Chapter 1 System

Star Calendar 129590, Fell Woods.

Fell Woods, an expanse spanning over ten thousand leagues, holds a singular status within the bounds of the Xingchen Continent. It sprawls across a vast area, enveloped in dense jungles and a peculiar climate that nurtures a multitude of ferocious Demon Beasts. Here, one can witness the presence of high-tiered Demon Beasts, scarcely seen beyond Fell Woods. Even within its core lies the domain of fearsome ten-tier Sacred Realm Demon Beasts, their reputation enough to send shivers down countless spines.

Yet, true to the adage that 'wealth comes with risk,' while Fell Woods presents extreme danger, it also boasts abundant natural resources and untold treasures. The Demonic Cores from numerous high-tiered Demon Beasts represent unimaginable wealth. Hence, many Mages and Martial Artists across the Continent are drawn to venture here in pursuit of riches. After all, riches in motion entice. Not every part of Fell Woods is perilous; the outer and marginal regions pose lesser threats. It's only within the inner and core areas that the true perils reside.

Just beside a waterfall within Fell Woods, a youth sat idly upon a rocky perch, lost in contemplation.

This young individual, aged about 14 or 15, possessed a slender frame, delicate yet striking brows, and a hint of wisdom within the clarity of their eyes, as if holding knowledge beyond their years.

After a brief moment of reflection, the youth raised their gaze, observing the three suns suspended in the sky simultaneously, wearing a bitter smile: had they truly transmigrated?

This youth, named Feng Zichen, was initially an ordinary high school student in Huaxia, living an unremarkable life on Earth. His days were no different from the tens of thousands of other high school students in Huaxia—marked by routine, with scarce hobbies beyond occasionally indulging in anime, novels, and sporadic attempts at writing.

He was the epitome of ordinary—a life destined to follow the conventional path of studying diligently until university, embarking into the workforce after four years, possibly stirring up some trouble, accumulating a bit of savings, finding an equally ordinary partner, starting a family, working together to sustain their household, raising a child into adulthood, witnessing them start their own families, and eventually fading into the tranquil realm of retirement. A life that mirrored a placid pond, devoid of ripples.

This was Feng Zichen's preordained life course until a short while ago, when his entire existence underwent a drastic transformation.

Transmigration—an inexplicable and mysterious occurrence that had befallen Feng Zichen, leaving him bewildered about what lay ahead. Panic? Understandably so. Excitement? To some extent, yes. But mostly, a profound sense of bewilderment—unsure of how to navigate this uncharted territory.

The word "alien" conjured visions from novels in Feng Zichen's past life—a place where survival meant abiding by the brutal law of the jungle, where the weak succumbed to the strong, where strength dictated the right to existence. Could a mere "mortal" like himself endure? Feng Zichen dared not entertain any notions of a protagonist's aura suddenly materializing around him, transforming him into the first martial expert in the world, dissuading all from wrongdoing and paving the way for a blissful life. That was the stuff of novels, not reality. And Feng Zichen now found himself in this harsh, uncompromising reality.

With a sigh, Feng Zichen grumbled discontentedly, "At the very least, as a transmigrator, shouldn't I have been granted some golden finger? Is the novel really deceptive…"

A sudden surge flooded Feng Zichen's mind, causing him excruciating pain, and he collapsed to the ground. His entire body convulsed in terror-inducing agony.

The intense pain arrived swiftly but subsided within moments. Feng Zichen, still pallid from the ordeal, hadn't quite regained composure when a series of enigmatic prompts echoed in his mind:

"Successfully transmigrated to Strange World-Xingchen Continent, System restarting…"

"System restart is complete, matched to host-Feng Zichen… System binding…"

"System binding is successful, loading Naruto World data is started… Loading is complete, System initialization is started…"

"Initialization is complete, Hokage Exchange System officially starts running… Didi ~ System runs for the first time, a novice gift package is issued, it has been automatically put into the backpack, please host as soon as possible…"

The succession of messages left Feng Zichen in a state of gradual shock. What did I just hear? System? Rewards? Could this be the long-awaited golden finger exclusive to transmigrators, finally awakening?

Suppressing the excitement swelling within, Feng Zichen trembled, shutting his eyes tight and concentrating on summoning the Hokage Exchange System in his mind. As per the novel's narrative, he could visualize it as long as the System remained silent within his thoughts.

