where did you get it?"
"I don't know," Nawaki admitted, looking confused. "When I was sleeping, this thing appeared on my lamp desk. I thought maybe sis put it there, but she didn't know anything about it."
Jiraiya took the scroll and unrolled it, reading the contents aloud as Orochimaru peered over his shoulder.
"This paper is a life-saving talisman. Let's say that it was something promised by someone. Consider this a gift from us—from Ryoma Murakami."
"Murakami Clan..." Yoichi's brow furrowed.
"Is something wrong?" Jiraiya asked, his playful demeanor completely gone.
The last incident in Uzushiogakure had shocked Yoichi as much as his friends, but this was different.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru traded a wary glance. They were silent, but their eyes were full of questions.
They knew Yoichi had secrets, but they were now deeply curious about what possible connection existed between their friend and the mysterious Murakami name.
____________
Roulette Harvest.
[Immovable Object] (Gold)
—When the host's body is on the ground, 25% damage reduction.
[Night Guardian] (Gold)
—Favored by the night. Increases agility, concealment methods, and perception at night.
[Nature Affinity] (Gold)
—You have a close bond with plants, animals, and the green environment! Allows the user to blend into nature.
____________
I have too many chapter debts in this fanfic.
I'll definitely repay it but not for now.
Anyway, thanks for still reading this chapter!