When Kekkai arrived home to prepare for his journey, a long-awaited chime sounded as soon as he closed the door behind him.
/Ding/
Phase Quest completed
Clan Chain Quest: Eye Of the Storm
Time is passing quickly, peace along with it, and a period of Change and Chaos will be upon you soon. Brigands and Ronin are the least of your worries in the face of this new threat, and you and your clan are Ill-equipped for it. Find a way to help your Clan tide over the coming storm and proper.
Time limit: 5 Years
Quest Phase 1: Merit and Order Completed
Quest Phase 2: Improving Technology Completed
Quest Phase 3: Famine and Abundance Completed
Your clan is secluded inside the wild Ida Mountain Range with little or no regional output. Help them endure the harsh winter with food, medicine, and other necessities. The more you contribute to the clan higher the final evaluation.
Evaluation: SS+
Reward Upgraded
Chain Quest Evaluation +2
Intelligence +1
[Implant Unification Coupon]
[Rarity Upgrade Coupon]x2
10,000 Eddie's
750 Rep
//
Seeing this notification brought a wide toothy smile to his face. Clenching his fist and cheering, he jumped and punched the air.
"YES! YES! Fuck yeah!" He cheered.
Realizing that he would finally be able to relax after nearly two years of brain-numbing hard work made him so excited that he couldn't help celebrating a little.
He had been ripping and running for a long time to work out the various problems popping up inside Ishigami Village because of this quest that appeared suddenly close to three years ago.
The quest is that the system design is always tailor-made to his situation and strength level or his ability to complete the tasks by himself. As a motivational bonus, it will give out random stat points, coupons, and knowledge for going above and beyond the quest parameters.
And these bonus stats are sweet honey for Kekkai. Because his body's physiology changed a few years ago, his strength was conditional on his stat point management.
Each level gives five attribute points, and every 5 points inside each stat is a new level of power and provides a new perk determined at random based on that stat. One stat point in strength gives the power of a young child, while five can grant him the ability to tear apart walls with raw power alone with a single low-level perk.
If he achieved 25 points in power, Nikita had told him that he would be able to rival Jonin ninjas like Might Guy opening the first gate. Even without chakra, he would be qualified to destroy small mountains with a single blow with five perks that would enhance his power even more so.
But Nikita explained, to his vexation, the system had a limit, a Level limit, to be exact. The max level of the system she gave him was level 30, giving a total of 150 points max signifies that if he wanted all-around growth, he would only reach Jonin rank in all of his stats.
But when you compare mear's mountain-crushing level of capability to the country-destroying blows that appeared in the late stage of Naruto, it's like comparing heaven and earth. They were on two completely different magnitudes of ability.
The only way to break the soft cap on his attribute, Kekkai decided to stick to saving bonus attribute points from his levels and grind random attribute bonuses from high-grade quest evaluations.
But the only problem is that he needs to challenge his existing strength. That means that the higher his power the less likely he would be able to get the random attribute. He would need to challenge greater danger and risk for smaller and smaller rewards.
So he kept his strength low and trained to the limit that each stat would bring him, getting the maximum possible result from minimal effort.
His grind for stats didn't let him down. He had earned 34 free stats across the board, enough to activate a perk for each attribute and buy a Rare level Subdermal Armor skin implant. Let's say that being the young patriarch of a clan of powerhouses has its perks.
Whenever he had a problem, be it he needed a sparing partner or to help experiment with new materials, the family would flock to him to assist.
When this chain quest was first initiated, he was stunned at first but then disturbed.
When the first raider attack killed his mother he went mad to find the people who did it, prompting his first Epic rank quest that guaranteed five attribute points if he managed to complete it.
Though at first, he was stunned when he saw such a high reward, he accepted it anyway and begged his father to set out with him. It was only when he saw the massive army of samurai and Buddhist monks, standing in their path as they crossed an open prairie, did he understand the atrocity of an epic quest and that the attack was by no means a simple Raid.
They could only return home, and he received an F rank and the quest failed.
If an epic quest provoked such a large response, he dreaded what kind of demons and gods would appear in this Chain Quest.
To make sure that whatever coming changes would occur, his clan will be able to handle it with ease. He went to work immediately.
Taking past life knowledge as an adult raised in an age of information explosion as his platform he started reforms throughout the entire clan.
To become self-sufficient he studied a new Merit point system with his grandfather and reformed the farming system. Focusing on raising livestock, rice, fruit, and vegetables as he started compiling all his familiarity with agriculture into books that he placed in the family library.
Not stopping there he also studied the mines and his elders to see if he could find any material that was left untapped during their excavation of the mountain. When he discovered several strange materials he began to experiment with them to see if he could draw out what they were capable of.
One of the most versatile of which was a crystal that was able to store and process mental energy and chakra. This type of crystal was, to his surprise suitable to be used by both civilians and Ninjas.
The only drawback was that it needed to be sealed and formatted so that information wouldn't just overflow from one mind to another which he found out the hard way in an experiment with his cousin Akane.
