When Ryan was battling his opponents, it seemed almost effortless.
Both Tsunade and I stood nearby, watching intently. How he dealt with those cursed spirits and the strongest of Jujutsu sorcerors looked far too easy. It was so easy that it gave Tsunade the wrong impression.
At first, she thought Ryan had taken down a group of nobodies, opponents not worth mentioning but they were some of the strongest in their world. "Was that it?" she muttered to herself, clearly unimpressed. "He could hit them casually and still win."
But what Tsunade and the others didn't realize—what none of them understood until now—was the truth behind that fight.
Those opponents Ryan faced weren't just some random socerors. No. They were at the ceiling-board level, the pinnacle of the entire world of Jujutsu kaisen!
Realizing this, Tsunade and I exchanged shocked glances, and the surprise in her eyes deepened. As for the other Hokages, they weren't present during the battle, so they didn't know the full details of what had transpired. They could only speculate.
At that precise moment, the crisp and mechanical voice of the chat group reverberated in everyone's mind:
[Ding! First Place Rewards Announced!]
[1,000,000 Points Awarded!]
[Special Reward: A single chance to return to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen!]
[Note: Other participants may opt to view the battle replay.]
The announcement sent a wave of emotions through everyone.
The announcement echoed in the chat group, and the room instantly filled with murmurs as everyone processed the news.
Sasuke leaned back, his gaze unwavering. "One million points, huh? That's... a lot more than I expected," he remarked, his voice steady as he considered the implications. "I thought the rewards here were supposed to have some kind of balance, but this?" He shook his head slightly, clearly processing the change in pace.
Obito, chuckling softly, leaned forward with a smirk. "Honestly, this group really knows how to spoil someone, doesn't it?" His tone was more amused than anything else. "A million points, plus a free ride back to Jujutsu Kaisen? It's practically handing victory on a silver platter." He paused, the glint in his eye sharp. "I suppose that makes the rest of us look like we're scraping for scraps."
Madara's lips curled into a small, amused smirk. "It's more than a little generous," he mused, tapping his fingers on his armrest. "But there's something to be said for rewards that don't involve pointless challenges. This could be the real game-changer." He gave a knowing glance toward the others. "Of course, not all of us need such incentives. But some might find it... useful."
Minato crossed his arms, his usual calm demeanor betraying a trace of curiosity. "It's unusual, I'll admit. A million points is a huge reward, but... in the grand scheme of things, what does that really mean for everyone else? If the bar keeps getting raised like this, what are we even competing for anymore?"
Hashirama let out a hearty laugh, shaking his head in amusement. "Well, I'll be honest, I didn't expect this kind of reward. But hey, maybe it's just the system's way of keeping things interesting." He grinned widely, ever the optimist. "But I'm with Minato here. It does make you wonder what comes next. A million points... it'll be hard to top that."
Everyone felt the weight of what had just happened. These points weren't a joke. To put it in perspective, the average points they had earned this time were already significant, around 300,000. Yet here Ryan was, rewarded with a staggering one million points in one go.
The difference was staggering. This wasn't just a gap; it was a chasm.
Naruto, wide-eyed, stared at the announcement with a mix of awe and disbelief. He scratched the back of his head, trying to process what he'd just read. "Three times my total points…" He whispered, his voice trembling slightly. "Seriously, how am I supposed to keep up with that?!"
This kind of disparity was hard to ignore. It was almost cruel. It left everyone wondering the same thing: How were they supposed to compete with that?
At this moment, everyone else was reconsidering new strategies to be in the first place.
The initial shock left them speechless, but soon after, murmurs began to ripple through the group as they processed what had just been announced.
Tobirama furrowed his brow, his sharp eyes narrowing as he processed the information. "A chance to return to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen?" he muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "It's unprecedented, and... unnecessary, in my opinion. We've already dealt with their strongest. What more is there to gain?"
Kakashi, leaning against the wall with his ever-present calm demeanor, let out a quiet sigh. "It's odd, isn't it? I mean, what could be left for us to do there? We've cleared out most of the major threats. Sure, there might be some loose ends, but I don't see why we'd need to go back." He shook his head slowly, his mind racing for an explanation. "Then again, if this chat group has proven anything, it's that nothing is as straightforward as it seems."
Tsunade folded her arms, her gaze hardening as she listened to the discussion. "I agree with you both," she said, her voice steady but skeptical. "We've collected the essentials, fought the battles... What's the purpose of returning? Is it just for the thrill of battle, or is there something else hidden behind this reward?"
