Shouts and screams of panic echoed through the street.
The once bustling market district descended into chaos.
The tall, thin ninja lay face-down on the ground, his body engulfed in raging flames.
He was dead.
The explosion from the paper bomb had obliterated his head upon detonation.
"Murder!"
"Run!"
"It's him—the two-colored eyes!"
"That Rain ninja traitor!"
"He actually killed someone in broad daylight!"
The crowd dispersed instantly.
Street vendors abandoned their stalls.
Shopkeepers fled inside their stores.
In just a few seconds—
The once lively street became empty and silent.
A Blade Against His Neck
A cold blade pressed against Haruto Saito's throat.
From behind him, Shenhe's masked face emerged, his eyes gleaming with murderous intensity.
"You dare kill someone?" Shenhe's voice was low and deadly.
Three other ANBU formed a tight triangular formation around Haruto.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
More and more leaf ninja appeared in flashes of movement—shinobi stationed nearby had rushed over after hearing the explosion.
Shenhe barely glanced up before issuing an order:
"ANBU business. Stay out of it!"
The arriving Konoha shinobi hesitated.
"Let's go."
"This isn't our concern."
One by one, they stepped back, but none of them left completely.
Instead, they watched from a distance, whispering among themselves.
"Explain Yourself."
Shenhe turned back to Haruto, his blade steady at his throat.
"I'll give you one chance to explain."
Haruto's eyes flicked sideways, glancing at the sharp edge of the sword.
Then, with a calm voice, he said—
"That paper bomb?"
"It was planted in my pocket—by him."
"I just threw it back."
"If he blew up… that's not my fault."
Shenhe's Doubt
A flicker of hesitation flashed across Shenhe's eyes.
He had been watching Haruto the entire time.
And he did vaguely remember—that thin ninja had bumped into Haruto just moments before the explosion.
"Check the body."
Shenhe jerked his chin toward the burning corpse.
Confirming the Truth
One of the ANBU, codenamed Nishiki, stepped back, sheathed his sword, and vanished in a blur, appearing beside the flaming corpse.
His hands formed a seal.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!"
A stream of water gushed from his mouth, extinguishing the flames.
Then, Nishiki crouched and began examining the body.
Haruto's Focus
Haruto wasn't watching the ninja.
He was staring at something above the corpse.
Suspended in mid-air—
Three glowing orbs of light.
Inside each one—
A card.
"System… Killing People Drops Cards?"
Haruto clenched his fists.
"System… why did he drop cards when I killed him?"
The Kāhō System AI responded instantly—
"Answering host's question."
"Cards only drop when you kill an enemy marked as 'hostile.'"
"The stronger the enemy, the more and higher-quality the dropped cards."
Haruto's eye twitched.
"...So it really is a game…"
His gaze locked onto the three floating cards.
He needed to know what was inside them.
"What Can These Cards Contain?"
Haruto asked mentally.
"Cards may contain, but are not limited to: Jutsu, Secret Techniques, Summoning Contracts, Sealing Techniques, Kekkei Genkai, Weapons, One-Time Use Potions…"
"There is also a chance of dropping 'Reputation Cards.'"
"Reputation?"
Haruto's eyes narrowed.
"What exactly is Reputation? Why can I see a ninja's Reputation score?"
"Reputation is calculated based on strength and social status, with strength being the primary factor."
Then, a ranking system appeared in Haruto's mind—
Genin → 500-1,000 Reputation
Chunin → 1,000-3,000 Reputation
Jonin → 3,000-8,000 Reputation
Elite Jonin → 8,000-15,000 Reputation
Peak Jonin → 15,000-25,000 Reputation
Kage-Level → 25,000-50,000 Reputation
"Wait… That Means…"
Haruto's mind raced.
White Fang—Kakashi's father—had a Reputation of 37,556.
That meant…
"White Fang is Kage-Level?!"
"Not Just Strength—But Social Status Too"
"Reputation isn't just strength-based," the system explained.
"For example, the Daimyo of the Fire Country has a Reputation equal to the Hokage's, despite having no combat ability."
"How Do I Use Reputation?"
"Reputation can be exchanged for cards in the Reputation Exchange System."
"Additional functions will unlock as the host progresses."
"To access the system, say 'Reputation Exchange.'"
"Reputation Exchange!"
A holographic interface appeared before Haruto.
A list of items was displayed, each with an exchange cost—
C-Rank Jutsu – Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu Card → 200 Reputation
D-Rank Jutsu – Water Release: Hidden Mist Jutsu Card → 100 Reputation
S-Rank Forbidden Jutsu – Eight Gates Card → 360,000 Reputation
B-Rank Jutsu – Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet Card → 1,500 Reputation
E-Rank Jutsu – Clone Jutsu Card → 10 Reputation
A-Rank Jutsu – Fire Release: Great Fire Destruction Card → 5,000 Reputation
Yin Release Kekkei Genkai – Sharingan Card → 28,000 Reputation
Special Weapon – Frostblade Card → 12,000 Reputation
Mental Boost Card → 2,000 Reputation
Advanced Healing Card (Special Sale!) → 160,000 Reputation
There were only ten exchangeable items.
Haruto looked down at his current Reputation—
1,000 points.
Not bad.
Shenhe Observes in Silence
As Haruto mentally browsed the system, Shenhe stood behind him, watching quietly.
He had lowered his blade, but his gaze never left Haruto.
Meanwhile, Nishiki continued examining the corpse, searching for identification.
Why Only Ten Items?
Haruto frowned.
"Why are there only ten cards available?"
"Reputation Exchange refreshes every 24 hours, at midnight."
"New random cards will be available daily, with a chance for discounted items."
"Wait… Didn't I Just Earn a B-Rank Jutsu Card?"
"Correct. The B-Rank Jutsu Random Card has been sent to your Inventory."
Haruto grinned slightly.
His fortune was just beginning.