I Want to Challenge Kaguya Otsutsuki

Yue's expression remained calm. He didn't seem tempted in the slightest.

"How much can I get? There's no such thing as a free lunch."

Chuuni froze for a moment, then said sheepishly,

"Well, you can't use the world's essence right now anyway. Once we gain control of this world, I'll take half of its energy. How does that sound?"

Yue ignored him and thought it over carefully.

"If I win the challenge, how much do you get?"

"No cut. It's all yours. Once control of the world is complete, I'll take 50 percent."

"How can you be sure the other party won't go back on their word? What if they don't give me my reward?"

"Don't worry. This world's consciousness has no intelligence, and the Law of Balance I use ensures an equivalent exchange. The Balance of God isn't an ordinary thing.

"No matter how many Naruto characters you kill, the world energy we obtain won't affect the world.

"We'll be taking possession, not destroying it. The world's essence will still be here; it'll just belong to us.

"The power of world energy is beyond your imagination. With just a tiny amount, you can create an invincible being in this world."

Shangguan Yue suddenly laughed, carefree.

"Enough blathering. Let's do it. We'll help each other out.

"Anything else I need to know about this platform?"

"For each battle, you can only choose an opponent of your own level or one level above.

"The Battle Platform refreshes its list of opponents every month. You can challenge ten opponents each time, all around your level. There's a tiny chance—one percent, decreasing with each level—to refresh the list with a higher-level opponent.

"You can also start a temporary duel. Opponents you've recorded in real life can be kept for one month. After that, you'll have to record them again.

"You can choose a regular duel, a wager duel, a death match, or a temporary duel.

"In a regular duel, you use a virtual character that's an exact replica of you to fight. The rewards for winning are somewhat reduced, and the chance of getting good items is relatively low. Winning or losing has no other impact.

"In a wager duel, you also use a virtual character that's an exact replica of you, but you wager something of your own—your body, organs, lifespan, luck, fortune, romantic luck, and so on. You can increase your reward for winning or weaken your opponent by a certain percentage. If you lose, you forfeit what you wagered; if you win, you get it back.

"In a death match, you fight with your real body. If you win, there's a chance you'll obtain everything your opponent has, including but not limited to bloodlines, lifespan, and fortune. If you lose, you forfeit some of your lifespan.

"Once every five years, you can challenge someone of a higher level. There are no level restrictions on your opponent within this world; you can choose anyone.

"Once every ten years, you can challenge someone from another world. Your opponent might be an ant, or they might be a god.

"When you battle in real life, the Battle Platform will score your performance. The score determines how many challenges you get, based on your level."

Yue kept asking Chuuni to clarify the details until Chuuni grew impatient.

"You'll find out if you try it. You have one free trial right now, and it'll randomly match you with someone really weak to practice on.

"Then, in your first official duel, you'll get a period of invincibility, letting you force yourself to survive once. It took a lot of effort for me to get that for you.

"Make sure you take advantage of it!"

"Fine. Let's start." Yue began rubbing his hands together, eager to get going.

Shangguan Yue suddenly found himself standing on one side of a scale. A beam of light swept over him from head to toe, and a transparent screen appeared before his eyes. It read: Matching...

Before long, someone appeared on the tray opposite Yue. He could see her profile.

Name: Shang Naizi

Age: 5

Abilities: None

Ten seconds later, they were both transported to the very top, right in the middle of the Balance. It was a dueling platform, and this time, the setting was just an ordinary plaza.

Yue charged forward with a punch, eager to get it over with. He didn't want to waste time on some minor character.

"Keep women out of your heart, and your sword will be divine.

"Die!

"This punch has five years of power behind it. How are you going to block it?"

But...

Shang Naixue simply raised a hand, bent her knees slightly, and caught his punch.

Then Shang Naixue beat Yue mercilessly, treating him like a punching bag. Chuuni watched, covering his eyes.

"This is brutal. Absolutely savage."

Shangguan Yue was stunned by the beating. The pain made him miserable, and he abandoned all technique, throwing wild, aimless punches.

Shang Naixue took advantage of an opening and swept his legs out from under him, sending him flying.

Shangguan Yue punched her, but she flew upward again. He hit her with another punch, and she flew up once more.

"Is this... the juggle mechanic from Naruto? She even has a health bar? What the hell, this is a bug!"

Yue realized what was happening and stopped fighting. Shang Naixue beat him until he could no longer move.

[Challenge Failed]

Shangguan Yue's body vanished, and his consciousness returned. He felt his body and realized he couldn't feel anything. It was as though the whole thing had been an illusion.

"Chuuni, I have one chance to challenge someone a level above me now, right?" Yue was a little excited. He was afraid the bug might disappear soon, so he had to seize the chance.

"You do, but with your abilities, shouldn't we start with weaker opponents and work our way up?" Chuuni hesitated, trying to talk Yue out of it.

"It's fine. Don't worry about it. I want to challenge Kaguya Otsutsuki."

Chuuni had no idea who Kaguya Otsutsuki was and didn't think much of it. But the moment he saw the profile that popped up, he was stunned.

"Shangguan Yue, what's gotten into you? Don't do anything reckless! Why don't we pick someone else? Someone easier."

Shangguan Yue looked at Chuuni with disdain.

"What are you panicking for? Just watch me."

As Chuuni stared in a daze, Yue's body vanished. He found himself back in front of the tray.

Yue looked at Kaguya Otsutsuki across from him, momentarily stunned.

"Damn, she's stunning. But if you didn't have that eye on your forehead, I might actually pursue you. That thing's creepy."

"I choose a wager duel."

[Please choose what you will wager.]

"I wager all my romantic luck." Yue didn't hesitate at all.

"Keep women out of your heart, and your sword will be divine.

"I refuse to believe I can't handle you!"

[Extracting wager... Extraction complete... Choose whether to enhance your reward or weaken your opponent.]

"I choose to weaken my opponent."

[Choice confirmed. Calculating...]

Only then did Yue have time to look at the Balance of God.

The scale began to glow faintly. Then the entire divine artifact was enveloped in dazzling, multicolored light, turning blue. Its material was impossible to make out, but it had an unmistakably ancient aura.

Then Yue saw the bridge of the scale tilting steadily. He dropped straight to the lowest point, while Kaguya Otsutsuki rose to the highest.

He'd expected this, but his heart still pounded. His opponent was SSS-rank. To him, she was no different from a god.

[Calculation complete]

[Opponent's chance of winning: 99.9999%]

[Reward chance upon winning this duel × 10000]

[Guaranteed to receive a gold-tier reward]

[Romantic luck sacrificed]

[Opponent's overall strength weakened by 30%]

[Good luck, challenger]