Chapter 97: The World Can Also Fall Ill

Sarutobi Hiruzen asked with concern: "Mr. Fang Yi, is it true that a Shinobi World War will occur in the future?"

Being able to peer into fate was already beyond the understanding of him, the Hokage.

Could such a powerful existence truly exist?

Such an existence should not be called a merchant, but rather... a God?

Although most Clan Heads were shocked, they still maintained a skeptical attitude and did not fully believe in this so-called fate.

Fang Yi, watched by suspicious eyes, kept his smile and asked: "Do you still remember our original intention?"

They were stunned.

The Clan Heads then remembered their initial doubts.

Why did the Shadow-level powerhouse and Hokage Advisor Shimura Danzou suddenly lose his limbs, with even the scars appearing old?

What exactly are the skills that a level Player is qualified to redeem?

Beneath their feet, the chaotic Sengoku period appeared once again.

Roars reached the ears of the group; they looked down and discovered a ninja of the Sarutobi Clan being hunted by ninjas from a hostile clan.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze sharpened; he suddenly felt that the hunted Sarutobi ninja looked somewhat familiar.

Immediately after,

Fang Yi, in front of everyone, took out a ring inlaid with a crimson gemstone and tossed it down casually.

The ring fell at an extreme speed, landing precisely at the feet of the Sarutobi ninja.

After scanning left and right in alarm, the startled Sarutobi ninja found no issues and quickly picked up the ring.

【Flame Ring (Blue)】

Type: Accessory

Durability: 45/45

Equipment Effect: Fire-attribute chakra affinity +10

Note: A crimson gemstone sourced from the lava of Hell, engraved with fire-type Magic Rune.

Everyone watched as that Sarutobi ninja, relying on the chakra amplification from this ring, saw the power of his Fire Release surge, successfully evading the pursuit of the hostile ninjas at the critical moment when he should have been killed.

"Father?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze was hesitant, staring blankly at that figure until, after a long while, he confirmed it.

Too much time had passed; he had long forgotten what his father looked like in his youth.

Why show them these things all of a sudden?

The Clan Heads all felt somewhat strange, and suddenly, they had an indescribable, odd sensation.

Everyone's gaze

fell unconsciously upon the Hokage, or more accurately, upon the ring on Sarutobi Hiruzen's right index finger.

It was that very Flame Ring just tossed down by the game merchant.

A memory that seemed to have been sealed for a long time suddenly unlocked.

In that memory,

when the Third Hokage was still serving as a guard for the Second Hokage, this Flame Ring had already appeared on his finger.

It was said to be a family heirloom capable of amplifying the power of Fire Release Ninjutsu...

Hiss!

The group, realizing this belatedly, turned their heads and stared at Fang Yi with horrified eyes.

"Just like that Flame Ring."

Fang Yi smiled: "I returned to the past and told a certain Uchiha to be careful of Mr. Danzou, so... Mr. Danzou's right eye disappeared."

"I revealed some secrets to a former disciple of yours, Hokage. In order to research those secrets, he ambushed Mr. Danzou when he defected back then, and after some torture, took away his right arm."

"Therefore, Mr. Danzou lost his right arm."

"It is just that simple."

Simple?

It sounded very simple.

But to actually achieve it was as difficult as ascending to heaven; when the principle behind it was unknown, one only felt Fang Yi's mystery and power.

The moment the truth was revealed, everyone trembled involuntarily; the mental world they had believed in and constructed all along nearly collapsed.

Return to the past, rewrite the present.

Fang Yi extended his right hand and squeezed gently; all the anomalies vanished, as if what had just occurred was a magnificent Genjutsu.

But the clear memories in their minds told them this was no Genjutsu.

Everyone looked at the Flame Ring hidden by the Hokage, their gazes complex.

The look in their eyes when they turned to Fang Yi was filled with deep fear; if the other party wished, he could destroy Konoha from the root at any time, making the most powerful Ninja Village in the shinobi world appear as if it had never existed in this world.

If anyone had still been harboring wishful thinking before, they were now very grateful for Danzou's foolish move, which had completely shattered the luck they were counting on and prevented them from making any suicidal attempts.

"Mr. Fang Yi..."

When Sarutobi Hiruzen said this, he hesitated, then asked: "You are so powerful, why do you sell the Samsara Game as a merchant?"

Originally, he had thought

that he was an ambitious person from another world, wanting to incite a war in the shinobi world or coveting some item within it.

But now, such thoughts had long been cast to the back of his mind.

Because the other party could easily annihilate the shinobi world; even if Senju Hashirama were resurrected, he could not stop him, and there was simply no need for any schemes or tricks.

Hearing his doubt, Fang Yi revealed a smile; it seemed the display of strength had been very effective.

The consumed origin was not a loss.

He did not answer, but instead looked at Sasuke, who was trembling with excitement, and asked, "Sasuke, what is the duty of a player?"

The duty of a player?

Sasuke was still immersed in the great power of manipulating space-time and unable to extricate himself; he was stunned upon hearing this.

Isn't a player just someone who hunts Pollution Monsters, collects Reward Points, and makes themselves constantly stronger?

Sasuke hesitated and said, "Hunting Pollution Monsters?"

"That's right."

Fang Yi revealed an expression of "a child worth teaching" and smiled, saying, "Ninjas can get sick, and the world is the same."

"A world that has fallen ill will give birth to Pollution Monsters; if the pollution cannot be stifled in the cradle in time, the entire world will be eroded by the pollution and reduced to a dead land."

"Therefore, I recruit players to clean up polluted worlds so that the world can develop stably. As a reward, players can cast off their own fates and possess a higher perspective."

A ninja raised a doubt and asked, "In that case, why don't you do it yourself?"

A game merchant possessing such terrifying abilities should be able to completely clean up the Pollution Monsters just by doing it himself, right?

Because I am afraid of death.

Fang Yi thought to himself, but his smile remained unchanged on his face as he said, "Although it is not very good to say this, I actually have no intention of saving the world."

As his voice fell,

Everyone's field of vision rose rapidly; the Death Forest gradually became smaller, followed by Konohagakure, the Land of Fire, and finally, even the Ninja World became a tiny star in their eyes.

Countless stars emitting faint light flickered incessantly.

"In the void, worlds are polluted and destroyed every moment, and new worlds are born. To me, this is the most ordinary thing, just like the natural alternation of the four seasons; I have no intention of changing the outcome."

"Even if I am blocked by blind Pollution Monsters, I only need to destroy the entire world. I have no interest in cleaning every corner meticulously like a janitor."

Since I am going to put on an act, I will carry it through to the end.

Everyone was indeed stunned.

If someone suddenly said such things in front of them, they would definitely be treated as a madman, but Fang Yi had just displayed the great power of a God; at this moment, even if these words were absurd, they could not doubt them.

Is the Ninja World actually this tiny?

Has the mysterious game merchant actually destroyed other worlds?

Everyone broke out in a cold sweat, subconsciously glancing in the direction of the Konoha Hospital, all showing expressions of lingering fear and resentment.

Shimura Danzou almost became a sinner of the entire Ninja World!

"It's just that those Pollutants are truly an eyesore."

Fang Yi shook his head and said helplessly, "But I cannot destroy all the polluted worlds, as that would kill many people. So, on a whim, I founded the Samsara Game to recruit players to clean up the Pollution Monsters for me."

(End of chapter)