Tobirama looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "You're asking the wrong question. The real issue is why they're offering it in the first place. A reward like this isn't for nothing. It has to be part of some bigger scheme."
Kakashi nodded thoughtfully. "Right. There's always something more to the story. It's never just a simple prize. We should be cautious." He smirked slightly, looking between the others. "Still, it could be interesting, I guess."
The chatter grew louder as everyone voiced their confusion.
Ryan stood still, his mind working overtime as the words echoed in his head. His brow furrowed in quiet contemplation. For the first time, a sense of unease rippled through him. This reward, this strange offer to return to the world of Jujutsu Kaisen, wasn't like anything he'd seen before. The chat group had never given a reward like this—one that felt so purposeful, so loaded with meaning.
There had to be more to this than just a simple return. The very idea of going back felt… deliberate. Something was waiting for him in that world, something significant, something that couldn't be ignored.
His mind drifted back to the battles he'd fought there. The chaos, the blood, the power. There was one presence he couldn't shake—a force tied directly to the protagonist, a power he never fully grasped. It had haunted him during the fight, a strange energy he couldn't quite define as if it were just beyond his reach.
Could this reward be his chance to finally unlock that hidden power? Was this an invitation, pushing him to return and confront whatever that force was, head-on?
Ryan's pulse quickened at the thought. A fire ignited deep within him, excitement flickering in his chest like a spark about to catch. His lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.
"If this is what I think it is…" he muttered to himself, the anticipation swelling with each passing second. "Then this is exactly what I've been waiting for. A chance to claim that power and make it my own."
The 1 million points were already an astonishing prize, an unimaginable windfall that would propel him forward, but this? This felt like something more—like the real treasure was yet to be discovered. The thought of returning to the Jujutsu Kaisen world didn't feel like just another mission. It felt like an opportunity to unlock something far greater than he had ever imagined.
The points were just the beginning. The real prize? That was still waiting for him, hidden within the shadows of that world. And now, he would finally have the chance to claim it.
"I'll save the points," Ryan thought to himself. "Once I have enough, I'll exchange them for that ultimate power and push my strength even further."
"Ryan, this is way too cool!" Naruto couldn't help but blurt out, his usual carefree attitude mixed with an edge of genuine excitement. He couldn't deny it—what Ryan had just earned was beyond impressive. "Seriously, 1 million points? That's nuts!"
Kakashi, ever the calm and collected one, couldn't suppress a small chuckle. He adjusted his headband, his one visible eye narrowing thoughtfully. "Yeah, man. This reward is insane," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's not every day you see someone get a prize that huge. And on top of that... returning to another world? Something's doing on here."
Sasuke, standing a little apart from the others, gave Ryan a sideways glance. His expression remained neutral, but there was an undeniable flicker of respect in his eyes. "You've got both strength and luck on your side," he muttered, almost under his breath. "What kind of cheat code are you playing with, huh?"
Naruto laughed and slapped Ryan on the back with a grin. "Yeah, Ryan! Spill it! What's your secret? You've gotta be doing something right to get a reward like that."
Ryan, still in his world of thought, didn't seem too affected by their comments. He only smiled slightly, his mind still racing with possibilities. "I guess I just got lucky," he said casually, but there was a hint of something deeper in his tone. A promise of more to come.
Their words brought a small chuckle to Ryan's lips, but his gaze remained sharp, focused on the path ahead.
The one million points Ryan earned this time around were nothing short of incredible.
It was a reward so generous that it felt almost unfair.
Everyone in the group couldn't help but envy him. Each of them secretly wished they had been the ones to claim it.
As for Ryan himself? He was thoroughly satisfied. This mission's rewards were nothing short of perfection.
And yet, there was more.
The bonus prize hinted at additional surprises waiting for him. It was hard not to feel excited—there was no telling what he might gain next.
Looking back, Ryan realized something remarkable.
Four missions in other worlds have been completed so far.
He mentally tallied up his accumulated bonus points.
The total? Beyond five million points.
Five million!
And with this latest windfall, Ryan knew he was now inching closer to the tens of millions mark.
At that level, the rewards available in the mall weren't just impressive—they were the kind that only boss-level powerhouses could hope to wield.
Unbelievably strong abilities. Game-changing items. The kind of power that could destroy worlds.
---
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