Everyone remembered the first time they completed a Mission of the otherworlds.
The rewards had been modest, just a few thousand points. Nothing extravagant. Nothing game-changing.
But this time?
Ryan had completed the mission alone. And the system had handed him fifty thousand points.
A sum like that should have turned heads and should have left the group in shock. But instead of awe, a different kind of reaction settled over the chat.
Tobirama was the first to break the silence.
"The rewards are the same as a standard group mission." His tone was level, but there was a sharp edge to it. "Yet the dangers are faced alone."
"If this is how solo missions are structured," Tsunade (Road to Shinobi) muttered, "then only those strong enough to take on an entire world by themselves should even consider them."
"Agreed." Madara's voice was calm, but there was a weight to it. "The system is incentivizing reckless behavior. Those too weak will take the bait and be slaughtered."
The sentiment was clear: the rewards weren't excessive, if anything, they were necessary to justify the risk. But that didn't mean everyone should be chasing solo missions for the sake of a bigger payout.
Ryan, however, remained unreadable.
Fifty thousand points were a pleasant surprise, but it wasn't enough to shake him. Not when he was already looking ahead to the next mission, the next challenge.
And right on cue, the system's voice rang out again.
[Mission 2: Awaken and defeat Sukuna.]
[Perfect Completion!]
[Mission Reward: 500,000 points.]
The moment they saw the number, the chat fell into silence.
"Half a million?"
"That's absurd."
No one overreacted, but the weight of the reward spoke for itself.
A solo mission had just earned Ryan more than the second-highest group reward ever recorded.
This wasn't just generous. It was a blatant confirmation of the mission's danger level.
Ryan exhaled slowly. He hadn't expected that much.
But thinking about it rationally, it made sense.
Sukuna wasn't just any opponent; he was one of the strongest beings in his world. Even qualifying to face him had required an entirely separate mission.
If the system had been stingy with the points, that would have been unreasonable.
Madara was the first to speak again.
"This only proves my point. If you cannot guarantee victory alone, you have no business taking solo missions."
No one disagreed.
"Tch." Tobirama clicked his tongue. "As if caution ever stopped anyone here."
"Especially Ryan," Minato added with a chuckle. "I bet he's already planning his next mission."
Ryan didn't deny it.
"Of course he is," Hashirama grinned. "Half a million points? That's more than enough to tempt anyone."
Tobirama folded his arms. "The problem is that it sets a precedent. If solo missions pay this much, people might get reckless."
"Let them," Madara said flatly. "If they die, they die."
A heavy silence followed.
Then Naruto coughed.
"Madara, you're this close to getting married," Tsunade sighed.
The chat went dead silent.
"Hah?!" Madara's voice sharpened like a blade. "What nonsense are you spouting now?"
Hashirama immediately jumped in, grinning. "You know, she has a point. Maybe all that pent-up aggression is just loneliness."
Tobirama smirked. "Explains why you're always picking fights. Classic case of 'no wife, no life.'"
"Ridiculous," Madara scoffed. "Marriage is nothing more than a distraction."
Tsunade folded her arms. "And that's exactly why you don't get married."
The chat erupted.
"OOOOHHHH!" Naruto burst out laughing.
Minato chuckled. "That was a clean hit."
"A fatal blow," Hashirama wheezed. "No amount of chakra regeneration is saving you from that one."
Tobirama, ever the opportunist, added, "It does make sense, though. Imagine Madara coming home and having to explain why he spent the entire day glaring at a waterfall instead of doing household chores."
Minato grinned. "Or why he still doesn't have a stable relationship."
Naruto cackled. "Or why his 'genius' world domination plan collapsed in the end!"
Ryan smirked. "At this point, the real question is who would even consider marrying Madara."
"No one sane," Tobirama replied instantly.
"No one patient enough," Hashirama added, still wheezing.
"No one strong enough to handle his ego," Tsunade finished.
Madara exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "You are all insufferable."
Hashirama smirked. "And yet, here you are. Still unmarried."
As the rewards for the two missions were revealed, the chat buzzed with conversation.
Tobirama Senju was the first to comment, his sharp tone cutting through the noise. "This kind of mission is efficient. High reward, minimal complications."
Minato Namikaze chuckled. "If solo missions pay like this, I wouldn't mind taking one myself."
Tsunade Senju (Road to Shinobi) smirked. "Provided you actually return from it, Blondie."
Hashirama Senju grinned. "If we could go back to previous worlds… imagine the treasures and abilities we could still obtain."
Madara Uchiha scoffed. "The Pirate World still has plenty of untapped potential. I never got to test my strength against all the strongest fighters there."
Kakashi Hatake (Canon-like) leaned back, ever pragmatic. "There are plenty of untapped resources in those worlds. If we had another shot, we could walk away with even greater rewards."
Tobirama nodded. "And many of their abilities are adaptable to our own. We barely scratched the surface."
Obito Uchiha, who had been quietly considering the idea, finally spoke. "The Shinigami World had some truly broken abilities. It would be a waste not to go back."
Naruto Uzumaki, listening with growing curiosity, finally blurted out, "Wait, wait... what exactly did I miss?"
Minato smiled at his son. "You weren't in the chat yet when we first explored these places. The Pirate World, for example, had an entirely different power system. No chakra at all."
Naruto blinked. "No chakra? Then how did people fight?"
Hashirama grinned. "With weird fruits that give you powers. But you lose the ability to swim."
Naruto's face scrunched up in confusion. "Wait, what? That makes no sense."
Tobirama sighed. "It doesn't. And yet it somehow works in that world."
Madara scoffed. "Some of the abilities were ridiculous, but others… could be useful. A few were powerful enough that even I took an interest."
