The ground trembled slightly as the towering minotaur stepped into the clearing, its crimson eyes locked onto Saji. The beast stood over nine feet tall, its thick muscles rippling with each breath, and in its left hand, it gripped a massive stone axe soaked in dried blood. Saji stared up at it, a mix of irritation and disbelief settling over his features.
"Just what I needed," Saji muttered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "A fucking minotaur. Great."
With a frustrated sigh, he raised his hand, electricity crackling to life in his palm. The air around him grew charged, and in a blinding flash, he released a bolt of lightning that roared through the clearing and slammed directly into the monster.
But to his shock, the minotaur barely flinched. The attack washed over its thick hide like a splash of water, and with a menacing grin, the creature let out a guttural laugh that echoed through the trees.
Saji's expression hardened. "Why you… Alright then. Let's see how you like this."
He spread his hands apart, summoning the flames of the Mera Mera no Mi into one palm and lightning from the Goro Goro no Mi into the other. The two elements swirled together, forming a sphere of devastating energy. With a roar, Saji launched the combined attack.
The resulting explosion engulfed the minotaur, shaking the forest and blasting it backward through several trees. Smoke and fire clouded the area. Saji narrowed his eyes, waiting… hoping. The minotaur emerged once more, battered and smoking—but still alive.
"Seriously…?"
He was just about to resume his attack when his instincts screamed at him—Danger! Behind you!
Too late.
A sharp, agonizing pain tore through his back, then his chest. Blood gushed from the deep gash as the weapon tore through muscle and shattered bone. He collapsed to the ground, vision blurring as warmth spilled across his skin. He tried to breathe, but it felt like he was drowning in blood.
He was dying.
Saji's thoughts raced. Memories of his old life—of being weak, lazy, alone—flooded his mind. Then came flashes of this body's past: the underground fight pits, the desperate battles, the raw will to survive. His heart, or what was left of it, throbbed with the desire to live.
Saji's POV
No… No! I'm not dying here! Not like this. I got a second chance at life and I haven't even started living it yet! I refuse to die!
Suddenly, something awakened within him.
A surge of power erupted in his core, racing through his veins like wildfire. His heterochromatic eyes shifted—one violet, the other crimson—both now shone blood red, each bearing three tomoe. The Sharingan had awakened.
Then came the cold.
The world around him shifted. A sudden drop in temperature swept through the forest. Frost spread rapidly, blanketing the trees and earth in ice. The very air crystallized.
The minotaur, charging with its axe raised, froze mid-motion—literally. In an instant, it was encased in a thick layer of shimmering ice.
Saji stood up, his body knitting itself back together, muscles and bones regenerating, blood flow halting. His heart beat strong once more.
He opened his mouth and exhaled a cloud of icy mist, then raised his arms. From his wrists, two large bone blades erupted, pure white and razor sharp. Without hesitation, he flashed forward and sliced the frozen minotaur into dozens of pieces. The creature shattered, leaving behind only a glowing crystal core.
Breathing heavily, Saji stood in the frozen ruins of the battlefield.
"…The Sharingan," he murmured, eyes flicking with intensity. "And the Shikotsumyaku… I awakened them both. That explains the bones…"
He glanced down at his arms. The bone blades retracted smoothly back into his body, disappearing without a scar. It didn't even hurt. He clenched his fists, a grin spreading across his lips. He was evolving.
Then—ding!
A loud system notification echoed in his mind, followed by a blaring alarm. A translucent screen appeared before his eyes, glowing blue with gold lettering.
> Emergency Quest Activated!
Objective: Save the second princess of the Beltrum Kingdom and a boy named Rio. Escort them safely back to the royal capital.
Rewards:
1000 Gold Coins
1000 Silver Coins
2 S-Rank Ninjutsu Scrolls
A map has been generated. Targets are marked:
🟦 Rio
🟪 Princess of Beltrum
Saji studied the map as the locations glowed, showing a nearby district outlined in red.
"So... I've gone from fighting a minotaur to babysitting royalty, huh?" he muttered, then cracked his knuckles. "Let's see what kind of chaos this world throws at me next."
He accepted the quest.
With a deep breath, he turned toward the blinking markers on the map and began sprinting through the snow-covered forest. Ice crunched beneath his feet as the newly awakened power surged through his body.
The real adventure was just beginning.