NOVEL NEXT Chapter 17: Shock point farming
"You... useless parasite of a system," Itachi muttered, his voice low but venomous. "First, you drain my Shock Points, then you tell me my survival odds are lower than a genin's against a tailed beast. What exactly do you exist for?"
The smug cat avatar materialized, lounging lazily in the corner of the interface.
[Host seems upset. Perhaps an Advanced Stress Relief Potion—just 15,000 Shock Points—would help.]
Itachi's eyebrow twitched violently. "If I wanted relief, I'd summon a real cat."
[Bold words for someone who relies on me for survival. But I digress. Shall we review strategies for the Phenex fight? Premium upgrades are now available for—]
Itachi cut the System off with a sharp wave of his hand. "Enough. If I'm going to beat them, I need Shock Points. And if I need Shock Points, I need to be... outrageous. Irrational, even."
The cat perked up, its whiskers twitching with amusement.
[Now you're speaking my language, Host.]
Before the System could continue, Itachi muttered, "Deactivate," silencing it.
---
Appearing on the rooftop of a high-rise building, Itachi considered his first move. He decided to return the gold bars he had stolen from various nations. With the help of Shadow Clone Jutsu and the teleportation capabilities granted by the ninja villages he had established using the System, Itachi began his mission.
Under the cover of darkness, he infiltrated vaults across the globe with surgical precision, replacing the stolen gold. Each bar was restored without a trace, ensuring that the return remained as mysterious as the theft.
---
The Next Morning
News outlets exploded with the story.
"Phantom Thief Returns Millions in Stolen Wealth Overnight!"
In a luxury apartment in Cairo, an elderly woman held a shining gold bar returned to her bank. "A miracle," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.
In the United States, billions of dollars' worth of gold reappeared in bank vaults. Bank staff, who had feared for their jobs, wept with relief.
---
[Shock Points Earned: 4,500,000.]
Itachi smirked faintly as the notification appeared. "That's a start."
---
Next, Itachi targeted the British Museum, infamous for housing artifacts taken during colonial conquests. Under the cover of night, he bypassed advanced security systems. His Sharingan subdued the guards with harmless genjutsu, and his speed ensured no cameras captured his movements.
One by one, iconic artifacts such as the Rosetta Stone, the Koh-i-Noor diamond, and Egyptian mummies disappeared. Over the next few days, these treasures were returned to their rightful countries, delivered to cultural institutions and governments.
The media frenzy reached a fever pitch.
"Cultural Treasures Restored: Who Is the Phantom Restorer?"
"Legend or Vigilante? The Mysterious Savior of Stolen Heritage!"
Reporter 1: "The Rosetta Stone has been returned to Egypt. This raises questions about the ethical implications of artifact ownership and colonial history."
Reporter 2: "The Koh-i-Noor diamond is back in India. Who is this hero, and why are they acting now?"
The British Museum, however, condemned the act:
"This theft undermines our cultural heritage. We vow to recover these artifacts."
---
[Shock Points Earned: 15,000,000.]
Over the next two days, Itachi dismantled terrorist organizations across the globe. Operating in the shadows, he eliminated leaders, dismantled cells, and disrupted supply chains with ruthless efficiency.
Reporter 1: "Shadowy Figure Dismantles Global Terror Networks. Governments worldwide are calling this a miracle."
Reporter 2: "Anonymous vigilante achieves what militaries couldn't. Is this the rise of a new era of justice?"
---
[Shock Points Earned: 25,000,000.]
With the supernatural world on notice, Itachi turned his focus to rogue devils and remnants of the Old Satan Faction. His attacks were swift and devastating, toppling high-class devils and ultimate-class threats alike.
---
[Shock Points Earned: 10,500,000.]
The night before his duel, Itachi faced a powerful ultimate-class Fallen Angel deep within a forest. The battle was fierce, pushing him to his limits. Though his arm was shattered, the angel fell.
Leaning against a tree, bloodied but victorious, Itachi tapped the glowing interface.
---
[Shock Points Earned: 500,000.]
[Total Shock Points: 55,000,000.]
---
Itachi activated the System's inquiry and security system for some answers.
The cat avatar reappeared, beaming smugly.
[Congratulations, Host. You've outdone yourself. You are now qualified for all premium features.]
Itachi exhaled, exhaustion evident. "I don't need premium features. Tell me my survival odds against the Phenex after I polish my skills."
[With Host's current chakra, your survival odds are 13%.]
"What about with EMS and Kage-level chakra?"
[56%.]
Itachi frowned. "Explain how I lose."
[You will not lose against the Phenex family, and with your skills, if you are lucky, you could kill even a peak ultimate-class being like Grayfia. But the problem lies in escaping the underworld alive.]
"You know how to avoid death, right?"
[Of course, but it will cost you: 135 million Shock Points.]
Itachi's face darkened. "How convenient. Let me guess—you're offering me a loan?"
[Indeed, up to 100 million Shock Points at a modest interest rate!]
Itachi laughed, seeing through the System's ploy. Despite its schemes, he knew he wouldn't bow so easily. Instead, he focused on extracting valuable information unrelated to his fight against the Phenex family for a fraction of the cost.
By spending just 1.2 million Shock Points, Itachi scammed the System, gaining critical insights and avoiding its traps. The knowledge he got was invaluable, as he had never thought he could gain Shock Points like that.
He glanced at the price of summoning tailed beasts: 100 million Shock Points for Shukaku alone. The System had clearly intended to lure him into using one during the duel, an act that would only increase the risks to his life.
Itachi leaned back, his mind racing. "I'll win on my terms, not yours."
The System's silence was telling.