Tsunade Senju (Canon-like) smirked. "Oh? And here I thought you only cared about fighting."
Madara narrowed his eyes. "Tch. I do… but power is always worth studying."
Sasuke Uchiha, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. "I wouldn't mind going back. There are still techniques I could analyze."
Hashirama threw an arm around Tobirama. "I say we go back. What do you think, little brother?"
Tobirama rolled his eyes. "I think you are the last person who should be allowed in a world where the economy is based on plundering."
Ryan, who had been watching the conversation unfold, finally sighed. "If this keeps up, we'll need an entirely separate system just to handle the logistics of all these worlds."
Kakashi Hatake (Darker Timeline) chuckled. "Sounds like a problem for Future Us."
Naruto grinned. "Well, if we do get another shot, count me in!"
The chat continued to buzz, the Hokage excited by the endless possibilities. If another chance came, they would be ready.
Naruto, meanwhile, listened with open curiosity.
The One Piece world had been the group's first mission, an event that had shaped their understanding of how these interdimensional challenges worked. But back then, Naruto hadn't joined the chat yet. He had no firsthand experience of that world's wonders.
Hearing the others talk about it now, he couldn't help but wonder. Just what kind of world had he missed?
Ryan had barely put in any effort this time. A simple mission, completed in no time, had earned him a staggering 550,000 points.
It was practically a gift from the Jujutsu Kaisen world effortlessly.
The others couldn't help but recall the scene from before, especially their first mission involving the collection of Sukuna's fingers.
They remembered it well.
Ryan hadn't even lifted a finger himself. He had simply let his subordinates handle the task, watching as they gathered the pieces one by one. And once the collection was complete? The mission was finished just like that.
It was as if he had slept his way to riches.
The sheer ease of it all left many feeling envious.
Some couldn't help but analyze the reason behind his overwhelming success.
"So that's the full power of the dojutsu of the Otsutsuki clan… If I had known it was this useful, I would've gotten one myself."
Tobirama, ever the strategist, found himself deep in thought.
Would it be better to exchange for a Kokugan? Or should he invest in the Rinnegan or Tenseigan instead?
Glancing down at his own eyes, the regular Rinnegan he had chosen at the time, he felt a rare twinge of regret.
Tobirama Senju's mind was already occupied, analyzing the most efficient way to use his newly obtained resources. He had underestimated his options. But it was too late to dwell on past decisions; he could always exchange them for something better.
Just as he was lost in thought, Naruto Uzumaki spoke up, his voice breaking through the moment of silence. "This mission was so unique... Do you think there'll be a ranking for rewards?"
Minato Namikaze let out a small chuckle. "A ranking? For a solo mission?"
Madara Uchiha scoffed, his voice laced with amusement. "Who would even compete? Ryan automatically takes first place."
Laughter rippled through the chat.
Tsunade Senju (Road to Shinobi) smirked. "If there's a ranking, it'd be 'Ryan in first place' and then a long, empty list."
Kakashi Hatake (Darker Timeline) leaned back. "We could add a second place just for fun. Call it 'Everyone Else.'"
Tobirama Senju shook his head. "That would imply anyone else even attempted it, which they did not."
Naruto scratched his head, realizing his mistake. "Oh... yeah, that does sound kinda dumb now that I think about it."
Obito Uchiha sighed. "Not just kinda."
Sasuke Uchiha, who had been silent, finally muttered, "The previous missions involved all of us, which is why rankings existed. Some performed better, some worse, and the system rewarded accordingly."
Hashirama Senju nodded. "But this mission was different. Only one person participated. There's no one to compare against, so of course, a ranking would be meaningless."
Tsunade Senju (Canon-like) smirked. "Though if there was a ranking, I'd like to see Madara react to not being first."
Madara narrowed his eyes. "Tch. I don't need some arbitrary ranking to tell me where I stand."
Minato chuckled. "Sure, sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Madara."
As laughter filled the chat again, Naruto crossed his arms, determined. "Fine, fine. No ranking. But next time, I'm taking on something big enough to rank!"
Kakashi Hatake (Canon-like) sighed. "Just don't get yourself killed trying to prove a point."
Naruto grinned. "No promises!"
Just as everyone was coming to this conclusion, a familiar voice echoed in their minds.
[Ding! The task rewards have been distributed.]
[Due to special circumstances, there will be no reward leaderboard.]
[As compensation, the participant will receive one additional lottery draw!]
[No restrictions on the prize pool. Guaranteed second-tier world reward!]
"What?!?"
"No way!"
Gasps filled the air. The shock was immediate.
This was huge.
Ryan might not have received a ranking bonus, but in exchange, he had been granted something just as valuable as a lottery draw.
And this wasn't just any ordinary lottery.
Everyone still vividly remembered the last time he spun the wheel.
Ryan had landed a special-tier prize.
Tens of millions of dollars.
Saiyan bloodline.
It had skyrocketed his strength to an absurd level. He had been growing stronger every single day, and by now, no one in the group could even hope to catch up.
It was undeniable that powerful rewards could change everything.
And now, after a simple solo mission, Ryan was about to receive yet another incredible prize.
Did he really need more luck on his side?!
As the excitement buzzed through the group, Tsunade simply crossed her arms and scoffed.
"Even if there's a lottery reward, that doesn't mean he'll get something good." Her tone was indifferent, as if unimpressed. "Not every spin lands you a miracle. Some people end up with complete trash." Her words carried weight.
For anyone else, it might've made perfect sense.
But when it came to Ryan?
The group exchanged glances, their expressions uneasy.
Tsunade wasn't wrong, but…
Ryan's luck had never been normal.
---
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