Chapter 129: New Map — Arad Continent: Sky City
"So then… how should we guide player conflict?"
A timid voice spoke up.
"Since conflict arises from profit, we just have to control the cost of conflict—and by extension, control its scale—to achieve perfect balance."
Fang Yi smiled. "The method is simple: activate Sin Points, Arenas, and Punishment Realms. That way, all conflict remains within a manageable scope."
"Pollution reward points exist for this very reason. Once a player accumulates too many Sin Points, they'll be thrown into the Punishment Realm, which is essentially a Corruption Zone."
"The only way to get out is by killing enough Corrupted Creatures and using the reward points to buy Redemption Tickets."
Ninja Channel
[Game Merchant]: New map opening in two days. Early intel now available.
All players' attention was immediately drawn to the Game Merchant's announcement.
Even Mei Terumi, who was still basking in the joy of obtaining the special reward, paused what she was doing and focused on the Ninja Channel's message.
[New World Intel: Price 200 reward points]
Mei's face stiffened. They were charging for it?
At the same time, all players who clicked the Game Merchant's message saw the same text prompt.
Many players frowned in frustration.
You call it "public intel," but you're charging for it? Isn't that just selling information?
Still, most players paid up without hesitation. After all, the game had already swindled thousands or tens of thousands of points from them—what were 200 more?
After the payment,
a video began to play.
The sky was lead-gray, as if shrouded in a thick, oppressive haze.
The air was thick with pollution.
Forests twisted and trembled, the land broken and splintered, nations in ruins.
At the center of the world stood a massive castle that rose layer by layer—eventually piercing the clouds above.
[New Map: Arad Continent — Sky City]
World Mission: Occupy the Palace of the Lord and eliminate the source of corruption: [Fallen Lord of Light].
Intel Description:
This is a continent ravaged by corruption. The glorious, radiant civilization that once flourished has now been reduced to a flickering ember, struggling to stay alight. Corrupted monsters pour endlessly from the palace in Sky City, threatening to destroy the world completely.
Note: Upon entering the new map, the Level 20 cap will be lifted.
Note: Players can bring their real-world ninja abilities into the new map. Revival costs will increase.
To unlock the new map, players must complete the [New World] quest.
"As expected—the Newbie Village level cap is 19. To go beyond, you need to reach the new world."
"It's a fully corrupted continent? And we have to eliminate the source to save it?"
"Just from the video alone, those monsters look terrifying—probably even tougher than the ghosts and vampires."
"Hey, you guys missed the key part—there's a quest requirement to unlock the map!"
...
Land of Hot Water – Former Hidden Hot Spring Village
The walls and buildings were painted red, like burning flames—an embodiment of the Will of Fire.
Inside the council chamber,
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat at the head seat, face stern. "What's everyone's opinion on the New World quest?"
The last remnants of the original Hot Spring Village had been purged. The entire village was now New Konoha.
Meanwhile, loyal Konoha ninja who inherited the Will of Fire had recruited many civilian players from the Land of Hot Water to form a new ANBU unit—personally overseen by Hiruzen.
Minato was still too young, inexperienced in leadership. In these turbulent times, Hiruzen would guide things until the dust settled. Then he could safely pass the Hokage title on.
Asuma thought for a moment before speaking:
"Naruto has already accepted the New World quest. He needs to collect 100 monster shards, which can be fused into a [Map of Arad Continent]. Only those who hold this map can enter the new world."
Nara Shikaku frowned slightly. "Monster shards… do they drop from ghosts and vampires?"
After founding the Konoha Clan, they received two Game Invitations per month.
All major ninja clans were watching greedily. Everyone wanted an invitation—to become a Samsara Game player.
Especially the Hyuga clan, which had suffered severe losses, and their close allies from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
The Hyuga…
Half their elite Branch members had defected under Neji.
All that remained were the weak Main House and a few indoctrinated Branch members—loyal but talentless.
After all, strength breeds ambition.
No one wanted to be a shield for the Main House forever.
"Hyuga Neji… you've betrayed my trust."
Hiashi Hyuga, deeply wounded by the betrayal, was still trapped in grief and confusion.
He had once viewed Neji—the son of Hizashi—as the next shield of the Main House.
But that very shield had committed an unforgivable sin:
Killing the previous Main House elders and leading the Branch House in rebellion.
On the night of Konoha's fall,
among the ruins of Hokage Rock, Hiashi had shouted at Neji from afar—
"Why did you kill the elders? Why break free of the Caged Bird Seal? Why lead the clan in revolt?"
"As a Hyuga, shouldn't you inherit the will of Hyuga Tennin?"
That night,
Neji—usually calm and polite—wore an uncharacteristically cold expression. He asked back:
"If we're to inherit Tennin's will, then why didn't the last Main House wear the Caged Bird Seal after handing over their role?"
"You've already decided Hinata isn't worthy to lead the Main House and want to pass it to Hanabi. So why hasn't Hinata been marked with the seal?"
Hiashi had no answer.
His rage that night had turned inward. Even the scroll left behind by Hizashi felt hollow and weak in his hands.
Even now,
Neji's sharp questions still echoed in his mind, shaking his beliefs.
Hiruzen tapped his pipe lightly, snapping Hiashi back to the present.
Asuma continued, "That's correct. But ordinary ghosts have a very low drop rate. Only elite and commander-level ghosts and vampires drop monster shards consistently."
These elite and commander classes were second only to ghost mages and vampire barons—the strongest Corrupted Creatures yet.
In real-world terms, they were stronger than elite jōnin.
"That means… out of tens of thousands of players, fewer than a thousand will acquire a map of Arad in two days."
Hunting 100 elite-jōnin-level monsters in just two days? Practically impossible.
Outside the top-tier players like Mei Terumi, Konan, Tsunade, and Asuma—who were powerful even among Kage—it would require full teams to support any shard farming.
Entire teams would need to carry a single player to help them gather shards and get into the new world.
Of course, the Konoha Empire's Grand Advisor—Orochimaru, who managed the national treasury—was unfazed.
He hunted solo while buying shards at high prices from lucky low-level players.
"The New World is the ladder to the next stage."
Tsunade, who usually skipped boring meetings, had been silent. Though she disapproved of her teacher's past choices, seeing him now—scarred, legless—softened her heart.
She spoke: "I'm sure you've all heard what happened in the Land of Waves with Mei Terumi."
Everyone nodded. Their expressions were complicated.
That kind of destructive power had gone beyond what any ninja should be capable of.
Only Akimichi Torifu, who had seen Hashirama and Madara firsthand, could barely process it. The others had been thoroughly stunned.
Tsunade scanned the room slowly and said,
"A ninja with the power to unleash natural disasters… and Mei Terumi is only Level 19. The new world removes the level cap, which means Level 19 is just the starting point."
"As the game continues to update…"
"There will be more ninja with that kind of apocalyptic power. Even stronger ones. No—those beings will no longer be ninjas."
"To us…"
"They'll be gods capable of destroying the entire ninja world with ease."
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