Kai woke before dawn.
The village of Nadeshiko was quiet — too quiet. No cars, no sirens, no midnight arguments through paper-thin walls. Just the faint rustle of pine trees and the soft chirp of birds waking up to another day that wasn't his.
He leaned against the open window frame, arms crossed, staring at a world that was supposed to be fiction. The mountains, the mist… even the damn sky felt too clean. Not a single satellite in sight.
"No Wi-Fi, no phone signal, and definitely no Uber Eats. Hell really is rural."
A movement below caught his eye. A kid — maybe seven or eight — was glaring up at him. Kai raised an eyebrow.
The kid picked up a rock.
"Really?" Kai muttered.
The rock flew. Kai didn't move.
Thunk.
The rock stopped inches from his face — as if it had slammed into invisible glass.
Cursed energy flared automatically, forming a skin-thin shield.
The kid's face paled. He bolted.
Kai exhaled through his nose, watching the kid disappear down the slope like a startled rabbit.
He raised his hand, studying it. The air around his fingers shimmered faintly — cursed energy, raw and unstable, barely under control.
He focused.
A flicker of black-red energy curled off his palm. He clenched his fist — snap — and the cursed aura collapsed with a faint pop, like a mini implosion.
Suddenly:
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
REGION LOCK: ACTIVE
Host is currently bound to: Nadeshiko Village
Travel outside current zone: Denied
Reason: Insufficient narrative progression.
Unlock Requirement: Complete One of Two Dominance Directives.
Two new options materialized in glowing red-blue contrast:
[Directive: Eradicate]
Destroy Nadeshiko Village and all who resist. Claim ruins as your base.
Unlocks unrestricted movement and system expansion via domination.
[Directive: Assimilate]
Influence and defeat the next candidate for leadership.
Rule indirectly through puppet governance.
Condition: You must win a formal duel by local customs and earn psychological supremacy (Fear/Faith).
Current Target: Shizuka (Heir Candidate)
Kai narrowed his eyes. He paced the wooden floor slowly, boots creaking.
"Of course it's her," he muttered.
He sat back on the futon, staring up at the ceiling.
Eradication? It would be easy with the power he has.
No — control was the real victory. Making them follow him willingly — or fearfully — while keeping their traditions intact just enough to wear their skin like a mask.
Kai smiled to himself, dark and thin.
"I'll beat their little golden girl," he said. "In their own rules, with their own eyes watching."
Kai stepped out into the morning light, the air crisp with dew and pine. The village of Nadeshiko was waking slowly — women carrying baskets, smoke curling from chimneys, the sound of a blacksmith hammering steel in the distance. It was peaceful in a way that made his skin itch.
He didn't go far before his eyes caught something.
Movement near the training square.
There, across the worn dirt of the sparring ring, stood Shizuka She moved with sharp precision, locked in a rhythm of strikes against an older woman with a stern face and long gray hair tied into a tight braid. The older kunoichi moved with the calm grace of someone who'd seen war — her parries clean, her counterblows efficient.
Kai stopped walking.
He didn't recognize the mentor, but he could tell right away — she wasn't someone to take lightly. A veteran. The type who didn't need to shout to command a room. The type who'd kill without flinching if the village asked.
But right now, everyone's eyes were on Shizuka.
Kai smirked to himself.
She's good. But not enough.
Without hesitation, he stepped up onto the wooden fence bordering the training ground. The wood groaned under his weight, drawing attention. A few kunoichi nearby turned their heads. Conversations stopped.
Perfect.
"I want a duel," he said loudly.
Shizuka froze mid-strike. Her mentor stepped back, eyeing him with a hawk's focus. The training ground fell quiet.
Kai jumped down, boots hitting the earth with a thud. He raised his voice again, making sure it carried.
"Formal challenge. Your rules. Public and witnessed. No killing blows unless agreed. Win by submission or domination."
A murmur rippled through the small crowd forming.
Shizuka stared at him like he was insane. "You think this is some kind of joke?"
Kai gave a lopsided grin. "No. I think it's tradition. I'm showing respect."
Her mentor stepped forward, placing a hand on Shizuka's shoulder. "He's not of this village. You don't owe him anything," she said, calm but stern.
If she refused, people would talk. Say she was afraid. Say the heir candidate backed down from a stranger.
Kai let the silence hang, then added, "Unless of course... you're worried you'll lose."
That did it.
Shizuka stepped forward, brushing her mentor's hand off gently. "I accept."
The crowd buzzed with low voices.
"Public duel," Shizuka said, staring straight into Kai's eyes. "By village custom. No backing out. No outside interference."
Kai nodded.
The training ground had become a real arena, marked by a ring of packed dirt and lined with smooth stones.
A crowd had gathered—female ninjas of all ages, their quiet whispers like distant thunder. The morning sun cast long shadows, and the air smelled sharp, like sweat and metal. Kai stood at one side of the ring, his hands relaxed by his sides.
Across from him, Shizuka adjusted her stance. Her red armor shone a little in the sunlight. Her green eyes were fixed on Kai, sharp and curious, but she looked confused.
Shizuka stepped forward, drawing her short blade but holding it low. Her voice cut through the murmurs. "You're a mystery, outsider. No chakra. No energy signs. Nothing." She tilted her head, narrowing her eyes. "How do you plan to fight me? You don't even have a weapon."