Will I Ultimately Become a Capitalist Tycoon?

Naruto suddenly seemed to perk up.

In Russell's eyes, the first half of this guy's life was practically a tragic tea table piled high with sorrows.

But, after all, he was the protagonist, with plot armor on his side.

Might as well let him help scratch it?

Russell handed the card to Naruto.

Naruto didn't hesitate, pulling out a Kunai and scratching at the card. As he scraped, everyone in the group couldn't help craning their necks, like a flock of ducks being yanked upward by an invisible hand.

The most curious of them all, Huihui, nearly pressed her whole face against the card—Naruto wasn't even as close as she was.

Under the expectant gazes of the crowd, the card gradually revealed a faint golden hue.

Russell's excitement grew. No matter the setting, gold quality was never something ordinary.

Golden legend?!

As the last of the coating was fully scraped away, a blinding golden light exploded.

"Ah!!! My eyes, my eyes!!"

Because she was too close, Huihui was caught completely off guard, collapsing to the ground, writhing and screaming.

Pitiful, yet ridiculous.

Enough to make you laugh.

—She was so close that she alone blocked almost all the light.

[As a Mine Owner, watching your own production assets get damaged, shouldn't you be laughing?]

The Prompt Device's remark made Russell's smile vanish entirely.

Ah, damn.

Almost forgot, this counted as his production asset.

"Well, you guys check out the thing first. I'll go see how Huihui is doing."

The bitter boss in the early stages of his startup trudged off gloomily to look after his supremely disaster-prone employee, leaving the remaining group members gathered around the card.

"...Should I take a look first?"

After confirming that Huihui was being taken care of, Naruto took the lead and picked up the card.

He was the scratcher, after all, and with Russell gone, he had the highest priority.

Under the watchful eyes of the others, Brother Naruto eagerly raised it, tilting his head back to look.

And then—

"Ah!!!"

He let out a scream like his rear end had been brutally struck by a spirit-injection rod.

As if he'd seen something filthy, the usually carefree Naruto tossed the card onto the table, clamped his legs together, and wriggled backward like a duck.

???

Megumin and Skadi both wore confused expressions.

Megumin walked to the table and picked up the card; Skadi leaned in too.

Just like Naruto before them, the faces of these two beauties instantly twisted with horror, and they threw it down without hesitation.

"?"

Russell was full of question marks.

Seriously, were his siblings in the group this weak of heart?

A single card had them scared out of their wits.

He placed the peacefully serene Huihui on the sofa and stepped forward.

He'd see for himself what kind of thing could make half the members of the dimensional chat group change color at the sight of it.

"Let me see your true face!"

He snorted coldly, picked up the card, and proudly examined the skill.

Causality Law. Thousand Years of Death

Max Capture: One person

Max Attack Range: 400 (m)

A technique that reverses the "causality" of the order of events.

At the moment of release, the "effect" of "the opponent being hit by Thousand Years of Death" is created first, and the "cause" of "the Kunai hit because the anus was pierced" occurs afterward. Without considerable luck or magic resistance, it is nearly impossible to dodge.

Skill activation condition: Holding a Kunai

Learning method: Tear the card

Note: Kunai made from magic-breaking materials can greatly weaken the suppression of magic resistance on this combat skill. If encountering someone with strong luck, try releasing the skill consecutively.

If one wanted to enhance the effect, they could also coat the kunai with Capsaicin Extract.

Russell's hand twitched, and he directly dropped the card onto the ground.

?!!!

What the hell is this thing?!!!

Chapter 9: Establishment of the Mine

Russell had always believed that the Originium Arts he possessed were already among the most vicious in this world.

But after seeing this skill, he had to admit.

When it came to sheer viciousness, the Prompt Device still took the crown.

Guaranteed Hit.

Can be used consecutively.

Can be Enchanted.

Targets the enemy's anus, unleashing an unending barrage of piercing attacks.

This was the skill sealed within that card.

