Chapter 0057: My Name is Hiroto... and I'm a Loli!
Cough, cough.
I got up from the muddy ground, chest aching from the impact of Tsunade's punch. My once-white outfit was now soaked in dirt and grime, making me look like some abandoned child left on the side of the road.
"Damn, that hurt." I winced, rubbing my chest, still feeling the shock from her strike.
If anyone else had taken a punch from Tsunade, they'd have broken ribs by now. Me? Just a dull ache. Guess my body's evolving... into something not quite human.
With a heavy sigh, I trudged back toward the building. "No way I was ever completing that mission… I don't even wanna think about the punishment. Please, just don't let it be something stupid like wearing women's clothes!"
As if my prayer went unanswered, the system's cold, emotionless voice echoed in my mind:
[Time's up. Host failed to complete the task. Punishment: You will be transformed into a genuine young girl for the next 24 hours.]
A… young girl?
My whole body froze, disbelief washing over me. "Wait! Hang on, system, can't we—" Before I could finish, a blinding white light burst from within me, wrapping my body in its glow.
Moments later, the light faded.
I looked down at the long, pale blue hair flowing down my back. No, it couldn't be… I raised my right hand and grabbed at my crotch, my heart pounding.
"Gone… It's gone! NOOO!"
The despairing scream of a loli echoed through the rainy streets.
Stupid system! You screwed me over again!" I muttered under my breath as I wandered through the rainy streets of Amegakure. The rain trickled down my now tiny, delicate face, making me feel even more miserable. I probably looked like a poor, lost little girl now.
How the hell am I supposed to go back like this? If Tsunade-sensei sees me, what am I even going to say?
"Ugh… guess I'll have to lay low for 24 hours and hope for the best," I grumbled, trudging through the mud.
The scattered lights flickered in the rainy night, their dim glow mirroring the pit of despair I was sinking into. Just when I thought the day couldn't get any worse…
"Well, well, what do we have here?" a rough voice interrupted my thoughts.
"Hm? A cute little girl wandering around in a place like this?"
"Wait, is that a Leaf headband on her? She must've gotten separated from her squad."
I glanced up, only to see a group of young men, all wearing Rain Village headbands, their eyes full of malicious intent as they surrounded me.
Great… just what I need, a bunch of idiots trying to mess with me while I'm stuck in this stupid loli form.
Anger flared up inside me, my patience wearing thin. Being turned into a loli was already pushing it, and now these guys were just asking for trouble. I clenched my right fist tightly, ready to show these fools what happens when they mess with someone like me, even if I looked like a kid.
But before I could make a move, a calm, clear voice called out from behind the thugs. "Why are you picking on a little girl?"
All of us, myself included, turned to see a girl approaching with a paper umbrella. She looked about fifteen or sixteen, her appearance elegant, with soft violet hair pinned back with a white paper flower. Her presence seemed to carry an air of quiet dignity, and like the others, she wore a Rain Village headband.
"K-Konan?!" one of the thugs stammered, his face suddenly paling. The rest of the group shifted uneasily, clearly not wanting to mess with her.
Konan stepped forward, her voice calm but with an edge. "I'm asking you—why are you harassing this little girl?"
"She—she's a spy from Konoha!" one of the thugs blurted out in desperation.
"Yeah! We were just going to interrogate her!"
"That's right! She's pretending to be all dirty to get sympathy, but we weren't fooled!"
They were all tripping over themselves to justify their actions, but Konan wasn't buying it. She glanced at me—well, at the little blue-haired loli I had become. Her eyes softened a bit as she looked me up and down. I could see the pity forming in her expression, making me feel even worse.
A spy? Me? Sheesh, as if this tiny, innocent-looking body could ever pull off something like that.
Konan's voice turned gentle as she addressed me. "Little sister, are you really a Konoha ninja? What are you doing here in Amegakure?"
Little sister? I cringed internally. It was the first time someone had ever called me that. This is humiliating…
But there was no use denying it. In this form, I had to play along. With a resigned sigh, I answered in the cutest, softest voice I could muster. "I messed up… and my teacher kicked me out."
Konan, however, misunderstood. Her face softened even more, and sympathy practically poured out of her. She seemed to think I had been banished or abandoned by my village. Stepping closer, she offered a comforting smile. "That's awful. What a cruel teacher, making someone so young fend for themselves. But don't worry… you can stay with me for now."
Stay… with her? No, no, no! This is getting worse by the second!
"But she's a spy!" one of the thugs protested. "We should take her in for questioning!"
"Yeah, let us handle her!"
Konan's expression darkened, her patience clearly running thin. "Shut up! I know exactly what you idiots were planning." Her voice grew cold. "Get out of my sight before I make you regret it."
The thugs froze, fear evident in their eyes. They clearly knew better than to push their luck with Konan. After a tense moment, they reluctantly backed off and hurried away, leaving me alone with her.
Note: Sorry guys, I keep falling ill... I fking hate my life... sigh.