(っ－＿－)っAM N. NOT.
Nemuri and Tsunade had started their playful fight again, but seeing Maki with his hands covering his ears and his face buried in Nemuri's chest made them fall silent. They stayed quiet, watching him for a moment. Nemuri eventually released him, patted his head, and slowly walked back to her seat to finish the tea that had been interrupted. Tsunade did the same. Everything seemed fine, yet their eyes never left him.
Maki returned to the system interface, his consciousness maneuvering through it with precision once again. He noticed the Naruto category was cooling down and nodded. Then he pressed the last category—Bleach. The chest appeared, and without hesitation, he pressed the 600 points below it to make a single draw.
The chest shook violently, as if it were about to explode. Cracks spidered across its surface. Booooom—the chest shattered, and an orb floated out. As usual, the orb didn't wait. It shot straight toward Maki, sinking into his consciousness. Once again, he was back in the void.
Craaack—the cracked mirrors covering the void appeared again, fragments of memory playing out. This time, Maki saw a man with long blond curly hair dressed in a floral conductor's attire. The man hummed a tune, causing his eyes to glow faintly yellow. As he hummed, something began to materialize.
A sharp metallic "shling" echoed, accompanied by sudden electronic distortions. White fragments formed over the blond man's face, shaping into a long, bird-like beak.
"What is this… so… cool," Maki whispered, mesmerized.
The fragments crafted a skeletal mask with intricate designs, clearly the work of a master artisan. He gulped at the sight.
Then—
Craaaaaack.
The mirrors covering the void suddenly fractured and disintegrated into dust. His consciousness returned to the system panel, where he saw that the Bleach category was once again on cooldown.
Maki's mind lingered on what he had seen. A simple bird beak, yes, but for someone accustomed to preserving skeletons of rare creatures as souvenirs and symbols of good luck or good omens, the mask felt like discovering a priceless treasure.
He hastily swiped to the first page of the system, focusing on the reward he had just received. He ignored the other rewards, his attention locking onto the Bleach column and the new item he had obtained.
[Bleach]
New! > HOLLOW MASK
Rōjūrō "Rose" Ōtoribashi Hollow Mask of Visored
"Hollow mask? So I can wear this? Cool," he whispered.
[Item Details]
Upgraded by the system
Rose Ōtoribashi – Mask
Type: Bird-like Plague Doctor Mask
Appearance: Sharp, elongated beak; narrow, piercing eye slits with metallic rims; feather-like ridges fanning along the edges. Covers the lower face and neck. Muted tones with deep crimson accents along the beak and ridges. Distinctive, ceremonial, and menacing.
Effect: Signature aesthetic—instantly recognizable, exudes presence and intimidation.
Abilities:
Enhanced Strength & Speed: The user's physical abilities spike beyond normal limits, allowing him to strike faster and hit harder.
Cero / High-Power Energy Attacks: The user can fire Cero blasts or other high-output energy attacks while in the mask-enhanced state.
Hollow Senses: The mask sharpens the user's perception, allowing him to detect spiritual pressure, sense attacks, and anticipate enemy movements more effectively.
Durability Boost: The mask grants extra protection and can absorb damage.
[SYSTEMUPGRADE]
❕️ SYSTEM UPGRADE PLUS AURA FARMING FOR MORE INTIMIDATION PRESENCE
❕️COLOR CHANGED TO USER'S PREFERENCE — OBSIDIAN THEME
❕️TIME LIMIT BASED ON USER'S SPIRITUAL VOLUME
❕️TO SUMMON, USER MUST HUM A TONE AND VISUALIZE THE MASK AT THE SAME TIME
"Cool…" Maki muttered, rereading the details of the mask again and again.
So this is a Hollow mask… but the color is black? What is this aura farming… is this some kind of skill? he wondered.
He carefully studied the mask and the method required to summon it, committing the process to memory. Then he finally composed himself.
"I'll try that after… but for now," he murmured quietly, "let me check the other."
Then he opened the reward he had received earlier.
[NARUTO]
New! > BIJŪ — Isobu
Independent Spiritual Weapon
Name: Isobu
Tails: 3
Species Type: Turtle-like Tailed Beast
Primary Element: Water-based
Basic Information:
Aquatic Adaptation
Hard Shell Defense
Chakra Spikes / Tentacles
Explosive Coral / Chakra Bursts
Tailed Beast Bomb (Bijūdama)
Camouflage / Stealth
[SYSTEM UPGRADE]
❕️ CAN BE SUMMONED AT USER WILL
[MISSION]
BIJŪ 1 / 9
"Hmmm… Isobu. That's what the turtle said earlier."
Maki scratched his head in thought.
"But where does the island turtle stay? And what does it eat? Does it eat whales? And I can summon that big guy like Snaky… And the island turtle has some skills? But there are no details."
He leaned closer to the panel.
"What is this Bijūdama… This island turtle has some serious self-protection skills. I'll ask it if I can ride on its back if there's a chance."
If someone could hear him right now, they would undoubtedly lecture him for his ignorance.
He was treating the island turtle like some kind of pet that needed feeding and care. The idea was ridiculous.
Bijū were known for many things. They were living weapons, beings of immense power capable of granting terrifying abilities to their hosts, the Jinchūriki. Their powers could reshape battlefields.
Yet Maki… was treating it like just another fish in his aquarium.
The abilities listed were not merely defensive traits for survival. A host could wield those powers directly. They were meant to be devastating tools.
But Maki didn't think that far.
He was still wondering what the island turtle ate with a body that massive.
Then his eyes landed on the final detail.
"…and what is this mission? Do I need to breed this island turtle to make nine of them? Where will I even get another one?" he muttered in bewilderment, scratching his head.
If the Bijū could hear him right now, it would probably fire a massive Bijūdama at him without hesitation.
Unfortunately… it couldn't.
The Bijū was not sealed inside Maki's body like the Jinchūriki of this world.
And who knew where the island turtle actually was?
(っ－＿－)っAM N. NOT.