noveldepot Chapter 68 The Most Needed Cards
Chapter 68 The Most Needed Cards
Night had fallen. After the birthday party ended and Naruto safely escorted Iruka-sensei, who was crying so hard he was hiccuping, home, Naruto and Satsuki said their goodbyes at the crossroads. As Satsuki left, he glanced at him hesitantly, then simply snorted softly and turned to disappear into the direction of the Uchiha clan's territory.
Pushing open the door to his apartment, Naruto collapsed wearily onto the bed, but couldn't help a smile. Today's birthday party was even more successful than he'd anticipated—not only had he witnessed Iruka-sensei's rare emotional outburst, but more importantly…
The system points have skyrocketed!
He brought up a semi-transparent light screen that only he could see, on which were densely listed the bonds and relationships established within the school.
Nara Shikamaru, Bond Level 3, 300 points gained.
Choji Akimichi, Bond Level 5, 500 points gained.
Kiba Inuzuka, Bond Level 4, 400 points gained.
Akamaru, Bond Level 5, 50 Points Gained
Shino Aburame, Bond Level 3, 300 points gained.
Iruka Umino, Bond Level 8, 1600 points gained. (Note: Relationship Change - Family)
Naruto's fingertips hovered over the words "family," and a warm feeling welled up in his chest.
By the way, Nine-Tails' bond level is currently 5. Through spending time together every night, the level has increased by another level, gaining 400 points.
but......
Naruto looked at the blank space on the screen, where there should have been a name with data: Yamanaka Ino.
Since the start of the semester, he had tried to approach this future member of "Ino-Shika-Cho" several times. But for some reason, every time he got close, Ino would jump away like a startled rabbit, either pretending to suddenly remember something urgent, or suddenly saying that she was feeling unwell and running away immediately.
That's strange... Could it be that the butterfly effect has given her some reason to be afraid of me?
Although this meticulous counting of points might seem somewhat utilitarian, Naruto knew in his heart that he genuinely liked these guys.
The joy of eating barbecue with Choji, the frustration of being outsmarted by Shikamaru in shogi, the playful petting of dogs with Kiba—these everyday interactions weren't just for show; Naruto genuinely enjoyed every moment with them.
Naruto's gaze lingered on the entry for "Iruka Umino".
Before tonight, Iruka's bond level had remained at level 5—which was already considered a fairly close relationship.
Even so, Naruto never expected that a single birthday party would cause this bond to break through its limits.
It jumped from level 5 to level 8.
So, Iruka-sensei... has been suppressing so many emotions all this time? Thinking of this, Naruto brought up the overview of his system points.
Current holdings: 2450 points.
This number made him whistle. The efforts of the past year had not been in vain. From the initial two people to now having so many partners around him, every bit of bond had turned into tangible rewards.
However, although he had a lot of points, he didn't save them all. Naruto should have had 3450 points, but a few months ago, he couldn't resist and did a ten-pull.
The result... was just blue skies and white clouds. The only consolation was that at least one of the ten pulls was something slightly special.
Congratulations on obtaining: Fox Mask
[Item Description: This is the same mask worn by Uzumaki Menma. It is extremely hard and can block detection-type ninjutsu, including the Byakugan.]
When Naruto first obtained the Fox Mask, he only noticed its most direct use—to hinder detection ninjutsu.
In this way, even if I encounter a wild Hyuga clan member as "Menma" in the future, I won't have to worry about being seen through by Byakugan.
He even tried it on with considerable satisfaction; the mask fit his face well, provided clear vision, and didn't feel stuffy when breathing. Although the lottery results were generally unlucky, at least the mask was practical.
However, as time went on, this seemingly ordinary prop gradually revealed its unexpected value.
In the original timeline, the fox mask worn by "Menma" was just a cheap item that could be found anywhere at a market stall.
However, ever since the Hidden Cloud Village began to widely publicize the terrifying legend of the "Menma" mask, this originally ordinary mask has gradually been regarded by the people as an ominous symbol.
As a result, the fox mask was discontinued.
That makes sense, who would buy a mask that looks like a serial killer for their child to play with?
While Naruto could easily replicate the mask's appearance using the Transformation Jutsu, it always felt like something was missing. The Transformation Jutsu is ultimately an illusion; once the chakra becomes disordered or interfered with, the disguise will dissipate. The real fox mask, however, is different—even after the Transformation Jutsu is dispelled, the mask won't disappear, undoubtedly providing an extra layer of protection for concealing one's identity.
Besides... it would be too degrading to change the iconic features just because production has stopped.
Since "Menma's" image is already associated with the fox mask, there's no need to change it. In fact, the mask's extinction status has become an advantage—as long as he appears wearing it in the future, no one will doubt his identity.
With that in mind, Naruto continued looking at the system interface.
Tonight's Bond Breakthrough for Iruka-sensei brought him a huge amount of income. Combined with what he'd accumulated before, he now has enough points for two more 10-pulls...
Naruto lay on his back on the bed, staring at the system interface floating in front of him. He couldn't remember when he last drew an epic item. Every time he accumulated enough points, he was full of expectations, but what he got in return was always some basic talents or chakra boosts.
"This time, we absolutely have to ship it!"
Naruto sat bolt upright, took a deep breath, and hovered his finger over the 10-pull button. After hesitating for a long time, he finally made up his mind. Forget it! I'm not saving up anymore! Even with the worst luck, I should at least get the pity system by now!
As he pressed down hard with his fingertip, ten cards glowing blue appeared in a row in the air. Naruto swallowed hard, his fingers trembling slightly as he tapped them one by one.
0.1 chakra... Exploding kunai... 5% genjutsu talent... Fuma shuriken...
When Naruto opened the fifth card, "Ninja Tool Sealing Scroll," he couldn't help but sigh. Just when he was about to give up hope, the sixth card suddenly burst forth with a dazzling purple light!
"Nine-faced Suvaha...?"
Naruto's fingers froze in mid-air, his pupils contracting sharply. He stared intently at the text appearing on the card.
Congratulations on obtaining: Nine-Faced Suvaha
[Item Description: This item summons nine-faced beasts to fight using a summoning technique. The beasts are arranged in the order of Azure, White, Vermilion, Black, Void, South, North, Three, Jade, namely Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, Black Tortoise, Golden Serpent, Southern Dipper Immortal, Northern Dipper Immortal, Death God, and Celestial Maiden. They are transformed from the Nine-Faced Fox, and each beast possesses considerable special abilities.]
Finally... finally got it!