As Mewtwo and the clone Pokémon vanished into the dawn-tinged sky and Mew dissipated into a beam of light, Nawaki felt the surroundings blur and twist.
It was not the dizziness of battle but a peculiar sense of detachment inherent to spatial transition.
[Mission Experience: "Mewtwo's Counterattack" Completed]
[Calculating mission rewards…]
[Forced Return Initiated]
The system notification echoed in his mind just as the Pokémon world before him faded like an old scroll, silently disappearing.
In the next moment, the faint sensation of weightlessness vanished, and he found himself standing steadily in his familiar bedroom in Konoha.
Outside the window, the sky was just beginning to lighten, pale morning light streaming through the paper screens, casting soft halos across the room.
"Ah…" Nawaki exhaled, finally releasing the tension that had gripped him.
Almost at the same moment, he felt his chakra stagnant and nearly depleted during his time in the Pokémon world begin to surge from deep within him.
Like rain nourishing a dry riverbed, his chakra quickly converged and flowed throughout his body. The sensation of fully restored strength made him gasp involuntarily.
"The flow of time between worlds really is completely different," Nawaki murmured, contemplating quietly.
He had spent a considerable period in the Pokémon world, yet in the Naruto world, it seemed only one night had passed.
A rough calculation suggested a ratio of roughly 1 to 24.
This meant his adventures in another world had earned him precious growth time.
At that moment, the cold system alert rang again. Though it sounded like a routine completion notification, Nawaki's heartbeat accelerated instinctively.
[Ding! Main system detects successful return to the main world]
[Calculating experience and mission rewards…]
A semi-transparent, ethereal blue screen appeared before him, visible only to him.
It resembled a game interface, sleek and technological, with streams of data refreshing in layers until finally stabilizing:
Mission Report: Mewtwo's Counterattack
Mission Completion Status: Excellent
Primary Objectives Achieved:
Rescue Dr. Fuji (Status: Alive, Conscious)
Defeat Mewtwo (Assessment: As a critical supporting combatant, the host cooperated with Mew to successfully restrict and disrupt Mewtwo. This ultimately led Mewtwo to accept the host's philosophy and voluntarily abandon its destructive behavior. Considered a dual "tactical and ideological victory")
Hidden Elements Unlocked:
Successfully sealed key consciousness "Love" (Status: Stable, sealed in special medium)
Acquired critical life sample "A's DNA" (Status: Intact)
Total Rewards Calculated… Calculation Complete:
Base Attribute Enhancement:
Defense IV (Personal Value) increased to maximum (31)
Pokémon Mark Selection:
The host may select one of the remaining five Pokémon brought back from the Pokémon world (Skarmory, Gardevoir, Golbat, Haunter, Gengar) to transform into a new [Pokémon Miracle Mark]
Item Resource Package:
Super Potion x10
Selectable Item Unlock x5
Shadow Ball x1
"Defense IV MAX!" Nawaki's eyes sparkled with excitement.
Before he could even consider which Pokémon to choose, a familiar warmth stronger and deeper than any he had felt before poured down from nowhere, enveloping his entire body.
The energy was not violent; instead, it radiated a profound, enduring strength.
Gradually, it permeated every inch of his skin, every hair follicle, even into the microscopic structure of his nails, bones, and teeth.
He could feel the transformation internally. His skin became denser and tougher. His pores contracted, giving a gentle sheen. His hair and body hair felt renewed, thick and strong. His nails were coated in an almost invisible crystalline keratin, sharply increasing their hardness. Even his bones tingled slightly, evidence of rapidly increased density and strength.
Instinctively, he shaped his fingers into a blade and sliced across the edge of a nearby wooden desk.
Chhh
A clean cut separated the wood effortlessly, the surface smooth as glass. His fingertips remained unscathed.
"This… is the effect of Defense V?" Nawaki whispered in awe.