It turns out that you really shouldn't stuff the brains of an adult man and a curious and developing teenage girl into a single mind space without protection. Akane left the room blushing a deep red as she discovered a lot about the extensive Hentai and porn knowledge that Kekkai had accumulated from his last life. Leaving a dumbfounded Kekkai with a huge red handprint laid across his face.
This incident aside, the Zenith crystal was widely favored when it was introduced. Even if limited in production because of the need to refine and seal it so only team leaders could get a hold of one of them.
Everyone else had a smaller version that was the size of a silver dollar that made for great identification tags, it can also calculate merit points and acts as a camera, a measuring tool, and a calculator.
Because He was worried that his clan would get bored because they were coupled up in the mountains all year long. He also started using Zenith crystal to store all kinds of movies, books, songs, and other entertainment that kept him preoccupied with his past life in the library.
Everything went to the clan be it casual, philosophical, or even about war and tactics. He also took the opportunity to supplement the blind spots in his knowledge by buying it from the system store which had a lot of technology and medical knowledge from the heavily industrialized CyberPunk universe.
Thanks to this the library had accumulated a lot of wisdom that would benefit his clan for generations to come and would let them stand on the shoulders of Giants on their outlooks of life. The only massive problem that he couldn't solve at the time with his strength was the problem of food and medicine.
Farming would take a long time to start its accumulation and there were very few medicines that could be found in their local area so to retrieve medicines that would help train They were young and the warriors of the clan they need it to trade a vast amount of resources.
Ishigami Village had a massive population of over five thousand people. 357 of them were Genin ninjas, 72 were Chunin level, 31 were Jonin, and finally, his Grandfather and Grandmother were the only two Shadow-level ninjas inside the clan.
This strength required a massive amount of food and energy to maintain daily life. The number of nutrients and calories needed to be consumed by these people went well above regular human physiology.
Kekkai had calculated that genin alone would need to consume over two thousand calories a day just to fill themselves, much less Jonin Mēkā who consumes close to ten thousand calories after hard training.
This problem was solved tonight, over five thousand tons of food would be able to feed everyone three meals a day for over three years straight, giving the farms and pharmacies enough time to get a foothold.
Kekkai thanked Ida for over an hour when he heard the wonderful news about the coming-of-age ceremony for the grandson of the Earth Daimyo.
The head shrine of the Earth Kingdom is the Hoji Shrine, which is infamously known for its difficulties to please their wayward God. The only known gifts that he accepted being rare metals, weapons, puzzles, and fine delicacies.
Taking advantage of this to send one of the rarest ores in the land Chakra metal which will get his favored grandchild a large divine blessing in return for just a little amount of food and resources drove the Earth Daimyo to agree immediately.
It was also a little thing for him to warn a subordinate Daimyo and gift them the Ida Mountain range as their territory.
Now that the internal troubles were solved and external troubles were suppressed it was a perfect time to rest and Kekkai finds nothing more stress relieving than a long vacation out of the village to kill some bandits.
While joyfully humming a tune he began to get to work packing the tools for his journey.
Taking out a Large scroll from a corner he began laying it out on the ground. A blend of formula and kanji covered the inside of the scroll with random spots of blank areas.
Grabbing a bundle of sleeping bags, tents, and night gear and placing them in one of the spots.
Camping gear, check.
Next, he raided his fridge and cellar. All kinds of Meat, Fruits, vegetables, snacks, and seasoning poured onto another space.
Snacks, Check.
Following this, he opened up a hidden wall on the side of his workshop that revealed a small armory of strange and delicate looking Shotguns, Pistols, and Daggers. Underneath lay an array of Vails of mysterious liquid.
Taking a large heavy black trench coat from the side he began to line his pockets with some of the various tools hanging around the wall as well as four different knives and strapped them to various places on his body.
Blades, check.
Taking 3 pistols and a shotgun from the wall, he also took a handful of the small Vails and put them inside a belt hanging across his chest.
Guns and ammo, check.
Stepping back into his workshop he stood over the Scroll with his various luggage and made a few seals.
[Sealing Style: Enclosing Technique]
With a puff of smoke, the Items disappeared into the scroll. After rolling up the scroll he made another set of hand seals.
[Sealing Style: Shrinkage Technique]
With another puff, the Sealing Scroll shrunk from a whopping 4 feet long to a small scroll about 9 inches long. Taking the scroll up he tied it to his waist.
/Almost ready, just need to do one last thing./ he thought to himself
"Hey, Nikita!" he called
/Yes host?/ Nikita answered
"Pull up the Shop, it's time for an upgrade," Kekkai said while grinning.
/Yes, Host./ Niki said
/Ding/
Welcome to the Afterlife
How may we serve you, Legend?
Knowledge shop
Cyberware shop
Programs shop
Routines shop
//
"Open Cyberware shop, Open Hand Implants," Kekkai instructed
/Ding/
Hands Cybernetics
Ballistic Compressor
Rare 6,000 €
Epic 9,000 €
Legendary 15,800
Smart Link
Rare 6,000 €
Epic 9,600€
Legendary 16,800 €
Smart Link Tattoo
Common 0 €
//
"Purchase Ballistic Compressor Legendary, Smart Link Legendary, and Smart link Tattoo Common." Kekkai requested
/Ding/
Are you sure you want to confirm your purchase?
