Year 2115, The New Japanese Federation, Tokyo.
Shinobu Ryuji inhaled deeply as he stood on top of one of Tokyo's tallest skyscrapers. The air was tainted with the scent of smoke, iron, and industrial waste which got filtered with his Nano Suit, a lingering reminder of the pollution that humanity had grown so fond of.
The people and the flying cars looked like ants as Ryuji stood atop them like an unholy God.
image [https://dreamimaginations.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Cyberpunk-Ninjas-On-Rooftops-AI-Artwork-16.jpg]
From his vantage point, he could see the sprawling metropolis stretching out before him, a mass of glimmering steel and neon lights that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. But amidst the chaos and urban decay, Ryuji dreamed of the fantasy world of Ninja Leaf that he wished that was born in.
He yearned for a place where nature flourished, where the air was fresh and the rivers ran crystal clear. In his mind, he envisioned a serene landscape with ancient cherry blossom trees lining peaceful paths, creating a haven of tranquility amidst the concrete jungle.
It's been forever since Ryuji had real meat instead of an artificial one. Or pure drinking water.
(I want to hurry up and finish this, so I can read the new issue of Ninja Leaf manga...)
As an S-ranked Hebigakure Shinobi, Ryuji loved the number one manga series in Japan, Ninja Leaf.
To him, being a Ninja wasn't just about having martial arts skills or a fancy Nano Ninja suit; it was something deeper. It was about discipline, focus, and dedication to the art of stealth and espionage. He believed that being a true Ninja meant embodying a way of life, a philosophy that went beyond physical abilities or gadgets.
Ninjutsu. The hidden arts used in the Ninja Leaf manga. Each time Ryuji put his head down on his pillow, he dreamed of himself using those techniques.
He wanted to blast his enemies with the fireballs he conjures with his Ninja Hand seals.
His suit possessed optic camouflage, but that was just boring. He wanted to use the wide variety of the Ninja Leaf jutsus to be stealthy.
"Ghost, find an entrance point." (Ryuji)
The suit spoke with a robotic female voice.
« Locating... Entrance point located. It is possible to enter safely from the eastern side. »
GHOST.
The highly advanced AI of the Special Nano Ninja Suit Mark II.
Ryuji swiftly positioned himself towards the eastern side and started descending using his special gloves, which granted him the ability to adhere to almost any surface at his command.
Through his red, honey comb textured visor he scanned the empty, abandoned conference room that once belonged to a large company. But from the way the papers and the chairs were scattered it was clear that this building was abandoned very quickly.
He took the small glass cutting blade from his waist belt and silently made a circular cut, careful not to alert the nearby sentries.
Without making any sound at all, Ryuji entered the dimly lit office.
« Multiple armed life signs detected. »
Of course, Ryuji knew about that. He was personally assigned to this low-ranked mission by the Hebigakure Kage himself.
A retrieval of a nuclear weapon blueprints stolen by the infamous terrorist organization Shinshinrikyo.
Without hesitating, Ryuji skillfully slid a small disc under the door, instantly delivering a powerful electric shock to the unsuspecting armed guard. With lightning speed, he swiftly pulled the incapacitated guard inside, leaving no trace of his presence.
Ryuji moved quickly through the dimly lit corridors, his mind focused on the task at hand. He had trained for this moment, and failure was not an option.
By using the properties of his Nano Suit, Ryuji easily bypassed the radio channel.
“This is Alpha-1, there are no issues.”
“No issues from Alpha-2.”
“No issues from Alpha-3.”
…
“Alpha-4, respond.”
Alpha-4. This must be the guy I took down.
“This is Alpha-4. No issues present.” (Ryuji)
(They didn’t suspect anything. How lucky.)
Thanks to his sensors, Ryuji located the single guard who was taking a bathroom break. He thought he was probably paired with the guy he had captured earlier, who was now tied up in the office Ryuji entered.
« Cloak Engaged. »
With his optic camouflage, Ryuji became completely invisible, making it impossible for the cameras to detect him.
He then silently entered the bathroom to take out the guard. Looking below, Ryuji spotted him easily and entered the cabin from above.
The guard, however, wasn't taking a shit. He was simply sitting there and scrolling through a manga through a mobile app while literally escaping from work.
Ryuji immediately recognized the manga the guard was reading and decided to have some fun.
(This guy also likes Ninja Leaf... What a small world.)
“Hoo— So you are in the Shinobi War arc, huh?” (Ryuji)
“Hoho— Amazing, isn’t it? This arc is on a different level after all!” (Guard)
The guard replied nonchalantly as he scrolled down the manga pages on the screen with his thumb. He ironically did not notice there was an actual Shinobi behind him.
“How nice~, I loved how Uchibe Mataga manhandled all those Shinobi by himself…” (Ryuji)
“Hee— You know your stuff man! My favorite part is when Mataga summoned a giant meteor!” (Guard)
...
