The Game Merchant Who Started from the Ninja World

Chapter 28: Chibaku Tensei

"Any item can be exchanged?"

Even after witnessing the rampaging Susanoo with her own eyes, Konan remained skeptical.

She had money—lots of it.

The Akatsuki was no longer a ragtag group surviving in the shadows of Amegakure. It had become a massive power capable of shaking the entire ninja world.

Controlling the entire treasury of the Land of Rain, and with powerful Akatsuki members constantly collecting funds—often by any means necessary—the organization's financial resources had already surpassed even the Five Great Ninja Villages.

And all of it was at Konan's disposal.

So money wasn't a concern. She could easily fork out millions just to test the mysterious merchant's claims.

[Dance of the Shikigami (Trial Version)]: B-rank ninjutsu. Allows the user to transform their body into paper fragments and manipulate paper freely. Price: 100 reward points.

"A trial version costs ten million? How overpriced…"

The usually expressionless Konan actually frowned at the listed price.

Her Paper Release was essentially a highly advanced form of ninja tool manipulation. Few could master it due to its difficulty.

But to see it priced this high…

A money-grab?

She couldn't help but think—the merchant really did resemble the Akatsuki. A secretive force growing stronger from the shadows through relentless resource gathering.

She completed the exchange.

A light sensation spread through her body. Her porcelain-like skin split into countless fine seams, as if her entire form was made of layered paper.

A pair of pristine white paper wings unfurled from her back.

She tested her control. Everything responded perfectly. As a trial version, it didn't even consume chakra.

With a flap of her wings,

Konan floated two meters into the air. When she looked around, her eyes were filled with shock.

"How is this possible?"

The feel of using ninjutsu, the feedback to her senses—it was all flawless.

Genjutsu interfered with an enemy's five senses using chakra to create illusions, tricking them into misperceiving reality.

The more realistic and complex the illusion, the greater the strain on the caster's mental energy.

Konan remained silent, waiting for the mysterious merchant to show signs of exhaustion. That would be her moment to break free of the illusion.

A genjutsu powerful enough to manipulate the five senses of hundreds of people couldn't possibly last long.

But… it just kept getting more convincing.

She had thought the Mangekyō Sharingan earlier was merely for show—that a rookie like Sasuke wouldn't even realize it was fake.

But now, even her most familiar secret technique, Paper Release, had been recreated without a flaw.

When had such a terrifying genjutsu master appeared in the ninja world?

Until this moment, she had refused to believe in a game that could grant any wish.

[Rinnegan (Trial Version)]: A special dojutsu of the Ōtsutsuki Clan, rumored to control life, death, and reincarnation. Price: 5,000 reward points.

"Ōtsutsuki?"

Konan's eyes narrowed in confusion.

The Rinnegan was supposed to be her friend's unique eye technique. Why did this merchant say it was tied to some clan?

Wasn't Nagato the orphan of the Uzumaki Clan?

"Just trying it costs five hundred million… As expected, the Rinnegan truly surpasses all other eyes."

She glanced at the frenzied-looking Sasuke, and couldn't help feeling a twinge of pride.

Even if she knew such comparisons were meaningless, humans were strange creatures—emotions always crept in.

"If he can even mimic the Rinnegan…"

Konan closed her eyes.

When she opened them again, a terrifying energy fluctuation burst from her sockets.

Wave-like rings expanded from her purple irises, radiating overwhelming pressure.

The legendary Sage who founded the ninja era was said to have eyes like this—rippling rings that earned him the title of "god."

And now, they appeared openly before everyone.

"Chibaku Tensei!"

Konan didn't hesitate. Trial time was limited. She clapped her hands together and unleashed the most powerful Rinnegan technique she remembered.

Chakra whipped into a storm.

A black sphere of highly condensed chakra floated slowly upward.

Everyone could feel its pull—as if their souls were about to be ripped from their bodies.

"Is she insane?"

"What kind of exchange costs that much? That's terrifying!"

"My soul feels like it's being torn apart—help!"

Among the players,

Only Sasuke, whose Mangekyō trial hadn't expired yet, could block the force with Susanoo.

The rest—ninja and civilian alike—were pulled into the air by the gravitational force.

Buzz.

A gentle energy wave spread out, and all players were wrapped in a golden protective barrier.

Fang Yi looked helplessly at the commotion caused by the cold and stoic woman.

Good thing he had sensed the Rinnegan trial being activated. Otherwise, a bunch of players would have been sealed by Chibaku Tensei.

Helplessness aside, he felt proud.

The woman who once weaponized an ocean of explosive tags… she didn't hold back.

The ground of the massive plaza tore open.

Soil and stone exploded upward, drawn toward the black core. In the sky above, a massive sphere resembling the moon began to form.

"It's real…"

Konan felt chills up her spine as the power surged within her.

She had known what the Rinnegan could do. But seeing and feeling it for herself were two completely different experiences.

This… was godlike power.

As the trial ended, the Rinnegan vanished.

Konan landed gently back on the now-restored plaza floor. Her gaze toward the mysterious merchant was filled with awe.

So this… was the game that could change fate?

Though she hated to admit it, everything she had just experienced had shattered the very limits of illusion.

And the man floating in the sky like a giant statue…

possessed power even greater than Nagato.

He had spoken the truth. He really could create anything—

even the Rinnegan that made Nagato a god.

Konan looked up at the brilliant figure, light pouring into her eyes.

Could such a being truly know the answer to peace?

The thought slipped from her lips before she could stop it.

"Who is she? Did I hear that right?"

"Peace?"

"No wonder she got to try out such insane abilities… Is she some noble's daughter? So naïve…"

Most of the civilians showed confusion.

To them, the world was ruled by noble subsidies and the spectacle of flashy ninjutsu.

Whether robbed by rogue ninja or oppressed by aristocrats, they were powerless—like worms in the soil.

Their idea of peace? Just enough food to survive.

The ninja scoffed even more.

Wars had raged for centuries. Even after the Warring States Era, the scale of conflict between nations had only grown.

Almost every ninja had lost friends or family.

To them, peace was just a bedtime story.

Sure, they might joke about it over barbecue every now and then,

but no one had ever expected someone to seriously ask about peace in a moment like this.

"Yes. If you truly are a god… then tell me the answer to peace. That's the item I wish to exchange for."

Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.

Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Frank10