Konoha Year 33.
I've been in the Shinobi World for nine years. Unless something changes, the Second Shinobi World War isn't far off.
I lost to Minato Namikaze again in the class combat exam and couldn't get his blood... How am I supposed to survive the war at this rate?
Moonlight Ruyun wandered aimlessly down the street and sighed silently.
He had been born into a small shinobi clan called the Hayate Clan. Its only claim to fame was the man whose name graced the title "Shippuden."
In this world where bloodlines reigned supreme, he had no connection to the Otsutsuki family, and his talent was nothing special.
Despite giving it everything he had, his grades at the Ninja Academy were far from ideal. That blond boy with the ever-gentle smile would tell him, "You're really strong, Ruyun," then beat the entire class senseless in combat practice.
Fortunately, as someone who had transmigrated, he had a cheat.
He gently stroked the kunai in his ninja tool pouch.
[Minato Namikaze's kunai] [Estimated quality: green] [Refining cost: 30,000 ryo per attempt] [Special condition: stain this kunai with Minato Namikaze's blood] [Condition unmet. Unable to refine equipment]
Too bad I can't get Minato Namikaze's blood...
All sorts of bizarre abilities existed in the Shinobi World. Asking someone for their blood out of nowhere would easily arouse suspicion.
His only option was an ordinary sparring match, but he wasn't strong enough to wound Minato Namikaze. He needed equipment to boost his strength.
Yet to refine his first piece of equipment, he first needed the strength to wound Minato Namikaze.
I can't keep putting this off. If all else fails, I'll have to fight dirty and try a sneak attack. I wonder if my will of fire can weather that...
There were few people on the street. As he passed a small alley, he stopped, his hand instinctively settling on the short sword at his waist.
Inside the alley.
Three boys, eleven or twelve years old, stood in a semicircle, trapping a red-haired girl.
"Hey, redhead, you're a monster, aren't you?"
"It's so ugly. Looks like ketchup. Disgusting."
"Her cheeks are all puffed up. She looks even more like a tomato, hahaha!"
As they mocked her hair without restraint, Kushina Uzumaki clenched her fists. Her chest heaved, and anger flashed in her eyes.
"What did you say, you bastards?!"
She threw a hard punch, sending one of the boys stumbling.
The boy steadied himself and swore. "You dare hit back? Let's beat her up together."
She gritted her teeth, a flicker of panic crossing her eyes.
"Need a hand?"
The three boys turned toward the voice. A figure blocked most of the light at the alley's entrance, standing against the sun, which outlined his slender frame.
"Some brat trying to act cool!"
"Mind your own business! Can't you see we're teaching this tomato monster a lesson?"
"Get lost!"
"Or we'll beat you up too!"
Kushina Uzumaki froze for a moment. Looking at the black-haired, black-eyed Moonlight Ruyun, she suddenly shouted, "Run!"
The three boys looked back at her and cursed. "Let's beat up this tomato first."
An instant later, a brilliant flash of steel filled their vision.
Konoha-Style Swordsmanship!
The Hayate Clan's only secret family technique.
Blood flashed. The three boys felt a piercing pain and looked down at their arms in bewilderment before screaming.
"My hand! Aaaah!"
Terror spread across their faces as they huddled together in a corner.
"Apologize!"
Moonlight Ruyun's gaze was calm. He casually flicked the blood from his blade and sheathed it.
The three boys hastily said, "Sorry! We're sorry!"
"I meant apologize to her."
He pointed at Kushina Uzumaki.
The three boys looked reluctant, as though apologizing to the tomato monster was deeply humiliating. But then they saw Moonlight Ruyun's hand return to his sword hilt.
Their expressions changed, and they scrambled to speak. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have called you a tomato!"
His gaze rested on Kushina Uzumaki's face.
Her little bun-shaped face was filled with astonishment. She looked at the three boys cowering like frightened quail, then at the smiling boy with the short sword.
A moment later, a dangerous smile spread across her face. "Now, who was it that called me a tomato?"
"It was him!"
"Not me! It wasn't me!"
"It was definitely him!"
