Seriously? I’ve reached Jōnin level, and the system’s only shows up?

The wind howled across the desert, carrying clouds of sand that swept through the ancient city of Rōran, its towering walls built from heavy stone.

At the very heart of the city stood the Queen's residence, rising taller and more grand than any other structure around it.

Inside, the current Queen of Rōran—dressed in a patchwork linen robe, her delicate features calm and focused—was carefully tallying the city's recent expenses on a sheet of animal hide, using a crude charcoal pen.

Suddenly, a soft hum echoed in her ears—a sound only she could hear, coming from the Dragon Vein.

Her heart skipped a beat. A faint lavender glow flickered in her eyes. Moments later, the tension on her face melted away like snow under the sun, replaced by a quiet smile.

"...Sand and storm collide, under the blazing glory of the shining sun… petals flutter through the air, golden light passed through time… severing the darkness, life blooms once more…"

The gentle lullaby carried across the ancient city of Rōran, reaching the ears of nearly every resident.

The sandstorm today was particularly fierce, so most of the townspeople had chosen to stay indoors. Listening quietly to their queen's soft, melodic singing, peaceful smiles unconsciously formed on their faces.

They didn't know when—or even if—the prophecy in the lyrics would ever come true.

But they could feel it.

Their queen… was in a very good mood today.

Her song, always filled with deep affection for this land and her people, carried an unmissable joy this time. Excitement. Anticipation.

Their tireless, devoted queen…

They all hoped she could feel this happy every day.

...

Out in the desert beyond Rōran's walls, Yamanaka Shinno stood on a dune, gazing at the city nestled in the sand.

A slight smile tugged at his lips.

He didn't disturb the beloved queen. Instead, he turned and vanished into the vast sea of sand.

...

"Kill them all!"

"Damn those bastards from the Mizukami clan! Don't let their bugs get close!"

"Ahhh—hel—!"

"What the hell is that?! Retreat! Retreat now!"

"Help! Somebody help me!"

The warring chaos of the Warring States Era raged on. Blood and violence were the background noise of this age.

Shinobi with powerful jutsu—clans steeped in secret arts—had long since become weapons in the hands of feudal lords and nobles.

To the powerful, commoners were just tools for profit. Land was a symbol of status and wealth.

And their greed knew no end.

The nobles used shinobi clans like chess pieces, manipulating them to fight endless battles for profit—protecting their holdings, seizing the property of rival lords.

"So this is their strength..."

Floating high in the sky, over a thousand meters above the battlefield, Yamanaka Shinno hovered silently, observing the carnage below while in Sage Mode.

Endless skirmishes seemed to be the norm of this time. Fights every few days, deaths every few more. It was no wonder shinobi were so hardened.

Even if the chakra usage of adult ninja here was somewhat crude—limited by the times—their sheer combat prowess was undeniable.

After watching one intense battle between dozens of combatants, Shinno activated the "Yachihoko" seal etched into his left arm with a pulse of chakra, locking onto Uchiha Hikari's location and speeding off in her direction.

Thanks to the abundant Dragon Vein energy flowing through him, even though he wasn't native to this era and had traveled far from the source, he estimated he could remain in this time for about a month.

And when he returned to his original timeline, only one minute would have passed.

A whole month of borrowed time... He might as well enjoy it a little.

...

In the Uchiha clan's dungeon—

Deep underground, inside a cell carved with layers of intricate sealing techniques, Uchiha Hikari sat curled up in a dark corner, arms wrapped around her knees.

Suddenly, she lifted her head, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

That feeling… it was the "Yachihoko" seal, no doubt about it. Her seal. But… why did it feel like it was active in both directions?

She could sense the other person's chakra, their location. Even more bizarre—she could draw chakra from them, and vice versa.

What kind of nonsense was this?

The "Yachihoko" seal wasn't meant to kill or restrain. It had no actual combat function. When did she even place this seal on someone else?

Was this some kind of genjutsu?

No—that couldn't be. No one could trap her in a genjutsu.

Then... was it a new technique her enemies developed? A method meant to break her?

"Hmm… First time we're meeting—how do I even introduce myself?"

The voice echoed in her mind, unfamiliar yet strangely casual.

A radiant, ghost-like figure—dressed in bizarre clothes, with a handsome face and a bright smile—suddenly appeared in her consciousness, linked through the Yachihoko connection.

"!!!"

A cold shiver raced up her spine. Every instinct screamed danger.

Uchiha Hikari's killing intent exploded.

The pressure was so intense that the two Uchiha guards stationed outside the cell immediately broke into a cold sweat, frozen in place.

Clang!

"The hell's going on in there?! You planning to skip your meal again?!"

One of the guards, clearly irritated by his own fear, lashed out. With a snarl, he kicked the cell door and cracked his whip at the figure curled up in the corner.

Snap—

Hikari raised her head.

In her eyes, the crimson glow of the Mangekyō Sharingan burst to life.

Her right hand moved like lightning, catching the whip midair. With a flick of her wrist, she wrapped it tightly around her arm.

The chakra-restraining seal around her body shattered like glass, unable to hold against the overwhelming flow of chakra pouring in from afar.

...

The whip-wielding Uchiha didn't even have time to react before he was slammed into the cell door with bone-cracking force.

The next second, a slender hand reached through the bars.

Fingers like blades—chakra surging at their tips—pierced straight through his throat.

Squelch.

Blood sprayed across the dungeon floor.

Her eyes still glowing with her Mangekyō Sharingan, Uchiha Hikari calmly turned toward the second guard—now paralyzed with fear.

Before he could move, her genjutsu snapped into place.

His pupils dilated. With a strangled gasp, he grabbed his own throat and collapsed to the ground, twitching.

Thud. Thud.

Two bodies. Silence once more.

Uchiha Hikari stood in the cell, her expression unreadable.

She didn't even glance at the corpses as their life faded away.

In her mindscape, the two soul projections stood face to face—one small and cautious, the other tall and relaxed.

Hikari studied the unfamiliar man who had just taken control of her body.

His spiritual presence was overwhelming.

His chakra—stronger, more terrifying than anyone she had ever encountered.

This guy...

She couldn't beat him.

"How do I even explain... I'm here to save you?"

Yamanaka Shinno scratched his head, wondering if he should just show her some of her future memories with genjutsu to make his point.

As for those two guards he just helped take out?

Well, since Uchiha Hikari clearly existed in the future and history hadn't collapsed because of it, he figured—why not?

Might as well go with the flow.

...

Hikari's soul quietly stepped closer.

She stared at him for a long moment. Then, without a word, she reached out and took his hand.

She didn't need to say anything. The gesture said enough.

Clack—

The dungeon door creaked open.

Sunlight spilled into the dim cell, illuminating the space with a sudden, almost blinding brightness.

Uchiha Hikari lifted her gaze toward the man standing at the entrance.

His face, his posture—he was exactly the same as the one in her mind.

She could feel the chakra radiating from him—warm, full of life.

Without realizing it, she stepped closer to the door.

----------------

Pls Drop some Power Stones

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