It was more than just resilient skin; it was a comprehensive physical enhancement, from the macroscopic to the microscopic level.
This defensive capability, combined with the Senju clan physique and the "Harden" skill, meant his survivability on the battlefield had increased exponentially.
[Rewards Distributed. Host, please select the second Pokémon Mark within 60 seconds. Failure to choose will result in a random assignment.]
The system's cold alert snapped Nawaki out of his reverie.
He immediately focused on Haunter.
The ghost-type Pokémon's mysterious nature, unpredictability, and disruptive abilities would be invaluable in the ninja world.
For reconnaissance, infiltration, assassination, or sowing chaos, Haunter's skills perfectly complemented his ninja techniques.
"I choose Haunter."
[Confirmed: Haunter]
[Activating mark transformation and synchronization…]
As the system confirmed, Nawaki felt his consciousness drawn into the mark space once again.
This time, the air was no longer filled with the scent of grass but with a deep, silent, slightly chilling shadow energy.
At the center, a spectral figure slowly appeared, grinning mischievously.
But just as the mark neared full formation, an anomaly occurred.
Perhaps due to crossing the barrier between worlds or unknown interference between system energy and Nawaki's chakra, the Haunter mark began to fluctuate violently.
Dark energy rapidly condensed and transformed at an unprecedented rate.
Before Nawaki's astonished eyes, the mark reshaped.
Its body became rounder and stronger. Separated hands rejoined the body, spikes emerged along its back, and a strange rune appeared on its forehead.
Its signature crimson eyes and grinning mouth radiated greater malice and power.
[Warning! Unknown energy interference detected. Mark structure unstable.]
[Energy overload… Forced form transformation…]
[Transformation complete! Congratulations, host. You have obtained the second Pokémon Miracle Mark: Gengar!]
"It… evolved directly?!"
Nawaki stared at the Gengar mark, its aura darker, deeper, and more powerful than Haunter. Shock and delight filled him.
This meant he completely bypassed the Haunter stage, inheriting the full potential and power of a fully evolved Gengar.
Gengar was level 35, and its move list far surpassed Haunter's:
Shadow Ball, Curse, Destiny Bond, Hypnosis, Dream Eater, Dark Pulse, Hex…
Seeing these versatile ghost- and poison-type moves, Nawaki felt a surge of excitement.
Moves like Destiny Bond, based on rules and timing, could be a critical trump card essentially a mini Death Sealing technique.
As the Gengar mark fully integrated with his soul alongside the Bulbasaur mark, Nawaki felt his perception of darkness and shadows become incredibly sharp.
A thought crossed his mind, and his body sank slowly, silently merging into the floor shadows, as if diving into water.
Within the shadows, he could still faintly perceive the real world and use connected shadows for short-range movement.
"This is Gengar's Phantom Strike? No, it feels more like a prototype Shadow Contract."
Nawaki rose from another shadow, savoring this new ability. It added a crucial edge to his infiltration and evasion techniques.
While the power boost was thrilling, he did not forget the urgency of reality. He pushed open the window and inhaled the crisp morning air of Konoha.
In the distance, the Hokage Rock appeared calm and majestic at dawn, yet beneath that serenity, currents of unrest flowed.
The shadows of the Second Great Ninja War grew darker, and reports of border skirmishes arrived frequently. The safety of his grandmother, Mito Uzumaki, weighed heavily on his heart.
The tragedy that had struck the Land of Whirlpools had already occurred, leaving him precious little time.
He had to acquire the power to change everything before inevitable conflict and massive threats struck Konoha.
"Defense V, Gengar Mark," Nawaki clenched his fists, feeling the surging power and his unfamiliar new abilities.
"This is still not enough!"
He gazed at the slowly awakening village, eyes sharp as blades.
"I must become stronger, faster. War waits for no one."
He turned, swiftly organizing his gear and carefully storing the reward items from the system.
A new day had begun, yet the battle for Senju Nawaki had never truly ended.