A Smile That Enchanted All Who Saw It

The problem Jiang Rui was agonizing over was simply baffling to Great Sage.

So it expressed deep concern over the mental state of its own host.

After mourning his departed ideals for a moment, Jiang Rui swiftly pulled himself together.

Jiang Rui felt this was called being laid-back and going with the flow.

Great Sage did not see it that way. It felt that this erratic, spur-of-the-moment style was exactly like a term it had found after searching its entire logic database and the internet.

"Psychopath."

Jiang Rui: ???

Forget it. I won't argue with an artificial idiot like you.

With a mask on his face, Jiang Rui leaped straight into the harbor docks. The sun had only just risen.

Aside from several cargo ships, there were only seven or eight early risers moving about the docks.

Jiang Rui swaggered forward. The few people who spotted him froze, then tensed up.

Tsk.

That mask was like the badge of a gun-carrying detective in modern society. Just standing there made him look imposing.

Jiang Rui stood on tiptoe and casually patted an old man who was checking the cargo. The man turned around and lowered his head, the wrinkles on his face scrunching together as he smiled like a chrysanthemum.

Forcing out a smile that looked more like a grimace, he asked, "What can I do for you, sir ninja? This old man hasn't broken any laws lately!"

Jiang Rui could not be bothered with him. A chilling voice came from behind the mask. "Where is Akira Ishida?"

The old man froze. He clearly realized something. Having lived most of his life and weathered many storms, he still could not stop his arm from trembling as he shakily raised it and pointed behind Jiang Rui, at a young man.

The moment he heard his name, the young man behind them had quietly set down his crate and prepared to leave. Seeing the old man identify him without hesitation, a vicious glint flashed through his eyes. He hurled the object in his hand at the old man, spun around, and bolted.

Jiang Rui instantly drew a Kunai and knocked the object aside. With a flick of his hand, a water bullet formed atop his Finger Gun.

He keenly noticed that someone nearby had also put down his cargo and was preparing to slip away.

Without hesitation, he fired another water bullet—

The sound of air splitting rang out, and two bodies fell one after the other.

Looking at the terrified crowd, Jiang Rui's expression beneath the mask was unfathomable as he continued coldly, "Mamoru Horii?"

Not far away, Jiang Rui held his chin and watched his clone go on a killing spree.

The remaining people trembled in fear, terrified that their names would be called next.

Tsk, as expected of my clone. So cool.

Naturally, he would not personally handle this sort of mission. Now that he knew how to make clones, what was the point of using his real body?

Wouldn't it be better to just eat, drink, and have fun?

Thinking about how tirelessly Great Sage worked, Jiang Rui felt bad if he did not give it some tasks.

How dare it call me a psychopath... Heh heh.

Of course, Jiang Rui had deeper considerations as well. Since he lacked both strength and intelligence, while most infiltrating ninja were weaklings—ah, no, they were heroes of Konoha who possessed modest strength but noble hearts—

What if a powerful enemy suddenly showed up and beat him to a pulp?

Besides, this was also to keep watch on the others who came to the docks. If anyone seemed suspicious, he could interrogate them or even kill them.

He would not let a single suspicious enemy escape.

Now that I think about it, I really am dedicated.

With that thought, Jiang Rui yawned. He was getting a little bored.

He looked at Main Quest Three: join the Anbu or the Mobile Unit.

This was a goal that would inevitably require a great deal of time and a great many missions to complete.

If his overall attributes were not currently too low, he would have wanted to send a clone in his place while he transformed into Brent and went off to have fun...

Meanwhile, after Great Sage-controlled Jiang Rui confirmed that there were no more targets here, he began asking the others for their addresses, family members, identities, and other information.

Suddenly, a familiar voice called out from behind him, sounding pleasantly surprised. "Rimuru?"

A middle-aged man with a white headband and white cloth clothes looked at the familiar petite girl standing among the crowd. Her smooth blue hair swayed endlessly in the sea breeze.

Out of habit, he reached into his pocket. Delighted to see someone he knew, he called out to her.

Yet when the figure turned around, he froze. Looking back at him were not the lively, cunning golden eyes he knew so well, but an icy gaze visible through the slits of a cold red-patterned mask.

Not far from the girl stood a terrified crowd surrounding her, while beneath her feet lay bodies that still did not move.

With the rising sun behind them on the horizon, the sight held a strange beauty and a startling impact.

Not far away, the real Jiang Rui saw this scene and scratched his head in frustration.

Life really was made up of countless coincidences.

Then, just as Jiang Rui was about to control his clone, his eyes widened. He watched in stunned disbelief as...

Great Sage gently removed the mask, revealing an utterly beautiful smile as her golden eyes burst with lively light.

She tilted her head slightly and smiled.

"Good morning, Uncle."

"How is that possible?!"

"This isn't scientific!"

"There's no logic to this!"

Three questions from the depths of his soul!

At noon, the regrouped squad watched the utterly dejected Jiang Rui. Karatachi Yagura and Ishikawa Tatsuya were both speechless.

"Didn't you finish your mission? What's wrong with you?" Seeing him like this, Karatachi Yagura gleefully poked Jiang Rui's cheek as he lay sprawled across the table, just as Jiang Rui had once poked him.

"This isn't scientific!!" Jiang Rui questioned the heavens with vacant eyes. "How did it turn out like this? orz"

"What exactly happened to him?" Karatachi Yagura looked toward their captain, Ishikawa Tatsuya.

The latter shook his head, barely able to hold back the laughter spilling from him.

At that moment, Jiang Rui abruptly raised his head, grabbed Karatachi Yagura by the shoulders, and asked, "If your clone smiles prettier than you, more like a goddess than you, and is fucking cuter than you, what would you do??"

Karatachi Yagura: ???

Seeing Karatachi Yagura's baffled expression, Ishikawa Tatsuya finally could not hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.

Laugh at your sister!

It was really terrifying, okay?

Wow, I absolutely can't let Great Sage control my clones again. Even if it does, I have to make it use Mimicry.

"All right, all right." Ishikawa Tatsuya knocked on the nearby tree and said, "Rest this afternoon. We have a rather troublesome mission tonight."

Every mission sounds troublesome when you describe it!

Jiang Rui sat on the ground, continuing to stare off into space while frantically questioning Great Sage.

You're definitely a girl, aren't you, Great Sage?!

"I merely simulated and calculated the most accurate result."

Impossible!

How could I possibly be that girly?!

"I think you have always been somewhat mistaken about your own identity."

Huh?

"You are already a mature Slime. You should understand that you are no longer a boy."

Jiang Rui: ???

orz, one more chapter coming up.