The guard turned slowly, his eyes widening at the sight of a man clad in a dark-red Nano Suit. Before him stood a figure with a visor shaped like a wasp's head.
"NIN-" (Guard)
-Bonk!-
Ryuji swiftly knocked the guard unconscious with a gentle karate chop to the neck without killing him. He did not like killing unless it was necessary.
He quickly tied up the guard after removing his earpiece and gun, not wanting to arouse any more suspicions. The last thing he needed was to engage in a full-blown confrontation.
Ryuji could've easily come out alive of a confrontation, however his job was to be stealthy and remain unseen.
He wouldn't be a Ninja if he were to charge the guards head on.
"You really need to start looking for a new job..." (Ryuji)
He said before leaving the bathroom to continue his mission.
Using a minimap integrated into his HUD, Ryuji located the room that kept the nuclear weapon blueprints.
(I wonder why they chose me for this mission though... A team of three Chūnin Shinobi could've easily handled this mission instead of an S-Ranked Jōnin like me. What was the Kage thinking?)
Navigating through the dimly lit corridors, Ryuji silently slipped past patrolling guards with the expertise of a master Shinobi. As he neared the heavily guarded door of the room, Ryuji quickly dispatched the duo of armed guards without making his presence known.
He made sure to disable the security system as well, not leaving any traces of his intrusion. With the guards defeated and the room now unguarded, Ryuji put his hand on the door handle, startled by the warning given by GHOST.
« Unidentified Great Source of Energy Detected. »
(Huh? I've never heard of such a warning.)
As Ryuji stepped into the room with metallic walls, a chilling shiver ran down his spine, causing an unsettling sensation to course through his muscular body underneath his Nano Suit.
He instinctively drew his black Ninjato blade that was sheathed on his back upon seeing the single person standing in the middle of the room, holding the nuclear blueprints in her steel-shod hand.
"An explosive device using a nuclear fission. How primitive."
A cold, emotionless voice caused Ryuji's adrenaline glands to overclock.
"W-Who are you..." (Ryuji)
The blueprints abruptly caught fire, turning into ash within the grasp of the woman in armor.
As a part-time NEET and Otaku, Ryuji immediately recognized what the mysterious woman did.
(Magic?!)
She was wearing armor, however it was nothing like Ryuji has ever seen before. It resembled a European Medieval Era type of armor, almost fantasy type with the intricate ornaments that were drawn on the armor, which were emitting a subtle, golden hued light.
And her hair— It was long and lustrous as it reached all the way to her ankles in the form of a thick, single braid. The color of her hair was whiter than anything Ryuji has ever seen, almost burning with white flames. It was just like her armor, emitting a subtle glow that created a beautiful unison with her silver-like armor.
Ryuji's mind raced as he tried to make sense of this seemingly impossible situation before he blurted out, struggling to keep his composure.
"Are you some kind of cosplayer?" (Ryuji)
Ryuji felt another chill, this time even colder as the woman turned to him, her gaze piercing through him through the visor of her ornate helmet. Two glowing golden orbs flickering with light within the absolute darkness.
Suddenly, the reinforced glass behind the woman shattered, etching streaks into the vibrant colors of the Tokyo night that sprawled behind her.
"Answer. That is irrelevant, Shinobu Ryuji, Tenacious One. After all, you have died the moment you stepped into this room. It is your destiny."
« Warning. Cosmic Radiation Detected. »
(What?!)
"What are you talking about?! What do you mean by Tenacious One?" (Ryuji)
Ryuji brought his blade before him, assuming a defensive stance. Though deep down he knew that it was futile. What stood before him was something humanity cannot hope to win against. His sharp instincts told Ryuji that whatever he does, he is not going to leave this room alive.
(Then I must strike her down... This whole city will die with radiation!)
Ryuji took a step forward, and felt the sharp pain pass through his body. It was getting harder to breathe for him. The air around him felt so heavy that it could crush him.
He felt a surge of warmth inside, anger boiling up within him. Or was it his organs being dissolved by the radiation?
"Do not worry about the lives of the innocents. The energy I am releasing to kill you is contained within the barrier I've formed."
This time Ryuji heard the woman in his head, as if she was projecting her thoughts into his mind.
(She's reading my mind?!)
"Head for Guiria for the answers you seek."
"Guiria? What are you talki-" (Ryuji)
His words got cut off by the sound of the mysterious being's steel-shod boot being planted on the ground.
As the woman took a step forward, Ryuji's suit began to heat up and eventually turned off, overwhelmed by the extreme amounts of energy.
His body suddenly went limp, and he collapsed to the ground, blood seeping from his eyes, nose, ears, and mouth. Warm blood filled inside his helmet as Ryuji's body twitched before all of his senses shut down.
The world around him dissolved into darkness and silence as his consciousness slipped away. It was an eerie feeling, like being pulled into an abyss with no hope of return.
(I'm dead...? If I only had more power...)
"We shall meet again, Tenacious One."