c3: The Pride of the Schemer
"No, of course not!"
Li Chen shook his head so quickly his neck almost snapped, eyes watering in panic. Great. My sister now thinks I'm a pervert what kind of impression is that to leave on the legendary Princess of the Senju?
Seeing her younger brother's flustered expression, Tsunade nearly burst into laughter. But she kept her composure, straightening her back with that natural aura of authority she carried even at just twenty-two.
"Well, since you're stable now, just focus on resting. I've still got duties to attend to. Remember don't strain yourself. Heal properly before you think of moving around."
With that, her sandals clicked against the wooden floor as she strode out of the ward, her long blond ponytail swaying behind her.
Her decisive tone and commanding presence were exactly what one would expect from a woman who would one day be called the Fifth Hokage.
"…Sister."
Li Chen whispered as the door closed, a pang of loss tugging at his chest.
In his previous life, he'd been an only child. He had never known the comfort of an elder sibling's protection the way Tsunade, despite her fierce temper and sharp tongue, treated Nawaki with unshakable care. To Li Chen, the sensation was alien, yet warm.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he sat back and sank deeper into Rope Tree's remaining memories. Until now, he had only skimmed them, absorbing the strongest emotions tied to Nawaki's identity his admiration for Tsunade, his naive determination to become Hokage, his innocent bonds. But now Li Chen let everything flow in fully, letting past and present fuse.
When he opened his eyes again, a new sharpness gleamed within them.
Hmph… since I've taken Rope Tree's place and survived where he was meant to die, there's no point clinging to the name Li Chen. From this moment forward, I am Senju Nawaki.
A name was just a code. For someone who now held the title of "Main God," names were as fleeting as smoke.
With a thought, his two lifetimes' memories blended seamlessly no longer Li Chen or Nawaki, but both, in one.
By the way… now that Tsunade has been bound as a Reincarnator, can I assign her a mission already? But how exactly do I earn points…?
The system's voice answered at once:
"Master, there are several primary methods of earning points:
Collect treasures or techniques from this world. For instance: turning in a B-rank ninjutsu earns 100 points; an A-rank earns 500; an S-rank earns 1,000. Bloodlines, forbidden jutsu, or unique artifacts yield additional rewards.
Plunder fate and fortune from the strong. Defeating or killing powerful figures provides points. Eliminating a chūnin grants 100, a jōnin 600, a Kage 3,600. Eliminating key protagonists yields bonus rewards.
Plane domination. Conquering or destroying an entire world results in vast point accumulation.
Training Reincarnators. Each time a Reincarnator advances in strength, points are awarded proportional to the breakthrough."
Li Chen no, Nawaki listened silently, his mind racing.
So many options, yet all paths demanded careful strategy. Hunting random shinobi for points was reckless. Ninjutsu manuals were valuable but limited. The real profit lay in cultivating Reincarnators, shaping them into living blades who could seize resources across multiple worlds.
Yes… training them is far more efficient. I'll recruit strong ones early, squeeze everything from their potential, then later raise weaker pawns as fodder. Just like in the stories… the Lord God system really is an exploitation engine.
A grin tugged at his lips as he let his eyes close, feigning slumber. To the attending medic-nin, his breathing had steadied into a deep, peaceful rhythm.
But within his mind, a glowing screen flickered alive.
The vision revealed Tsunade already departed from the ward moving swiftly through the jungle canopy. Her slender frame darted from branch to branch, her sandals barely slipping on the moss slick with the perpetual downpour of the Land of Rain.
Through the system's authority, Nawaki could now observe his Reincarnators anywhere, anytime, and even issue missions directly.
The Second Shinobi World War… His inherited memories clarified the situation. The Land of Fire had joined hands with the Lands of Wind and Earth to wage war inside Amegakure's borders. Now, with the conflict reaching its climax, the battle was shifting toward a decisive confrontation. The "Demigod" Hanzo of the Salamander, Rain's fearsome leader, still stood unchallenged.
That Tsunade had still taken time to visit him despite her battlefield duties showed just how deep the sibling bond ran.
His eyes narrowed. Perhaps it's time to test the system properly… assign my first mission to Tsunade.
…
Meanwhile, in the drenched forests of Amegakure, Tsunade landed lightly on a branch, raindrops sliding down her pale skin. She exhaled, relief softening her features.
Her brother was safe. For the first time in days, her heart felt light.
But the war was far from over. The armies of three great nations pressed against Hanzo's forces, and victory was anything but certain. Even as a sannin-to-be, she knew the threat he posed was monstrous.
Her brow furrowed.
Then
"System startup. Initialization complete."
"Who?!"
Tsunade's eyes snapped open wide, her kunai hand tightening. Instantly her sandals rooted firmly against the branch, her body dropping low, ready to counterattack. Her sharp senses probed the trees, but she detected no enemy chakra signature.
The mysterious voice rang out again, calm and mechanical.
"I am the Lord God. You have been selected as a Reincarnator. You must complete the missions I assign. As rewards, every task you complete will grant you items or points, which can be exchanged for anything you desire."
The voice was strange neither male nor female. It seemed to echo beside her ear, yet also drift far above the skies, making it impossible to locate.
Tsunade stiffened, a bead of cold sweat running down her temple.
What is this technique? For a voice to reach me directly without chakra fluctuations… is this some genjutsu? Or a secret communication jutsu developed by another village?
Her mind raced. Could this be an assassination ploy? Do the enemy villages know I just visited Nawaki, and now they're trying to rattle my mind before striking?
But the voice pressed on, relentless.
"Now issuing novice mission."
At that moment, Tsunade's golden-brown eyes narrowed.
Before her, a translucent panel of light shimmered into view, covered in lines of text she had never seen before.
Novice Mission: Kill three enemy ninja within 800 meters southeast.
Reward: Full status recovery, 500 points.
Failure: Annihilation.
Her lips twisted into a mocking smirk. "Annihilation, is it? Heh… so that's your game."
This had to be the enemy's plan. Lure her southeast with false intel, spring an ambush, and try to eliminate her—Konoha's rising star, the granddaughter of Hashirama Senju.
And the bait was laughable. Status recovery? Points? What kind of nonsense are they spouting? Clearly, the real aim is to get me to drop my guard.
Still, she didn't retreat.
Because this was Tsunade.
On the battlefield of the Second Great Ninja War, her name was already feared. Not only did she wield monstrous strength capable of crumbling stone with a single punch, she also pioneered medical ninjutsu that had saved countless comrades. With Katsuyu, her slug summon, she could heal entire platoons mid-battle. She wasn't just a warrior she was a cornerstone of Konoha's survival.
If enemy villages wanted to set a trap for her? Then she would walk right into it.
Tsunade leapt forward, sandals pounding against rain-soaked bark as she darted southeast.
She wasn't reckless. Her sharp senses scanned every rustle of leaves, every subtle chakra fluctuation in the environment. If there was an ambush, she would uncover it. Once she did, she would decide withdraw and alert her unit, or crush the ambush outright with overwhelming force.
Her pride flared.
She was Tsunade of the Senju, granddaughter of the First Hokage, heir to the Will of Fire.
If anyone thought they could surround her alone in this forest, they were delusional.
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