Chapter 7 - The Girl Named Shirin
After that intense battle, I found myself barely able to stand. My body ached all over, and every breath felt like fire. Yet, despite the pain, I did something unexpected—I hugged the girl in front of me, the Mist shinobi who had been my enemy just moments before.
Her face was small and delicate, with features that seemed too innocent for the battlefield. She was just a little older than me, and in that moment, I couldn't bring myself to end her life.
I hugged her tightly. "Yeah, I hugged her," I thought to myself, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. "Why?" you might ask. "Why not?" I replied to myself, a wry smile forming on my lips. "If I'm going to die, I'd rather do it holding someone close than covered in dirt and blood."
"You're beautiful," I whispered, my voice trembling with exhaustion. If these were going to be my last words, I figured I might as well try to flirt, even if it was in vain. "Can I know your name?"
For a moment, there was silence. Then, I felt her hand trembling as she hugged me back. Warm tears trickled down onto my chest, soaking through my torn clothes.
"Shirin," she murmured, her voice barely audible. That was the last thing I heard before everything went dark.
"After that, I died. Yeah, I died." My vision faded, and I found myself slipping away. My life, short and uneventful, ended in that moment.
But something strange happened. I wasn't gone. I was still... here. I was suddenly flooded with memories, not my own, but those of the body I now inhabited—Ruki's memories. "Damn pervert," I muttered to myself as the realization hit me. I wasn't dead. Somehow, I was still alive, and very much in trouble.
I struggled to stand, but my body gave out, collapsing to my knees. Pain surged through me as the adrenaline from the fight wore off. "F*ck, what should I do?" I thought desperately. Then, it hit me—I had a system.
"SYSTEM!!!" I shouted, hoping against hope that it would respond.
Ding!
[System integrated]
[System's beginner gift has been transferred to Host]
Ding!
[Three 50% recovery pills have been received]
Ding!
[E-rank Fireball Jutsu received]
Ding!
[E-rank Earth Wall Jutsu received]
Ding!
[Rank 2 Sword received]
Ding!
[500 chakra received]
Ding!
[Wooden Body Constitution has been transferred to Host's body]
Wooden Body: Increases host's vitality and life force. Host's lifespan is increased by 50 years.
__
[Average Chakra Usage for Different Rank Jutsu]
E-rank Jutsu: 10 chakra per use
D-rank Jutsu: 50 chakra per use
C-rank Jutsu: 100 chakra per use
B-rank Jutsu: 500 chakra per use
A-rank Jutsu: 1000 chakra per use
S-rank Jutsu: 5000 chakra per use
Super S-rank Jutsu: 10000 chakra per use
___
Without hesitation, I popped two recovery pills into my mouth. A warm glow spread through my body, and within seconds, I felt the pain fade away, my body restored to peak condition.
"Hah," I exhaled deeply, relieved to be free of the pain. I opened the system menu and saw six options in front of me:
[STATUS] / [SHOP]
[ROULETTE WHEEL] / [????]
[MISSIONS] / [INVENTORY]
I selected [STATUS].
Name: Ruki
Level: 20 (Genin)
Age: 12
Chakra: 600/600
Jutsu: E-rank - Fireball, Earth Wall, Hurricane
Eye Technique: None
Defense: 9 (+)
Strength: 13 (+)
Stamina: 8/16 (+)
Agility: 11
Charm: 12
Body Constitution: Wooden Body Constitution
I closed the status window and got to my feet, scanning the area. My eyes landed on Shirin, lying a short distance away, barely breathing.
Ding!
A notification appeared.
[Mission: Target - Shirin. Increase her favorability to 90.]
[Rewards: World Roulette Spin, Hidden Eye Technique, 15 System Points, +10 Strength]
Shirin was still alive, but just barely. I walked over to her and knelt beside her, gently slapping her face to wake her up.
"Hey, Shirin, wake up," I said softly. "Shirin, wake up."
Her eyelids fluttered open, and she looked up at me, her yellow eyes wide with fear. Up close, I could see just how beautiful she was, with her small face, brown hair, and smooth lips.
I smiled down at her, trying to reassure her. She attempted to move, but her body was too weak to respond. Panic filled her eyes, and she looked at me, terrified.
Before she could say anything, I spoke. "Hey, Shirin, good morning. Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you. Here, take this." I held out one of the recovery pills.
She looked at the pill suspiciously. "You said you wouldn't kill me, and now you're giving me a poison pill?" she asked in a shaky voice, her eyes darting between me and the pill.
I sighed, shaking my head. "It's not poison. It's a recovery pill. Trust me, it'll help you regain your strength."
Shirin hesitated, still unsure. But with no other options, she finally took the pill from my hand, her fingers trembling as she placed it in her mouth.
As she swallowed the pill, I watched her closely. She didn't have any reason to trust me, but if I was going to survive this mess, I needed her on my side. The system's mission only confirmed it.
Now, it was up to fate to decide what would happen next.