How much physical damage this skill could deal per use was no longer important.

Because the nature of this thing was so vile that even a wicked demon would kneel and do penance upon seeing it!!

Russell took a deep breath and tore open the Skill Card.

Soon, the method for activating this skill was imprinted in his mind.

"...Naruto... lend me a kunai."

The fox boy waved at the sunny, cheerful young man beside him, signaling for him to hand over a casting tool.

This skill required a kunai to use.

It wasn't that it couldn't be used barehanded—mainly, if used barehanded, the fingers wouldn't be usable afterward.

But then again...

What counted as a kunai?

Russell pondered.

If he carved the word "kunai" onto an AK-47 Assault Rifle, would that count as a kunai?

Hearing Russell's words, the fox boy, who was usually always cheerful, never complained about hard labor, and even grinned foolishly, suddenly took two steps back, his expression as terrified as if he'd just left the newbie village only to find the Otsutsuki clan blocking the gate.

No, scratch that—even when the Otsutsuki attacked in the future, Naruto's expression wasn't this panicked.

This poor bastard had really been hit with the Thousand Years of Death before.

Russell's expression turned a bit awkward.

"Ahem. Power, when used rightly, is righteous; when used wrongly, it is evil."

Russell coughed, signaling that he was an upright man who would use this ability for the right path.

But, whether it was an illusion or not, the expressions of the surrounding group members grew even more terrified.

"Wait, you guys don't believe I can use this power properly at all?"

Russell's eyes widened as he looked at his group members, his expression pained.

"But boss, you just used international trade disparities to coerce a wandering crown prince into swearing allegiance to you."

"From any angle, you look like a boss in the making, not a hero."

Huihui muttered, earning unanimous approval from the surrounding group members.

"...Brother Russell's performance just now felt scarier than even Hokage-sama."

"Indeed, it has the air of some land-dwelling schemer... Perhaps trickery and conspiracy truly run in the blood of nobles."

"...Mr. Russell might really be someone destined for great things."

Russell opened his mouth, but in the end, no words came out. He only felt that a thick wall had formed between him and the rest of the group.

Damn it!!

He just wanted to get a draw card!!

"...Alright, enough of that."

Russell immediately changed the subject.

He felt that his reputation might be a bit precarious right now.

"Now that the troublesome Reunion Movement has left, it's time I answered the future you're all concerned about."

That statement made all the group members except Huihui hold their breath.

The fundamental reason they had all gathered in Ursus so uniformly was that Russell possessed something akin to future sight.

He could tell them about the futures they needed to avoid.

Only Huihui, with that hole in her head, would choose to ask for a rice bowl.

"How... how is Sasuke doing now?"

The fastest to ask was Naruto Uzumaki.

The guy was unusually serious, his expression uneasy.

"Sasuke... if he hasn't been gone long, he should still be training under Orochimaru—that guy trying to take over the Uchiha clan's bodies."

The Uchiha, the famous clan of red eyes.

Their Mangekyo was both powerful and stylish, and Orochimaru had been coveting those eyes for a long time.

Naruto Uzumaki couldn't sit still.

He felt he had to set out immediately, right now, to take Sasuke back from Orochimaru.

"But you don't need to worry, because your story is actually a pretty standard hot-blooded anime. Sasuke successfully turns the tables on Orochimaru, then kills Danzo—the big villain who ordered Itachi to wipe out his own clan—completing his revenge. Finally, to protect the world, he joins the Allied Shinobi Forces and teams up with you to take on Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the progenitor of Chakra."

Russell recalled the plot of Naruto, shrugged, and pulled back Naruto, who clearly wanted to go find Sasuke.

That statement made Naruto break into a goofy grin instantly.

Sasuke came back.

That's good... that's good.

And taking on Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the progenitor of Chakra—that sounded so awesome!!

He'd definitely be a big shot, maybe even Hokage!!

The thought that he might become Hokage sent Naruto into a drunken, endless fit of silly laughter.