The three shoved the blame onto one another, none willing to admit it.
Kushina Uzumaki rubbed her head, pretending to look troubled. "In that case, I'll just beat all of you up!"
"Huh?"
Moonlight Ruyun watched with interest as the girl swung her fists. A few strands of red hair drifted gently down.
That's Kushina Uzumaki for you. The little hot pepper from the original story...
Once the three boys had swollen faces covered in bruises, Kushina was in an excellent mood. "Next time you see me, will you dare call me a tomato?"
"No! Never!" One of the boys glanced fearfully at Moonlight Ruyun.
"Get lost."
As though granted a pardon, the three boys scrambled out of the alley.
Watching them flee in panic, Moonlight Ruyun suddenly felt as though he had witnessed an iconic scene.
Classic Konoha troublemakers. The ones the will of fire missed, with bullying quotas to meet, fellow inmates of one giant psychiatric ward...
They never pick on the weak and fear the strong. Tough nuts are exactly what they go after.
Whether you're the Fourth Hokage's son, the Hyuga Main Family's young lady, an Uchiha orphan, the Uzumaki clan's princess and prospective Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, or Konoha's White Fang...
Even if you're a walking, talking nuclear bomb, everyone is equal in the eyes of Konoha's troublemakers. Everyone gets bullied!
What the hell is the will of fire? It should be the will of bullying.
Moonlight Ruyun put those thoughts aside and walked over to Kushina Uzumaki.
"Are you all right?"
Gone was Kushina Uzumaki's fiery demeanor. "Thank you," she said softly.
"You're welcome. I'm Moonlight Ruyun. What's your name?"
"I'm Kushina Uzumaki."
Moonlight Ruyun gave her a warm smile and held out his hand.
Looking at the calloused palm before her, Kushina Uzumaki smoothed the red hair beside her ear.
Their hands touched briefly, then parted.
[New equipment material detected] [Kushina Uzumaki's red hair] [Estimated quality: green] [Refining cost: 30,000 ryo per attempt] [Special condition: personally gifted by Kushina Uzumaki] [Condition unmet. Unable to refine equipment]
Huh?
Moonlight Ruyun froze, his eyes widening as surprise and delight flooded through him.
At last. At last, he had found a second "equipment material" recognized by the system.
Ever since receiving this system called [Equipment Slots], he had tried refining all kinds of things into equipment, but the damned system refused to recognize any of them.
It wasn't until he touched the first kunai Minato Namikaze had purchased that the system finally gave him a notification.
"Are you a student at the Ninja Academy?"
Kushina Uzumaki's clear voice brought him back to his senses.
"Yes."
"That's amazing!" She looked a little envious.
"By the way, you..." Moonlight Ruyun was about to say something when his gaze shifted upward toward the rooftop.
A masked figure wearing a jonin vest landed silently on it, his gaze lingering on Ruyun for a moment.
"Kushina Uzumaki, Lady Mito wants to see you."
"Oh!" Kushina Uzumaki gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I have to go back."
"All right. See you next time." He paused for two seconds. "By the way, your hair is beautiful. Could you give me a strand?"
"What?"
Kushina's mind went blank for a moment. When she recovered, her little face instantly turned bright red, and she didn't know what to do with her hands.
"R-really?" she stammered. "A lot of people say my red hair is ugly..."
"Of course. I never lie."
"Well... If... if you want some..."
She rather roughly plucked out a few strands of red hair, then carefully offered them to him.
A smile appeared on Moonlight Ruyun's face.
The daylight was just right. Back on the street, Moonlight Ruyun narrowed his eyes, watching the figures disappear from view after a few leaps across the rooftops.
Kushina will be enrolling at the Ninja Academy soon...
The gears of fate had already begun to turn. Kushina would be abducted by Kumogakure, the blond boy would rescue the damsel in distress, and then came the Second Shinobi World War.
He gripped the strands of hair tightly, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
[Kushina Uzumaki's red hair] [Estimated quality: green] [Refining cost: 30,000 ryo per attempt] [Special condition: personally gifted by Kushina Uzumaki] [Condition met. Begin refining?]
Before you continue