"Those guys looked shady as hell, Ryuuto. What are you gonna do? Should I call my dad for backup?"
Gwen's voice trembled slightly as she watched Quicksilver and Mystique vanish into the shadows. She might've been new to her Spider-Powers, but even a rookie could sense the danger dripping off that group.
Ryuuto shook his head, a lazy smirk tugging at his lips. "Nah. I've got this. Those Brotherhood punks are my problem—and my warm-up."
He patted Gwen's shoulder lightly. His tone was casual, but his eyes—sharp as blades—glimmered with focus. "I'll clean up their mess soon enough."
The fight had drained him more than he liked to admit. Still, his system's Life Potion had patched him up, and that battle left him with something better than victory—intel. The Brotherhood was moving again. Magneto was clearly planning something big. A new kind of "liquid mutant"? Just thinking about it made Ryuuto's instincts flare like alarm bells.
Time's ticking. I've gotta get stronger—fast.
"Oi, Shion," he called out, half-tired, half-hopeful. "Any new system functions unlocked yet?"
[No.]
"…That's it? No follow-up? You're getting more heartless by the day."
[You need to complete enough missions before the system upgrades. New features come then. I'll ping you when that happens, so stop whining.]
"Tch. Fine. Got any advice then?"
[Actually, yes. You forgot something, master. When you finished your last quest, you earned a new Hokage Data Pack. You never opened it. Want me to roll the gacha now?]
Ryuuto blinked, then slapped his forehead. "Oh crap—you're right! Do it, Shion! Open it up! Let's see who I get!"
His pulse quickened. If he could unlock someone like Madara, Nagato, or even Minato, he'd be set. Maybe even Itachi, just once—come on, gimme the Uchiha lottery!
[Ding! Opening Hokage Data Pack… Congratulations, Host! You have unlocked—Yamanaka Ino!]
Ryuuto froze. A long, awkward silence followed.
Then he groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You've gotta be kidding me. Of all the characters—why her?!"
He already had Chōji's skillset sitting unused. Now he had Ino's? What am I supposed to do, open a flower shop?
Even Shikamaru would've been a hundred times better. The guy's IQ alone could carry an entire team.
He reluctantly checked the unlocked jutsu list:
Mind Body Switch Technique
Mind Confusion Technique
Medical Ninjutsu
Ryuuto stared. "…So basically, a shrink with healing hands."
"Hey, Shion," he said flatly, "any chance I can reroll this?"
[Denied. The system doesn't do refunds.]
He sighed. "Figures. Fine. Better than nothing, I guess."
It wasn't his dream pull, but he knew from experience—even "useless" skills could shine in the right hands. Especially with the Brotherhood scheming again.
Still… Ino? Come on, system. That's cruel.
He studied the two mind-type jutsu carefully. The Mind Body Switch could let him control someone's body while staying conscious himself. The Mind Transfer let his soul actually jump into the target's body—though that left his real body limp and vulnerable. Risky as hell, but potentially game-changing. If he could boost his willpower enough, it might work in tight situations.
He exhaled. "Alright. We'll see what you can do, blondie."
"Ryuuto, what are you thinking about?"
Gwen had walked back over, eyes bright. "I just finished practicing! I can control my web-shots now!"
He smiled. "Nice work, Gwen. You're getting the hang of it. Pretty soon you'll be New York's favorite Spider-Hero."
Then a mischievous glint flashed in his eyes.
"Actually… wanna help me test something?"
"An experiment?" She tilted her head, puzzled but intrigued. "Like… science stuff?"
"Not exactly." His smirk widened. "A combat test. Totally safe, promise."
"Wait—you learned a new skill!?"
Her face lit up like fireworks. "That's awesome! Okay, tell me what to do!"
"Simple. Treat me as your enemy and go all out. I'll attack differently this time, so be ready."
She nodded, tying her hair back and taking a stance. "Got it! Let's do this!"
The air thickened with tension. Gwen crouched low, spider-sense tingling, webs ready. Across from her, Ryuuto inhaled deeply—Chakra surging, forming intricate hand seals faster than her eyes could follow.
Then, without warning—
his Chakra began to drain fast.