My body froze.
The words echoed in my mind. **Slave System Activated.**
What? What did that mean? Was this some kind of illusion? A dream? No… it felt real. Something inside me whispered that this was now a part of me. But before I could react, a firm yet gentle hand rested on my shoulder.
"Come on, we need to get you out of here," Kurenai said, her voice soft but filled with urgency.
Before I could process anything, she lifted me from the ground. My frail, malnourished body felt weightless in her arms. For a moment, I wanted to resist, to struggle, to demand answers. But I couldn't. My body refused to move. Exhaustion, hunger, fear—they all crashed down on me at once.
The other shinobi were securing the remaining children, pulling us out of this decaying prison where we had been trapped for so long. I could hear their voices, their hurried footsteps, but everything felt distant—like I was only an observer, watching from afar.
Kurenai held me tightly, shielding me from the sight of lifeless bodies scattered on the ground. The slavers… dead. Blood pooled across the cold stone floor, its metallic scent thick in the air.
I should have been afraid. I should have been horrified.
But I felt… nothing. Just emptiness.
The world blurred as Kurenai carried me outside. The cold night air hit my skin, making me shiver. After what felt like an eternity, I was finally outside for the first time in who knows how long. I was free… or at least, I was supposed to be.
But those words wouldn't leave my mind.
**Slave System Activated.**
What did it mean?
They took us to an unfamiliar place. A large wooden building. It was warm inside, but an unsettling silence lingered in the air. The shinobi gathered the rescued children into a dimly lit room. The walls were bare, the atmosphere heavy with uncertainty.
At first, we all sat quietly, too exhausted to speak. Then, one by one, they came and took the other children away. I didn't know where they were going.
I never saw them again.
Time passed. Minutes? Hours? Days? I had stopped keeping track. Every time the door opened, another child was taken.
Eventually, I was the only one left.
The room was silent, truly silent. For the first time since I had woken up in this world, there was no one around me. No slavers, no other children, no whispers in the dark. Just me… and my thoughts.
Then, the door creaked open.
Kurenai stepped inside.
She walked toward me slowly, her red eyes studying me carefully. I stared at her for a while, unsure of what to say. Finally, I found the courage to speak.
"Who… are you?"
Kurenai paused for a moment, as if weighing her words. Then, she knelt down to my eye level.
"I am Kurenai Yuhi," she said in a gentle voice. "I am a shinobi. A ninja of Konoha."
Her words lingered in the air. Shinobi… The word was familiar.
"We're sorry we couldn't save you all sooner," she continued. "We truly didn't know… If we had, we would have come much earlier."
There was genuine regret in her voice. A sincerity that made something deep inside me tremble. Should I be angry? Relieved? I wasn't sure what to feel.
Kurenai took a deep breath and continued.
"The other children were returned to their families. Some were adopted into new homes. You… you're the only one left."
Her words echoed in my mind. I was the only one…
Everyone else had somewhere to go. A family. A new beginning. But me?
My throat tightened, and a dull ache settled in my chest. My gaze dropped to the floor as the words slipped from my lips before I could stop them.
"Then… what will happen to me?"
A brief silence followed. Kurenai studied me carefully before speaking in a soft yet firm voice.
"You have two choices. You can go to an orphanage… or you can come with me."
I lifted my head, blinking at her in surprise.
"Come… with you?" I repeated, my voice uncertain. The words hung in the air. A thousand questions ran through my mind. What did she mean? How could I go with her?
Kurenai gave me a small smile and nodded. "Yes. It won't be an easy path. But if you want, I can raise you. I can train you. We can be a family. It's your choice, Kazuki. If you don't want that, the orphanage is always an option. But I want you to know… you are not alone."
Why? That single question echoed in my mind.
After a moment of hesitation, I looked up at her and asked,
"Why… me?"
Kurenai's eyes softened, a flicker of sadness passing through them.
"When I saw you in that slave compound, you were different," she murmured. "While the others cried and screamed in fear… you didn't. There was a light in your eyes. I saw something in you that I didn't see in the others. In that moment, I saw more than just fear—I saw acceptance. It was as if… you had been waiting for this moment for a long time. And at the same time, I could tell… you're still searching for something. You didn't look like a lost child, Kazuki. You looked like someone who had been waiting for something for a very long time. That's why… I couldn't leave you there."
Her words stirred something deep within me. My throat tightened, and my heart pounded against my chest. I didn't want to be alone. For so long, I had fought to survive on my own. Hunger, fear, pain… They had clung to me like shadows, never leaving my side.
But now… I had a choice.
Someone truly wanted me.
My lips trembled, and my voice barely came out as a whisper.
"I… I want to go with you…" The words felt heavy, but they carried all my emotions. "I don't want to be alone anymore…
The moment the words left my lips, the emotions I had been holding back finally broke free.
Tears streamed down my face, my body trembling uncontrollably. Silent sobs wracked my chest. I had spent so long trying to be strong, to endure everything on my own. But now, for the first time, I allowed myself to let go.
