From the perspective of a god-like view, Uchiha Kai observed Minato Namikaze's reaction and couldn't help but nod in satisfaction.
After all, the 'little surprise' he had arranged had proven to be extremely effective—so much so that even Minato was startled, let alone the other ninjas, whose mental fortitude was much weaker.
However, Uchiha Kai thought that Minato's reaction was quite normal. It wasn't that he had suddenly become timid, but rather that the horror game Kai had created was simply far too advanced for the ninja world.
It took the core elements of human fear and ramped them up to their maximum.
Human fear stems from many sources, with the most primal fear being the fear of death. This is something all life forms share; the term 'will to live' speaks volumes about it.
Beyond that, there is the fear of the unknown.
From the ancient times, humans have worshiped various animals, feared the forces of nature, and later revered different deities, both real and imagined.
Fear of the dark, of the abyss, and other unknown environments all stem from this core fear of the 'unknown.'
In fact, this kind of fear can be greatly reduced if the unknown is transformed into something limited and known.
For example, players who enjoy horror games on Earth would experience a mix of fear and intense joy as their adrenaline and dopamine levels spike.
But the problem was that the game Uchiha Kai created was something unheard of in the ninja world, and its immersion was off the charts.
When Minato found himself pinned by an unseen force, unable to move, he felt both the terror of death and an overwhelming fear of the unknown.
A completely unfamiliar scene, an experience he had never encountered before, and that incomprehensible 'woman.'
It was only when everything overlapped that the fear was fully induced, and even someone as composed as Minato couldn't withstand it.
When Minato finally regained his composure, he let out a wry smile. "Is this really a genjutsu game? It's almost too real, isn't it? Also, that woman... she doesn't seem like a ninja, and she doesn't look human either. Could she be a vengeful spirit, like the ones in the stories?"
The ninja world had its share of stories about demons and spirits, but these were mostly passed down among the common people.
For ninjas, who had seen more and encountered all kinds of strange things, these tales seemed trivial.
After all, ninjas were superhuman and had access to abilities beyond the scope of ordinary people.
So, the terrifying beings feared by civilians didn't hold much weight for them.
In fact, most ninjas believed these stories came from the ignorance of the common folk, who mistook stealthy assassins and elusive ninjas for vengeful spirits, and assumed summoning beasts were demons.
In reality, the civilians in the ninja world were exactly like this.
Although there are all sorts of stories about monsters and ghosts in the ninja world, they're generally quite ordinary and boring.
To ninjas, they're just fun stories to pass the time. How could they compare to the horror games created by Uchiha Kai?
At this point, Minato Namikaze finally realized that the woman from earlier must have been some kind of ghost or evil spirit from those eerie folk tales.
Then, Uchiha Kai, who had been silent before, spoke up: "Hmm, this is something I came up with by blending some of the bizarre stories from folklore. How is it? Minato, it's an experience like no other, right?"
Minato couldn't help but laugh and respond: "It's definitely a new experience. I honestly thought I was going to die just now."
Uchiha Kai explained: "That was just your feeling. This is a game, not a lethal jutsu. I've set up a safety lock in the game. If a situation arises that could truly endanger your life, the game will automatically shut down."
As he said this, he muttered to himself, "Come to think of it, there are always those idiots who enjoy risking their lives but aren't physically up to it. What if someone ignores the warnings and keeps playing, leading to real-life danger? Wouldn't I have to pay compensation?"
"Now, that's a major bug that needs fixing. I'll have to implement some medical ninjutsu or something to patch it up. If a life-threatening situation happens, we can just intervene and save them directly."
Although these words were muttered, they weren't quiet enough for Minato not to hear. It was the kind of thing that could easily provoke a sarcastic comment, but when Minato thought about it more carefully, Uchiha Kai wasn't wrong.
So, Minato nodded in agreement: "Indeed, this game is incredibly realistic. For many ninjas, it's probably too intense. It's necessary to make some safety preparations."
Then Uchiha Kai asked: "So, Minato, how are you holding up? Do you need to rest for a bit?"
"How am I holding up?"
Of course, I'm fine!
A man can never admit to being weak!
Especially not in front of his best friend!
Even though Minato Namikaze had a gentle personality, when faced with a problem like this, he would absolutely never say no.
At that moment, Minato suddenly stood up, saying, "Of course, while it was a bit stimulating, after the excitement, there's this feeling I've never experienced before. This intense thrill somehow makes me feel... pleased, and I'm actually looking forward to what will happen next."
"And also..."
He paused, his smile fading as he spoke seriously. "Experiencing this kind of intense fear in such a 'weakened' state is also a form of training for me. After this, if I ever face a similar situation, it won't shake my resolve."
These words were not said lightly.
In the ninja world, ninjas were often more like fragile sorcerers, wielding various strange abilities, many of which involved methods that could bring out the deepest fears within a person, along with other sinister techniques.
Many powerful ninjas had fallen victim to these methods, their minds overpowered by such fear.
Though Uchiha Kai's game was scary and twisted, it served as an excellent means of sharpening one's will.
For Minato, it would help him hone his mental strength, so that when he faced future sinister enemies, he could respond with calmness and composure.
With that in mind, Minato immediately resumed the game.
This time, the path ahead was not a single one, but three distinct routes, each with a different color.
One was black, one was gray, and one was red, each seeming to represent something different.
Uchiha Kai did not offer any hints, and Minato did not ask. Clearly, this was part of the 'puzzle-solving' and 'exploration' aspect of the game.
If one were to know the answer beforehand, the experience would lose its meaning.
In the end, Minato chose the left path, the black one, and dashed into it using the ninja's running technique.
It wasn't that Minato was reckless. After all, his cautious approach earlier had been completely ineffective against the female ghost. So, since 'slow' hadn't worked, he decided to try 'fast' this time.
In fact, the three paths do have different symbolic meanings.
Black represents death, gray stands for suffering and sorrow, the negative emotions people often face, and red signifies slaughter—three things that ninjas commonly confront.
These also represent the past and obsessions of Minato Namikaze's role.
Using a game to interrogate the soul—this is a common trope in many games.
Of course, for the ninja world, it is still a concept far ahead of its time.
In reality, if this were not just a small game, Uchiha Kai wouldn't mind delving deeper into this setting, making the people of the ninja world feel the soul torture, a taste of Hell.
As for now, let Minato Namikaze experience just a "taste" of it first!
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