CHAPTER 38:A Friend from the Distant Past

I woke up in darkness, a void where my thoughts seemed to drift aimlessly. The last thing I remembered was the blinding explosion. I had taken the money to kill Hiro, and I had no idea that the same people who made me kill Hiro set a trap, instead of triumph, I had found myself on the receiving end of an explosive mine.

Then, everything faded to black. As darkness enveloped me, I felt a strange sensation-a pull, as if being drawn into another world.

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in the void again. I lay on the cold, hard ground, the pain in my chest throbbing with each heartbeat. My vision blurred as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. Moments earlier, I had been counting a hefty sum of cash, my reward for killing Hiro.

But now I found myself somewhere else, a translucent screen hovered before me, displaying a message that felt like a divine decree:

System Activated.

Welcome, Marcus. You have been granted a second chance.

I stared at the screen, disbelief mingling with curiosity. "What is this? Where am I?" I muttered.

You have been chosen for a mission: to correct the plotline of this world by eliminating Hiro.

My heart raced as memories flooded back. Hiro-my friend, my ally, and the man I had betrayed for money. I remembered the look of confusion and pain in his eyes after I pulled the trigger. He had no idea it was me who shot him.

You have been granted a system to aid you in your mission. Complete tasks and earn system points to level up your skills and jutsus. Your ultimate mission is to eliminate Hiro permanently.

A series of prompts appeared on the screen, detailing the system's functions as a flood of knowledge poured into my mind. This was a different world, a world called Naruto reminding me of the anime from my world.

My goal was clear: kill Hiro once again.But this time, I had the advantage of a powerful system that would guide me and provide me with the tools necessary to accomplish my mission.

My mind raced as I read through the information. I could gain system points for interrupting the timeline that Hiro had changed and by killing individuals who were not crucial to the timeline of the Naruto world. These points could be used to learn and enhance various skills and buy jutsus from the system store.

The system granted me points for every task and kill, which I could use to level up my skills and learn new jutsu. It was a game, a deadly game, and I was determined to win.

System Points Available: 1000

Over the years, I honed my abilities, mastering wind, fire, and earth styles. My chakra reserves had grown to Kage level, and I had a unique technique that allowed me to blend into the shadows, making me almost undetectable. I could stand behind someone and remain invisible to their senses.

I observed Hiro from the shadows, watching as he integrated himself into Konoha, forming alliances and gaining strength. He had no idea that his former friend was lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.

As I continued to gather strength, I reflected on my past. I had once been Hiro's friend, but greed and betrayal had led me down a dark path. Now, with the system's guidance, I had become a formidable force in the Naruto world, known us the "Unseen" a title granted to me by the hidden villages because no one has seen me yet but my kills proving my existence.

My system displayed my progress, showcasing the skills I had mastered:

System Points Available: 1000

Skills Purchased:

1. Dust Release

2. Wood Release

3. Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation

4. Wind Style: Rasenshuriken

5. Earth Style: Earthquake Slam

These were formidable abilities, each one capable of turning the tide in a battle. Dust Release allowed me to disintegrate anything it touched. Wood Release gave me the power to control and create wood, a rare and versatile ability. The other elemental jutsu added to my arsenal, making me a force to be reckoned with.

But the real gift came in the form of a new technique: Shadow Phantom (Limbo). Unlike Madara's Rinnegan-based Limbo, this version allowed me to create invisible clones and become invisible myself, though for only a few minutes at a time even though I'm still trying to master this technique to perfection. It was perfect for stealth and assassination, making me a ghost in the shadows, unseen and deadly.

I had spent years mastering these abilities, hiding in the shadows, gathering strength while observing Hiro. He had no idea I was here, watching his every move, waiting for the right moment to strike.

One day, while using Shadow Phantom to spy on Pain and the Akatsuki, I sensed a disturbance. Pain, or rather Nagato, must have felt something too. I moved closer, blending into the shadows, almost undetectable.

Pain stood alone in his hidden chamber, the other Paths of Pain dispersed elsewhere. Suddenly, he turned, eyes narrowing as if he could sense my presence. I stepped out of the shadows, my mask concealing my face.

"Who are you?" Pain's voice was cold and demanding.

"My identity is not that important, you'll come to know of me soon but right now, I want to collaborate," I replied, my voice a whisper that seemed to echo in the chamber. "To kill the Ashura Demon."

Pain's eyes widened slightly before he unleashed an Almighty Push. The force hit me, but I stood my ground, merely flinching as if it was nothing.

Pain's expression turned from surprise to interest as Marcus took the his attack although not at full power. "Impressive. How do I contact you?"

"You don't," I said, my voice firm. "I'll come to you when the time is right. And one more thing, Pain-be wary of Madara."

With that, I activated Shadow Phantom and disappeared from sight. Nagato's Rinnegan scanned the area, but I was already gone, hidden in the limbo between worlds.

I continued to observe Hiro from the shadows, my skills growing sharper with each passing day. The system fed me missions and granted me points for eliminating targets that did not significantly affect the timeline of this world.

System Points Earned: 50000

New Skills Purchased:

1. Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence

2. Wind Style: Vacuum Wave

3. Earth Style: Petrification

My chakra reserves had grown to Peak Kage level, my strength unparalleled but I knew I had to be more powerful than that to end Hiro, the Ashura Demon. I was an invisible phantom, moving through the world unseen, my presence only a whisper on the wind.

Hiro was the ultimate mission, the final piece of the puzzle.

I had betrayed him once in our world, shooting him for money, a betrayal he never saw coming. Now, in this world, I was the one to end him again. The system had granted me a purpose, a mission to correct the plotline of this world.

Every move I made was calculated, every action precise. I watched as Hiro grew stronger, his influence in Konoha expanding. But no matter how powerful he became, he would never see me coming.

One evening, I observed Hiro from a distance as he trained with Naruto. The boy showed promise, and Hiro's guidance was shaping him into a formidable ninja. I couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia, remembering the times Hiro and I had watched the anime together.

But those memories were fleeting. My purpose was clear. The system had given me a mission, and I would not fail.

Ultimate Mission: Eliminate Hiro

Reward: Access to other worlds and a return to Earth

The promise of power and freedom was tantalizing. I would become stronger, capable of traversing worlds, even returning to our own. But first, Hiro had to die.

As the sun set over Konoha, I melted back into the shadows, a silent phantom biding his time. The moment would come when Hiro would face his end, and I would be the unseen hand that delivered it. Until then, I watched and waited, the system my guide and my strength.