The dense border forest echoed with the sound of hurried footsteps and rustling leaves. In the midway through the end of the bloody Third Shinobi World War, death could come from behind any tree.
A young Chunin wearing a torn Konoha flak jacket dashed through the underbrush. Cold sweat drenched his face. Veins bulged around his pupil-less white eyes; a sign that his Byakugan was being pushed to its absolute limits.
'Damn it... These Iwa shinobi really are endless!' Shion cursed inwardly, glancing back through his 360-degree vision. Three chakra silhouettes with strong fluctuations were still tracking him from a few hundred meters away.
With the last remnants of chakra flowing through his veins, Shion made a sharp turn, leaped over a small ravine, and spotted a cave opening hidden behind the roots of a giant banyan tree. Without a second thought, he slipped into the darkness of the cave.
After deactivating his Byakugan, the veins around his eyes subsided. The Chunin breathed rapidly, his chest heaving violently as he leaned his exhausted body against the cold, damp cave wall. The sound of water dripping from the ceiling became the only melody accompanying him.
"Hah... hah... I managed to lose them..." he muttered softly, wiping the blood dripping from his temple.
Suddenly, a cold, mechanical voice, yet sounding like an angel of salvation echoed in his head.
[Ding! Scanning host... Soul synchronization complete. Congratulations, Host has finally unlocked the System!]
Shion's white eyes widened in the darkness of the cave. His hands, trembling from exhaustion, now clenched tightly.
'Is this real?!' he screamed inwardly. His heart pounded not out of fear, but euphoria. 'Thank goodness... Oh God, thank goodness! At the very least, I now have a lifeline to survive in this hellish world.'
Shion let out a long sigh of relief, letting his body slide down until he was sitting on the cave floor.
Remembering his identity, despair had always haunted him every night. He was a man from the branch family (Bunke) of the Hyuga Clan. In the midst of this brutal war, he was nothing but a frontline soldier: 'cannon fodder'. He obviously didn't have the luxury of applying for a safer job, like becoming a househuswife or a maid serving quietly behind the high walls of the main family's estate.
His fate as a branch family man was already sealed with the Caged Bird Seal on his forehead and the deadly missions assigned by the village.
But now, with the System, he could definitely change his destiny and survive in this crazy world!
The System chimed again, displaying a transparent blue holographic screen right in front of his face.
[Ding! Distributing Activation Success Reward. Host receives a permanent buff: 50% increase in training efficiency while wearing women's clothing.]
The smile on Shion's face froze. "...Huh?"
[Ding! Host receives a permanent buff: Byakugan purity increases to the highest level (Equivalent to the genetic purity of Hanabi Hyuga) while wearing women's clothing.]
Shion's mouth fell slightly open. Purity equivalent to the genius princess of the main clan?! That was a power that could make him surpass the clan elders! But... what the hell were these activation conditions?!
Before he could finish processing the shock, the barrage of notifications continued mercilessly.
[Ding! Host receives a permanent buff: Gender becomes undetectable (Including by high-level Dojutsu or Sensory Ninjutsu) while wearing women's clothing.]
[Ding! Opening 'Starter Pack'. Host receives the following items:]
Instantly, two orbs of light materialized out of thin air and dropped right into his lap. The light faded, revealing two pieces of clothing that made Shion's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.
[White Mini Skirt Sailor Suit]
Grade: D
Function 1: Auto-Clean. (Free from dust, mud, and bloodstains).
Function 2: Infinite Regeneration. (This suit will slowly repair itself no matter how many times it gets torn or damaged).
Function 3: Absolute Territory (Zettai Ryouiki). "Almost there! Almost there! I'm just a little bit away from seeing it!" (With such an incredibly short skirt, enemies or onlookers will feel like they are about to see what's underneath, but the bizarre physics of this skirt will somehow always flutter and cover the most critical areas!)
Function 4: Super Defense. (Defense at vital/critical points is extraordinarily strong! However... defense at non-critical positions is just like ordinary fabric... The effect of torn clothes revealing skin during battle... Ah, that elusive feeling... truly a marvel for those who witness it!)
[Black Stockings]
Grade: D
Function 1: Auto-Clean.
Function 2: Infinite Regeneration. (Tight hosiery wrapping the legs with irregular tears from battle... Hmm... It would be even more perfect and solid if there were some mysterious white liquid on it...)
A cold night wind blew in through the cave opening, rustling the white sailor-style mini skirt and sheer black nylon stockings now sitting prettily on Shion's thighs.
Shion: "..."
Outside the cave, the faint sound of exploding kunai from the Iwa enemies could be heard, signaling that his life was still in danger. Inside the cave, Shion stared at the "life-saving sacred artifacts" bestowed by his System. His face darkened, and his pride as a male ninja was locked in a fierce battle with his survival instincts.
"Do I... really have to wear this?" Shion muttered hoarsely.
