Chapter 3:
The system didn't give Yuki time to relax.
The morning after his second mission, a new one appeared before he had even finished eating.
Then another. And another.
By the end of the week, Yuki understood something clearly.
The system wasn't trying to make him strong fast.
It was trying to make him stable.
The first mission of the week was simple.
Work longer hours without collapsing. Manage chakra while exhausted. Stay unnoticed.
He completed it by hauling crates until his arms burned and his legs trembled.
That night, the reward arrived.
Shadow Clone Jutsu.
Yuki didn't celebrate. He tested it instead.
The clone lasted less than a minute and vanished after a single solid hit. It split his chakra painfully.
Still, when he watched the clone move on its own, he felt a quiet thrill.
"Training just became easier," he whispered.
The second and third missions focused on control.
Practice chakra molding while walking. Maintain transformation under stress. Run without drawing attention.
The rewards were two Fire Release ninjutsu, both Rank C.
Nothing explosive enough to level buildings. One was a concentrated flame burst, the other a short-range fire stream.
Useful. Dangerous if misused.
Yuki practiced them far from the city, aiming at rocks and dead trees.
Burn marks stayed behind long after he left.
He made sure no one saw.
Midweek, the system pushed him harder.
Mission: Escape pursuit without being seen.
Yuki didn't ask who would chase him.
It turned out to be hired thugs from the lower district, annoyed that he refused to work for free. He ran through narrow streets, heart pounding, breath sharp.
When the reward came, it made sense.
Body Flicker Technique.
It wasn't teleportation. Not even close.
But the burst of speed saved him from being cornered again.
He learned quickly to use it in short bursts. Long enough to reposition. Short enough not to drain him dry.
The next missions were elemental.
Two Earth Release ninjutsu followed. Rank C again.
One allowed him to raise a low earthen wall. The other hardened the ground beneath his feet.
Defensive tools.
Yuki liked that.
"Not everything has to kill," he said while testing the wall's strength. "Some things just need to buy time."
By the sixth mission, fatigue was constant.
The system didn't care.
He received two Wind Release ninjutsu, both Rank C. One sharpened air into cutting arcs. The other boosted his movement slightly, reducing air resistance.
Clean. Precise.
Wind felt natural to him. Easier than fire. Less demanding than earth.
The seventh mission was different.
Objective: Cause confusion without harm.
Yuki completed it by luring a group of aggressive drunks away from a fight using sound and movement.
The reward surprised him.
A Rank C area-of-effect genjutsu.
When he tested it, the air felt heavy. Those caught inside would experience distorted senses. Blurred vision. Delayed reactions. Fear without reason.
Not lethal.
But terrifying.
Yuki shut it down quickly.
"…Yeah," he said quietly. "That's dangerous in the wrong moment."
The final reward of the week came at the very end.
Two Water Release ninjutsu, Rank C.
One created high-pressure water bullets. The other allowed limited water manipulation from nearby sources.
Useless in dry areas. Deadly near fountains, canals, or rain.
Orario had plenty of water.
At the end of the seventh night, Yuki sat alone on a rooftop, looking down at the city lights.
He hadn't joined a familia.
He hadn't entered the Dungeon.
He hadn't drawn attention.
But his body felt different. Sharper. More responsive.
He could fight now.
Not against true adventurers. Not against monsters deep underground.
But against the world trying to crush him quietly.
Seven days.
Seven missions.
No overwhelming power.
Just tools.
Yuki closed his eyes and breathed.
"Slow is fine," he said. "As long as I'm still alive tomorrow."
Below him, Orario continued to move.
And somewhere in that endless motion, Yuki was carving out a place for himself.
One careful step at a time.