Five contracts fulfilled. A sanctuary awakens. And fate quietly shifts its board once more.
[Ding!]
[Task 3: Complete a total of 5 transactions — Reward: Bind the Odd Jobs Shop as a spawn point. Current Progress: 5 / 5]
[Congratulations! Task completed. The Odd Jobs Shop can now be bound as your spawn point!]
[Accept now?]
[Yes / No]
…
Five days later.
Ayato had just finished seeing off his final customer of the day and slipped a crisp thousand-yen bill into the donation box when the long-awaited system notification finally appeared.
That wasn't easy…
He exhaled softly, a trace of satisfaction surfacing in his eyes.
Without hesitation, he tapped the option.
[Yes]
The instant his finger touched the interface, a cascade of notifications flooded his vision.
[Ding!]
[The Odd Jobs Shop has been successfully bound as your spawn point!]
[Binding Status: Complete]
[Odd Jobs Shop — Function Overview]
[Function 1: Teleport — The host may teleport directly back to the shop once per day (no distance limit; cannot be blocked; may bring others). Remaining uses today: 1 / 1]
[Function 2: Structure Trait — Indestructible (no wear, no damage possible).]
[Function 3: Absolute Safety — Inside the shop, the host gains three daily uses of Absolute Invincibility (immune to all damage). Remaining uses today: 3 / 3]
[Function 4: Guest Refusal — Three uses per day. Rejected individuals cannot enter the shop again that day.]
[Function 5: Transaction Points — For every 10 completed transactions, gain 100 points. Points may be exchanged for items.]
[Additional functions will unlock through future tasks and exploration.]
…
The system chimes echoed one after another.
Ayato calmly reviewed the list, a faint smile forming.
Every function was absurdly practical.
Teleportation alone was enough to qualify as a life-saving escape card. Combined with invincibility inside the shop and structural immunity, the Odd Jobs Shop had effectively become an untouchable fortress.
The point system caught his interest as well. It clearly hinted at a future exchange interface—one that would likely open once enough points were accumulated.
For now, however, there was nothing available to redeem.
Closing the interface, Ayato stretched lightly.
He had already been in this world for nearly two weeks. And yet, it had taken five full days just to complete five transactions.
That alone showed how little appeal his strange signboard really had.
Still… he didn't mind.
Glancing at the time—it was only a little past eight in the morning—he picked up the thrush's birdcage and stepped out into the street.
Among the future Twelve Konoha rookies, only Hinata had yet to be born. Based on the timeline, she would arrive in roughly two months. Neji, Tenten, and Rock Lee were already toddling around somewhere in the village.
Lost in idle thought, Ayato wandered through the streets.
As he neared the maternity center, fragmented voices drifted into his ears.
"That's the place where the demon fox is staying, right?"
"So unlucky… why would anyone allow that thing to remain here?"
"I already transferred my child out."
"Same here. I'm moving my granddaughter too. That's the Nine-Tails, you know…"
…
Ayato slowed slightly and turned his head.
The maternity center—once bustling with newborns and anxious parents—now looked eerily deserted.
Instead of families coming and going, clusters of villagers lingered outside whispering among themselves. Inside, only a handful of staff remained, their expressions strained and helpless. Even the shop owner behind the counter looked utterly defeated.
Originally, hosting a child personally entrusted by the Third Hokage should have brought prestige and business.
Instead, the rumor that Uzumaki Naruto was the incarnation of the Nine-Tails had spread like wildfire the moment the child was admitted.
Not only had no new families arrived—existing clients had begun pulling their children out. Some employees had even started protesting, yet the owner could offend neither side.
Trapped in the middle, he was powerless.
…
A faint sneer curved Ayato's lips.
The son of the Fourth Hokage—the legendary Yellow Flash—was already being treated like this.
If Minato could see how the village he died protecting now treated his child, he might very well feel bitter enough to join the Akatsuki himself.
Ayato stood quietly for a moment, a flicker of cold emotion passing through his eyes.
He had promised Minato to protect Naruto's life.
But for now, that was all he could do.
With his current strength, approaching Naruto directly would be unwise. ANBU were watching closely, and Danzo's Root lurked in the shadows. Acting rashly would only invite unnecessary attention.
Now was not the time.
He turned to leave.
"Fancy meeting you here, Shop Owner Ayato."
A cool voice sounded behind him.
Ayato turned around.
White hair.
Lifeless, half-lidded eyes.
The familiar mask.
"Kakashi," Ayato greeted with a soft chuckle. "Let me guess… assigned to protect Naruto?"
He already knew the answer.
"You seem to know a lot," Kakashi replied quietly, brow tightening. The blond hair and facial features alone made Naruto's identity painfully obvious.
"Third Hokage's orders, right?" Ayato glanced casually toward the maternity center. "How's that assignment treating you?"
"You know what Naruto is…" Kakashi hesitated, uncertainty flickering in his gaze.
"You mean—your teacher's son?" Ayato replied calmly. "The child of Konoha's hero, yet this is how he's treated. How ironic."
His eyes lingered on the building for a brief moment before he turned away.
"Do you have a solution?" Kakashi asked suddenly.
Ayato paused—but did not turn back.
"For your Sharingan," he said evenly, "or for Naruto?"
"…Both."
"That'll be two transactions, Hatake Kakashi."
Kakashi stared at him for a heartbeat.
"…Fine. Count it as two."
"In that case," Ayato said, finally turning with a faint smile, "let's proceed with our pleasant transaction. We'll head to the shop."
He placed a hand lightly on Kakashi's shoulder.
In the next instant—
Both figures vanished from the street.
As if they had never existed there at all.
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