[Query] What happened to the Cyberpunk world, System? Where did you bring me?
There's no problem. This is indeed the world of Cyberpunk 2077, it's just that the time is a 'little bit' earlier.
A little bit earlier?
Schwarzer really wanted to ask just how much a 'little bit' was. This place was a wasteland and looked nothing like the Cyberpunk she had imagined.
She tried to capture surrounding signals, only to discover global radio silence. The air was dead silent… without a single trace of technology.
System, be honest with me. What world did you really send me to?
It is indeed Cyberpunk 2077. However, the current year is 1077.
?
Cyberpunk 1077? A thousand years before the story even starts?
Don't worry, Host. A thousand years is just a nap for you, and it's enough time for me to complete my repairs.
By the time you wake up, Night City will have long been built. You can go hang out with David or V then, the System quickly explained.
Hearing this, Schwarzer didn't say any more. As long as everything was within the System's expectations and not some accident, it was fine.
According to her scan of the Earth, her current location was in Japan.
In other words, it was the Heian period. Schwarzer had no interest in this era. Better to just take a nap and fast-forward to Night City.
Just as she was thinking this, the Cursed Energy within her body stirred. A vast amount of negative emotion in this world resonated with it, drawing Schwarzer's attention to a village below.
[Confusion] The negative emotions and Cursed Energy in this world are even denser than in Jujutsu Kaisen. This is absurd.
Schwarzer sensed the thick aura of negativity. Should she say, as expected of a world that would develop into Cyberpunk? The negative emotions permeating the air were dozens of times richer than in the previous world.
However, it was of no use to her. The effect of Cursed Energy on her soul's restoration was limited, and the fruit of Cursed Energy she held was already sufficient; any more would be meaningless.
She needed to find her own soul fragments, or perhaps find some more powerful force, something like Getter Rays…
The negative emotion down there is too extreme. It's even more terrifying than The All-Evil of this World from before.
The System, however, quickly realized something was wrong and alerted Schwarzer.
More extreme than The All-Evil of this World? Is there another master here?
Hearing this piqued her interest. That entity had been the culmination of all human negativity from the world of Jujutsu Kaisen. Could this really surpass that?
Schwarzer looked down. A group of shabbily dressed peasants were all gathered together, looking like ordinary people by any measure.
The exposed earth was parched, and every gust of wind kicked up whitish-brown dust. Within such a dilapidated village, a man, covered in wounds, was hung up.
In front of them was a group of samurai, their attire comparatively splendid. However, they were gathered around a massive chair in the center.
In such an impoverished, ancient feudal-like environment, an enormous, gold-inlaid chair was utterly out of place.
Sitting upon it was naturally a member of this era's ruling class. Japan, Heian period, the ruling class—ninja!
In the dark Heian period dominated by ninja, the highest echelon of the ruling class was, of course, ninja!
No one in this village knew of this dark reality. They were already exhausted just from staying alive. And now, they had to face a new tax: an air tax!
For lowly insects like you to breathe the same air as me is a grave sin.
Therefore, my merely collecting a small air tax from you is an act of benevolence.
As for the villager before them, he was one who dared to defy him.
And so it led to the current scene: Ichiro, who had resisted the 'air tax,' was tied to a post, covered in wounds, while his wife and child were bound at his feet.
Ninja, ruling class, Heian period…
This abstract worldview left Schwarzer momentarily unable to grasp the situation.
After all, no one had ever written a story set in such an early era for the Cyberpunk world. She only felt a slight sense of déjà vu.
Aieeeee!!!
Flames began to rise, setting the family ablaze and drawing out bloodcurdling screams!
Hahaha, what a shame. They're all so thin. Not enough fat, so they don't burn well.
On the golden chair, the ninja roared with laughter as he watched the scene before him.
Ghh… gh… gwaah! Gwaah! Watching his wife and child writhe in the flames, feeling the scorching heat on his own body, the man named Ichiro let out a pained wail.
The fire burned them mercilessly. Swollen eyelids peeled back, eyes turned murky, yet all of this only brought the ninja immense pleasure.
Such a scene excites my body and soul so much, it even makes me want to compose a haiku.
Schwarzer, who was also watching this scene, had originally intended to intervene, but the abundance of keywords quickly made her realize what was happening.
Ninja, haiku, and those strangely familiar, bizarre onomatopoeias and cries... the answer was obvious—
I've found the corresponding data! Host!
This world isn't just Cyberpunk, it's also—Ninja Slayer!
The System had no idea why these two worlds would merge, but it had seen all sorts of abstract situations in the multiverse. This was likely some strange parallel world.
But since they were already here, and given the combat power displayed in these two series, there was no threat to Schwarzer.
Now aware that this was the world of Ninja Slayer, data streamed through Schwarzer's eyes as she rapidly sifted through the memories of her past life. Soon, she understood the current situation.
This was the Dark Heian Period, and the village below was very likely the birthplace of Naraku Ninja!
Ichiro slowly died in the flames, while his friend picked up a ninja's skull he had found on an ancient battlefield, muttering some incomprehensible incantation.
The dying Ichiro left behind an incredibly powerful negative emotion, a hatred that surpassed any emotion Schwarzer had ever witnessed.
'Is this the power of Naraku?' She observed this resentment and decided to do something.
Cursed Energy flowed from her hand, devouring all the surrounding hatred and negative emotion, and then viciously poured it into Ichiro's dead body.
In another world after death, Ichiro saw the ninja's skull.
'State your name...' he said to the skull.
'Naraku...'
'State your name!'
'Naraku!'
'Naraku!' he screamed.
The broken ninja soul merged with him, absorbing a massive amount of external Cursed Energy as countless resentments flowed into his body.
The sheer scale of this grudge astonished even Schwarzer; the entirety of the previous world combined did not amount to this much.
From now on, I am you. I am Naraku!
The dead corpse spewed smoke as black as hell from its mouth. Then, its skin蠕动ed, forming a crimson-black costume, followed by gauntlets and a faceplate.
A crimson-black finger swiped across the faceplate, carving out the two characters for 'Nin' and 'Satsu'.
domo, Naraku Ninja desu.
The fire blazed behind him, and then, following his greeting, exploded.
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