And then… warmth.
A gentle, steady warmth enveloped me as Kurenai pulled me into her arms. There was no hesitation in her embrace—only reassurance, only comfort.
Her arms were firm yet soothing, her presence grounding me in a way I had never experienced before. I didn't remember my own mother, didn't even know if I ever had one. But this… this felt like how a mother would hold her child. For the first time in my life, I felt like someone truly cared.
"You're not alone anymore," Kurenai whispered, her voice soft yet resolute. "No matter what happens… I'll be here."
And then
**Slave System Activated.**
My entire body stiffened.
I squeezed my eyes shut, but the voice echoed louder inside my head. A mechanical, detached voice.
As a first-time bonus, your first slave will be free. The Slave System will grant you rewards for every new slave acquired.
My breath caught in my throat. My mind spiraled.
What…?
What did that mean?
Then—
Would you like to claim Kurenai Yuhi as your slave?
Two options appeared before me:
Yes ...… No
My stomach twisted into knots. Kurenai's warmth was still wrapped around me, but the words flashing in my mind overshadowed everything.
Was this real? Was I imagining it? Had I finally lost my mind after everything I had been through?
My hands shook. Was this a test? A joke? Kurenai had been nothing but kind to me. She saved me, gave me a choice, offered me a family…
But this system… If it was real… Did that mean I could truly make her my—
I swallowed hard, clenching my fists.
I was confused. Torn. But deep inside me, something stirred. A strange, irresistible pull. It was as if a force beyond my control was guiding me toward a decision.
Taking a deep breath, I focused my mind on the Yes option.
A strange warmth spread through my chest. Nothing seemed to change at first. But when I opened my eyes…
Around Kurenai's neck was a delicate yet unmistakable collar. Elegant, thin, almost like an accessory—but I knew the truth.
No one else could see it. She remained oblivious, still holding me, still offering comfort.
Yet I could feel it.
A bond. A connection. Control.
My breath became unsteady. Fear, excitement, uncertainty—they all swirled inside me.
What… had I just done?
And then, the voice returned.
Congratulations, host! Kurenai Yuhi is now your slave.
Slaves are unaware of their status unless you choose to reveal it. The system will ensure their compliance remains undetected.
The collar is visible only to you. However, you may choose to make it visible or invisible at will.
Slaves cannot disobey their master's commands. No matter what, they will carry out your orders. However, this function can be activated or deactivated at your discretion.
Now, issuing first-time rewards…
Rewards:
Light Manipulation & Light Phase
Katana: Shusui
The names burned into my mind.
Light Manipulation? Light Phase? I had no idea what they truly entailed, but they sounded powerful. And then… Shusui.
My eyes widened.
Shusui…? The legendary katana of Ryuma, the famed swordsman? How…?
A surge of disbelief and excitement rushed through me. For the first time in a long while, I felt like luck was on my side. But before I could fully process what had happened, a familiar voice pulled me back to reality.
"Hey… are you okay?"
My head snapped up. Kurenai was looking at me, concern flickering in her crimson eyes.
Right. She was still here. Still completely unaware of what I had just done.
I quickly averted my gaze, my thoughts a tangled mess.
Kurenai, however, remained patient. "I wanted to ask you something… What's your name?"
My body tensed.
Name…?
A name… Did I even have one?
I tried to recall it, grasping at the fragments of my past. But no matter how hard I searched, nothing came. A void. An empty abyss where my identity should have been.
Slowly, I lowered my gaze. My hands curled into fists at my sides. "I… don't have a name."
The words barely escaped my lips, yet they carried a weight I hadn't expected.
What kind of person didn't even know their own name? What did that make me? A nameless, forgotten shadow?
Kurenai was silent for a moment. When I finally dared to look up, I found her watching me—not with pity, but with something gentler. Something warm.
A quiet understanding.
Then, she smiled.
"In that case… let me give you one," she said softly.
I blinked. "Huh?"
Kurenai tilted her head slightly, her expression thoughtful. "Kazuki… How does that sound?"
I stared at her. "Kazuki?"
She nodded. "Yes. It means 'First Light' or 'Bright Beginning.' I think… it suits you."
A strange warmth bloomed in my chest.
Kazuki…
Having a name. An identity. It was such a small thing, yet it carried so much weight. It made me feel… real. Like I wasn't just some nameless ghost drifting through existence.
My lips trembled. My vision blurred. Before I knew it, tears were falling again.
"Thank you…" I whispered, my voice barely holding together. "Really… thank you."
Kurenai watched me for a moment, then let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, what's this? You're really such a crybaby, aren't you, Kazuki?" Her tone was teasing, but there was nothing but warmth in it.
And then, without hesitation, she leaned forward and pulled me into another embrace.
Her warmth surrounded me once more.
For the first time in my life… I truly felt like I wasn't alone.