//
"Confirm." Kekkai Acknowledged
/Ding/
Purchase Confirmed
32,600€ payment has been confirmed
You have 13,070€ left.
Thank you for Choosing the Afterlife, Have a nice day
//
"Niki use Implant Unification Coupon."
/Which item would you like as a base host?/ she asked
"Smart Link Tattoo." He said
/Confirmed/ she said
/Ding/
Implant Unification coupon consumed
Congratulations
Smart Link Tattoo common has been transformed
Nanite Matrix Brand Epic has been Created
Would you like to Implant/
"No. I will like to use the Rarity upgrade coupon."
/How many?/ Nikita asked a little perplexed
"Both!" Kekkai smiled savagely
/You're crazy! You know that right?! You can barely handle the Hoshokugan, you want another unknown Kekkai Genkai that will be even more taxing for you to manipulate?/ Nikita inquired dumbfounded
"I'll figure it out as I go, hit me," Kekkai said nonchalantly.
/Your Funeral/ Nikita grumbled
/Ding/
Rarity Upgrade Coupon consumed x2
Nanite Matrix Brand has been upgraded to the Iconic Rank
Would you like to Implant?
//
"Confirm." He said solemnly
Scorching heat immediately began to flood his body as the Nanites that made up his very blood began to shift and transform slowly. Flesh and blood quaked as waves appeared on his skin as the nanites quickly began to take another form and function under the system's guidance.
After half an hour, the heat died down and the movement stopped. The only thing that remained of the transformation was a Small black brand of three interlinked spirals engraved into the back of his hand.
Looking at it with wonder, Kekkai began to wonder what new power this would be with a slight smile.
/Ding/
Congratulations
Nanite Matrix Brand Iconic has mutated
New Kekkai Genkai gained
[Rūnkechimyaku] has been unlocked
//
His eyes began to glow at this message. But his building excitement was immediately doused the next second by another message.
/Ding/
Error!!!
Error!!!
Cool, Body, and Affinity Attributes do not meet the requirements for this Kekkai Genkai.
[Ryūkechimyaku] Is now partially sealed for the Hosts safety
//
Immediately after this announcement, three hot glowing bars interrupted the middle of each Spiral. Glowing red hot as they branded a seal onto the Tattoo.
Kekkai blinked dumbfounded, /what the HELL!!/
/Told you idiot/ Nikita snickered in the background /Your current stats are barely enough to handle your pupil power from an Epic item much less a powerful Bloodline power from an item that has reached Iconic Rank. I'm surprised that your arm didn't explode before the system detected the problem and immediately sealed it./
"Then at what state will I be able to use it?" He asked huffing at his failure to cheat the system into giving him a potent ability.
/15 in all three stats at the least. You already have access to the base benefits it can give, the system will unseal it as you grow but If it's too powerful for your body and mind to handle it might even need 20 points to fully unlock it./
Kekkai frowned at this and complained "That's even worse. I would be able to meet the prerequisites for almost every other Implant by the time I reach 15 in all three. I wanted to have immediate benefits from this."
/Oh cry me a river, as I said you already have gained a lot from just the bare minimum that this bloodline gives you, you are just being greedy if you want more./ Nikita scoffed
"Ok, Ok. Pull Up my Stats." He sighed in disappointment while heading to the door.
/Ding/
Status
Status:
Level 5/35
Exp: 960/1500
Health: 620/620 Regen: 4hp/5sec
Stamina: 70/70 Regen: 7sp/10sec
Armor: 220/220 Regen:10ap/10min
Rage:0/40
Chakra: 0/45
Pupil: 420/420 Regen: 8.4pp/5sec
R.A.M: 19 Regen: 2.25p/5min
Enhancements:
3/5 slots
Pupil: Hoshokugan (Eye of the Predator)
Mods: None
Integumentary:
Subdermal Armor Tier 3
Mods: None
Hands:
RyūKuchimyaku
Mods: None
Body:4
Perk: None
Intelligence:9
Perk: Visualization
Reflex:4
Perk: None
Cool:7
Perk: Creative Mode(Active)
Technique:12
Perk: Combat Prediction(Passive), Clear mind(Triggered)
Affinity:5
Perk: Self Sustenance(passive)
Available attributes: 19
//
Seeing the massive differences that transpired in his status brought a little cheer back to his face a little. Tightening his coat he opened the door only to come face-to-face with his cousin Takahiro waiting there while leaning against his door frame.
"You ready?" He asked while raising a brow at Kekkais attire.
"They're sending you to supervise? Didn't you just come back home?!" Kekkai asked.
"Someone has to watch your back while you're out there, it will also help if I'm there to make sure you're not taking the opportunity to waste time while your outside." He shrugged then took a hand and slapped it on his should while chiding Kekkai.
Kekkai could only shrug and curse his bad luck.
"Alright, let's go, winter is about to set in and I'm sure you don't want to be caught in any blizzards during our travel."
Nodding Kekkai readjusted the strap to his shoulder and looked at the rising moon that was taking its place in the sky above.
/Look out world, Here I come!/ He thought