Tsunade could no longer hold back the tears in her eyes.
She dropped to her knees, trembling, and looked up in awe at the figure walking slowly toward her.
Senju Nawaki.
Everyone in the tavern, upon seeing her reaction, was completely stunned.
"That little boy… he's her brother?!"
"Holy crap, this isn't a dream, right? Are we seriously watching a dead person being summoned back?!"
"Tavern master! My dad died ten years ago—all I've got left is a pair of boxers! Can you help me out?!"
The crowd was already beginning to question reality after witnessing Su Mu's ritual.
That included Orochimaru himself.
He rose and walked to the doorway. The moment he saw Nawaki with his own eyes, a surge of long-suppressed emotions rushed through him.
Once upon a time, Nawaki had been his most cherished disciple.
In the chaos of war, Orochimaru had watched helplessly as Nawaki was blasted into pieces.
That was the first time Orochimaru ever truly felt the fragility of life.
"How great would it be if humans could live forever…"He had murmured, standing beside Nawaki's lifeless body.
On the platform, Su Mu immediately recognized Orochimaru.
By the timeline of the original story, after Orochimaru lost the use of his arms, he would come to Tsunade for help.
And where had Tsunade first appeared in the Naruto story?
Duanshan Street.
Su Mu had accounted for everything—timing, character entrances, story triggers.
Everything was under his control.
You could say that Nawaki's death was the catalyst that began Orochimaru's descent into darkness.
His obsession with immortality began then, eventually leading him to the forbidden art of body-hopping.
He had long since forgotten what it meant to lose someone precious.
But now, seeing Nawaki again… it all came rushing back.
"Sis…"
Nawaki looked at Tsunade and smiled gently.
And in that moment, the knot in Tsunade's heart completely unraveled.
"Nawaki… big sis… I've missed you so much!"
The two embraced in the pouring rain—a quiet, unforgettable moment amidst the storm.
At the door, Orochimaru let out a bitter laugh, then pulled up his hood and walked away without another word.
Kabuto followed close behind, and the two figures soon vanished into the darkness.
Inside, the patrons were deeply moved.
One after another, they raised their cups and drank in silence.
"If only every meeting could be as beautiful as the first… why must the autumn wind mourn a broken fan?"
As Su Mu gently waved his folding fan, a line of ancient poetry flowed from his lips.
The tavern fell silent once again.
"Beautiful verse!""To the tavern master!"
Everyone raised their cups and drank in Su Mu's honor.
—
In a quiet corner, a middle-aged shinobi suddenly burst into laughter—laughing so hard that his tears and snot ran freely.
Twenty years ago, his wife had died of illness.
Now, at forty, he had spent half his life obsessively pursuing resurrection techniques.
Because of that, his friends and family had abandoned him, believing he'd gone mad.
You could say he had sacrificed everything—twenty years of his life—just chasing that impossible dream.
But now, after watching Su Mu summon a soul, he finally understood.
"The people we lose are just fading wisps of smoke… not something that can be brought back to life."
"Goodbyes aren't endings. They're new beginnings."
"If only I had met Master Su twenty years earlier!"
He wiped his face, drained his cup, and turned to leave.
Another lost soul, disappearing into the night of the shinobi world.
"Everyone, today's storytelling ends here!""If you want to hear what happens next, come back in two days!"
Su Mu snapped his fan shut and turned to leave the stage.
Below, the guests groaned in protest, reluctant for the night to end.
"Master Su, wait!"
Tsunade, soaking wet, stepped back into the tavern.
Su Mu paused and turned.
"Is there something else?"
"Thank you… for helping me let go of the past. I have nothing to repay you with—so that necklace is yours now."
Tsunade looked at him with genuine gratitude.
By now, Nawaki had already disappeared.
A soul summoning could only last for the time it took a single incense stick to burn.
But that was more than enough to fulfill her wish.
"It's just a necklace," Su Mu said indifferently."If you want to thank me, you could've given me some money."
The crowd chuckled.
But Tsunade frowned at their laughter.
"That necklace is no ordinary thing. It once belonged to my grandfather—Senju Hashirama himself!"
"I trust everyone here knows that name. So imagine how valuable this necklace is!"
The room erupted in shock.
"The God of Shinobi—Senju Hashirama is your grandfather?!"
"Dude, weren't you listening earlier? She called that kid 'Senju Nawaki.'"
"No doubt about it. She's Hashirama's granddaughter!"
Tsunade had thought that by revealing her lineage, Su Mu would be more appreciative of such a priceless gift.
But to her surprise, he merely smiled and casually replied:
"Thanks."
And then he walked away.
Tsunade stared after him, the corners of her lips curling into a thoughtful smile.
"Master Su really is an interesting man… Maybe I should find an excuse to learn more about him someday."
"Come on, Shizune. Let's head back and get some rest."
Back in his room, Su Mu could no longer hold back his excitement.
"System! What's my current Shock Value?"
[Please wait… Querying current data…][You currently have: 7,500 Shock Value points.][You gained 3,000 points from helping Tsunade resolve her inner turmoil during Blood-Robed Soul Summoning.]
[Would you like to visit the Universal Redemption Store or participate in a lucky draw?]
Su Mu scratched his head, a bit disappointed.
"Right now, I've only told The God of Gamblers and Blood-Robed Soul Summoning. Nothing super useful in either of those for me…"
"System, can I redeem ninja techniques from the Naruto world?"
[Of course. You've transmigrated into the Naruto world—this counts as one of your main experiential stories. All ninja techniques from this world are available for redemption.]
Su Mu's eyes lit up.
"Why didn't you say that sooner?!"
The system went quiet for a second.
You didn't ask earlier.
—
He opened the Universal Redemption Store.
On the virtual shelves, rows of ninjutsu techniques appeared—neatly categorized.
[Blue-Rank Non-Elemental Techniques]
Shadow Clone Jutsu – 500 Shock Value
Sexy Jutsu – 50 Shock Value
Rasengan – 1,000 Shock Value
Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu – 800 Shock Value
…
[Gold-Rank Non-Elemental Techniques]
Immortality – 10,000 Shock Value
Kaumi (no Sharingan required) – 60,000 Shock Value
Sasori Secret Technique: Hundred Puppets Dance– 5,000 Shock Value
Ultimate Art: C0 Self-Destruction (Deidara's Final Explosion) – 100,000 Shock Value