Chapter 77: Precious Game Qualification

As a game merchant, this was his first time meeting these players in reality.

"It is the honorable Mr. Player. I have a slight interest in the Chunin Joint Exams, so I came to Konoha."

Fang Yi glanced at Naruto.

Within his equipment slots were two level 15 Purple Equipment (Soul Certification), the rest were all blue, and he possessed two class skills that had been upgraded to level 15.

A level 19 Shield Warrior.

With the amplification of his equipment, his four-dimensional attributes had already reached the level of a Jonin.

His core skill, 【Justice Sanction】, could even enhance the restraint effect against the Dark Attribute, increasing skill damage by 30%.

This meant that any Dark Attribute class would suffer enhanced attacks when facing Naruto.

Originally, Uzumaki Naruto relied on his outstanding Talk-no-Jutsu to defeat fallen ninja, but now it was solid, tangible damage enhancement.

"So amazing, as expected of Merchant Uncle, you can pick the most delicious food as soon as you arrive in Konoha."

Uzumaki Naruto was carefree as he reached out and asked Teuchi for a bowl of ramen.

Everyone else was quite nervous.

Asuma bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your visit. If you encounter anything in Konoha, you can come to me directly; I will help you resolve it."

"Thank you."

Fang Yi nodded politely and continued to enjoy the ramen in his bowl.

"Yakumo."

Yuhi Kurenai revealed a worried expression, gently tugging at Kurama Yakumo's sleeve.

Kurama Yakumo, however, acted as if she didn't feel it, ignoring Yuhi Kurenai completely.

The atmosphere at the scene was somewhat subtle.

The pink-haired brat Haruno Sakura didn't notice and asked strangely, "Stupid Naruto, do you guys know this uncle?"

He was clearly a Noble-like outsider, yet everyone was acting very familiar and respectful toward him.

They were all in Team 7, so was there something that had been left out regarding her?

Uzumaki Naruto scratched his head and said, "This uncle is the mysterious merchant who sells games and can make us stronger."

The ban strictly forbidding the leakage of the game merchant had been lifted.

Every major Ninja Clan had players they had recruited, so only ordinary Genin without backgrounds like Haruno Sakura and some gate-guarding Chunin who rarely participated in important activities were still kept in the dark.

Therefore, Uzumaki Naruto had no reservations about speaking up.

Previously, Haruno Sakura had asked many times why they had suddenly become stronger, and he hadn't been able to say anything, which had nearly driven him crazy.

"Game... merchant?"

After hearing Uzumaki Naruto's explanation, Haruno Sakura first felt that the big idiot was joking.

But after her gaze swept over Sasuke, who wasn't amused, and the face of Kakashi-sensei, who was also tacitly agreeing, she fell silent.

Could such a thing really exist?

Sakura looked at the game merchant with trepidation, anticipation rising in her heart.

She also wanted to become stronger; although she used to be a girl who only cared about dressing up and loving beauty, watching her partners in Team 7 become stronger and stronger while she stood still, feeling further and further away from them, this pain and the helplessness of being isolated were hard to describe.

"That's right, a merchant who sells games. If you become a player, you can possess the opportunity to change your destiny."

Fang Yi nodded, his gaze sweeping over Haruno Sakura.

【Haruno Sakura (Purple)】

Purple Soul Potential; if she followed the standard path, she could rely on her own ability to become a Jonin, and if she had a master's guidance, she could become an Elite Jonin.

If her luck was even better and she encountered a Shadow-level expert like Tsunade to teach her everything and provide hands-on support, it was even possible to break through to the Shadow-level.

During the Fourth War, Haruno Sakura felt that her catching up to the footsteps of Team 7 was indeed just her own illusion.

Of course,

it wasn't that Haruno Sakura's potential was low; being able to reach the level of a Jonin was already considered top-tier combat power for any Ninja Village, it was just that there was still a large gap compared to the Destiny Twins who possessed Gold Potential.

Haruno Sakura asked expectantly, "Can I become a player, Mr. Merchant?"

"Just call me Fang Yi."

Fang Yi looked at the expectant pink-haired brat and said apologetically, "Your potential is not enough, so I will not issue a Game Invitation to you."

Game Invitation.

Fang Yi had long since made plans; players who wanted to be invited needed at least Silver Potential.

Although the Game Invitation was worthless in his own eyes, in the eyes of others, it was the qualification to become a player.

Qualifications could not be flooded.

Otherwise, the enthusiasm of some players to hunt Pollution Sources would be weakened, and their sense of identity as players would also be lowered.

Only players who met the requirements were qualified to be invited.

Only when this iron rule was established would players cherish their player status all the more, and those who were not players would yearn to become one, willing to pay everything and go bankrupt to do so.

It was just like the closed beta qualification for an online game.

Even though it was just entering the game slightly earlier with no special bonuses, it could still be sold for sky-high prices at one point.

Because of scarcity.

"Is that so?"

Haruno Sakura lowered her head in disappointment, emotions surging within her heart.

Even the game merchant thought she had no way to compare with the other two in Team 7 and lacked the qualification to become a player.

Beside her, Uzumaki Naruto saw that his beloved Sakura was disappointed and immediately shouted, "Merchant Uncle, wasn't I directly chosen as a player back then? Can't you just let Sakura become a player directly too?"

"Naruto."

Kakashi extended his palm and pressed down on the yellow-haired head of his thick-headed student.

Even the Hokage has to approach this game merchant with caution, yet Naruto has not yet realized the gravity of the situation.

"It is no matter; explaining the game rules to those who look forward to the Samsara Game and to the players is my duty as a game merchant."

Fang Yi smiled indifferently,

he lifted the curtain and pointed toward the black Game Tower that could be seen from any corner of Konoha.

He explained: "Every month, the five Game Towers in the Ninja World randomly recruit five hundred players; there are no conditions and no qualifications required, as one can obtain the qualification to change their destiny entirely through luck."

"Commoners rely on luck to become newly minted Nobles with no worries about food or clothing, Nobles rely on luck to constantly expand their territories, and obscure ninja leap to become Elites in the village."

"The Ninja World has changed because of this."

Speaking of this,

Fang Yi paused, looked at Kurama Yakumo to the side, and said: "The other way is the Game Invitation personally issued by a game merchant after meeting them; only those with sufficient potential will be chosen."

"Up to now, there should only be a few people like Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Itachi Uchiha."

Kurama Yakumo revealed a look of relief, subconsciously clutching the black envelope in her arms tightly.

Is the Game Invitation actually such a precious item?

"Itachi Uchiha?"

Sasuke, who had been silent all along, suddenly widened his eyes upon hearing the familiar name.

Had the clan-slaughtering madman Itachi Uchiha actually become a player too?

When the other party infiltrated the village earlier, he did not reveal any abilities related to the game during their fight; in other words, he must have just become a player after fleeing Konoha.

Thinking of this, Sasuke breathed a slight sigh of relief.

He did not want the difficulty of his revenge to increase; once Itachi Uchiha became a player, his revenge would become much more troublesome.

Once he returns to the game, he must conduct a carpet search to find Itachi Uchiha while he is still at a low level.

He would camp the spawn point directly.

He would kill him the moment he leaves the Safe Zone, so that Itachi Uchiha would not even be able to cough up the Reward Points for resurrection.

(End of this chapter)