Zixu had never slept so well before. It felt as if he were floating on soft white clouds or drifting through an endless sea of void. In short, this was the best rest he'd ever had.
"Ha~ Yawn~ Damn, that was refreshing. Nothing beats getting rid of burdens. System! Tell me my current points, loud and clear!"
Now that his debts were cleared, Zixu felt like a king. His back straightened, his chest puffed out, and he carried himself like a true emperor—or at least, that's how he saw it.
"24000 points"
"What about the lottery draws I saved from my previous missions? Don't try to scam me!" Zixu narrowed his eyes, already on guard. This damn system always played word games with him. If he didn't ask directly, it sometimes just kept things to itself. He had long since learned to be suspicious.
"506 draws"
"Good. Use them all! If I don't get anything worthwhile after 500 draws, I swear I'll tear you apart." Zixu boasted, knowing full well he couldn't actually do anything to the system. Still, he firmly believed that cursing at it might boost his drop rate.
It had been so long since he last drew from the lottery that he had almost forgotten what it felt like. Even after the system's so-called "integration upgrade," the chances of winning anything good seemed to have barely improved.
"Did they tweak the rates from 0.001 to 0.002? What a joke..."
He started contemplating his luck—or rather, his absolute lack of it. Was it possible that he was just naturally cursed when it came to these draws?
"No, maybe the real problem is me. Maybe my bad luck is screwing me over. I still have six single draws left. Should I try using them differently?"
(TL: I have no idea where the 500 draws went. Maybe the MC already got the prizes, and the author just didn't write it down. They're probably sitting in his storage or something.)
His mind churned with crazy ideas, each more absurd than the last. If he wanted to escape poverty, he had to think outside the box.
"Alright, let's test something out. I'll touch a lucky person first, then draw. Maybe their luck will rub off on me."
Saying it was one thing—doing it was another. But if it worked, he'd be able to use whatever prize he got as a reward. That meant no need to waste time preparing gifts.
"And, of course, I'll start with myself. If I pull something good right away, I won't have to bother looking for other 'lucky mascots.'"
With firm determination, Zixu pressed his finger against the system's virtual roulette wheel, setting it in motion.
[You have obtained... Buggy's stench.]
"F***!"
Without hesitation, Zixu sealed the ominous thing inside a specially marked scroll labeled "Dangerous Junk—Do Not Open." He had no interest in summoning Buggy's image again. That guy was already enough of a walking disaster without his cursed items.
Abandoning the idea of relying on his own luck, Zixu decided to find someone else to act as his lucky charm.
He had used one of his six remaining draws, meaning five candidates were left. Hyuga Chinano, Aburame Hatsuizumi, and Karin would take three slots. That left two more.
"Hmm... Neji? Gaara? Haku would work too. Screw it, I'll just go with whoever I run into first."
Letting fate decide, he strolled into the heart of the village. The place was lively—just as he intended. After the lessons learned from the Third Hokage's era and the Uchiha incident, Zixu had taken special care to ensure the villagers had ways to unwind. He wouldn't allow another situation where suppressed emotions boiled over into destruction.
At the center of the village stood a tall tower. Fifteen meters high, it was a mix of stone and steel, towering with a commanding presence. Its rough, gray-brown exterior gave it a simple yet refined look—like a piece of natural art shaped by time itself.
Originally built as a lookout point for village security, the tower had since become a landmark where most public activities were held. Tonight was no exception.
Around the base of the tower, villagers sang and danced under the soft glow of lanterns. The music wasn't too loud, ensuring it didn't disturb others, and a group of middle-aged women moved rhythmically alongside a swarm of giggling children. Even here, square dancing was inescapable.
Entrepreneurs had taken advantage of the crowd, setting up all kinds of food stalls. No one wanted to sit idle anymore—earning a living was better than waiting around for handouts.
"High-tech fortune-telling! Get your horoscope results instantly!"
"Charcoal-grilled eggplant! Fresh off the fire!"
"Win a prize! Ten bullseyes in a row gets you a 50% discount!"
Vendors shouted to attract customers while mischievous kids darted through the crowd playing hide-and-seek. Ninja dogs sat expectantly by the food stands, hoping for scraps, and—wait.
A panda was dancing among the people.
Something about that didn't seem right, but Zixu decided to ignore it for now.
As he took in the bustling scene, a sense of pride welled up within him. He had built all of this from the ground up. These people had once been skeptical outsiders, yet now, they were a true community. This was the joy of leadership.
Zixu made his way toward the stall that offered a 50% discount for hitting ten bullseyes. Years of careful money management had made him a natural at finding deals. Money didn't grow on trees, and as the one enforcing the village's rules, he couldn't be the first to break the "no work, no food" policy.
"Boss! Give me your signature dishes—the cheap ones!" Zixu grinned as he took a seat.
The other diners barely spared him a glance. Most villagers knew they had a mysterious village chief, but hardly anyone recognized him.
The stall owner, a veteran of the trade, simply nodded. "Coming right up! Good food at good prices—you'll leave with a full belly!"
Zixu relaxed, glancing outside. The neon lights and fireworks illuminated the night sky. He still wasn't sure what technique Orochimaru had used to keep the village hidden, but whatever it was, it worked. If he ever saw the guy again, he'd have to give him credit for that.
As he lost himself in thought, the buzz of conversation around him pulled him back. A crowd had started to gather near the restaurant entrance.
"Hey, did you see that? Instructor Hyuga Chinano is already on her 38th bowl of ramen! Is that even humanly possible?!"
"Forget it, even if you cut me into pieces, it wouldn't be enough to fill Instructor Chinano's stomach!"
"You? She wouldn't even want to eat your fat ass, man..."
Hearing the chatter, Zixu realized that Hyuga Chinano was sitting not far away, her ramen bowls stacked so high they blocked the view behind her.
Wiping her mouth with practiced elegance, she placed the empty bowl down. She wasn't really hungry tonight—this was just a light meal.
"Boss, time to settle up. I want to try the shooting game," she said, voice calm and measured. Clearly, she wasn't above using her skills to save some money.
Zixu's interest piqued. While he hadn't practiced much with firearms, his own strength made hitting ten rings a joke. But if he let Chinano do it right after eating... well, then he wouldn't have to lift a finger.
Perfect.
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