His calloused hands, hardened by years of taijutsu training, trembled as they touched the stocking fabric. The texture was incredibly smooth, a stark contrast to his rough, stiff Konoha combat uniform that was now covered in blood and mud.
BOOM!
A massive explosion echoed from less than a kilometer away. The vibrations knocked dust from the cave ceiling. The Iwagakure tracking squad was getting closer. If they found him in this exhausted, chakra-depleted state, death would be the best-case scenario. The worst-case? Being captured alive and tortured for information.
"To hell with pride! Dead men don't need dignity!" Shion cursed, gritting his teeth until they audibly ground together.
With rough, hurried movements, he stripped off his leg guards and outer clothing.
The cold cave air immediately brushed against his skin, giving him goosebumps. Suppressing the shame that burned his face bright red, Shion began sliding his legs into the black stockings.
Something magical happened. The moment the stockings touched his skin, they adjusted their size perfectly, wrapping tightly around his calves and thighs. However, that was nothing compared to the next challenge: the white sailor mini skirt.
Shion took a deep breath, put on the top and skirt, and pulled them up to his waist. He then untied his hair, which had begun to come loose from the fight. His long, straight, dark brown hair cascaded down his back. The hairstyle was exactly the trademark of the Hyuga clan...
Coupled with his facial features, which were already slightly androgynous to begin with, possessing a soft jawline, smooth pale skin, and a slender, high-bridged nose, his appearance had now drastically transformed.
Wearing the sailor suit and black stockings clinging to his body, his appearance was unexpectedly very... beautiful and alluring. His silhouette genuinely resembled that of an elegant young girl.
Suddenly, the night wind blew in through the cave opening. The cold breeze swept across his upper thighs, which were now exposed because the skirt's size was absurdly short!
The sensation of the wind directly touching his Zettai Ryouiki (the absolute territory between the top of the stockings and the hem of the skirt) made Shion flinch in shock. All the hairs on his neck stood up.
'This is insane... It feels like I'm not wearing any pants at all!' Shion wailed internally. He reflexively tugged at the hem of his skirt, trying to cover his thighs, but the skirt possessed its own magical physics and bounced right back up, maintaining its ultra-short position.
However, before his embarrassment could drown him further, a drastic change occurred within his body.
As soon as the clothes were perfectly fitted, Shion felt a surge of incredibly pure chakra explode from his core, rushing towards the optic nerves in his eyes. The pain and exhaustion that had previously tormented his eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a soothing sensation he had never felt in his entire life.
Reflexively, Shion formed a hand seal.
"Byakugan!"
Fine veins emerged around his eyes, but instead of looking intimidating, the flow of his chakra now felt incredibly elegant. As his vision pierced through the cave walls, Shion's breath hitched. The world around him exploded in stunning monochromatic detail. His visual range expanded at a terrifying speed.
One kilometer... three kilometers... five kilometers... until it finally stopped at a limit that left him paralyzed.
Eight kilometers.
His line of sight reached a distance of eight kilometers with absolute clarity.
"Eight kilometers..." Shion whispered, his voice trembling. "This... this is ridiculous!"
He remembered the figure of Hinata Hyuga from stories of his past, whose Byakugan could see up to ten kilometers thanks to her pure bloodline. Now, Shion, a low-ranking soldier from the branch family who hadn't even trained his 'new Byakugan' at all, suddenly possessed equivalent ocular purity.
Shion clenched his fists. Anger at the injustice of the ninja world, where talent and genetics determined everything. mixed with a bitter gratitude toward the wretched system he possessed.
With his highest-tier Byakugan, he could now clearly see the enemies' positions.
Several small squads of enemy ninjas, mostly Genin without a captain or Chunin separated from their formations, were scattered within a radius of several kilometers.
"You made me wear this cursed outfit," Shion hissed sharply, his eyes radiating a cold killing intent. "Someone has to pay dearly for my shattered pride tonight."
With one powerful push, Shion's figure shot out of the cave like a white ghost amidst the darkness of the forest.
That night, the border forest became a one-sided hunting ground. Shion moved like the shadow of death. He did not fight with the stiff, elegant style typical of the Hyuga clan.
Instead, his fighting style was brutal, pragmatic, and lethal. As a branch family member, the strongest technique he had mastered was only the Hakke Sanjuuni Sho (Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms). In large-scale combat, relying solely on the Gentle Fist was suicide.
Therefore, Shion skillfully combined his Byakugan with standard weaponry.
On a small hillside, four Iwa Genin died instantly when explosive kunai pierced their blind spots with mathematical accuracy.
While the remaining enemies were in confusion, a white blur darted in. Shion drew a looted ninja sword (tantou). He delivered slash after slash.
The more he fought, the more Shion realized something amazing.
[Ding! Training efficiency +50% active. Kenjutsu (Swordsmanship) mastery increased!]
[Ding! Training efficiency +50% active. Shurikenjutsu mastery increased!]
