3.1

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As always, I regained my bearings in a completely different environment. But Naruto… honestly, this could go great like it could go badly, just like Skyrim.

This world could have us face powerless bandits like we could have to face literal Gods. However, unlike Skyrim, I found this world to have slightly less potential for us, as there weren't nearly as many artefacts to pick up.

Well, let's see how many people there are…

However, as I started counting my teammates for this mission, I realized something was wrong. There were 15 other people with me in the room, which wasn't good already. This meant this world was even more dangerous than In the Tall Grass, where Hunter had died. And even to this day, I seriously doubted I stood a chance against the overpowered teen.

But more importantly, the other veterans, my teammates, were still asleep. Normally, they should enter this world awakened, yet they were all slopped over, unconscious.

Even more abnormal, was one of the newbies, who, contrarily to the rest, was awake.

Moreover, his eyes did not hold any of the confusion newbies normally had. I looked down at my watch, and was surprised to find the counter was stuck at 2:00, and it wasn't going down.

Looking back up at the newbie who was awake, I did not say anything, and simply narrowed my eyes at him, one hand already grabbing my sword's handle, ready to attack at any moment.

However, his blank face suddenly was animated by emotions as he spoke, "Greetings, Alexander Venator."

My brows furrowed as I heard him call my name. I hadn't said my name to anyone in my team, and I definitely didn't know this man. So for him to know my name… was he connected to God?

My sword already half-drawn, I asked, "Who are you?"

His face returned to its nondescript expression as he replied, "I am Team Western Europe's Guide."

My grip relaxed a little as I queried, "Guide? On what exactly?"

The Guide answered, "You have more than proved yourself to be a capable participant since your arrival, and you have thus been granted the position of Probational Team Leader. And if you manage to survive this test, you shall become the official Team Leader of Team Western Europe."

Sheathing my sword, I let go of it as I leaned against the wall behind me, and said, "You say that like I'm not already."

Only now did I notice what was unsettling about the Guide. He wasn't blinking.

"You may be the informal leader of your team, but you haven't been recognized by the game yet. Becoming the official Team Leader would also come with certain benefits, which you shall discover if you manage to survive the test."

Of course he wouldn't tell me right away. It wouldn't be very fun if he did, would it?

I asked, "What is this test you speak of, then? Is it not the same as our mission."

The Guide shook his head, and uttered, "Your mission is too easy for your test."

Too easy?

I looked down at my watch once again, and read the line of text under the counter.

'Protect Yahiko, Konan and Nagato for seven days. If all three survive, all members of the team will be rewarded 3000 Points and a Rank C Reward. For each one that dies, all team members lose 1000 Points.'

THAT was too easy? For fuck sake, this was by far the hardest mission we had ever gotten!

As fuzzy as my memories of Naruto were, I remember what happened to the first Akatsuki, when Yahiko was at the head.

They were cornered by both Hanzo and his forces, as well as Danzo's Root. Although only Yahiko died in the original plot, God had already shown that it was capable of changing the plot for more difficulty.

And since we needed to get all three of them to stay alive to get any Points, and I was the only member of the team that had more than 1000 Points, then the death of a single one of the three would mean a quasi team wipe, with only me as a survivor.

Fuck!

We might not be facing a God, but we are facing a man known as a Shinobi Demigod. Along with Danzo, a man who once was Hiruzen's rival. As in the Third Hokage, Shinobi God, Hiruzen.

Years into the future, Hanzo would get killed rather effortlessly by Pain, if my memory doesn't fail me, while Danzo will get killed by Sasuke with some difficulty, but that would be more than a decade in the future, when both would have gotten old and weaker.

If we are to face the two men when Yahiko originally dies, then neither are far from their prime.

FUCK!

And that was too easy? The hell is God playing at?

Completely ignoring my frustration, the Guide continued, "Your test will go as follows. For each member of your Team that dies, you will lose 2000 Points. All you have to do is to live…"

He was forcefully stopped halfway as I held out my hand, using Force Choke on him.

The Guide did not even look pained by the action, but he was forced to stop talking as I lifted him off the ground, growling, "All I have to do is to live? Are you fucking with me? You hand me ten newbies to protect and throw us in a mission we would probably fail to begin with, and you expect me to just live?"

My anger flaring, I used more force than I intended, and accidentally broke the Guide's neck. However, as I let go of him, he landed on his feet, his neck healing itself with a sickening crunch as the Guide said, "Please note that players will never face a situation they stand no chance of solving. This mission was carefully selected after taking your personal and team's rating into account, as well as your powers."

I still had grievances to address, but the Guide did not care about them as he promptly popped out of existence, followed by a bip from my watch.

Looking down at it, I saw the counter had started, while another line of text had appeared under our team's mission, which was my own personal test to become the Team Leader. There was also a second number added, which was at 14 right now.

Alright, so I need to protect the Ame Orphans, that is Yahiko, Konan and Nagato, while also taking care of my team. Assuming I do manage to save the three, I would earn 3000 Points. Added to my current balance of 5300 Points, I would have 8300 at the end of this mission, ignoring side missions. That's 4 expendables.

I've got 14 teammates to protect, against ninjas not only capable of overpowering each and everyone of them in a frontal fight, but whose specialty happens to be assassination.

Carefully chosen my ass.

Meanwhile, the veterans quickly woke up, seemingly completely unaware of the Guide's visit. They each looked down at their watches, and except for Jonathan, whose face turned pale, the others looked confused.

Rubbing my forehead, I asked, "Do any of you have more than 900 Points?"

They all replied in the negative, not understanding the question. I sent a look at the newbies, who were already starting to wake up, and said, "One of you should give the explanation to the newbies."

They looked at me, and each other, with surprise, except for Jonathan who was stuck staring at his watch.

The three ignored him, debating among each other in whispers, before they decided to let Chris do it.

And as he did that, I approached Jonathan, making him jump as I patted his shoulder. He looked up at me, as I was more than a head taller than him, and I saw his dilated pupils, displaying paralyzing terror.

He struggled to even speak, "W-We're fucked."

I wanted to nod, but I stared into his eyes, grasping his shoulder a little tighter, and said, "It won't be easy, but I'm here. We're going to live."

I actually did think they had a good chance at living. To me, the Ame Orphans' lives are more important than the newbies, because of simple math.

If a single Ame Orphan dies, then the entire team gets wiped out. But even if all the newbies get killed, as long as the Ame Orphans live, then not only would all those who survive live, but if I managed to complete side missions then I would be able to live too.