To his immense anticipation, the mysterious golden finger—the Hokage Exchange System—indeed materialized. Gazing at the virtual light curtain that suddenly appeared, Feng Zichen couldn't hold back the tears streaming down his cheeks. "God has not forsaken me. I knew it, every transmigrator in the novel possesses a golden finger—a system, or an auspicious encounter, or perhaps an aged mentor concealed within an item on their person. Without it, there's no…"

Surveying the six imprints of the Hokage Exchange System displayed on the light screen, Feng Zichen brimmed with eagerness. He comprehended that this system was pivotal to his survival in a realm filled with martial experts. How potent could it be? Judging from the system's name, it should be related to Naruto from Earth.

Feng Zichen was no stranger to Naruto—in fact, he was intimately familiar. For a senior otaku, the passionate blood flowing through the series was essential knowledge. Among them, "Naruto" stood as one of the most defining works. Feng Zichen was obsessed with it. The dazzling Ninjutsu, potent Taijutsu, and enigmatic Illusion Techniques all captivated him. And the diverse Kekkei Genkai fascinated him with their formidable capabilities. Were they exceedingly powerful?

Wait… An idea struck Feng Zichen. This System was called the Hokage Exchange System. Could it possibly allow him to exchange for abilities from the Naruto World? Ninjutsu? Or Kekkei Genkai?

Pondering this possibility, excitement coursed through Feng Zichen. He gazed at the light curtain before him and queried eagerly, "System… Can I exchange for Ninjutsu in the Naruto World? Or perhaps something else? What exactly can I do?"

Driven by enthusiasm, Feng Zichen blurted out multiple inquiries. Fortunately, the System responded patiently:

"The primary function of this System is redemption! It offers everything in the Naruto World for redemption, except characters—Ninjutsu, Illusion Techniques, Taijutsu, various Ninja Tools, weapons, Kekkei Genkai, Summoned Beasts… and more, provided you possess adequate Redemption points. The operation is simple, managed either through thoughts, manual actions, or even voice commands—all at the host's discretion."

The surprise was immeasurable. Feng Zichen had initially assumed that the Hokage Exchange System only allowed exchanges for Ninjutsu or Kekkei Genkai. He didn't anticipate its immense potency, facilitating exchanges for all abilities within the Naruto World. Now reassured, even if he encountered numerous experts beyond this world, he felt confident with this System. After all, the might within the Naruto World was substantial. Amidst all the two-dimensional planes, it stood at the forefront, showcasing the likes of Six-Paths Madara and Otsutsuki Kaguya—entities capable of reshaping the world. With such a heaven-defying System, would he still fear survival in this alien world? That transmigrator should just end his own life.

Brimming with confidence, Feng Zichen tentatively tapped the light curtain. A ripple spread across it, revealing seven distinct segments—Ninjutsu, Illusion Techniques, Taijutsu, Ninja Tools, Kekkei Genkai, summons, and miscellaneous areas.

"How meticulously detailed," Feng Zichen mused, his excitement somewhat abating. He then accessed the Ninjutsu section, and as the light curtain flickered, a myriad of Ninjutsu materialized, overwhelming him with its vastness.

"Clone Jutsu, D-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 50; Body Substitution Jutsu, D-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 50; Fire-Style: Little Fireball, D-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 100…"

"Fire-Style: Great Fireball Jutsu, C-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 500; Wind-Style: Beast Palm, C-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 600; Lightning-Style: Dirt Walk, C-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 800; Wind-Style: Great Breakthrough, C-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 1000…"

"Earth-Style: Dragon Spear, B-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 5000; Shadow Clone Jutsu, B-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 8000; Water-Style: Water Wall, B-Rank Ninjutsu, Redemption points: 10,000…"

The countless Ninjutsu options overwhelmed Feng Zichen. Eager to learn them all, he was taken aback by the Redemption points listed beside each Ninjutsu. Then he glanced at the conspicuous zero points displayed above the Redemption points. Too destitute Aaaaaahhhh～

While Ninjutsu seemed appealing, they were far too costly. Even relatively basic ones required thousands of Redemption points. For instance, Naruto's signature Ninjutsu—the Rasengan—demanded a considerable number of points. Let alone the stronger S-Rank and Super S-Rank Forbidden Jutsu, the exchange points were astronomical.

Feng Zichen's initial excitement waned. True to the adage, there's no free lunch in the world; greater achievements demand greater investments. Even with the System at hand, he realized that without hard work, navigating this crisis-laden world might lead him down the sewers.