The System continuously provided silent notifications in the background of his consciousness. This 50% training efficiency buff while wearing women's clothing didn't just apply while meditating; it also worked during life-and-death battles! With every sword swing, every shuriken thrown, and every tactical step taken, his muscles remembered and refined them at an absurd speed. A minor flaw in his stance while slashing was automatically corrected on the very next strike. He was like a sponge, absorbing decades of combat experience in a matter of hours.
As dawn approached, while preparing to head back to the Konoha camp, his Byakugan detected familiar chakra fluctuations. A Konoha team, three Genin and a heavily injured Chunin were cornered against a cliff by a dozen Iwa ninjas.
Dozens of kunai and shuriken rained down on them. The Chunin had already closed his eyes, bracing for death.
However, the rain of weapons never hit them.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
A silver flash dancing in the air with incredible speed saved them.
Shion dashed forward, piercing through the defensive line. Utilizing his System-buffed agility and his pure Byakugan vision that read every projectile's trajectory, Shion swung his tantou like lightning. He deflected dozens of enemy kunai in mid-air with precision, letting the rest miss his body by mere millimeters.
As he landed gracefully in front of the Konoha team, the morning breeze swept away the flying dust, revealing their savior.
The eyes of both the Konoha shinobi and the Iwa ninjas widened simultaneously.
Standing before them was a "girl" with long, dark brown hair fluttering in the wind, framing an incredibly beautiful, cold, androgynous face.
Her outfit was completely out of place: a sailor uniform with a super-short white mini skirt and tight black stockings. Her clothes were immaculately clean, without a single speck of dust.
"Wh-who...?" whispered one of the Konoha Genin. His face flushed red at the sight of their savior's thighs peeking from beneath the fluttering skirt, obscured by the mysterious shadow of the Absolute Territory feature that made anyone looking swallow hard.
An angry Iwa ninja attacked again. "Doton: Doryuudan! (Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!)"
Instead of using a grand ninjutsu, the "girl" darted forward like a phantom. Slipping beneath the earth projectile, she breached the enemy formation.
"Hakke Sanjuuni Sho! (Eight Trigrams Thirty-Two Palms!)"
Even though it was only 32 palms, the attack was lethal. His slender fingers, cloaked in blue chakra, pierced the Iwa ninjas' defenses, locking their tenketsu and halting their chakra circulation in a matter of seconds. The rest, he slashed with hiz tantou in a spinning motion. His white skirt fluttered with every maneuver she made, creating an incredibly beautiful yet deadly spectacle, a feast for the eyes that simultaneously reaped lives.
It took only three minutes for the dozen Iwa ninjas to be reduced to corpses.
Shion flicked his sword to shake off the remaining blood, then sheathed it. He glanced briefly at the Konoha team. Thanks to the System's gender-concealment buff and his naturally feminine facial features, none of them realized his true identity.
The Konoha Chunin captain propped up his injured body, his face filled with reverence.
"Thank you for your help. Your skills are extraordinary... your hair and eyes, you must be from the Hyuga clan. May we know the name of our Lady savior?"
Hearing the word "Lady", a vein throbbed violently on Shion's forehead. An overwhelming sense of cringe hammered his mental state. If he answered, his pride as a man would be shattered into a million pieces.
Without saying a single word, Shion turned his embarrassment-stricken face away, formed a single hand seal, and using the Shunshin technique, his figure vanished instantly in a gust of wind.
"She... just left," murmured the blushing Genin. "So cold. And... so beautiful."
"An extraordinary girl. She is like a white lotus blooming in the middle of a pool of blood," added the Chunin captain with a poetic tone quite unsuited to the situation. "Did you guys see her white skirt fluttering earlier? I almost… ah, never mind."
From that day on, rumors began spreading like wildfire across the Konoha border camps.
Not about a new genius who killed hundreds of enemies, but rather an urban legend of the battlefield.
The tale of the "White Skirt Fairy".
The legend spoke of a mysterious Kunoichi from the Hyuga clan, dressed in strange white clothing and tight black stockings. She appeared out of nowhere to save cornered Konoha ninjas, then vanished without a trace.
The surviving ninjas didn't talk much about her deadly fighting style; instead, they focused on her figure, which starkly contrasted with the cruel environment of war.
They talked about her clothes that never got dirty, her movements that made her mini skirt dance and invite men's imaginations, and her cold demeanor in refusing to give her name.
Inside the Konoha camp's medical tent, Shion, having already changed back into his male combat uniform (after ensuring no one saw him change) was lying down, pretending to be unconscious from chakra exhaustion.
Beneath his medical blanket, Shion wept internally.
'This damn world,' his mind screamed, lamenting his fate. 'I would've been better off dying when those Iwa ninjas were chasing me!'
[Ding! Daily quest updated: Wear women's clothing for 4 consecutive hours in a public area. Reward: 10% increase in Chakra reserves!]
Shion: ".....System, I truly hate you."