"——That concludes the mission brief."In the ANBU sub-basement, cold-white lamps haloed a projection: a cloud-laden gorge, village fires still smoldering, rift energy readings spiking like an ECG."Target: Tea Country – Broken-Cloud Gorge. Rift gate diameter eight metres, peak level – A." The cat-mask tapped the screen, "Your task: infiltrate – sample – evacuate. Collect ≥50g core fragment. Time limit: six hours. Support: zero. Failure: abandon sample, save yourself."Jack pushed the protector to his brow—first time wearing the Konoha symbol as "special jōnin". Metal glinted like a sheathed blade.System pop-up: 「Side Quest·Solo: Sample A-Rift Core
Reward: ① DP 500 ② Rift Weave upgrade (area +100%)
Failure: no penalty, but if sample taken by hostile force, main quest +30% difficulty」 "Hostile force?" he asked inwardly. 「Hint: unknown third party detected at gorge perimeter, ID: ???」I Gorge Mouth: Fog & RustTea border, dawn fog thick enough to wring water. Jack arrived alone; soil underfoot dark red—rust, also dried blood. The gate hovered above a collapsed suspension bridge, piers sheared at an angle, surfaces mirror-smooth.Sensor disk flared scarlet: 「Distance: 1.2km Energy gradient: vertical, valley concentration lethal」 "Lethal?" He arched a brow. "Then don't walk the valley."Golden threads shot from knuckles, lassoed the far pier, swung him mid-cliff. Every step, rift energy slapped calves; threads gorged, converting excess Yin chakra into a "cooling layer", preventing necrosis.Ten minutes later he hung 30m above the bridge—bird's-eye view: gate an upright ellipse, black scripture bands orbiting; centre a spinning dark-gold gear-screen.Below, a dozen corpses: Rock-nin, ronin, Tea samurai—and "Akatsuki"?! A severed arm in black-red cloud, chest branded "Zero", desiccated.System tag: 「Third-party confirmed: 'Zero' White-Zetsu clone possession failed, gate rebound」 "So Zetsu's behind it…" Jack narrowed eyes. "The puppeteer's nearby."II Infiltration: Heart of the Gear GateTo score "50g" he must enter the A-level maelstrom.Thread volume insufficient for head-on shield—needs "pressure relief". He pulled a vial: "Chakra Vacuum Tube" — finger-sized crystal, temp energy sink.Threw it; black scripture coiled, brightness -12%. "Now."Golden threads wove glider wings; he slid into the screen. Vision black; only gear teeth clacking and electric snaps. —Inside: cylindrical tunnel, walls of cracked "dimensional steel", each shard reflecting different worlds: desert, metropolis, even—New York, his own apartment!"Lose focus = die." He bit his tongue, metallic blood pulled him back. Centre floated the "core" — fist-sized poly-crystal, dark-gold, fissured.System countdown: 「Internal stay: 00:05:00 Exceed = lost probability ↑」Hand up, thread became drill, carefully shaved a corner. Fragments funneled into tube—exact 50.0g. Core fissures widened; entire tunnel collapsed!"Exfil!" Threads catapulted him; gate behind imploded—silent explosion. Shockwave scoured the gorge, fog torn away revealing devastation.III Third Party: Black RobeBefore dust settled, applause. "Bravo, Konoha's Warden."From pier shadow stepped a black-robed figure, crack-mask, chest "♾️" crest. System screamed: 「High-danger target: Code 'Harmonizer-β' Ability: ??? Advice: evade」Jack stepped back; threads quivered, meeting kin. "Hand over the sample, live." The stranger extended fingers—golden cracks identical but thicker, wilder."Sorry, I deliver to the post office." Jack smiled, slipping the tube into a pouch."Then—I'll collect." Robed fist clenched—five crack-chains erupted, sealing all exits, spearing for his heart—Threads auto-wove a "spiral mirror"; chains pierced, refracted, blew the pier apart! Jack back-flipped, tossed smoke bomb. 浓雾掩住身影,他发动"裂缝编织·短途"—— Golden thread tore a man-size micro-rift, exit 1km away. Body stuffed into a washing machine, tumbled three seconds—crashed into a tea-tree.IV Escape & RewardSmoke dispersed; rob hovered, chains sweeping ruins—target gone. "Interesting kin… the game begins." He dissolved into crackling motes.Among tea leaves Jack vomited bile; threads red-hot. System tally: 「Sample acquired: 50.0g Integrity: 98%
Mission complete!
Reward: ① DP 500 ② Rift Weave Lv.2 (area +100%, short gate)
Side-effect: thread overload, all stats -20% (6 h)」"Stat loss… better than death." He tossed the vacuum tube, caught it—like tossing the last coin of his lifespan.V Homeward: New Whisper & CountdownMoon re-emerges; female whisper returns, metallic:"You learned to open,
hence became—'the Gate'."Collar brand now reaches mid-sternum; countdown still seven years, new line:
「Harmonizer ID: 02 β」He gazes at invisible horizon—
there, black-robe also watches the moon, crack-mask reflecting Jack's own profile.