Takeshi Sarutobi opened his eyes, and the harsh light of Konoha's hospital stabbed into his skull like needles. His chest throbbed, each breath rekindling the memory of a blade that had nearly sliced him in two.
He groaned, running a hand through his dark brown hair, sticky with sweat and dried blood.
"Fucking mission."
The images of the battle slammed back into his mind.
After arrogantly taking down three guys, he stumbled upon a madman.
Tetsuya—nicknamed "Thunder Blade," at least according to himself—a mercenary.
His short-cropped gray hair shimmered under the lightning of his Raiton, and his katana crackled with an energy that made the air hum. Takeshi had held his ground, blocking with his Kenjutsu and countering with a well-placed Katon: Fireball, but every one of Tetsuya's strikes had been a nightmare.
The guy charged his blades with lightning chakra, and his body absorbed hits like the thunder was fueling him. One notch stronger, and Takeshi would've been dead.
And to top it off, a second guy had shown up—Juno. A bald brute with empty eyes, wielding chakra-enhanced chains like they were extensions of his own limbs.
The bastard had caught him in close quarters, his chains wrapping around Takeshi's right arm, snapping it clean. If Takeshi hadn't jammed a kunai under the giant's armpit at the last second, he'd be rotting in a ditch right now.
"Supreme Avatar body or not, I almost died."
Since his reincarnation, this was the first time he had truly faced near-death. Sure, this was a novel, but something told him—if he died here, it would really be the end.
He closed his eyes, letting the system in his mind pull up a report.
[Status Window] —
Name: Takeshi Sarutobi
Age: 15
Chakra Level: Jonin
Skills:
Taijutsu (D)
Bojutsu (C)
Katon (B)
Kenjutsu (C+)
Current Merit Points: 500
Takeshi let out a bitter chuckle. 500 points. "Not even enough for a decent bandage," he thought.
He had just risked his life fighting what he thought were Jonin-level enemies. He'd expected more—maybe something around 1000 points… but still, 500 wasn't bad.
"I really need to think twice before diving into another mess like that."
A movement to his left pulled him out of the spiral. Mei Haruno was there, slumped in a chair, her pale pink hair falling in messy strands across her face.
She was asleep, her breathing soft, a contrast to the usual tension she radiated. Takeshi stared at her for a moment. Her turquoise-green eyes—closed, for once—weren't glowing with that yandere intensity that sometimes made him feel like prey.
She looked… almost normal. Almost.
He shifted to sit up, and the chair creaked beneath Mei.
She startled awake, her eyes snapping open, and for a split second, he saw something rare—pure relief.
"Takeshi-kun!"
Her voice trembled, not with her usual mischief, but with something raw and sincere.
She jumped up, grabbing his hand before he could protest. "You're awake… You're really awake! I thought… I thought you weren't gonna make it."
Takeshi raised an eyebrow but let his hand stay in hers.
"Calm down, Mei. I'm not dead yet." He tried to keep it light, but his tone came out softer than he intended.
She looked like she'd been there all night—wrinkled clothes, shadows under her eyes. She really freaked out for me? He pushed the thought aside. With Mei, everything came with a catch.
She sniffled, wiping a tear away quickly, then her usual sharp smile returned—just a bit too sharp. "You'd better stay alive, Takeshi-kun. Without you, I get bored."
She leaned closer, her sweet scent filling the space, and traced a finger along his arm. "And besides, you promised to love me forever, remember?"
(°_°)
Takeshi resisted the urge to groan. He pulled his arm back—not harshly, just enough to create some space.
"Mei, how about you tell me what the hell happened? I remember getting hit by a chain in the ribs, and then… blackout."
She sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed, her expression growing serious.
"You passed out after slicing off the head of the guy I was fighting. When I ran to catch you, you were bleeding like crazy. We brought you back to Konoha right away. The big shot is safe, but… let's just say the Hokage's not happy."
She grimaced. "She wants to see you. Like, now."
Takeshi sighed, rubbing his neck. Tsunade's gonna rip me a new one. He could already feel the headache coming.
"And you? You stayed here playing nurse?"
Mei chuckled, but there was something possessive in her eyes. "Someone had to make sure no one touched you, Takeshi-kun. You're mine." She paused, then added in a lower voice, "But I've got good news. We've got a mission. Together. In Suna."
"Suna?" Takeshi frowned, tactical instincts kicking in. "What's happening over there?"
Don't tell me it's already the Gaara kidnapping…!? he thought.
Before Mei could answer, the door burst open.
Tsunade Senju entered, her presence crashing into the room like a tidal wave. Her amber eyes locked onto Takeshi, and a chill ran down his spine.
[System] — Tsunade Senju.
Difficulty: Extreme.
Reward: 3600 points.
"Shit! Kage-level's no joke…"